West Indian batsman Chris Gayle agrees to join Somerset for their Twenty20 campaign

Craig Kieswetter has agreed a new deal with Somerset until the end of 2014.

Gloucestershire claimed that the rejection of their redevelopment plans, as reported earlier will make it "almost impossible" for the club to remain in Bristol.

Lancashire head coach Peter Moores signs a new two-year extension to his contract at Old Trafford.

April 5 is the starting date for this year's County Championship. And Playfair 2012 is being released on April 12. :D

April 5 is the starting date for this year's County Championship. And Playfair 2012 is being released on April 12. :D
... around the same time will be the Wisden's Almanac for this year too.

Middlesex fast bowler Toby Roland-Jones has extended his contract with the newly promoted county until the end of the 2014 season.

Surrey sign Australian bowler Dirk Nannes for T20 campaign - Nannes impressed in 2011

Surrey's Mark Ramprakash will captain the MCC in the county season curtain-raiser against champions Lancashire.

Hampshire's Danny Briggs is to miss the club's pre-season trip to Barbados, with the newly capped England spinner being given a rest.

First set of games of the 2012 cricket season are underway. Will report when they are over. :)

First set of matches done and dusted with. Results:


Derbyshire v. Northamptonshire - Derbyshire win by 202 runs
Top scorers: Martin Guptill (Der.) (137) Dan Redfern (Der.) (110)
Essex v. Gloucestershire - Essex win by an innings and 38 runs
Top scorers: Billy Godelman (Ess.) (130) Adam Wheater (Ess.) (56)
Leicestershire v. Glamorgan - Leicestershire win by 52 runs
Top scorers: Claude Henderson (Leics.) (57) Mark Wallace (Glam.) (47)
Nottinghamshire v. Worcestershire - Nottinghamshire win by 92 runs
Top scorers: Riki Wessels (Notts.) (113) Daryl Mitchell (Worcs.) (102)
Somerset v. Middlesex - Somerset win by 6 wickets
Top scorers: Nick Compton (Somer.) (99) Craig Kieswetter (Somer.) (83)
Surrey v. Sussex - Surrey win by 86 runs
Top scorers: Luke Wells (Sus.) (108) Rory Hamilton-Brown (Sur.) (89)
Yorkshire v. Kent - Match drawn
Top scorers: Jonathan Bairstow (Yor.) (107) Matt Coles (Kent) (103*)


Coles' score of 103 not out is his biggest score in first-class cricket, just over doubling his previous best first-class total of 51.

MCC head of cricket John Stephenson admits Olympic archery will damage the Lord's outfield for the England v South Africa Test.

Second set of matches:

Durham v. Nottinghamshire - Nottinghamshire win by 114 runs
Top scorers: Michael Lumb (Not.) (113) Phil Mustard (Dur.) (80)
Lancashire v. Sussex - Sussex win by 10 wickets
Top scorers: Michael Yardy (Sus.) (110) Ed Joyce (Sus.) (64)
Middlesex v. Surrey - Middlesex win by 3 runs
Top scorers: Dawid Malan (Mid.) (88) Rory Hamilton-Brown (Sur.) (63)
Warwickshire v. Somerset - Warwickshire win by 2 wickets
Top scorers: Nick Compton (Som.) (133) Jos Buttler (Som.) (93)
Glamorgan v. Derbyshire - Derbyshire win by 130 runs
Top scorers: David Wainwright (Der.) (51*) Jonathan Clare (Der.) (43)
Hampshire v. Gloucestershire - Gloucestershire win by 33 runs
Top scorers: Chris Dent (Glo.) (114) Michael Bates (Ham.) (83)
Northamptonshire v. Kent - Kent win by an innings and 120 runs
Top scorers: Mike Powell (Kent) (128) Geraint Jones (Kent) (53)

Third set of matches:


