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Rogers' double ton frustrates Aussies

Leicestershire's Chris Rogers struck a double-century to frustrate the Australians and ensure the warm-up match at Grace Road ended in a draw

Cricinfo staff

17-Jul-2005

Leicestershire 217 (Rogers 56, Lee 4-58) and 363 for 5 (Rogers 209, Robinson 81, MacGill 4-122) drew with Australian XI 582 for 7 (Martyn 154*, Ponting 119, Langer 115)
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Jason Gillespie failed to take a wicket on a frustrating final day for Australia © Getty Images

Another day, another Australian century. Only this time it was Leicestershire's Australian, Chris Rogers, who took the attack to the tourists with a crashing double ton that ensured the draw at Grace Road in the final warm-up match before the Ashes. Only Stuart MacGill was anywhere near convincing for Australia, taking four of the five wickets they managed on the final day of the three-day match.

Brett Lee captured the other wicket, although he was unable to replicate his first-innings form, and his 13 overs cost 78. Still, the Test selector David Boon will have taken note of Lee's five wickets for the match. Boon will have also kept a careful eye on Jason Gillespie, who was wicketless in the second innings. But so was Gillespie's close rival Michael Kasprowicz, and the match has done little to split the two on form - both were largely ineffective.

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Lumb secures Yorkshire's progress

Michael Lumb and Ian Harvey guided Yorkshire into the semi-finals of the C&G Trophy

Cricinfo staff

16-Jul-2005

Yorkshire 270 (Lumb 89, Harvey 74) beat Northants 237 (Afzaal 57) by 33 runs
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Michael Lumb's 89 secured the win © Getty Images

Michael Lumb and Ian Harvey made 89 and 74 respectively to guide Yorkshire into the semi-finals of the C&G Trophy, where they face a tricky South-Coast tie against Hampshire. In the other half of the draw, Warwickshire drew Lancashire at home, to keep alive the prospect of a Rose clash in the final at Lord's on September 3.

Northants won the toss and chose to bowl first, and their decision made instant dividends when Matthew Wood fell for a duck. Lumb and Harvey, however, added 93 for the third wicket to stabilise the innings, with Harvey emerging from a shaky start to flail the bowling in his customary exuberant fashion.

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Tharanga seals seven-wicket win

Upul Tharanga guided Sri Lanka A to a seven-wicket win at Moratuwa

Cricinfo staff

16-Jul-2005

Sri Lanka A 171 for 3 (Tharanga 74*) beat West Indies A 168 (Ganga 52) by seven wickets

Upul Tharanga guided Sri Lanka A to a seven-wicket win over their West Indian counterparts in a rain-shortened match at Moratuwa.

Opening the innings, Tharanga top-scored with an unbeaten 74 from 95 balls, after Sri Lanka had been set a target of 169 in 35 overs. He was helped to the finish by his captain, Russel Arnold, who played the sheet-anchor role with 39 not out from 76 balls after West Indies' Darren Sammy had taken two early wickets to reduce the Sri Lankans to 39 for 3.

Earlier, West Indies had been indebted to their own captain, Daren Ganga, whose brisk 52 enabled them to set a decent target in spite of a flimsy collapse from the tail. Sewnarine Chattergoon made 38, but no-one else topped 16 as the last nine wickets tumbled for 97 runs. &

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Centuries galore as Aussies cash in

Brett Lee took 4 for 53 as the Australians shot out Leicestershire for 217 at Grace Road, before coasting to 169 for 2 by the close

Cricinfo staff

16-Jul-2005

Australian XI 582 for 7 (Martyn 154*, Ponting 119, Langer 115) lead Leicestershire 217 (Rogers 56, Lee 4-58) by 365 runs
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Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn take a breather during their 201-run stand © Getty Images

Australia's batsmen produced an effortless transition from the one-day circus to the rigours of first-class cricket, as Justin Langer, Damien Martyn and Ricky Ponting all recorded centuries on the second day against Leicestershire at Grace Road. By the close, Martyn was still there, unbeaten on 154, as Australia opted for batting practice against a deflated attack. The game is their solitary three-day warm-up before the first Test at Lord's, which gets underway on Thursday, but on this evidence, they are already finely tuned.

After bowling Leicestershire out for 217 on the first day, Australia resumed in the morning on 169 for 2 with Langer unbeaten on 71 in his first competitive innings for three months. With few demons in the pitch, he progressed effortlessly to his 70th first-class century, before becoming a third wicket for the deserving John Maunders.

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Watson's hundred sends through Hampshire in thriller

Shane Watson smashed a coruscating century to take Hampshire home in a thrilling high-scoring chase at The Oval

Daniel Brigham at The Oval

15-Jul-2005

Hampshire 359 for 8 (Watson 132, McMillan 42, Udal 44*) defeated Surrey 358 for 6 (Batty 158, Thorpe 60) by two wickets
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Jonathan Batty's century was not enough to save Surrey in a classic encounter at The Oval © Getty Images

A groin injury robbed this match of a gladiatorial match-up between England's brash new boy Kevin Pietersen and the discarded Graham Thorpe, but a record run-chase from Hampshire more than compensated. Surrey racked up 359 - which they considered ample - but Shane Watson hit a pulsating 132 from 105 balls in his first game as Shane Warne's replacement to ensure Pietersen's big-hitting wasn't missed.

