Archive for August 2024

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Nottinghamshire teen Freddie McCann slows Surrey victory bid with maiden ton

Pamela Rios August 31, 2024 Leave a Reply
Nottinghamshire teen Freddie McCann slows Surrey victory bid with maiden ton

Teenager Freddie McCann’s maiden century in only his third first-class innings helped Nottinghamshire avoid the follow-on in their Vitality County Championship match against title-chasing Surrey at Trent Bridge.

The 19-year-old batter made 154, with 17 fours, as the hosts posted 405 in reply to Surrey’s mammoth 525 despite a career-best seven for 129 from visiting spinner Will Jacks.

Leaders Surrey ended the third day 133 runs ahead on 13 for one, Dom Sibley the man out.

Hampshire beat Lancashire by an innings and 37 runs with a day to spare at Old Trafford to boost their hopes of a top-two finish.

Having dismissed Lancashire for 200 in their first innings and enforced the follow-on, the visitors bowled Keaton Jennings’ side out a second time for 152.

Liam Dawson took five for 52 to finish with match figures of 10 for 99 and Mohammad Abbas bagged three for 18. Luke Wells offered the only significant resistance for the home side with 53.

Somerset were also on course for victory over Durham at Taunton as they look to keep Surrey within their sights.

After Jack Leach’s five for 124 had seen Durham dismissed for 336 in their first innings, Somerset raced to 263 for five before declaring and setting the visitors a massive 420 runs to win.

Durham then lost Ben McKinney, Alex Lees and Scott Borthwick cheaply to slump to 15 for three at stumps.

Jake Libby, Brett D’Oliveira and Adam Hose all passed 50 as Worcestershire made sure Essex would have to bat again in their rollercoaster Division One match at Chelmsford.

When bad light ended play 20 overs early on day three, the visitors had turned a 138-run first-innings deficit into a 165-run lead.

Libby laid the foundations for the recovery with 65 at the top of the order but it was an 80-run stand for the sixth wicket between D’Oliveira (51) and Hose (64) that gave Worcestershire hope of securing a third successive victory.

Warwickshire banked their first County Championship victory of the season after beating rock-bottom Kent by an innings and 21 runs well inside three days at Edgbaston.

Kent were bowled out in their second innings for 243 on the third morning as Warwickshire’s seamers completed the demolition job they started on their opponents on the first morning.

Bowled out for 156 first time round, Kent mustered little more at their second attempt even against the Kookaburra ball on an easing pitch as Oliver Hannon-Dalby took six for 43, finishing with nine for 74 in the match.

Leicestershire’s international pair Ajinkya Rahane and Peter Handscomb battled hard to give their side a chance of saving the game after Glamorgan’s Colin Ingram had continued his batting masterclass in their Division Two match.

Rahane was 47 not out and Handscomb unbeaten on 33 with Leicestershire 144 for three, trailing by 155, when bad light stopped play with 21.2 scheduled overs remaining.

That was after Glamorgan had declared on 550 for nine, with a lead of 299, Ingram unbeaten on a personal-best 257.

Centurion Ryan Higgins reached 1,000 County Championship runs as Middlesex batted themselves to an almost certain draw against promotion rivals Yorkshire on day three at Headingley.

Unbeaten all-rounder Higgins top-scored with 117, with opener Sam Robson having earlier made 108, in Middlesex’s 441 for five as they replied to Yorkshire’s first-innings 601 for six declared.

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Joe Root makes record 34th Test hundred as England close on Sri Lanka series win

Pamela Rios August 31, 2024 Leave a Reply
Joe Root makes record 34th Test hundred as England close on Sri Lanka series win

Joe Root chalked up a record 34th Test century as England raced closer to a series victory over Sri Lanka.

Root equalled Sir Alastair Cook’s national benchmark this week and the Yorkshireman is now out on his own as, for the first time in his glittering 145-Test career, he registered a hundred in both innings.

His latest ton, his seventh at Lord’s, was his fastest ever off 111 deliveries before he holed out for 103, the backbone of England’s 251 which left Sri Lanka needing a world-record 483 to win.

Sri Lanka were left with seven sessions of this second Test to either haul down the mammoth total or bat for a draw to tee up a decider at the Kia Oval next week and they closed on 53 for two as bad light ended play early.

The floodlights were on for most of the third day under gloomy skies but Root lit up the home of cricket as he became the 13th England player to amass a three-figure score in both innings of a Test.

Only five other players in history have more hundreds than Root, whose father was in the crowd to watch him move alongside Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Younis Khan and Mahela Jayawardene on the all-time list.

If this was another memorable day for Root, who is now within 95 runs of Cook’s England benchmark 12,472 in Tests, it was another forgettable one for Ollie Pope.

While he reached double figures for the first time in four innings as stand-in England captain, Pope was out for 17 to an ugly premeditated hack attempting to meet Sri Lanka’s short-ball ploy head-on.

Joe Root pulls a bouncer
Joe Root has made six fifty-plus scores in eight innings for England (Ben Whitley/PA)

He eschewed a nightwatcher the previous evening after refusing the follow-on but, with England 256 ahead, he was scratchy, beaten through the gate by Lahiru Kumara before weathering a blow on his right elbow.

Ben Duckett departed for 24, caught on the rebound by Angelo Mathews from Nishan Madushka’s parry, and Pope walked into Asitha Fernando’s bumper trap. Attempting to offset Sri Lanka’s heavy leg-side field, Pope stepped back and across but picked out the lone off-side boundary rider at deep backward point.

Root edged between a vacant slip and gully for his first four but was otherwise fluent and happy to play second fiddle to Harry Brook and Jamie Smith either side of lunch. Brook was dropped on nine and made 37 before holing out off Prabath Jayasuriya, who had Smith lbw for 26 after he missed a sweep.

Root moved unobtrusively to his sixth fifty-plus score in eight innings this summer, celebrating with a trademark late cut for four off Milan Rathnayake, while showed little discomfort against Jayasuriya.

Ollie Pope goes for a cut shot
There was another failure for Ollie Pope (Ben Whitley/PA)

Indeed, Root occasionally toyed with the slow left-armer, with two conventional sweeps then a reverse for three fours in an over.

He missed his patented reverse ramp – the shot had been in his downfall in his first-innings 143 – but then nailed the next ball with a pull for four and the only danger of him missing out on his hundred seemed to be him running out of partners.

Chris Woakes chipped to extra cover while Gus Atkinson, full of confidence after his maiden first-class century a day earlier, sliced an unconventional reverse pull to Rathnayake on the third boundary.

While England’s lead climbed past 450, there was no danger of a declaration as Root went past Graham Gooch’s Lord’s record of 2,015 Test runs after getting to within four of his landmark hundred.

As in the first innings, where he saw out 12 dots on 99, he kept the crowd waiting with 16 deliveries in the 90s amid a short-ball barrage from Fernando but Root cut the tension by stepping to leg and carving through vacant cover point for four to reach the milestone – his second fifty took just 46 balls.

He was last man out when he shovelled to deep square-leg but there was no keeping Root out of the action after an early tea as he recorded his 199th and 200th Test catches when Nishan Madushka and Pathum Nissanka edged to first slip off Atkinson and Olly Stone respectively.

England had to turn to spin as early as the 10th over under leaden skies, with Shoaib Bashir operating in tandem alongside Root. There was a small two-over window where pace was available again and Stone snaffled the edge of Nissanka.

While England’s spinners returned, the teams left the field shortly after 5pm with play called off an hour later. Dimuth Karunaratne ended the day on 23 not out with nightwatcher Jayasuriya on 3no.

The post Joe Root makes record 34th Test hundred as England close on Sri Lanka series win appeared first on Cricket365.



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Friday, August 30, 2024

Gus Atkinson’s maiden Test century puts England on top against Sri Lanka

Pamela Rios August 30, 2024 Leave a Reply
Gus Atkinson’s maiden Test century puts England on top against Sri Lanka

Gus Atkinson’s glorious first summer as a Test cricketer continued with a maiden first-class hundred as England looked to move into the ascendancy against Sri Lanka.

