Still at Chelmsford for the 2nd game of the double header, Essex vs Hampshire.
Dominic Cork won the toss and let Essex bat first. Surprise at the top as Mark Pettini opened with Tim Southee in a pinch hitting role. Danny Briggs and Dimitri Mascarenhas opened the bowling and Southee was dropped off Mascarenhas, which proved to be a cruicial drop but Pettini was lbw next ball for 4.
Cork brought himself on in the 3rd over and Southee promptly smashed 13 off the over and then two sixes off Mascarenhas came before Owais Shah flicked to fine leg for 2. 40-2 was a good start and Southee hit more off Briggs then Ryan Ten Doeschate chipped to Ervine at mid-off for 3. Essex captain James Foster then provided the solid partner that Southee needed as the run-rate slowed after the powerplay due to good bowling from Imran Tahir and Shahid Afridi on his Hampshire debut, but Southee went to fifty off 19 balls before swinging his fifth six off Tahir. The 10th over finally brought the end as Southee went for one hit too many and was stumped by Nic Pothas off Tahir for 74 off only 34 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes with Essex 94/4.
Matt Walker fell to Cork in the 13th over and Adam Wheater fell in the 15th to give Afridi his first wicket as it looked like Essex would struggle to reach 150. Tim Phillips came in at 8 and took 12 off Briggs' final over before thumping 25 off Cork and Afridi before falling lbw to Cork, but the damage had been done with 33 off 19. Essex scrambled to 162-7, a good total in the conditions with Cork taking 2-35 and Tahir 1-22.
David Masters and Southee opened the bowling and Southee struck third ball to remove Jimmy Adams then James Vince joined Benny Howell in a useful partnership that emulated to a certain degree of success the Essex run fest before the unlikely Chris Wright broke the partnership in his first over having Howell caught by Phillips to leave Hampshire 41-2. Neil McKenzie and Vince pushed along steadily and at the halfway point Hampshire were 72-2.
Then Phillips struck in his 2nd over with McKenzie swinging a full toss to Southee at long-off. Runs then dried up as 13 came off the next four overs and Sean Ervine fell to Wright and then the key 15th over came. Phillips bowled Afridi first ball then there were two singles before Pothas swung the fourth ball to Southee at long-off before Vince smashed the fifth ball over the Tom Pierce Stand to bring up a 43-ball 50 then inside-edging the final ball onto his off stump to depart for 52, Hampshire now 101-7 and almost gone. Cork wasn't about to surrender as he smacked Ten Doeschate for two huge sixes into Hayes Close before Mascarehas hit Southee for another six and a four off the first two balls of the next over. He then sliced to third man where Tim Westley held a good catch. Wright's last over brought about a mix-up between Briggs and Cork leaving Briggs run out by Foster's quick pick up and throw to leave Hampshire 129-9. Cork then holed out off Southee to none other than Phillips to leave Hampshire 136 all out to wrap up an Essex win by 26 runs. Phillips was given the match award for his 4-29, Southee took 3-38 and Wright 2-22.
Friday 24 June 2011
Total Annihilation, Girl Style
To Chelmsford for the first of the T20 double header, the first game being England Women vs New Zealand Women for both teams first match in the Quadrangular series.
England won the toss and Charlotte Edwards decided to bowl first, with Arran Brindle making her comeback and the move looked good as New Zealand captain Amy Watkins was bowled for nought by Katherine Brunt in the first over, 1-1. Brindle bowled a tight over and after three NZ were only 8-1. Laura Marsh dropped a return catch from Amy Satterthwaite in the next over as she and Suzie Bates looked to be building a solid total. All that was about to end with Holly Colvin in the 8th over as Satterthwaite hit one to Danielle Wyatt for 14 and in her next over Bates was well caught at square leg by Claire Taylor for the top score of 23 to leave NZ 44-3 at the halfway point.
The innings then waned a bit and although Liz Perry was dropped at long-off, next ball Sara McGlashan chipped a catch back to Colvin and next over a mix-up allowed Colvin to throw from pont to keeper Sarah Taylor to run out Perry. Then 10 runs off the 15th over bowled by Jenny Gunn meant New Zealand might reach a good total but then Lucy Doolan was stumped by Sarah Taylor off Brindle for six and then Nicola Browne was lbw to Danielle Hazell for 13 three balls later to make it 67-7. Rachel Priest tried a bit hit and was brilliantly caught by a diving catch at deep midwicket by Lydia Greenway off Brindle. Hazell bagged her 2nd wicket and the innings ended when Sian Ruck was yorked by Brindle in the last over to leave New Zealand 83 all out, Colvin finishing with 3-17 and Brindle 3-11.
