Okay okay. It's not yet, Phil, it's not kicking off for another two weeks, but here's the new placeholder thread for the 2009 cricket season.

The County Championship starts on April 15, Durham kick off their defence of the crown against Yorkshire on the 22nd. Last season, Surrey finished bottom of County Championship Division One, with no victories for the entire season, and therefore have been relegated to Division Two, along with Kent. who finished second-bottom.

Promoted from Division Two, Warwickshire and Worcestershire - both teams returning from having been relegated from Division One in 2007. Warwickshire haven't suffered defeat in the County Championship since September 2007.

Sussex kick off against Lancashire, while Middlesex face Glamorgan in their first fixture. Hopefully the weather will hold off long enough in Worcestershire for there to be no floods this summer. Whoever thought of building a cricket ground right on top of a river?!

To wrap up loose ends from the 2008-09 season, the winners of each country's major competitions were as follows:


Australia - Victoria
India - Mumbai
New Zealand - Auckland
Pakistan - Sialkot
South Africa - Titans


As for England, I will of course be cheering Sussex on. They won just two matches last season - then again, they drew more matches (12 from 16) than any other team.

As for England, I will of course be cheering Sussex on. They won just two matches last season - then again, they drew more matches (12 from 16) than any other team.
Come on Middlesex!

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir is set to start the Championship season with Hampshire and not in June as previously agreed.

Joe Gatting has signed a two-year contract with Sussex, keeping him at Hove until the end of the 2010 season. The 21-year-old batsman, who has played football for Brighton and Woking, is the son of footballer Steve Gatting and nephew of ex-England skipper Mike. Gatting impressed during the winter and scored 110 against a strong Surrey side in a pre-season tour.

Sussex have also signed South African-born Italian representative Pepler Sandri. As a player from a non-Test playing nation, Sandri does not count as a foreign player for the team.

Joe Gatting has signed a two-year contract with Sussex, keeping him at Hove until the end of the 2010 season.

The 21-year-old batsman, who has played football for Brighton and Woking, is the son of footballer Steve Gatting and nephew of ex-England skipper Mike.

Gatting impressed during the winter and scored 110 against a strong Surrey side in a pre-season tour.
We will watch out for him this season.

Did Steve Gatting play in an FA Cup Final?

Joe Gatting has signed a two-year contract with Sussex, keeping him at Hove until the end of the 2010 season. The 21-year-old batsman, who has played football for Brighton and Woking, is the son of footballer Steve Gatting and nephew of ex-England skipper Mike. Gatting impressed during the winter and scored 110 against a strong Surrey side in a pre-season tour.
Mike Gatting has two sons, each a good club cricketer for Enfield CC, but have never made it to the County Cricket Game. The last time I saw one of the sons (and this is true believe me), was at the Southgate Festival Week cooking burgers on a open frier.

We will watch out for him this season.

Did Steve Gatting play in an FA Cup Final?


Both matches of the 1982-83 FA Cup final, Manchester United v. my home team, Brighton & Hove Albion, which United won 4 - 0 on a replay after drawing 2 - 2 first time around.

The last time I saw one of the sons (and this is true believe me), was at the Southgate Festival Week cooking burgers on a open frier.


Gatting burgers. Sounds good. Steve apparently played at Second XI level, for Middlesex in fact.

Gatting burgers. Sounds good. Steve apparently played at Second XI level, for Middlesex in fact.
I do go to the Second XI matches, but I have missed out on his matches

New Zealand off spinner Jeetan Patel joins Warwickshire as their overseas player for the 2009 season.

Patel has been putting in some awesome performances for Wellington in recent years so this is great news!

The MCC side to play Durham in the opening match of the 2009 Cricket Season will be:

*Robert Key (Kent) (Captain)
Stephen Moore  (Worcestershire)
Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire)
Ian Bell (Warkwickshire)
Tom Westley (Durham UCCE)
James Foster (Essex) (Wicketkeeper)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Kabir Ali (Worcestershire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Steve Finn (Middlesex)
Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire)

It looks to be a good side with several England players there.

Only nine days to go until the start of the season!

Only nine days to go until the start of the season!
I will be doing my best to attend some matches.

Captain Andrew Strauss urges the England and Wales Cricket Board to appoint the new national team coach as soon as possible.

Lancashire's Sajid Mahmood and Essex keeper James Foster are named in a 25-man England Performance Squad for this summer's international season.

After this round of World Cup qualifiers, we enter the Super 8 Competition, followed by play-off semi-finals and a final. The initial rounds have already passed, but I'll report on the final result when it happens.

Australian Test cricketer George Tribe has died aged 88. He played for three seasons for Victoria and for nine seasons for Northamptonshire - and was the second-oldest Australian Test cricketer at time of death. As of 2009, Tribe still holds the best match figures for a Nottinghamshire bowler - returning 7-22 and an incredible 8-9, for match figures of 15-31.

Results from the UCCE matches:


Surrey v. Bradford/Leeds UCCE - Match drawn
Top scorers: Michael Brown (Surrey) (102) Chris Murtagh (Surrey) (64*)
Cambridge UCCE v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Andrew Gale (Yorkshire) (93) Nick Lee (Cambridge UCCE) (72)
Durham UCCE v. Lancashire - Lancashire win by 286 runs
Top scorers: Mark Chilton (Lancashire) (114) (retired out) Paul Horton (Lancashire) (105)
Leicestershire v. Loughborough UCCE - Match drawn
Top scorers: Hylton Ackerman (Leicestershire) (86) David Murphy (Loughborough UCCE) (69*)
Loughborough's sixth-wicket partnership was 136 and counting when they declared in the first innings.
Leicestershire handed debuts to Nathan Buck and Alex Wyatt
Oxford UCCE v. Worcestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Daryl Mitchell (Worcestershire) (140*) Ben Smith (Worcestershire) (61*)
Worcestershire handed a debut to David Wheeldon
Northamptonshire v. Cardiff UCCE - Match drawn
Top scorers: Matthew Jones (Cardiff UCCE) (58) Daniel Bendon (Northamptonshire) (53*)


Guess who wrote all three Wikipedia articles on our first-class debutantes? :D

Well well.. County Championship kicks off tomorrow. I'm getting excited!

Andy Flower is the overwhelming favourite to be named as the man to oversee England's bid to win back the Ashes.

Well well.. County Championship kicks off tomorrow. I'm getting excited!
...and Middlesex do not have a game!

Worcestershire fast bowler Simon Jones will miss the start of the new County Championship season as he continues to recover from a long-term knee injury.

IPL kicks off on the 18th, Phil. Want me to cover that as well as the English season?

IPL kicks off on the 18th, Phil. Want me to cover that as well as the English season?
Yes please, it will be easier to find the details here for me.

Will Rajasthan be victorious once again?

Ireland secured a berth at the 2011 World Cup by defeating the Netherlands by six wickets in Wednesday's qualifier in Pretoria.

The Irish restricted the Dutch to 222 on a decent pitch with Alex Cusack and Boyd Rankin both taking three wickets.

Captain William Porterfield hit 78 while Eoin Morgan struck a 62-ball 76 as the Irish moved to 177-1 in reply.

Middlesex vote to abolish their elected general committee and replace it with an executive board that will be only part-elected.

Ian Bell sent a clear message to the England selectors by scoring the first century of the County Championship season on day two at Taunton.

Resuming on 84, Bell was eventually caught behind off Ben Phillips (4-100) for 172 from 272 deliveries.

Pakistan is stripped of hosting any matches in the 2011 World Cup because of the uncertain security situation in the country.

James Hildreth hit an unbeaten 191 on day three but a draw seems the most likely result at Taunton.

Hildreth shared a third-wicket stand of 225 with Justin Langer (76) as Somerset closed on 454-4 in response to Warwickshire's 500 all out.

Persistent rain meant no play was possible on day three of the Division Two Championship match between Surrey and Gloucestershire at The Oval.

Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen will meet in the Indian Premier League on Monday when the Chennai Super Kings face the Bangalore Royal Challengers.

Joe Gatting has signed a two-year contract with Sussex, keeping him at Hove until the end of the 2010 season. The 21-year-old batsman, who has played football for Brighton and Woking, is the son of footballer Steve Gatting and nephew of ex-England skipper Mike. Gatting impressed during the winter and scored 110 against a strong Surrey side in a pre-season tour.

Sussex have also signed South African-born Italian representative Pepler Sandri. As a player from a non-Test playing nation, Sandri does not count as a foreign player for the team.
Joe Gatting, nephew of Mike, the former England captain, made 152 in 156 balls on his first-class debut for Sussex on the first day of their three-day match against Cambridge UCCE at Fenner's.

Sulieman Benn took 4-31 on the first day of West Indies' opening warm-up match as Leicestershire were dismissed for 182 at Grace Road.

Lendl Simmons hits a ton as West Indies declare their first innings on 315-6 on day two of their warm-up match with Leicestershire.

I have given up buying Wisden Cricketers' Almanack a the start of the season and now buy it cheaper at the end of the season.

Australian batting sensation Phillip Hughes hit an unbeaten debut century as Middlesex battled to avoid the follow-on against Glamorgan.

Hughes, a controversial choice as overseas player with the Ashes looming, was not out on exactly 100 as Middlesex closed day two on 174-1.

They still require a further 182 to avoid the follow-on after Glamorgan racked up 505 after resuming on 351-6.

Glamorgan captain Jamie Dalrymple hits a century in a drawn game with his old side Middlesex at Lord's.

