Captain Mitchell Marsh gave his team an advantage with three crucial wickets

Daniel Brettig13-Mar-2019Western Australia maintained their bid to keep pace with Victoria and New South Wales in the race to the Sheffield Shield final by establishing a big first-innings advantage over Tasmania after two days at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.After the Warriors lower order pushed the visitors’ first innings up to 367, the Tigers made smooth early progress as Alex Doolan and Jordan Silk added 84 for the opening stand. However, the WA captain Mitchell Marsh, at the end of a difficult season, was able to conjure the key wickets to put his side in command of the contest, dismissing Silk, Doolan and critically the Tigers’ leading run-maker Matthew Wade, who was bowled between bat and pad by a ball swerving into him from around the wicket.Test captain Tim Paine managed to reach 26, but no member of the Tigers XI passed 50 against the WA attack, leaving Marsh’s men back at the batting cease before the close with an overall lead of 172 and the chance to set a daunting chase for the hosts.

Kings XI Punjab ride on KL Rahul’s blistering half-century and Nicholas Pooran’s finishing job to sign off with six-wicket win

The Report by Peter Della Penna05-May-201912:32

What went wrong for Kings XI in IPL 2019 after a promising start?

A blistering half-century from KL Rahul to begin their chase ensured Kings XI Punjab avoided the wooden spoon, scoring a consolation six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings to finish their IPL 2019 campaign on a high. Rahul’s 71 off 36 balls as part of a 108-run opening stand with a sedate Chris Gayle powered Kings XI towards the target of 171, eventually knocked off with 12 balls to spare.The main objective for Super Kings, though, was to ensure the second innings lasted at least 14.3 overs, which would ensure their spot in the top two of the standings and an automatic berth in Tuesday’s Qualifier 1. Nicholas Pooran had threatened to overhaul the target in that span after taking over the reins from Rahul with some sensational big-hitting, but the spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja continued slowed down the Kings XI charge long enough to get the job done.KL Rahul got to his half-century in just 19 balls•BCCI

Rahul’s innings turned Faf du Plessis’ superb 96 off 54 balls into a footnote. But the fall of du Plessis, Sam Curran’s third wicket on the day, ground the Super Kings innings to a halt at the death. They managed just seven runs off the last nine balls thanks to the brilliance of Curran and Mohammed Shami. It set up a cinch of a chase for Kings XI to give the home fans a bit of cheer at the end of another season in which they fell short of the playoffs.

Du Plessis turns it on

The South African’s innings was classically paced, easing his way to a half-century off 37 balls before bringing out the fireworks. Du Plessis added 120 for the second wicket with Suresh Raina, who made a 34-ball half-century of his own, to steer Super Kings through a majority of the innings after Shane Watson had lost his off stump to Curran in the Powerplay.ALSO READ: Raina’s return to form has made up for Watson’s strugglesBut Du Plessis ramped up the intensity from the 15th over. He charged M Ashwin twice in that frame, driving him for four and six before unleashing more carnage on Andrew Tye in the next over, cracking the first three balls for two fours and a six. Another pair of sixes off Curran took him into the 90s, the latter of which was flat-batted over the leg side to take him one shot away from a century – he had added 46 off the next 17 balls after reaching 50. But that’s when the wheels came off, both for du Plessis and Super Kings.Faf du Plessis was dismissed by Sam Curran when in sight of a century•BCCI

The Curran and Shami death choke

The England allrounder made his presence felt at various stages of the Super Kings innings. It was Curran who made the initial breakthrough. Raina then became his second victim when he got too cute trying to flick a slower ball past short fine-leg that instead became a simple catch for Shami on the ring.But his finest ball was the follow-up to du Plessis after a half-tracker had been belted over the leg side. Curran speared a yorker into the pads of du Plessis, who couldn’t get his bat down in time as the ball ricocheted off his toes on to the stumps, leaving the batsman bundled over on the ground.Shami then built off Curran’s trio of wickets in the final over with a pair of his own. Ambati Rayudu clipped a full ball in the air to deep midwicket before Kedar Jadhav flailed over a yorker that cannoned into off stump for a golden duck. Despite having plenty of wickets in hand thanks to the platform set by Raina and du Plessis, Super Kings stumbled in the last two overs leaving a well below-par total for Kings XI to get.

