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It might have been back to the 1930s as a batsman called Hammond cheered the national mood by striking a century at Cheltenham

Paul Edwards at Cheltenham17-Jul-2018
ScorecardIn the 1930s, an era of a National Government and the hated Means Test, a Hammond century at Cheltenham engendered pleasure but little surprise. In the age of Brexit and very different uncertainties a maiden hundred by a different Hammond was greeted with a mighty roar of joyous acclamation on the College Ground. Deep in the second afternoon of this game Miles Hammond square cut David Wiese to the pavilion boundary and suddenly shared more than his surname and a loyalty to Gloucestershire with Wally.Some of history’s more seductive comparisons should be resisted. Unlike Wally Hammond, his namesake’s cover-drives do not suggest he is playing a game with which the rest of humanity is unfamiliar; he has now made one first-class century whereas his predecessor managed 167, nine of them on the College Ground.But most of young Hammond’s shots were fluent enough, not least the majority of his 20 boundaries. His driving square of the wicket and through the covers was wonderfully assertive and particularly fine given the Sussex bowlers did all they could to rough him up before applauding his achievement. The Cheltenham-born Hammond did not look like a batsman playing his first Championship match for three years as he put on 182 with his fellow opener, Chris Dent, thus setting a new first-wicket for Gloucestershire on the ground. And three overs after his captain had been caught at short fine leg for 65 when scooping Danny Briggs, Hammond reached his hundred. Two balls later he edged a catch to Ben Brown when aiming a euphoric flash at David Wiese.And all this was watched by over a hundred former professionals who were attending the PCA’s annual reunion at the College Lawn End. Charged glasses in hand, the old boys watched the 38th over of the innings, during which Hammond avoided Jofra Archer’s malevolent bouncer, played and missed twice and square drove the offended bowler to the Sandford Road boundary. One hoped John Snow, a Sussex and England fast bowler from the last century, appreciated the duel. The former players stood and chatted in their small groups, “recalling the glory they knew in their prime, all batsmen and bowlers of note, who terrified parishes.” Thus Frank Mansell’s “The Old Cricketer”, one of his Cotswold Ballads, written by a poet who played his club cricket for Sheepscombe, which lies some eight miles from Cheltenham.The bowling of Archer and Ollie Robinson on a College Ground pitch which offered a little variable bounce would indeed have petrified some batsmen on this second morning but it did not deter Hammond, not even after he had taken a blow on his helmet from Robinson in the fifth over of the day. A huge leg before appeal went in his favour three balls later and soon he was edging inquisitively forward and looking to drive again. It remains a puzzle why Brown did not post a short-leg.Yet almost all of the cricket on this second day was of a high standard and keenly contested. Those who disparage the Second Division, often without seeing any matches, should be set down and made to watch it before they pontificate again. Errors were rare and properly punished. Phil Salt, who had dropped a snorter off Hammond on Monday evening, also put down a straightforward chance off Dent when the opener had 14. Those mistakes hardly looked to have been rectified by the wickets of James Bracey and Graeme van Buuren, both of whom were dismissed in the evening session as Sussex took the new ball and looked to limit Gloucestershire’s lead.Then a day which had been dominated by the batting of young Hammond ended with a reminder of Jofra Archer’s remarkable ability to change the course of game, even at a time when many spectators are packing up to go home. Inspired and enlivened by the arrival of George Drissell as nightwatchman, Archer demanded the ball and in the penultimate over of the evening session he bowled Drissell and Ryan Higgins with successive deliveries before having Kieran Noema-Barnett caught at the wicket before second ball.Archer’s triple-wicket maiden brought the game back into the hazard, a judgement confirmed when David Miles was leg before to Robinson in the final over. Gloucestershire had lost four wickets for five runs in ten balls and their lead is now a mere 17. One imagines this chaos gave the former players even more to talk about but one hopes they remembered Gloucestershire’s next Hammond.

