Report
Read's timely nudge frustrates Yorkshire
John Ward reports on the third day's play in the Championship match between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire at Headingley
John Ward at Headingley
02-May-2008
Nottinghamshire 356 for 6 (Read 115*, Swann 68, Wagh 56) lead Yorkshire 299 by 57 runs
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"It's not an easy pitch to score runs quickly on" seemed to be the common verdict. To all appearances, though, the pitch underwent quite a transformation after lunch, as Read and his enterprising sixth-wicket partner, Graeme Swann, tucked into the hapless Yorkshire bowling attack, which was missing Morne Morkel with a hamstring strain. For the first time in the match
the scoreboard fairly galloped along as the pair added 136 runs, and in the process turned the match on its head.
Until Read and Swann joined forces, Yorkshire were taking a grip. Their bowling was useful rather than threatening, while Nottinghamshire's top order, with the exception of Mark Wagh, had disappointed. Matthew Hoggard and Morkel made the batsmen fight for runs, with Morkel wayward in direction at times, but then producing the odd vicious rearing delivery reminiscent of an inspired Steve Harmison.
Full postPrior shines but not bright enough
The third, soporific day at Hove inched the match inexorably closer to a batsman's draw, with Sussex's last five batsman adding 157 in 45 overs, only occasionally breaking into a trot
Will Luke at Hove
02-May-2008
Surrey 164 for 2 (Ramprakash 66*, Butcher 10*) trail Sussex 475 (Goodwin 98, Martin-Jenkins 53*) by 311 runs
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The third, soporific day at Hove inched the match inexorably closer to a batsman's draw, with Sussex's last five batsman adding 157 in 45 overs, only occasionally breaking into a trot. Scott Newman and Mark Ramprakash made the most of perfect May conditions for Surrey, but the only people breaking into a sweat were those in the bars searching for another Pimms.
For periods of the day's play, it almost felt as though the clock had been wound back to the 1980s. As Robin Marlar, the Sussex president, grumpily pointed out once Surrey had eased past 100 for the loss of just one wicket, "rain doesn't suit this game". The slips lounged with hands in their pockets; the fast bowlers ambled casually back to their marks, and not even Matt Prior could be stirred into verbal jousting behind the stumps.
Full postSehwag puts Delhi on top
A clinical Delhi Daredevils bumped Chennai Super Kings off the No. 1 spot and ended Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 100% win record at the IPL with an eight-wicket win in Chennai
The Bulletin by Nishi Narayanan
02-May-2008
Delhi Daredevils 172 for 2 (Sehwag 71, Gambhir 50) beat Chennai Super Kings 169 for 6 (Vidyut 54) by eight wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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A clinical Delhi Daredevils recorded an eight-wicket win to bump their opponents, Chennai Super Kings, off the No. 1 spot and end Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 100% record at the IPL. The match was effectively decided by a century stand inside 12 overs between Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir after Chennai's innings floundered in the absence of their Australian batting stars.
Unlike Chennai's top order, which relied on wild and often mistimed shots to get boundaries, Gambhir and Sehwag scored in masterful fashion. In their partnerships, even in Tests, the two sometimes look like they have a private bet running on who can score faster. Today Sehwag won it hands down as he raced to his fifty off 24 balls.
With net run-rate deciding league positions, Sehwag wasted no time in teeing off the chase at the venue of his recent triple-century. He slashed Makhaya Ntini for a six off the fourth ball of the innings and followed it up the next over with two more off Manpreet Gony. Joginder Sharma was taken for 19 runs in his first over as Sehwag hit a six and two fours. He fell, when 55 were needed off 52 balls, trying to replicate his first six.
Full postRaj leads Bangladesh rout
Round-up of the first day of matches at the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka
Cricinfo staff
02-May-2008
India 250 for 3 (Raj 109*, Sharma 72) beat Bangladesh 68 (Seema 5-17, Goswami 4-18) by 182 runs
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Bangladesh received an unpleasant welcome to the Asia Cup as India trampled all over them in a 182-run rout in the opening game in Kurunegala. Offspinner Pujare Seema, who is yet to play an international, and fast bowler Jhulan Goswami shared nine wickets between them, bowling Bangladesh out for 68.
Mithali Raj, the Indian captain, scored an attacking unbeaten century and added 110 with opener Jaya Sharma. Bangladesh used seven bowlers in trying to contain the run-scoring and the most economical was captain Salma Khatun who gave away only 30 runs in her 10 overs.
A target of 251 was always going to be an uphill task for Bangladesh, but what may have been an even more daunting prospect was to face Goswami, who is currently one of the fastest bowlers in the women's circuit. In her second over she removed Shukhtara for two, in her fourth, Panna Ghosh, also for two and in her fifth, Shathira Jakir for 12 and Rumana Ahmed for 0 - all four bowled. Seema also took two in an over and wrapped up the proceedings in 31 overs.
Full postWest Indies and Pakistan set up final replay
West Indies and Pakistan had few troubles in winning through to the CLICO International Under-15 Championship final
Cricinfo staff
02-May-2008
West Indies had few problems in securing their place in the CLICO International U-15 Championship final with a rousing eight-wicket win over Malaysia, the surprise semi-finalists who entered the tournament at the last minute following Zimbabwe's withdrawal .
