Quantcast
Channel: ECB Latest News
Viewing all 7281 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

LV=CC, July 15: As it happened

July 16, 2014, 10:27 am
$
0
0

Recap a thrilling day’s LV= County Championship action as Nottinghamshire went top of Division One with a one-wicket win over Lancashire while Somerset and Warwickshire were also victorious.

By Matt Somerford, Rob Barnett & Dominic Farrell

Follow ECB_cricket on Twitter

7pm - Here’s our close-of-play summary on a day that could look very significant in the final reckoning come the end of the season in Division One.

Remember, Glamorgan and Sussex Sharks are currently doing battle in the NatWest T20 Blast and we’ll have a full report online when that one finishes.

Division One

Somerset held on to beat Northamptonshireby 52 runs at Wantage Road, but not before half-centuries down the order from Adam Rossington, Andrew Hall and David Willey gave the bottom-of-the-table hosts hope of an improbable victory.

Nottinghamshire edged past Lancashireby one wicket in a low-scoring thriller at Aigburth. Chris Read’s unbeaten 40 was central to taking Notts top of the table and keeping the Red Rose second-from-bottom.

Warwickshire romped to victory by an innings and 188 runs against Durham at the Emirates Durham ICG. Jeetan Patel and Boyd Rankin took five and three wickets respectively as the hosts subsided dramatically after tea. Notts’ win at Lancashire keeps Durham’s head above water at the bottom.

Division Two

Leicestershire are 56 for two heading into the final day against Worcestershire at New Road. Saving a draw will be the order of the day as the visitors need another 402 for victory.

Derbyshire are 216 for two and moving towards Gloucestershire’s 356 all out after day two at Cheltenham. Unbeaten half-centurions Wayne Madsen and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will have an eye on three figures tomorrow morning, while Will Gidman was earlier the last man out for the visitors having amassed 125.

Hampshire are 83 for one in their second innings against Essex, a lead of 44 after their bowlers earlier did a fine job of restricting the hosts to 285 all out at Colchester.

6.34pm - RESULT! Lancashire (225 & 205) lose to Nottinghamshire (261 & 170/9) by one wicket at Aigburth. The batsmen crossed on Adams’ dismissal, leaving last man Harry Gurney on strike. But the England one-day bowler holds his nerve to drive the winning run off Chapple. Delight for Notts, who go top after a breathless encounter. Lancashire miss out on the points that would have taken them above Durham and out of the bottom two.

6.32pm - Sensational drama at Liverpool!  Kabir Ali makes it two wickets in the over as Parry catches Andre Adams and THE SCORES ARE LEVEL! Notts need one to win, with one wicket left.

6.24pm - Leicestershire reach stumps without suffering further damage, meaning Lancashire versus Nottinghamshire is the only game left on-going. It shouldn’t be for much longer, with the visitors seven runs away from victory.

6.15pm - We’ve also reached stumps at Cheltenham, while Nottinghamshire are 18 runs away from victory.

6.08pm - Shivnarine Chanderpaul brings up 50 and Derbyshire are well-placed on 216 for two as they approach the close.

Hampshire reach stumps at 83 for one, 44 runs ahead of Essex with Michael Carberry 48 not out.

6.01pm - Joe Leach bowls Ned Eckersley and Leicestershire are 55 for two. It looks like they’ll face a huge struggle to save the game tomorrow.

5.54pm - Read and Fletcher are edging Nottinghamshire closer. The former has 30 and the score is 144 for seven. Just 26 more required, with Stephen Parry - replacing England-bound Simon Kerrigan - in his first spell of the match.

5.40pm - RESULT! Warwickshire (472) beat Durham (171 & 113) by an innings and 188 runs at the Emirates Durham IGC. It’s a resounding victory for Warwickshire, as Durham collapse from 75 for two to 113 all out in little more than 10 overs. Boyd Rankin bowled Mark Wood for 18 to round off matters and end with 3-18, but the visitors’ leading light with the ball was Jeetan Patel with 5-49.

5.34pm - Charles Morris traps Angus Robson lbw for eight and Leicestershire are 46 for one. Greg Smith is unbeaten on 32.

5.28pm - Jimmy Adams falls in the first over of left-arm spin from Tim Phillips. The score is 39 for one, making Hampshire and Essex all square.

Two wickets in as many balls brings Patel a five-for and Durham’s race is almost run on 91 for nine.

5.18pm - Siddle is gone without scoring as the Croft and Chapple combination does the trick once more. Much rests on Read now, with Luke Fletcher joining him on 119 for seven.

Wayne Madsen is 63 not out, with Derbyshire 177 for two. Batting certainly seems a much more favourable past-time at Cheltenham than it does at Liverpool!

5.12pm - Another big wicket for Lancashire - they all are at this stage. Kyle Hogg has Riki Wessels caught by Ashwell Prince for 28 to end a very useful partnership of 37 alongside Chris Read. Notts are 116 for six, needing 52 more, as Peter Siddle joins Read.

Phil Mustard becomes the fourth Durham batsman to go for a duck and it’s 80 for seven as Patel strikes again.

5.08pm - Boyd Rankin claims his second wicket, nipping one back to trap Paul Collingwood lbw. Durham are 80 for six and Warwickshire will have strong designs on wrapping up things up this evening.

4.57pm - Leicestershire are eight without loss in the early stages of their second innings. With the nominal target being 458, their primary focus will be on saving the game.

4.53pm - Michael Richardson is out for 30, caught at short-leg by Sam Hain off Jeetan Patel and the New Zealand spinner strikes again two balls later! Gordon Muchall departs without troubling the scorers and Durham are in deep trouble on 75 for four.

4.39pm -RESULT! Somerset (375 & 249/8d) beat Northamptonshire (221 & 351) by 52 runs at Wantage Road. Hall is the last man to go, for 66, with Craig Overton the successful bowler. That was supposed to be a procession for Somerset but some superb work from Northants’ lower-middle order and tail produced unexpected drama. Somerset move to the top of Division One but that will change when Nottinghamshire's game with Lancashire ends.

4.36pm - Samit Patel goes for 21 and that’s a huge wicket for Lancashire. Steven Croft displays his customary excellence at backward point to give Glen Chapple his second scalp. Nottinghamshire are 79 for five and need 91 more to win.

4.34pm - Big breakthrough for Somerset! Lewis Gregory pins Willey lbw to record a five-wicket haul. Northants require 53 more but Hall has only last man Muhammad Azhar Ullah for company.

4.27pm - A six also takes Willey through to a typically swashbuckling half-century. Northamptonshire are 54 runs away from a remarkable triumph.

4.24pm - It’s been quite a collapse from Essex after tea, but last man Monty Panesar just announced himself with a six off Liam Dawson.

4.17pm - One brings two as Rimmington strikes again in his next over, Greg Smith edging behind.

Andrew Hall and David Willey are still there after tea at Wantage Road. Northants need 64 runs more for victory.

4.12pm - Essex are seven down as Nathan Rimmington traps Graham Napier lbw for nine - his first wicket for Hampshire.

They’ve got to tea at Liverpool, with Nottinghamshire needing 101 more for victory with six wickets in hand. There’s sure to be drama in 20 minutes’ time.

3.53pm – Drama at Liverpool! Tom Smith pins Michael Lumb lbw for 22 and has James Taylor caught behind in the same over, making Notts 53 for four.

Hamish Marshall gets Slater caught behind for 70 after an alliance of 81 with Wayne Madsen.

Leicestershire’s Sykes snares Shaaiq Choudhry for 25 shortly before tea arrives at New Road with Worcestershire 348 for eight, 389 ahead.

Derbyshire are 116 for two at the interval and Durham 55 for two.

3.42pm – Tea is taken in two of the games. Northants are bravely fighting for a draw and, just whisper it, a win on 320 for eight with Hall on 53 and David Willey 35. They need 84 more with two wickets left.

Essex are 253 for six, seven ahead of Hampshire on first innings.

3.34pm – Worcestershire’s Leach, having just hit his fourth six, is dismissed by James Sykes for 74.

3.16pm – Agony for Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who falls one short of a maiden senior century. Having struck Dan Redfern for two consecutive sixes in the previous over to reach 99, he is bowled by the spinner to break a 100-run partnership with Leach.