Already on two of the three Test honours boards at Lord’s after a 12-wicket match haul against the West Indies on debut last month, Atkinson completed the set with a swashbuckling 118 off 115 deliveries.

He is just the 12th English batter to make a three-figure score from number eight or lower and, having come in at a dicey 215 for six, Atkinson’s innings, following Joe Root’s 143 on Thursday, lifted the hosts to 427 all out after being put in.

Chris Woakes made inroads into Sri Lanka’s batting when Nishan Madushka dragged onto his stumps while Dimuth Karunaratne did the same off Olly Stone as the tourists went to lunch on day two of the second Test on 32 for two.

Lahiru Kumara set the tone for a sloppy morning for Sri Lanka, gifting Atkinson, who resumed on 74, a leg-side glance first up and the England batter made it back-to-back fours with an assured cover drive.

Given out from the third ball of the morning, Atkinson successfully reviewed as the ball would have jagged back too far down the slope to miss leg stump as the crowd breathed a sigh of relief.

He continued to play with confidence as the milestone hovered into view. Only when he was on 99 and he uncertainly prodded outside off were there any signs of nerves but Atkinson punched the next ball past mid-off for his 11th four, to go with four sixes from yesterday, to reach the landmark.

As he celebrated the sixth-fastest century at Lord’s from 103 balls, Atkinson joined fellow Englishmen Gubby Allen, Ian Botham, Stuart Broad and Woakes, plus Australia’s Keith Miller, as the only players who have taken five wickets in an innings, 10 in a match and made a hundred at the home of cricket.

The belated introduction of Asitha Fernando saw Matthew Potts nick off for 21, ending an 85-run stand alongside Atkinson, before Sri Lanka turned to the short-ball ploy after England passed 400.

The plan worked as Atkinson pulled into the deep, with Milan Rathnayake taking a jaw-dropping catch over his shoulder at deep midwicket off Fernando, who also accounted for Stone for 15 to become just the second Sri Lankan bowler after Rumesh Ratnayake in 1991 to take a five-for at Lord’s.

England’s good morning continued as Woakes snared Madushka for the third time in three innings while Stone, playing his first Test since June 2021, accounted for Karunaratne with the final ball before lunch.

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Jonny Bairstow helps Yorkshire take control of Middlesex at Headingley

Pamela Rios August 30, 2024 Leave a Reply
Jonny Bairstow helps Yorkshire take control of Middlesex at Headingley

Jonny Bairstow completed an excellent 160, and was usurped by George Hill’s career best 169 not out, as Yorkshire topped 600 in the first innings of their Vitality County Championship clash against Middlesex at Headingley.

Yorkshire have the advantage at the halfway stage of the Division Two promotion battle having posted 601 for six before declaring. However, a benign pitch means Middlesex can hope to claim a draw having closed on 141 for one in reply.

Bairstow, with a point to prove after being dropped from all England squads this summer, advanced from 107 overnight. The 34-year-old wicketkeeper-batter shared 238 for the sixth wicket with all-rounder Hill, who posted a first hundred of the season.

Archie Vaughan, the teenage son of Michael, took his maiden first-class wicket as Somerset got themselves into a strong position in the Division One contest against Durham.

Jack Leach took three wickets for 103 runs as Durham were left on 272 for six, replying to the hosts’ tally of 492 all out.

Vaughan took Somerset’s first wicket of the day with the sixth ball of his first-class career, pinning Ben McKinney on 15.

Leaders Surrey were well on top against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge after piling up 525 – despite an outstanding effort from Farhan Ahmed who took seven for 140.

Ahmed, the youngest player to appear in a first-class match for Nottinghamshire at 16 years 189 days on Thursday, gained another record as the youngest to take five wickets or more in an innings in first-class cricket in England.

However, after captain Rory Burns had struck 161 on day one, Indian international Sai Sudharsan (105) took the opportunity to make an impact with an impressive first hundred in Surrey colours, putting his side in a commanding position as they push towards a third consecutive title.

Hampshire v Warwickshire – Vitality County Championship – Day One – Utilita Bowl
Liam Dawson impressed for Hampshire (PA)

A superb display by all-rounder Liam Dawson helped Hampshire take control of Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.

After making an unbeaten 104, his second century of the season, and putting on 71 for the last wicket with Muhammad Abbas, Dawson bowled 28 overs unchanged from the James Anderson End, taking four for 46 as the home side slipped to 193 for eight in reply to Hampshire’s 389.

Michael Pepper’s maiden first-class century helped put Essex in command against Worcestershire.

The 26-year-old wicketkeeper made an unbeaten 125-ball 112 as Essex reached 404, a first-innings lead of 138.

The hosts were 227 for seven when Pepper was joined in the middle by Shane Snater and the pair scored 136, with Snater making 53.

Will Rhodes marked his penultimate home game as a Warwickshire player with a double century to give his winless side the upper hand against Kent.

Warwickshire v Lancashire – Bob Willis Trophy – Final – Day Two – Lord's
Will Rhodes caught the eye for Warwickshire (PA)

Will Rhodes caught the eye for Warwickshire (PA)Durham-bound Rhodes struck 201 off 295 balls to lift Warwickshire to 420 and a first innings lead of 264.

Sussex took control against Derbyshire at Hove as they pushed for a victory that would strengthen their promotion push.

The Division Two leaders reduced the visitors to 73 for five after piling up 607 for eight, their highest total against Derbyshire.

Wayne Madsen held them up and was unbeaten on 79 at stumps – but Derbyshire are still 429 runs behind on 178 for six.

Colin Ingram became the first batter this summer to reach 1,000 first class runs to give Glamorgan control of Leicestershire.

Ingram made an unbeaten 206 out of his team’s total of 431 for seven – a lead of 180 at Cardiff.

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Gus Atkinson follows maiden century with two wickets as England dominate

Pamela Rios August 30, 2024 Leave a Reply
Gus Atkinson follows maiden century with two wickets as England dominate

Gus Atkinson took centre stage at Lord’s once again with a maiden first-class hundred as England seized the initiative in the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Already on two of the three Test honours boards at Lord’s after a 12-wicket match haul against the West Indies on debut last month, Atkinson completed the set with a swashbuckling 118 off 115 deliveries.

Having lifted England from 215 for six when he came in to 427 all out, Atkinson then claimed a couple of wickets, including that of dangerman Kamindu Mendis for 74, as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 196.

Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts were metronomic with their lines and lengths and each claimed two wickets, as did Olly Stone on a heart-warming first Test in three years due to injury struggles.

England declined to enforce the follow-on and swelled their lead to 256 as they went to stumps on day two on 25 for one – and they are firm favourites to move into an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

They were given a huge helping hand by Atkinson, who belied a first-class average of 20 by bludgeoning 14 fours and four sixes en route to the sixth quickest ton at Lord’s, building on Joe Root’s majestic opening day 143.

Only on a dozen previous occasions has an Englishman reached three figures batting at eight or lower and Atkinson is the first since Matt Prior’s Test-saving ton against New Zealand in March 2013.

Resuming on 74, Atkinson was allowed to settle with a glance off his hip for four before a booming cover drive produced the same result. The third ball of the day saw him given lbw but Lahiru Kumara’s delivery was doing too much and Atkinson was reprieved on review to the relief of the crowd.

Atkinson continued to go for his shots as his milestone loomed ever closer, which he reached off just 103 deliveries by punching Kumara through mid-off for his 11th four.

Gus Atkinson celebrates taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal
Gus Atkinson celebrates taking the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal (John Walton/PA)

In just his fifth Test and second at Lord’s, Atkinson joined fellow Englishmen Gubby Allen, Ian Botham, Stuart Broad and Woakes, plus Australia’s Keith Miller, as the only players who have taken five wickets in an innings, 10 in a match and made a hundred at the home of cricket.

Asitha Fernando’s belated introduction hastened the end of England’s innings as he hoovered up the last three wickets to become the second Sri Lankan to take a Test five-for at Lord’s. Atkinson was ninth man out after taking England beyond 400 following a screamer of a catch in the deep by Milan Rathnayake.

