RESULT
Group A (D/N), Sharjah, March 20, 2009, Pro ARCH Trophy
202/9
(46.2/50 ov, T:203) 157

Essex won by 45 runs

Report

Lancashire flounder after injury strikes

A brace of injury blows coupled with a dismal batting performance made for a miserable day for Lancashire as they slumped to a 45-run defeat to Essex in Friday's Pro Arch Trophy match in dusty Sharjah

Mark Pennell
21-Mar-2009
Essex 202 for 9 (Chopra 77, ten Doeschate 54, Newby 3-18, Mullaney 3-31) beat Lancashire 157 (Brown 33) by 45 runs
Scorecard
A brace of injury blows coupled with a dismal batting performance made for a miserable day for Lancashire as they slumped to a 45-run defeat to Essex in Friday's Pro Arch Trophy match in dusty Sharjah.
Chasing Essex's modest 50-over total of 202 for 9, Lancashire capitulated for 157 to lose their first game of the tournament with 20 balls to spare, leaving Essex with two wins from as many starts. Only three batsmen stumbled into the 30s as Lancashire wilted under the floodlights to complete a pre-season day they will do well to forget.
They went into the game at the Sharjah Cricket Association ground without experienced duo Gary Keedy and Mal Loye after both picked up freak injuries, just two days after the Essex pair of Matt Walker (dehydration) and James Middlebrook (bruised toe) suffered injuries at the same venue.
Loye was forced to pull out after twisting his right ankle in a pothole, but Keedy's injury is a little more serious, however, and he may now miss next month's start to the County Championship season after fracturing his right hand, the legacy of a blow whilst fielding in Abu Dhabi.
Though he bowls left-arm spin, Keedy will take no further part in the tournament but will remain on the pre-season tour to help organise net sessions and work on his overall fitness levels.
Lancashire's director of cricket Mike Watkinson said: "The x-rays showed a slight crack and although he can still bowl in the nets it would be too big a risk for him to play in any of our remaining matches. Mal's is just a minor thing, he should be fine and fit to play in our next match on Monday."
Keedy's absence gave Stephen Parry another chance to shine, however the young left-arm spinner finished wicketless after five overs, leaving paceman Oliver Newby and medium-pace seamer Steven Mullaney to share the bowling honours with three wickets apiece.
In his two lively stints Newby took 3 for 18, including the first two wickets to fall, Jason Gallian (0) and Mark Pettini (6), and returned to have top-scorer Varun Chopra caught behind for 77 off 117 balls. The innings, which included five fours and a six, was also Chopra's last contribution to the tournament as he will fly home to the UK tonight to attend his grandmother's funeral.
The Essex innings received some much-needed impetus from Ryan ten Doeschate with 54 at almost a run-a-ball with four sixes and a four. It was ten Doeschate's second half-century of the event following on from his unbeaten 81against the Fly Emirates select XI on the opening day of the tournament.

AskESPNcricinfo Logo
Instant answers to T20 questions
Lancashire Innings
<1 / 2>

Pro ARCH Trophy

Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
ESSEX33060.731
LANCS32141.433
SUSS31220.527
FlyXI3030-2.710
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
MIDDX33060.770
YORKS32140.844
SURR3122-0.205
UAE3030-1.451