Andrew Flintoff is expected to be fit for the World Twenty20 and the Ashes after an operation on his right knee.

England captain Andrew Strauss warmed up for Test duty next week in style as he dominated a rain-hit first day of Middlesex's clash with Leicestershire.

Strauss hit 150 in a Middlesex score of 281-2, dominating a second-wicket stand of 244 with Aussie Philip Hughes, who was unbeaten on 99 at the early close.

Strauss's third successive Championship century for Middlesex helped him resume where he left off last September.

And he was well backed by the in-form Hughes, who hit a debut ton last week.

Ian Bell, Michael Vaughan and Steve Harmison are all left out of England's squad for the first Test against West Indies.

LV County Championship: Division One
Somerset: 69 & 0-0
Durham: 543

After bowling Durham out for 543 (Benkenstein 181), Somerset were bowled out 69 (Onions 6-31) and now required 474 runs to make Durham bat again.

LV County Championship: Division One
Somerset: 69 & 0-0
Durham: 543

After bowling Durham out for 543 (Benkenstein 181), Somerset were bowled out 69 (Onions 6-31) and now required 474 runs to make Durham bat again.
Six wickets for pace bowler Graham Onions on the day he is chosen for the England Test Squad for the West Indies Test Match at Lord's next week.

ECB announce new Twenty20 league to be staged in June 2010. Each leageu will comprise nine teams, with three being promoetd and relegated from each division. The tournament will also determine qualification for the Champions League.

I completely missed Somerset's 69 innings. Only six runs were contributed by the last eight batsmen.

Jacques Rudolph opens up again today on 194 not out. Rudolph's highest first-class innings score was achieved in his debut Test match, a score of 222, in which he shared in a 429-run partnership with Boeta Dippenaar.

On the first day of play at the Middlesex v Leicestershire at Southgate, England Captain Andrew Strauss scored 95 runs, he was 5 runs short of the ellusive 100 runs before lunch.

I completely missed Somerset's 69 innings. Only six runs were contributed by the last eight batsmen.
Start of the third day's play has been delayed due to rain

Round one of County Championship fixtures:


Essex v. Derbyshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Jamie Pipe (Derbyshire) (64) Greg Smith (Derbyshire) (59)
Hampshire v. Worcestershire - Hampshire win by 7 wickets
Top scorers: Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire) (73) Liam Dawson (Hampshire) (66)
Leicestershire v. Northamptonshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Andrew Hall (Northamptonshire) (124*) HH Dippenaar (Leicestershire) (68*)
David Willey makes a 60 in his debut first-class innings.
Somerset v. Warwickshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: James Hildreth (Somerset) (303*) Ian Bell (Warwickshire) (172)
Honorary mention for Craig Kieswetter, who scores his debut first-class century. Goes without saying that Hildreth's 303 is his first triple-hundred and betters his previous first-class best by 76 runs.
Surrey v. Gloucestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Kabir Ali (Gloucestershire) (90) Hamish Marshall (Gloucestershire) (76)

Second round of fixtures:


Gloucestershire v. Essex - Essex win by 7 wickets
Top scorers: Hamish Marshall (Gloucestershire) (64) Matthew Walker (Essex) (48*)
Kent v. Northamptonshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Martin van Jaarsveld (Kent) (107) Stephen Peters (Northamptonshire) (107)
Nottinghamshire v. Worcestershire - Nottinghamshire win by an innings and 5 runs
Top scorers: Steven Davies (Worcestershire) (126) Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) (125)
Sussex v. Lancashire - Lancashire win by 8 wickets
Top scorers: Ashwell Prince (Lancashire) (91*) Ed Joyce (Sussex) (90)
Honorary mention to Mark Chilton who scored 89 runs
Derbyshire v. Surrey - Derbyshire win by 5 wickets
Top scorers: Scott Newman (Surrey) (124) Greg Smith (Derbyshire) (94*)
Smith was well on his way to just his second first-class century. The final-wicket partnership with Ian Hunter was a more-than respectable 83.
Durham v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Michael Di Venuto (Durham) (143) Ian Blackwell (Durham) (95)
Honorary mention to Phil Mustard who finished not out on 94.
Middlesex v. Glamorgan - Match drawn
Top scorers: Mark Wallace (Glamorgan) (128) Mark Cosgrove (Glamorgan) (120)
Wallace's 128 equals his first-class best. Honorary mention to Middlesex opener Phil Hughes, who scored 118, and Jamie Dalrymple, who scored 112 not out.
Warwickshire v. Hampshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Jim Troughton (Warwickshire) (223) Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire) (153)
Honorary mention to Nic Pothas, who scored 122 not out for Hampshire, and Rikki Clarke, who hit 112 for Warwickshire.

An unbeaten 85 from Boeta Dippenaar boosted Leicestershire's chances of saving the game after they were made to follow on by Middlesex.

Resuming from their overnight 161-5, the Foxes were eventually dismissed for 258, still 235 behind.

They then lost Matthew Boyce to only the fifth ball of their second innings, trapped lbw by Tim Murtagh.

Tom New (43) followed, but Dippenaar and HD Ackerman (45 not out) added 96 together as they closed on 177-2.

Home skipper Justin Langer led the way as one of three centurions as Somerset completed a remarkable May Day rescue to draw with Durham at Taunton.

Bowled out for just 69 on Wednesday in response to Durham's massive 543, Somerset looked odds on to suffer an embarrassing home defeat.

But Langer (122no), fifth-wicket partner Craig Kieswetter (106) and Marcus Trescothick (105) all made tons.

Durham's first innings six-wicket hero Graham Onions claimed just one scalp.

Leicestershire teenager James Taylor hit a maiden first-class century to save his side from defeat on the final day against Middlesex at Southgate.

Coming in at seven with the score on 205-5, and still needing another 30 runs to make Middlesex bat again, Taylor hit an unbeaten 122.

Chiefly in a 92-run sixth-wicket stand with skipper Paul Nixon (31), it helped Leicester save the game on 400-7.

Tim Murtagh took with 5-83 as Middlesex settled for a second successive draw.

Leicestershire teenager James Taylor hit a maiden first-class century to save his side from defeat on the final day against Middlesex at Southgate.

Coming in at seven with the score on 205-5, and still needing another 30 runs to make Middlesex bat again, Taylor hit an unbeaten 122.

Chiefly in a 92-run sixth-wicket stand with skipper Paul Nixon (31), it helped Leicester save the game on 400-7.

Tim Murtagh took with 5-83 as Middlesex settled for a second successive draw.

A curiosity happened on the last day of this match, Middlesex used five different wicket-keepers, due to illness of the player at that position, I will try and find out more on this.

After winning the tos and decieding to bat, Middlesex are 82 for 8 (27.1 overs) against Kent.

Don't ask!

Now, Middlesex 99/9 (30.1 ov)

Now, Middlesex 133 all out (36.4 ov)

Now let us hope Kent play badly too.

Middlesex 133 (36.4 ov)
Kent 137/4 (37.2 ov)

Kent won by 6 wickets (with 76 balls remaining) 

Jacques Rudolph is still in for Yorkshire, carrying his bat so far for 107 and counting.

James Tredwell was the Kent matchwinner as Middlesex slumped to a six-wicket FP Trophy home defeat at Southgate.

Off spinner Tredwell took 6-27, his one-day best, as Middlesex were bowled out for just 133 inside 37 overs.

Kent then had few worries reaching their target, getting home on 137-4 with more than 12 overs to spare.

Darren Stevens saw his side to a comfortable victory with an unbeaten 37 to leave both sides having now won one of their two games in Group B.

After losing the toss and put into bat, Middlesex are 22 for 4 (7.2 overs) against Somerset .

Was it worth the journey down to Bath?

Now, Middlesex 23/5 (10.4 ov)

Good thing I did not go.

Another disaster...

Middlesex 65 all out in 24.1 overs.

Middlesex 65 (24.1 ov) & Somerset 66/2 (8.3 ov)

Somerset won by 8 wickets (with 249 balls remaining)

Indeed, I think this thread needs some updating. Back in a mo!

Currently leading the season averages after 3 matches, Somerset's Justin Langer, with a 2009 first-class average of 233.

Results from the third round of fixtures:


Glamorgan v. Derbyshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Mike Powell (Glamorgan) (108) Jamie Dalrymple (Glamorgan) (102)
Middlesex v. Leicestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) (150) Phillip Hughes (Middlesex) (139)
Northamptonshire v. Gloucestershire - Gloucestershire win by 44 runs
Top scorers: Andrew Hall (Northamptonshire) (91) Hamish Marshall (Gloucestershire) (69)
Somerset v. Durham - Match drawn
Top scorers: Dale Benkenstein (Durham) (181) Justin Langer (Somerset) (122)
Somerset scored just 69 runs in their first innings, their worst single-innings total since they scored 56 in 2003 against Durham. Interestingly, in that innings, the highest single-wicket was the tenth.
Yorkshire v. Worcestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire) (206) Jacques Rudolph (Yorkshire) (198)
Worcestershire's third-wicket partnership was 317 runs. If that had been for either of their first two wickets, it would have set a club record, but their third-wicket record stand was a mammoth unbroken 438 between Graham Hick (303 not out) and Tom Moody (180 not out) in 1997
Essex v. Kent - Kent won by 192 runs
Top scorers: Darren Stevens (Kent) (136*) Martin van Jaarsveld (Kent) (102)
This is only Kent's sixth victory from the follow on, and the biggest victory by runs margin. Their most recent previous to this was in 1992.
Hampshire v. Sussex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Matt Prior (Sussex) (140) Sean Ervine (Hampshire) (109)
Lancashire v. Nottinghamshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ashwell Prince (Lancashire) (135*) Adam Voges (Nottinghamshire) (95)

Currently leading the season averages after 3 matches, Somerset's Justin Langer, with a 2009 first-class average of 233.
Could he still get 1,000 runs before the end of May?