While Nishan Madushka, opening the batting for Sri Lanka after 102 overs keeping wicket, was reprieved when he edged between Jamie Smith and Joe Root it was a momentary blip for England.

Both Sri Lanka openers dragged on to their stumps for seven before lunch, with Woakes snaring Madushka for the third time in three innings, while either side of lunch Stone had two in an over after accounting for Dimuth Karunaratne and number three Pathum Nissanka, who fell into a leg slip trap.

Two of Sri Lanka’s old stagers, Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, offered brief resistance but Ollie Pope simply shuffled his pack and turned to Potts, who painstakingly probed away around off-stump.

He was rewarded with a double-wicket maiden, first castling Mathews with a beauty that moved down the slope while Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva lasted three balls before skewing to second slip.

Sri Lanka were still not in three figures when Chandimal became their sixth wicket to fall after carelessly flicking Atkinson to Dan Lawrence but after Woakes had Rathnayake caught behind, Mendis offered some much-needed resistance after tea.

Potts beat the inside edge when Mendis was on eight but England’s review showed the ball would have fractionally missed the stumps on height.

Having made an impressive hundred in Sri Lanka’s defeat at Emirates Old Trafford last week, Mendis soaked up the pressure, with Prabath Jayasuriya battling away for 46 balls before losing patience and charging Shoaib Bashir as he was bowled through the gate.

Mendis hooked the expensive Stone for three sixes in his second fifty of the series but was last man out taking on Atkinson, with Woakes safely pouching a skier.

While Ben Duckett reached 15 not out at the close, makeshift opener Lawrence was out for seven, his second single-figure score of the Test, after tickling Kumara to Madushka, with Sri Lanka successfully overturning the original not out decision.

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Thursday, August 29, 2024

Ollie Pope struggles again as England bat first against Sri Lanka

Pamela Rios August 29, 2024 Leave a Reply
Ollie Pope struggles again as England bat first against Sri Lanka

Ollie Pope registered his third successive single-figure score as stand-in England captain after Sri Lanka surprisingly elected to bowl under clear, blue skies at Lord’s.

Pope admitted he had struggled to separate his batting and leadership duties last week, making two scores of six in an otherwise successful captaincy debut as England won the first of three Tests at Emirates Old Trafford.

He was presented with a clean slate as Sri Lanka ignored the overheads and asked England to bat first but, after Lahiru Kumara’s extra pace accounted for makeshift opener Dan Lawrence, Pope horribly miscued a pull off Asitha Fernando, top-edging to opposite number Dhananjaya de Silva for one off 10 balls.

England’s generosity continued as Ben Duckett reverse swept to Kumara in the deep to give Prabath Jayasuriya a wicket in his first over as the hosts went to lunch on 97 for three.

Duckett had made a typically busy start, driving twice and late cutting once for three fours in an over off Fernando, and with early movement scant on came the pacier Kumara, included after missing out in Manchester.

Kumara had success in his first over as he persuaded Lawrence, on nine, to step out of his crease and nibble at a wider one, which had just enough movement up the slope to graze the outside edge en route to Nishan Madushka, Sri Lanka’s third wicketkeeper in three England innings.

Kumara’s next ball climbed on new batter Pope before he cut the England skipper, deputising for the injured Ben Stokes in this series, in half with one that angled back in his next over.

Lahiru Kumara celebrates taking a wicket
Lahiru Kumara made the breakthrough by snaring England’s Dan Lawrence (John Walton/PA)

Pope’s luck ran out as he was cramped for room by Fernando, who had switched ends, and Dhananjaya settled under it after running to square-leg.

Joe Root clipped Fernando off his pads for four first ball and was largely assured although the probing Kumara’s impassioned lbw appeal was turned down when the Yorkshireman was on 12. A Sri Lanka review saw the on-field decision upheld as the ball would have only brushed leg stump.

Duckett had batted serenely for 40 but faltered on the reverse sweep, a shot he usually plays with such authority, as a top-edge flew to Kumara a few feet in from the deep point boundary.

Root, though, ended the session on an unbeaten 29 with Harry Brook in tow on nine not out.

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Skipper Rory Burns leads from the front as Surrey maintain title push

Pamela Rios August 29, 2024 Leave a Reply
Skipper Rory Burns leads from the front as Surrey maintain title push

Captain Rory Burns led from the front as Vitality County Championship Division One leaders Surrey maintained their push for a third successive title.

Burns followed his double-hundred against Lancashire with 161 as Surrey ended day one against Nottinghamshire on 339 for five at Trent Bridge.

The Surrey skipper, though, found himself pushed out of the spotlight by 16-year-old off-spinner Farhan Ahmed, who not only claimed the wicket of Burns and two more Test players in Ben Foakes and Will Jacks, but finished an outstanding first day in Championship cricket with figures of four for 69.

The younger brother of Leicestershire and England prodigy Rehan Ahmed, at the age of 16 years and 189 days, Farhan is the youngest first-class player in Nottinghamshire’s history.

Tom Abell made it back-to-back centuries at Taunton as second-placed Somerset ran up 395 for six against Durham.

Having hit a career-best unbeaten 152 in the previous home game against Warwickshire, Abell scored 124 off 181 balls, with 18 fours, sharing a stand of 185 with Tom Banton (73).

James Rew was unbeaten on 89 at the close, while Somerset gave a first-class debut to all-rounder Archie Vaughan, the 18-year-old son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, and he contributed a solid 30.

Jamie Porter blitzed a hole in Worcestershire’s upper order for a second championship five-wicket haul of the season before Essex let slip their early advantage.

Essex had Worcestershire 10 for four inside five overs – Porter and Sam Cook sharing the wickets in a 13-ball spree – then 46 for five in 12 overs, before the tail wagged and the visitors reached a more respectable 266 all out as Porter finished with five for 52. Essex closed on 50 for one.

Fletcha Middleton made his second century of the season as Hampshire closed on 330 for nine against relegation-threatened Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Middleton made 109 and shared a second-wicket partnership of 151 with Nick Gubbins, only for the home side to take six wickets in the evening session.

Kent’s lurch towards relegation continued as they were bowled out for 156 by Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Michael Booth, Olly Hannon-Dalby and Chris Rushworth all took three wickets before Will Rhodes’ 82 guided Warwickshire to 207 for three in reply.

The Division Two match between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire at Bristol was abandoned after concerns from the umpires over player safety on a hybrid pitch.

Chris Watts and Sue Redfern called a halt early on in the final session after Northamptonshire batters Ricardo Vasconcelos and Rob Keogh had both been struck on the hand by Gloucestershire paceman Ajeet Singh Dale and forced to retire hurt.

The visitors were 116 for two in reply to Gloucestershire’s 125 when the contest was abandoned at 5pm, the umpires consulting with both captains before leading the players from the pitch and then holding a consultation with groundstaff to explain their decision.

Elsewhere, Australian Daniel Hughes hit 144 for leaders Sussex, who closed on 391 for four against Derbyshire at Hove.

Openers Hughes and Tom Haines put on 196 in just 36 overs, with Haines making 72. And after Hughes departed, Tom Alsop hit an unbeaten 69.

Jonny Bairstow was unbeaten on 107 as Yorkshire amassed 372 for five against fellow title challengers Middlesex – Adam Lyth hit 61 and George Hill 58 not out – while Glamorgan finished on 114 for two after dismissing Leicestershire for 251.

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Joe Root equals England record with crucial century against Sri Lanka

Pamela Rios August 29, 2024 Leave a Reply
Joe Root equals England record with crucial century against Sri Lanka

Joe Root’s landmark 33rd Test century rescued England after Sri Lanka’s bold decision to bowl under a clear blue sky at Lord’s threatened to pay off.

After a nervy 12 balls on 99, Root belatedly equalled Sir Alastair Cook’s England record for the most Test hundreds, with the Yorkshireman’s superb 143 the bedrock of a day one total of 358 for seven.

Gus Atkinson blazed four sixes in a Test-best 74 not out from 81 balls after England had lurched to 216 for six but the day belonged to Root, who scored heavily backward of square on both sides of the wicket.

