England v NZ, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 3rd day

Baby-faced Root shows maturity

May 18, 2013: The youngest player on either team, Joe Root appeared the senior man during a potentially match-defining partnership with Jonathan Trott

England v NZ, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 3rd day

Root's front foot opens the door

May 18, 2013: In another over Joe Root would have left the ball or defended it but instead a moment's hesitation left England looking confused and worried

England v NZ, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 3rd day

Broad grasps his chance

May 18, 2013: ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the third day at Lord's

Northants v Leicestershire, Northampton, 4th day

Duckett debut fifty shows promise

May 18, 2013: Ben Duckett, Northants' 18-year-old wicketkeeper, made a fifty on first-class debut as the Division Two leaders drew with Leicestershire

Nottinghamshire v Surrey, Trent Bridge, 4th day

Surrey risk unravelling again

May 18, 2013: Five matches, no wins, two defeats: Surrey's season already has the feel of an expensive failure, a tale of over-inflated expectations

Kent v Worcestershire, Canterbury, 2nd day

Richardson's best skittles Kent

May 18, 2013: Veteran Alan Richardson bagged seven for 22, his best figures for Worcestershire, as Kent were skittled for 63 and lost in two days

Derbyshire v Sussex, Derby, 4th day

No hold-ups for Sussex victory

May 18, 2013: Steve Magoffin took a four-wicket haul as Sussex completed their second victory of the season and condemned Derbyshire to a fourth consecutive defeat

England v NZ, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 3rd day

Southee leads late rally after Root sparkles

May 18, 2013: Just as England appeared to have wrestled control away through a stand of 123 between Joe Root and Jonathan Trott, New Zealand surged back late in the day by taking 4 for 12

England in West Indies 2013-14

England return to scene of abandonment

May 18, 2013: England will return to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua for the first time since their Test against West Indies in 2009 was abandoned after 10 balls

1978

The end of the innocence

May 18, 2013: The felling of a tailender by Bob Willis triggered the acceptance that helmets were needed in the game

England v NZ, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 2nd day

Indispensable Anderson master of his craft

May 17, 2013: He may not be the quickest or the most dangerous bowler in world cricket but James Anderson has mastered the skill of fast bowling and England would be lost without him

England v New Zealand, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 2nd day

Taylor's aggression unsettles England

May 17, 2013: Every batsman in before him had struggled to combat conditions, but Ross Taylor flicked a switch and left England under pressure

England v NZ, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 2nd day

Taylor shrugs off his issues in swaggering knock

May 17, 2013: With others who had come to the crease at Lord's prisoners of the conditions, Ross Taylor played an unshackled innings that displayed his wonderful talent

England v New Zealand, 1st Investec Test, Lord's, 2nd day

From swing specialist to all-weather champion

May 17, 2013: When James Anderson started out he needed favourable conditions to perform; now, he can be expected to succeed no matter what the conditions

Kent v Worcestershire, Canterbury, 1st day

Richardson gives Worcs edge at Kent

May 17, 2013: The bottom two sides in the County Championship crossed swords at cloudy Canterbury where 14 wickets fell during a poor opening day's cricket between Kent and Worcestershire

Glamorgan v Essex, Cardiff, 3rd day

Walters' near miss gives Glamorgan hope

May 17, 2013: Stewart Walters fell two runs short of securing Glamorgan's first century of the season but they built a useful second-innings lead on the third day of their Division Two clash with Essex at Cardiff

Somerset v Middlesex, Taunton, 3rd day

Murtagh and Middlesex prove title credentials

May 17, 2013: The last time Somerset lost a Championship match at Taunton, the ground rang to raucous Lancastrian celebrations. This time it was deserted as Middlesex unexpectedly escaped the showers to pull off a three-day victory

Nottinghamshire v Surrey, Trent Bridge, 3rd day

Fletcher burst rocks Surrey

May 17, 2013: Luke Fletcher helped reduce Surrey to 29 for 3 in pursuit of 259 after the Nottinghamshire batsmen had failed to build a bigger advantage

Derbyshire v Sussex, Derby, 3rd day

Familiar tale for struggling Derbys

May 17, 2013: Derbyshire are facing a fourth consecutive defeat after they closed the third day against Sussex only 11 runs ahead with three second-innings wickets standing.

Warwickshire v Yorkshire, Edgbaston, 3rd day

Yorkshire breach fortress Edgbaston

May 17, 2013: It has taken only five matches into the Division One season for Yorkshire to confound expectations and turn into serious title challengers