Harbhajan’s Jekyll & Hyde spell

During the Powerplay, it looked like Harbhajan Singh might be the reason for Super Kings to keep their fingers crossed for a Mumbai Indians loss to Kolkata Knight Riders later in the day to ensure a top-two finish. Harbhajan was pummelled by Rahul in his first two overs after opening with the new ball.After two sixes by Rahul to round off the second over, the batsman showed nifty footwork to carve Harbhajan over the off and leg side for three straight boundaries to start the fourth. He then charged Harbhajan off the fourth ball to hit him inside out over extra cover for six, and then ended the over with another straight drive for six to bring up a 19-ball half-century as the score stood at 60 for no loss.At that stage, Kings XI needed a very achievable 111 off 57 balls to make Super Kings sweat on the Mumbai result for a place in the top two.That equation was 65 off 27 balls by the time Harbhajan was reintroduced in the 11th. Within four balls, he was on a hat-trick having claimed both Rahul and the far more sedate Chris Gayle. Rahul miscued a drive after charging down the pitch before Gayle flat-batted a pull to long-on. Harbhajan fetched a third in his next over as Mayank Agarwal pulled him to Jadeja on the leg-side rope. Having conceded 41 off his first two overs, he took 3 for 16 off his final two to at least stem the bleeding.Pooran’s fiery cameo followed, in which he blasted three sixes in his 36 off 22 balls before Jadeja claimed him with seven needed for victory. Having taken three key wickets in the first innings, Curran appropriately finished off the chase with a boundary.

England look to put a ropey week behind them as they launch their international summer at a chilly Malahide

The Preview by Alan Gardner02-May-2019

Big Picture

Right, here we go then: England are about to hit the home straight, going into a home World Cup. And yet, they might not feel quite so at home in Malahide, where Ireland will be looking to add to their troubles after a rocky week for the ECB. England’s management have spent most of the build-up dealing with the fallout from the Alex Hales affair (an ongoing series), so the chance to play an actual cricket match will be a pleasant change in that respect.Ireland rarely need much motivation when it comes to upsetting the English, but a few weeks out from a tournament in which Eoin Morgan – who switched allegiances exactly a decade ago – is hoping to lead his much-touted England side to a first global 50-over trophy… Well, that would go down like a pint of the black stuff at Gibney’s. Not least because this is the first World Cup at which Ireland will not be participating since 2003.England may be the No. 1-ranked ODI nation, but it won’t be the No. 1-ranked team who walk out in north Dublin on Friday. Hales’ fall from grace aside, there are numerous absentees through (mostly) minor injuries and prescribed rest for England’s IPL contingent. However, the confirmation of a debut for Jofra Archer, the most-talked-about potential World Cup star yet to have played a single ODI, does add a layer of anticipation from an England perspective.That aside, this is as much of a chance for James Vince to audition for Hales’ spot in the World Cup squad (if England don’t just give it to Archer); possible ODI debuts for Dawid Malan and Ben Foakes, who is in line to take the gloves after the shoulder injury that cruelly ruled out Sam Billings; and the jostling among the pace bowlers, with Chris Jordan, like his “little bro” Archer, trying to barge into World Cup contention.Any sniff that England are taking this game lightly would only encourage Ireland further, but there should be no room for complacency in the wake of recent disruption. Hales was part of the camp that got together at the weekend but was subsequently removed to protect the England team “environment” – with Morgan now having given a frank assessment of how the squad felt. Morgan can at least point to England’s record against Ireland on his watch, with victories in Dublin in 2011 and 2013 (plus a washout in 2015), and last year’s 2-0 win on home soil.For Ireland, the opportunity to claim a major scalp burns brightly – their last win over a Full Member (other than the recently promoted Afghanistan) came against Zimbabwe at the 2015 World Cup. They will also host West Indies and Bangladesh in a tri-series later this month, while the new FTP and forthcoming ODI league marks the next stage in their bid for more fixtures. But beating England, and emulating Scotland’s heroic effort in Edinburgh last year, would start their season on a sweet note.Jofra Archer prepares to bowl during England net practice•Getty Images