Ben Slater bags a fifty for Derbyshire and Hampshire seamer Tomlinson a second scalp this afternoon with James Foster his victim for 18.

3.01pm – Ravi Bopara is lbw to James Tomlinson for a patient 79 that occupied 254 balls.

Glen Chapple ousts Alex Hales early in Nott’s victory chase.

2.55pm – Division Two leaders Worcestershire continue their domination of bottom side Leicestershire as Joe Leach raises a fifty. Worcestershire’s lead is more than 300. 

2.40pm – Lancashire are all out for 205 when Samit Patel accounts for Stephen Parry for 16 of a pesky partnership of 36 with Kabir. Notts need 170 to go top of Division One!

Will Gidman, who hit a hundred earlier today, traps Billy Godleman lbw to make Derbyshire 34 for one in the 18th over of their reply to 356. Gidman has figures of 7-4-6-1.

2.22pm – Adam Rossington resists Somerset’s victory charge with a fifty, getting there with a six off Alfonso Thomas! Rossington and Andrew Hall have added 76 for the eighth wicket.

2.16pm – Barker is on fire! Having taken six first-innings scalps, he has Mark Stoneman held at third slip from the second ball of Durham’s follow-on.

Briggs makes it two breakthroughs in two overs by sending Ryan ten Doeschate on his way.

2.09pm – Durham are dismissed for 171, 301 behind Warwickshire on first innings, when Jeetan Patel has Graham Onions cheaply stumped. The visitors enforce the follow-on.

Lancashire slump to 170 for nine with Fletcher removing Joss Buttler, for 25, and Kyle Hogg in consecutive balls. Kabir Ali averts a hat-trick.

Danny Briggs bowls Jesse Ryder for 69, ending an alliance worth 114 with Ravi Bopara.

Shreck soon traps Ben Cox in front for his second strike of the afternoon.

1.56pm – John Hastings’ resistance ends when Keith Barker makes it two wickets in two overs since lunch, the Australian all-rounder falling for 51 to leave Durham nine down.

Notts’ Luke Fletcher snares Glen Chapple for 19 and Leicestershire’s Charlie Shreck ousts Alexi Kervezee for 75, halting a 131-run stand with Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

1.20pm - Here is the state of play around the grounds at lunch:

Division One

Somerset need three wickets to secure victory at Wantage Road after half-centurion Kyle Coetzer was bowled by Lewis Gregory the ball before the break. Gregory has 10 wickets in the match and Northants are 193 for seven.

John Hastings’ half-century hardly disguised Durham’s problems as they lost four morning-session wickets to be 161 for sevenagainst Warwickshire at the Emirates Durham ICG. They trail by 311 runs.

Harry Gurney has put Nottinghamshire in the box seat against Lancashire with four wickets this morning to leave the hosts 154 for six and holding a lead of 118 runs.

Division Two

Fifties from Alexei Kervezee and Tom Kohler-Cadmore have helped Worcestershire extend their lead to 214 runs against Leicestershire at New Road. The hosts are 173 for three.

Will Gidman was last man out for 125 as Gloucestershire’s first innings ended at 356.  Tom Taylor claimed his maiden first-class five-wicket haul. Derbyshire are eight without loss in reply.

Ravi Bopara and Jesse Ryder have both hit half-centuries in an unbroken in 95-run stand. Essex are 168 for two and trailing Hampshire by 78 runs.

1.04pm - Coetzer is bowled at Wantage Road to prompt lunch. A bad time to lose his wicket so close to the break. Somerset will sense their chance to push for victory after they've had a couple of sandwiches. The lunch scores are filtering through now, so I'll update you from around the grounds shortly.

12.57pm - Tom Kohler-Cadmore follows Kervezee to a half-century. Their stand is now worth 118 runs.

12.46pm - Ravi Bopara beats Jesse Ryder to 50 with a couple of boundaries in the same Danny Briggs over. Ryder follows him soon after. The Kiwi might have been second to the miletsone, but he got there far quicker - from 74 balls. Bopara took 167 deliveries.

12.34pm - Gloucestershire have been bowled out for 356. Will Gidman is the last to go for 125 when he's bowled by Mark Footitt. It was a strange innings with Gidman and Will Tavare both making centuries, otherwise Hamish Marshall (45) was the only player to get beyond 10.

12.30pm - Northants are fighting at Wantage Road with seventh-wicket pair Kyle Coetzer and on-loan Adam Rossington bringing up a 50-run stand. Somerset look like they will be made to work for the final four wickets they need for a win to put them amongst the pace-setters in Division One.

12.25pm - After a bit of a lull around the grounds we have a couple of wickets and Durham's morning session worsens still. Scott Borthwick has been trapped lbw by Boyd Rankin to leave them 116 for seven.

At Liverpool, Notts left-armer Gurney has a third wicket this morning as one keeps a little low on Ashwell Prince and strikes him in front.

There is some good news for the batsmen - on a morning when a lot of wickets have fallen. Alexei Kervezee brings up his half-century from 99 balls to have Worcestershire 125 for three and ahead of last-placed Leicestershire by 166 runs.

11.57am - Gurney has a second wicket this morning as new man Steven Croft falls to a superb catch by James Taylor. It was a low chance, perhaps making Taylor the ideal man for the job, but he still moved smartly to his left at cover to snap it up.

11.52am - Durham's morning gets worse. Phil Mustard is gone and that's three wickets inside the first hour to leave them 83 for six. Will Porterfield holds the catch off Clarke. Durham have lost three for five in a run of 34 balls.

11.46am - After keeping up his curious record Khawaja immediately departs. He nicks off to Harry Gurney on 53 and Chris Read takes the catch. Lancashire are 99 for three and 63 runs ahead.

11.43am - Usman Khawaja moves to his third half-century in his fourth game since joining Lancashire last month. The Aussie has had a mixed bag under the Red Rose. He's failed to get past 10 four times and when he has, he has reached 50 every time.

11.36am - Moments after Will Gidman reaches his century he loses his partner Tom Smith. Tom Taylor claims his fourth wicket, caught by Wes Durston, and Gloucestershire are 319 for eight.

11.28am - And another for Barker. Paul Collingwood lasts just two deliveries before edging to Rikki Clarke at second slip.

11.25am - Keith Barker has his third wicket at the Emirates Durham ICG as Gordon Muchall is trapped in front. Durham are 78 for four and in some bother when they really wanted a solid stand at the start of the day to settle them as they set after Warwickshire's 472.

11.16am - There might just be a bit in these wickets this morning because we have our third bowled from three dismissals so far. Tony Palladino does the job this time as Adam Rouse misses one. Will Gidman has moved to 97 and Gloucestershire are 313 for seven.

11.09am - Liam Dawson has knocked over Tom Westley at Colchester. The hosts have added just a leg-bye so far this morning.

11.03am - It has taken Nathan Buck five balls to strike at New Road. He's rearranged Richard Oliver's stumps after the opener added a couple of runs to the overnight score.

10.45am - Andrew Flintoff has been warming up with Lancashire's players before play at Liverpool. Before anyone gets carried away he's not the man to replace Simon Kerrigan - who has headed off down to London to join England's Test squad. As already stated another spinner, Stephen Parry, is in the XI now. 

10.30am - Welcome to today's live blog of the six LV= County Championship matches. We will almost certainly have a winner at Wantage Road today.

How early the result comes will depend on whether Somerset can quickly mop up the five wickets they need, or if Northants' tail do the unlikely and spend the day scoring the 296 runs they require for a first win of the campaign.

Division One

Northamptonshire are 108 for five in their second innings, needing a further 296 runs to beat Somerset at Wantage Road.

Lancashire are 55 for two - a lead of 19 runs - in their second innings against Nottinghamshire at Aigburth.

Durham are 62 for three, a deficit of 410 runs against Warwickshire at halfway at the Emirates Durham ICG. Sam Hain brought up an unbeaten century in his team’s 472 all out.

Division Two

Worcestershire are 48 for two, with Richard Oliver unbeaten on 35, as they lead Leicestershire by 89 at New Road. Saeed Ajmal took 4-66 as the visitors were all out for 280 on day two.