The difference between the sides was obvious as Browne, bowling the first over, went for 13 as Edwards and Marsh looked to get there quickly. Marsh was especially punishing was fours over midwicket and then a glorious smash over cover off Kate Broadmore. 42 came off 5 overs before Marsh gave the hard working Ruck her first wicket in an eventual wicket-maiden over. Edwards and Claire Taylor then took over the scoring and found the gaps off Ruck, Watkins and Bates as England were 67-1 after 10.
Taylor was unluckily run out backing up by some athletic fielding off her own bowling by Watkins, but it only delayed the inevitable as Edwards became the first woman to score 1000 international T20 runs and along with Greenway, they finished the came with a four off Bates in the 14th over to win by eight wickets. The pick of the bowlers was Ruck with 1-17 off her four overs.
Colvin was awarded with the match award for her bowling and fielding and for them it is off to Bristol for the 2nd matches in the Quadrangular series. For us it was Essex vs Hampshire up next.
England won the toss and Charlotte Edwards decided to bowl first, with Arran Brindle making her comeback and the move looked good as New Zealand captain Amy Watkins was bowled for nought by Katherine Brunt in the first over, 1-1. Brindle bowled a tight over and after three NZ were only 8-1. Laura Marsh dropped a return catch from Amy Satterthwaite in the next over as she and Suzie Bates looked to be building a solid total. All that was about to end with Holly Colvin in the 8th over as Satterthwaite hit one to Danielle Wyatt for 14 and in her next over Bates was well caught at square leg by Claire Taylor for the top score of 23 to leave NZ 44-3 at the halfway point.
The innings then waned a bit and although Liz Perry was dropped at long-off, next ball Sara McGlashan chipped a catch back to Colvin and next over a mix-up allowed Colvin to throw from pont to keeper Sarah Taylor to run out Perry. Then 10 runs off the 15th over bowled by Jenny Gunn meant New Zealand might reach a good total but then Lucy Doolan was stumped by Sarah Taylor off Brindle for six and then Nicola Browne was lbw to Danielle Hazell for 13 three balls later to make it 67-7. Rachel Priest tried a bit hit and was brilliantly caught by a diving catch at deep midwicket by Lydia Greenway off Brindle. Hazell bagged her 2nd wicket and the innings ended when Sian Ruck was yorked by Brindle in the last over to leave New Zealand 83 all out, Colvin finishing with 3-17 and Brindle 3-11.
The difference between the sides was obvious as Browne, bowling the first over, went for 13 as Edwards and Marsh looked to get there quickly. Marsh was especially punishing was fours over midwicket and then a glorious smash over cover off Kate Broadmore. 42 came off 5 overs before Marsh gave the hard working Ruck her first wicket in an eventual wicket-maiden over. Edwards and Claire Taylor then took over the scoring and found the gaps off Ruck, Watkins and Bates as England were 67-1 after 10.
Taylor was unluckily run out backing up by some athletic fielding off her own bowling by Watkins, but it only delayed the inevitable as Edwards became the first woman to score 1000 international T20 runs and along with Greenway, they finished the came with a four off Bates in the 14th over to win by eight wickets. The pick of the bowlers was Ruck with 1-17 off her four overs.
Colvin was awarded with the match award for her bowling and fielding and for them it is off to Bristol for the 2nd matches in the Quadrangular series. For us it was Essex vs Hampshire up next.
Friday 10 June 2011
An Evening of Ace Entertainment
So, to the first Twenty20 match of the year at Lord's, Middlesex vs Essex. Middlesex won the toss and decided to bat. Paul Stirling and Chris Rogers opened and String was caught off Tim Southee in the first over for 0. Scott Newman was next in and he thumped a six into the tavern off Scott Styris then pointed out to the umpire it was a no-ball as there were too many players outside the fielding circle as Middlesex raced to 44 off the first 5 overs. Southee's 2nd over brought the wicket of Newman for 22 bringing in Neil Dexter who thumped a six into the Mound Stand. Rogers then joined in the fun, heaving another six square before Ravi Bopara had him caught by Foster for 25 to leave the Panthers 67-3. John Simpson helped Dexter steady the total before Dexter was LBW to Tim Phillips for 30. Simpson, however then fell in the 17th over and Josh Davey then started hitting Southee but then in the 19th failed to get bat on ball for each of the first four balls of the over, he finished with 3-21. 12 off the final over by Graham Napier as Ryan McLaren finished 15 off 9 in 148-5. This was later boosted to 150 as a Dexter hit for four was deemed a six.