His only blemish was being dismissed to his patented reverse ramp although he was far from alone in gifting away his wicket, with Ollie Pope registering his third successive single-figure score since stepping in for Ben Stokes as England captain.

Pope admitted he had struggled to separate his batting and leadership duties last week, making two scores of six in an otherwise successful debut as skipper as England won the first of three Tests.

He was presented with a clean slate after opposite number Dhananjaya de Silva peculiarly ignored the overheads as he asked England to bat but on a blameless pitch, Pope made a torturous one off 10 balls before being cramped for room and top-edging a pull to square-leg.

Dhananjaya’s decision at the toss raised plenty of eyebrows and, with scant early movement on offer, he turned to the pacier Lahiru Kumara after Ben Duckett crashed three fours from Asitha Fernando’s second over.

Kumara, left out in Manchester, immediately caused problems as makeshift opener Dan Lawrence advanced uncertainly and prodded to a wider delivery, which moved just enough up the slope to take the edge to Sri Lanka’s third wicketkeeper of the series Nishan Madushka.

Gus Atkinson bats during day one of the second Test
Gus Atkinson added some useful late runs (John Walton/PA)

Pope was beaten first-ball by Kumara then cut in half by one angling back in before his luck ran out as he injudiciously tried to whip Fernando into the leg-side only to send a skier to Dhananjaya.

Root clipped his first ball for four but had a minor scare on 12 after Kumara’s impassioned appeal for lbw fell on deaf ears, with Sri Lanka unsuccessful in reviewing as the ball would have only trimmed leg stump.

England, though, were in a generous mood and Duckett departed cheaply for 40 to a reverse sweep he usually plays so adroitly but on this occasion miscued to deep point to give left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya a wicket in his first over.

Harry Brook was free-scoring after lunch although he fell lbw to Fernando for 33 from a delivery that was almost a carbon copy of Root’s let-off. Both balls would have just grazed leg stump but, unlike Root, Brook was unfortunate the umpire’s finger went up and the review upheld the on-field decision.

Root, the world’s top-ranked Test batter, was a reassuring presence in the middle as he moved to his fifth fifty-plus score in seven innings this summer and two streaky edges for four off Milan Rathnayake were rare missteps.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as, either side of tea, Jamie Smith threw his hands away from his body and edged Rathnayake to Madushka for 21 while Kumara persuaded Chris Woakes into hooking to Fernando, who held on at the second attempt.

Matters might have worsened for England as Root inside-edged close to his stumps on 99, with the next 11 deliveries also dots in an agonising wait for three figures as the crowd anticipation built.

Root released the pressure by deliberately guiding Kumara between slip and gully for his 13th four, celebrating this milestone ton by raising one arm in the air as he watched the ball cross the boundary.

As Sri Lanka’s bowlers started to tire in the afternoon sunshine, Root made hay alongside Atkinson, who flayed Jayasuriya for two straight sixes while part-timer Kamindu Mendis also went the distance in an expensive three-over spell yielding 27.

A 92-run stand led England into calmer waters but was ended by Root’s rush of blood as he attempted to lift Rathnayake over the slip cordon, succeeding in only offering a simple catch to Pathum Nissanka.

Sri Lanka, though, could not polish off the tail, with Atkinson bringing up a swashbuckling maiden Test fifty off 61 balls. Even the new ball brought no respite as Kumara went the distance as Atkinson and Matthew Potts (20 not out) put on an unbroken 50.

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Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Surrey thrash Lancashire to maintain bid for County Championship hat-trick

Pamela Rios August 28, 2024 Leave a Reply
Surrey thrash Lancashire to maintain bid for County Championship hat-trick

Vitality County Championship leaders Surrey underlined their claims for a third successive Division One title as they beat Lancashire in comprehensive fashion.

Rory Burns’ team took less than two sessions on day four to dismiss their opponents for 177 and secure victory by an innings and 63 runs.

Conor McKerr polished off Lancashire’s tail to finish with four for 27, while Dan Worrall and Jordan Clark each took three wickets as Surrey made it seven wins from 10 Championship games.

Matthew Hurst, Lancashire’s highly rated 20-year-old, tried hard to hold up Surrey by adding a fine 64 to a first-innings 46, but it was an uphill struggle after Worrall dismissed Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings for 13 and 16-year-old debutant Rocky Flintoff in successive balls.

Jack Leach gave England’s selectors a reminder of his ability as title hopefuls Somerset’s match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston ended in a rain-affected draw.

The left-arm spinner has been overlooked by England in favour of Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir since the opening Test against India in Hyderabad in January, but he took five for 18 runs in 49 balls, finishing with five for 77, to truncate Warwickshire’s second innings at 270.

Somerset faced a victory target of 369 from 68 overs, but they were not helped by rain and ended on 206 for four.

Toby Albert and Tom Prest scored centuries to give a glimpse of Hampshire’s batting future as their clash with Essex petered into a draw.

They hit career-best respective scores of 124 and 156 as Hampshire closed on 424 for eight in reply to Essex’s first innings 438 for eight declared.

Teenager Daniel Hogg had a first-class debut to savour as he mopped up the Nottinghamshire second-innings tail to finish with figures of seven for 66 and underpin victory for Durham by an innings and 17 runs.

Durham’s crushing win consolidated their position in mid-table, but Nottinghamshire now find themselves in a relegation battle heading into the last four games of the championship campaign.

Worcestershire beat bottom team Kent by eight wickets at New Road to bolster their hopes of retaining Division One status.

Tom Taylor and Joe Leach picked up the final two Kent wickets to leave Worcestershire, who were promoted last summer, with a victory target of 101.

Although openers Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby fell cheaply, Kashif Ali (52 not out) and Rob Jones (23no) saw their side over the finishing line as Worcestershire collected 23 points.

In Division Two, Middlesex produced an outstanding fourth day performance to defeat Northamptonshire by eight wickets at Merchant Taylors’ School and move second behind leaders Sussex.

Toby Roland-Jones in bowling action
Toby Roland-Jones took 11 wickets in the match as Middlesex beat Northamptonshire (Adam Davy/PA)

Toby Roland-Jones took 11 wickets in the match, adding to his five for 49 from the first innings with six for 58 as Northamptonshire were dismissed soon after tea on the final day for 167.

This left Middlesex 111 to win in a minimum of 25 overs, and Sam Robson’s second half-century of the match ensured they got there with some comfort.

Sussex suffered a four-wicket defeat against promotion rivals Yorkshire at Scarborough.

Yorkshire began the final morning on 28 for two, needing another 75 for victory, and they got there to secure a 21-point haul despite Sussex off-spinner Jack Carson taking four wickets.

Peter Handscomb’s half-century against his former club foiled a spirited last-day effort by Gloucestershire’s bowlers and earned Leicestershire a draw in Bristol.

Handscomb made 63 not out as the visitors reached 304 for five in their second innings from an overnight 41 without loss by the time bad light ended play with a possible 27 overs left.

Derbyshire, meanwhile, claimed a first red-ball win at Derby for five years as they crushed Glamorgan by 10 wickets.

Despite resistance from Glamorgan tailenders Mason Crane and Dan Douthwaite, who added 47 for the eighth wicket in a second innings total of 207, Derbyshire were left needing just 27 for victory as Luis Reece and Harry Came comfortably saw them home.

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Ollie Pope asks Joe Root for ways to ‘compartmentalise’ batting and captaincy

Pamela Rios August 28, 2024 Leave a Reply
Ollie Pope asks Joe Root for ways to ‘compartmentalise’ batting and captaincy

Ollie Pope has sought out the advice of Joe Root after admitting the demands of being stand-in England captain had crept into his batting against Sri Lanka.

In the first of three outings deputising for the injured Ben Stokes, Pope oversaw England’s five-wicket victory at Emirates Old Trafford last week, an experience only tempered by being twice out for six.

His second-innings dismissal, where he miscued a reverse sweep, drew faint criticism and Pope accepts he struggled to switch off from leading the team and concentrate fully on batting at number three.