Derbyshire v. Leicestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ramnarash Sarwan (Leics) (105) Joshua Cobb (Leics) (105)
Glamorgan v. Hampshire - Hampshire win by two wickets
Top scorers: Ben Wright (Glam) (104) Sean Ervine (Hamps) (75)
Kent v. Gloucestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Hamish Marshall (Gloucs) (74) Alex Gidman (Gloucs) (70)
Lancashire v. Warwickshire - Warwickshire win by five wickets
Top scorers: Rikki Clarke (Warks) (140) Darren Maddy (Warks) (112)
Middlesex v. Durham - Match drawn
Top scorers: Neil Dexter (Middx) (65) John Simpson (Middx) (47)
Nottinghamshire v. Somerset - Match drawn
Top scorers: Nick Compton (Somer) (204*) Arul Suppiah (Somer) (124)
Surrey v. Worcestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Rory Hamilton-Brown (Sur) (76) Michael Klinger (Worcs) (69*)
Yorkshire v. Essex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Phil Jaques (Yorks) (126) Ravi Bopara (Essex) (117*)

Fourth set of matches:


Essex v. Northamptonshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Michael Pettini (Ess.) (16) Billy Godelman (9)
The match was abandoned after just 27 overs...
Gloucestershire v. Glamorgan - Match abandoned
Hampshire v. Leicestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Michael Carberry (Hamp.) (84) Greg Smith (Leics.) (68)
Kent v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Brendan Nash (Kent) (132*) Geraint Jones (Kent) (47)
Somerset v. Lancashire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Steve Croft (Lancs.) (113) Ashwell Prince (Lancs.) (96)
Surrey v. Durham - Match abandoned
Sussex v. Warwickshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Jonathan Trott (Warks.) (178) Rikki Clarke (Warks.) (78*)
Worcestershire v. Nottinghamshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Alex Hales (Notts.) (49) Aneesh Kapil (Worcs.) (41)

Fifth set of matches:


Derbyshire v. Gloucestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Kane Williamson (Gl.) (128) Wayne Madsen (Der.) (101)
Glamorgan v. Essex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Alviro Petersen (Es.) (145) Stewart Walters (Gla.) (69)
Lancashire v. Nottinghamshire - Nottinghamshire won by 185 runs
Top scorers: Samit Patel (Not.) (69) Michael Lumb (Not.) (62)
Northamptonshire v. Hampshire - Northamptonshire won by 117 runs
Top scorers: Michael Carberry (Ham.) (61) David Sales (Nor.) (58)
Warwickshire v. Durham - Warwickshire won by 9 wickets
Top scorers: Ian Bell (War.) (120) Phil Mustard (Dur.) (45)
Yorkshire v. Leicestershire - Yorkshire won by an innings and 22 runs
Top scorers: Andrew Gale (Yor.) (182) Matthew Boyce (Leics.) (122)
Middlesex v. Worcestershire - Middlesex won by 132 runs
Top scorers: Joe Denly (Mid.) (134*) Sam Robson (Mid.) (59)

Sixth set of matches:


Durham v. Somerset - Match drawn
Top scorers: Craig Kieswetter (Som.) (96*) Craig Meschede (Som.) (62)
Essex v. Kent - Match drawn
Top scorers: Darren Stevens (Kent) (119) Geraint Jones (Kent) (88)
Kent's sixth-wicket partnership accounted for 87.1~ percent of the innings total
Gloucestershire v. Yorkshire - Yorkshire win by 4 wickets
Top scorers: Phil Jaques (Yorks.) (160) Gary Ballance (Yorks.) (121)
Hampshire v. Derbyshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Dan Redfern (Derbs.) (133) James Adams (Hamps.) (122)
Leicestershire v. Northamptonshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Kyle Coetzer (Northants.) (120) Ramnaresh Sarwan (Leics.) (94)
Northamptonshire v. Middlesex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Michael Lumb (Notts.) (162) Ollie Rayner (Middx.) (143*)
Worcestershire v. Surrey - Match drawn
Top scorers: Tom Maynard (Sur.) (143) Rory Hamilton-Brown (Sur.) (115)

Andrew Strauss scores first Test century in 18 months as England close second day on 259-3, leading West Indies by 16

Seventh set of CC matches:


Northamptonshire v. Kent - Match drawn
Top scorers: David Sales (Nor.) (14) James Middlebrook (Nor.) (73)
Leicestershire v. Essex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ramnaresh Sarwan (Leics.) (I) (117) Ramnaresh Sarwan (Leics.) (II) (98)
Somerset v. Surrey - Match drawn
Top scorers: James Hildreth (Somer.) (120) Arul Suppiah (Somer.) (106)
Warwickshire v. Lancashire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Paul Horton (Lancs.) (137) Rikki Clarke (Warks.) (123)
Sussex v. Worcestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ed Joyce (Sus.) Moeen Ali (Worcs.) (85)
Hampshire v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Simon Katich (Ham.) (196) Anthony McGrath (Yorks.) (106*)

Eighth set of CC matches:


Somerset v. Durham - Somerset win by 5 wickets
Top scorers: Will Smith (Du.) (100) Michael DiVenuto (Du.) (96)
Essex v. Derbyshire - Derbyshire win by 10 wickets
Top scorers: Wes Durston (Der.) (116) James Foster (Ess.) (96)
Hampshire v. Glamorgan - Hampshire win by 31 runs
Top scorers: Sean Ervine (Ham.) (109) James Adams (Ham.) (72)
Kent v. Leicesershire - Kent win by an innings and 279 runs
Top scorers: Mike Powell (Kent) (134) James Tredwell (Kent) (87)
Lancashire v. Middlesex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ashwell Prince (Lan.) (144) Chris Rogers (Mid.) (138)
Northamptonshire v. Gloucestershire - Northamptonshire win by 121 runs
Top scorers: James Middlebrook (Nor.) (121) Hamish Marshall (Gloucs.) (117*)
Surrey v. Warwickshire - Warwickshire win by 5 wickets
Top scorers: Tim Ambrose (Warks. ) (89*) Varun Chopra (Warks.) (78)
Sussex v. Nottinghamshire - Nottinghamshire win by 7 wickets
Top scorers: Riki Wessels (Notts.) (199) Christopher Nash (Sus.) (128)

Kevin Pietersen announces his retirement from international limited-overs cricket with immediate effect.

Somerset batsman Nick Compton is denied the chance to complete 1,000 runs in May as rain arrived on day two of their game against Worcestershire.

England have omitted James Anderson from their squad for the third Test against West Indies, which starts on Thursday. Anderson suffered a minor quad problem during England's nine-wicket victory at Trent Bridge and, with the series already won, the selectors have decided to rest the bowling attack's leader in order to keep him fresh for the rest of the summer. Anderson's new-ball partner, Stuart Broad, has been included in an otherwise unchanged 12-man squad.

West Indies recall former captain Chris Gayle after 14-month absence to take part in the one-day series against England

Ninth set of CC matches:


Glamorgan v. Leicestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ned Eckersley (Leics.) (137*) Mike Thornely (Leics.) (131)
Durham v. Lancashire - Lancashire win by 2 wickets
Top scorers: Ben Stokes (Dur.) (121) Ashwell Prince (Lancs.) (51)
Gloucestershire v. Derbyshire - Gloucestershire win by 7 wickets
Top scorers: Alex Gidman (Gloucs.) (129) Dan Redfern (Der.) (77)
Middlesex v. Sussex - Middlesex win by 10 wickets
Top scorers: Chris Rogers (Middx.) (98) Ed Joyce (Suss.) (77)
Worcestershire v. Somerset - Match drawn
Top scorers: Nick Compton (Som.) (108) Vikram Solanki (Worcs.) (106)
Yorkshire v. Northamptonshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Joe Root (Yorks.) (125) Andrew Hall (Northants.) (79)

The second successive day of the third Test between England and West Indies is abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Day Three

Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan both take two wickets as West Indies reach 164-5 at tea in the third Test at Edgbaston

England seamer Graham Onions takes three wickets as West Indies reach 280-8 at the close of play at the third Test at Edgbaston

Tino Best (88no) breaks the world record for a Number 11 in Test cricket as West Indies reach 416-9 against England

Final day of third Test between England and West Indies at Edgbaston has been abandoned with the match being declared a draw

Denesh Ramdin is fined 20% of his match fee after displaying a public message to Sir Viv Richards during third Test.

England's Ian Bell not ruled out for Saturday's first one-day international against West Indies after being hit on chin in practice

England captain Alastair Cook wins the toss and elects to field against the West Indies in today's second one-day international.

