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Openers Knight and Singh lead Warwickshire formidable total
A record-breaking opening partnership between Nick Knight and Anurag Singh left the odds in favour of a Warwickshire victory in their NatWest Trophy semi-final against Hampshire today
Kate Laven
12-Aug-2000
A record-breaking opening partnership between Nick Knight and Anurag Singh left the odds in favour of a Warwickshire victory in their NatWest Trophy semi-final against Hampshire today.
Knight made his fourth NatWest hundred - his second this season - as the openers established a new record for the county with an entertaining stand of 185 paving the way for a daunting Warwickshire total of 262 for four.
It was not until the 39th over of Warwickshire's innings did Hampshire, who earlier took the decision to bowl first, make their first breakthrough when Singh, who this season has made just 45 from two Norwich Union National League matches, was eventually out for 85 from 113 balls.
Playing in place of out of form David Hemp, Singh, a 24 year-old Cambridge Blue who has been on Warwickshire's books since 1995, holed out to Jason Laney on the square leg boundary after a superb innings, in which he exhibited a wide variety of strokes and an ability to pick out the bad ball.
Full postSmith raises Hampshire hopes
Robin Smith reversed the fortunes of a disappointing season to raise Hampshire's hopes of securing a place in the final of the NatWest Trophy final at Edgbaston this afternoon
Kate Laven
12-Aug-2000
Robin Smith reversed the fortunes of a disappointing season to raise Hampshire's hopes of securing a place in the final of the NatWest Trophy final at Edgbaston this afternoon.
Opening the batting for the first time this season, the Hampshire skipper made a quick and purposeful 61 as his side launched a strong reply to Warwickshire's 50 overs total of 262 for four.
He batted with John Stephenson who was happy to play second fiddle to the impatient Smith and together the pair scored at more than five an over for the first 13 overs, scoring at a higher rate than Warwickshire had at the same stage before them.
Full postNottinghamshire heading for innings defeat
Nottinghamshire's hopes of avoiding an embarrassing innings defeat by Middlesex were plunged into doubt on the third morning at Trent Bridge as seamers Angus Fraser and Richard Johnson picked up seven wickets between them
Dave Bracegirdle
11-Aug-2000
Nottinghamshire's hopes of avoiding an embarrassing innings defeat by Middlesex were plunged into doubt on the third morning at Trent Bridge as seamers Angus Fraser and Richard Johnson picked up seven wickets between them.
Notts problems started in the fifth over of the morning when Fraser took wickets with consecutive deliveries. Guy Welton was the first to go, undone by a real beauty which nipped past the outside edge and uprooted the off stump. Welton looked ruefully at the wicket but it was a trademark Fraser delivery. Jason Gallian, for whom nothing has gone right since he inserted Middlesex on the first morning, came in at no.3 but was undone first ballby another 'jaffa' which flicked the bat on its way to Langer at slip.
At 37-2 the two left-handers Bicknell and Afzaal had much rebuilding to do but there was extravagent seam movement at either end making batting difficult. Johnson, like Fraser, is an ideal bowler to exploit such conditions and it was no surprise whenhe collected his first wicket on the innings. Bicknell had shown plenty of doggedness in compiling 20 but fell, like Gallian, to another sharp slip catch by Langer.
John Morris, apart from a solitary ton at Hove, has had a wretched season with the bat and failed again. Having made just 6 in the first innings he was trapped in the crease by Fraser for a plumb lbw decision for just 4.
Full postNottinghamshire slump to 10 wicket defeat
Nottinghamshire can take very little credit for making Middlesex bat for a second time as they slumped to an embarassing 10 wicket defeat inside 3 days at Trent Bridge
Dave Bracegirdle
11-Aug-2000
Nottinghamshire can take very little credit for making Middlesex bat for a second time as they slumped to an embarassing 10 wicket defeat inside 3 days at Trent Bridge.
Nothing much went right for Notts after Jason Gallian inserted the visitors on the first morning as a punishing century from the Australian Justin Langer took Middlesex to 412 and full batting points. Notts were then dismissed inside 80 overs in their first innings and made to follow-on 167 runs behind.
Resuming on the third morning at 29-0 seamers Angus Fraser and Richard Johnson wiped out the Notts top order in the first hour of play. Fraser picked up the early wickets of Welton and Gallian with successive deliveries and that heralded the start of a steady procession back to the pavilion as the former England player took 4 wickets and Johnson 3 before lunch.
The spin of Phil Tufnell accounted for AJ Harris, who had earlier pulled the same bowler for 6, to leave Notts on 128-8, still 39 runs away from making Middx bat again.
Full postCrowe's career best leaves Hampshire in the bird.
Carl Crowe took a career best 4 for 55, and coupled with Vince Wells 4 for 54 it led Leicestershire to an unexpected victory after Hampshire had directed much of the play in the morning session
Vic Isaacs
11-Aug-2000
Carl Crowe took a career best 4 for 55, and coupled with Vince Wells 4 for 54 it led Leicestershire to an unexpected victory after Hampshire had directed much of the play in the morning session.
The early days luck soon deserted the home side, as they lost by 61 runs by 3:20 to stay bottom of the PPP healthcare County Championship Division I.
Requiring 120 for victory after lunch, Hampshire soon lost the disappointing Laney who took a leading edge to offer up a return catch to Crowe. The prime wicket of Robin Smith fell soon after; when with an attempted drive at the off-spinner was caught at the second attempt. Adi Aymes who had led the way in Hampshire's first innings battled out 55 minutes for 6. He was seventh out at 190, and the worm had turned against the home side.
