Pages

Thursday, 27 September 2018

County Championship Round 14

Day 4

Division One

Surrey 67 & 541 v Essex 477-8 dec & 134/9 (Essex win by 1 wicket)
Worcestershire 340 & 221 v Yorkshire 428 & 137-3 Yorkshire won by seven wickets
Hampshire 187 & 198 v Lancashire 273 & 113-2 Lancashire won by eight wickets
Somerset 463 v Nottinghamshire 133 & 184 (f/o) Somerset won by an innings and 146 runs


Division Two

Middlesex 121 & 355 v Durham 310 & 109 (Middlesex won by 57 runs)
Glamorgan 359 & 175 v Leicestershire 132 & 270 (Glamorgan won by 132 runs)
Kent 167 & 179 v Warwickshire 380 (Warwickshire won by innings and 34 runs)
Derbyshire 184 & 157 v Gloucestershire 163 & 179-8 (Gloucestershire won by two wickets)
Sussex 118 & 222 v Northants 171 & 172-4 (Northamptonshire beat Sussex by six wickets)

Friday, 21 September 2018

County Championship Round 13

Division One:

Yorks 184 & 287-5 v Hants 157 - match drawn (no play Day 4)
Somerset 146 & 168-3 v Surrey 485 - match drawn (no play on Day 4)
Worcs 94 & 251 v Essex 474-7 dec - (Essex win by inns & 129 runs, Worcs relegated)


Division Two:

Sussex 343-9 v Warwks 440 & 380-3 - match drawn
Middlesex 423 & 199-7 dec v Derbyshire 295 & 210 - Middlesex bt Derbyshire by 117 runs
Gloucestershire 125 v Northamptonshire 173 - match drawn (No play Day 3 or 4)
Leicestershire 321 v Durham 61 & 66 - Leics win by an innings and 194 runs

Thursday, 13 September 2018

County Championship Round 12

Division One

Surrey (268 & 274-7) beat Worcestershire (336 & 202) by three wickets
Yorkshire (209 & 272) beat Lancashire (252 & 134) by 95 runs
Essex (233 & 282-2) beat Nottinghamshire (177 & 337) by eight wickets
Hampshire (148 & 75-4) beat Somerset (106 & 116) by six wickets

Division Two

Derbyshire (222 & 234-9) beat Northamptonshire (255 & 199) by one wicket
Gloucestershire (353 & 35-1) beat Glamorgan (137 & 247) by nine wickets
Durham (103 & 340) beat Sussex (122 & 135) by 186 runs
Kent (192 & 157-7) beat Middlesex (161 & 186) by three wickets
Warwickshire (400-9 dec) beat Leicestershire (100 & 196) by an innings and 104 runs

Tuesday, 11 September 2018

ENG 4-1 IND 5 test match series

1st Test Edgbaston

Day 1

England 285-9: Root 80, Bairstow 70, Jennings 42; Ashwin 4-60
India: Yet to bat

A horrible run-out of Joe Root sparked an England collapse on day one of the first Test against India at Edgbaston.

Root was on 80 when he and Jonny Bairstow opted for a second run, only for Virat Kohli's direct hit to beat the dive of the England captain.

From there, England lost four wickets for 27 runs and eventually limped to 285-9.

Earlier, they looked to be taking advantage of winning the toss on a surface that seems true for batting, but is also offering some encouragement to both pace and spin bowlers.

Root shared stands of 72 with Keaton Jennings, who made a watchful 42, and 104 with Bairstow, whose 70 was the most fluent batting of the day.

But, after Root and Bairstow were removed, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin tormented England to end with 4-60.

It left England in a disappointing position on the first day of their 1,000th Test, played in front of a ground that was no more than three-quarters full.

The crowd was subdued until it was brought to life by England's struggle, with some of the biggest cheers reserved for number 11 James Anderson blocking the hosts towards the close.


Day 2

England 287 & 9/1
India 274
England lead by 22 runs

Virat Kohli withstood England's bowlers to score a fine 149 and keep India in the game on an enthralling second day in the first Test at Edgbaston.

England were bowled out for 287 before reducing India to 50-3 and 100-5.

Sam Curran took 4-74 and James Anderson and Ben Stokes bowled superbly for two wickets apiece, but captain Kohli dragged India back into the game.

India made 274 before England lost Alastair Cook to the day's final ball as they closed on 9-1 - a lead of 22.

Cook's dismissal - bowled again by a fine delivery from Ravichandran Ashwin - leaves the game in the balance.

England will be left to rue their missed chances: they dropped two catches and allowed India's last two wickets to add 92.

Kohli was put down on 21 and 51 by Dawid Malan but he mixed patience with late aggression to reach his first century in England.


Day 3

England 287 (Root 80, Ashwin 4-62) & 180 (Curran 63, Ishant 5-51)
India 274 (Kohli 149, Curran 4-74) & 110-5 (Kohli 43*)
India need 194 to win

England's first Test against India is set for a thrilling finish after Sam Curran's counter-attack dragged the hosts back into the game on the third day at Edgbaston.

Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed England's top order and Ishant Sharma took three wickets in an over to leave England in disarray on 87-7.

However, Curran hit an enterprising 63 to help the hosts reach 180 and set India 194 for victory.

Stuart Broad took two wickets as India slipped to 78-5, but captain Virat Kohli ended the day unbeaten on 43 with his side 110-5, requiring a further 84.


Day 4

England 287 (Root 80, Ashwin 4-62) & 180 (Curran 63, Ishant 5-51)
India 274 (Kohli 149, Curran 4-74) & 162 (Kohli 51, Stokes 4-40)
England won by 31 runs

England held their nerve to complete a tense 31-run victory over India in the first Test on an enthralling fourth morning at Edgbaston.

India - resuming on 110-5 in pursuit of 194 - were bowled out for 162 as tension mounted in an increasingly boisterous crowd.

James Anderson removed Dinesh Karthik with the sixth ball of the day before Ben Stokes produced a brilliant over to dismiss captain Virat Kohli for 51 and Mohammed Shami.

The all-rounder sealed victory by having Hardik Pandya caught at first slip to finish with 4-40.

