Report
Dolphins canter into final
Dean Elgar's career-best bowling performance failed to stop the Dolphins from dawdling into the Standard Bank Pro20 final with a five-wicket win over the Eagles in Durban
Cricinfo staff
18-Apr-2008
Dolphins 115 for 5 beat Eagles 114 by five wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
Dean Elgar's career-best bowling performance failed to stop the Dolphins from dawdling into the Standard Bank Pro20 final with a five-wicket win over the Eagles in Durban.
Left-arm spinner Dean Elgar took 3 for 10, but the Dolphins were able to scrape together 115 for 5 in 18.3 overs to surpass the Eagles' skinflint total of 114. The Eagles, whose top score was Boeta Dippenaar's 30, succumbed to three run-outs and lost five wickets for 14 runs before being dismissed with the last ball of their innings.
The Dolphins began their reply steadily in the shape of an opening stand of 49 between Imraan Khan (9) and Grant Rowley (48). Elgar, who separated the openers by running out Khan, struck again to trap Rowley in front and remove Morne van Vuuren (0) with consecutive deliveries as the Dolphins slipped to 87 for 3 in the 13th over.
Full postNottinghamshire on the brink of victory
A round-up from the third day of the opening round of County Championship matches
Cricinfo staff
18-Apr-2008
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Division One
The abject weather forecast for the south is all that can prevent Nottinghamshire thrashing Kent at Canterbury after they were left to make 22 in their second innings. A sixth-wicket stand of 138 between Azhar Mahmood and Martin van Jaarsveld (79) was all that spared Kent from an innings loss after they slipped to 85 for 5, and although Mahmood completed a battling 116 the damage had already been done by Nottinghamshire's seamers.
Only 11 overs were possible at The Rose Bowl, with Hampshire losing Michael Lumb during 40 minutes bitterly cold play against Sussex. Lumb added five to his overnight 77 before he was trapped in front by Robin Martin-Jenkins when trying to whip one through midwicket, ending a stand of 80 with Greg Lamb. The drizzle finally halted mid-afternoon but at 5pm play was abandoned for the day and Hampshire will resume on Saturday - weather permitting - on 319 for 7.
For a full report from The Oval, where Surrey continued to boss proceedings against Lancashire before bad light came along, click here.
Full postMcCullum's record 158 leads rout
In what was a brutal one-man assault on the Bangalore Royal Challengers, Brendon McCullum blasted an unbeaten 158 from a mere 73 deliveries
The Bulletin by S Rajesh
18-Apr-2008
Kolkata Knight Riders 222 for 3 (McCullum 158*) beat Bangalore Royal Challengers 82 (Agarkar 3-25) by 140 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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The opening ceremony was a spectacular affair, but what followed was even more breathtaking, as Brendon McCullum destroyed the home team in the inaugural match of the IPL. In what was a brutal one-man assault on the Bangalore Royal Challengers, McCullum blasted an unbeaten 158 from a mere 73 deliveries, the highest score in a Twenty20 match, to propel Kolkata Knight Riders to an imposing 222 for 3. The punch-drunk Bangalore team was in no condition to fight back after that battering, and collapsed limply to 82 to lose by an embarrassing margin of 140 runs, the fourth-largest defeat in this sort of match.
Chris Gayle was expected to be the aggressive opener for Kolkata, but McCullum's stunning knock ensured Gayle's absence wasn't felt at all. In an innings which was reminiscent of Gayle's blistering knock in the World Twenty20 opener - he had scored 117 from 57 - McCullum gave the Bangalore bowlers no chance. Pace and spin were both treated with equal contempt, and the crowd was treated to an innings of rare explosiveness.
Full postFollow-on looms for Lancashire
Surrey have never been on the back foot in this match and it was the weather that stopped them making further inroads on the third day at The Oval.