Ollie Pope looks dejected after being dismissed during the first England-Sri Lanka Test
Ollie Pope was out for two scores of six at Emirates Old Trafford last week (Nick Potts/PA)

Pope has therefore turned to Root for wisdom, with the Yorkshireman amassing 14 centuries in 64 Tests when he was skipper from 2017-2022, frequently excelling with the bat in an underperforming side.

“I really enjoyed the week,” Pope said. “The runs didn’t translate for me but hopefully over the next two weeks, I can put aside my captaining when it’s time to bat and focus on my batting.

“It’s about having the two things separate. That’s something I’ve spoken to Joe Root about. We just spoke about how it’s more taxing in the field but it’s finding a little routine and doing small things.

“It’s just making sure that I keep doing what has brought success over the last couple of years and having that on repeat. It’s just finding a way to compartmentalise.

“Chatting to Rooty, he’s obviously got a great cricket brain and is England’s best batter, so we just bounced a few ideas off each other.”

Under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, England have developed a reputation for their aggressive approach to batting, especially in fourth innings chases, although they bucked the trend in Manchester.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith provided some impetus but a successful chase of 205 was underpinned by Root’s watchful 62 not out off 128 balls, an innings that contained only two fours on a sluggish pitch.

Smith has excelled since ousting Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow while moving on from record wicket-taker James Anderson has not had any repercussions, with the side four from four this summer.

“With what Brendon did leading into this summer, he made some brutal changes that he saw will take the team into a better place going forward,” Pope said.

“We don’t use the term Bazball but we played a different style of cricket (at Old Trafford) and that’s something that can keep taking us forward as a team. When we can be ruthless, we’ve got to try and be ruthless just to win as many games as possible.”

Ben Stokes bats in the nets at Lord's
Ben Stokes has trained with England at Lord’s ahead of the second Test (Steven Paston/PA)

Stokes has been batting in the nets ahead of the second Test at Lord’s, which starts on Thursday, but is still some way off a return from a hamstring tear he suffered earlier this month in The Hundred.

Pope, whose England side this week shows just one change with Olly Stone replacing the injured Mark Wood, believes Stokes will be firing on all cylinders for winter tours to Pakistan and New Zealand.

“He wishes he was out there but it’s a good sign going forward,” Pope added. “He’s still a fair way off playing, he’s not trying to play as a batter and first slip just yet.

“Injuries are never ideal but they’re also great chances for people to keep improving their game and a have a bit of time for reflection and think about what they can work on.

“I’m sure that’s exactly what he’s doing in the nets. Going into that Pakistan series and then New Zealand he’s going to be as fresh as anyone.”

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Dawid Malan announces retirement from international cricket at age of 36

Pamela Rios August 28, 2024 Leave a Reply
Dawid Malan announces retirement from international cricket at age of 36

Dawid Malan has announced his immediate retirement from international cricket and bows out with a sense of fulfilment despite admitting his England career “has not been easy”.

Malan signed a 12-month central contract last October and was England’s leading run-scorer in their grim World Cup campaign in the weeks that followed but has been conspicuously overlooked ever since.

Despite once being ranked England’s top-ranked batter in T20s and finishing with an impressive ODI average of 55.76 from 30 matches, Malan frequently had to defend his approach from critics who prefer more extravagant hitters.

As he turns 37 next week, Malan, who was part of the 2022 T20 World Cup-winning side, has accepted it is time to turn the page after 92 white-ball internationals and 22 Test caps in the last seven years.

“It has been an incredible journey since July 2017,” said Malan, one of only two England men to register a century in all three formats, alongside Jos Buttler.

“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to play for England in all three formats.

“Cricket, like most sports, is an industry where almost everyone eventually retires wishing they had done that little bit more. Whether you’ve played 10 Tests or 100, many step away regretting not playing just one more, scoring a few more runs, or winning more trophies.

“Right now, as I retire from international cricket, I can say I am genuinely satisfied.

“It has not been easy. It may be my nature, but for whatever reason, it has always seemed that I had something to prove and often felt as if I was playing for my place.

“The pressure goes with the territory, but it does take a mental and physical toll. Even so, I look back with pride on what I have been able to achieve.”

Malan, who amassed 4,416 runs for England across all formats, agreed a white-ball-only deal at Yorkshire earlier this year and is likely to pursue opportunities on the T20 circuit going forwards.

Managing director of England men’s cricket Rob Key said: “Dawid Malan retires after an excellent international career marked by resilience and determination.

“Early on, he had to fight for every opportunity, often facing some of the best teams in the world. His contributions were pivotal, particularly during the memorable World Cup victories in Australia, where he played an integral role in the team’s success.

“His legacy will be remembered as one of tenacity and achievement on the international stage – traits any player would be extremely proud to have.”

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Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Olly Stone out to bring 90mph heat as Mark Wood’s England deputy

Pamela Rios August 27, 2024 Leave a Reply
Olly Stone out to bring 90mph heat as Mark Wood’s England deputy

Olly Stone is out to be England’s pace X-factor in his first Test appearance in three years after repeatedly battling back from serious injury woes.

As Mark Wood’s thigh strain has ruled him out of the rest of the series against Sri Lanka, England have turned to another express quick with a chequered injury history for this week’s second Test at Lord’s.

While Stone is touted as one of the fastest bowlers the country has to offer, he is by his own admission unlikely to rival the ferocious speeds Wood has sent down this summer, topping out at 97mph.

Nottinghamshire's Olly Stones celebrates a wicket
Olly Stone is keen to enjoy his first Test appearance in three years (John Walton/PA)

Stone, though, is capable of reaching 90mph and is quietly confident he can be a point of difference for England ahead of just his fourth Test outing – and first since June 2021.

“It’s been pretty frightening the way (Wood’s) been bowling,” Stone said. “Hopefully, I can go out there and try and touch his speeds. I’m not sure if I’ll match it but I’ll give it a good shot.

“Around 90mph would be nice. It’s something I’ve always had in my armoury, going out and providing that bit of extra pace, so hopefully I can go out and do that this week.

“I will try and bowl as quickly as I’ve got in the locker, some days it clicks better than others. I don’t put too much pressure on myself. It’s just going out there and being me.”

Stone in for Wood is England’s only change from the side that beat Sri Lanka by five wickets at Emirates Old Trafford last week, with the hosts bidding for a fifth consecutive victory this summer.

Whatever this week throws at him, Nottinghamshire’s Stone, who has taken 10 wickets in three Tests, has vowed to enjoy the next few days having spent plenty of time on the treatment table during his career.

He once ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament when celebrating a wicket, requiring surgery, while he has also gone under the knife in a bid to address injuries in his ankle, finger and back.

A recurring hamstring problem sidelined him for much of 2023 and wrecked his Ashes hopes but he insisted white-ball specialism that would have been easier on his body was only ever a last resort.

“Unfortunately with the nature of being a bowler, you are going to pick up injuries here and there,” Stone said. “It’s been disappointing (to be) stop-start throughout my career.

“I just love the feeling of coming off after a long four or five days, on the back of a hard-fought win. It’s something that white-ball cricket can’t give you.

“This year especially I’ve tried to just not look too far ahead. I love playing the game and I just knew that if I go out there and produce those performances, this call might come.

“Thankfully it has and I’m going to go out and enjoy every moment and play with a smile on my face.”

The biggest crossroads of Stone’s career was shortly after his most recent Test match in 2021 when a fourth stress fracture in his back led to him having two metal screws inserted to reinforce his spine.

An operation he accepts was ultimately a necessity was carried out at the Wellington Hospital, adjacent to Lord’s, where he is set to resume his international career and the venue of his Test debut in 2019.

“It was just for everyday life and if I even wanted to play club cricket, if professional cricket wasn’t an option, that I still had that chance to do so,” Stone added.

“There’s always that element of, is it going to work? It took me a good four or five months, to decide whether I was going to go down that route. It wasn’t an easy decision, but the best one I made.”

As well as frequent trips to the doctors and gym work, Stone has taken up pilates in his comeback, as he added: “It’s something simple which I feel has helped me get to this point.”