Nice to see Joe Gatting pull in another sturdy batting performance in the FP Trophy. Not forgetting of course that he currently has a batting average of 152!

Geoffrey Boycott insists England are in no shape to reclaim the Ashes from Australia.

Nice to see Joe Gatting pull in another sturdy batting performance in the FP Trophy. Not forgetting of course that he currently has a batting average of 152!
Middlesex 2nd's are playing Sussex 2nd's very soon, Joe Gatting could be playing in the match.

England captain Andrew Strauss calls on his side to start the Test summer with a win when they take on West Indies at Lord's on Wednesday.

The First Test of the England v West Indies series starts today.

Ravi Bopara crafted a vital century as England struggled on day one of the Lord's Test against West Indies.

Bopara was dropped on 76 and 100 but went on to post a second Test ton and held the hosts together.

He was partnered by Tim Bresnan after Stuart Broad, himself put down four times, fell to Sulieman Benn for 38.

England lost Andrew Strauss early before Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior all succumbed to Fidel Edwards.

At stumps, England 289/7 (90.0 ov)

Mark Ramprakash struck an unbeaten century against his former county to give Surrey the advantage against Middlesex on day one at The Oval.

Ramprakash ended the day 126 not out as the home side closed on 290-5.

WICKET Bopara c Nash b Taylor 143, Eng 368-8
Alas, it's over - Ravi aims a tired drive at a slower one and lofts the ball straight down cover's throat. He throws his head back in disappointment as he trudges off, but the crowd rise to him - super knock from the Essex tyro, with 17 fours and 284 balls in the day-long innings.

England reach 377-8 at lunch on day two of the first Test against West Indies at Lord's.

WICKET  JM Anderson c Ramdin b Edwards 1 (19b 0x4 0x6) SR: 5.26 

Edwards to Anderson, OUT, and there it is, Edwards has five as Anderson cuts again and gets a regulation top edge through to Ramdin...a great moment for Edwards who salutes his team-mates and soaks up the moment 

WICKET  G Onions b Edwards 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Edwards to Onions (on his debut tto!), OUT, well, that was brief...a low full toss crashes through Onions' defences to make a mess of the stumps. He didn't seem too keen to get in line. 




 

Edwards finishes with 6 for 92 and Swann is unbeaten on 63. It took West Indies just three balls after lunch to wrap up the innings, but they'll be wishing they could have done that this morning. Anyway 377 it is for England, a very workable total if not quite at the levels of recent Lord's Tests. Now all eyes will be on how the young attack perform in favourable conditions that should offer some swing. We'll be back in five minutes with all the action.

With 2 wickets in 2 bowls, Fidel Edwards in now on a hat-trick on the next time he bowls.

Yorkshire have a partnership going of 258 and counting.

Gidman is approaching his century.

Yorkshire have a partnership going of 258 and counting.
The wicket that was out for the start of this partnership was Michard Vaughan (who is trying to get back into the England Test side) out on 16. With JJ Sayers on 152 and A McGrath on 132, it seems that MV has missed out once again.

Meanwhile Rajasthan look to be well on their way to their target of 106 with ten overs remaining.

Surrey are on 368/8, Middlesex with they weak bowling cannot get the last two wickets.

WICKET  A Nel c Dexter b Udal 32 (103m 63b 4x4 0x6) SR: 50.79

Surrey 383/9 (127.4 ov)

WICKET  SC Meaker b Richardson 3 (17m 14b 0x4 0x6) SR: 21.42

Surrey 388 all out

England v West Indies 1st Test Match

WICKET  CH Gayle b Broad 28 (34b 6x4 0x6) SR: 82.35 

WI 46/1

Broad to Gayle, OUT, there's the breakthrough, Gayle is done by his lack of footwork as he drags into the stumps...he went that way during the Tests and one-dayers in West Indies and it was a nothing sort of push he was trying to play. Well bowled by Broad, who has strung a decent couple of overs together 

Middlesex have just bowled Surrey out for 388.

Middlesex have just bowled Surrey out for 388.
...just while I am (honestly) listening to It's Getting Better ~ Mama Cass

England v West Indies 1st Test Match

WICKET  RR Sarwan c Prior b Broad 13 (12b 2x4 0x6) SR: 108.33

WI 70/2

Broad to Sarwan, OUT, got him! Well well. It was a slightly wider delivery and really Sarwan ought to have left it alone. Instead, with no movement of the feet, he fished injudiciously and got a thin edge through to Prior, and Broad has two 

England v West Indies

Graham Onions takes five wickets on debut as England take total control of the Lord's Test against West Indies.

England 377
West Indies 152

The follow on has been forced on the West Indies.

England v West Indies 1st Test Match

England 377
West Indies 152 & 14/1

WICKET CH Gayle c Swann b Anderson 0 (11b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Anderson to Gayle, OUT, gone! First wicket of the second innings, a limp prod outside off stump at a ball that seams away from back of a length, the catch goes comfortably to Graeme Swann at third slip who snaffles it easily

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two

Surrey 388
Middlesex 147/0 (40.3 ov)

Phil Hughes (oversea player) has made a century at almost a run per ball.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England v West Indies 1st Test Match

England 377
West Indies 152 & 22/2

WICKET RR Sarwan b Anderson 2 (12b 0x4 0x6) SR: 16.66

Anderson to Sarwan, OUT, that's another! Anderson takes his second of the innings, jags back late at Sarwan who can do nothing except drag it into his stumps. A key man is removed and England making repaid inroads.

England v West Indies 1st Test Match

Anyone who has tickets for Saturday probably shouldn't feel too confident at the moment.

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377
West Indies 152 & 39/2

DS Smith 26*
LMP Simmons 7*

Bad light has stopped play, and it seems that is ot for play today.

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377
West Indies 152 & 39/2

DS Smith 26*
LMP Simmons 7*

Bad light has stopped play, and it seems that is ot for play today.

West Indies trail by 186 runs with 8 wickets remaining

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval

Surrey 388
Middlesex 200/2

Stumps

Phillip Hughes' third hundred in four Championship innings was the highlight at The Oval as Middlesex reached 196 for 2 in reply to Surrey's 388. Hughes' 134 not out took his aggregate to 452 for twice out and he was typically brutal in his driving and cutting. Earlier, Mark Ramprakash, easily old enough to be Hughes' father, only added seven to his overnight 126 before miscuing Steven Finn to mid-off, but Chris Schofield's 47, made either side of a bad-light break, ensured Surrey's innings didn't completely fall away.

West Indies trail by 186 runs with 8 wickets remaining

Hopefully they will have a bad day at the office tomorrow and we will win by an innings margin. ;D

Hopefully they will have a bad day at the office tomorrow and we will win by an innings margin. ;D
England will have to bowl the West Indies out before the rain arrives this afternoon, and Saturday looks to be dismal too.

England will have to bowl the West Indies out before the rain arrives this afternoon, and Saturday looks to be dismal too.
If not, there will be play on Sunday!

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

Lunch

England 377
West Indies 152 & 79-5

England struck with three wickets in quick succession to leave the West Indies on the verge of defeat at lunch on day three of Lord's Test.

Graham Onions removed overnight pair Lendl Simmons (21) and Devon Smith (41), while Graeme Swann had Shivnarine Chanderpaul (4) caught at silly point.

The tourists are 80-5, 145 runs behind England's first-innings total 377.

Play had been delayed for an hour in the morning because of rain, but eventually resumed at 1200 BST.

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

With the delayed start, tea will be taken at 4:10.

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377
West Indies 152 & 175-5

100 partnership for the 6th wicket, Ramdin 46* & Nash 46*

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377
West Indies 152 & 222-6

West Indies trail by 3 runs with 4 wickets remaining

WICKET: D Ramdin b Broad 61

Broad to Ramdin, OUT, got him! A near-identical delivery to the ball before, shaping and cutting back into Ramdin who was late onto his defensive, the ball sneaking into the stumps .

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377
West Indies 152 & 255-9

A steward has just been chasing and failed in catching a piece of silver paper blowing across the ground.

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377
West Indies 152 & 256

West Indies all out

WICKET: BP Nash c Cook b Broad 81

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377
West Indies 152 & 256

England need 32 runs to win

England v West Indies 1st Test Match, at Lord's, London

England 377 & 32/0
West Indies 152 & 256

England win by 10 wickets

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 105/3 (30.1 ov)
Middlesex 445

Surrey lead by 48 runs with 7 wickets remaining

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 138/4 (39.5 ov)
Middlesex 445

Surrey lead by 81 runs with 6 wickets remaining 

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 196/6 (62.1 ov)
Middlesex 445

Surrey lead by 139 runs with 4 wickets remaining 

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 198/7 (68.2 ov)
Middlesex 445

Surrey lead by 141 runs with 3 wickets remaining 

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 200/8 (70.5 ov)
Middlesex 445

Surrey lead by 143 runs with 2 wickets remaining

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 219/9 (78.5 ov)
Middlesex 445

Surrey lead by 162 runs with 1 wicket remaining 

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 242 (86.1 ov)
Middlesex 445

Middlesex need 186 runs to win, in what would be the final session of the match.

