Report
Tense victory at Cardiff as England take NatWest International Trophy
England's Under 19 team took the NatWest International Trophy with a tense, 2 run victory over their Sri Lankan counterparts in Cardiff
Ralph Dellor
29-Jul-2000
England's Under 19 team took the NatWest International Trophy with a tense, 2 run victory over their Sri Lankan counterparts in Cardiff. There were still 16 balls to go when Koushalya Weeraratne, the Sri Lankan captain, drove Peter Trego straight to long on where Tim Murtagh held the catch that sealed the series.
Earlier in the day, England had won the toss and batted first on a pitch not as friendly to the batsmen as the neighbouring strip on which England had won by 15 runs in the first match on Friday. Even so, they got off to a brisk start with Nicky Peng and Ian Bell again sharing a good partnership for the second wicket, taking the score to 95 in the 24th over before they were separated.
As in the previous match, the middle order disappeared quickly and cheaply and it was left to Peter Trego and his Somerset teammate Carl Gazzard to rescue the innings. Trego was left on 53 not out from 52 balls, while Gazzard's no less valuable 20 came from 27 balls as they put on 62 in an unbroken 8th wicket partnership in 10 overs.
Sri Lanka found it difficult to approach the required rate while wickets were falling at regular intervals. It was not until Weeraratne became established at the wicket that the England total appeared under threat. The captain reached his fifty from 56 balls in an over bowled by Kabir Ali that included a magnificent straight driven six.
Full postRest of the World Triumph in Wonderful Festival of Cricket
A crowd of 17,500, most of them British Asians, basked in glorious sunshine at the Oval Saturday, to watch the Rest of the World edge out Asia in a tightly fought contest
Sean Beynon
29-Jul-2000
A crowd of 17,500, most of them British Asians, basked in glorious sunshine at the Oval Saturday, to watch the Rest of the World edge out Asia in a tightly fought contest. The match, the brainchild of former Prime Minister and Surrey stalwart John Major, was an attempt to raise funds for further developments to the Oval. The capacity crowd did not just see an exhibition match: they saw a tightly fought contest go down to the wire, only for the World to triumph by 15 runs.
Whilst many were disappointed that Sachin Tendulkar was ruled out of the Asian side due to an untimely bout of chicken-pox, those who watched the match will be delighted that they made the effort.
The Rest of the World won the toss and elected to bat. Batting in England is a very different prospect to batting in Dhaka, and runs were always going to be hard to come by. The Asian openers, Wasim Akram and Javagal Srinath turned the screw, nipping out the World's openers with the score on only 16. Nasser Hussain and Nathan Astle launched a recovery mission, putting on 97 in fine style. Both men looked intent on attacking, and both pulled square with a great deal of force. Hussain lost his head: having lofted Chopra into the stands for a big six, he tried to repeat the feat, only to see the ball drop into Kumble's hands at long on. Astle reached his half century, but was removed by a brilliant Saqlain, mystifying the Kiwi batsman with his `magic ball.'
With Thorpe going quickly, and a brief flurry between Stuart Law and Chris Cairns stopped by the Pakistani spin-wizard, it was left for Ben Hollioake and Heath Streak to put some respectability in the Rest of the World's total. Hollioake crashed 23 from 16 balls, lofting his Surrey team mate Saqlain into the stands, whilst Streak's cameo of 17 took 16 balls, as the World closed on 219.
Full postDowman, Dean lead determined Derby
By the end of the second day in this County Championship match at Canterbury, the scoreboard shows that Kent trails Derbyshire by as few as 216 runs with six first innings wickets still at its disposal
Staff and agencies
29-Jul-2000
By the end of the second day in this County Championship match at
Canterbury, the scoreboard shows that Kent trails Derbyshire by as few as
216 runs with six first innings wickets still at its disposal. Happily for
the visitors, though, it fails to express how admirably they have fought to
seize a definitive upper hand by the game's halfway point.
With their ranks as stretched as they are for this battle, the visitors
will undoubtedly derive particular pleasure from their effort inextending
their first innings tally to a final mark of 279 upon the match's
resumption today. Notwithstanding the notion that only four of their
players ventured past a score of 13, this was an innings built not only
around steady accumulation but also collective hard work, a quality which
has generally eluded the team this season. By its completion, the only
hint of a sour note to emerge was that, in taking more than one and a half
days to get there, they seemed to have limited their chances of gaining the
mass of points they need from this fixture to set about the task of
averting Division One relegation.
For batting highlights, much of the responsibility was left to Matthew
Dowman. His 77, an innings which stands out as his most encouraging in a
summer in which he has so far struggled to adjust to the demands of playing
for a new county, featured an array of well composed drives. While his own
unflinching patience tested that of the spectators, Simon Lacey (41) also
proved a handy foil, sharing with the dogged Dowman in a valuable stand of
68 for the seventh wicket.