India’s captain mocked those asking for Rahane’s inclusion in the XI, claiming that “no one” had wanted him to play in the last Test

Sidharth Monga in Centurion12-Jan-20182:23

‘No one expected Rahane in the XI’ – Kohli

To some Ajinkya Rahane was a shock exclusion from the first Test – he has the best overseas record among the current India batsmen – but to Virat Kohli it was no surprise at all. On the eve of the second Test, Kohli actually mocked those asking for Rahane’s inclusion in the XI. Kohli felt “no one” wanted Rahane to play the last Test.”It’s funny how things change in a matter of weeks, or just about five days,” Kohli said on the eve of the second Test. “Before the first Test, no one thought that he should be in the XI, and now suddenly people are looking at the other option. For us as a team, it’s all about finding the right balance. If players fit in in the kind of balance we want to go with as a side, then they will fit in. We certainly don’t go on opinions that are created outside, and ‘talk of the town’, and all those sort of things.”Having said that, Kohli acknowledged Rahane’s importance as a batsman.”He’s a quality player, he’s done well in South Africa. [In] all conditions, actually, away from home,” Kohli said of Rahane. “He’s probably been our most consistent and solid player away from home. I explained the reasons why Rohit [Sharma] started ahead of him. I’m not saying that Ajinkya cannot or will not start in this game. Possibilities are all open at the moment and we shall decide after practice.”One of the left-field options is to make Parthiv Patel open the innings, thus freeing a middle-order slot for Rahane. As things stand, Hardik Pandya has made himself undroppable through his performance, and it will be unfair – now that he has been picked – to drop Rohit after one Test. If Rahane has to play, Parthiv has to be brought in. It is not a fanciful thought: in the lead-up to the Test, the support staff has been putting in a lot of work on Parthiv’s keeping and batting, and the same continued on the eve of the Test.Kohli continued to ask for improvement from his other batsmen as he felt the bowlers had done a decent job of bringing India back into the contest in Cape Town. “We are very happy with the way the bowlers went about the business,” Kohli said. “The batting didn’t come out well so I’m not worried on the bowling front at all. We have been in a very good space, and we believe we can get them out twice again in this game.”You definitely need that to win Test matches but you also need a solid batting performance. Especially when you are playing away from home, you need that 60-70-80 extra runs compared to back home because there your bowlers will be stronger. But the way they (bowlers) showed their skill sets and their character in the first game, it motivated us as a batting group also to support them and play together as a unit and get some good results out there.”One of the things Kohli asked of his batsmen was more intent. He was asked to elaborate what he meant by that.”Intent doesn’t really mean that you have to go out there and start playing shots from ball one,” Kohli said. “Intent is there in a leave. Intent is there in defending as well. Intent is about being vocal out there in calling. All those things count as intent. Just the way your body language, the way you are thinking about the game. It gets portrayed in your body language. People can tell if you are playing with intent or not.”There will be tough moments but I think even the tough moments one needs to overcome through intent. Defending or leaving the ball, you need precise footwork to do that. And that only comes with a clear head and a positive intent in your head. That’s how I look at things. Even if I’m going to leave the ball, I need to do it with intent. My stride should be big enough to leave the ball, or defend it. So in my head I’m feeling positive about those things. Being positive doesn’t mean you are scoring every ball. But it’s understanding that you are in control of what you want to do. That’s how I break down intent.”Kohli said there was no need for panic yet. “I don’t think we need to panic because of collapses,” he said. “People need to apply themselves much better. Whether we are playing five batsmen or six, you still need to apply yourself. It doesn’t mean that if you are playing six batters, you can afford to go out and play loose shots. You still need to have a solid technique and go out there and be ready to face bowling spells which are going to be difficult. We need to embrace that.”

Tymal Mills and Dawid Malan have been named in England’s T20 squad to face Sri Lanka next month while Jonny Bairstow has been included for both the ODIs and T20 but there is no place for Stuart Broad