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 242
Middlesex 445 & 61/0 (7.5 ov)

Middlesex require another 125 runs with 10 wickets remaining 

The final hour is about to begin that means there are 16 overs left for the rest of the match, but the umpires have not indicated that the final hour has began.

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 242
Middlesex 445 & 71/0 (8.4 ov)

Middlesex require another 115 runs with 10 wickets remaining 

The final hour has now began, so Middlesex need 115 runs from 16 overs, at 7.2 per over.

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 242
Middlesex 445 & 107/3 (13.1 ov)

NRD Compton b Murtaza Hussain 28
PJ Hughes c Batty b Schofield 57 
EJG Morgan not out 7
DJ Malan b Schofield 1

Middlesex require another 79 runs with 7 wickets remaining 

Surrey v Middlesex, County Championship Division Two, played at The Oval.

Day 4.

Surrey 388 & 242
Middlesex 445 & 184/9 (25.0 ov)

Match drawn 

Ian Bell and Ryan Sidebottom are named in England's 13-man squad for the second Test against West Indies in Durham.

Indeed, a whole bunch of matches to report from last week:


Gloucestershire v. Leicestershire - Gloucestershire win by 10 wickets
Top scorers: Alex Gidman (Gloucestershire) (159) Steve Snell (Gloucestershire) (85) Matthew Boyce (Leicestershire) (85)
Kent v. Glamorgan - Kent win by 204 runs
Top scorers: Martin van Jaarsveld (Kent) (182) Geraint Jones (Kent) (133)
Jones' score overhauled his previous first-class best by 25 runs
Northamptonshire v. Essex - Northamptonshire win by 8 wickets
Top scorers: Riki Wessels (Northamptonshire) (84) James Foster (Essex) (84)
Nottinghamshire v. Somerset - Nottinghamshire win by 6 wickets
Top scorers: Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) (98) Adam Voges (Nottinghamshire) (73*)
Surrey v. Middlesex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Phil Hughes (Middlesex) (195) Mark Ramprakash (Surrey) (133)
Hughes' total was just 3 runs off his first-class best
Sussex v. Durham - Match drawn
Top scorers: Dale Benkenstein (Durham) (136) Gordon Muchall (Durham) (106*)
Warwickshire v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Anthony McGrath (Yorkshire) (211) Joe Sayers (Yorkshire) (173)
Of note, Warwickshire's record ninth-wicket partnership of 233.
Worcestershire v. Lancashire - Lancashire win by 6 wickets
Top scorers: Glen Chapple (Lancashire) (89) Moeen Ali (Worcestershire) (80)

Eoin Morgan and Nick Compton both hit centuries as Middlesex made their highest FP Trophy score in beating Kent by 80 runs at Canterbury.

Morgan (161) and Compton (131) both hit one-day bests and shared a one-day county record third-wicket stand of 277 to ease their side to 322-5.

Geraint Jones hit a quickfire 57 and Justin Kemp 69 in Kent's attempt at a run chase.

But they had little support as the home side were all out for 242.

Any celebrations today?

For on May 12th 1890 – The first-ever official County Championship match begins. Yorkshire beats Gloucestershire by eight wickets at Bristol. George Ulyett scores the first century in the competition.

The bat W.G. Grace scored his 1,000th test run in the match between England and Australia at Lords in June 1896, is up for auction today. The bat is expected to reach £25,000 to £30,000.

England captain Andrew Strauss hits back in the row with his West Indies counterpart Chris Gayle insisting he believes Test cricket has a future.

Deccan Chargers lost their last seven wickets in just five overs!

Deccan Chargers lost their last seven wickets in just five overs!
Sounds just like the way Middlesex can play.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

Ravi Bopara became the fifth Englishman to scored hundreds in three consecutive Tests and then paid tribute to the last man to do it - Graham Gooch.

Bopara made 108 and Alastair Cook 126 not out as England reached 302-2 in the second Test against the West Indies.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

2nd day.

RAIN!!!!

"We have some news for you from Durham. Anyone who held tickets for today (Friday) are entitled to a free, complimentary ticket for any of the remaining three days of this Test. "To claim your complimentary ticket please visit the box office outside the ground and present your ticket, which will be returned to you. This complimentary ticket can be claimed either today before you leave or on arrival for any of the remaining days of the Test Match," they say. "However, if you wish to claim a ticket for Saturday (day three), we advise that you do this before you leave the ground today due to the limited availability of tickets." So there you have it. Some good news on a day otherwise dominated by rain, and the chances of there being any play today are increasingly slim."

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

2nd day.

RAIN!!!!

4.10pm The umpires have had a look and, as expected, play has been abandoned for the day.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

Play has started with England on 302/2 (Anderson 4*, Cook 126*)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

WICKET

England 326/3

Anderson b Edwards 14 (39b 3x4 0x6)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

WICKET

England 410/4

Cook c Gayle b Benn 160 (339b 17x4 0x6)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

WICKET

England 419/5

Pietersen c Simmons b Benn 49 (57b 9x4 0x6)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

WICKET

England 513/6

MJ Prior c Benn b Simmons 63 (83b 7x4 0x6)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

WICKET

England 513/6

MJ Prior c Benn b Simmons 63 (83b 7x4 0x6)
First Test Wicket for Lendl Simmons

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

TEA

England: 569/6 (147.0 ov) (SCJ Broad 28*, PD Collingwood 60*)
West Indies: Yet to bat

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

England: 569/6
West Indies: Yet to bat

England declare at tea.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

England: 569/6d
West Indies: 18/1

WICKET: DS Smith b Anderson 7 (14b 1x4 0x6)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

England: 569/6d
West Indies: 34/1 (Sarwan 6*, Gayle 19*)


Bad Light has stopped play.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

England: 569/6d
West Indies: 38/2

WICKET: CH Gayle lbw b Anderson 19 (24b 4x4 0x6)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

England: 569/6d
West Indies: 68/3

WICKET: LMP Simmons c Strauss b Anderson 8 (18b 2x4 0x6)

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

England: 569/6d
West Indies: 68/3

Bad light has stopped play

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

England: 569/6d
West Indies: 68/3

Bad light has now turned into rain

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

3rd day.

Stumps

England 569/6d
West Indies 94/3

West Indies trail by 475 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the 1st innings 

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 129/3 (25.3 ov)

West Indies trail by 130 runs with 7 wickets remaining 

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 129/3 (25.3 ov)

West Indies trail by 130 runs with 7 wickets remaining 

Match delayed by rain.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 129/3 (25.3 ov)

West Indies trail by 130 runs with 7 wickets remaining 

Play is scheduled to restart at approximately 11.40am.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 139/3 (29.1 ov)

West Indies trail by 120 runs with 7 wickets remaining 

Oh no, the showers are back. This is frustrating. On come the covers, and off go the players.

Rain stopped play

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 141/4 (30.2 ov)

WICKET: LMP Simmons c sub (SG Borthwick) b Anderson 10 (34b 0x4 0x6)

West Indies trail by 118 runs with 6 wickets remaining 

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 142/5 (32.0 ov)

WICKET: BP Nash c sub (SG Borthwick) b Bresnan 1 (9b 0x4 0x6)

West Indies trail by 117 runs with 5 wickets remaining

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 142/5 (32.0 ov)

WICKET: BP Nash c sub (SG Borthwick) b Bresnan 1 (9b 0x4 0x6)

West Indies trail by 117 runs with 5 wickets remaining

Another cheap dismissal! An inswinger on the off-stump, bending back sharply and Nash flicks it uppishly straight into square-leg's hands, and that's Bresnan's maiden Test wicket

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 146/6 (33.2 ov)

WICKET: D Ramdin c Anderson b Bresnan 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

West Indies trail by 109 runs with 4 wickets remaining

Another cheap dismissal! An inswinger on the off-stump, bending back sharply and Nash flicks it uppishly straight into square-leg's hands, and that's Bresnan's maiden Test wicket

Excellent news for Bresnan! He's worked hard for this over so many years of playing.

Excellent news for Bresnan! He's worked hard for this over so many years of playing.
I hope he does get a chance to play in The Ashes.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 163/7 (36.4 ov)

WICKET: JE Taylor b Anderson 5 (12b 1x4 0x6)

West Indies trail by 96 runs with 3 wickets remaining

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 167/8 (41.0 ov)

WICKET: SJ Benn b Anderson 0 (12b 0x4 0x6)

West Indies trail by 92 runs with 2 wickets remaining

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 167/8 (41.0 ov)

WICKET: SJ Benn b Anderson 0 (12b 0x4 0x6)

West Indies trail by 92 runs with 2 wickets remaining
On the last bowl before lunch.

2nd Test, England v West Indies at Riverside.

5th day.

England 569/6d
West Indies 310 & 176 (44.0 ov)

England won by an innings and 82 runs

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm66/Phil_O-Sopher/Lords2009Floodlights.jpg

Taken at Lord's Cricket Ground yesterday during the Middlesex v Somerseet Friends Provident Trophy - Group B match.

The picture shows the newly insttalled floodlights.

Provident Trophy - Group B, Middlesex v Warwickshire at Lord's London

Warwickshire 276/7 (50 ov)
Middlesex 78/2 (12.5 ov)

Middlesex require another 199 runs with 8 wickets and 37.1 overs remaining

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting reveals he will target opposite number Andrew Strauss in this summer's Ashes series.