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Olly Stone ready to play with a smile on his face on return to England Test side

Pamela Rios August 27, 2024 Leave a Reply
Olly Stone ready to play with a smile on his face on return to England Test side

Olly Stone is set for his first Test appearance in three years after being drafted in as England’s pace x-factor in the absence of the injured Mark Wood.

With a thigh strain ruling Wood out of the rest of the series against Sri Lanka, Stone, who has a chequered injury record of his own, has been named in the XI for the second Test at Lord’s, starting on Thursday.

The inclusion of the 30-year-old is England’s only change from the side that claimed a five-wicket win in last week’s series opener and is a heartening return for a bowler who has endured so many setbacks.

Stone once ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament celebrating a wicket and has had to contend with several stress fractures in his back, leading to the insertion of two metal screws to reinforce his spine.

Most recently, a recurring hamstring problem sidelined him for much of 2023 and wrecked his Ashes hopes but he has featured in six Vitality County Championship matches this year for Nottinghamshire.

“It’s obviously pleasing to be back, great to be back in the environment and I’m loving every minute of it,” said Stone, who made the last of his three Test appearances in June 2021.

“Unfortunately with the nature of being a bowler, you are going to pick up injuries here and there. It’s been disappointing, stop-start throughout my career.

“This year especially I’ve tried to just not look too far ahead. I love playing the game and I just knew that if I go out there and produce those performances, this call might come.

“Thankfully it has and I’m going to go out and enjoy every moment and play with a smile on my face.”

Despite the persistent misfortunes he has had to endure, Stone insisted his focus was always to get back into the Test side rather than to pursue T20 opportunities that would have been easier on his body.

“I just love the feeling of coming off after a long four or five days, on the back of a hard-fought win,” said Stone.

“It’s something that white-ball cricket can’t give you. I’ve always said that one of the reasons I went down certain surgical routes to have my back sorted was so that I could go out and play Test cricket again.

“It’s never been in my mind to give that up. If my body then gave up on me, maybe I’d have to step away but thankfully so far I’ve found a way and I can be back out there in an England shirt.”

While Stone has express pace and could be the fastest bowler on show this week, he was reluctant to cast himself as a direct replacement for Wood, who has touched 97mph this summer.

“It’s been pretty frightening the way he’s been bowling,” added Stone.

“It’s disappointing for him to miss out, the way he’s come in and bowled this summer is very exciting.

“Hopefully, I can go out there and try and touch his speeds. He’s obviously up there with the fastest in the world so I’m not sure if I’ll match it but I’ll give it a good shot.”

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Boss Jon Lewis expects England’s spinners to do ‘bulk of work’ at T20 World Cup

Pamela Rios August 27, 2024 Leave a Reply
Boss Jon Lewis expects England’s spinners to do ‘bulk of work’ at T20 World Cup

Head coach Jon Lewis expects a lauded spin attack to carry out the “bulk of the work” when England target Women’s T20 World Cup glory.

England will travel to the United Arab Emirates spearheaded by four front-line spinners, with Linsey Smith, who returned to the international T20 fold earlier this year, joining Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean in a 15-strong squad captained by Heather Knight.

Ecclestone and Glenn have taken more than 200 international T20 wickets between them, and England’s spin attack is rated among the best in world cricket.

It is set to have a major bearing on how they perform at the tournament, which begins on October 3, with conditions likely to be spin-friendly at both venues in Dubai and Sharjah after the competition was moved from Bangladesh due to safety and security concerns.

“The squad we have selected has got a really nice balance to it. I feel we have got the best 15 for the conditions we are going to play in,” Lewis said.

“I feel it is a nicely-rounded bowling attack – four seam options and four, maybe five, spin options – so we are in a good space.

“In terms of the conditions we are going to play, we feel those spinners are going to do the bulk of the work.”

As expected, there are no places for Tammy Beaumont, Issy Wong and Mahika Gaur, while Lauren Filer’s omission means that England will travel without an express pace bowler.

Three players have made an England T20 World Cup squad for the first time – Freya Kemp, Bess Heath and Danielle Gibson.

Heath is set to understudy wicketkeeper Amy Jones, while Kemp’s selection alongside Gibson gives England considerable strength in the all-rounder department.

Lewis added: “Competition within our squad is fierce, and competition just outside the squad is fierce.

“Picking squads for England and picking XIs in particular is really tricky at the moment, and that is a really strong position to be in. All the players selected will want to go and impact the tournament at some point.

“To win tournaments most of the time, your senior players and more experienced players do most of the heavy lifting.

“The exciting thing about the group we have is that our young players across the last six-nine months have really started to stamp their authority on international cricket and play some match-defining roles. That is exciting for English women’s cricket.”

England’s opening World Cup game is against Bangladesh in Sharjah on October 5, before they face remaining pool opponents South Africa, Scotland and West Indies.

Heather Knight in batting mode for England
Heather Knight will lead England’s bid for glory at the Women’s T20 World Cup (Nigel French/PA)

The squad will head to Abu Dhabi for a training camp from September 13-24, before official tournament warm-up games.

Knight said: “World Cups are always special events to be involved in as a player, and I am really excited by the squad we have selected to take over to the UAE.

“It is an honour to lead the team into another World Cup. We are looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Beaumont and Wong have been included in the England squad for three one-day internationals against Ireland in Belfast from September 7-11, while they are joined by Gaur in a T20 group for two games in Dublin on September 14 and 15.

Kate Cross will captain both squads, with Gaur’s return coming after a side strain meant she sat out England’s home series against New Zealand and The Hundred.

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Linsey Smith gets T20 World Cup call-up as England pack spin department

Pamela Rios August 27, 2024 Leave a Reply
Linsey Smith gets T20 World Cup call-up as England pack spin department

Linsey Smith has been selected among four frontline spinners in the England squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Smith, who returned to England’s T20 squad earlier this year, is named alongside fellow spinners Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean in a 15-strong group captained by Heather Knight.

As expected, there are no places for Tammy Beaumont, Issy Wong and Mahika Gaur, while Lauren Filer’s omission means that England will travel without an express-pace bowler.

England’s spin attack is rated among the best in world cricket, and is set to have a major bearing on how they perform at the United Arab Emirates-hosted tournament, which begins on October 3.

Conditions are likely to be spin-friendly at both venues in Dubai and Sharjah after the competition was moved from Bangladesh because of safety and security concerns.

Three players have made an England T20 World Cup squad for the first time – Freya Kemp, Bess Heath and Danielle Gibson.

Heath is set to understudy wicketkeeper Amy Jones, while Kemp’s selection alongside Gibson gives England considerable strength in the all-rounder department.

Jon Lewis (centre) with the England players
Head coach Jon Lewis is relishing the challenge of a T20 World Cup (Bradley Collyer/PA)

England’s opening World Cup game is against Bangladesh in Sharjah on October 5, before they face remaining pool opponents South Africa, Scotland and West Indies.

The squad will head to Abu Dhabi for a training camp from September 13-24, before official tournament warm-up games.

England head coach Jon Lewis said: “Selecting teams and squads with this group of players has become incredibly tricky and tough.

“There are players who have been really unfortunate to miss out, and they will be a big part of what we do with England Cricket in the future.

“I feel the 15 players selected give us a really well-balanced squad in terms of experience, youth and most importantly the skills to cope and excel in the conditions we feel we will be faced with in the UAE.”

Skipper Knight added: “World Cups are always special events to be involved in as a player, and I am really excited by the squad we have selected to take over to the UAE.

“It is an honour to lead the team into another World Cup. We are looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Kate Crods (left) celebrates
Kate Cross, left, will captain England in 50-over and T20 games against Ireland (Nigel French/PA)

Beaumont and Wong have been included in the England squad for three one-day internationals against Ireland in Belfast from September 7-11, while they are joined by Gaur in a T20 group for two games in Dublin on September 14 and 15.

Kate Cross will captain both squads, with Gaur’s return coming after a side strain meant she sat out England’s home series against New Zealand and The Hundred.