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2016Tymal Mills, the Sussex left-arm fast bowler, and Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan have been named in England’s T20 squad to face Sri Lanka next month. Jonny Bairstow has been included for both the ODIs and T20 but there was no place for Stuart Broad.Alex Hales, Joe Root and Moeen Ali were rested for the T20, which takes place at the Ageas Bowl on July 5. There was no place in either squad for Jake Ball, who was part of the Test squad through the series against Sri Lanka.Mills, who was forced to retire from first-class cricket last year after being diagnosed with a congenital back condition, is limited to the four-over workloads of T20 cricket but has the ability to bowl above 90mph. Prior to his diagnosis he was already on England’s radar because of his extreme pace – he was used as a net bowler during the 2013-14 Ashes tour – and continued to be involved in the fast bowling programme during last winter.”The guy can bowl quickly. It’s a shame his back has robbed him of first-class cricket, but he seems to have thrown all his efforts into becoming a really skilful one-day bowler,” Alastair Cook, England’s Test captain, said. “He’s obviously worked on his skills: he can change-up from a 93mph thunderbolt to a slower ball. There’s no substitute for pace. I’ll be very excited to watch him bowl.”In a recent televised T20 Blast match against Somerset, Mills was clocked at 93mph when he gave Chris Gayle a working over before shattering his stumps, and also showed his variety of slower balls he often uses at the death. On Friday he claimed 3 for 15 from his four overs against Kent.Earlier this month he told ESPNcricinfo about his ambitions to be a T20 specialist for England. “In a perfect world I could make a career doing this for a long time. I’ve just got to stay fit,” he said. “Everything I do is aimed at being a top T20 player. I want to play for England even if it’s just in T20 cricket.”Malan was rewarded for impressive form against Pakistan A in the UAE, where he scored 253 runs at 50.60 and a strike rate of 131.77 in the five T20s, alongside 211 runs in four one-day games. He will likely open the innings alongside Jason Roy, with Hales given a brief break after the five-match ODI series. Liam Dawson, the Hampshire allrounder who was part of the World T20 squad but did not make his debut, retained his place.”Tymal Mills has been one of the standout performers with the ball in the NatWest T20 Blast competition this season and deserves his chance,” James Whitaker, the national selector, said. “Dawid Malan has made great strides as an attacking batsman, both with Middlesex and the England Lions. We were particularly impressed with his three fifties during the winter tour of the UAE against Pakistan A.”The 14-man one-day squad had a familiar look except for the enforced absences of Ben Stokes (knee injury), Reece Topley (back injury) and James Taylor. Liam Plunkett, the Yorkshire fast bowler, retained his place with the other pace bowlers being David Willey, Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes and Steven Finn. Moeen and Adil Rashid again offer the option of a twin-spin attack.”We have made good progress over the past 12 months in all white ball cricket, which has been very encouraging,” Whitaker said. “The six matches coming up against Sri Lanka will give the players a good test of their credentials. It is important for this group of players to make a mark this summer as we continue to improve ahead of hosting the ICC Champions Trophy tournament this time next year.”ODI squad Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, James Vince, David Willey, Chris WoakesT20 squad Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, James Vince, David Willey

“These are the performances that extend your career,” Shoaib Malik said after scoring his eighth ODI hundred. “I needed that and it came with a lot of backing from the team management.”

Umar Farooq27-May-2015A witty smile with a smart salute – this is how Shoaib Malik entered the press conference at Gaddafi Stadium after scoring a much-needed hundred. There were nearly two dozen journalists sitting in the room and Malik went to each, one-by-one, to shake their hand and acknowledge the presence of all those who had witnessed his eighth ODI hundred. With this utterly unprecedented gesture – instigated by Malik, not the journalists – he said a lot.Malik last played an ODI during the 2013 Champions Trophy and has been ignored over the past two years as he struggled for form. His name kept floating into discussions but he never made into the side. He was randomly selected for the 2014 World T20 but it was for him another international flop. His selection remained a dilemma as his last two comebacks had been accompanied by talk of political sway.His recent comeback was a surprising one; the Pakistan ODI team to play Zimbabwe was announced in the midnight hours, at a time when the mobile network around Gaddafi Stadium was jammed amid the security protocol of the Zimbabwe team, all set to return to the hotel after completing the second Twenty20 on Sunday. The PCB selectors offered no explanation why Malik was included – he had no extraordinary form to suggest he would be picked.In the past year, Malik was away from the cricketing limelight but continued to be in the spotlight for his commercial venture in India. Ahead of every team selection announcement he was mostly seen at the National Cricket Academy, training and warming up his Twitter account. Nothing made sense until he scored this match-winning 112 off 76 balls; it was difficult, though, to know the precise value of his innings.Over the years, Pakistan have spoken of blooding young players but it requires courage from the selectors. They made drastic changes to the ODI squad after the 2015 World Cup but lost 3-0 to Bangladesh, which forced them to back into their shell. Pakistan traditionally adheres to the nucleus of mainly senior players, with a few young players mixed in.Malik was initially handed an opportunity in his specialist format, Twenty20, where he failed to mark his international career revival. His technique looked poor and he played two of the uglier innings of his career. But coach Waqar Younis had faith in him, which proved a major difference according to Malik himself. He was meant to bat at No.5 in the ODI team but was suddenly asked to bat at No.3 with 23 overs left, allowing him to get settled with ample overs left.Malik has batted in every position except No.11 over the course of his ODI career. Here, he turned the tables and played a big hand to give Pakistan their highest total of 375 runs in Pakistan. The midas touch was back as his innings revived some old memories of his unbeaten 82 off 41 balls in 2003 at the same venue.Malik’s stroke-making and immense power with his sharp coordination makes him a shrewd batsman. He hit 12 boundaries and two sixes at a strike-rate of 147.36 to mark a valuable revival to his career. “These are the performances that extend your career,” Malik said after the match. “I needed that and it came with a lot of backing from the team management.”When Malik was out of contention he was still captaining his regional side, Sialkot Stallions, and led them to the T20 title this month. He himself finished as the third leading scorer at an average of 61.55 in five matches. “Before coming into the series I was playing in Faisalabad in domestic T20 where I played couple of good innings and that actually gave me the flow and confidence. Now I would like to keep it going and be consistent with my form.”Recalling his two years in the wilderness he said: “There has been an obvious disappointment but as a profession you always look for opportunity and you have to perform to get their attention. At the end of the day, it’s selectors’ prerogative to pick me or not as it’s up to them to pick whatever they require fitting in for their combination. Everyone set goals for themselves … I have some plans to contribute as a team and individually comes later.”The inclusion of Malik, 33, in the team might have discouraged one youngster waiting for a million-dollar opportunity, but after his century, his selection suddenly made sense, with a big vacuum to be filled following the retirements of Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq from the format.

