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Middlesex seize the initiative on opening morning at Trent Bridge
Notts made an early breakthrough and took another wicket just before lunch on the first morning of their County Championship match at Trent Bridge against bottom-of-the-table Middlesex but the visitors, put into bat by Jason Gallian, had clearly
Dave Bracegirdle
09-Aug-2000
Notts made an early breakthrough and took another wicket just before lunch on the first morning of their County Championship match at Trent Bridge against bottom-of-the-table Middlesex but the visitors, put into bat by Jason Gallian, had clearly taken the initiative having reached 134-2.
Notts only Championship win this season came against Middlesex at Lord?s in June. Seeking to regain the winning habit they made a couple of changes from the side which played against Warwicks last week. Paul Reiffel?s back strain prevented him from taking his place - David Millns had an extensive work-out as he tries to prove his fitness but the bowling slot was given to the inexperienced Matt Whiley. John Morris returned to the side at the expense of Paul Johnson, dropped after struggling for runs lately.
Andrew Strauss, enjoying a fine first full season at this level, and Michael Roseberry opened the innings for Middx, who welcomed back Richard Johnson into their line-up. Paul Franks and AJ Harris each began with a maiden before a streaky nick through the slips by Strauss got the scoring underway. The visitors were halted in their tracks with the final ball of the sixth over though. Umpire Mike Harris, who played for both these counties during a long and distinguished career, upheld Notts? appeals for an lbw decision as Roseberry was trapped on the back foot by Harris.
The Middlesex captain Justin Langer began in confident mode, scoring from each of his first four deliveries - 2,1,1,4. Strauss was proving that he?s no slouch either by pulling Harris for successive boundaries and helping to bring up the 50 inside 11 overs.
Full postSwann gives Northants early advantage over Sussex
Graeme Swann struck two important blows as Division Two leaders Northamptonshire shaded the first-session honours against second-placed Sussex at Wantage Road
Andrew Radd
09-Aug-2000
Graeme Swann struck two important blows as Division Two leaders Northamptonshire shaded the first-session honours against second-placed Sussex at Wantage Road.
The 21-year-old off-spinner, who snapped up 5-55 to wrap up his side's innings victory over Worcestershire earlier this week, turned one sharply to bowl opener Toby Peirce (21) in his first over of the match.
And he struck again just before lunch, sending back Sussex skipper Chris Adams for 11 as the visitors reached 99-3 from 37 overs at the break.
Adams had little hesitation in choosing to bat first on winning the toss, but he saw Richard Montgomerie depart in the fifth over with only 12 on the board, trapped leg-before by Darren Cousins.
Full postAymes rescues Hampshire, as Leicestershire take charge
Struggling at lunch time on the second day to save the follow on, the target was achieved more easily than expected, due in the main to an innings of patience coupled with an array of fine stokes by Hampshire wicket-keeper Adrian Aymes
Vic Isaacs
09-Aug-2000
Struggling at lunch time on the second day to save the follow on, the target was achieved more easily than expected, due in the main to an innings of patience coupled with an array of fine stokes by Hampshire wicket-keeper Adrian Aymes. His three hour innings of 71 brought an air of respectability to the home sides reply. Hampshire finishing 38 runs behind on the first innings, a score that looked a long way away at the lunch break.
He soon lost Robin Smith shortly after the interval but found Dimitri Mascarenhas as foil to a 52 run partnership. Mascarenhas was bowled off stump trying to drive, and Aymes was joined by the left handed Alex Morris and together they brought Hampshire their one batting point with a gathering of 54 runs for the ninth wicket.
Aymes eventually fell to a diving catch from wicket keeper Burns, his 71 had lasted three hours and was by far the leading scorer of the innings. Morris pulled a loose ball to deep square leg where Ben Smith took the catch to conclude the innings.
The Leicestershire bowlers minus their main attack acquitted themselves admirably. Boswell and Wells each took three wickets. Dakin who dismissed both openers in the morning looked an excellent prospect for the future.