Form guide

Ireland WLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England LWLWL

In the spotlight

For a long time considered one of Ireland’s most-promising talents, Andy Balbirnie has taken the long route to becoming a linchpin of the batting. He was released by Middlesex in 2016 and battled injury for a period but has blossomed in the last 18 months, scoring three ODI hundreds in the pivotal No. 3 spot. With Ireland’s class of 2011 slowly heading towards retirement, Balbirnie’s development has helped offset the loss of Ed Joyce, in particular, and at the age of 28 he should be coming into the prime of his career. Made a career-best 145 not out to guide Ireland to victory over Afghanistan in March and comes into this game on the back of another hundred for his province, Leinster.There can be no other candidate. Fortunately, Jofra Archer looks a player born to be in the spotlight, having blazed a trail around the world in T20 leagues from the Big Bash to the IPL since making his debut for Sussex in 2016. His story is now well known: left out of the West Indies squad for the U-19 World Cup, he decided to make use of a British passport and set out to complete the seven-year qualification process to represent England. A change of rules reduced that period to three years and the clamour to get Archer involved in time for the World Cup has only grown since then. A 90mph bowler who can blast sixes and pull down the toughest catches, now is his chance to make an irresistible case.

Team news

Stuart Thompson has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, with former Warwickshire allrounder Mark Adair called up in his place. The spine of the team is full of experience, but there could be a debut for 19-year-old left-armer Josh Little.Ireland: (possible) 1 William Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Andy Balbirnie, 4 Kevin O’Brien, 5 James McCollum/Lorcan Tucker, 6 Gary Wilson (wk), 7 Mark Adair, 8 George Dockrell, 9 Tim Murtagh, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Josh Little/Barry McCarthyWith Roy injured, Jonny Bairstow rested and Hales jettisoned, the stage is set for Vince and Malan to form England’s newest opening partnership. Joe Denly is set for his first ODI appearance in almost 10 years, with Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali among those given time off after the IPL. Ben Duckett and Jordan are the other options in England’s 13-man squad.England: (possible) 1 James Vince, 2 Dawid Malan, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Joe Denly, 6 Ben Foakes (wk), 7 David Willey, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Tom Curran

Pitch and conditions

A classic green seamer that could have been designed for Tim Murtagh’s nibbly medium-pace. Having been undercover for the last two days, it is unlikely to be a deck for breaking batting records. It was raining in Dublin on Thursday, but the forecast for the match is for a largely clear – if bitingly cold – day.

Stats and trivia

• Ireland’s only ODI victory over England remains the 2011 World Cup win at Bengaluru, when Kevin O’Brien went ballistic.
• Gary Wilson is set to win his 100th ODI cap for Ireland.
• Morgan is about to go past James Anderson (194) on England’s list of most-capped players in ODIs, with only Paul Collingwood (197) above him.

Quotes

“He is exciting. The attributes and skills he has are good enough to play international cricket, it’s how he deals with the pressures that come with it and how he performs.”
Eoin Morgan on the prospect of Archer’s debut“England have knocked the benchmark up again in ODI cricket over the last couple of years. They’ve given ODI cricket an extra nudge.
They’re knocking scores up by about 40 runs regardless of the surfaces they’re playing on.”
Will Porterfield on the challenge posed by England’s hard-hitting batsmen

No stranger to the big stage, former South Africa bowler believes defending champions Hampshire have the edge on Royal London Cup rivals Somerset