Malaysia won the toss and batted, making a solid if rather ponderous start as Zubair Asyraf (39) and Keithan Goonasagaran (33) guided them to 82 for 1. But the innings unraveled against two left-arm spinners, Man-of-the-Match Kaverm Hodge (10-3-23-2) and Derone Davis (9.5-2-33-4), and they were bowled out for 160 with one ball remaining.
West Indies' batting has been one of the features of the competition and they raced to victory in 24.5 overs. Ramon Senior led the charge with an unbeaten 69 while the prolific Kraigg Brathwaite chipped in with 52, his fifth score over fifty in seven outings.
In the other match, a repeat of the knockout semi-final, Pakistan, who were made to struggle on that occasion, cruised to a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh. Winning the toss, Bangladesh lost three early wickets to Syed Kumail Abbas, slipping to 13 for 3, and despite a gutsy 66 from Didar Hossain the innings never got going and they were bowled out for 126.
Full postMarshall ton holds New Zealand together
James Marshall showed there might be more to this New Zealand team than the leading lights as they finished at 348 for 9 against Essex
Andrew McGlashan at Chelmsford
02-May-2008
New Zealanders 348 for 9 (Marshall 128, ten Doeschate 5-57) v Essex
Live scorecard
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Ryan ten Doeschate shone among the big names on show with five-wickets, but the day took a concerning twist for England in the final hour when Alastair Cook had to leave the field with a dislocated little finger on his right hand after dropping a catch in the gully. There wasn't too much immediate concern from Essex, but Cook was sent for a precautionary x-ray.
Cook will want time in the middle ahead of the Tests, but doesn't have the pressure of fighting for his international place. Marshall, however, is trying to re-launch a Test career that has been stalled since 2005. He has already spoken about the challenge of replacing Stephen Fleming at No. 3 and showed his thirst for a fight by digging in and shouldering the responsibility for holding the innings together. The ball moved all day, but he was strong off the back foot and reached his century from 152 balls. To make it a day of happy families, his brother Hamish also reached three figures, albeit on the other side of the country playing for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan. They say that twins have a sixth sense.
Full postKulatunga blasts Wayamba to victory
Jeevantha Kulatunga played the stellar role, scoring a stroke-filled 78 off 45 balls and capturing 2 for 33, to steer Wayamba to a 31-run victory in the inaugural inter-provincial Twenty20 final
Sa'adi Thawfeeq
01-May-2008
Wayamba 174 for 9 (Kulatunga 78) beat Ruhuna 143 by 31 runs
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Invited to bat first, Wayamba were 18 for 2 when Kulatunga arrived in the middle. He weathered the storm of Kosala Kulasekera, who had threatened to run through the batting, before starting to display his repertoire of strokes. He lifted his team to a fighting total of 174 for 9, hitting five sixes and as many fours in his fastidious knock.
After losing their first two wickets for six runs, Ruhuna were pegged on the back foot by bowlers who maintained a tight line and reduced them to 96 for 7 by the end of the 14th over. A late rally by wicketkeeper Gihan de Silva, who slammed a quick 36 off 18 balls (two sixes, two fours), only delayed the inevitable as Ruhuna eventually folded up for 143 at the start of the final over.
Full postAmbrose century drives Warwickshire
A round-up from the latest County Championship matches
Cricinfo staff
01-May-2008
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First Division
Click here to read John Ward's report of the clash between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire at Headingley, where Jacques Rudolph posted a century.
Click here for the full report of Sussex against Surrey at Hove, where Carl Hopkinson and Murray Goodwin both fell just short of centuries.
Second Division
Battling Rudolph gives Yorkshire the edge
Jacques Rudolph showed he thoroughly deserves his status as an honorary Yorkshireman with a disciplined, fighting century against Nottinghamshire at Headingley
John Ward at Headingley
01-May-2008
Nottinghamshire 0 for 1 trail Yorkshire 299 (Rudolph 104*, Brophy 63, Swann 4-25) by 299 runs
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Jacques Rudolph showed he thoroughly deserves his status as an honorary Yorkshireman with a disciplined, fighting century against Nottinghamshire at Headingley.
Yorkshire's innings would have been in a sorry state without his skill and application. Their top order fought well against high-quality Nottinghamshire bowling on the first day; with the conditions less accommodating to bowlers on the second morning they relaxed fatally and needed their South African contingent of Rudolph and Gerard Brophy to earn them a respectable total of 299.
Full postHopkinson and Goodwin fall short
Carl Hopkinson and Murray Goodwin both fell short of hundreds, but Sussex nevertheless made Surrey's bowlers toil in the Hove sunshine to reach 318 for 5 at stumps on the second day
Will Luke at Hove
01-May-2008
Sussex 318 for 5 (Hopkinson 97, Goodwin 98, Prior 16*, Kirtley 2*) v Surrey
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Carl Hopkinson and Murray Goodwin both fell short of hundreds, but Sussex nevertheless made Surrey's bowlers toil in the Hove sunshine to reach 318 for 5 at stumps on the second day.
It was not exhilarating cricket by any means, in a match now reduced to three days after yesterday's washout, but Surrey's bowlers disappointed. In addition, their fielding lacked spark and accuracy; Usman Afzaal let through two very stoppable singles at cover and, for all his rich talent with the bat, remains an amusingly inept fielder. It is not a flaw that either Butcher - captain Mark or coach Alan - will accept, either.
Full post