Both of captain Joe Root's gambles paid off: Stokes struck twice in his first over and recalled leg-spinner Adil Rashid trapped Ishant Sharma in his first over.

Stokes in particular bowled with aggression and intelligence, although he is set to miss the second Test at Lord's as his court case for affray begins on Monday.

While India came up short, their performance was a far cry from their dismal tour four years ago and bodes well for the remainder of what promises to be a keenly contested five-Test series.



2nd Test

India 107 & 130: Ashwin 33*, Anderson 4-23, Broad 4-44
England 396-7 dec: Woakes 137*, Bairstow 93, Hardik 3-66
England won by an innings & 159 runs


England completed a crushing innings and 159-run victory over India at Lord's to take a 2-0 series lead.

James Anderson took 4-23 to finish with nine wickets in the match and Stuart Broad shone with 4-44 as India were bowled out for 130.

The hosts had declared on 396-7, with Chris Woakes finishing on 137 not out, before Anderson reduced India to 17-2.

Rain delayed play twice but India lost wickets regularly and Woakes took the final scalp to secure an emphatic win.


3rd Test Trent Bridge

India 329 & 352-7 dec: Kohli 103, Pujara 72, Rashid 3-101
England 161 & 317: Buttler 106, Stokes 62, Bumrah 5-85
India win by 203 runs


India needed less than three overs of the fifth morning to wrap up a massive win over England in the third Test at Trent Bridge.

James Anderson looped Ravichandran Ashwin to slip in front of a handful of spectators after Nottinghamshire reversed their decision to charge a £10 entry fee and allowed free admission.

The home side were 317 all out, giving India victory by 203 runs - only their seventh success in a Test in England.

The visitors also drag their deficit in the series back to 2-1 with two matches remaining. The fourth Test in Southampton begins on 30 August.


4th Test

Day 1

England 246: Curran 78, Moeen 40, Bumrah 3-46
India 19-0
India trail by 227 runs

Sam Curran salvaged England after their top order failed again on the first day of the fourth Test against India in Southampton.

Some fine India bowling coupled with woeful England batting left the hosts 86-6 after they won the toss.

But 20-year-old Curran, recalled to play only his fourth Test, made a spirited 78 to drag them to 246.

He shared stands of 81 with the returning Moeen Ali, who battled to 40, and 63 with Stuart Broad.

Curran was the last man to be dismissed, leaving India to survive four overs and close on 19-0, 227 behind.


Day 2

England 246 (Curran 78) & 6-0
India 273 (Pujara 132*, Moeen 5-63)
England trail by 21 runs

Moeen Ali's 5-63 led England's fightback on the second day of the fourth Test against India in Southampton.

The off-spinner ran through the India lower order as they lost six wickets for 53 runs to slip from 142-2 to 195-8.

However, the tourists were hauled to 273 by an unbeaten 132 from Cheteshwar Pujara, who added 78 for the final two wickets with Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.

That gave them a first-innings lead of 27 after England were bowled out for 246 on day one.

Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings came through four overs at the end of the day as England closed on 6-0, 21 behind.


Day 3

England 246 (Curran 78) & 260-8 (Buttler 69, Root 48)
India 273 (Pujara 132*, Moeen 5-63)
England lead by 233 runs

England fought through the third day to leave the fourth Test against India wonderfully poised in Southampton.

Jos Buttler made 69, sharing stands of 56 with Ben Stokes and 55 with Sam Curran as the home side reached 260-8, a lead of 233.

On a gripping day, there were times when England were in peril, especially at 92-4 and, after Joe Root was run out for 48, 122-5.

But the determination of Buttler, Stokes and Curran left England with the edge on a wearing surface that is offering assistance to both pace and spin bowlers.


Day 4

England 246 (Curran 78) & 271 (Buttler 69, Shami 4-57)
India 273 (Pujara 132*, Moeen 5-63) & 184 (Kohli 58, Rahane 51, Moeen 4-71)
England won by 60 runs; won series 3-1 with Test to spare

England sealed a series victory over India with a 60-run win on a gripping fourth day of the fourth Test in Southampton.

Set 245, India looked beaten when they were reduced to 22-3 on an uneven pitch.

Captain Virat Kohli could have been given out lbw to Moeen Ali on nine, but survived to share a painstaking stand of 101 with Ajinkya Rahane.

Even after Kohli was caught at short leg off Moeen for 58, Rahane dragged the runs required down below 100.

However, Rahane and Rishabh Pant fell in successive Moeen overs, beginning a demise that saw India lose four wickets for 13 runs and eventually be dismissed for 184.

Off-spinner Moeen, on his recall to the side, ended with 4-71 to complete match analysis of 9-134 to go with 40 runs in England's first innings.

Victory extends a run which has seen England lose only one home series since 2012.

They take a 3-1 lead to the fifth and final Test, which begins on Friday at The Oval.

Fitting finish to fabulous Test

From 260-8, England's first innings was wrapped up for the addition of only 11 runs and the game appeared to be hastening for a swift conclusion when Stuart Broad and James Anderson's stump-to-stump line ran through the India top three.

Indeed, India could have been as good as beaten by lunch. Third umpire Joel Wilson adjudged Kohli to have hit the ball, when contact looked to be bat on pad, to save him from being lbw to Moeen and Rahane successfully overturned being leg before to Sam Curran on 12.

The reprieved pair battled through the afternoon, playing and missing, nudging the ball square of the wicket and running hard. Their 100 partnership contained only five fours.

Just as India were getting on top, Moeen struck. The delivery after a chance went in and out of Alastair Cook's hands at short leg, Kohli gloved on to pad and, this time, a review could not save him.

England were again in danger when the careful Rahane was joined by Pant, who hit 18 from 12 deliveries.

However, the outstanding Moeen, on the ground where he ran through India four years ago, had Pant held at deep point and ripped an off-break to pin Rahane in front for 51.

England's surge for the line was held up by the last-wicket pair of Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwin dropped at point by Anderson before falling leg before to Curran next ball.