Darren Stevens recorded his fourth Championship century of the season as Kent piled on the runs against Division Two rivals Gloucestershire

22-Aug-2013
ScorecardDarren Stevens continued his impressive campaign with the bat•Getty Images

Darren Stevens recorded his third Championship century of the season as Kent piled on the runs against Division Two rivals Gloucestershire on a rain-shortened second day. Responding to Kent’s 474 all out, the visitors went in at stumps on 80 without loss after 29 overs to trail by 394 at the mid-point of this 162nd Canterbury Cricket Week clash.Stevens, who earlier in the month was charged by the ICC for his failure to
report a corrupt approach while playing for the Dhaka Gladiators in February, made light of the pressure to build on his overnight score of 98 not out.Heavy morning showers had delayed Stevens and the resumption of Kent’s first innings until umpires’ inspections at 1.30pm and 2pm, with play finally allowed to start at 2.20pm. The 37-year-old Stevens needed only two deliveries to reach his hundred by clipping a loose delivery from left-arm seamer David Payne to the ropes at square leg for the 18th boundary of a 127-ball ton.His innings ended selflessly for 126 when – with his side needing seven runs for a fifth batting bonus point and with only four balls remaining before the 110-over cut-off – Stevens top-edged an attempted pull against Benny Howell to be caught by Michael Klinger at short extra cover.Home captain James Tredwell followed in the next over for a season’s best 48 when he steered a Craig Miles legcutter to Chris Dent at second slip to make it 399 for 8. With useful double-figure contributions throughout the tail, including an unbeaten 44 by Calum Haggett, Kent reached 474 before last man Charlie Shreck lost his leg stump just after 4.30pm.Meanwhile, Kent confirmed that Matthew Coles, their 23-year-old strike bowler, has turned down a contract extension and is set to leave the club.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not received any bids for the broadcasting rights of the home series against New Zealand in October

Mohammad Isam02-Aug-2013The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not received any bids for the broadcasting rights of the home series against New Zealand in October. A tender was floated for the TV rights on July 15 and but the BCB did not receive a single bid until the deadline passed on Thursday afternoon.”There were no bids within the given deadline,” BCB’s acting CEO, Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “We have extended the deadline now, and are also in discussion with companies who have called us during the last two weeks in regards to the TV rights. We will stay in discussion with them and talk to those who apply for the tender too.”The last home series between Bangladesh and West Indies was telecast on Channel 9 after its parent organisation Virgo Media Ltd bought the worldwide broadcasting rights by paying $50,000 at the time. BCB has been without a permanent broadcaster since their botched-up six-year deal with Nimbus ended in March 2012.In August last year, the BCB floated a tender for a TV deal that extended from November 2012 to April 2016. There were just a few interested parties and to find more potential buyers, BCB extended the tender deadline twice and even made changes to the initial tender. The deal But still it didn’t attract many, and those who were interested, offered far less than what was BCB’s expectations.The BCB will continue to look for a broadcaster for just the New Zealand series, as it is currently in transition having been run by the ad-hoc committee and with the board election set to be scheduled over the next month. It is likely that elected directors and president will take a decision on the long-term broadcasting rights of the BCB.