Full postYorkshire Phoenix complete double over Lancashire lightning
The Yorkshire Phoenix completed the double over Lancashire Lightning in the Norwich Union National League with an emphatic nine-wicket victory
Neil Whitaker
09-Aug-2000
The Yorkshire Phoenix completed the double over Lancashire Lightning in the Norwich Union National League with an emphatic nine-wicket victory. The match was over by 7.15 when the players should have been enjoying their mid innings break.
After winning the toss and electing to bat the Lightning were blitzed by some explosive bowling from the Phoenix. Matthew Hoggard made the breakthrough when he bowled John Crawley for three in the fourth over. The next three deliveries he forced Flintoff to play and miss each time. Two overs later the Lightning lost their second wicket. Sourav Ganguly turned Hoggard off his legs and straight into the hands of Vic Craven at square leg.
The stage looked set for Neil Fairbrother to play another of his one day match winning innings against the Phoenix but he only scored six when he was back in the changing rooms. He hit Hoggard to Gough at third man and set off for two runs. He turned blind for the second run and was run out by accurate throw from Gough.
Only nine overs had gone and the Lightning were 21 for three. Next man Graham Lloyd fell to the first ball from Craig White when he was caught behind by Blakey. Two balls later and White bowled Scuderi for a duck. In the next over Flintoff edged Hoggard just wide off McGrath at second slip.
Full postHampshire struggle against Leicestershire seamers
Leicestershire added just one run to their overnight score before Morris enticed Crowe to edge Morris to give wicket-keeper Adi Aymes his fifth catch of the innings
Vic Isaacs
09-Aug-2000
Leicestershire added just one run to their overnight score before Morris enticed Crowe to edge Morris to give wicket-keeper Adi Aymes his fifth catch of the innings. Morris finished with two wickets on his return to the side.
Hampshire have had some batting problems this season, which recently have shown signs of improvement. This, however did not show before lunch as they lost 5 wickets in reply for 81.
Leicestershire attack minus it's top four bowlers, showed little mercy as first White played a Dakin balls onto his wicket, Kenway was the tall seamers second wicket as he played back and was lbw. Kendall struck four boundaries before he was beaten by Boswell, and Laney's innings was short and sweet aas he edged Boswell to first slip. Robin Smith became the fifth to fall when he too edged to Vince Wells at second slip, pushing forward. Smith's innings lasted for 55 balls, and by lunch the home side were left still needing 36 to avoid the follow on.
Full postBrown, Swann pilot Northants to division two lead
Northamptonshire has moved back to the top of Division Two of the County Championship after completing a resounding home victory over Worcestershire today with more than two sessions still remaining
Staff and agencies
08-Aug-2000
Northamptonshire has moved back to the top of Division Two of the County
Championship after completing a resounding home victory over Worcestershire
today with more than two sessions still remaining.
For the second week in a row, it was off spinners Jason Brown (5/55) and
Graeme Swann (4/88) who proved the matchwinners. After taking seventeen
wickets together in the last round, the tandem slow bowling combination
added another sixteen to their rapidly swelling collective tally with
another superb exhibition.
Worcestershire had entered the final day at a score of 102/6 in its second
innings - and still facing a massive overall deficit of 168 runs. Matters
soon became even worse as Brown tempted Steve Rhodes (4) into driving
extravagantly at, but alas over the top of, a conventional off break.
Stuart Lampitt (56*) and, to a lesser extent, Paul Pollard (9), summoned
enough defiance to see out eighteen overs together before the latter's
wicket fell but, from there, the end came quickly.
Full postDepleted Leicestershire made to struggle by in-form Mullally
Paceman Alan Mullally prolonged his sizzling vein of form with another five wicket haul today for Hampshire on the opening day of the County Championship clash with Leicestershire at Southampton
Staff and agencies
08-Aug-2000
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Alan Mullally © Mike Hewitt/Allsport |
Paceman Alan Mullally prolonged his sizzling vein of form with another five
wicket haul today for Hampshire on the opening day of the County
Championship clash with Leicestershire at Southampton.
The left armer claimed the wickets of Darren Maddy (8) and Ben Smith (5) in
his first spell of the day to have the visitors at a shaky 28/2 before
returning later in the afternoon to remove Vince Wells (22), Dominic
Williamson (4) and Neil Burns (0) as Leicestershire battled to a stumps
score of 265/9 after losing the toss.