Full postHegg inspires Lanashire fightback
Warren Hegg may be something of a forgotten man in English cricket but that failed to stop him from playing an innings to remember at Headingley this afternoon
Staff and agencies
28-Jul-2000
Warren Hegg may be something of a forgotten man in English cricket but that
failed to stop him from playing an innings to remember at Headingley this
afternoon. Against a persistently accurate Yorkshire attack, Hegg was the
one batsman to capitalise on a good start, his innings the difference
between mediocrity and competitiveness as Lancashire's soared to a mark of
267 - against Yorkshire's 4/0 - on another two-paced Leeds pitch.
It was Hegg's chanceless 75, spiced as it was with nine well struck
boundaries, which proved the defining factor in a fightback much needed by
the visitors. With only a solitary half century to show from nineteen
previous appearances at the crease this county season, the former England
'keeper chose an opportune moment to turn his form around in what shapes as
one of the most crucial matches of the summer. Stern late resistance also
came in the form of a painstaking 19 in a shade under two hours from Glen
Chapple (whose concentration on occupation of the crease enabled him to
share in a vital 88 run stand for the seventh wicket with Hegg) and a handy
unbeaten 29 from number nine, Richard Green.
Undone by some excellent bowling, principally from the redoubtable Matthew
Hoggard (4/70), the Lancastrians had looked to be tumbling deep into the
mire as they surrendered five wickets for fifty runs to find themselves
teetering at 128/6 an hour after lunch. Enter their enterprising
wicketkeeper-batsman, whose ability to tuck and chip the ball into gaps not
only slowed Yorkshire's momentum but also evinced increasing signs of
frustration. Michael Atherton (21), John Crawley (23), Sourav Ganguly
(28), and a characteristically aggressive Andrew Flintoff (28), had all
made decent enough starts to raise hopes of a solid top order performance,
but they failed to a man to continue on with a job that, in the end, was by
far best left to Hegg.
Full postMore frustration around Derby's stumble
Derbyshire has had few days to remember and Kent has lost portions of many to the weather this County Championship season so it should hardly come as a surprise that the former failed to capitalise on a good start on a day significantly shortened by
Staff and agencies
28-Jul-2000
Derbyshire has had few days to remember and Kent has lost portions of many to the weather this County Championship season so it should hardly come as a surprise that the former failed to capitalise on a good start on a day significantly shortened by rain at Canterbury today.
In such play as was possible around a long, rain-enforced interruption in
mid-afternoon, Steve Titchard (52) compiled a third half century of the
Championship season to lift the visitors to a score of 167/5 by stumps.
The beneficiary of two dropped catches, fellow opener Steve Stubbings also
fought gamely for the visitors, adding 41 of his own runs to a defiant opening stand of 85. Aside those two contributions, though, there was once more little about which to enthuse from the Derby upper order. In looking to attack Martin Saggers' bowling a little too hastily, Australian left hander Michael di Venuto (13) was again the victim of his own impatience, while James Pyemont (4) was the victim of a lazy mix-up between the wickets with Matthew Dowman (30*).
For Kent, Saggers (2/50) and Mark Ealham (0/35) toiled the most admirably in what was a solid, if unspectacular, overall exhibition with the ball. Even if the five wickets which fell owed much to Derbyshire's continuing inability to sustain an advantage, their fightback both accentuated the impression that their own form is on the improve and that their opponents still do not quite look as if they genuinely intend to avoid the horrors of relegation.
Full postRamprakash's century meets with little support as Middlesex struggles again
An unflinching, unbeaten century from England Test discard Mark Ramprakash has guided Middlesex to a score of 227 all out on the first day of its County Championship clash with Sussex at Southgate
Staff and agencies
28-Jul-2000
An unflinching, unbeaten century from England Test discard Mark Ramprakash
has guided Middlesex to a score of 227 all out on the first day of its
County Championship clash with Sussex at Southgate.
Come rain, thunder and shine all in the one day, Ramprakash was not to be
moved from the crease in an innings that showcased all of his trademark
determination. His smooth-stroking 110 was certainly the best possible
riposte in the wake of his omission from the team to play West Indies at
Old Trafford next week.
Aside from the diminutive right hander's play, though, this was another
tough day for the Division Two cellar dwellers. In overcast conditions,
there was little resolve about their batting. Medium pacers James Kirtley
(5/50) and Robin Martin-Jenkins (3/55) revelled in the early going,
reducing the locals to 26/2 inside the first hour. The former was even
more impressive later in the day, coming back in a second spell to inspire
the quick destruction of the home team's middle order in a collapse that
saw six wickets lost for the addition of a meagre 95 runs.
Full postLewis revives battling season
Not the greatest of seasons this one for Durham opening batsman Jon Lewis
Staff and agencies
28-Jul-2000
Not the greatest of seasons this one for Durham opening batsman Jon Lewis.
Or at least that seemed the case until today, when his sparkling century
guided Durham out of early trouble and into a position of respectability on
day one of the County Championship clash with Somerset at Chester-le-Street.