ESPNcricinfo previews the one-off Twenty20 international between West Indies and Pakistan in St Lucia

The Preview by Liam Brickhill20-Apr-2011

Match Facts

April 21, Gros Islet

Start time 1400 (1800 GMT)Darren Sammy and Shahid Afridi are used to dealing with controversies surrounding their teams•AFP

The Big Picture

A meeting between Pakistan and West Indies should be just the sort of combination of volatile elements that makes for an absorbing contest. One simply can’t know what to expect from two teams famous for displays of talent and inconsistency in equal measure. Off-field disturbances can add to the soap opera, but there haven’t been many occasions in the recent past when Pakistan have entered a series as the more stable, settled side. The current turbulence in West Indies cricket ahead of the tour opener at Gros Islet means the spotlight has been firmly on the hosts in the build-up.Just five members of the team that played the World Cup quarter-final against Pakistan last month are in the squad for the opening Twenty20. Though Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard were not eligible for selection because they did not play in the Caribbean T20 earlier this year, there is no place either for Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan or Sulieman Benn, though Darren Sammy retains his place as captain.The possibility of this sort of purge arose after coach Ottis Gibson’s ominous reproach of the “senior players” after the quarter-final exit from the World Cup, but few would have expected the changes to be quite so extensive. Gayle’s exit could prove the most troublesome. The only constant at the top of the order in the last decade, he was in the middle of a rehabilitation programme for an injury picked up during the World Cup, but would have been eligible to play in the final three ODIs and the Tests that followed. Instead, he will play for the Royal Challengers in the IPL, and an inexperienced team will have to do without his experience and confident swagger at the crease.The situation was not quite as bad the last time Pakistan toured the Caribbean, back in 2005, but the warning signs were there. West Indies were in the throes of internal turmoil caused by the long-running contractual wrangles with their sponsors, and though Pakistan were not without their own backroom troubles they breezed to a 3-0 win in the ODIs before drawing the Test series.They have every chance of pulling off a similar result this time – and could well end their record of never having won a Test series in the West Indies. The news of Zulqarnain Haider’s impending return to Pakistan and the potential pot-stirring from the announcement of stringent new guidelines for player agents following Mazhar Majeed’s alleged misdeeds in England last summer were absorbed without missing a beat and a convincing win over a West Indies Vice Chancellor’s XI in their first practice match will only have bolstered Pakistan’s preparations.With West Indies’ big guns gone and Pakistan starting as firm favourites, the Twenty20 match on Thursday could well set the tone for the tour. How long will Pakistan’s stability last? Does this latest twist represent a tangible change of direction for West Indies, or will it be yet another phase in the re-building exercise that has been going on for the best part of two decades?

Form guide

(most recent first)
West Indies LLLWL
Pakistan WLLLL

Watch out for…

Marlon Samuels was a bullish, confident presence in West Indies’ middle order before his two-year ban for alleged involvement with illegal bookmakers. In a side shorn of its senior players, his comeback is certainly timely. He’s played twice as many ODIs as his captain, Sammy, and though he hasn’t played for West Indies since 2008 he’ll have some idea of the intensity of international competition and will also lend some grit to the middle order. His sparkling performance during the Caribbean T20 in January, in which he was the leading run-getter with 253 runs at 63.25, will only add to his confidence in this format.Mohammad Hafeez has been around the Pakistan team for almost eight years now, but it’s only recently that he’s really blossomed in his role as opening batsman and more-than-handy offspinner. He certainly played that part to perfection the last time Pakistan and West Indies met, nipping out two early wickets after being asked to open the bowling and then rocketing along to a run-a-ball 61 to complete a 10-wicket trouncing.