Sussex booked their place in this Saturday's Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals with a 60-run win over nearest rivals Yorkshire at Hove.

Somerset became the second team to book their place on last Saturday in the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals with a 44-run win over Kent at Canterbury.

Friends Provident Trophy match between Glamorgan v Northamptonshire has been abandoned without a ball bowled 

Sussex have announced they will give former Middlesex fast bowler Chad Keegan a trial over the next few weeks.

The 29-year-old South African, who was dropped by Middlesex when his contract ended in November 2007, has featured for Sussex's second team this season.

He has been promoted to the first-team for their FP Trophy match with Surrey.

"As we have qualified for the quarter-finals we will be using the match to give a few fringe players a chance," Sussex manager Mark Robinson said.

South Africa-born Keegan made his first-class debut in 2001 and played his last top-level game for Middlesex in September 2006.

But despite showing glimpses of potential, his time at Lord's was severely hampered by injury.

Australian Phil Hughes admits that playing for Middlesex at Lord's should stand him in good stead for this summer's Ashes battle.

All-rounder Andrew Symonds fails to earn a recall as Australia name their 16-man squad for the Ashes series in England.

All-rounder Andrew Symonds fails to earn a recall as Australia name their 16-man squad for the Ashes series in England.
Full Australia Ashes Tour squad: R Ponting (c), M Clarke (vc), S Clark, B Haddin, N Hauritz, B Hilfenhaus, P Hughes, M Hussey, M Johnson, S Katich, B Lee, G Manou, A McDonald, M North, P Siddle, S Watson.

Mark Ramprakash hit his third Friends Provident Trophy century of the summer as Surrey pulled off a shock 79-run win over quarter-finalists Sussex.

Glamorgan have been docked two points from next season's one-day Friends Provident Trophy after a Swalec Stadium wicket was marked as "poor".

The sanction comes seven weeks before the first Ashes Test at the ground.

Former England cricketer Chris Lewis has been jailed for 13 years for smuggling cocaine into Britain.

England suffer a huge blow ahead of their one-day series against West Indies with the news Kevin Pietersen will miss out with an Achilles injury.

Friends Provident Trophy Duarter Final Draw
Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire, TBC
Hampshire v Middlesex, The Rose Bowl,
Lancashire v Essex, Old Trafford
Somerset v Sussex, Taunton

Gloucestershire are awaiting a response from the England & Wales Cricket Board to see if they can move Saturday's FP Trophy home quarter-final with Notts.

Their Bristol home will be in use this Saturday by West Indies and England players preparing for the next day's one-day international at Nevil Road.

NatWest Series England v West Indies  - 1st ODI, at Headingley, Leeds.

Match delayed by rain

The umpires have completed an inspection and this was what Nigel Llong had to say. "The biggest problem we've got is surface water. It's just a non-starter in any conditions."

NatWest Series England v West Indies  - 1st ODI, at Headingley, Leeds.

Match delayed by rain

Inspection at 2pm

NatWest Series England v West Indies  - 1st ODI, at Headingley, Leeds.

Right it's official. The match has been called off. It was inevitable really. There was never really a chance, a lot of frustrated people are now filing home. We can debate endlessly about the wisdom of holding matches in the north in May. What happened today was unfortunate.

NatWest Series England v West Indies  - 1st ODI, at Headingley, Leeds.

Right it's official. The match has been called off. It was inevitable really. There was never really a chance, a lot of frustrated people are now filing home. We can debate endlessly about the wisdom of holding matches in the north in May. What happened today was unfortunate.

An expensive new drainage system failed to prevent an abandonment in the first one-day international at Headingley.

England's match against West Indies was called off at 1500 BST, long after the rain had stopped, because the surface water could not be removed.

Headingley recently underwent a £600,000 re-surfacing operation, which included a new drainage system.

But the England and Wales Cricket Board admitted it would not reach its "full potential

Gloucestershire are given permission by the ECB to delay Saturday's scheduled Friends Provident Trophy home quarter-final with Notts until 16 June.

No cricket fixtures today other than Indian Premier League, Delhi Daredevils v Deccan Chargers at Centurion

The England and Wales Cricket Board has turned down three offers for lucrative one-off Stanford-style matches since last year's ill-fated $20m match

Derbyshire fast bowler Charl Langeveldt is ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at Bristol.

Start of play 10:45

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at Bristol.

Andrew Strauss feels England can continue their winning run in Sunday's ODI, despite two significant injuries.

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at Bristol.
Teams:

England (from): Andrew Strauss (capt), Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Ian Bell, Matt Prior (wk), Dimitri Mascarenhas, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom, James Anderson.

West Indies (from): Chris Gayle (capt), Dale Richards, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Runako Morton, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Kieron Pollard, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Ravi Rampaul, Fidel Edwards, Lionel Baker

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at Bristol.

England have won the toss and they will bowl first.

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at County Ground, Bristol
   
West Indies team   
CH Gayle, LMP Simmons, RR Sarwan, S Chanderpaul, KA Pollard, DJ Bravo, D Ramdin, DJG Sammy, JE Taylor, SJ Benn, R Rampaul 
 
England team   
AJ Strauss, RS Bopara, OA Shah, EJG Morgan, PD Collingwood, MJ Prior, AD Mascarenhas, SCJ Broad, GP Swann, TT Bresnan, JM Anderson 

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at County Ground, Bristol
    
West Indies 2/1

Wicket: LMP Simmons lbw b Broad 0 (4b 0x4 0x6)

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at County Ground, Bristol
   
West Indies 7/2

WICKET: RR Sarwan c Prior b Broad 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

NatWest Series, England v West Indies  - 2nd ODI, at County Ground, Bristol
   
West Indies 44/3

WICKET: CH Gayle b Swann 31 (28b 3x4 2x6)

England continued their domination of West Indies with an easy 58-run victory in the final one-day international at Edgbaston to take the series 2-0.

England's top four all impressed as Matt Prior top-scored with 87 in a 149-run partnership with Owais Shah (75).

The 328-7 was their sixth highest one-day total with Jerome Taylor the pick of the tourists' bowlers with 3-59.

The Windies batsmen never threatened and needed Shivnarine Chanderpaul (68) and Denesh Ramdin to help them to 270.

All of England's bowlers performed efficiently, without any need for fireworks, as James Anderson grabbed three wickets and Stuart Broad a pair to help smother the West Indian run-chase, which also included three run outs.

Captain Chris Gayle admitted on Monday the series had been a disappointment for the West Indies and was determined to end with a morale-boosting win ahead of the World Twenty20 in June.

Following the wash-out at Headingley and the six-wicket thrashing in Bristol, Gayle opted for action with the ball after winning the toss as heavy cloud circled the long queues battling to get inside Edgbaston.

With England naming an unchanged line-up, the tourists brought in fast bowler Fidel Edwards and opening batsman Runako Morton replacing Darren Sammy and Lendl Simmons.

It was though a rather limp start from pacemen Ravi Rampaul and Taylor with their direction often wayward and too short at the lively Ravi Bopara and Andrew Strauss.

Although the Windies had an early sniff with Kieron Pollard almost running out Bopara, England's opening pair punished anything off line and Rampaul was soon dragged off having conceded 29 off four overs.

On came Edwards, so impressive in the first Test against England, and he was immediately rewarded with Strauss slicing one at the diving Pollard at backward point but the ball popped out of his hands.

The smile soon returned to Gayle's face, though, with Dwayne Bravo making a much-needed breakthrough.

After easing beautifully to one short of his half-century, Bopara prodded forward at a ball nipping back in, only to see the bails tumble after an unlucky inside edge.

Prior and Strauss kept the run-rate ticking along, but the skipper will be kicking himself, giving his wicket away in sloppy fashion when on 52.

After missing a gentle one by Sulieman Benn, Strauss took an age returning his foot to the crease and despite wicketkeeper Ramdin's slow reaction, the stumps were broken and the skipper was off to the pavilion.

West Indies finally grabbed their third scalp, but not before Shah had struck 75 sweet runs off 65 balls, caught at deep mid-wicket by Morton attempting a second successive six off Taylor.

Pollard snared Dimitri Mascarenhas, caught and bowled, for nought and then Prior, having surpassed his previous best one-day international score of 52, finally succumbed on 87 to a full and straight delivery from Taylor, trying to swipe another one down the leg.

Paul Collingwood, on his 33rd birthday, blasted a quick-fire 23, including a huge six down the leg, to help his side past 300 and reach their highest one-day total against West Indies - beating the 1995 total of 306-5 at The Oval.

A missed Collingwood swipe, which handed Taylor his third wicket, and Rampaul catching Tim Bresnan off Pollard were the last wickets to fall with the tourists mulling over the prospect of chasing 329 over lunch.

Just one minute after Gayle crashed over his first boundary, the disconsolate skipper was walking off having played a Broad loosener down the throat of Bopara.

The misery continued and Ramnaresh Sarwan soon followed, driving Anderson towards Strauss at cover who plucked the ball out brilliantly with his left hand.

The tourists' cause was then certainly not aided with the calamitous run-out of Morton.

After scratching around for 21, the opener wanted an optimistic second run when half-way down the wicket but Chanderpaul refused, leaving Bresnan at the stumps to send him packing.

With Bravo opening up his blade with two huge sixes, Graeme Swann was unlucky not to have him stumped in his first over but the West Indian's fortune quickly ran out.

Medium-paced but steady, Bresnan started his fifth over with a wide but then had Bravo playing across the line, capturing him leg before after an entertaining but all too brief innings of 26.