Andrew McGlashan at The Oval
18-Apr-2008
Lancashire 241 for 6 (Hodge 43*, Sutton 0*) trail Surrey 537 for 5 dec by 296 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Surrey have never been on the back foot in this match and it was the weather that stopped them making further inroads on the third day at The Oval. Lancashire still need 147 runs to save the follow-on, but the 40 overs lost plus a poor forecast for Saturday means they are likely to escape a poor performance with a draw.
The temperature remained rooted in single figures and the crisp sunshine of yesterday was replaced by a slate-grey sky which made it feel like anything but cricket weather. The sloppiness from Lancashire's fielding display, where they spilled two crucial catches, seeped into the batting as they presented Surrey with two of their wickets .
Full postRogers warms up with second-innings century
A round-up from the second day of the opening round of County Championship matches
Cricinfo staff
17-Apr-2008
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Division Two
Derbyshire's batsmen showed much more fight after their first-innings capitulation, but they still face a tough task to avoid defeat after closing on 235 for 4, a lead of 45 at Bristol. It took Derbyshire almost all morning to take the last four Gloucestershire wickets, by which time the home side's first-innings lead had grown to 190. Derbyshire were wobbling on 67 for 2, but Chris Rogers and Dominic Telo (65) put on 129 for the third wicket to erase the deficit, Rogers bringing up his hundred off 155 balls. Marcus North removed Telo, driving at a wide one, and then held a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to end Rogers' innings on 114.
Worcestershire had to do without Simon Jones on the second day against Warwickshire at Edgbaston - he was suffering from a stiff neck - but that did not prevent them from polishing off the home side for 215 and then extending their lead to 184 after closing at 150 for 2. Gareth Andrew grabbed three wickets in seven balls to help Worcestershire to a first-innings lead of 34, and then half-centuries from Stephen Moore (66) and Vikram Solanki (75 not out) in a second-wicket stand of 141 added to Warwickshire's poor day.
Ravi Bopara and Jason Gallian, two players at opposite ends of the career spectrum, pounded Northamptonshire with an unbroken stand of 266 as Essex took control at Chelmsford. The early stages of the season are an important time for Bopara as he tries to re-establish his credentials following a troubled winter with England. He brought up his century from 164 balls, following his three wickets yesterday in what is becoming an impressive all-round game. Gallian is one of county cricket's long-serving members and is starting life at his third county following lengthy spells at Lancashire and Nottinghamshire. His hundred was a more sedate affair, taking 220 balls, but helped his new side take a strong hold on the match.
Full postEalham puts Kent on the back foot
A round-up from the second day of the opening round of County Championship matches
Cricinfo staff
17-Apr-2008
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Division One
Mark Ealham put his former county to the sword as Nottinghamshire built a lead of 272 against Kent at Canterbury. When Darren Stevens claimed his fourth wicket the visitors were 219 for 7 and the advantage looked like being held to manageable proportions. However, Ealham added 87 with Paul Franks and 93 with Darren Pattinson, who followed his five wickets on the opening day with a sturdy 33. Ealham's century took 196 balls - he survived a stumping chance on 99 off James Tredwell - before Chris Read declared in his first match as captain. Kent survived 10 overs before the close but face a tough task to salvage something from the match.
Click here for a full report from the match between Hampshire and Sussex at The Rose Bowl.
For a full report from The Oval, where Surrey have piled on the runs against Lancashire, click here.
Full postLumb grafts as Hampshire close in
Hampshire's batsmen grafted their way to within touching distance of Sussex's 332 to close on 304 for 6 on the second day at The Rose Bowl. It may not have wowed the spectators as much as Shane Bond's blistering burst did yesterday evening, but the day pr
Will Luke at The Rose Bowl
17-Apr-2008
Hampshire 304 for 6 (Lumb 77*, Lamb 20*) trail Sussex 332 (Goodwin 121, Bond 7-66) by 28 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Hampshire's batsmen grafted their way to within touching distance of Sussex's 332 to close on 304 for 6 on the second day at The Rose Bowl. It may not have wowed the spectators as much as Shane Bond's blistering burst did yesterday evening, but the day provided enough entertainment to warm the cockles of a small and hardy Southampton crowd.