England T20 World Cup squad: H Knight (captain), L Bell, M Bouchier, A Capsey, C Dean, S Dunkley, S Ecclestone, D Gibson, S Glenn, B Heath, A Jones, F Kemp, N Sciver-Brunt, L Smith, D Wyatt.

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Monday, August 26, 2024

Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali left out as England enter new white-ball era

Pamela Rios August 26, 2024 Leave a Reply
Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali left out as England enter new white-ball era

Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali could have played their last games for England after being dropped in a shake-up of the white-ball set-up.

Matthew Mott was sacked as head coach of the limited-overs side last month after disappointing title defences in the ODI and T20 World Cups and the appetite for change has continued with the removal of two senior men sharing over 400 caps for the forthcoming series against Australia.

Five uncapped players have been called up for Marcus Trescothick’s first assignment as interim coach, with left-arm seamer Josh Hull, all-rounder Jacob Bethell and pace bowler John Turner selected in both formats, while Dan Mousley and Jordan Cox come into the T20 reckoning.

Jonny Bairstow wears sunglasses as he walks away from a net session with his pads.
Jonny Bairstow could struggle to regain his England spot (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Moeen has been an influential vice-captain to Jos Buttler in recent times but is now 37 and has acknowledged in the past that his international career was winding down. His role as a spin bowling all-rounder will be covered by his Warwickshire teammates Bethell and Mousley.

Bairstow turns 35 next month but there is no such sense that he is ready to bring the curtain down on his England days. He was an integral part of the white-ball revolution that carried the side to World Cup glory in 2019, and scored back-to-back centuries against India and New Zealand in must-win games at that tournament.

He lost his Test spot earlier this summer after winning his 100th cap over the winter but made his desire to continue representing his country clear in an interview with the BBC during the Hundred.

Bairstow bristled when quizzed about his future, telling former Test captain Michael Vaughan: “All I want to do is play for England. End of. You don’t need to ask me that do you? I think you’ve known me for long enough to know that.”

Despite having around 14 months left on the two-year central contract he signed last October, it seems clear England are looking to move in a different direction and empower the likes of Will Jacks.

Chris Jordan has also been moved on while Liam Livingstone has retained his T20 spot but misses out on the 50-over matches.

Josh Hull moves to catch a ball in action for Leicestershire.
Josh Hull has now been called up for all three England teams in a rapid rise to prominence (Nigel French/PA)

Another eye-catching pick is that of Durham seamer Brydon Carse, who completes a three-month ban for historical betting offences on Wednesday. He has not played competitively since May 10 due to his suspension but has been offered an instant return by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

No red-ball regulars have been considered for the three-match T20 series which starts in Hampshire the day after the final Test against Sri Lanka, though Hull and Cox are involved despite being part of Brendon McCullum’s squad.

Harry Brook, Gus Atkinson, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Matthew Potts will take a short break before joining up with Trescothick’s ODI team for the five-match series.

Joe Root is not included but the PA news agency understands his omission is simply a case of workload management ahead of a busy winter.

Zak Crawley, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood are all out injured but Saqib Mahmood, who conquered his own long-term fitness issues to play a starring role in the Hundred final, returns.

England T20 squad to face Australia: Butter (c), Archer, Bethell, Carse, Cox, S Curran, Hull, Jacks, Livingstone, Mahmood, Mousley, Rashid, Salt, Topley, Turner.

England ODI squad to face Australia: Buttler (c), Archer, Atkinson, Bethell, Brook, Carse, Duckett, Hull, Jacks, Potts, Rashid, Salt, Smith, Topley, Turner.

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Sunday, August 25, 2024

Surrey thrash Lancashire to maintain bid for County Championship hat-trick

Pamela Rios August 25, 2024 Leave a Reply
Surrey thrash Lancashire to maintain bid for County Championship hat-trick

Vitality County Championship leaders Surrey underlined their claims for a third successive Division One title as they beat Lancashire in comprehensive fashion.

Rory Burns’ team took less than two sessions on day four to dismiss their opponents for 177 and secure victory by an innings and 63 runs.

Conor McKerr polished off Lancashire’s tail to finish with four for 27, while Dan Worrall and Jordan Clark each took three wickets as Surrey made it seven wins from 10 Championship games.

Matthew Hurst, Lancashire’s highly rated 20-year-old, tried hard to hold up Surrey by adding a fine 64 to a first-innings 46, but it was an uphill struggle after Worrall dismissed Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings for 13 and 16-year-old debutant Rocky Flintoff in successive balls.

Jack Leach gave England’s selectors a reminder of his ability as title hopefuls Somerset’s match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston ended in a rain-affected draw.

The left-arm spinner has been overlooked by England in favour of Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir since the opening Test against India in Hyderabad in January, but he took five for 18 runs in 49 balls, finishing with five for 77, to truncate Warwickshire’s second innings at 270.

Somerset faced a victory target of 369 from 68 overs, but they were not helped by rain and ended on 206 for four.

Toby Albert and Tom Prest scored centuries to give a glimpse of Hampshire’s batting future as their clash with Essex petered into a draw.

They hit career-best respective scores of 124 and 156 as Hampshire closed on 424 for eight in reply to Essex’s first innings 438 for eight declared.

Teenager Daniel Hogg had a first-class debut to savour as he mopped up the Nottinghamshire second-innings tail to finish with figures of seven for 66 and underpin victory for Durham by an innings and 17 runs.

Durham’s crushing win consolidated their position in mid-table, but Nottinghamshire now find themselves in a relegation battle heading into the last four games of the championship campaign.

Worcestershire beat bottom team Kent by eight wickets at New Road to bolster their hopes of retaining Division One status.

Tom Taylor and Joe Leach picked up the final two Kent wickets to leave Worcestershire, who were promoted last summer, with a victory target of 101.

Although openers Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby fell cheaply, Kashif Ali (52 not out) and Rob Jones (23no) saw their side over the finishing line as Worcestershire collected 23 points.

In Division Two, Middlesex produced an outstanding fourth day performance to defeat Northamptonshire by eight wickets at Merchant Taylors’ School and move second behind leaders Sussex.

Toby Roland-Jones in bowling action
Toby Roland-Jones took 11 wickets in the match as Middlesex beat Northamptonshire (Adam Davy/PA)

Toby Roland-Jones took 11 wickets in the match, adding to his five for 49 from the first innings with six for 58 as Northamptonshire were dismissed soon after tea on the final day for 167.

This left Middlesex 111 to win in a minimum of 25 overs, and Sam Robson’s second half-century of the match ensured they got there with some comfort.

Sussex suffered a four-wicket defeat against promotion rivals Yorkshire at Scarborough.

Yorkshire began the final morning on 28 for two, needing another 75 for victory, and they got there to secure a 21-point haul despite Sussex off-spinner Jack Carson taking four wickets.

Peter Handscomb’s half-century against his former club foiled a spirited last-day effort by Gloucestershire’s bowlers and earned Leicestershire a draw in Bristol.

Handscomb made 63 not out as the visitors reached 304 for five in their second innings from an overnight 41 without loss by the time bad light ended play with a possible 27 overs left.

Derbyshire, meanwhile, claimed a first red-ball win at Derby for five years as they crushed Glamorgan by 10 wickets.

Despite resistance from Glamorgan tailenders Mason Crane and Dan Douthwaite, who added 47 for the eighth wicket in a second innings total of 207, Derbyshire were left needing just 27 for victory as Luis Reece and Harry Came comfortably saw them home.

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Josh Hull lands England call-up after Mark Wood sustains series-ending injury

Pamela Rios August 25, 2024 Leave a Reply
Josh Hull lands England call-up after Mark Wood sustains series-ending injury

England have called up uncapped pace bowler Josh Hull after a thigh injury ruled Mark Wood out of the last two Tests against Sri Lanka.

Wood pulled up mid-over on the penultimate day of England’s five-wicket win in the series opener at Emirates Old Trafford and was unable to play any further part in the match.

Olly Stone is already with the squad and could be in line to play his first Test in three years at Lord’s on Thursday, but England have once again taken a bold selection gamble to replace Wood.

Leicestershire prospect Hull only turned 20 earlier this week and has just nine first-class matches to his name.