Paul Edwards23-May-2019The last domestic final played at Lord’s will not take place in September. There will be no sense of summer’s farewell, a last hurrah for careless heat before football recolonises sport. Such occasions belong to distant seasons, when Lancashire or Kent always seemed to be playing and St John’s Wood was packed with supporters making a weekend of it in what was still the big city.But if, as most neutrals hope, Saturday’s Royal London game goes the distance in the manner of those fondly remembered BBC Saturdays, at least one player should know how to cope with the tension that became almost routine in the heyday of Jack Bond and Asif Iqbal.Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott is used to the big occasion and having missed the whole of Hampshire’s triumphant Royal London Cup campaign last year because of an ankle problem he will be delighted to do more in 2019 than offer his support from cricket’s most famous balcony.”Obviously I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Having missed out last year with a pretty silly injury, I was motivated a bit more towards helping the team to get to Lord’s this season. So yes, I’m pretty excited. I know the boys are up for it and the club certainly have a decent reputation when it comes to Lord’s finals.”But things have changed at the Ageas Bowl since Hampshire beat Kent last June. Former head coach Craig White left in October and has been replaced by Adi Birrell, an appointment Abbott sees as vital in the club’s development.”There’s been a big mindset change and it’s one that’s been driven by the coach,” he said. “The players have begged to be challenged and so Adi’s been telling us at the start of every session: ‘Right you guys have asked to be challenged. Well, we need wickets, we need to do this or do that.'”I don’t think it’s been a question of the lack of talent Hampshire have had over the years, I think there’s sometimes been a lack of direction. People say we’re professionals and we should know what to do but sometimes you get so involved and mentally tired that you need these reminders.”Fair enough, of course, but Hampshire’s players have been challenged in a way they almost certainly did not welcome this week following Liam Dawson’s selection in England’s World Cup squad. Despite representations being made to the ICC on the club’s behalf by the ECB both Dawson and James Vince will now be unavailable for the final.”James and Liam have been huge in getting us to the final but so was Aiden Markram,” said Abbott. “It’s quite strange that some players’ first games in this year’s Royal London will be in the final but that provides an opportunity for those guys and I always feel that it’s a question of who holds their nerves on the day. I’d say it’s a 50-50 contest in finals.”I think where Hampshire have the edge over Somerset is that we have been to a Lord’s final and to T20 Finals Day a lot more regularly than they have. That will help us on Saturday because suddenly for somebody the occasion will become bigger than it should be. Instead of Taunton they will be at Lord’s on a bigger stage and nerves show.”No one could accuse Abbott of being a spear carrier on the big stage – or, indeed, of being timid when it comes to the big decision. Although he has never played anything more than T20 cricket at Lord’s, he has represented South Africa in even bigger matches than that he will play on Saturday.”When you are two-all against India in India and you have to go out to perform, that’s as big as it gets,” he pointed out. “I’ve played in the quarter-final of the World Cup. That sort of occasion doesn’t bother me. It will make Lord’s a little bit more comfortable for me.”Kyle Abbott appeals for lbw•Getty Images

Abbott’s reference to his career with South Africa and his obvious pride in his achievements when doing so only reinforces the magnitude of the choice he made in 2017 when he turned his back on international cricket and signed a Kolpak deal with Hampshire. Making that call was all the more difficult given that after a stuttering start his Test career appeared to be flourishing.But Abbott was convinced his place was secure only because Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel were unfit and he had already been omitted from a World Cup semi-final, some suggested for partly political reasons, in favour of Vernon Philander. Many cricketers might claim that having made such the decision to step away from the international game, they had filed the matter as “case closed”, but Abbott is too honest for such self-deluding escapes.”I do sometimes think what might have been and from the outset I’ve always said I made the decision six months too early,” he said. “But I’d rather have been six months too early than six months too late. Had I waited, I would have played in the Champions Trophy and I would have played in the England Test series in 2017.”But things became very clear straight after that series when South Africa toured Bangladesh. Dale Steyn was straight back in the side and then Morne Morkel was straight back in. That’s what I kept telling people. They said, ‘You’re going to have a run now,’ but I replied, ‘No, you don’t understand how this works.'”The convenor of selectors said Steyn and Morkel would have to prove themselves in first-class cricket but I said: ‘They won’t. They are world-class bowlers and they’ll come straight back in.’ And they did come in. I knew international cricket and I could read their minds from a mile off. I do miss international cricket. Even a Lord’s final is not going to replicate an international match but I’m proud of the cricket I played for South Africa in those four years, the games I played in, the wickets I took.”