Mascarenhas, Swann and Collingwood plugged away admirably as the match slowly and painfully turned into a rather flat affair with Chanderpaul playing like a man intent on protecting his average as his team's required run-rate soared above 11.

Chanderpaul did eventually move up a gear, but having scored 68 in 108 balls he heaved Broad into the grateful hands of Bopara.

Pollard and Taylor were run out and Benn briefly lit up Edgbaston with two fours and a six before Swann bowled Rampaul.

But there was no denying England and man-of-the-match Prior as they wrapped up victory and the series with Anderson smashing Benn's stumps on a near-perfect day for the hosts.

ENGLAND'S TOP SIX ODI TOTALS
391/4 vs Bangladesh, June 2005, Trent Bridge
363/7 vs Pakistan, Aug 1992, Trent Bridge
340/6 vs New Zealand, Feb 2008, Napier
334/4 vs India, June 1975, Lord's
333/9 vs Sri Lanka, June 1983, Taunton
328/7 vs West Indies, June 2009, Edgbaston

From yesterday:

Usman Afzaal starred as Surrey won the London derby with Middlesex at Lord's by 57 runs to get their Twenty20 Cup campaign off to a flying start.

Together with fellow former England batsman Mark Ramprakash, Afzaal put on an unbroken 139 for the second wicket.

Afzaal hit 98 off just 59 balls, while Middlesex old boy Ramprakash (61 off 45) helped Surrey to 186-1.

Chris Schofield then took 3-21 as the home side ended well short on 129-7, Tyron Henderson top scoring with 32.

Scott Newman had earlier hit two thirds of his 18 in sixes as he helped Afzaal get Surrey off to a flier.

But then Afzaal, with comfortably his Twenty20 best, and Ramprakash, with his customary big score against the county who let him go nine summers ago, really got stuck in.

And, in contrast to their spirited effort as they made a Friends Provident Trophy quarter-final exit at The Rose Bowl on Saturday, Middlesex's weakened batting line-up had little to offer in response.

Veteran Somerset pace bowler Andy Caddick has set a target of the County Championship match against Lancashire on 6 June for his return to action.

The 40-year-old has been struggling with back and neck problems and is yet to feature for Somerset this term.

But he is confident of coming back into the fray after the Twenty20 games.

"I'm building things up. It's looking promising. I want to continue bowling in the nets and getting the fitness up," Caddick told BBC Somerset.

Twenty20 Cup - South Division, Middlesex v Kent, Played at Lord's, London, on 27 May 2009 - day/night (20-over match)

Kent team   
Azhar Mahmood, JM Kemp, SJ Cook, RH Joseph, JC Tredwell, R McLaren, M van Jaarsveld, GO Jones, JL Denly, RWT Key, DI Stevens 
 
Middlesex team   
EJG Morgan, BJM Scott, SD Udal, A Richardson, CEW Silverwood, OA Shah, DJ Malan, NRD Compton, T Henderson, NJ Dexter, D Evans 

Kent won the toss and elected to bat

Twenty20 Cup - South Division, Middlesex v Kent, Played at Lord's, London, on 27 May 2009 - day/night (20-over match)

Middlesex: Yet to bat
Kent 1/1

WICKET: RWT Key c Malan b Richardson 0 (1m 2b 0x4 0x6)

Twenty20 Cup - South Division, Middlesex v Kent, Played at Lord's, London, on 27 May 2009 - day/night (20-over match)

Middlesex: Yet to bat
Kent 55/2

WICKET:  JL Denly c Morgan b Udal 17 (28m 21b 2x4 0x6)
 

Twenty20 Cup - South Division, Middlesex v Kent, Played at Lord's, London, on 27 May 2009 - day/night (20-over match)

Middlesex: Yet to bat
Kent 115/3

WICKET:  GO Jones c Dexter b Richardson 30 (21m 18b 3x4 1x6)

Twenty20 Cup - South Division, Middlesex v Kent, Played at Lord's, London, on 27 May 2009 - day/night (20-over match)

Middlesex: Yet to bat
Kent 191/3 (20 ov)

Middlesex need over 9.6 runs per over to win.

Twenty20 Cup - South Division, Middlesex v Kent, Played at Lord's, London, on 27 May 2009 - day/night (20-over match)

Middlesex: 24/1
Kent 191/3 (20 ov)

WICKET: Last bat  NRD Compton st Jones b Cook 7 (17m 11b 1x4 0x6)

Twenty20 Cup - South Division, Middlesex v Kent, Played at Lord's, London, on 27 May 2009 - day/night (20-over match)

Middlesex: 30/2 (6.0/20 ov)
Kent 191/3 (20 ov)

WICKET: NJ Dexter c Denly b Joseph 15 (23m 19b 2x4 0x6) SR: 78.94

Kent achieved revenge for last summer's Twenty20 Cup final defeat by hammering Middlesex under the lights at Lord's.

Martin Van Jaarsveld smashed 75 not out as Kent piled up 191-3, supported by Darren Stevens' unbeaten 59 in just 26 balls (with one six and 10 fours).

But Middlesex were no match, following Monday night's 57-run local derby loss to Surrey with an even worse defeat.

This time the holders reached only 129-8 as Kent won by 62 runs to earn their first Twenty20 win of 2009.

Geraint Jones also put in en entertaining cameo for Kent, smashing 30 off just 18 balls.

But, in reply, despite having England duo Owais Shah and Eion Morgan back in their line-up, only Middlesex skipper Shaun Udal made more than 20.

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is ruled out of the World Twenty20 campaign in June and is replaced by spinner Adil Rashid.

Mushtaq Ahmed will spend more time with England as their spin coach after Sussex released him from his contract.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes says he cannot see a quick solution in the battle to hold onto wicketkeeper Steve Davies.

From the Middlesex floodlight game a few days back, Lord's Cricket Ground in it's glory.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm66/Phil_O-Sopher/3570861913_10b9da9e07_m.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm66/Phil_O-Sopher/whites.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm66/Phil_O-Sopher/whitesaussies.jpg

The Australian Test Squad have arrived in England for the Ashes and they have already started.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting says England may be better off without Andrew Flintoff in their Ashes side, unless he is 100% fit.

Holders Middlesex suffered their second Twenty20 Cup loss to Kent in the space of three nights, losing by four wickets at Canterbury.

After a 62-run defeat at Lord's on Wednesday, Middlesex struggled to 104-6 after winning the toss.

Sunday, 31 May 2009

The Twenty20 Cup Fixtures

Derbyshire v Yorkshire, Chesterfield
Durham v Nottinghamshire, Riverside
Hampshire v Surrey, The Rose Bowl
Kent v Sussex, Canterbury
Leicestershire v Lancashire, Grace Road

Sunday, 31 May 2009

The Twenty20 Cup Fixtures

Derbyshire v Yorkshire, Chesterfield
Durham v Nottinghamshire, Riverside
Hampshire v Surrey, The Rose Bowl
Kent v Sussex, Canterbury
Leicestershire v Lancashire, Grace Road
Please note that Middlesex are not playing today, so that means we cannot lose!

Sunday, 31 May 2009

The Twenty20 Cup

Derbyshire: 7-0 ( 2.0 overs )
Yorkshire: Yet to bat
In Play

Durham: 3-0 ( 1.0 over )
Nottinghamshire: Yet to bat
In Play

Hampshire: 9-0 ( 1.1 overs )
Surrey: Yet to bat
In Play

Kent: Yet to bat
Sussex: Yet to bat
Yet to begin

Leicestershire: Yet to bat
Lancashire: Yet to bat
Yet to begin

Sunday, 31 May 2009
The Twenty20 Cup

Derbyshire: 21-1 ( 4.3 overs )
Yorkshire: Yet to bat
In Play

Durham: 11-1 ( 3.2 overs )
Nottinghamshire: Yet to bat
In Play

Hampshire: 34-0 ( 3.2 overs )
Surrey: Yet to bat
In Play

Kent: Yet to bat
Sussex: Yet to bat
Yet to begin

Leicestershire: 5-0 ( 1.1 overs )
Lancashire: Yet to bat
In Play

Sunday, 31 May 2009
The Twenty20 Cup

Derbyshire: 42-2 ( 8.2 overs )
Yorkshire: Yet to bat
In Play

Durham: 38-1 ( 6.3 overs )
Nottinghamshire: Yet to bat
In Play

Hampshire: 81-0 ( 7.5 overs )
Surrey: Yet to bat
In Play

Kent: Yet to bat
Sussex: Yet to bat
Yet to begin

Leicestershire: 21-1 ( 5.1 overs )
Lancashire: Yet to bat
In Play

The Twenty20 Cup

Derbyshire: 131-6 ( 20.0 overs )
Yorkshire: 22-1 ( 3.5 overs )
In Play

Durham: 177-4 ( 20.0 overs )
Nottinghamshire: 22-1 ( 3.1 overs )
In Play

Hampshire: 191-6 ( 20.0 overs )
Surrey: 20-1 ( 3.1 overs )
In Play

Kent: Yet to bat
Sussex: 129-7 ( 19.3 overs )
In Play

Leicestershire: 147-3 ( 20.0 overs )
Lancashire: 24-0 ( 2.0 overs )
In Play

Sunday, 31 May 2009

The Twenty20 Cup Results

Derbyshire: 131-6 ( 20.0 overs )
Yorkshire: 134-2 ( 16.1 overs )
Yorkshire beat Derbyshire by 8 wickets

Durham: 177-4 ( 20.0 overs )
Nottinghamshire: 169 ( 19.4 overs )
Durham beat Nottinghamshire by 8 runs

Hampshire: 191-6 ( 20.0 overs )
Surrey: 173-8 ( 20.0 overs )
Hampshire beat Surrey by 18 runs

Kent: 133-5 ( 17.0 overs )
Sussex: 132-7 ( 20.0 overs )
Kent beat Sussex by 5 wickets

Leicestershire: 147-3 ( 20.0 overs )
Lancashire: 151-3 ( 16.3 overs )
Lancashire beat Leicestershire by 7 wickets

Captain Paul Collingwood believes home advantage will give England an extra dimension when they begin their quest to capture the World Twenty20 title.