England emerge despite deficiencies

To defeat the world number one side with a match to spare is a fantastic outcome for England, one that did not look likely after a run of poor results and when the hot weather seemed set to produce subcontinental pitches.

However, the margin of victory does not tell the full story. England have emerged victorious in a fluctuating series that was ultimately played out in conditions that have suited them.

Even then, they could have been beaten in both Southampton and the first Test at Edgbaston, while they were thrashed in the third Test at Trent Bridge.

Their eventual success has been built on middle- and lower-order runs from Jos Buttler, Curran and Chris Woakes, backed up by a dependable bowling attack that has exploited the assistance offered throughout.

But questions remain over a top order that continues to fail. England have used four different batsmen at number four over the course of the series, while there is doubt over the futures of openers Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings.

Not only that, but they seem no nearer to knowing the identity of their premier spin bowler, a concern with tours of Sri Lanka and West Indies scheduled for the winter.

India pay price for missed chances

India's spot at the top of the world rankings will not be altered by this series defeat, but they will be left to rue squandered opportunities to record their first series win in England since 2007.

At Edgbaston, they had England 87-7 in the second innings, only for the momentum to be reversed by Curran.

Here, they let England reach 246 from 86-6 in their first innings and only mustered a lead of 27 from 142-2.

Although their turnaround to win at Trent Bridge after being hammered at Lord's was admirable and their pace bowlers have consistently been excellent, India failed to fully capitalise on England's weaknesses.

India can point to an injury that has hindered off-spinner Ashwin in Southampton, but not enough of the tourists have followed the example of Kohli.

The brilliant skipper has 544 runs, twice as many as any other player in the series and the most by a visiting batsman to England since 2006, but will still end up on the losing side.

Broad equals Hadlee, Cook surpasses Fleming

Stuart Broad's dismissal of KL Rahul took him level with Sir Richard Hadlee in eighth in the list of all-time leading Test wicket-takers.

Virat Kohli's tally of 544 runs is the second highest for an Indian in England, behind Rahul Dravid's 602 in 2002.

Alastair Cook's two catches took him to 173 in Tests, surpassing New Zealand's Stephen Fleming and moving into sixth on the all-time list.




5th Test

Day 1

England 198-7: Cook 71, Moeen 50, Ishant 3-28
India: Yet to bat

Alastair Cook made 71 in his final match for England but India's bowlers seized the initiative on day one of the fifth Test at The Oval.

Opener Cook, who will retire after his 161st Test, was given a guard of honour by the India team on his way to the crease.

He was dropped on 37 by Ajinkya Rahane but, for the most part, batted as if in his prime until he played on off Jasprit Bumrah and departed to cheers from an adoring crowd.

Cook's dismissal sparked an all-too-familiar collapse, with England losing three wickets for one run and three more for 10 runs either side of Moeen Ali reaching a painstaking half-century.

Ishant Sharma claimed 3-28 as England closed an attritional, old-fashioned day on 198-7.

That is an excellent outcome for India, who put in a superb bowling performance on a slow pitch that looks to be the best batting surface of the series.

England already have an unassailable 3-1 lead, while India are looking to win two Tests on a tour here for the first time since 1986.


Day 2

England 332 all out (122 overs): Buttler 89, Cook 71, Jadeja 4-79
India 174-6 (51 overs): Kohli 49, Anderson 2-20, Stokes 2-44
India trail by 158 runs

Jos Buttler's 89 dragged England back into the fifth Test before the home bowlers took control of India on day two at The Oval.

Buttler shared 98 for the ninth wicket with Stuart Broad, who hung around for 98 minutes for his 38.

With Buttler also adding another 20 in the company of James Anderson, England turned their overnight 198-7 into 332 all out.

At 70-1, India were making comfortable progress until Sam Curran produced a beauty to bowl KL Rahul.

Anderson delivered a wonderful spell to remove both Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, and was also unfortunate not to have India captain Virat Kohli lbw.

Kohli moved to an ominous 49, only for Ben Stokes to induce edges from both the skipper and Rishabh Pant that left India 174-6, 158 behind.

Anderson's two wickets took him to 561 in Test cricket, three away from overtaking Australia's Glenn McGrath as the most successful fast bowler in the history of the game.

England already have an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series and are looking to send opener Alastair Cook into retirement with victory in his final Test.


Day 3

England 332 & 114-2 (43 overs): Cook 46*, Root 29*
India 292 (95 overs): Jadeja 86*, Vihari 56, Moeen 2-50
England lead by 154 runs

Alastair Cook moved to 46 not out in his final innings as an international cricketer on day three of England's fifth Test against India.

The opener, who is set to retire after his 161st Test, took the home side to 114-2 in their second innings, a lead of 154.

Cook received standing ovations when he arrived at the crease and again when he left at the end of the day as he followed up his first-innings 71 with another knock typical of his 12-year Test career.

India had earlier been revived by 56 from debutant Hanuma Vihari and a swashbuckling 86 not out by Ravindra Jadeja.

Jadeja added 32 for the 10th wicket with last man Jasprit Bumrah as India, who found themselves 160-6 on Saturday, got up to 292 all out.

That left England 40 runs ahead and precariously placed, but Cook's 125-ball stay ensured there would be no top-order panic to allow the tourists to continue their revival.

He was joined by his successor as captain, Joe Root, who moved fluently to 29 not out by the close.

England already have an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.


Day 4

England 332 & 423-8 dec: Cook 147, Root 125, Vihari 3-37
India 292 & 58-3 (18 overs): Rahul 46*, Anderson 2-23
India need another 406 runs to win

England took complete control of the fifth Test against India on an astonishing fourth day at The Oval in which Alastair Cook signed off with a century and James Anderson equalled the record for Test wickets as a pace bowler.

Cook made 147 in his final innings before international retirement and captain Joe Root weighed in with 125 as England declared on 423-8.

Anderson then drew level with Australian Glenn McGrath's pace bowling record of 563 Test wickets as India, chasing an improbable 464 for victory, floundered.

The tourists, who have already lost the series 3-1, ended the day on 58-3, trailing England by 406 runs.

The near-capacity crowd spent much of the day on their feet as Cook and Root with the bat, and then Anderson with the ball, put India under the cosh.