Essex are 70 for one in response to Hampshire’s 246 all out after the first-day washout at Colchester. The visiting side recovered from 97 for seven as Adam Wheater scored 107 against his former county.

Gloucestershire won the toss and closed the opening day against Derbyshire on 304 for six at Cheltenham. Will Tavare hit 135 and Will Gidman is 88 not out overnight.

↧
Search

Robson relishing home comforts

July 16, 2014, 10:27 am
$
0
0

Sam Robson speaks to us about the prospect of his second Lord's Test

Sam Robson will be right at home during the Lord’s Investec Test.

Not only is it happening where his county Middlesex play most of their home games, it will be Robson’s second Test at the home of cricket in his short international career.

The opening batsman made his England debut there in the first of two Tests with Sri Lanka last month.

Although Robson registered modest scores versus the Sri Lankans at Lord’s, he responded with 127 against them at Headingley in his next innings.

His most recent Test total was 59 last week in the drawn opener at Trent Bridge and he therefore approaches Thursday’s game in fine fettle.

Speaking exclusively to ecb.co.uk, Robson said:“I feel quite good. Hopefully that can continue. I just want to try to keep contributing towards the team and try to get the team into good positions.”

He added: “It’s been awesome. It’s been an unbelievable month or so really for me. I’m loving every minute of it. It’s been really good getting in there and the challenge and the hard work about it.”

Robson has no doubt England can prevail in the five-match series.

Asked whether the hosts can win it, he replied: “There’s four Test matches left and it’s nil-all so definitely.

“Hopefully, as I said, we can get the ball rolling this week and a win at Lord’s would be a great way to start it all off.”

↧
↧

Free entry for Northampton internationals

July 16, 2014, 10:27 am
$
0
0

England Women’s Twenty20 international and England Under-19s’ Test at Wantage Road, Northampton, this summer will be free entry for all.

South Africa will provide the opposition in both. The women’s game, the second of three T20Is, is on September 3. The U19 Test, the second of two, starts on August 7 and could run until August 10.

To gain access to either download the relevant form linked below, fill in your contact details and hand the voucher in on the day of the game.

The form for the women’s match is here and the U19 one is here.

Wantage Road, Northampton, will host England Under-19s' Test from August 7 and England Women's Twenty20 international on September 3

↧

LIVE: LV= County Championship

July 16, 2014, 10:27 am
$
0
0

Follow the remaining games in this week’s LV= County Championship that see Division Two’s top two, Worcestershire and Hampshire, pushing for victory.

By Rob Barnett

11.20am – Michael Carberry raises a fifty for Hampshire, who lead Essex by 55 in their second innings with nine wickets left on the last day at Colchester.

11.11am – Benny Howell makes the day’s first breakthrough, having Wayne Madsen held at gully for 80 to end a stand of 117 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

11.01am – We are under way in games that could go a long way to deciding promotion.

10.50am – There was some sensational drama yesterday as Somerset briefly went top of Division One only to be replaced by Notts. You can watch free video highlights and read about it all here.

10.40am – Good morning and welcome to our LV= County Championship blog. After thrilling wins yesterday for Nottinghamshire, Somerset and Warwickshire here’s how the remaining games, all in Division Two, stand: 

Leicestershire are 56 for two heading into the final day against Worcestershire at New Road. Saving a draw will be the order of the day as the visitors need another 402 for victory.

Hampshire are 83 for one in their second innings against Essex, a lead of 44 after their bowlers earlier did a fine job of restricting the hosts to 285 all out at Colchester.

Derbyshire are 216 for two and moving towards Gloucestershire’s 356 all out after day two at Cheltenham. Unbeaten half-centurions Wayne Madsen and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will have an eye on three figures, while Will Gidman was earlier the last man out for the visitors having amassed 125.

↧

High-pressure game awaits Somerset

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

Somerset head into the clash with Kent Spitfires knowing only a win will keep alive their hopes of a NatWest T20 Blast quarter-final berth.

The county are perennial contenders for finals day, yet sit fifth in the South Group after last night’s tense loss to Surrey.

With three points separating Somerset and fourth-placed Glamorgan, Dave Nosworthy’s side must triumph in their final two games versus Kent and Middlesex.

They will not be underestimating the initial challenge, however, with Kent head coach Jimmy Adams urging his side to finish their disappointing campaign strongly.

“The season end has been disappointing although the lads put in a top performance against the Sussex Sharks last Friday,” he told the club’s official website.

“We are going out to win and show the supporters in Canterbury how good our team can be.”

Kent, who are third-bottom in the South Division, won the reverse fixture by 42 runs as Darren Stevens put in a fine all-round performance.

However, they will be hampered by the absences of quartet Mark Davies, David Griffiths, Doug Bollinger and Ivan Thomas due to injuries. 

Somerset, meanwhile, are shorn of Craig Kieswetter - who has just had an operation following a facial injury sustained when he was hit by a David Willey bouncer.

↧
↧

Cricket on the Home Front 1914-18

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

Second of two exclusive articles for ECB on cricket and the Great War by David Frith

As in the Second World War, opinion was sharply divided over the morality of staging cricket matches during the 1914-18 Great War.  Was it “acceptable” or was it unpatriotic?

The world's greatest batsman, Jack Hobbs, midway through his prolific career, found himself at the heart of the controversy when, at the age of 32, he signed to play for Idle in the Bradford League in 1915. His weekday work was clerical, in a munitions factory near his home close to The Oval, and the Saturday afternoon cricket around Bradford was felt to be justified because it offered a welcome distraction and entertainment for local people who, for most of the week, were doing their best to support the war effort on the home front.

But not everybody viewed it that way – including the towering figure of Yorkshire cricket, Lord Hawke, whose criticism of Hobbs was caustic.  Charity cricket was one matter; playing for money at a time like this was frowned upon by many. The controversy escalated when the mighty S.F.Barnes was signed up by Saltaire, and took 8 for 8 on debut.  The large attendance that Saturday (6400) suggested that people were keen to divert their minds by watching the game they adored.

Jack Hobbs even encouraged the magnificent Kent and England allrounder Frank Woolley to play in the Bradford League. Finally reverting to coaching duties at The Oval and Westminster School (whose senior boys would soon be dying on the Western Front), Hobbs went on record with a rare critical remark. Lord Hawke, he wrote in a letter, was “a silly old fool”.  Nonetheless, such was the tension surrounding the war effort that several of Hobbs's brothers who served at the Front (two were wounded) never forgave Jack for not joining up until 1916, when he became a fitter with the Royal Flying Corps.

The 1914 cricket season had come to a chaotic conclusion. County clubs were anxious to complete their obligations to members and to their professional players (there were no sponsors in cricket in those far-off times), but Kent were forced to switch the Dover match, just as Hampshire had to forget about the remaining Portsmouth fixture. Both venues were needed for military purposes.

Surrey, with The Oval also coming under military control, played their Kent and Yorkshire matches at Lord's. Topping the Championship table, with their last two matches cancelled, the “Brown Caps” were declared county champions by MCC, who then governed the English game.

There was something close to a stampede by county (and Test) cricketers into the recruiting centres. Some players already on the reserve lists were unceremoniously plucked out of matches as their regiments sought urgently to strengthen their ranks at this time of tense uncertainty.  In mid-innings at The Oval, Notts skipper Arthur Carr received orders to join his regiment.  He announced that he'd have one more over, then hit a catch before taking up his duty for his country. Hobbs had scored 226 in this match, one of 10 centuries from his cultured bat that fateful summer.

At Northampton, Leicestershire were a man short as they chased a mere 84 for victory, A.T.Sharp having been summoned by his regiment. They were all out for 79.

One example might speak for the spirit of many who rushed to fight for their country.  The Lancashire and England batting stylist Reggie Spooner, one of essayist Neville Cardus's supreme favourites, strolled into the War Office and said he trusted that they had heard of him as a cricketer (and Rugby international too): he had served in the Boer War, could handle a Maxim gun and ride a horse.  He was signed up immediately, was wounded in the right shoulder, and then again at Ypres, in the head and left foot, but was still able to resume his cricket career after the war.