Leicestershire recover after another Mullally haul ...
Hampshire gained maximum bowling points as Leicestershire reached 265-9
Vic Isaacs
08-Aug-2000
Hampshire gained maximum bowling points as Leicestershire reached 265-9. Alan Mullally gained another 5 wicket return to record 25 in the last 5 innings.
After the lunch interval, Sutcliffe completed his half century in a partnership that had realised 92 with Habib. He fell to a fine catch by the young substitute fielder Irfin Shah caught at backward square leg .
Rain held up play for an hour, and first ball after the resumption Habib was caught behind in the first of Aymes four catches. Habib seemed dismayed at the decision and stayed in his crease for a few seconds longer before walking off shaking his head. Habib had struck 12 fours in his innings.
Dimitri Mascarenhas accounted for Stevens, pushing forward he edged to the wicket keeper. Mullally then took charge and in a hostile spell he dismissed Wells, Williamson and Burns..
Full postThe dreaded mancunian weather ruins a possible epic
Overnight, it was all set up so nicely
Colin Croft
08-Aug-2000
Overnight, it was all set up so nicely. The West Indies had led by 235 overnight on the 4th day, at 381-6, and all expected that a declaration would be forthcoming after the first hour of Day 5, with perhaps an additional 30-40 runs. In effect, the eventual West Indian declaration did not come until about 75 minutes had elapsed, before the luncheon interval, by which time Franklyn Rose had been LBW to Craig White for 10. In the meantime, Ridley Jacobs and Curtly Ambrose had bludgeoned a further 54 after the fall of Rose's wicket before the end of the innings, at 438-6, with Jacobs getting a good 42 not out, while Ambrose got a useful 36 not out.
Even before the declaration, it was very evident that the rains would make an appearance some time sooner rather than later, and that did happen. Set a whopping 293 to win in a possible 71 overs, England might have struggled even on a normal day, as that was a tough ask. As it was, the rains put paid to any plans that either team would have had, and even though Courtney Walsh did get his 472nd Test wicket, that of Mike Atherton, again, this time nibbling to the wicket-keeper Jacobs, a result was impossible. Atherton made 28, but that, as the saying goes, was that. By the time the rains came, England had made 80-1, with the impressive Marcus Trescothick managing 38 not out to add to his 66 in the 1st innings. Not a bad start for a Test career.
Both captains should have been very pleased with the efforts of their players, as both teams showed great fighting spirits when situations looked marginal, while some consistency was achieved by both teams; the West Indies in batting more than bowling, with Brian Lara and the other batsmen showing some great improvement from Lords; England bowling more than batting, even with the excellence of Marcus Trescothick and Alec Stewart. In the end, it was a toss up as to whom would get the "Man of the Match" award, as there were only two real contenders, Brian Lara with his first Test century for 16 months, or Alec Stewart, with a Test century on his 100th Test. Sentiment and form, too, won out, with Stewart getting the nod.
Afterwards, Jimmy Adams, the West Indies captain, Nasser Hussain, the English captain, and Alec Stewart, the M-o-M award winner, spoke:
Full postSouth Africa in driving seat as rain stops play
Divan Van Wyk continued his top form in the Costcutter U15 World Challenge 2000 with a superb innings to put South Africa in the driving seat in their semi-final against West Indies at Hove
Kate Laven
08-Aug-2000
Divan Van Wyk continued his top form in the Costcutter U15 World Challenge 2000 with a superb innings to put South Africa in the driving seat in their semi-final against West Indies at Hove.
When the rain returned with seven overs of the innings still remaining, left-hander Van Wyk, who has been South Africa's top scorer in the competition, had made a mature and unbeaten 77 featuring eight boundaries and a touch of class.
Umpires took the players off with the score 191 for five after the 43rd over produced two wickets, including Vaughn Van Jaarsveld, another left-hander who put on 105 with Van Wyk for the fourth wicket.
Van Jaarsveld holed out to mid on while replacement batsman Peter Laing was leg before a couple of balls later, both wickets falling to West Indies skipper Tishan Maraj.
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