It was a historic day all round for Cook, who surpassed Kumar Sangakkara to become the fifth-highest Test run scorer - and most prolific left-hander - before reaching his 33rd and final Test century.


Day 5

England 332 & 423-8 dec: Cook 147, Root 125, Vihari 3-37
India 292 & 345: Rahul 149, Pant 114, Anderson 3-45
England win by 118 runs; take series 4-1

England's James Anderson took the final wicket to become the most successful fast bowler in Test cricket and secure a 118-run victory in the fifth Test against India at The Oval.

The 36-year-old bowled Mohammed Shami to claim his 564th wicket, surpassing the record of Australia's Glenn McGrath.

It secured a 4-1 series victory for England, who were held up for much of the fifth day by centuries from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.

However, a stunning leg-break from Adil Rashid dismissed Rahul as the tourists fell from 325-5 to 345 all out.

Friday, 7 September 2018

County Championship Round 11

Division One


SURR 351 & 2/0
ESSEX 126 & 226 (f/o)
Surrey won by 10 wickets


NOTTS 448 & 93/1d (31 ov)
YORKS 498
Match drawn

Hampshire (191 & 176) beat Worcs (120 & 133) by 114 runs
Somerset 192 and 77 v Lancashire 99 and 170 - Match tied


Division Two:

DERBS 251 & 171
GLAM 121 & 132 (46.5 ov, target 302)
Derbyshire won by 169 runs


GLOS 296 & 251/8d
MIDDX 242 & 111/5 (31 ov, target 306)
Match drawn


KENT 137 & 287
NTHNT 105 & 217 (71.4 ov, target 320)
Kent won by 102 runs


SSSX 373 & 210
LEICS 133 & 176 (62 ov, target 451)
Sussex won by 274 runs


WARKS 310 & 199
DURHAM 292 & 115/8 (40.5 ov, target 218)
Match drawn

County Championship Round 6 Day 4/4

Division One
Nottinghamshire beat Essex by 301 runs
Worcestershire beat Lancashire by 202 runs
Hampshire drew with Yorkshire

Division Two
Kent beat Warwickshire by 73 runs
Middlesex beat Leicestershire by one wicket
Glamorgan drew with Derbyshire

Saturday, 1 September 2018

County Championship Round 10

Division One

Hampshire 172 & 211 v Essex 435 - Essex win by innings and 52 runs
Lancashire 161 & 317-6 v Worcestershire 222 & 252 - Lancashire win by 4 wickets
Notts 101 & 149 v Surrey 375 - Surrey win by an innings & 125 runs
Yorkshire 320 & 194 v Somerset 399 & 339-7 dec (Somerset win by 224 runs)


Division Two

Derbyshire 400 & 270 v Kent 561 & 110-4 - Kent win by 6 wickets
Durham 129 & 133 v Northants 198 & 65-3 - Northants win by 7 wickets
Glamorgan 203 & 265 v Warwickshire 503 - Warwickshire win by an innings and 35 runs
Leicestershire 111 & 165 v Gloucestershire 202 & 402-4d - Glos win by 328 runs
Middlesex 169 & 232 v Sussex 171 & 175 - Middlesex win by 55 runs

Wednesday, 22 August 2018

County Championship Round 9

Division One
Hampshire 277 & 399-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 166 & 240
Hampshire beat Nottinghamshire by 270 runs
Somerset 324 & 202 v Essex 191 & 290
Somerset beat Essex by 45 runs
Surrey 211 & 306 v Lancashire 247 & 264
Surrey beat Lancashire by six runs
Yorkshire 216 & 170 v Worcestershire 572-7 dec
Worcestershire won by an innings and 170 runs
Division Two
Northamptonshire 346 & 184 v Middlesex 187 & 374 (f/o)
Middlesex beat Northamptonshire by 34 runs
Sussex 440 & 353-6 dec v Derbyshire 389 & 161
Sussex beat Derbyshire by 243 runs

Thursday, 2 August 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Middlesex 156/7
Sussex 168
Sussex win by 12 runs

Durham 170/4
Northamptonshire 95
Durham win by 75 runs

Leicestershire 143
Birmingham 146/2
Birmingham win by 8 wickets

Nottinghamshire 166/5
Derbyshire 157/8
Nottinghamshire win by 9 runs

Kent 191/4
Essex 163/9
Kent win by 28 runs

Wednesday, 1 August 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Somerset 197/7
Hampshire 181/9
Somerset win by 16 runs



Sussex 127/8
Gloucestershire 129/6
Gloucestershire win by 4 wickets

Tuesday, 31 July 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Yorkshire 187/5
Leicestershire 127/9
Yorkshire win by 60 runs




Surrey 194/4
Glamorgan 195/6
Glamorgan win by 4 wickets

Sunday, 29 July 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Somerset beat Middlesex on a rain-hit day in the T20 Blast as Lewis Gregory hit 62 and then took four wickets.
Half-centuries from Peter Trego (60 from 31 balls) and Gregory (62 from 26) helped the hosts win by 38 runs (DLS).
Sunday's action was otherwise spoiled by wet weather, with three of the four scheduled fixtures being abandoned.
No balls were bowled at Sussex's match at home to Hampshire, Kent Spitfires' trip to Glamorgan or Lancashire Lightning's visit to Worcestershire

Saturday, 28 July 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Derbyshire170/5
Yorkshire 166/8
Derbyshire won by 5 wickets.


Durham 136/3
Nottinghamshire 132/7
Durham won by 7 wickets

Friday, 27 July 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Thursday's game

Middlesex 165-8 (20 overs): Stirling 60
Hampshire 143 (18.5 overs): Munro 58; Agar 3-17, Finn 3-21
Middlesex won by 22 runs

Middlesex recorded their second win in the T20 Blast as a great fightback with the ball helped them beat Hampshire by 22 runs.

The hosts posted 165-8, with Paul Stirling hitting 60 from 44 balls and Dwayne Bravo adding 20 off 11.

Hampshire were well set in the chase but Sam Northeast fell for 27 and Colin Munro 58 in quick succession as they slipped from 89-1 to 143 all out.