Wisden's editor, Sydney Pardon, penned a “gloomy view” for cricket's immediate prospects, and justifiably so. Already the death notices were piling up. The 1915 edition was printed late enough for 39 pages of obituaries to be included, many of them war casualties. Among them was the Reverend Archibald Hugh Conway Fargus, a Cambridge and Gloucestershire cricketer, who was said to have gone down with HMS Monmouth. Two years later it was announced that he was alive, having missed the ship's departure. He lived on until 1963.

With the mighty hitter Gilbert Jessop about to don uniform and embark on a round of rousing recruiting speeches, the great Lancashire and England batsman Archie MacLaren, also in khaki with similar intent, fired off in the short-lived magazine World of Cricket in August 1914: “They are right who cancel their matches because of the War; they are right who propose to play their matches as long as may be... why should not the man who works during the week get his half-day's cricket at its end?”

After a vivid summary of the situation in Europe, MacLaren went on to make a sombre prediction: “It may be that our own country will be spared the crash of opposing armies in her fair fields. But the manhood of our country will give its toll of dead elsewhere.” Few people then could have forecast the stupendous cost in human lives let alone bricks and mortar.

With the final weeks of the 1914 season having been hopelessly disrupted as cricketers joined the armed forces, that winter it became clear that county cricket could not be resumed in 1915, a prospect which caused several counties deep anxiety as to their survival. The Worcestershire secretary wrote to all the other county clubs asking for support, and was helped by the offer by the club's professionals to play two matches next season without pay – an offer rendered immaterial when it became clear that there would be no Championship cricket in 1915. Many appeals for donations went out, and somehow the 16 first-class clubs avoided bankruptcy. Legacies from cricketers who had died in the war helped in some cases, and Gloucestershire guaranteed its future by selling its ground to chocolate manufacturers Frys.

A high percentage of county cricketers at that time were amateurs (albeit some drawing somewhat excessive “expenses”), but the county clubs were left to decide to what extent they would and could support their professionals. The wealthier clubs, of course, could afford to be more generous than the others. A poignant case was Hampshire's attitude towards their prolific left-hander Phil Mead. His pay was stopped because, having been rejected for war service, he was not engaged in any war work. Some of those who did enlist were placed in sheltered jobs, probably because of the fear that the deaths of too many popular cricketers in battle would have a demoralising effect on the population at large.

The pavilions at Old Trafford, Derby and Trent Bridge (100 wounded soldiers in residence) were turned into military hospitals, but Old Trafford (500 casualties nursed there to date) was closed for cricket for the duration.

Elsewhere all manner of cricket matches were staged, almost all for charitable causes. Canterbury in particular saw plenty of cricket, sensitive public emotions to the fore (though kept well under control if judged against today's incontinent standards).

As the war dragged on, with its chilling casualty lists, it became clear that cricket had a vital role to play as a relaxing diversion. After all, other sports and entertainment were to be enjoyed around the country. In 1916 Yorkshire played against a Bradford League XI, along with other matches “whenever fixtures could be arranged without interfering with munitions work, etc”; there was military cricket at The Oval; it was made known that Kent were making up the shortfall in pay for their professionals who were now in uniform; and Sussex reported that their secretary, Mr F.Oddie, had been killed in the war.

Essex CCC “did everything in their power to keep cricket alive” in 1916.  The Artists Rifles were among the teams which played 30 or so matches at Leyton, where the club gave free use to schools and the Soldiers and Sailors Families Association. Meanwhile, Northamptonshire proudly reported that almost every cricketer on the staff had enlisted, and the ground had been utilised by the military, though their financial situation was causing great concern.

All kinds of charity matches were staged around the country, and public school matches continued, although this was one of the more tragic areas, with so many of the young fellows playing cricket one month, being commissioned the next, and falling in combat in France or Belgium shortly afterwards. The memoriam boards at the schools tell a sombre tale to this day.

The summer of 1917 saw some welcome good cricket staged at Lord's for wartime charity, two matches arranged by Captain P.F.Warner, who now held a position in the War Office. An England Army XI played its Australian counterpart in a one-day match on a sunny July day, with several Test players on show. Warrant Officer Charlie Macartney, whose batting was the main attraction, was lbw to Lieutenant-Colonel J.W.H.T.Douglas, the England captain, for a duck, but Lieutenant Charlie Kelleway made 53. The England side then cruised past that total and batted on for a while, Corporal Ernest Tyldesley stroking 38 and a rather out-of-breath Captain “Plum” Warner 34. It brought back comforting memories.

The second match, a month later, was Navy & Army v Australian & South African Forces. Showers kept the attendance down to 5000, but Admiral Jellicoe was among the onlookers, and there was talent aplenty on show. The giant Australian Jack Massie, who suffered a career-ending arm injury in combat, dismissed Colin Blythe for a duck in the Kent spinner's final innings (Blythe's own last ball went for an ominous six), and Macartney failed again with the bat after taking four wickets with his left-arm spin.

These events, like the baseball match at Lord's between Canada and the USA that same year, were reminders of the better things in life, and symbols of hope.

Then, as 1918 progressed, there were finally signs that the war might be over quite soon. The blessed day came on November 11. The weary warriors returned to their homes – and to their cricket clubs. Many were physically and mentally reduced by the war effort, but the return to the cricket field was a blissful experience.

County Championship matches in 1919 were played experimentally over two extended days, a short-lived failure. Eventually Test cricket resumed with an England tour of Australia in 1920-21 that ended in an Aussie 5-0 whitewash, a unique Ashes outcome until the two repeats early in the 21st Century. Many ex-Servicemen played in both those sides in '20-21.

If any lines of poetry might be summoned to typify the mind-set of some of those wartime cricketers, it might be this oft-repeated touch from Siegfried Sassoon's The Dreamers (1917):  “I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats; And in the ruined trenches, lashed by rain; Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats.”

Some further reading:

Jack Hobbs: England's Greatest Cricketer by Leo McKinstry (Yellow Jersey, 2011)

World of Cricket (1915) edited by A.C.MacLaren

Imperial War Museum Review No.12 (County Cricket and the First World War) by Neil Young (IWM, 1999)

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1915-1919

DAVID FRITH is a former editor of The Cricketer and of Wisden Cricket Monthly, and is the author of more than 30 cricket books.  His grandfather served with the East Surrey Regiment in the 1914-18 War, which also claimed the lives of two great-uncles.

↧

Gooch, Tavare and two hat-tricks

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

At the start of June I gave up my usual R&DCL appointment to stand in Barkby United’s annual fixture against The Authors CC - a club which was resurrected some three years ago after an absence of some 100 years.

The original club, apparently, included in its ranks the likes of P G Wodehouse, A A Milne and Arthur Conan Doyle whilst the present membership includes the ex-Kent, Middlesex and England batsman, Ed Smith, although he was not playing in this particular game. It was a very enjoyable afternoon and the hosts have invited me to stand in a special T20 match next month.

After seeing one hat-trick I remarkably saw another just 24 hours later as Wisbech Town won the R&DCL T20 competition

An interesting-looking BUCS Championship match became a victim of the wet weather before I travelled to Peterborough for the first time this season where the hosts, somewhat understrength, slipped to a shock defeat at the hands of newly promoted Market Overton, who appear to have recruited well.

A re-arranged game followed in which Nottingham University were too strong for their Leicester counterparts. Interestingly, the Nottingham side included eight players with the same surnames as post-war first-class cricketers, including Gooch and Tavare.

A five minute journey took me to Fairfield Road, the home of Market Harborough CC who are very much in a period of transition having lost eight or nine players. The club has a thriving junior section but the recovery will take time.

The second XIis struggling to fulfil its fixtures and was no match for their Loughborough visitors who rattled up 302 for four before declaring. The home side were never close and, at one point, lost five wickets in eight balls, including a hat-trick.

Remarkably, I was to witness a second hat-trick the following day as I stood in the inaugural R&DCL T20 competition. Wisbech Town, with their array of Minor Counties players on view, marched onto Finals Day on run-rate and could go all the way.

A return visit to the well-appointed Hertfordshire County Ground at Long Marston, where a splendid tea is always on offer, was followed by a first-ever visit to the home of Ipswich Cricket Club. On each occasion the visitors, Leicestershire 60+ and Northants 50+ respectively, came up short and the stage is now set for a showdown between Herts 60+ and Northants 60+ who are both unbeaten.

