Report
Trenaman anchors Australia A as Wong keeps England competitive
Four wickets for fast bowler prevent hosts from taking outright command of four-day game in Sydney
ESPNcricinfo staff
12-Apr-2025
Australia A 315 for 7 (Trenaman 77, Knott 52, Faltum 52, Wong 4-57) vs England A
Rachel Trenaman top-scored with 77 from 131 balls, while Charli Knott and Nicole Faltum contributed a pair of half-centuries, as Australia A battled back from a difficult start to reach a competitive 315 for 7 on the opening day of their four-day unofficial Test against England A in Sydney.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Australia A slipped to 50 for 3 in the morning session, thanks in particular to the incisiveness of Issy Wong, who bowled Maddy Darke for 5 before having Anika Learoyd caught on the cut by Alice Capsey at second slip for 16. Earlier, Tahlia Wilson had been the first to fall, edging a drive to slip off Eva Grey for 11.
Full postHolder and Munro get defending champions Islamabad United off to winning start
Abdullah Shafique scored an impressive 66 off 38 balls, but lacked support as Lahore Qalandars slumped to an eight-wicket defeat
Danyal Rasool
11-Apr-2025
Islamabad United 143 for 2 (Munro 59*, Agha 41*) beat Lahore Qalandars 139 (Shafique 66, Holder 4-26, Shadab 3-25) by eight wickets
Islamabad United got their title defence off to a robust start, brushing aside Lahore Qalandars by eight wickets in the PSL 2025 opener. An all-round performance included starring roles with the ball from Jason Holder, who took 4 for 26, and with the bat from Colin Munro, whose unbeaten 42-ball 59 guided United through the start of a potentially tricky chase. In the end, though, the holders made short work of a chase of 140, taking any jeopardy out of it long before the winning runs were struck with 14 balls still to go.
United won the toss and fielded first, starting tidily against Fakhar Zaman, whom they cramped with the short ball. Riley Meredith got rid of the veteran opener when he failed to get on top of a hook, and Qalandars struggled to get going on a pitch that didn't allow run-scoring as freely as the Rawalpindi Stadium has in the past. Naseem Shah went for 17 in Qalandars' third over, when Abdullah Shafique targeted him, but spinners Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan struck back quickly with a double-blow, sending Daryl Mitchell and Sam Billings on their way.
Full postSibley century papers over the cracks for Surrey
Hampshire worthy of rewards as defending champs' stutter carries into second round
Vithushan Ehantharajah
11-Apr-2025
Hampshire 55 for 1 (Gubbins 23*, Worrall 1-14) trail Surrey 253 (Sibley 100*, Wheal 4-65) by 198 runs
It was just after 5pm at the Kia Oval, with Surrey nine down, having spent a gorgeous day at the Kia Oval scrapping against Hampshire, that the probable past and potential future of English Test cricket locked horns.
Words were spoken. Bouncers bowled. Attempts to guide a boundary over third missed three times. Sonny Baker, just two weeks into his County Championship career, was fed up. He'd bowled well all day, each delivery at 85mph or above vindicating the ECB development contract handed to the 22-year-old in February. But with just one wicket to show for it, this was all a bit of a tease.
Full postKyle Verreynne leads Notts recovery with unbeaten century
Lyndon James makes 45 as home side fight back against early Essex pressure
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
11-Apr-2025
Nottinghamshire 328 for 8 (Verreynne 111*) vs Essex
Nottinghamshire began their Rothesay County Championship meeting with Essex as early leaders of Division One following last week's opening round of the campaign. They immediately faced deep trouble, however, after being asked to bat at Trent Bridge.
But Kyle Verreynne, who flew in from South Africa only three days before, would finish with a superb unbeaten 111 and Lyndon James made 45, as the home side fought back in the afternoon sun from 78 for 5 to 167 for 6.
Full postZaib century builds on strong foundations for Northants
James Sales makes 92, Luke Procter 64 as visitors respond positively after being inserted
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
11-Apr-2025
Northamptonshire 355 for 5 (Zaib 111*, Sales 92, Procter 64) vs Lancashire
A superb century by Saif Zaib and a vital 92 from James Sales helped put Northamptonshire into the strong position of 355 for 5 against Lancashire after being put in to bat on the opening day of this Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at Old Trafford.