Team news

West Indies’ squad has a bowler-heavy look to it, with a string of allrounders filling the lower-middle order. As such, the top order picks itself, and the main questions surround the composition of the bowling attack. Given the number of seamers in the squad, offspinner Ashley Nurse may find himself in line for a West Indies debut to add some variation, especially considering his good performances in the recent Twenty20s against Pakistan A. Likewise, left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie was the leading West Indian wicket-taker in this year’s Caribbean T20 and this could be the perfect time for him to step up to the next level.West Indies (probable) 1 Andre Fletcher (wk), 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Christopher Barnwell, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Devendra Bishoo, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Ashley Nurse, 11 Krishmar SantokiePakistan’s squad has a fairly settled look to it, but there are a number of youngsters waiting in the wings and several of them could be in for some game time. Mohammad Salman is the squad’s only specialist keeper, while Hammad Azam could be tested in the allrounder slot vacated by Abdul Razzaq.Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Taufeeq Umar, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq, 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Mohammad Salman (wk), 7 Hammad Azam, 8 Shahid Afridi (capt), 9 Junaid Khan, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Saeed Ajmal

Pitch and conditions

The Beausejour Stadium hosted several matches during last year’s World Twenty20 and the pitch generally generated a good contest between bat and ball. Four games saw totals over 170, but Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Amir picked up 17 wickets between themselves at this ground during the course of Pakistan’s campaign. The weather could well play a role on Thursday, as it’ll be warm but partly cloudy, with a chance of rain.

Stats and trivia

• Surprisingly, this will be the first ever Twenty20 international between these two teams.
• Umar Akmal scored 125 runs at 62.50, including two half-centuries, in the course of four games at this ground during the World Twenty20 last year. The only Pakistan cricketer to have scored more runs here in Twenty20 internationals is his brother, Kamran.
• Saeed Ajmal picked up nine wickets at this ground during that campaign, at an average of 13.77, but won’t have particularly fond memories of it as it was here that he received a mauling from Mike Hussey, who blasted 18 from his final over to secure a breathtaking victory.

Quotes

“It’s easier for us to do well with our home crowd and their support, and it gives an opportunity to bring ourselves back up the ladder – to dig deep, work hard, prove ourselves, and give back to our fans.”
“This is my first series at home and my first match happens to be in St Lucia, my homeland. We are rebuilding now and the slogan for the series is ‘Wi [we] all in’ so it’s all all-out effort from everyone involved.”

Leicestershire reactivated their faltering Friends Provident t20 campaign with a demolition job on Warwickshire at Edgbaston

23-Jun-2010 by eight wickets

ScorecardLeicestershire reactivated their faltering Friends Provident t20 campaign with a demolition job on Warwickshire at Edgbaston.After three defeats on the bounce, the Foxes stormed back by making 172 for 6 and wrapping up a 32-run victory by dismissing the home side for 140 in 16.5 overs.A chaotic performance by the Bears began when Jonathan Trott was given out, caught low down at cover by James Taylor after TV replay evidence, and continued with substitute Matthew Boyce running out three batsmen. This was all in sharp contrast to Leicestershire’s progress to their highest t20 total this season.Will Jefferson smashed 50 from 31 balls and Brad Hodge top scored with 54 in a throwback to his last Twenty20 fifty for the county in the 2004 final against Surrey at Edgbaston. Rejoining the Foxes for this year’s competition, the Australian had scored only 38 runs in five innings before making 43 against Yorkshire at Grace Road on Sunday.With form restored, he subdued Warwickshire’s attack in successive partnerships of 71 with Jacques du Toit and 73 in eight overs with the hard-hitting Jefferson. The home side may have thought it was a much-needed breakthrough when Tim Ambrose stumped du Toit for 40, but the South African’s departure only exposed them to rougher treatment from Jefferson.The former Essex batsman hit sixes in four consecutive overs before sparking a spate of dismissals when pulling a full toss from Ant Botha to deep square leg. Keith Barker benefited most from the late stumble by taking three wickets, the first when Hodge carved a catch to backward point.Jefferson did not field when Warwickshire began heir reply and his absence worked in Leicestershire’s favour when livewire replacement Boyce ran out Neil Carter, Jim Troughton and Ambrose.Darren Maddy made a quickfire 20 against his former county before adding to the catalogue of errors with an ugly heave to mid-wicket. The lower order attempted to restore some pride as Botha (21), Chris Woakes (15) and Ian Westwood (23) entertained the crowd before falling in quick succession to left-arm spinner Claude Henderson.There was more fun when the last pair, Barker (23 not out) and Imran Tahir (11), put on 33 and took the Bears beyond their previous lowest of total 114 in the competition.