Three appointments on consecutive days all produced relatively one-sided matches before a tremendous game saw Northants 50+ prevail by four runs in a match in which 500 runs were scored. One of the opposition glorified in the name ‘Denis Compton’ although his speciality was bowling, not batting.

In the meantime, Northants 60+ suffered their first group stage defeat in 25 matches, at the hands of Herts 60+ who look a well-balanced team and should go far in the competition.

A rain-interrupted, ill-tempered game was followed by a first visit of the season to, arguably, my favourite ground at Finedon who were relegated from Division One of the R&DCL last season.

The visitors, Castor & Ailsworth, were promoted from Division Three and are quickly finding their feet at the higher level. Having dismissed their hosts for a below-par 98, which represented something of a recovery from 30 for six, they cantered to a nine-wicket victory with their classy opening bat stroking a confident, unbeaten half-century.

The end of June heralded the half-way point in the season and I cannot believe it has passed so quickly. I have completed 40 appointments in 13 different competitions in ten different counties.

I find myself reflecting on the fact that Northants, who worked so hard to gain promotion last season, have endured their longest losing run for eight years and relegation now seems a certainty. Mind you, as we all know, cricket’s a funny game…

↧

Red Rose hoping to continue momentum

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

Lancashire Lightning will aim to continue their stunning NatWest T20 Blast campaign against Derbyshire Falcons at Emirates Old Trafford.

The Red Rose have tasted defeat only twice in the competition so far and sit top of the North Group on the back of eight wins.

Despite a quarter-final spot already being secured, Lancashire will be aiming to keep up their momentum.

In stark contrast, Derbyshire will hope to take the opportunity to save face having only managed on success thus far.

While that result was an impressive one - they overhauled a victory target of 190 versus Warwickshire - Derbyshire will be hoping to sign off in style with their last two games coming against Lancashire and Worcestershire.

All eyes will again be on Andrew Flintoff, who has grown with every over during his comeback thus far.

Having claimed 2-36 versus Worcestershire in his first game back following a five-year absence, the all-rounder starred with 3-26 against Leicestershire.

He managed just a sole run with the bat, however, meaning there is plenty of work ahead with the latter stages of the competition on the horizon.

It will be his bowling that Lancashire will call upon in the latter stages, with tomorrow's game the last of Junaid Khan's successful spell.

↧
Search

Revenge on Glamorgan's mind

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

By Matt Somerford

Glamorgan captain Jim Allenby wants to exact revenge over NatWest Blast South Group leaders Essex Eagles when they meet at the SWALEC Stadium on Friday night.

The Eagles claimed a thrilling four-wicket win earlier this season at the Essex County Ground when they chased down Glamorgan’s 189 for six.

“We feel like we should have won there when we played them earlier in the season,” Allenby told ecb.co.uk.

“Fair play to them they chased down a pretty big score and had got dominated with some pretty big overs – biggest of all off me (Allenby’s 3.4 overs cost 56).

“They are pretty hard to stop when they are at the top of their game. They have match-winners from one to 11.

“It will be a really good test for us at home.”

Glamorgan have been the entertainers of the Blast this season with nine of their 10 completed matches going down to the final over – while four have been decided from the last ball.

“That Chelmsford game was another game that we’ve taken to the last over,” Allenby said,

“We know we have to stay focused the full 40 overs in these sorts of games. We’ve proved over the course of the year that we can do that and deliver wins.”

Glamorgan could move a step close to a rare quarter-final place with victory over the Eagles, who are themselves looking to confirm a home last-eight tie.

Glamorgan has only ever progressed from the group stage twice, in 11 Twenty20 campaigns, and Allenby believes an aggressive approach has been key to that.

The Welsh county have enjoyed breakthrough wins at Somerset – for the first time in 10 years – Hampshire and Surrey and knocking off the Eagles would represent another major scalp.

“It’s possible to beat them if we go hard at them,” Allenby said.

“If we do that and play as we do then we should cause them problems.

“We know that if they are right up for it and at the top of their game then realistically we will probably struggle.

Essex Eagles have set the benchmark in the NatWest T20 Blast but head coach Paul Grayson wants even more

“There will be a lot to play for and for us we are just targeting fourth and getting through.

“I think if we win two of our last three then we’ll make the quarter-finals. If we only win one we might be in trouble and we’ll have to rely on others.”

Essex head coach Paul Grayson wants his side to claim a tournament record and win 13 of their 14 group stage games.

"We know that one point will guarantee us a home quarter-final but we want to keep our winning run going and finish top of the group" he told the club's official website. "Our target is to win 13 matches out of 14 and set a new record.

"Obviously, we've played really well, all the players have made such positive contributions towards our success in this competition and it's important that we retain the confidence these performances have given us.

"We are in the quarter-finals and one win away from another finals day appearance but that's for the future, at the moment, we are focussed on adding to our excellent record this season in this format of the game."

↧
↧

McClenaghan set for Rapids debut

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

Mitchell McClenaghan will make his Worcestershire Rapids debut when they attempt to end Northamptonshire Steelbacks’ NatWest T20 Blast defence.

McClenaghan has big shoes to fill as he replaces Saeed Ajmal, who jetted off to the Caribbean Premier League this week having taken 75 wickets in all competitions this season.

While McClenaghan is not a like-for-like replacement, director of cricket Steve Rhodes thinks the New Zealand paceman can prove just as damaging.

The Kiwi has established a reputation for his death bowling and has proved his credentials in this country before with Lancashire.

"I think we've planned well. Mitch has been around now for 10 days so he's really fully acclimatised and raring to go,” Rhodes told the club’s official website.

"We've almost been having to hold him back with him not being able to play cricket and a hungry fast bowler is a really good thing.

"He has got his first game on Friday in a format he has excelled in and done really well. He did well for Lancashire last time he was over in T20.”

The Rapids could move to the brink of sewing up a quarter-final place with victory while defeat for the Steelbacks would end their hopes of defending the title they won so spectacularly at Edgbaston last season.

Kyle Coetzer's side are unbeaten in their previous three matches at Wantage Road and after the Rapids’ visit they host Nottinghamshire Outlaws next Wednesday before finishing the group stage at Durham Jets next Friday night.

They will almost certainly need to win all three games to go through.

The Rapids were the early pacesetters in the North Group, but are without a win in their past four games.

They suffered a five-wicket defeat to Birmingham Bears last time out and Rhodes believes improvements need to be made with the ball – something McClenaghan will immediately be tasked with.

“We didn't play badly. I thought we batted extremely well in the defeats against Lancashire and Warwickshire, two good sides,” he said.

“We didn't quite nail it with the ball. I was quite happy we batted well enough and, if we can put all departments together on Friday night, then we should have a good result against Northants."

Joe Leach has also been included in the 15-man squad after impressing during Worcestershire’s LV= County Championship win over Leicestershire during the week.

↧

Bears hopes rest on spin battle

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

By Matt Somerford

Birmingham Bears head north to Yorkshire Vikings on Friday night knowing that their hopes of staying alive in the NatWest T20 Blast will most likely rely on a spin battle.

Headingley may not stand out as a traditional battleground for the slow men, but it will be the stage for four of the best tweakers in this season’s Blast.

In fact, the top three bowlers in terms of economy rate will be on show.

Bears spin duo Jeetan Patel (5.74) and Ateeq Javid (5.73) are the two most thrifty men of those who have sent down more than 20 overs in this season’s competition.

Next on that list is Yorkshire’s Azeem Rafiq (5.95) while leg-spinner Adil Rashid (6.54) sits eighth in a list where nine of the top-10 are all slow men.

And with plenty to play for - the Vikings can confirm a quarter-final place while defeat will end the Bears’ campaign - the game looks set to hinge on the tweakers.

That is a scenario Bears veteran Patel has revelled in so far this season – he is the Blast’s second-leading wicket-taker with 17 – and he puts down his success alongside Javid to a fearless approach in the face of heavy fire.

“You’ve got to be when you’re a spinner because batsmen are looking to put you out of the park before they think of defence,” Patel told ecb.co.uk.

“There’s not much middle ground. Fortunately, it keeps falling on the right side at the moment.