Monday, 01 June 2009

The Twenty20 Cup Fixtures

Essex v Kent, Chelmsford
Gloucestershire v Worcestershire, Bristol
Somerset v Glamorgan, Taunton
Sussex v Middlesex, Hove
Warwickshire v Northamptonshire, Edgbaston

Kevin Pietersen will seek to play a full part in the ICC World Twenty20 for England even though he has not fully recovered from his Achilles problem.

Rory Hamilton-Brown starred with both bat and ball at Hove as Sussex condemned holders Middlesex to their fourth Twenty20 defeat of the season.

Kevin Pietersen was relieved to prove his fitness with a stylish unbeaten 53 as England beat Scotland by six wickets in a World Twenty20 warm-up match.

Sean Ervine hit 53 off 26 balls and took four wickets as Hampshire move into serious Twenty20 Cup contention with a second straight win at Uxbridge.

Hampshire piled up 181-6 thanks to the rapid Ervine and Michael Carberry (56), who put on 79 for the third wicket.

But, once young spinner Liam Dawson had taken three of the first four wickets, there was no way back for Middlesex.

Ervine then took a Twenty20 best 4-16 as the holders were bowled out for 125 to confirm a fifth straight defeat.

Middlesex's reign at Twenty20 Cup holders effectively ended at Uxbridge.

England face West Indies at Lord's in their final World Twenty20 warm-up game.

Nottinghamshire are talking to Australian David Hussey about returning to Trent Bridge on a temporary basis.

Ian harvey falls two runs short of a half century at Northampton in the Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire Twenty20 Cup fixture.

Superb performance by England, winning by nine wickets. It's very rare you see England outperform their opponents so convincingly in Twenty20s, but this was a far improved effort with the bat than their sticky and mechanical performance against Scotland yesterday. Luke Wright and Ravi Bopara both excelled as openers, leaving West Indies looking rather hapless. Questions remain for them: we still don't know why Chris Gayle played, but didn't bat or captain, and all in all they've not gleaned much from this warm-up. The real matches all kick off on Friday

India won by 9 wickets (with 18 balls remaining)

Controversial all-rounder Andrew Symonds will miss the ICC World Twenty20 for disciplinary reasons after breaking team rules relating to alcohol and other issues.

Hosts England are ready to get the second ICC World Twenty20 under way at Lord's on Friday as champions India prepare to defend their trophy.

Hosts England are ready to get the second ICC World Twenty20 under way at Lord's on Friday as champions India prepare to defend their trophy.
Just in time for the Opening Ceremony and the first match (England v The Netherlands) it starts raining.

Kent coach Simon Willis has labelled Thursday night's Twenty20 Cup defeat against Sussex as a 'total mess'.

Floodlight failure at Hove handed the home side an unlikely two-run Duckworth/Lewis victory.

Although Kent knew of the problem with the lights before the game, Willis was upset at the abruptness of the finale.

"The umpires gave us no indication they were going to come off. They just took the bails off and that was the end of the game," he told BBC Kent.

"It's another mess and we've come out on the wrong end of it again.

"We outplayed Sussex. We restricted them to a low total on a difficult pitch and were cruising.

Gloucestershire paceman Steve Kirby has been hit with three penalty points under the England and Wales Cricket Board's discipline code.

Kirby, 31, was reported by umpires Rob Bailey and Vanburn Holder for bowling an accidental high, full-pitched delivery against Glamorgan on 27 May.

The incident took place in the Twenty20 Cup game at Cardiff and the points will stay on Kirby's record for two years.

Players are suspended if they reach nine points over a two-year period.

ICC World Twenty20 2009 England v Netherlands at Lord's

England (from): PD Collingwood (Durham, capt), RS Bopara (Essex), LJ Wright (Sussex), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), OA Shah (Middlesex), EJG Morgan (Middlesex), JS Foster (Essex, wkt), AD Mascarenhas (Hampshire), SC Broad (Nottinghamshire), AU Rashid (Yorkshire), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), RJ Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire).

Netherlands (from): DJ Reekers, AN Kervezee, B Zuiderent, RN ten Doeschate, DLS van Bunge, PM Seelaar, J Smits (capt & wkt), TN de Grooth, Mudassar Bukhari, DP Nannes, E Schiferli, PM Seelaar, MMA Jonkman, ES Szwarczynski.

Opening ceremony breaking news: It's delayed. It was due at 4.40pm, 10 minutes ago...

...rain

ICC World Twenty20 2009 England v Netherlands at Lord's

Netherlands win the toss and will bowl.

England squad   
EJG Morgan, AU Rashid, SCJ Broad, JS Foster, RS Bopara, RJ Sidebottom, LJ Wright, PD Collingwood, JM Anderson, OA Shah, RWT Key 
   
Netherlands squad   
PW Borren, DLS van Bunge, E Schiferli, J Smits, DJ Reekers, TN de Grooth, DP Nannes, AN Kervezee, RN ten Doeschate, PM Seelaar, B Zuiderent 

ICC World Twenty20 2009 England v Netherlands at Lord's

England 162/5 (20.0/20 ov)
Netherlands Yet to bat

Hosts England crash to a four-wicket defeat by the Netherlands in a dramatic opening match in the World Twenty20. 

Hosts England crash to a four-wicket defeat by the Netherlands in a dramatic opening match in the World Twenty20. 




* Jumps up and dances like a mad man *

* Jumps up and dances like a mad man *
Well done Henk, your team were the better side on the day.

Of course, The Netherlands have players that have experience British cricket, Bas Zuiderent for Sussex, Ryan ten Doeschate for Essex and Daan van Bunge and Dirk Nannes both for Middlesex.

Well done Henk, your team were the better side on the day.


I realize my behaviour earlier tonight was not cricket. But beating England at Lord's... that's something!


Of course, The Netherlands have players that have experience British cricket, Bas Zuiderent for Sussex, Ryan ten Doeschate for Essex and Daan van Bunge and Dirk Nannes both for Middlesex.


As I've said before, I know little about cricket. It's hardly ever shown on television over here, but that might change after tonight.

Now I fear for England, Twenty20 is almost over before it's begun. You need a stellar performance against Pakistan to proceed to next round, unless I'm mistaken.

I realize my behaviour earlier tonight was not cricket. But beating England at Lord's... that's something!

As I've said before, I know little about cricket. It's hardly ever shown on television over here, but that might change after tonight.

Now I fear for England, Twenty20 is almost over before it's begun. You need a stellar performance against Pakistan to proceed to next round, unless I'm mistaken.
Even though it is a different form of cricket England is concentrating on the Ashes starting next month.

Heh!

Rather like a big name being dumped out of the FA Cup by a lower-league side...'We just want to concentrate on the league!'

You honestly think we're going to get a sniff of victory against the Aussies with a performance like that?  ;)
Firstly Andrew Strauss the captain of the England Test Squad is not a true one day player, he prefers the longer version of the cricket.

* Jumps up and dances like a mad man *


Geez...I came here to stir some trouble between Philip and Henk ....but they've both already been here.  :-\\  Why does it all happen while I'm asleep? >:(  ;)

Heh!

Rather like a big name being dumped out of the FA Cup by a lower-league side...'We just want to concentrate on the league!'

You honestly think we're going to get a sniff of victory against the Aussies with a performance like that?  ;)


Actually, we aren't performing much better..so, the Ashes may be a closer contest than you might think!  Although, I hope England perform to the same standard as the 20/20... ;)

It is raining for the Twenty20 World Cup, but there is play at Chelmsford in the County Championship Div 2, Middlesex are 61-2.

Australia take on West Indies after New Zealand beat Scotland by seven wickets in the ICC World Twenty20 at The Oval.

ICC World Twenty20 2009 Results (so far)

Saturday, 06 June 2009

Australia: 169-7 ( 20.0 overs )
West Indies: 172-3 ( 15.5 overs )
West Indies beat Australia by 7 wickets

Bangladesh: 155-8 ( 20.0 overs )
India: 180-5 ( 20.0 overs )
India beat Bangladesh by 25 runs

New Zealand: 90-3 ( 6.0 overs )
Scotland: 89-4 ( 7.0 overs )
New Zealand beat Scotland by 7 wickets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, 05 June 2009

ICC World Twenty20 2009
England: 162-5 ( 20.0 overs )
Netherlands: 163-6 ( 20.0 overs )
Holland beat England by 4 wickets

Sunday, 07 June 2009

ICC World Twenty20 2009 Fixtures

England v Pakistan, The Brit Oval, 17:30
Scotland v South Africa, The Brit Oval, 13:30

Corey Collymore dents Michael Vaughan's hopes of winning his England place back for the Ashes by dismissing him for a fourth-ball duck.

England beat Pakistan by 48 runs to secure their place in the World Twenty20 Super Eights.