Australia spinner Ashton Agar took 3-17 and Steven Finn 3-21.

Middlesex's total looked a little short as Max Holden, John Simpson and Dwayne Bravo were all run out in Hampshire's slick fielding display.

Despite losing James Vince - caught and bowled to Finn - in the first over of their reply, Hampshire were cruising until left-arm spinner Ashton Agar turned the game.

Northeast was stumped and two overs later Munro and Rilee Russouw departed in consecutive balls as Agar recorded his best T20 figures.

Tom Helm dismissed Lewis McManus for a duck and former England seamer Finn struck twice in two balls.


Middlesex move up to seventh in the South Group, while Hampshire replace them at the bottom.

Wednesday, 25 July 2018

County Championship Round 8

SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP - DIVISION TWO 


Lancashire beat Yorkshire by 118 runs
———————————————————————————
3 results

Division One
Somerset (337 & 362-9d) beat Worcestershire (257 & 301) by 141 runs
Surrey beat Notts by an innings and 183 runs

Division Two
Middlesex 236 & 242 v Warwickshire 276 & 184 (Middlesex win by 18 runs)
Gloucestershire (362 & 252) beat Durham (275 & 298) by 41 runs
Derbyshire beat Northants by 39 runs

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

2 Tests SL 2-0 SA

2nd Test

Day 4

Sri Lanka 338 (Dhananjaya 60, Gunathilaka 57, Maharaj 9-129) & 275 for 5 decl (Karunaratne 85, Mathews 71, Maharaj 3-154) beat South Africa 124 (du Plessis 48, Dananjaya 5-52, Dilruwan 4-40) & 290 (de Bruyn 101, Bavuma 63, Herath 6-98) by 199 runs


Theunis de Bruyn scored his first Test century, in his sixth match, to make Sri Lanka work for their series win. But he could not prevent the inevitable. The hosts wrapped up victory 40 minutes after lunch on the fourth day, to seal the series 2-0.
Sri Lanka's spinners took all 20 wickets in the match, and 37 of South Africa's 40 wickets in the series. Dilruwan Perera finished as the joint leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps, level with Keshav Maharaj, South Africa's other standout performer from the second Test. Rangana Herath, playing in his penultimate series most likely, took 12 wickets across the two matches, including a second-innings six-for in Colombo, his 12th five-wicket haul in the fourth innings of a match.
Herath accounted for both South Africa's main resistors on the fourth day - de Bruyn and Temba Bavuma. The pair shared South Africa's first century stand of the series, and became the only two players in their line-up to bring up fifties on the tour. Their 123-run stand is the highest by a South African pair in the fourth innings of a match in Asia. It took the Test into an 11th session, but South Africa still lost inside four days.
On the evidence of South Africa's previous three innings, Sri Lanka would have been justified in thinking they would take the remaining five wickets quickly on the fourth morning, but they were made to wait until 10 minutes before lunch for a breakthrough. De Bruyn and Bavuma were confident on the sweep shot and forced Sri Lanka to look further than their three main spinners, with Suranga Lakmal having his first bowl of the match in the 55th over, and Dhananjaya de Silva and Danushka Gunathilaka both turning their arms over.
De Bruyn showed, for the first time at international level, why he is much lauded in the domestic franchise game and may have made a strong case to be persisted with at No. 3 with a display of strong temperament and impressive strokeplay. Bavuma, who is often criticised for his slow scoring rate, took a much more positive approach and scored his 63 runs in 98 balls, a strike rate of almost 65.
Their morning was not without its nerves. Dilruwan reviewed for a catch at short leg when Bavuma was on 20 but Ultra Edge showed there was no contact between bat and ball, as the delivery turned down leg and Sri Lanka lost their first review. De Bruyn almost sent a Herath delivery into the hands of Angelo Mathews at slip but the next ball he faced, he punched through the covers to bring up his maiden Test fifty, in 118 balls.
Both batsmen grew in confidence as the session went on, despite the number of times Sri Lanka's bowlers seemed to have the better of them. Herath beat Bavuma on the front foot often but the batsman bisected square leg and fine leg to send a Herath delivery to the boundary; Herath also drew a leading edge from de Bruyn that fell safe but de Bruyn established authority with shots like the pull off Lakmal to square leg. Bavuma's half-century came off 69 balls, and he may have been eyeing a long-overdue second Test hundred but, with lunch looming, pushed forward to a Herath delivery and was caught behind.
Quinton de Kock opened his account with a reverse-sweep, which suggested his time in the middle could be fun, but it ended on the stroke of lunch. De Kock was given out lbw to a Herath delivery and the batsman reviewed. Replays showed "umpires call" on leg stump to end a disappointing tour for de Kock, who scored 53 runs in four innings.
De Bruyn may have been concerned about running out of partners as his hundred approached but Kagiso Rabada negotiated the second new ball well to stay with him for an eighth-wicket stand of 34. Rabada even showed off his own prowess, with a thunderous six over Herath's head. De Bruyn brought up his century off 228 balls with a paddle to fine leg and was dismised four balls later, leaving an arm ball, to give Herath his fifth.
Three balls later, Rabada edged Dilruwan to first slip and in the next over, Steyn smacked Herath for six and then tried to slog him over the top but only got the toe end of his bat and was caught at long-on. Herath's six-for was not enough to earn him the Man-of-the-Match award, which went to Dimuth Karunaratne, who was also named Man of the Series. Karunaratne scored 356 runs in the series, more than double his nearest competitor, opening partner Gunathilaka, who racked up 161. South Africa's top-scorer was fourth on the list - Faf du Plessis with 105 runs.

Day 1

SL 277/9

SA

Keshav Maharaj singlehandedly kept South Africa competing on a dry pitch in Colombo, where claiming the best figures by a visiting spinner on Sri Lankan soil. Maharaj was operating as the only specialist spinner in the XI, and his career-best 8 for 116 engineered mini-collapses in a Sri Lankan innings that could not sustain its strong start.