Sussex post their lowest total for 12 years, trail by 379 runs

ECB Reporters Network01-Jul-2019Northamptonshire are on course to claim their first County Championship win of the season after bowling out Sussex for their lowest total for 12 years.Bottom of the second division going into the fixture, Northamptonshire ended day two at Hove with an overall lead of 379 on 212 for 4 in their second innings after Sussex had earlier been dismissed for 106, their lowest score since May 2007 when they made 102 against Kent at Canterbury – a season when they went on to become county champions.They had no answer to the unrelenting accuracy of Northamptonshire’s four seamers led by Ben Sanderson who finished with 6 for 37, his best figures of the season. They found the right length throughout and a pitch offering some seam movement and swing.Northants did not enforce the follow-on and when they batted again Ricardo Vasconcelos, who scored 88, and Rob Newton, who reached 54, added 108 for the first wicket. Abi Sakande picked up two wickets but Sussex had long since been consigned to damage limitation. Their only hope now is to at least show a bit more resolve when they bat again.Sussex had resumed on 7 for 2 and they soon lost overnight batsmen Luke Wells and Aaron Thomason in successive overs. Brett Hutton picked up Wells and Sanderson claimed his first wicket of the day when Thomason edged an away-swinger to third slip, just as Wells had done.It set the tone for a dispiriting morning for Sussex who were 26 for 5 as Sanderson struck again to remove Laurie Evans. Evans was also beaten by late movement and edged to first slip. Ben Brown and Delray Rawlins staged a mini recovery to take the score to 49 before Luke Procter straightened one nicely and Brown 10 edged behind.Rawlins rode his luck at times but briefly broke the shackles to take successive boundaries off Hutton before Sanderson returned to have him taken a second slip for 31. While Sanderson, Hutton and Procter shared the spoils they were backed up by Nathan Buck, whose six overs contained four maidens.After lunch, Will Beer – batting at No.9 having opened in his last three games – was lbw to Hutton for one before Sanderson finished things off. David Wiese, who helped Rawlins add 34 for the seventh wicket, was caught behind and Sakande edged to third slip in the next over.Northants batted again with a lead of 163 and by tea had extended that to 275. Vasconcelos and Newton reached half-centuries off successive balls with Newton hitting Beer for six to get there.Sussex made a breakthrough with the first ball after the resumption when Newton edged to slip to give Ollie Robinson his seventh wicket of the match and there was double success for Sakande who had Alex Wakely caught behind off an inside edge before pinning Vasconcelos for 88 after the South African had struck 13 fours.Temba Bavuma smashed a waist-high full toss from Rawlins to deep mid-wicket just before the close but it was a chastening day for Sussex and a very good one for Northants.

The former New Zealand coach had taken charge of the IPL franchise in October last year for the 2019 IPL season, where Kings XI finished sixth

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2019Mike Hesson has parted ways with Kings XI Punjab after a ten-month tenure as coach of the IPL franchise.Hesson announced his decision to step down through a post on Twitter on Thursday.”I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Kings XI franchise,” his tweet said, “and wish to thank them for the season I had in charge. Whilst disappointed not to be able to build on the work we did this year, I’m sure success isn’t too far away for them. I wish them all the best for the future.” Hesson’s departure from the IPL comes at a time of significant coaching changes at the international level in the aftermath of the men’s World Cup.Hesson, who had coached New Zealand between 2012 and 2018, replaced Australian Brad Hodge as Kings XI coach in October last year. He took up the IPL role five months after stepping down as New Zealand coach, and his stint with Kings XI was his first in a T20 franchise league. During his tenure, Kings XI finished sixth in IPL 2019, winning six of their 14 games, with R Ashwin as captain.Hesson had quit as New Zealand coach less than a year before the 2019 World Cup, with a view to taking a “break from the rigours of international cricket”. Under him, New Zealand became a dominant Test team and also made the World Cup final in 2015. In 59 T20Is under Hesson, New Zealand won 30 and lost 24.

Reeza Hendricks struck a half-century and Beuran Hendricks was impressive with the ball, but it wasn’t enough to stop the home side from winning by 36 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Sep-2019 20 overs per sideSouth Africa A did hit back with a four-run (DLS method) win in the fourth one-dayer, but India A, who had won the first three games, showed that it was just a blip as they were dominant again in registering a 36-run win in the final game in Thiruvananthapuram, which gave them a 4-1 series win.In a match reduced to 20 overs a side following rain, the Indians opted to bat and rode on big hands from Sanju Samson and Shikhar Dhawan to put up 204 for 4. Shardul Thakur then led the show with the ball as the South Africans were bowled out for 168 off the last ball.Dhawan, included in the side for the last two games after completing his recovery – he had broken a thumb, forcing his World Cup campaign to end prematurely – had a worry early on as a Beuran Hendricks delivery hit his helmet in the third over. The batsman had walked across the stumps to try and play the scoop, but took his eyes off and got hit near the left ear.He was treated immediately, and continued batting, playing till the 14th over for a 36-ball 51 with five fours and two sides. The end came when he was caught by Kyle Verreynne attempting a slog-sweep off left-arm spinner George Linde, but by then he had helped the Indians get to 137, his partnership with Samson for the second wicket worth 135 runs after Prashant Chopra had fallen early.Samson, batting beautifully, carried on and was in sight of a century before Linde had his number too, the batsman falling for 91 off 48 balls, with six fours and seven sixes, with 25 balls left in the innings.Shreyas Iyer, the captain, put the finishing touches to an excellent batting effort with a 19-ball 36, and South Africa were faced with a steep ask against a well-oiled bowling machine.The required rate for the visitors was over ten an over, but they only got to 40 for 2 by the end of the six-over mark, losing Janneman Malan to Thakur and Temba Bavuma to Ishan Porel along the way.That meant there was too much to do for the other top-order batsmen, and though Reeza Hendricks and Verreynne put together a 69-run stand for the third wicket – Hendricks scored 59 and Verreynne 44 – they were always lagging behind the asking rate.Heinrich Klaasen, the other prominent batsman in the line-up, couldn’t quite kick on either, and the South Africans finished well short, Thakur’s 3 for 9 from three overs quite the standout bowling performance in a convincing win.The teams now get ready for the first of two four-day matches, in Thiruvananthapuram, with the second in Mysuru, starting September 9.

