Report
Tough on Tufnell
Middlesex had to endure the adverse elements of showers, rain and heavy clouds as they waited to convert their championship advantage over Worcestershire into victory at Southgate
Staff and agencies
09-Jul-2000
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Phil Tufnell Photo © Paul McGregor |
Downpour drenches Middlesex
Middlesex had to endure the adverse elements of showers, rain and heavy
clouds as they waited to convert their championship advantage over Worcestershire into victory at Southgate. Philip Tufnell and Richard Johnson, who had laid low the visitors' batting, were frustrated in that the elements prevented them from capitalising on their efforts.
Powell plunders Sussex
Michael Powell hit 70 n.o
Staff and agencies
09-Jul-2000
Michael Powell hit 70 n.o. to put Warwickshire in a strong position in their
championship match against Sussex at Edgbaston. They finished 259 runs ahead at 165-2. Powell was not unsettled by interruptions for showers which took 64 overs out of the day's play and increased his scoring rate. Dominic Ostler (66 n.o.) provided firm support and in so doing became the season's leading championship run-scorer.
The showers seemed to affect Sussex more than the batsmen. Yet there is still some to go for Warwickshire to consolidate their lead in Division Two especially if they encounter the wet conditions of today. Sussex captain Chris Adams, who had been ill earlier, resumed his place in the side after tea. It was in the final hour that Powell and Ostler plundered the bowling to take their third-wicket partnership to 131.
Full postVaughan knocks on England's door for the opener's berth
Michael Vaughan scored an excellent 94 n.o
Staff and agencies
09-Jul-2000
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Michael Vaughan Photo © CricInfo |
Michael Vaughan scored an excellent 94 n.o. to give Yorkshire a chance of
getting away with a draw against Durham at Leeds. Following on the host county required 176 more runs to avoid defeat by an innings after their meagre first innings 129.
Vaughan withstood all his opponents could muster in batting through the 59 overs cricket that the delayed start allowed. His innings was almost faultless and contained nine fours from 215 deliveries. England's selectors, who must consider the first-wicket batting position before the Test Match against West Indies in a month's time, could not have failed to notice.
Full postKendall shows that where there's a Will there's a hundred
Hampshire's first century of the season was a long time coming - but Will Kendall ensured it will be long remembered
Richard Latham
09-Jul-2000
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Will Kendall Photo © Susanne Marlow |
Hampshire's first century of the season was a long time coming - but Will Kendall ensured it will be long remembered. His superb 161 against Somerset at Taunton transformed a County Championship match that had been heavily one-sided for most of the first two days.
And it restored some pride to the Hampshire batting ranks, for whom the summer had previously been one to forget.
Full postGreat competitive edge
Two unexpected Zimbabwean victories have added new life to the NatWest Series
John Ward
09-Jul-2000
Two unexpected Zimbabwean victories have added new life to the NatWest Series. England and West Indies no doubt expected to go into today's match with two points apiece, as they would if Zimbabwe had lived up to their usual reputation as sturdy fighters who are not quite up to the pressure.
Instead, Zimbabwe twice in succession handled superbly the pressure of chasing competitive targets and have left their more renowned opponents so far pointless. This will add a great competitive edge to the match today, the losers knowing that they face intense pressure if they are to qualify for the final in two weeks' time.
Both teams had at least something positive to bring out of their respective matches against Zimbabwe. Both batted quite well, although not well enough, and England made a considerable discovery in the instant success of Marcus Trescothick, who scored 79 opening the batting on his debut. The West Indies had several good innings to remember, but they will want to forget their bowling. England at least did benefit from a fine opening burst by Darren Gough and Andy Caddick that reduced Zimbabwe to 35 for three at one stage.
Full postIndian lads emerge Asian champions
Going into the final, India on the basis of their sterling performances and all win record, were the favourites
Partab Ramchand
09-Jul-2000
Going into the final, India on the basis of their sterling
performances and all win record, were the favourites. And they
did not falter at the last hurdle. With a convincing 54-run
victory over Pakistan, India emerged as champions in the Asian
Cricket Council under-15 tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
An Indian victory was always on the cards, especially after they
had got the better of Pakistan by 33 runs in their league match.
India, opting to bat first, were all out for 209 runs in 38.5
overs. After the early fall of Ashraf Ali (2), Ambati Rayudu
and Sushil Kumar pieced together a second wicket partnership of
117 runs. The consistent Rayudu notched up the top score of 70
off 77 balls with ten hits to the ropes. Shortly afterwards,
Sushil Kumar was out for 48, which was compiled off 62 balls
and inclusive of seven fours. Palash Das, who took a century off
the weak Hong Kong attack on Saturday, was this time restricted
to 20 off 23 balls. The middle and late order did not add anything
substantially and with Akbar Ali taking four for 44 off seven
overs, Pakistan were able to keep the Indian total down to
manageable proportions.
Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals and were never really
in the hunt. With six wickets down for 62, the destination of
the trophy was already decided and all that a seventh wicket partnership of 41 runs between skipper Kasheef Mahmood (26)
and Mohd Azhar Ali (15) did was to delay the inevitable. In
fact, extras with 31, contributed the most to the Pakistan total
and stretched it to 155 for nine in 40 overs. Nikhil Rathod
(2 for 10) and Navin Choudhury (2 for 24) troubled the Pakistan
batsmen the most.
Not surprisingly, the Indian lads made a clean sweep of the
awards. Ambati Rayudu was the man of the match and the man of
the series, the best wicket keeper award was given to Abhinav
Kumar, the best bowler award was presented to Mrigen Talukdar
and Palash Jyoti Das who hit two centuries was adjudged
best batsman.
Full postTrescothick shows ability, temperament, maturity, but the weather reigns at Lord's
This was a match from which two points would have mattered so much to either side
Andy Jalil
09-Jul-2000
This was a match from which two points would have mattered so much to either
side. With Zimbabwe well in the lead of the table after their two victories, England and West Indies lag behind having shared the two points from this rain-abondaned game.
Having been put in to bat in overcast conditions, nothing much positive
emerged from the 43.5 overs that England faced, losing eight wickets for 158.
Apart from an innings of 42 from Graham Thorpe, which would have done a great
deal of good to his confidence after making just twelve the previous day on his
return to international cricket, the only encouraging aspect from England's point of view, was the batting potential shown by Marcus Trescothick.
Full postRain delays Nottinghamshire innings
Nottinghamshire's batsmen faced something of a rearguard action on the third day of the Championship match against Essex at Trent Bridge
Dave Bracegirdle
09-Jul-2000
Nottinghamshire's batsmen faced something of a rearguard action on the third day of the Championship match against Essex at Trent Bridge. When lunch was taken early they had reached 83-3, still 283 runs away from saving the follow-on.
With an unsettled weather forecast and spits of rain in the air it was something of a surprise when played started on time. The good fortune lasted only for seven deliveries though, before the players had to run for shelter from a sharp shower. Notts added four runs to their overnight total of 45-1 before the interruption.
Seventeen overs were lost as everyone endured a frustrating hour before a re-start was possible. Almost immediately Ronnie Irani picked up his second wicket, trapping Jason Gallian in front for 3.
Full postLancashire lapses prove costly
Dominic Cork delivered Derbyshire from peril in their championship match against Lancashire at Derby
Staff and agencies
08-Jul-2000
Dominic Cork delivered Derbyshire from peril in their championship match
against Lancashire at Derby. With five of his side out for under 150 he chose the right moment to score his first championship fifty of the season. His 52 came from 86 deliveries and helped Derbyshire reach 300-9 at the close.
Earlier Mathew Dowman had been left out on account of his injured shoulder and the county had registered Mark Saxelby, formerly of Nottinghamshire and Durham, before play started. By the time Saxelby had arrived from a second XI match in Essex, Derbyshire had lost Michael Di Venuto on whom so much seemed to depend.
The position might have been worse for the home side had not Michael Atherton dropped two catches. The hosts had started steady enough but when Stephen
Titchard (32) was out, Di Venuto followed quickly. Steve Stubbings (64), who
had benefited from Atherton's lapse, prevented a further break-through. Yet at
143-5 the situation was hardly healthy. Saxelby hit a four with his first scoring stroke in county cricket since 1995 but was out for 17. Cork took over, but from 236-8 it needed some impressive batting by Trevor Smith (48 n.o.) to give Derbyshire a real advantage.
Full postGrayson/Law thrash Notts bowlers
Paul Grayson (144), 29 years-old, flayed the Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge for his first hundred of the summer as Essex hammered the opposing bowling for 348-3 runs
Staff and agencies
08-Jul-2000
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Paul Grayson - season's first century Photo © AllSport UK |
Paul Grayson (144), 29 years-old, flayed the Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge
for his first hundred of the summer as Essex hammered the opposing bowling for 348-3 runs. He was helped by a placid pitch and an under-strength attack and hit 23 fours.
Stuart Law (152 n.o.), who had taken one hundred from Nottinghamshire already this season, shared in a 248 runs third-wicket partnership. Grayson was not out until Essex were in command at 313-3. A premature ending for poor light with four overs prevented them from adding even more to the score.
Full post