  • Nine matches
  • 15 wickets
  • 58.06 average
  • 4.80 economy rate

With 15 wickets at an average of 58.06, in years gone by he would have been seen as one to watch for the future but the current England has increasingly focused on player profile rather than bare statistics.

As a 6ft 7in left-armer, Hull is an intriguing proposition whose height and angle of attack mark him out as a unique proposition.

He has good pace, the ability to extract bounce and, as a left-armer, could help create footmarks to assist off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Hull is currently featuring in Leicestershire’s Vitality County Championship game against Gloucestershire, with his figures from that match further underlining England’s willingness to overlook domestic form.

In the first innings at Bristol he took one for 133 from his 23 overs, with an economy rate of 5.78 and six no-balls.

England seamer Mark Wood looks disappointment as he walks off at Old Trafford injured
Mark Wood has a thigh issue (Nick Potts/PA)

Hull’s rising stock was confirmed when he earned an England Lions call-up to face Sri Lanka in a pre-Test warm-up earlier this month, taking five wickets including experienced duo Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.

His call-up continues the regeneration of England’s pace bowling group following the retirements of Stuart Broad and James Anderson, with Gus Atkinson making a fine start to his Test career over the past four matches and Dillon Pennington making the squad for the first time against West Indies before succumbing to injury.

Hull’s selection spells further disappointment for Ollie Robinson and Craig Overton, whose paths back to the international arena look tougher by the day, while Sam Cook – the most consistent county seamer on the circuit in recent years – has been overlooked once more.

Sam Curran’s name was also touted as a possible solution, with the all-rounder returning to red-ball cricket for Surrey during the recent round of matches, but his gentle pace may have been a deciding factor given England’s stated aim of building an attack to win the Ashes in Australia.

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Saturday, August 24, 2024

Ollie Pope ‘pretty happy’ as England captain debut ends in win over Sri Lanka

Pamela Rios August 24, 2024 Leave a Reply
Ollie Pope ‘pretty happy’ as England captain debut ends in win over Sri Lanka

Ollie Pope embraced the challenge of captaining his country to a Test win at the first time of asking, conquering a Sri Lanka side and a Manchester pitch that posed difficult questions.

Pope was relieved to lead England to a five-wicket success at Emirates Old Trafford, the first of three outings as stand-in skipper for the injured Ben Stokes.

He admitted his predecessor was left “bored” at being consigned to a watching brief on the balcony but found his own experience more challenging as the game reached its conclusion.

A fine century from Kamindu Mendis left England chasing 205 in the fourth innings, with scoring tricky due to a slow surface and a turgid outfield.

In the end England, who have established a reputation as arguably the most aggressive team in the world, were forced to take it slow and steady over the course of 58 overs. Joe Root read it better than anyone, spending just over three hours carving out a decisive 62 not out which included just two boundaries.

“I think another day you might see us try and knock that score off in 20 overs fewer but that was the nature of the pitch and a pretty slow outfield as well,” Pope said.

“This is not just a one dimensional team where we want to go out and score quickly. It’s a team where we want to keep reading situations slightly better and try and be as ruthless as we can. It’s not all about just trying to score as fast as we can, it’s about getting the job done as well.

“It was different (being captain) but I enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed trying to find different ways of taking 20 wickets. I thought I did alright. I’m sure there will be a few people that can say otherwise, but I was pretty happy with it.”

Ben Stokes watches from the balcony at Old Trafford
Injured Ben Stokes had to settle for a watching role throughout (Nick Potts/PA)

Pope was watched throughout by Stokes but insisted the man whose force of personality has done more than anything to underpin the so-called ‘Bazball’ revolution since taking over two years ago empowered rather than overshadowed his efforts.

“I think he was bored at times. I think he’d much rather be playing but he was great,” said Pope.

“Every now and again I’d probably pick his brain more than him coming to me. He wanted to give me my own space and do it my own way.”

One aspect of Pope’s first week at the helm that could have gone better was his day job at number three. He fell for six in both innings, guilty of a loose shot on day two and a mis-timed reverse sweep in the chase.

A dejected Mark Wood walks off the Old Trafford pitch after picking up an injury
Mark Wood is an injury doubt for the second Test (Nick Potts/PA)

“I think that’s probably one thing I can take from this Test – making sure I’m captain when I’m in the field but that when it’s batting time, it’s batting time,” he said.

“That’s just a little learning for me, that I can just draw a line once we’re off the field, get my pads on and have my time to focus on myself because that’s what’s best for the team.”

England will assess the fitness of pace bowler Mark Wood on Sunday after he sat out the final day in Manchester with a thigh injury. Given his importance to the side and history of fitness problems he looks unlikely to be risked next week at Lord’s but no early calls are being made.

“We’re going to see how he pulls up and go from there,” Pope said. “Nothing is set in stone.

“Obviously he’s a bit sore, but fingers crossed he’s all good.”

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Rain affects title-chasing Essex with only 34 overs bowled against Hampshire

Pamela Rios August 24, 2024 Leave a Reply
Rain affects title-chasing Essex with only 34 overs bowled against Hampshire

The rain caused issues for title-chasing Essex on the third day of their Vitality County Championship Division One clash with Hampshire.

Only 34 overs were bowled at Southampton and following a rain-soaked morning, Essex declared on 438 for eight.

Hampshire lost Fletcha Middleton in the 14th over, but Toby Albert dug in with 18 from 69 balls alongside a defensive eight off 58 from Nick Gubbins as they ended the day on 40 for one.

Leaders Surrey were also hampered by the weather as only 10.2 overs were possible at the Oval.

Lancashire opener Luke Wells was the only wicket to fall as the visitors moved from an overnight four without loss in their second innings to 26 for one, meaning they trail by 214 runs.

Daniel Hogg took his maiden wickets in first-class cricket as Durham edged towards victory against Nottinghamshire.

Durham enforced the follow-on after the visitors could only add nine runs to their overnight total, which left them with a first-innings deficit of 302.

Ben Slater made his fourth fifty of the season but after fellow opener Haseeb Hameed was dismissed the floodgates opened, with debutant Hogg helping to reduce Nottinghamshire to 99 for four as the visitors finished 212 for six at stumps, still trailing by 90.

Warwickshire captain Alex Davies scored his 11th first-class century in a rain-affected third day against Somerset.

Davies ended the day unbeaten on 109 and his side are 277 runs ahead overall, 179 for five having held a first-innings lead of 98.

Although Warwickshire are in a strong position, a loss of 51 overs to the weather has impacted the game and reduced the time to force a win.

Kent’s Tawanda Muyeye made a brilliant double-century as his side advanced to 353 for eight, but Worcestershire will still be looking to force victory on day four.

Resuming on 80 in a score of 104 for two, Muyeye hit 23 fours and three sixes and put on 81 with Harry Finch (31) and 84 with Grant Stewart (41).

His eventual dismissal by James Hartshorn ended the day with Kent still only 77 ahead of Worcestershire’s first-innings 447.

In Division Two, Yorkshire boosted their promotion bid as they closed on victory over leaders Sussex.

Ben Coad took five for 69 as Yorkshire bowled their visitors out for 239 at Scarborough, John Simpson and Tom Alsop leading the resistance with 67 and 61 respectively.

Yorkshire were set just 103 to win and though they lost Finlay Bean and Jordan Thompson they will be confident of chasing the 75 still needed, particularly with most of their top-order batters to come after Thompson and Dan Moriarty were used as night watches.

No play was possible for second-placed Middlesex against Northamptonshire while Leicestershire, in fourth, look to be heading for a draw against Gloucestershire in Bristol.

The hosts declared on 544 four four after Ben Charlesworth converted his overnight century into 210 and was matched by James Bracey’s unbeaten 207. Rishi Patel and Ian Holland took Leicestershire to 41 without loss at stumps.

Kiran Carlson and Colin Ingram hit fifties as Glamorgan ended the day 236 for seven against Derbyshire, still 25 runs in arrears after Harry Came (84), Wayne Madsen (70) and Anuj Dal (94) saw Derbyshire to 429.

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