Jeetan Patel has been one of the NatWest T20 Blast's outstanding bowlers with 17 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 5.74

“You’ve got one of two ways of playing the game. You can back down from a situation or front up and puff your chest out and give it a go.

“That’s what it is about. If you have that fearless streak about you are closer to having success.”

Patel and Javid’s economy, and courage when under attack, is set to be fully put to the test by two of the hardest hitters in the game on Friday: Aaron Finch and Jonny Bairstow.

Patel is confident, though, that Warwickshire have the gameplan to stymie any fireworks.

“It is always daunting, but that brings the opportunity to take wickets,” he said.

“As a spinner you want them to try and play shots. It certainly helps when they do and when it goes to hand it’s even better.

“I think with spin you’re working on making the batter take the gamble rather than you. There’s no point tossing it up and giving them an opportunity.

“You’d rather them try and gamble over what they are doing first.”

Patel is modest about his impressive returns this season – praising the new-ball bowlers for allowing him to tie down the middle order – but the 34-year-old admits his preparation off the field has been just as important.

“I reckon with Twenty20 a lot of it is about ‘Mother Cricket’. You try not to annoy her,” he said.

“If you keep trying to do the right things then more often than not you come out on the right side. It’s about how you train, how you prepare and making the right decisions on the park at the right time.

“Then I’ve been helped by the fact when me and 'Teeq' have come on to bowl we’ve had wickets up front. The bowlers have been good this season – we’ve hardly missed out.

Adil Rashid and Azeem Rafiq will go head-to-head with Bears spin duo Jeetan Patel and Ateeq Javid in a key battle at Headingley

“We’ve had the pressure off and guys are having to get themselves in before they can go again. When they are doing that we’ve been managing to pick up a couple of wickets here and there.

“If that has got me up the leaderboard for wickets then that’s fine but it is about trying to get the team over the line.”

Victory is non-negotiable for the Bears on Friday night with defeat sending them out of the tournament and ensuring they will not be in action when Edgbaston hosts finals day.

For a club that has not appeared at Twenty20’s showpiece day since 2003, it is a trend to cause much frustration.

“It has been a while (since Birmingham reached a finals day)”, Patel said.

“Getting finals day at Edgbaston is great for the club, but it would be even better for us to play in it.

“The boys go down and watch on finals day, but to be a player in it would be another level so there is that incentive to get through to the quarter-finals at least and then go from there.

“We will go to Yorkshire knowing we don’t have to worry about what happens if we don’t win because we know we’re out.

“We just try and win every game from now on. We’ve certainly got a side that can do that. It just means we have to go five-from-five to win the comp.”

The Bears will be without Chris Wright and Pete McKay from the team that beat Worcestershire Rapids last time out, while Chris Woakes may be made available after missing selection for the second Investec Test.

Tim Ambrose is named to return along with Boyd Rankin while Oliver Hannon-Dalby is set to face his former employers. Yorkshire have named an unchanged line-up.

* Birmingham have won all three of their completed Twenty20 games against Yorkshire - the last two meetings have been washed out.

↧

Allenby leads Glamorgan into the unknown

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

By Matt Somerford

Before the start of the season Jim Allenby sat down and mapped out a plan to reverse Glamorgan’s Twenty20 woes.

The Welsh county had progressed out of their group just twice in 11 seasons before this campaign. Only Derbyshire’s record was worse.

Allenby was determined to put right the situation after being appointed skipper for the inaugural season of the NatWest T20 Blast.

He could see reason for optimism – not the least in Glamorgan’s run to last year’s Yorkshire Bank 40 Lord’s final - and the 31-year-old called a meeting with coach Toby Radford and director of cricket Hugh Morris to promote a change in style he wanted to develop at the SWALEC Stadium this season.

“It was something I felt very strongly about,” he told ecb.co.uk. “I wanted to change the way we were playing – I wanted to be more attacking and more entertaining.

“I spoke to the coach (Radford) and the director of cricket (Morris) and we sat down and went through what it would take.

“I wanted more pace in the wicket and to bring the ropes in a few yards as well. That promotes more exciting cricket – not only for the fans – but for the players as well.

“You have more confidence in what you are doing when you know the wicket is good and fast and the ropes can be cleared if you back yourself. We had nothing to lose really.”

Three months on and Glamorgan are on the brink of a rare quarter-final berth.

They host South Group leaders Essex Eagles tomorrow night, and then Gloucestershire, in their final two group games knowing that victory in both will see them through – while success in one could also be enough.

“If we can get through to the quarter-finals we will be comfortable with all that we have done this season,” Allenby said.

“To get where we are in by far the tougher group of the two proves how far we have progressed either way.

“At the very least hopefully this season proves that last year’s Lord’s final wasn’t a fluke and that the guys are stepping up and that they can consistently compete.”

Crucial to Glamorgan’s competitiveness has been Allenby’s own form at the top of the order.

The right-hander is the Blast’s third-highest runscorer – 474 runs at 52.66 including a stunning century against Middlesex– while he has formed the competition’s most prolific opening partnership alongside Jacques Rudolph.

“When you set those sorts of plans then there is definitely pressure on you do perform to back it up,” he said.

“Not only because of that but because I am also captain and I open the batting.

“Batting with Jacques helps me because he is a very calm sort of bloke and I think that is similar to me. It suits the way I play and helps me to relax.”

It is perhaps a sign of his strength in leadership that since Allenby has set out the aforementioned ambition, matters on and off the field have fallen into line.

Off it, the signature of Darren Sammywas an important statement of intent, while on it Glamorgan have been the entertainers of the Blast.

All nine of their completed matches had gone down to the final over – including the last ball on four occasions – until their five-wicket defeat at Sussex on Tuesday night.

“It has been unbelievable,” Allenby said. “I think that shows that in good conditions and on the right sort of pitches it should always be a really even contest.

“We are squeezing as much as possible out of everyone and fighting all the way for 40 overs.”

Allenby attributes Sammy’s arrival as an indicator of the growing pretension at the club, even though the West Indies all-rounder did not have a major on-field impact during his six-game stay.

“I have already thanked Glamorgan many times for bringing in a player like him,” he said.

“It was great for the team because it was not just him as a cricketer but the way the rest of the team reacted to him. That was an important step by the club.

“It let us as players know that Glamorgan has ambitions to do really well in this competition.

“For every player it has been about taking this competition seriously and knowing they have the support of people who think they can do well. It is a massive lift.

“Darren was key to that as a person on the field, but off it he was sensational as well.”

Sammy has since left for the Caribbean Premier League – where he will be coached by former Glamorgan batsman Matthew Maynard – but in his absence the Welsh side have seen the likes of Chris Cooke step up and fill the void while they were handed a boost this week with the return of home-grown product James Harris on loan.

And with momentous wins to reflect on already this season – most significantly ending a 10-year hoodoo at Taunton as well as successes at Hampshire and Surrey – Allenby said his side will head into the last two games without fear.

“That is going to be the key for us,” he said. “At Taunton we showed the attitude shift that has been important for us.

“In the past we have been overawed by them (Somerset) and they have bullied us.

“We just went as hard at them as they went at us and it worked. It will be the same with Essex, who are a super side, on Friday. We have nothing to lose.”

↧

England v India, 2nd Investec Test, Day 1

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

Live images from Lord's on the opening day of the second Investec Test between England and India.

↧
↧

Rahane makes England pay

July 17, 2014, 11:08 am
$
0
0

By Callum Dent

Ajinkya Rahane struck a stunning century to stop England in their tracks after they opted to make first use of a green pitch at Lord’s on the opening day of the second Investec Test against India.

The hosts bounced back from a disappointing morning session, in which they failed to bowl the right line and lengths, to take five wickets after lunch and reduce India to 145 for seven. 

However, Rahane stood firm when his team-mates fell around him before stepping up his innings to complete a second Test ton and ensure Alastair Cook’s bowlers struggled to capitalise on a strong position.

The 26-year-old shared in a 90-run stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the highest India eighth-wicket partnership at the home of cricket, before the latter was bowled by Stuart Broad with the new ball for 36.

Rahane became James Anderson’s fourth scalp shortly before the close, which arrived with India on 290 for nine. 