The first over of the Essex reply brought a flying catch at gully by McLaren off Steve Crook to remove Ravi Bopara for a duck. Steve Finn found Mark Pettini's outside edge first ball for Simpson to take an easy catch and went on to bowl a wicket maiden so that Essex were, incredibly, 1-2. Matt Walker and Owais Shah, playing against his former employer, upped the rate and Shah smacked McLaren into the Grand Stand for his first six. Walker then fell in the sixth over top edging Finn (2-26) to Dexter for 11. Dutchman Ryan Ten Doeschate again played to get Shah on strike who was out to prove a point as he murdered anything short as the total began to climb and at the halfway point Essex were one behind Middlesex at the same stage. Tom Smith's left-arm spin had a good day as Ten Doeschate was LBW for 17 and in his next over Smith had Styris stumped for 7. As James Foster came in Essex were 88-5 and the match was still in the balance.
Then the big turning point occured, with Foster on 7 he heaved Smith towards the Grand Stand, but hit it flat and straight to Anthony Ireland, who grabbed it, only to see it bounce out, off his knee, and down. This appeared to break the Middlesex spirit as Shah reached his 50 off 38 balls. Ireland then had his bowling demolished by both players as 50 came in 19 balls and the end arrived in the 19th over with Crook bowling a no-ball that Shah swung into the grand-stand for his 5th six to take him to 78 off 50, a thumping innings with Foster 30 off 18. So Essex in the end cruised to victory by five wickets to consign Middlesex to their third defeat in three games.
The first over of the Essex reply brought a flying catch at gully by McLaren off Steve Crook to remove Ravi Bopara for a duck. Steve Finn found Mark Pettini's outside edge first ball for Simpson to take an easy catch and went on to bowl a wicket maiden so that Essex were, incredibly, 1-2. Matt Walker and Owais Shah, playing against his former employer, upped the rate and Shah smacked McLaren into the Grand Stand for his first six. Walker then fell in the sixth over top edging Finn (2-26) to Dexter for 11. Dutchman Ryan Ten Doeschate again played to get Shah on strike who was out to prove a point as he murdered anything short as the total began to climb and at the halfway point Essex were one behind Middlesex at the same stage. Tom Smith's left-arm spin had a good day as Ten Doeschate was LBW for 17 and in his next over Smith had Styris stumped for 7. As James Foster came in Essex were 88-5 and the match was still in the balance.
Then the big turning point occured, with Foster on 7 he heaved Smith towards the Grand Stand, but hit it flat and straight to Anthony Ireland, who grabbed it, only to see it bounce out, off his knee, and down. This appeared to break the Middlesex spirit as Shah reached his 50 off 38 balls. Ireland then had his bowling demolished by both players as 50 came in 19 balls and the end arrived in the 19th over with Crook bowling a no-ball that Shah swung into the grand-stand for his 5th six to take him to 78 off 50, a thumping innings with Foster 30 off 18. So Essex in the end cruised to victory by five wickets to consign Middlesex to their third defeat in three games.
Wednesday 8 June 2011
The "Pane" of a Draw
Lord's- England vs Sri Lanka- fifth day- a possibly exciting if England could get a move on and score quickly to see if they could enduce another Cardiff-esqe collapse.
England resumed 149-2 with Alistair Cook and Kevin Pietersen batting. They started brightly enough mainly thanks to the continuous no-balling from Suranga Lakmal and Chanaka Welegedara. 48 runs came from the first eight overs and a big total and declaration looked likely. KP was scratchy but was scoring runs but these dried up with the introduction of Rangana Herath at the Nursery End who bowled a tight line.
The partnership passed 100 and then Herath stuck with an unplayable ball which gripped and spun from leg past Pietersen's forward jab and onto the off stump to bowl him for 72. This brought Ian Bell in who promptly smashed 15 off the last over before lunch bowled by Dilhara Fernando to leave England 260-3. Cook, mysteriously, had only scored 22 in the whole session which was odd given the position of the match.