Abbott runs through Somerset with 9 for 40 before James Vince’s unbeaten century builds lead for Hants

Matt Roller at the Ageas Bowl17-Sep-2019Hampshire 196 (Dawson 103, Gregory 3-63) and 176 for 8 (Vince 102*) lead Somerset 142 (Abbott 9-40) by 230 runsA relentless Kyle Abbott ran through Somerset’s batting line-up to finish with the best figures in the County Championship since in three years and dent their hopes of winning a maiden title.Abbott’s overnight figures had been impressive – he had two wickets for one run in six overs – and he added a further seven on a bright, sunny day, moving the ball prodigiously off the seam while hammering away at a good length.Despite some resistance in the form of a dogged 67-run stand for the ninth wicket between Dom Bess and Roelof van der Merwe, Somerset folded for 142, leaving them 54 runs in arrears.They struck early with the new ball, leaving Hampshire in trouble at 45 for 6, before James Vince’s sublime, unbeaten 102 wrestled control back, while events at Chelmsford confirmed that next week’s game at Taunton will be a title decider regardless of what happens in this round of games.The reasons players sign Kolpak deals are myriad and complex, and Abbott has no regrets about his decision to do so back in 2017, but it was impossible to watch this display without a tinge of sadness that he has played his last game of international cricket.Many of his best balls did not take wickets, and instead jagged away late off the seam past the outside edge; but the balls to remove Tom Abell (bowled shouldering arms), James Hildreth (feathering behind) and George Bartlett (trapped lbw in front of off stump) all stuck in the memory as deliveries about which little could have been done.The wicket here has been an unusual one. In each of the three innings thus far, it has looked like a snakepit when the seamers are armed with a new, hard ball; once it has softened, the dryness underneath the grassy top has made the surface comparatively placid. Somerset picked two spinners in the expectation that it might turn as the game wore on, but movement off the seam, coupled with good pace and slightly irregular bounce, has been the key factor in keeping the scores down.Vince signalled in the aftermath of the game against Surrey last week that his side were “motivated to turn in a strong performance” to spoil Somerset’s party, and he appeared to have taken that mantra to heart in his innings.He took 23 balls to get off the mark, and was unbeaten on five after 43, before flying through the gears faster than a sixth-former in the outside lane in their first time on the motorway, creaming 14 fours as he reached a sublime hundred from 136. The pick of them were an outrageous one-two off Abell’s medium pace; the first a length ball whipped from outside off stump through midwicket, the second a late cut dabbed through third man for four.Within five overs of being joined by Abbott, batting at No. 10, Vince was faced with a field comprising a wide slip, and eight men on the boundary. It did little to deter him, and he manoeuvred the strike expertly in their unbeaten partnership, which stands at 73 overnight.”Wishing all the luck in the world to Somerset today! This could be our first County Championship in 600 years,” John Cleese had tweeted on Monday morning, and the club’s wait has been so long and agonising for their supporters that it might well feel as though he wasn’t too far out in his exaggerated calculations.In the film Clockwise, Cleese’s character Brian Stimpson cries: “It’s not the despair, Laura. I can take the despair. It’s the hope I can’t stand.” So it must feel in Taunton on days like this.There have been points at which Somerset have seemed in control of this game, but they now find themselves needing to make the highest total of the match in the fourth innings if they are to win.But today’s struggle with the bat effectively confirmed what was already apparent for Somerset: if they do win the title, it will likely be in spite of, rather than because of, their batting. No player averages more than 35 this season, while nobody is near the aggregate of 1000 runs that was once used as a benchmark.There are extenuating circumstances – only one ground, Chelmsford, has seen fewer runs scored per wicket than Taunton’s 23.95 – but the reality is that few teams win pennants without a single batsman having a notable season.Jason Kerr, the head coach, is not waiving the white flag just yet. “”I think the surface is changing,” he said, “and if we can get through with the new ball then I think we are in the game. Hampshire scored 400 in the third innings last week and it is a similar pitch to this. There is a great opportunity for us tomorrow.”It is fighting talk, but with Abbott in this form, getting through the new ball is hardly a simple task. And with the forecast for next week’s game looking decidedly iffy, it is clear that tomorrow’s events will go a long way towards determining the identity of this year’s champions.