On an afternoon ravaged by rain, Lewis (113*) registered his first century
in just over twelve months to guide his team to the mark of 215/5 after it
had won the toss. His only two half-centuries this season had both come
against Yorkshire, and at no stage this summer had he previously compiled
anything exceeding 66. Notwithstanding such a run of outs, though, he was
solid off both the front and back foot today, and offered only one
semblance of a chance - that coming on 81 as he edged a Paul Jarvis
delivery between first and second slips.
For Somerset, the home team's early woes had been inspired by some fine
bowling from Graham Rose (2/28). It had been the right arm paceman indeed
who had lured Michael Gough (9) to edge a comfortable catch to second slip
with the total at 17 and then attracted an inside edge on to the stumps
from Simon Katich (0) with the very next ball.
Full postHayden forges foundation for Northants
A superb century from Matt Hayden, and another productive afternoon for spinner Ashley Giles, were the highlights of a see-sawing day's County Championship cricket between Northamptonshire and Warwickshire at Edgbaston today
Staff and agencies
28-Jul-2000
A superb century from Matt Hayden, and another productive afternoon for spinner Ashley Giles, were the highlights of a see-sawing day's County Championship cricket between Northamptonshire and Warwickshire at Edgbaston today.
Australian import Hayden was at his rugged and authoritative best in an innings of 122 that contained as many as fourteen boundaries and four thumping sixes. In Hampshire colours three years ago, the powerfully built Queenslander plundered a double century and century against Warwickshire and he used the presence of a short boundary on the Pershore Road side of the ground to afford the same opposition another painful look at his talents today. In a hand that hinted strongly at both the range of his strokeplay and his vast reserves of concentration, he was the steadying influence around whom his team built to a total of 296/7 by stumps.
For Warwickshire, the prospect that a sound performance here could pave the
way for it to assume leadership in the Division Two standings seemed to
faze its front-line attack initially. With the omitted Ed Giddins looking
on in forlorn fashion from the pavilion, new ball bowlers Allan Donald
(1/38) and Alan Richardson (0/35) were both badly off target early and it
was not until Giles (4/116) entered proceedings shortly before lunch that
the attack began to genuinely assert itself. Without any great support,
the left arm orthodox spinner worked his way steadily through the defences
of Adrian Rollins (19), Mal Loye (2), David Sales (19) and Jeffrey Cook
(27) before a completely unnecessary run out and, later, a surprisingly
misdirected Hayden off drive further tilted matters in the home side's
direction. All four of Giles' victims were taken at slip.
Full postBatsmen founder as New Road becomes a minefield
Batting stars Graeme Hick and Vikram Solanki might have been back in county ranks but day one of the Worcestershire-Gloucestershire Division Two match at New Road was hardly one of celebration for batsmen
Staff and agencies
28-Jul-2000
Batting stars Graeme Hick and Vikram Solanki might have been back in county
ranks but day one of the Worcestershire-Gloucestershire Division Two match
at New Road was hardly one of celebration for batsmen.
In fact, about the only thing that could be said to have been emphatic
about the performance of the two teams' batting line-ups today was their
manifest overall lack of application. The locals started the rot with a
succession of ill-advised strokes and errors of judgement outside the line
of off stump as they staggered to the dismal first innings total of 98.
Almost from the outset, they seemed frozen to the crease and unable to
middle the ball - a state of affairs rendered all the more discomforting in
view of the fact that they elected to bat in conditions, initially at
least, that illustrated few signs of being anything more than benign in
nature.
In front of England and Wales Cricket Board pitch liaison officer Phil
Sharpe, there certainly didn't appear to be enough signs of irregularities
to raise visions of official action against the home team; more, it was a
case of players failing to cope with the effects of accurate swing bowling.
Full postEngland keep nerve to win opening match of series
At the scheduled start time of this match - 10.45 BST - there appeared little chance of any cricket taking place in Sophia Gardens after heavy overnight rain and further showers had left the outfield sodden and a vast acreage of covering over the
Ralph Dellor
28-Jul-2000
At the scheduled start time of this match - 10.45 BST - there appeared little chance of any cricket taking place in Sophia Gardens after heavy overnight rain and further showers had left the outfield sodden and a vast acreage of covering over the square. However, the weather cleared and a 42 over-a-side match was possible starting at 1.15.
England won the toss and got off to a good start. After John Sadler had fallen with 58 on the board, Nicky Peng and acting captain Ian Bell put on 108 for the second wicket from 20 overs. Peng's fine innings came to an end when he played on to Akalanka Ganegama and Bell went on to reach 62 before he became the first of 5 run out victims in the match in the 35th over.
Useful runs were garnered by the lower order in reaching 238 for 6 from the allocation of 42 overs, with Ranil Dhammika the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, his 9 overs producing 1 for 28.
The Sri Lankans got off to a good start themselves, putting 51 on the board before the fall of the first wicket in 9 overs. Ian Daniels had been particularly effective off his legs and driving straight before he was out for 43 from 33 balls including 7 fours, and although Thilina Kandambi reached a fluent 50, Sri Lanka began to lose their way.
Full postMost Read
Writers