Danushka Gunathilaka and Dimuth Karunaratne, put on the first century stand for the opening pair since October 2016 , and the first at home since 2010. Both went on to score half-centuries. Dhananjaya de Silva joined them with the milestone but none of the three pushed on to three figures, and no-one in the middle-order made more than 22.

Sri Lanka lost 3 for 37 after their first-wicket stand and 5 for 41 later in the day, and may not get to 300. But with three spinners in their attack, they will believe their total is worth much more.

South Africa have armed themselves with an extra batsman to prepare for the challenge, leaving out the second specialist spinner, a selection which threatened to backfire on them when the seamers failed to make inroads.

Dale Steyn's wait to overtake Shaun Pollock as South Africa's leading wicket-taker continues. Steyn bowled 15 overs but caused few problems, fewer than Kagiso Rabada or Lungi Ngidi, who was selected ahead of Vernon Philander for this Test. Of the three, Rabada was the stand out, putting in the most work and enjoying some reward, when he claimed the only other wicket in the day.



Day 2

Sri Lanka 338 all out & 151/3 (34.0 overs)
South Africa 124 all out

Sri Lanka lead South Africa by 365 runs with 7 wickets remaining

Think Galle, and now think of how things could have become more galling for South Africa. That's what happened on the second day at the SSC, where Sri Lanka took significant strides towards a series win.

South Africa succumbed to their second-lowest total in Sri Lanka, a mere seven days after they had slumped to their lowest on the island, to concede a first-innings lead of 214 runs. Sri Lanka's spinners ripped through them for a third time, with Akila Dananjaya picking up his second five-wicket haul in his third Test. Akila had a day to remember, after also notching up a career-best undefeated 43 to help Sri Lanka swell their first-innings total to 338.

Already that seems like enough, but with three days left in the match, Sri Lanka will look to pile it on, having chosen not to enforce the follow-on, against a wearing attack. Dale Steyn remains a wicket away from overtaking Shaun Pollock as South Africa's leading Test bowler, but delivered four overs without success, bowling third change. Lungi Ngidi, who left the field in Sri Lanka's first innings after being pinged on the shin when he dropped a return catch offered by Akila in his follow-through, returned during the second innings but only bowled fourth change, forcing Faf du Plessis to use part-timers Aiden Markram and Theunis de Bruyn. Kagiso Rabada shared the new ball with Keshav Maharaj, the only bowler to make some incisions.

Maharaj's first innings nine-for surpassed Allan Donald's 8 for 71 in Harare in 1995 as the best figures by a South African bowler away from home and second-best figures by a South African in an innings, anywhere. He picked up two second-innings wickets, putting him just two behind Makhaya Ntini's 13 scalps, the most in a match by a South African, but his efforts are unlikely to save South Africa.

So far in this series, the visiting batsmen have lasted 54.3, 28.5 and 34.5 overs - a total of 118.1 overs - the equivalent of under four sessions in three innings. They have scored fewer runs in total, 323 in three innings, than Sri Lanka's top-scorer Dimuth Karunaratne, who is unbeaten on 59, with 329 runs in the series and counting.

South Africa's approach against spin continues to be muddled and they have failed to answer the most pressing questions about batting on the subcontinent. Should they play for the turn, or not? Should they sweep, or not? Should they defend, or not?

Some of them, clearly, cannot trust their defence. Like Dean Elgar. He blocked the first three balls he faced, from Dilruwan Perera, and then went forward to dead-bat a fourth but Akila got the ball to dip, spin away and take the edge. Dhananjaya de Silva took a good, low catch at second slip.

Others are unsure what the ball is doing out of the hand. Like Theunis de Bruyn, who was included as a seventh specialist batsman and moved to No.3. He played for turn to an Akila ball that went on straight and was caught behind. Or Aiden Markram. He was trapped lbw, also playing for turn against Rangana Herath.

Sri Lanka's veteran only took one wicket in South Africa's first innings, though he could have had two, Hashim Amla dropped off him when he drove to short cover only for Danushka Gunathilaka to fluff the chance. Instead, Amla became only the third South African to reach 9,000 Test runs. That number will receive its dues in years to come. For now, South Africa need him to play like a man with 9,000 runs to his name and that did not happen.

Amla showed some signs of regaining form in a 55-run stand with du Plessis which was also the second-highest partnership South Africa have posted all series, but it was du Plessis who looked in control. The captain showed intent immediately after lunch when he struck five boundaries in six balls, and needed support. Amla could not provide it when he inside-edged onto his pad to offer short leg a catch and start the procession.

Then the sweep came into play. Du Plessis prospered and perished by the shot, eventually bottom-edging a Dilruwan delivery that was confirmed to have made contact with the bat on review. Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock were both confident on the sweep, but by then, South Africa's troubles were too deep.

Bavuma chipped a catch to short leg, Maharaj top-edged a sweep to square leg and de Kock was pinned on the front pad to give Akila his fifth.


After all that, South Africa had to take the field again and looked as though they wanted to be anywhere but in Colombo. A flat first 18 overs allowed Sri Lanka's openers to race to 91 without loss, with Gunathilaka scoring a second half-century in the Test before holing out to deep midwicket. In his next over, Maharaj successfully reviewed an lbw appeal against de Silva and the only other wicket fell when Kusal Mendis was run out. Karunaratne remains in control and with Elgar extracting sharp turn in the final over of the day, it seems only one result can be achieved.