More to follow

Match scorecard  /  Live ball-by-ball commentary

Live images /  Follow ECB_cricket on Twitter

Evening session 

6.30pm - CLOSE OF PLAY! Ind 290/9; Shami 14, Ishant 12 - Ishant Sharma slices a short Broad ball over the cordon for four and then fends a bouncer off to the fine-leg rope. India will be very happy with their day's work. As for England, they let a strong position slip away in the final session. All to play for tomorrow. 

6.12pm - WICKET! Rahane c&b Anderson 103; Ind 277/9 - Rahane's innings is finally over, Anderson snaring a stunning return catch low down to his left.  

6.09pm - CENTURY! Rahane (151b 15x4 1x6) - Rahane pushes Anderson to the cover boundary to move to his second Test ton. Fantastic innings from the 26-year-old. 

6.08pm - Rahane survives another lbw appeal, this time off Broad. Mohammed Shami then blazes Broad through the mid-off region for four.

6.04pm - Rahane produces two pull shots off Anderson to move a couple of runs short of a century. 

5.53pm - Rahane offers no stroke and is hit on the pads in front by Anderson, whose lbw appeal is turned down. The right-hander then flicks Anderson for four and lofts him for the first six of the day next ball. 

5.50pm - WICKET! Bhuvneshwar b Broad 36; Ind 235/8 - Bhuvneshwar looked to be taking a liking to Broad with the fresh cherry, taking him for two boundaries. However, Broad responds and bowls the right-hander with a delivery that keeps a little low. That ends a stand of 90, India's highest eight-wicket partnership at the home of cricket.

5.40pm - England take the new ball. James Anderson has it in his hand. 

5.25pm - Bhuvneshwar guides a wide Stokes ball to the vacant third-man rope to take India past 200. Just like he did at Trent Bridge, when he made two half-centuries, the number nine is proving hard to dismiss. 

5.17pm - Rahane, strong on the cut, is not afraid to hook the pace of Plunkett too. Joe Root tries to push the ball away from the rope, but succeeds in only conceding a four. That is the fifty partnership between Rahane and Bhuvneshwar. Frustrating times for England. 

5.09pm - The conditions continue to assist the bowlers. Broad snakes one back into Bhuvneshwar and cuts him in half. At the other end, though, Plunkett is bowling too short from round the wicket. 

4.58pm - FIFTY! Rahane (101b 7x4 0x6) - Rahane lifts Plunkett over cover to raise his fifty. Well played!

4.54pm - Rahane is approaching a fine half-century after cutting Plunkett to the point boundary. He has looked solid today. 

4.49pm - Stokes' three-over spell, which were all maidens, ends when Stuart Broad returns. Ajinkya Rahane drives two fully-pitched swinging deliveries to the fielder at wide mid-off before replicating the stroke and finding the rope. Liam Plunkett returned to field after tea and his hamstring will now be tested as he is thrown the ball. 

4.32pm - Ben Stokes produces a snorter of a delivery that Bhuvneshwar does well not to edge behind. The new ball is available in 16 overs. Can England wrap this innings up before then?

4.09pm - WICKET! Binny lbw Anderson 9; Ind 145/7 - James Anderson has a third wicket. He pins Stuart Binny lbw and England's charge continues. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in next. He knows how to handle a bat!

Afternoon session

3.42pm - TEA! Ind 140/6; Rahane 26, Binny 6 - A superb session for England puts them on top. A total contrast from this morning. 

3.38pm - Plunkett is currently off the field with a tight hamstring. But he is set to return after the interval.

3.32pm - Stuart Binny, who salvaged a draw for India in Nottingham with a second-innings half-century on debut, lifts Moeen over the top for four. He looks positive.

3.25pm - WICKET! Jadeja lbw Moeen 3; Ind 128/6 - That's the end of Jadeja. Spin accounts for the left-hander this time as Moeen Ali traps him lbw.  

3.20pm - Ravindra Jadeja struggled with the moving ball at Trent Bridge and survives a huge lbw appeal from Broad here. Replays show the ball was bouncing over the top. Good decision. 

3.11pm - WICKET! Dhoni c Prior b Broad 1; Ind 123/5 - Broad succeeds in snaring Dhoni. He carelessly flicks outside off stump and is taken by Prior behind the stumps, handing Broad his 250th Test scalp. England on top. 

3.05pm - Broad returns to the attack and is charged with the task of removing Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The India skipper walks down the pitch and misses a swinging delivery from the paceman, who then has an lbw appeal turned down. 

2.47pm - WICKET! Pujara b Stokes 28; Ind 113/4 - I spoke too soon! Stokes breaches Pujara's defences and hits top of middle stump. England will be delighted. 

2.35pm - Pujara greets Liam Plunkett's return to the attack by crashing him through the covers for four. Now that the watchful number three has faced over 100 deliveries, he looks in and is playing his shots. 

2.25pm - A fine off-drive from Ajinkya Rahane takes India into three figures. 

2.20pm - Cheteshwar Pujara guides a full delivery from Ben Stokes, now on at the Nursery End, to the vacant third-man boundary. England are bowling in better areas. 

1.58pm - WICKET! Kohli c Prior b Anderson 25; Ind 86/3 - The switch of ends works. Anderson produces a stunning away-swinging delivery that Virat Kohli pushes at and edges behind to Matt Prior. Anderson is now the leading wicket-taker in Tests at Lord's and has the most scalps for an English bowler versus India. 

1.51pm - James Anderson and Stuart Broad swap ends after lunch, with the former operating at the Nursery End and the latter at the Pavilion End. 

Morning Session    

1pm - LUNCH! Ind 73/2; Pujara 11, Kohli 20 - Kohli looks to be making up for his failures at Trent Bridge, flicking Plunkett and driving Stokes to the boundary. England have struggled with their line and lengths this morning and would have wanted more wickets. 

12.59pm - CHANCE! - Moeen Ali is introduced into the attack for the final over before the interval. Kohli plays back and feathers an outside edge behind that Prior cannot grasp. That would have been a fine ending. 

12.45pm - Viral Kohli signals his positive intent early on by blazing Stokes through the covers for four. 

12.38pm - WICKET! Vijay c Ballance b Plunkett 24; Ind 48/2 - After bowling a jaffa that Vijay played and missed in the previous over, Plunkett gets his man. The right-hander, looking to play into the leg side, directs a leading edge into the hands of Ballance at third slip. 

12.27pm -  Vijay pushes a full Plunkett delivery to the cover boundary. India are 43 for one. 

12.19pm - Liam Plunkett, into the attack for Broad, produces two superb deliveries that Vijay plays and misses at. Anderson, with figures of 8-6-11-1, is replaced by Ben Stokes and he starts with a maiden. England are on the hunt for more wickets. 

11.57am - Cheteshwar Pujara waits patiently for his first runs, which arrive with a back-foot push for three from the 25th ball he faces. 

Somerset's Alex Barrow, fresh from deputising for the injured Craig Kieswetter, during the recent LV= County Championship victory over struggling Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, is England's 12th man today. He is on the field for Broad.


11.50am -  England are struggling to make the India batsman, who are happy to leave the ball, play. Vijay edges through the vacant fourth-slip position to the rope, ending a run of five consecutive maidens from Anderson. The seamer then has a big lbw decision turned down. It looked a little high. 

11.29am - Vijay takes 13 balls to get off the mark, driving Broad through the covers for four. The bowlers continue to swing the ball. 

11.20am - CHANCE! - Vijay pushes forward at a full Broad delivery and edges behind. However, Matt Prior cannot hold on to a sharp chance diving to his right.

11.13am - WICKET! Dhawan c Ballance b Anderson 7; Ind 11/1 - Anderson strikes in his second over, Dhawan edging a beautiful swinging delivery from the seamer to Gary Ballance in the cordon. 

11.07am -  James Anderson starts the match with a maiden to Murali Vijay. Shikhar Dhawan then edges Stuart Ball's first delivery just wide of third slip. Eleven runs come from the over. 

Pre-Play News  

10.57am -  India great Rahul Dravid rings the bell and the players make their way onto the field. 

England XI: Alastair Cook (captain), Sam Robson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Matt Prior, Ben Stokes, Stuart Broad, Liam Plunkett, James Anderson.