After lunch, both batsmen started to go for more shots as the score raced past 300, helped out by poor fielding as Bell was dropped at long off. Cook then reached his 18th test 100 with a four before being stumped for the first time in first-class cricket for 106 off Herath. A collapse then ensued as quick runs were the order of the day as Eoin Morgan smacked one four before being caught at mid off. Matt Prior then came in and after a mix up with Bell was run out from a direct hit from Prasanna Jayawardene. Bell then reached his fifty off 40 balls before reverse paddling a four of Herath before Fernando got rid of Broad caught behind at which point the declaration came at 335-7, leaving Sri Lanka needing 343 off 59 overs, or just not to collapse to defeat.
With Dilshan injured, Sangakkara opened the batting with Tharanga Paranavitana. Sanga hit two fours off Chris Tremlett before carving one to point where Morgan took the catch, a collapse may ensue perhaps? Mahela Jayawardene saw things through to tea.
England came out on full attack but they failed to dislodge the pair, until Broad induced a poor shot from Jayawardene who was well caught by Pietersen to his left at fourth slip. This kept things interesting and England could have had another wicket but Thilan Samaraweera reviewed an lbw shout by Graeme Swann that wasn't ever going to hit the stumps.
Jonathon Trott proved an unlikely success when he came on to bowl and in his 2nd over, Paranavitana was stuck in line and after a long, pleading, appeal was given out, he reviewed it, but was sent packing for 44, a grittyeffort when the team needed it.
After that the game ground towards a draw and apart from a five wides ball from Steve Finn and a one-minute over from KP the draw was confirmed just after 6pm with Sri Lanka 127-3.
The unlikely moment of the day came after Prior was run out, he stormed into the dressing room and a few seconds later there was a crash of glass as a dressing room window was broken. Prior had to apologise to the members before England went out to field and an ECB statement first said it was his glove that broke the window before eventually admitting it was his bat.
England resumed 149-2 with Alistair Cook and Kevin Pietersen batting. They started brightly enough mainly thanks to the continuous no-balling from Suranga Lakmal and Chanaka Welegedara. 48 runs came from the first eight overs and a big total and declaration looked likely. KP was scratchy but was scoring runs but these dried up with the introduction of Rangana Herath at the Nursery End who bowled a tight line.
The partnership passed 100 and then Herath stuck with an unplayable ball which gripped and spun from leg past Pietersen's forward jab and onto the off stump to bowl him for 72. This brought Ian Bell in who promptly smashed 15 off the last over before lunch bowled by Dilhara Fernando to leave England 260-3. Cook, mysteriously, had only scored 22 in the whole session which was odd given the position of the match.
After lunch, both batsmen started to go for more shots as the score raced past 300, helped out by poor fielding as Bell was dropped at long off. Cook then reached his 18th test 100 with a four before being stumped for the first time in first-class cricket for 106 off Herath. A collapse then ensued as quick runs were the order of the day as Eoin Morgan smacked one four before being caught at mid off. Matt Prior then came in and after a mix up with Bell was run out from a direct hit from Prasanna Jayawardene. Bell then reached his fifty off 40 balls before reverse paddling a four of Herath before Fernando got rid of Broad caught behind at which point the declaration came at 335-7, leaving Sri Lanka needing 343 off 59 overs, or just not to collapse to defeat.
With Dilshan injured, Sangakkara opened the batting with Tharanga Paranavitana. Sanga hit two fours off Chris Tremlett before carving one to point where Morgan took the catch, a collapse may ensue perhaps? Mahela Jayawardene saw things through to tea.
England came out on full attack but they failed to dislodge the pair, until Broad induced a poor shot from Jayawardene who was well caught by Pietersen to his left at fourth slip. This kept things interesting and England could have had another wicket but Thilan Samaraweera reviewed an lbw shout by Graeme Swann that wasn't ever going to hit the stumps.
Jonathon Trott proved an unlikely success when he came on to bowl and in his 2nd over, Paranavitana was stuck in line and after a long, pleading, appeal was given out, he reviewed it, but was sent packing for 44, a grittyeffort when the team needed it.
After that the game ground towards a draw and apart from a five wides ball from Steve Finn and a one-minute over from KP the draw was confirmed just after 6pm with Sri Lanka 127-3.
The unlikely moment of the day came after Prior was run out, he stormed into the dressing room and a few seconds later there was a crash of glass as a dressing room window was broken. Prior had to apologise to the members before England went out to field and an ECB statement first said it was his glove that broke the window before eventually admitting it was his bat.