Day 3

SL 338 and 275/5d
SA 124 and 139/5
SA need another 351 runs to win

South Africa dragged the second Test into a fourth day with their best batting performance of the series against a sloppy and frustrated Sri Lankan attack. The hosts squandered four clear chances and had three unsuccessful reviews (all on umpire's call which allowed Sri Lanka to retain their reviews) which could have seen them well into South Africa's lower order. Instead, they gave the home crowd reason to return on Monday, when Sri Lanka will go in search of the remaining five wickets.
Theunis de Bruyn gave the best account of himself as a international cricketer in his short career and remained unbeaten on 45. He also featured in South Africa's highest partnership in the match, 57 runs for the second wicket with Dean Elgar, who made his top score of the series - a dogged 37.
Elgar's innings was incident-filled and he was let off three times, with Dilruwan Pereratainting his 36th birthday by being the culprit on each occasion. First, Dilruwan dropped a catch when Elgar top-edged a sweep off Rangana Herath in the third over. Dilruwan, running from square leg, settled under the ball but could not hold on to it. Then, Dilruwan overstepped after bowling Elgar on 6. Elgar had swept against the slider and missed. Dilruwan didn't get his front foot back and bowled two more no-balls, one in the third session which had Elgar caught behind on 23. Elgar had left the field but was called back and added 14 runs to his score before Dilruwan finally had him out lbw, going back to the arm ball.
In between, Mathews dropped Markram at slip, off Rangana Herath. Herath only had to wait until his next over to trap Markram lbw. The opener missed an attempted sweep and gave Sri Lanka their first inroad.
But Sri Lanka and Dilruwan had more to rue when two reviews didn't go their way, which could have dismissed de Bruyn before he settled. Though de Bruyn swept confidently from the start of his innings, his defences looked suspect. Dilruwan beat his outside edge and reviewed for lbw off two consecutive deliveries. Both times the deliveries pitched in line and struck de Bruyn on the back foot with the impact in line with the stumps but both times Umpire Rod Tucker's on-field decision was not out. Both times ball-tracking showed umpires call on off stump, giving de Bruyn second and third chances to make a name for himself. And he took them. He is only five runs away from his first Test fifty and he has showed the kind of patience his seniors have lacked.
Hashim Amla's lean year showed no signs of stopping. Sri Lanka reviewed an lbw appeal against him when Akila caught him on the pad as he looked to sweep but the batsman had shuffled across enough to get outside the line. He was on 4 at the time, and added only two runs before being bowled by Herath. Faf du Plessis became the only South African batsman to cross 100 runs in the series when he added seven runs to the 98 he had scored in his three previous innings. His innings, however, ended when was caught at slip off an Akila wrong'un.
With his next ball, Akila had nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj out lbw, also with a googly, but he could not complete the hat-trick. Temba Bavuma was unintimidated by a close-in field and a topspinner and went on to produce a sprightly knock that he will want to build on. That's all South Africa's middle and lower order can aim for, in the face of a mammoth target.
Earlier, Sri Lanka batted until an hour into the lunch session and declared with a lead of 489 runs. Dimuth Karunaratne took his personal tally in the two-Test series to 356 runs and fell 15 runs short of a second century. After hours of concentration, he chased a Lungi Ngidi length ball and edged it to Quinton de Kock. He shared a 63-run stand with Angelo Mathews, who returned to form with his first score over fifty since December 2017. Mathews also put on 64 with Roshen Silva to frustrate a wearing South African attack.

Day 4




1st Test

Sri Lanka 287 & 190
South Africa 126 & 73 (28.5 ov, target 352)
Sri Lanka won by 278 runs

Sri Lanka's spinners shot South Africa out for 73, their lowest total since readmission and lowest in Sri Lanka, just a day after their previous lowest in the country - 126 - to condemn them to one of their worst defeats in the subcontinent and leave them with no chance of a series win.

Offspinner Dilruwan Perera finished with his best match figures of 10 for 78 after taking 6 for 32 in the second innings while Rangana Herath leapt to ninth on the all-time wicket-takers' list with his 3 for 38.

Herath surpassed Shaun Pollock and Dale Steyn in this match. Steyn has been chasing Pollock's record of 421 wickets to become South Africa's leading Test wicket-taker and drew level in this match. That will serve as scant consolation for South Africa, whose line-up has serious questions to answer about their shot selection and temperament.

South Africa have never faced fewer overs in Asia than they did in this innings. Only three of their batsmen got into double figures and only one, No. 7 Vernon Philander, scored more than 20. They lost wickets at intervals of between five and nine minutes between lunch and tea and lost the game inside eight sessions. Dimuth Karunaratne on his own scored more runs - 218 - than South Africa over both innings - 199.

Despite forcing a collapse that saw Sri Lanka lose 6 for 73 on the third morning, South Africa were facing a mammoth task after conceding a first-innings deficit of 161 runs. They were set 352 to win, which required them to pull off the joint third-highest successful chase on the island against an attack they have been unable to decipher.

Some tried to attack, like Dean Elgar, who ran down the track in an attempt to loft Dilruwan down the ground and was stumped, others to defend, like Hashim Amla, who was drawn forward and popped up a catch to leg gully, and Temba Bavuma, who inside-edged to leg gully to a Dilruwan delivery that ripped in sharply. Elgar's 50th Test only yielded 12 runs, Amla's second-innings duck was the 12th of his career and Bavuma has yet to show what he can do after being promoted to No.4.

Faf du Plessis was the only one of the top six who showed some staying power in the first innings but he became Herath's first second-innings' victim when he offered a catch to slip. Du Plessis was unable to get to the pitch of the ball, as was Aiden Markram, who jumped out of his crease to a Herath delivery that was dangled outside off, and was stumped. When Quinton de Kock missed his sweep and was given out lbw, South Africa had lost their top six for just 36 runs.

Dilruwan's five-for came when Keshav Maharaj swung and found deep midwicket. He went one better and took his sixth when he set Kagiso Rabada up with one that turned away sharply and followed up with one that went straight on, from around the wicket, to bowl him as he shouldered arms. Dale Steyn handed Herath a return catch and South Africa's misery ended when Lakshan Sandakan, who was only brought on in the 29th over, trapped Tabraiz Shamsi on the back pad.

Though the Galle surface offered turn and bounce and the Sri Lankan spinners were a handful with the new, hard ball, South Africa were also responsible for their own malaise. Their struggles in reading turn and flight, and their impatience, undid them and they will have five days to rethink their strategies ahead of a must-win second Test.

South Africa may even have to address team selection. Philander, for all his resistance with the bat, only bowled 11 overs in the match, and may have to make way for another batsman, Theunis de Bruyn, or a different style of fast bowler, Lungi Ngidi. The only positives for South Africa came from the rest of their attack. After a wicketless first innings, Maharaj took four in the second while Rabada's ability on pitches that offer very little to the quicks was impressive.