Another excellent spell of swing bowling from Neil Carter swept Warwickshire to the brink of victory on the third day of their championship match against Hampshire at Edgbaston

George Dobell at Edgbaston29-Apr-2010

ScorecardNeil Carter burst through the Hampshire top order to give Warwickshire a chance of victory•Getty Images

Another excellent spell of swing bowling from Neil Carter swept Warwickshire to the brink of victory on the third day of their championship match against Hampshire at Edgbaston.Carter, gaining prodigious swing, cut through Hampshire’s top-order in an incisive new ball spell that saw the visitors lose four wickets for the addition of 15 runs in 33 balls. Had rain not curtailed the day by 67 overs, Warwickshire might well have completed their first win of the season already.It was fine bowling rather than poor batting responsible for the decline. The ball that dismissed Michael Carberry, a beast of a delivery that swung from outside leg and left the batsman further off the pitch before taking the edge and flying to gully, was close to unplayable. Chris Benham, who looks to have been promoted above his ability at three, was beaten by lavish inswing before the out of sorts Neil McKenzie edged one that was angled across him.The haul leaves Carter as the top division’s leading wicket taker, with 20 at 16 apiece.
Chris Woakes also impressed. He earned the wicket of Jimmy Adams, prodding forward at one angled across him, while Imran Tahir was rather gifted the wicket of James Vince, playing an ambitious sweep on the brink of lunch.It was an unworthy end to a pleasing innings from Vince (59 balls, 10 fours). He may have lived a little fortuitously at time, but he times the ball with a sweetness that few can match. His clips through mid-wicket were reminiscent of Michael Vaughan, though a tendency to play across the line will need to be curbed if he is to fulfil his obvious potential.There will be great relief at Edgbaston if they complete victory on the final day. They have not lost the first three championship games of a season since 1931 and were in grave danger of finding themselves championship also-rans even before the start of May.Defeat would be a crushing blow to Hampshire, however. Not since 1995 have they lost their first three championship games of a season (they went on to finish 13th) and, after Rod Bransgrove invested heavily in a squad that was expected to challenge for all trophies, repercussions are likely.Their form last year hardly inspires confidence of a revival, either. They won just one of their last 10 championship games in 2009 and, if they fail to conjure up an unlikely victory here, will have won just one of their last 13.There are some mitigating factors this season. Michael Lumb (England duty) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (injury) are sorely missed, while their overseas player is yet to arrive.
That is a partially self-inflicted wound, however. Hampshire originally wanted to retain the services of Imran Tahir, but concluded that they would be unable to gain a visa for him this year after new regulations were introduced.That was a costly mistake. Hampshire’s second choice as overseas player was Ajantha Mendis, whose availability is severely limited, while they have yet to acquire a visa for their third choice, Ranjana Herath. Imran Tahir, meanwhile, is expected to play the entire season for Warwickshire.Hampshire have not lost this game yet. While Nic Pothas and Sean Ervine are at the crease, they have a chance. The unsettled weather forecast will encourage them further.
But, for a club that has one of the biggest wage bills in the game, the original aim for this season was far higher.

Captain sets the tone as batting bonus points put Division One leaders out of Surrey’s reach