It proved to be an excellent day with the bat for the visitors as Lancashire's attack, featuring West Indies pace bowler Anderson Phillip for the first time this season along with loan signing John Turner, were made to work hard on a pitch not offering the bowlers much assistance.
Full postBowlers on top as Crawley's misery continues at Canterbury
Momentum swings between Kent and Middlesex with 16 wickets falling on opening day
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
11-Apr-2025
Kent 172 for 6 (Stewart 49*, Cullen 3-51) trail Middlesex 222 (Davies 47, Gilchrist 3-43, Kashif 3-60) by 50 runs
Kent fought to 172 for 6 on day one of their Rothesay County Championship match with Middlesex at Canterbury, trailing by 50 at the close on a day when 16 wickets fell.
Jack Davies' unbeaten 47 was the highlight for Middlesex, as they scratched their way to 222 all out. Nathan Gilchrist took 3 for 43 and debutant Kashif Ali, occasionally wearing a Dennis Lillee-style headband, claimed 3 for 60, but Davies' ninth-wicket partnership of 63 with Blake Cullen was already looking crucial as Middlesex ran through Kent's top order.
Full postDawid Malan's classy 98 gives Yorkshire a healthy start
Adam Lyth, George Hill leave with fifties on the board either side of controversial Jonny Bairstow dismissal
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
11-Apr-2025
Yorkshire 425 for 8 (Malan 98, Lyth 67, Hill 63, Thompson 48*) vs Worcestershire
Former England batter Dawid Malan scored a classy 98 through the heart of the day as Yorkshire enjoyed a healthy start to their Rothesay County Championship clash with Worcestershire at Headingley.
Malan contributed 12 fours and a six in 133 balls to a close of play 425 for 8 from 96 overs. He steadied a brief home wobble after lunch which included Jonny Bairstow being unfortunate to be caught behind for 7.
Full postDeckchairs in demand as Sussex show they are here to stay
Hove's trendier influences encroach on timeless day but on-field efforts take upper hand
Alan Gardner
11-Apr-2025
Somerset 62 for 5 (Hudson-Prentice 4-13) trail Sussex 294 (Hughes 49, Clark 49, Gregory 4-90) by 232 runs
There's an old Stewart Lee routine about the attractions (or otherwise) of moving out of London to live in the countryside, which in its mock juxtaposition of urban decay and rural tranquility riffs on the ludicrous notion that "visible otters" might be a guaranteed part of the estate agent's package.
County cricket can find itself viewed in similarly absurd terms. As a refuge from modernity it is still hard to beat but, with many counties now playing the majority of their cricket at increasingly developed stadiums, some of the prerequisites of the pastoral idyll are missing. If there isn't a grass bank, a whitewashed pavilion and spectators allowed on the field at tea, is it really the throwback to a bygone era that was advertised?
Full postCaptain Bancroft steers Gloucestershire to formidable first-day score
Aussie shares 230-stand with fellow centurion Ollie Price as Glamorgan rue decision to bowl first
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
11-Apr-2025
Gloucestershire 368 for 3 (Bancroft 163, O. Price 101) vs Glamorgan
Cameron Bancroft marked his first appearance as Gloucestershire captain with a century to lead his side to a formidable 368 for 3 on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division game with Glamorgan at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
The 32-year-old Australian hit 163, off 267 balls, with 19 fours and two sixes, sharing a second-wicket stand of 230 with Ollie Price, who contributed a patient 101, as the visitors were made to rue their decision to bowl first under cloudless skies.
Full postBudinger leads the way as Leicestershire pile on the runs
Four half-centuries ensure hosts post imposing first-day total at Grace Road
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
11-Apr-2025
Leicestershire 423 for 9 (Budinger 81, Holland 74, Handscomb 63, van Beek 53*) vs Derbyshire
Half-centuries from Sol Budinger, Ian Holland, Peter Handscomb and Logan Van Beek helped Leicestershire reach a commanding 423 for nine after Derbyshire had asked them to bat first on the first day of their Rothesay County Championship match in Leicester.
The East Midlands rivals are both looking to build on winning starts to their Division Two campaigns. Derbyshire, who beat Gloucestershire at home last week, bowled well at times but found their errors punished ruthlessly by aggressive Leicestershire batting.
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