Dimitri Mascarenhas offered up some lusty blows, but his partners all fell, Stephenson edged Wells to the wicket-keeper, Udal was lbw to the same bowler playing back, and Alan Mullally proved why he is number eleven, with a second ball drive that was gobbled up by Ian Sutcliffe, to the glee of the Leicestershire side.
Full postNorthants within sight of victory at Wantage Road
Jason Brown claimed his 100th first-class wicket in only his 23rd match to help Northamptonshire close in on an emphatic victory against Sussex at Northampton
Andrew Radd
11-Aug-2000
Jason Brown claimed his 100th first-class wicket in only his 23rd match to help Northamptonshire close in on an emphatic victory against Sussex at Northampton.
The 25-year-old off-spinner picked up 6-70 as the visitors closed on 202-9 in their second innings, still 26 runs away from making Northants bat again.
And the match would have been over with a day to spare but for Tony Cottey's plucky 104 not out, including two sixes - the second of which completed his hundred - and 11 fours.
The home side batted on to reach 460 all out with Russell Warren (151) and Tony Penberthy (96) carrying their fifth-wicket stand to 204 in 72 overs until James Kirtley trapped Penberthy lbw.
Full postNorthants build formidable first-innings lead
Northamptonshire missed out on maximum batting points against Sussex at Northampton today, opting instead to build up a formidable first-innings lead
Andrew Radd
11-Aug-2000
Northamptonshire missed out on maximum batting points against Sussex at Northampton today, opting instead to build up a formidable first-innings lead.
The home side reached the 130-over mark on 395-6, just five runs short of the fifth point, but with Russell Warren making 151 - his highest Championship score for three years - Northants progressed to 425-7 at lunch, already 193 runs in front.
Warren and Tony Penberthy (96) carried their fifth-wicket stand to 204 in 72 overs before James Kirtley trapped the Cornishman lbw to end a 199-ball knock featuring a six and ten fours.
Graeme Swann hit a brisk 30 from 40 balls as Northants chased the extra point, but he failed to beat Chris Adams' direct hit attempting a sharp single.
Full postAussies warm up with easy win over Queensland
Australia have begun their warmup for the Super Challenge series against South Africa next week with a 75-run win over a Queensland XI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane, today
Rick Eyre
11-Aug-2000
Australia have begun their warmup for the Super Challenge series against South Africa next week with a 75-run win over a Queensland XI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane, today.
The Australian side, at full strength except for Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, who were both rested, made 7/238 in their fifty overs in a match starting at 9.30am in the middle of winter. The Queensland team, captained by Jimmy Maher and missing Andrew Symonds in the Australian team, and players such as Hayden, Law and Dale in England, were all out for 163 in 44.4 overs.
Maher won the toss and sent Australia into bat. Newly appointed vice-captain Adam Gilchrist was first to be dismissed, caught behind by Queensland wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe off Michael Pascoe for 1. Ponting (9) went cheaply and Bevan, who has been in outstanding form for Sussex in recent weeks, played a subdued innings, making 17 from 42 deliveries.
The Aussies were 1/77 after their first 15 overs, thanks mainly to the strokeplay of Mark Waugh. He later brought up his half-century in 74 deliveries, and made 77 before he became Brendan Creevey's only wicket of the day, caught by Jerry Cassell.
Full postMission (mostly) accomplished
All things considered, South Africa could not have asked a great deal more of Shaun Pollock and his overhauled team than has been forthcoming in Sri Lanka over the past five to six weeks
Peter Robinson
10-Aug-2000
All things considered, South Africa could not have asked a great deal more of Shaun Pollock and his overhauled team than has been forthcoming in Sri Lanka over the past five to six weeks.
The first post-Hansiegate tour has to be regarded as a success, - not an entirely unqualified success perhaps, but a campaign that produced more good than bad. At the risk of pre-empting history, South Africa's 2000 tour of Sri Lanka is likely to prove a watershed moment as the game in this country grows into the millenium.
The rain-ravaged third Test ended in a draw on Thursday, leaving the series tied at 1-1. A few weeks ago South Africa reached the final of the Singer Cup, but lost to Sri Lanka. On the face of it, these might seem average results, but they bear a closer look.
The current rule of thumb for Test cricket is this: win your home series and do your damndest to avoid defeat when you travel. To this can be added the rider: especially when travelling to the sub-continent. With this in mind, South Africa have already had a terrific year, beating India in India and drawing with Sri Lanka. If you'd offered this to Australia at the start of the year, they'd have taken it.
Full postMullally continues to outfox the Foxes
At lunch Leicestershire had reached 116 for 5 a lead of 154 over their hosts
Vic Isaacs
10-Aug-2000
At lunch Leicestershire had reached 116 for 5 a lead of 154 over their hosts.
Hampshire claimed a wicket to the second ball of the day when Maddy was given out lbw to Mascarenhas. Smith and Sutcliffe then fell within 6 balls on 72. Smith missed a swinging ball from Mullally and Sutcliffe who had batted for just over 2 hours fell caught behind off the persevering Mascarenhas.
Aftab Habib took 40 minutes to get off the mark, when he did he drove the off-spinner Udal into the members area for six, his innings however was short lived as Udal had his revenge when he caught him at slip off Mullally. Darren Stevens who had made good progress became another victim of Mullally as he edged to the wicket keeper Aymes, the score 111.
Mullally who bowled throughout the morning session from the City end took 3 wickets for 25 to increase his tally to eight for the match. At one stage he bowled 9 overs conceding just two fours.
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