ECB Reporters Network25-Sep-2025Warwickshire 258 and 7 for 3 trail Nottinghamshire 374 (Hameed 122, Verreynne 83, Patterson-White 70) by 109 runsLed impressively from the front by captain Haseeb Hameed’s fourth century of the season, Nottinghamshire clinched the 2025 Rothesay County Championship on day two of the final round of fixtures, the Division One leaders putting themselves out of reach of defending champions Surrey as they totalled 374 in reply to Warwickshire’s 258.Needing just two more points at the start of play to deny Surrey a fourth consecutive title, Nottinghamshire achieved that goal at six minutes before five o’clock as Kyle Verreynne, their South Africa international wicketkeeper, pulled seamer Nathan Gilchrist high over the deep midwicket boundary for six, taking their first-innings total past 300 to secure a second batting bonus point.Verreynne, who also hit the winning runs as South Africa beat Australia at Lord’s to be crowned World Test champions in June, raised both arms in the air before embracing batting partner Liam Patterson-White as a Trent Bridge crowd that had grown considerably since lunch rose to their feet.He went on to make 83, with Patterson-White hitting 70 as the two shared a decisive seventh-wicket partnership of 119. Ethan Bamber, Ed Barnard and Gilchrist took three wickets each but at 7 for 3 in their second innings, trailing by 109 runs, Warwickshire, who had their sights on overtaking Somerset to take third place in the table, are in deep trouble.It is Nottinghamshire’s seventh County Championship in all and their first since 2010, one that was effectively won a week ago when victory over Surrey at the Kia Oval made them short-priced favourites to take the crown.Head coach Peter Moores, for many years the only coach to win the title with two counties until Mark Robinson, twice a winner with Sussex, equalled the feat in 2021 with Warwickshire, now stands alone in winning Championships with three counties, having previously done so with Sussex and Lancashire.Yet for all that it was Verreynne, who hit four sixes, and Patterson-White, who struck 11 fours, who grabbed the glory, it was Hameed who made it possible.Haseeb Hameed raises his bat on reaching three figures•Getty Images

The 28-year-old sometime England opener’s 122 laid the foundations and took his season aggregate to 1,253 runs in first-class matches, the highest of his career. This is the third time in four seasons he has exceeded 1000 runs.Earlier in the day, he and Ben Slater had put on 56 for the first wicket as Nottinghamshire, who had claimed the final Warwickshire wicket with the last ball of the opening day, came through a difficult morning session at 100 for 2.Slater, caught behind as Michael Booth found some extra bounce from the Radcliffe Road End, and Freddie McCann, who lost his middle stump to Bamber, were the two morning casualties.It would have been 78 for 3 had Hameed not been put down by Rob Yates at second slip on 45. As it was, as conditions for batting became a little easier after lunch, Hameed and Joe Clarke (52) added 122 in 32 overs for the third wicket.Two dismissals in three balls then jolted their progress. Clarke, reaching for a delivery outside off stump, feathered a catch to Alex Davies off Bamber, before Jack Haynes, confident he had let his second ball go past the bat, looked up to find Warwickshire’s appeals for a thin edge to the keeper had been granted.Haynes was the third of six victims in the innings for Davies, a total in a single innings bettered by only two other keepers in Warwickshire’s history.If that was not a reminder to Nottinghamshire supporters to take nothing for granted, then the sight of Hameed completing his fourth hundred of the season flat on his stomach surely must have been.Confident there was a single on as he clipped Bamber towards midwicket, the captain was startled to see Tazeem Ali swooping to field and even his full-length dive might not have saved him had the teenager’s shy hit. As it was, Warwickshire ran out neither Hameed nor new partner Verreynne, who would have been out by a distance without scoring had the throw gone to the keeper’s end.Hameed – dropped at slip in the previous over – was bowled middle stump by Nathan Gilchrist on the stroke of tea, leaving them 218 for 5. The ovation from the spectators was fully deserved. The season has seen him make a double-hundred twice and carry his bat through the innings twice.Warwickshire’s seamers were rewarded again half an hour into the final session as Lyndon James edged Barnard to give Davies a fourth catch. Nottinghamshire, now six down, still needed another 52 for 300 and with the second new ball soon to become available.It might have been a moment of jeopardy, yet any sense of that quickly disappeared. Verreynne and Patterson-White had clearly decided on a glorious finale and it was Gilchrist who felt the full force of it.His first over with the new ball went for 17 after Patterson-White had begun it with three glorious shots for four, his second for 15 as Verreynne took centre stage.It was the cue for the seventh-wicket due to really let rip, stretching their partnership to 100 in precisely 100 balls and 119 from 120 before Verreynne, who hit nine fours and four sixes, became a fifth victim for Davies behind the stumps, a ball from Barnard glancing the bat as the South African tried to pull it clear.Back for another spell after his chastening experience earlier, Gilchrist then obtained the smallest modicum of revenge by bowling Patterson-White, and Barnard picked up his third wicket by bowling Brett Hutton.Gilchrist was the bowler as Mohammad Abbas nicked to Davies, leaving Warwickshire, 116 behind, to face four overs before the close, in which they lost both Yates and Davies leg before to Abbas as the Pakistan international delivered a final flourish to Nottinghamshire’s day, Hutton getting in on the act by having nightwatcher Bamber caught at second slip.