Glamorgan postpone Wednesday's T20 game with Worcestershire as a mark of respect after the death of former player Tom Maynard.

Paul Stirling smashes two sixes and eight fours in a quickfire 71 to earn Middlesex's first FL t20 win of 2012 against Hampshire

ECB bans Danish Kaneria for life, for encouraging former Essex team-mate Mervyn Westfield not to play to best of his ability

Rain washed out the third and final one-day international between England and West Indies at Headingley.

Ireland's one-day international against Australia at Stormont abandoned because of rain after 10.4 overs

West Indies make 172-4 from their 20 overs against England in Twenty20 international at Trent Bridge

Eoin Morgan hits a superb unbeaten 89 off 63 balls as England beat Australia by 15 runs in the opening ODI at Lord's.

Tenth set of CC matches:


Durham v. Warwickshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ben Stokes (Du.) (66) Will Smith (Du.) (47)
Leicestershire v. Derbyshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Dan Redfern (De.) (81) Matthew Boyce (Le.) (50)
Middlesex v. Somerset - Match drawn
Top scorers: Chris Rogers (Mi.) (173) Joe Denly (Mi.) (116*)
Glamorgan v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Stewart Walters (Gl.) (37*) Gareth Rees (Gl.) (35)
The match was called a draw after three days of no play.
Kent v. Hampshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Liam Dawson (Ha.) (134*) Sam Northeast (Ke.) (79)
Northamptonshire v. Essex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ravi Bopara (Es.) (174) James Foster (Es.) (135)
Nottinghamshire v. Lancashire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ashwell Prince (La.) (80) James Taylor (No.) (67)
Sussex v. Surrey - Sussex win by 10 wickets
Top scorers: Luke Wells (Sus.) (127) James Anyon (Sus.) (64*)

England beat Australia by eight wickets - a record ninth straight win in one-day cricket - to wrap up a crushing series victory.

South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher is a doubt for the Test series against England after suffering a serious eye injury.

The 35-year-old was struck by a bail while standing up to the stumps on day one of the tour match with Somerset.

He underwent surgery on a lacerated eyeball at 19:00 BST on Monday.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann has a cortisone injection in his right elbow in a bid to be fit for England's Test series against South Africa.

England captain Andrew Strauss and batsman Kevin Pietersen hit centuries for Middlesex and Surrey respectively

Ravi Bopara replaces Jonny Bairstow in England Test squad to face South Africa

England close opening day of Test series against South Africa on 267-3 at The Oval, with Alastair Cook 114 not out

South Africa take lunch on 514-2 - leading England by 129 - with Hashim Amla 251no and Jacques Kallis 125no

South Africa take lunch on 514-2 - leading England by 129 - with Hashim Amla 251no and Jacques Kallis 125no
Hashim Amla moves to 277, the record is actually currently held by AB de Villiers, who made 278 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

South Africa declare at tea on 637-2 - a first-innings lead of 252 - with Hashim Amla unbeaten on 311 and Jacques Kallis 182no

South Africa wrap up win against England in the first Test at the Oval by an innings and 12 runs

Eleventh set of CC matches:


Worcestershire v. Durham - Match drawn
Top scorers: Phillip Hughes (Wo.) (87) Mark Stoneman (Du.) (41*)
Gloucestershire v. Essex - Match drawn
Top scorers; Ed Cowan (Gl.) (103) Hamish Marshall (Gl.) (72*)
Only half of the first innings was playable
Hampshire v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Joe Root (Yo.) (222*) Steven Patterson (Yo.) (37)
Middlesex v. Nottinghamshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Andrew Strauss (Mi.) (127*) Adam Voges (No.) (105)
Surrey v. Lancashire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Kevin Pietersen (Su.) (234*) Steve Croft (La.) (154*)
Warwickshire v. Sussex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Rikki Clarke (Wa.) (110*) Jim Troughton (Wa.) (81)
Northamptonshire v. Glamorgan - Glamorgan win by 3 wickets
Top scorers: David Sales (No.) (138*) Rob Newton (No.) (117)

Twelfth set of CC matches:


Derbyshire v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Paul Jaques (Yo.) (61) Gary Ballance (Yo.) (46)
Gloucestershire v. Leicestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ramnaresh Sarwan (Le.) (93) Alex Gidman (Gl.) (62)
Lancashire v. Worcestershire - Worcestershire win by 205 runs
Top scorers: Ben Scott (Wo.) (106) Matt aprdoe (Wo.) (55)
Nottinghamshire v. Surrey - Match drawn
Top scorers: Chris Read (No.) (98) Rory Burns (Su.) (79)
Somerset v. Warwickshire - Somerset win by 1 wicket
Top scorers: Craig Kieswetter (So.) (152) Jim Troughton (Wa.) (132)
Sussex v. Durham - Sussex win by 2 wickets
Top scorers: Michael Yardy (Su.) (66) Ben Brown (Su.) (51)
Essex v. Hampshire - Hampshire win by 2 runs
Top scorers: Neil McKenzie (Ha.) (139) Adam Wheater (Es.) (98)
Kent v. Glamorgan - Match drawn
Top scorers: Darren Stevens (Ke.) (123) Brendan Nash (Ke.) (114)

Very sad to see the death of Surrey and Gloucestershire all-rounder David Thomas, who has passed away as a result of multiple sclerosis at the age of 53. Unfortunately, due to the fact that his career coincided with that of Ian Botham, he never saw the opportunity for a place in the England team.

More here.

Thirteenth set of County Championship matches:


Durham v. Middlesex - Durham win by 15 runs
Top scorers: Chris Rogers (Mx.) (59) Scott Borthwick (Du.) (41)
Hampshire v. Kent - Match drawn
Top scorers: Sam Northeast (Ke.) (140) Rob Key (Ke.) (119)
Leicestershire v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Adam Lyth (Yo.) (248) Jonathan Bairstow (Yo.) (118)
248 lands equal 25th as the highest innings by a Yorkshire player, and is the third highest score against Leicestershire
Nottinghamshire v. Sussex - Match drawn
Top scorers: Michael Lumb (No.) (171) James Taylor (No.) (163)
Warwickshire v. Surrey - Match drawn
Top scorers: Jim Troughton (Wa.) (119) Chris Woakes (War.) (118)

England 48-0 in reply to South Africa's 419 on end of day two of the second Test at Headingley

England are bowled out for 425 - a lead of six over South Africa - on day four of second Test

Rain stops play just before lunch with South Africa 5-0 in their second innings, trailing England by one, in second Test

Jonny Bairstow's unbeaten 72 helps England close the second day of the final Test on 208-5 - trailing South Africa by 101

England lose the final Test at Lord's, the series and their number one ranking to South Africa despite a valiant run-chase

261 runs would have been high enough for a partnership record for Derbyshire's sixth, seventh, eighth, and tenth wicket partnerships, but sadly not their ninth, which alas remained elusive in spite of Tom Poynton scoring his first-class best, and maiden first-class century, in an innings of 106.

England captain Andrew Strauss has retired from all forms of cricket.

England beat South Africa by four wickets to level the one-day series at 1-1 with two games remaining

Hampshire beat Sussex and Warwickshire see off Lancashire to book their places in the CB40 final

Fourteenth set of County Championship matches:


Essex v. Leicestershire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Jaik Mickleburgh (Es.) (126) Tom Westley (Es.) (125)
Glamorgan v. Gloucestershire - Glamorgan win by 26 runs
Top scorers: Jack Taylor (Gloucs.) (63) Stewart Walters (Glam.) (56)
Lancashire v. Somerset - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ashwell Prince (La.) (129) Ashwell Prince (La.) (51)
Middlesex v. Warwickshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Ian Westwood (Wa.) (111) Dawid Malan (Mi.) (106)
Northamptonshire v. Yorkshire - Match drawn
Top scorers: Stephen Peters (No.) (107) Paul Jaques (Yo.) (75)
Sussex v. Worcestershire - Sussex win by an innings and 117 runs
Top scorers: Ed Joyce (Su.) (107) Luke Wright (Su.) (78)
Derbyshire v. Kent - Derbyshire win by 2 wickets
Top scorers: Rob Key (Ke.) (81) Matt Coles (Ke.) (57)