Michael Lumb remained unbeaten on 77 at stumps, though was dropped on 55 by Michael Yardy at first slip shortly before the close - one of a number of chances Sussex let through. It was a day for gloves and rugs in The Rose Bowl's acutely exposed stands, certainly not one for holding a screaming slip catch or desperate pluck at short-leg.
Full postButcher and Afzaal flay Lancashire
April is meant to be a month of swing bowlers, green seamers and low scores, but Surrey went on an early-season run-spree at The Oval as they racked up 537 for 5
Andrew McGlashan at The Oval
17-Apr-2008
Lancashire 63 for 1 (Horton 33*, Keedy 7*) trail Surrey 537 for 5 dec (Afzaal 134, Butcher 120, Ramprakash 118) by 474 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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April is meant to be a month of swing bowlers, green seamers and low scores, but Surrey went on an early-season run-spree at The Oval as they racked up 537 for 5 with centuries from Mark Butcher and Usman Afzaal to follow Mark Ramprakash's 118. And their short stint in the field paid dividends when Iain Sutcliffe was brilliantly held by Ali Brown at third slip to give Pedro Collins his first county wicket.
It was remorseless accumulation from Surrey throughout a sunny but bitterly cold day until Butcher called time on the feasting to leave Lancashire an hour to bat. Brown was within sight of becoming the fourth century-maker of the innings but had to settle for an unbeaten 74 in an unbroken stand of 160 for the seventh wicket.
Full postPattinson bags five on Notts debut
A round-up from the opening day of the County Championship season
Cricinfo staff
16-Apr-2008
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Division One
Darren Pattinson made an immediate impact on his Nottinghamshire debut, his career-best 5 for 22 skittling Kent for 162 at Canterbury. Nottinghamshire are predicted by many to struggle back in the top flight, but following the coach Mark Newell's lead they set out to prove people wrong. Pattinson was born in Grimsby before leaving to play for Victoria in Australia and isn't classed as an overseas player. He struck the first blow, having Joe Denly caught behind, and added two more quick wickets as Kent sank to 13 for 4. Robert Key held firm while all around him fell, battling to 79 before becoming one of Charlie Shreck's four wickets. Nottinghamshire struggled early on in reply and were 55 for 3 when Adam Voges fell to Martin Saggers. Mark Wagh and Samit Patel steadied the innings with Wagh reaching his half-century before the close.
Click here for a full report as Sussex begin their title defence against Hampshireat The Rose Bowl.
For a full report from The Oval, where Andrew Flintoff made his comeback for Lancashire against Surrey click here.
Full postBond makes himself at home
Shane Bond transformed Hampshire's opening day of the season against Sussex, the Champions, who lost 6 for 15 in the blink of an eye at a sun-kissed Rose Bowl. Bond finished with the remarkable figures of 7 for 66, his best in first-class cricket, beating
Will Luke at The Rose Bowl
16-Apr-2008
Hampshire 4 for 1 (Tomlinson 2*, Brown 0*) trail Sussex 332 (Goodwin 121, Bond 7-66) by 328 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Shane Bond transformed Hampshire's opening day of the season against Sussex, the defending Champions, who lost 6 for 15 in the blink of an eye at a sun-kissed Rose Bowl. Bond finished with the remarkable figures of 7 for 66 on debut for Hampshire, his best in first-class cricket, beating his 6 for 51 against Zimbabwe in 2005.
Bond bowled immaculately from the moment he took the new ball from the Nursery End, where he remained all day, and only Murray Goodwin - who fell for a controlled 121 40 minutes before the close of play - and briefly Chris Adams were able to counter his pace. In an enthralling final hour, he cut through Sussex's middle order with the precision of a surgeon, leaving the smattering of huddled spectators really rather proud that they braved April's unforgiving temperatures, in spite of the spring sunshine, to witness Bond's memorable debut.
Full post