Harry Conway claimed 5 for 17 to dismantle Queensland for 153 as the ball dominated at the Gabba

Andrew McGlashan at the Gabba10-Oct-2019Cameron Gannon, the Queensland pace bowler who was playing for USA in August, did what none of England’s attack could do during the Ashes: remove Steven Smith for a duck.Smith, playing his first first-class game in Australia since January 2018, flashed at his fifth delivery and the edge was grabbed by Joe Burns at second slip. It had been 54 innings, and nearly three years, since Smith had last bagged a first-class duck.It was the second of three wickets for Gannon – who two months ago was playing against Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Canada in the T20 World Cup Americas Regionals Finals having qualified for USA through his mother’s side of the family – during an impressive six-over opening spell which brought Queensland back into the match at the Gabba after they had been bowled out for 153 with Harry Conway claiming 5 for 17.”It was pretty weird, I didn’t really know what was going on,” Gannon said of Smith’s scalp. “I was just trying to put the ball in the same spot every time then a couple of things happened which was nice. He’s an absolute weapon off the pads so the plan was go a little bit wider and fuller, but it was a drag down that got him in the end.”This is my tenth season with the Bulls so it’s been a long road but I think missing out on pre-season, going to England and playing some league cricket, then the states, really refreshed me for this year. I’ve come back really enjoying my cricket and it’s probably the most fun I’ve had playing for a long time. Hopefully that shows.”On playing for USA, he said: “It was really weird, being an Australian and singing a different national anthem, standing behind another flag. It was a bit of an uneasy feeling to be honest but it was a really good experience. We’ll see if we get the chance to do it again.”So what’s the secret? Cameron Gannon removed Steven Smith for a duck•Getty Images

By the close, New South Wales had steadied themselves somewhat to reach 3 for 50 with David Warner unbeaten on 27 having survived the around-the-wicket attack of the Queensland bowlers which didn’t quite have the same impact as Stuart Broad in the Ashes.Only Marnus Labuschagne stood out for the home side with 69 on a well-grassed surface that offered pace and carry but few demons. However, the New South Wales attack were relentless and for significant periods dried up the scoring almost completely although Mitchell Starc went wicketless during his 17 overs.It wasn’t a great day for the Test hopefuls at the top of the order. Burns and Matt Renshaw resisted for more than an hour before Burns missed a full toss from Sean Abbott then Usman Khawaja was pinned lbw on the back foot as Conway earned his first. Having played well to get through the first session, Renshaw was undone by late movement from Trent Copeland shortly after the break with Smith taking a sharp low catch at second slip.Good bowling earned the early wickets but Sam Heazlett provided a big helping hand when he pulled a short ball from Moises Henriques to long leg to leave Queensland 5 for 95.Labuschagne, meanwhile, showed great patience and excellent judgement, a boundary bringing up his half-century from 129 balls which was followed by a brief flurry of runs, which compared the day’s general rate of scoring. He could feel a little unlucky to be given out lbw to Conway with the replays suggesting the ball was swinging down the leg side. His departure marked a rapid finish to the innings as the last five wickets fell for 13 runs.

Delhi, Baroda and Punjab also register victories in Syed Mushtaq Ali Super League matches