India XI: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami.

10.32am - TOSS - England win the toss and opt to bowl. 

10.25am - Simon Kerrigan is also an option after the Lancashire spinner was added to the squad .  We will have the toss and team news with you shortly. 

10am - The hosts could opt to make changes to their bowling department with this match at the home of cricket arriving just four days after the stalemate at Trent Bridge. Alastair Cook’s bowlers delivered 284 overs across two innings in Nottingham.

Head Coach Peter Moores is well aware rest and recuperation is vital and, in his press conference yesterday, skipper Alastair Cook believes his troops will be fully refreshed.   

9.40am - We are all set for a hot day here in the capital, with forecasters predicting temperatures rising up to 30 degrees celsius. As for the pitch, from here it looks pretty green. 

9.30am - Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the second Investec Test between England and India at Lord’s.  

↧

Zimbabwe claim series opener

July 18, 2014, 11:16 am
$
0
0

Sean Williams top scored with 70 as Zimbabwe secured a six-wicket victory in their first one-day international against Afghanistan in Bulawayo on Friday.

After the hosts won the toss and elected to field, their opponents lost Usman Ghani for a duck without a run on the board and experienced further difficulties from there, Noor Ali Zadran's dismissal for 43 leaving them on 99 for four.

Some stability was brought about as Samiullah Shenwari, who hit an unbeaten 65, and a half-century from captain Mohammad Nabi as they put on 73 runs for the fifth wicket.

Sean Williams hit 70 to form the foundation of Zimbabwe's successful chase in the opening one-day international against Afghanistan

Only a further 49 runs were then added to finish  223 for nine, Donald Tiripano and Tendai Chatara having taken two scalps apiece.

Zimbabwe lost a couple of early wickets in reply and Sikandar Raza, having accrued 38, had to retired hurt in the 22nd over.

But the home side had other run-makers to call on and a 43 from skipper Brendan Taylor, Williams' knock and an unbeaten 39 from Elton Chigumbura helped them get to their target in the 46th over.

↧
Search

Mathews fights after Steyn's five

July 18, 2014, 11:16 am
$
0
0

Another captain's innings from Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews could not stop Dale Steyn bowling South Africa into a position of strength on day three of the first Test at Galle.

Having racked up 455 for nine declared over the first two days, the Proteas reduced the tourists to 283 for nine as Steyn claimed 5-50 on a pitch that did not offer any obvious assistance.

Upul Tharanga made a controlled 83 at the top of the innings, but it was the in-form Mathews who battled hardest to take his team beyond the follow-on target, making a fine 89.

Sri Lanka added nine to their overnight score of 30 without loss before Kaushal Silva was tempted into hooking Steyn only to be brilliantly caught by Vernon Philander.

Tharanga was looking solid and breezed to his half-century with two fours in three balls off the spin of JP Duminy, but soon after South Africa struck a crucial double blow.

First was Kumar Sangakkara, dragging a Morne Morkel short ball on to his own stumps, and then came Mahela Jayawardene who was pinned lbw by a full delivery from Steyn in the last over before lunch.

Dale Steyn celebrates removing Lahiru Thirimanne, one of his five wickets, on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle

The departure of both middle-order mainstays left the hosts 104 for three, but a string of aggressive strokes from Tharanga and Lahiru Thirimanne against Imran Tahir got Sri Lanka going again after the break.

Tharanga had reached 83 when he misjudged a Duminy tempter and was stumped by Quinton de Kock.

Mathews and Thirmanne took the score to 182 for four at tea but the latter fell for 38 chasing a wider, swinging ball from Steyn, who made short work of Dinesh Chandimal and Dilruwan Perera.

At 201 for seven, Mathews badly needed to produce another big innings and he did, counter-attacking brilliantly including five fours from a single Morkel over.

He continued taking the game to South Africa, striking 14 fours and a six off Duminy before Tahir bowled him playing a slog sweep.

Morkel gave his side the perfect end to the day by removing Suranga Lakmal with the final ball before stumps, with South Africa well on top heading into day four.

↧

Lewis sets bar high for Jets

July 18, 2014, 11:16 am
$
0
0

Durham Jets must win their last three NatWest T20 Blast group games to have a chance of making the quarter-finals, according to head coach Jon Lewis.

The Jets, who are without England all-rounder Ben Stokes, face Leicestershire Foxes this evening at Grace Road before contests with Lancashire Lightning and Northants Steelbacks.

Durham are seventh in the North Group on 10 points, four behind fourth-placed Worcestershire with a match in hand on the Rapids.

"It has to be three wins out of the next three or we haven't got a chance" Lewis told Durham’s official website.

"But if we do get the three wins then we do have a chance, and if we can get to 16 points and keep our run-rate nice and high then maybe we'll get through to the quarters, which will be good.

"It'll be great to get to the final home game with something still to play for."

Leicestershire, whose last-eight chances ended with defeat to Lancashire last Friday, include left-armer Atif Sheikh for the first time since he signed a two-year deal with the club.

However, they are without fellow seamer Anthony Ireland, who broke his nose while fielding in a second XI fixture this week.

* Leicestershire won five of their first six Twenty20 matches against Durham, but just three of the last 11 completed meetings.

↧
↧

Surrey on brink of last eight

July 18, 2014, 11:16 am
$
0
0

Surrey face Gloucestershire in a Cheltenham sell-out with a strong chance of qualifying for the NatWest T20 Blast quarter-finals today.

Even if second-placed Surrey lose, other results in the South Group this evening could send Gary Wilson’s side into the last eight with two games to spare.

Last year’s runners-up welcome back England limited-overs international seamer Jade Dernbach from a hamstring strain. They again have Kevin Pietersen available.

Gloucestershire, who sit eighth, have little chance of making the knockout stage.

The relative fortunes of batsmen Ian Cockbain and Jason Roy, the competition’s leading scorer, will be crucial to the game’s outcome.

* Hamish Marshall needs 31 runs to become the first player to score 2,000 Twenty20 runs for Gloucestershire.

↧

Hosein signs Derbyshire contract

July 18, 2014, 11:16 am
$
0
0

Derbyshire have completed a two-year deal for academy product Harvey Hosein.

The 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman revealed his blossoming talent with an 89-ball half century in the tour match against India this month.

Derbyshire elite performance director, Graeme Welch, said: “Since joining at the age of 13, Harvey has progressed well through the Cricket Derbyshire pathway and he is a fantastic prospect.

“He has already shown in his young career that he has the quality, skill and temperament to play at the highest level and we’re delighted that he will now continue his development at the club.”

Hosein added: “I’ve come through the ranks at Derbyshire and I’m delighted to sign my first professional contract with them.

“Earlier this month I was fortunate enough to make my first team debut against India. It was a great experience for me as a young player coming into the dressing room and playing against world-class players.

“I’m now looking forward to representing Derbyshire at the highest level and being part of their future success.”

↧

Cachopa earns Sussex deal

July 18, 2014, 11:16 am
$
0
0

Sussex have signed former New Zealand Under-19 captain Craig Cachopa on a two-year.

The 22-year-old batsman has been on trial at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground for the past two games and, after hitting two centuries with the second XI, has impressed in a couple of NatWest T20 Blast matches.

The right-hander averages 51.15 in fiorst-class cricket, having made 21 appearances for Auckland in New Zealand. He scored his highest score of 203 in February.

Craig Cahopa has impressed the Sussex hierachy enough to win a two-year contract at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground

Cachopa, who was born in South Africa but qualifies as a non-overseas signing as he holds a Portuguese passport, was pleased to sign a deal, saying: “I’m really happy to have signed here at such a historic club and this is a fantastic opportunity for me.

“I played with Chris Nash and Luke Wright in New Zealand and when I came over to the UK to play club cricket, they suggested I joined up with the second XI.

“That gave me the chance to get to know the club and I’m absolutely thrilled to be offered a contract.”

 Sussex’s professional cricket manager Mark Robinson said, “We’re delighted to have Craig on board and we are excited to see how he progresses over the next two years.

“We can’t wait to see if he is able to transfer his form that he has shown for Auckland and our second team into first team runs for us.”

↧
Viewing all 7281 articles
Browse latest View live
Search