Scotland became the first team to be eliminated from the ICC World Twenty20 following a 130-run defeat by South Africa at The Oval.

With Pakistan losing to England, the Pakistan v The Netherlands fixture on Tuesday at Lord's will provide the winner a play in the next round.

With Pakistan losing to England, the Pakistan v The Netherlands fixture on Tuesday at Lord's will provide the winner a play in the next round.


I'd put my money on Pakistan, if I were you. It was fun defeating England, but I don't think we can pull another one out of the hat.

I'd put my money on Pakistan, if I were you. It was fun defeating England, but I don't think we can pull another one out of the hat.
Cricket is a funny old game ?

Ireland beat Bangladesh by six wickets in the World Twenty20,

Actually, we aren't performing much better..so, the Ashes may be a closer contest than you might think!


I see...you'll let us win a match this time round!  ;)

I see...you'll let us win a match this time round!  ;)
One win for England and the other four to be drawn?

One win for England and the other four to be drawn?


To paraphrase that woman (from Australia, funnily enough)...

'We should be so lucky!'  ;)

To paraphrase that woman (from Australia, funnily enough)...

'We should be so lucky!'  ;)
I wish to avoid tears on my pillow!

I'd put my money on Pakistan, if I were you. It was fun defeating England, but I don't think we can pull another one out of the hat.
A rain off match with help The Netherlands to qualify to the next round.

Tuesday, 09 June 2009

ICC World Twenty20 2009 Fixtures

Netherlands v Pakistan, Lord's, 13:30
New Zealand v South Africa, Lord's, 17:30

The Aussies have now won less than 50% of all 20/20 matches played ....ever! 

The Aussies have now won less than 50% of all 20/20 matches played ....ever! 

England have played 18, won just 7. We feel even worse!

England have played 18, won just 7. We feel even worse!


Thanks...that made me feel better!  ;D

The Netherlands' win is their third from five games, the other two came against Kenya (19 runs) and Scotland (5 wickets).

With Australia failing tp qualify for the next round pf the 20T World Cup, the next few weeks will help them prepare for the Ashes. News we do not want to hear.

With Australia failing tp qualify for the next round pf the 20T World Cup, the next few weeks will help them prepare for the Ashes. News we do not want to hear.


Hopefully, we can put up a better show than in the short form of the game. It's a shame Symonds was sent home!  :-\\

Hopefully, we can put up a better show than in the short form of the game. It's a shame Symonds was sent home!  :-\\
Was Andrew symonds in the Test Squad?

AUSTRALIA skipper Ricky Ponting fears being dumped out of the World Twenty20 today - because it would mean spending two weeks in Leicester.

The Aussies go into the clash with Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge needing a win at all costs after their crushing seven-wicket weekend defeat by the West Indies.

Should the unthink-able happen, Ponting's squad would set up camp in the East Midlands as they gear up for the first Ashes Test on July 8.

But with their first warm-up game not scheduled until June 24, the 34-year-old is worried that his side could spend a fortnight twiddling their thumbs.

Was Andrew symonds in the Test Squad?


Actually, I'm not certain! I don't think he was. He was just coming back from his last few indescetions ans was supposed to help out with the 20/20.

Actually, I'm not certain! I don't think he was. He was just coming back from his last few indescetions ans was supposed to help out with the 20/20.
I think he was only there for the T20 and maybe the One Day Squad.

AUSTRALIA skipper Ricky Ponting fears being dumped out of the World Twenty20 today - because it would mean spending two weeks in Leicester.


Which just about says it all!  :D

Which just about says it all!  :D
has anyone here been to Leicester?

ICC World Twenty20 2009, Pakistan v Netherlands at Lord's, London

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat

ICC World Twenty20 2009, Pakistan v Netherlands at Lord's, London

Teams:

Pakistan : 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal, 3 Shoaib Malik, 4 Younis Khan (capt), 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Shahid Afridi, 7 Fawad Alam, 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Mohammad Aamer, 11 Saeed Ajmal

Netherlands: 1 Jeroen Smits, 2 Alexi Kervezee, 3 Darron Reekers, 4 Bas Zudierent, 5 Tom de Groot, 6 Ryan ten Doeschate, 7 Peter Borren, 8 Dann van Bunge, 9 Pieter Seelar, 10 Dirk Nannes, 11 Edgar Schiferli

ICC World Twenty20 2009, Pakistan v Netherlands at Lord's, London

Pakistan: 38/1
Netherlands: Yet to bat

WICKET: Salman Butt c Borren b ten Doeschate 18 (13b 2x4 1x6) 

ICC World Twenty20 2009, Pakistan v Netherlands at Lord's, London

Pakistan: 175/5 (20 overs, innings closed)
Netherlands: Yet to bat

Win or lose, The Netherlands just need to score over 151 runs to go through to the next round on the Run Rate.

Pakistan secured a place in the Super Eight phase of the World Twenty20 after beating The Netherlands by 82 runs.

Essex v Middlesex, County Championship Div 2, Day 4

Rain followed by an unbeaten 84 from England opener Alastair Cook stopped Middlesex from forcing a win on the final day against Essex at Chelmsford.

No play was possible until mid way through the afternoon, at which point the hosts began on 79-2 chasing an unlikely 415 for victory.

Cook shared in stands of 50 with Matt Walker (19) and 55 with Mark Pettini (21) as Essex closed on 159-4.

Steven Finn had Walker caught by David Nash to finish with figures of 3-67.

has anyone here been to Leicester?


I have...


...it was closed!  :D

I have...


...it was closed!  :D
Can we now see why Gary Linekar left Leicester?

Pakistan secured a place in the Super Eight phase of the World Twenty20 after beating The Netherlands by 82 runs.


See? Told you so.

See? Told you so.
The Netherlands did put up a fight to win the match, but Pakistan was the better side on the day.

The Netherlands did put up a fight to win the match, but Pakistan was the better side on the day.


We're just not good enough. We really should invest more in the game if we ever want to win something of importance - but cricket is just not appealing to the masses in Holland. Too complicated, I guess.

We're just not good enough. We really should invest more in the game if we ever want to win something of importance - but cricket is just not appealing to the masses in Holland. Too complicated, I guess.
It is one of the few countries in Europe the game cricket is played, Denmark has a team.

Once you have played the game the complicity disappears.

South Africa recorded a one-run victory over New Zealand in the final match of Group D in the World Twenty20.

Latest round of fixtures:


Derbyshire v. Gloucestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Hamish Marshall (Gloucestershire) (158) Alex Gidman (Gloucestershire) (135)
Durham v. Hampshire - Durham win by an innings and 110 runs
Top scorers: Will Smith (Durham) (80) Ian Blackwell (Durham) (68)
Essex v. Middlesex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) (97) Alistair Cook (Essex) (84)
Australian Sam Robson made his first-class debut, scoring 43 runs
Glamorgan v. Surrey - Match drawn
Top scorers: Mark Ramprakash (Surrey) (138) Jamie Dalrymple (Glamorgan) (72)
Lancashire v. Somerset - Match drawn
Top scorers: Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) (95) Paul Horton (69)
Leicestershire v. Kent - Match drawn
Top scorers: Joe Denly (Kent) (116*) Boeta Dippenaar (Leicestershire) (89)
Warwickshire v. Nottinghamshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Mark Wagh (Nottinghamshire) (146) Adam Voges (Nottinghamshire) (76)
Yorkshire v. Sussex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Michael Yardy (Sussex) (110) Ed Joyce (Sussex) (100*)
First-class debutante Azeem Rafiq took five wickets, of five different players, in the two innings of the match

Wednesday, 10 June 2009 ICC World Twenty20 2009 Fixtures

India v Ireland, Trent Bridge, 17:30
Sri Lanka v West Indies, Trent Bridge, 13:30

Sri Lanka v West Indies

Current score:

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 142/4 (16.6/20 ov)

West Indies need a Run Rate of 17.00 runs per over to win.

Sri Lanka v West Indies
17.1 over
Malinga to Bravo, 2 runs, another misheesh from Bravo, way outside off, Bravo looks to heave it to midwicket, lands safely near long-off, batsmen want to take a tight second, third umpire is called in to rule that Bravo did make his ground on the second

Sri Lanka v West Indies
17.2 Malinga to Bravo, SIX

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 150/4 (17.3/20 ov)

Sri Lanka v West Indies

17.3  Malinga to Bravo, OUT c Mubarak b Malinga 51 (38b 5x4 2x6) SR: 134.21

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 150/5 (17.3/20 ov)

Sri Lanka v West Indies

17.4 Malinga to Sarwan, 2 runs, a low full toss heading for middle, Sarwan backs away and slices it over extra cover

17.5 Malinga to Sarwan, 1 run, this time Sarwan shuffles across the stumps, nudges it towards square leg for a single

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 154/5 (18.0/20 ov)

Sri Lanka v West Indies

18.1  Udana to Pollard, FOUR, overpitched and angling into the pads, Pollard stands his ground and cracks that to the wide long-on boundary

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 158/5 (18.1/20 ov)

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 164/5 (18.4/20 ov)

West Indies require another 29 runs with 5 wickets and 8 balls remaining

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 165/5 (18.6/20 ov)

West Indies require another 28 runs with 5 wickets and 6 balls remaining

Sri Lanka 192/5 (20/20 ov)
West Indies 170/5 (19.2/20 ov)

West Indies require another 23 runs with 5 wickets and 4 balls remaining

Four 6s will do it.