Rabada gave South Africa a chance to compete on the third day, first when he fortuitously deflected a ball onto the non-striker's stumps in his follow-through, to run out Roshen Silva, and then with two wickets in three balls, which also brought up 150 in Tests. Rabada is not the quickest to reach the landmark - Sydney Barnes did it in 24 matches - but he is in the top dozen.

For Sri Lanka, there is only cause to celebrate (and perhaps for some of the batsmen to consider how they can emulate Karunaratne). Playing without their captain, Dinesh Chandimal, and coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, who will sit out the series as they await the verdict of their code-of-conduct hearing, Sri Lanka imposed themselves on a team that beat them convincingly just 18 months ago, in South Africa, and won their last series in Sri Lanka. And now, they are only a draw away from a series win.

Saturday, 21 July 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Hampshire 170/5
Essex 170/8
Match tied

Vitality T20 Blast

Gloucestershire
Essex 172/7
No Result

Notts Outlaws 176/9
Leicestershire 193/6
Leicestershire Foxes win by 17 runs


Lancashire 176/2
Yorkshire 175/4
Lancashire Lightning win by 1 run


Kent
Surrey 250/6
No Result


Durham 125/3
Worcestershire 121 all out
Durham Jets win by 7 wickets


Birmingham 231/5
Northamptonshire 231/5
Match Tied


Glamorgan 160/9
Somerset 190/5
Somerset win by 30 runs


Hampshire 184 all out
Middlesex 163/9
Hampshire win by 21 runs

Thursday, 19 July 2018

Vitality T20 Blast

Northamptonshire 180 all out
Derbyshire 211/2
Derbyshire Falcons win by 31 runs


Middlesex 175/5
Somerset 178/6
Somerset win by 4 wickets

Glos v Sussex County Championship


Day 1

Sussex 286: Finch 76, Brown 59, Salt 57; Miles 4-68
Gloucestershire 42-0: Hammond 27*, Dent 12*
Gloucestershire (3 pts) trail Sussex (2 pts) by 244 runs

Gloucestershire, bottom of Division Two, enjoyed a good first day in their game against Sussex at Cheltenham.

Sussex won the toss and decided to bat, but paceman Craig Miles helped reduce them to 97-4, despite Phil Salt's 57.

Harry Finch (76) and Ben Brown (59) shared a stand of 113 for the fifth wicket, but Sussex were eventually all out for 286, with Miles claiming 4-68.

Miles Hammond and Chris Dent navigated 11 overs safely to guide the home side to 42 without loss at the close.


Day 2

Sussex 286: Finch 76, Brown 59, Salt 57; Miles 4-68
Gloucestershire 303-8: Hammond 103, Dent 65; Archer 3-59
Gloucestershire (6 pts) lead Sussex (4 pts) by 17 runs

Gloucestershire collapsed late on day two to leave their County Championship match with Sussex in the balance.

Resuming on 42-0, Miles Hammond (103) scored his maiden first-class ton to help put on 182 for the first wicket alongside Chris Dent (65).

The hosts were 240-2 when the new ball was taken, allowing Sussex to hit back.

Seamer Jofra Archer (3-59) took three wickets in an over at Cheltenham as the hosts slumped from 295-3 to 303-8 at stumps, giving them a lead of 17 runs.

Wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick was left unbeaten on 48 at the close as Sussex took four wickets in 10 balls, with Ollie Robinson trapping Craig Miles lbw for four with the final delivery of the day.

Sussex had been made to toil in the field by Division Two's bottom club, being punished after dropping Dent on 14 in the slips, but carved their way through the middle order in the evening session at the College Ground.

Archer missed out on a hat-trick after removing George Drissell and Ryan Higgins in consecutive balls, but then saw Kieran Noema-Barnett caught behind for a duck to bring his side back into the game.


Day 3

Sussex 286 & 295: Finch 98, Wright 48, Wiese 40; Payne 4-69
Gloucestershire 306 & 30-2: Archer 2-14
Gloucestershire (6 pts) trail Sussex (5 pts) by 246 runs

Gloucestershire face a final-day run-chase to beat Sussex after 14 wickets fell on day three of their Division Two game at Cheltenham.

Gloucestershire added three more runs to their overnight total before being bowled out for 306, giving them a first-innings lead of 20 runs.

Harry Finch (98) anchored Sussex's second-innings total of 295, leaving the hosts a target of 276 to win.

Jofra Archer removed both openers as Gloucestershire reached 30-2 at stumps.

Chris Dent and Miles Hammond were both caught behind by wicketkeeper Ben Brown, but nightwatchmen George Drissell and Matt Taylor survived four overs before the close.

Earlier, Finch had missed out on his fourth first-class century, and his second in the Championship this season, as he was caught behind off the bowling of Craig Miles.

David Payne was the pick of the Gloucestershire bowlers, removing opener Luke Wells and former Sussex captain Luke Wright (48), as he took figures of 4-69.


Day 4

Sussex 286 & 295: Finch 76 & 98; Payne 4-69
Gloucestershire 306 & 247: Bracey 87, Roderick 66; Archer 4-29, Robinson 4-49
Sussex (21 pts) beat Gloucestershire (6 pts) by 28 runs

Sussex beat Gloucestershire by 28 runs in Division Two as the hosts fell short in their run-chase at Cheltenham.

After resuming on 30-2 on the final day, needing a further 246 to win, Gloucestershire lost nightwatchmen Matt Taylor and George Drissell early on.

Gareth Roderick (66) helped James Bracey put on 138 for the fifth wicket, but once that partnership ended Sussex were able to tear through the tail.

Bracey (87) was last out, caught on the boundary, as they were all out for 247.

Sussex paceman Jofra Archer (4-29) reached the landmark of 100 first-class wickets while Ollie Robinson (4-49) picked up the vital scalp of Bracey to end the innings.

Earlier, wicketkeeper Ben Brown equalled Sussex's record for most catches in a first-class innings, picking up his sixth catch when Kieran Noema-Barnett nicked behind before tea.

Sussex move up to third in the table after winning at Cheltenham, and the south-coast club are now 13 points behind second-placed Kent and a promotion spot.