An eighth-wicket stand of 63 between Watson and Shaun Udal forcibly dragged Hampshire from 279 for 7 to just 17 runs from victory before Udal and Chris Tremlett knocked off the remaining runs to book Hampshire's place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2000. "That was just an astonishing game of cricket," Udal said afterwards. "We always felt we had a chance - you have to think that. We had an astonishing innings from Shane Watson. We did well; we did it in a professional way, in a very accomplished fashion."

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Symonds ton takes Lancashire home

Andrew Symonds was in typically destructive mood as Lancashire secured their place in the semi-finals by defeating Sussex

Andrew McGlashan at Old Trafford

15-Jul-2005

Lancashire 249 for 8 (Symonds 101) defeated Sussex 214 for 8 (Prior 59, Adams 48) by 35 runs
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Andrew Symonds made a century on his debut for Lancashire © Getty Images

The sight of Andrew Flintoff giving Andrew Symonds a huge bear hug and high-fiveing him as a batsman walks back to the pavilion is not something you would have expected in this Ashes summer. For the past month they have been fiercely trying to outdo each other on the field. Today they were team-mates as Symonds made his Lancashire debut and turned in a match winning performance to send his new team into the semi-finals of the C&G Trophy with a 35-run win against Sussex.

A century, two wickets, four catches and a run-out is not a bad way to mark your first game and, for the 6000-strong crowd at Old Trafford, Symonds was immediately a Lancastrian. His hundred guided Lancashire to a defendable 249 for 8 - although they should have got more - before his two wickets removed Chris Adams and Murray Goodwin, Sussex's two key batsmen, and the three catches, all off Flintoff, sealed the match.

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Steyn steers Titans to easy win

The Titans made short work of the 86 required for the win over theWarriors in East London as they climbed to the top of the table

Keith Lane

15-Jul-2005

Titans 353 and 86 for 2 beat Warriors 165 and 273 by 8 wickets.
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The Titans made short work of the 86 required for the win over the Warriors in East London, and in the process they jumped to the top of the table with a lead of 8.32 points over nearest rivals the Dolphins. Brent Kops was the only wicket taker in the Titans' second innings, with Dale Steyn taking the Man-of-the-Match honours for his 10 wickets in the match.

Eagles 315 and 133 for 5 (Dippenaar 56*) beat Western Province Boland 206 and 239 (Kallis 68, Telemachus 4-40) by 5 wickets.
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In Cape Town, Western Province Boland collapsed from their overnight 205 for 5 to be bowled out for 239 in their second innings, setting the Eagles a target of 131. Roger Telemachus, who took two of the wickets to fall, ended with 4 for 40. An early scare for the Eagles, who lost three wickets for 30, was righted by Boeta Dippenaar and Morne van Wyk as they took the score to 109 before van Wyk departed for 38. A further wicket was lost, but by that time the target was well in reach. Dippenaar reached 56 as the Eagles won by five wickets. The third loss for WPBOL leaves them languishing at the bottom of the table.

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Beukus runs riot for Free State

Jonathan Beukus starred for Free State as they turned the tables on Border

Keith Lane

15-Jul-2005

Pool A: Free State 222 for 5 (Beukus 90) beat Border 162 by 60 runs.

In Bloemfontein, Free State turned the tables on Border as they won by 60 runs. Jonathan Beukus got Free State off to a flyer, as he hit seven fours and two sixes in an innings of 90. Bowling 15 extra balls for wides and no-balls did not help the Border cause, but 223 should have been within their grasp. But they were always on the back foot as they lost six wickets for 79, and were eventually bowled out for 162. In the end, they just managed to save the bonus point as they fell 60 runs short.

Pool B: Eastern Province 219 for 9 (Howell 61, Hantam 4-53) beat Western Province 212 for 8 (Wyngaard 73, Price 3-25) by 7 runs

A close encounter in Port Elizabeth saw Eastern Province squeeze out Western Province by seven runs, with the result in the balance up to the final over. Eastern Province, having batted first, had scored 219. They had come back from 96 for 6, thanks to 61 off 60 balls from Grant Howell, and 36 from Bob Homani. William Hantam, who was responsible for the early wickets, ended with 4 for 53. At 103 for 2, Western Province must have thought it was in the bag. But, with the exception of Warren Wyngaard who scored 73, no one could get into the twenties as the required run rate increased. Michael Price took advantage of some rash shots to pick up 3 for 25, and see Eastern Province home.

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Fernando strikes after Jayasuriya blitz

Sri Lanka on the brink of a big win after Jayasuriya-Fernando blitz