Saurabh Somani21-Nov-2019Karnataka, Delhi, Baroda and Punjab opened their Syed Mushtaq Ali 2019-20 Super League matches with victories on Thursday. The first day of the Super League games had several teams putting up big scores, while Karnataka were the only team to win while chasing. Among others in attendance for the matches were John Wright and Malolan Rangarajan, both on scouting duty for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore respectively, with the IPL auction slated for December 19.In other news, Shikhar Dhawan suffered an injury while batting when he dived for his crease to avoid a run-out, and will miss Delhi’s next game.Karnataka v Tamil Nadu
Unbeaten half-centuries by captain Manish Pandey and opener KL Rahul led Karnataka to an easy nine-wicket win after Tamil Nadu had been restricted to 158 for 7. This was the only game played at night, and dew was a factor in the chase, with Tamil Nadu’s bowlers unable to grip the ball properly at times. However, the target was too meagre to challenge a strong batting line-up.Put in to bat, Tamil Nadu sent in the makeshift opening pair of Hari Nishanth and B Aparajith, but the move didn’t work with both batsmen struggling for timing and not picking the gaps. Both fell in the sixth over, Aparjith caught in the circle and Nishanth run out via a direct hit by Pandey, to leave Tamil Nadu 26 for 2. Dinesh Karthik and Washington Sundar led the recovery, immediately hitting their stride and lifting the sagging run rate. They put on 76 in 7.4 overs before Karthik became Ronit More’s second victim for a 29-ball 43. Tamil Nadu’s hopes of a finishing kick were dealt a further blow when Washington was caught off J Suchith for 39 off 25 balls. Vijay Shankar sparkled briefly and dragged the score past 150.Karnataka’s in-form opening pair of Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal then raced to 70 in seven overs, with none of the bowlers troubling them. Padikkal fell against the run of play, sweeping M Ashwin straight to short fine leg for a 20-ball 36. However, Pandey joined Rahul for an unbroken 91-run stand in only 9.2 overs. Rahul ended with 69* off 46, while Pandey had 52* off 33.Delhi v Maharashtra
Nitish Rana took a career-best 4 for 17 to bowl Maharashtra out for just 90 in 17.2 overs and hand Delhi a 77-run victory.Put in to bat, Delhi’s opening pair of Dhawan and Hiten Dalal were steady more than spectacular, and when both fell within a few minutes of each other, the score was a shaky 44 for 2 in the seventh over. Dhruv Shorey, the Delhi captain, played a crucial knock, steering the innings with an unbeaten 48 off 37 to ensure Delhi’s second half was much better than their first. Rana, who had a good all-round day, made 21, while Himmat Singh gave the innings the boost it needed with a 16-ball 32.Maharashtra’s innings stuttered from the start. Only Ruturaj Gaikwad got into double figures, and his 42 off 32 stood in stark contrast to the rest of the line-up. Kedar Jadhav being run out for 8 didn’t help Maharashtra. Gaikwad was the eighth wicket to fall, bowled by Rana, who then picked up the remaining two batsmen too.Delhi’s only sore point in the match was a gash on Dhawan’s thigh, acquired when he dived to make his crease while completing a run. Dhawan was taken to a nearby hospital to be patched up, and ESPNcricinfo understands that he is likely to miss only one match for Delhi.
Baroda v Rajasthan
A high-scoring thriller saw Baroda edge Rajasthan by 15 runs. The foundation was laid by Baroda’s opening duo of Kedar Devdhar, the captain and wicketkeeper, and Aditya Waghmode.Devdhar (64 off 44) and Waghmode (88 off 50) put on 150 runs for the opening wicket at almost ten runs per over, as Baroda racked up 201 for 5. Aniket Choudhary was the only Rajasthan bowler to emerge unscathed, picking up 2 for 27 in four overs.Rajasthan had useful contributions throughout the order, with opener Ankit Lamba (54 off 37) and middle-order batsman Arjit Gupta (41 off 21) leading the way, but they needed one of their batsmen to go big. The required rate eventually proved too much for them, as they ended on 186 for 8. Atit Sheth was the most impressive bowler, with 3 for 34.Punjab v Jharkhand
Punjab routed Jharkhand by 109 runs, the bowlers completing the good work started by the opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Mandeep Singh.Jharkhand’s decision to field backfired with Abhishek (72 off 44) and Mandeep (81 off 52) piling up 124 runs in 12.3 overs, setting the stage for Punjab to eventually reach 199 for 4. Jharkhand’s two left-arm spinners – Shahbaz Nadeem and Anukul Roy – were the only ones to have a measure of success, with Nadeem taking 2 for 27 and Roy returning 1 for 35.Jharkhand’s reply was punctuated by a rash of wickets, as they were all out for 90 in just 14.2 overs. The highest score was opener Utkarsh Singh’s 24, with no other batsman crossing 20. Leggie Mayank Markande spun a web around Jharkhand, picking up 3 for 13 and dismantling the chase in the middle overs.