Sunday 5 June 2011
Oh Lord, What a Day
So, to Lord's for the 2nd day of England vs Sri Lanka. There was almost a full house to greet Stuart Broad and Matt Prior as they resumed with England on 342/6. Almost immediately the pair set about frustrating the bowlers by launching two fours in the first over as runs arrived easily, showing that some of the England wickets were due to bad batting rather than good bowling. Broad reached 50 off 47 balls before Prior went to his hundred off 107 balls to a standing ovation, albeit slightly lucky, having been dropped by Mahela Jayawardene on 94 and again on 99. Finally a wicket came as Chanaka Welegedara trapped Broad LBW for 54. In the eight overs 68 had come off 49 balls. Graeme Swann fell in the same over, however, for four to leave England 414-8.
Chris Tremlett joined Prior and they hit their way along merrily and the 450 arrived then Prior attempted to mow Rangana Herath into the Tavern Stand, and was bowled for 126. The last wicket still eluded them as Steve Finn joined Tremlett and they hit England to 486 and on the stroke of lunch Finn went the same way as Prior for 19, leaving Tremleet unbeaten on 24, Welegedara finishing with 4-122.
After lunch it was Sri Lanka's turn and Paranavitana and captain Dilshan, led a responce with the help of a mis-firing England attack. Paranavitana blocked and Dilshan playing loosely, didn't quite find the edge, although a top edge just evaded the sub fielder and went for six. Nothing went England's way and this was summed up when Finn finally found an edge of Paranavitana, only for Cook to spill a simple catch at third slip. Dilshan went to 50 off 58 balls and the hundred was up at tea with Sri Lanka 101-0.
After tea, Dilshan then proceeded to smack Swann for his 2nd six into the pavilion, felling a spectator. More of the same as none of Broad, Tremlett, Finn, Swann or even Kevin Pietersen, couldn't find a way through the openers. The aerial bombing approach of three tall bowlers wasn't working at all due to a poor line and a lifeless pitch as Paranavitana reached his 50 off 141 balls. Then Dilshan smacked one through the covers off Finn as he went to his first hundred as captain off only 129 balls.
With England running out of ideas, Dilshan inside edged the ball past the stumps for four off Finn, but his luck would finally change. In the next over from the Nursery end Pranavitana, on 64, edged again, and this time it flew to Andrew Strauss who clung on for his 99th test catch to break the partnership at 207, a record for Sri Lanka against England.
Sangakkara and Dilshan saw out the last nine overs so that Sri Lanka closed on 231-1, still 255 behind, but with lots of batting still to come, the match could have an interesting finish.
Chris Tremlett joined Prior and they hit their way along merrily and the 450 arrived then Prior attempted to mow Rangana Herath into the Tavern Stand, and was bowled for 126. The last wicket still eluded them as Steve Finn joined Tremlett and they hit England to 486 and on the stroke of lunch Finn went the same way as Prior for 19, leaving Tremleet unbeaten on 24, Welegedara finishing with 4-122.
After lunch it was Sri Lanka's turn and Paranavitana and captain Dilshan, led a responce with the help of a mis-firing England attack. Paranavitana blocked and Dilshan playing loosely, didn't quite find the edge, although a top edge just evaded the sub fielder and went for six. Nothing went England's way and this was summed up when Finn finally found an edge of Paranavitana, only for Cook to spill a simple catch at third slip. Dilshan went to 50 off 58 balls and the hundred was up at tea with Sri Lanka 101-0.
After tea, Dilshan then proceeded to smack Swann for his 2nd six into the pavilion, felling a spectator. More of the same as none of Broad, Tremlett, Finn, Swann or even Kevin Pietersen, couldn't find a way through the openers. The aerial bombing approach of three tall bowlers wasn't working at all due to a poor line and a lifeless pitch as Paranavitana reached his 50 off 141 balls. Then Dilshan smacked one through the covers off Finn as he went to his first hundred as captain off only 129 balls.
With England running out of ideas, Dilshan inside edged the ball past the stumps for four off Finn, but his luck would finally change. In the next over from the Nursery end Pranavitana, on 64, edged again, and this time it flew to Andrew Strauss who clung on for his 99th test catch to break the partnership at 207, a record for Sri Lanka against England.
Sangakkara and Dilshan saw out the last nine overs so that Sri Lanka closed on 231-1, still 255 behind, but with lots of batting still to come, the match could have an interesting finish.
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