Satish leads Tamil Nadu recovery

Tamil Nadu made a strong recovery on the second day of their Coca Cola Trophy South Zone (under-25) tournament against Hyderabad at the Chinnaswamy stadium on Wednesday. Their rally, which saw Tamil Nadu end the day at 224 for six, has made the game interesting. For Tamil Nadu now need 60 runs with four wickets in hand to take the all important first innings lead. The only two teams in group B of the competition, the first innings will decide the issue in case there is no decision in the match.A fine spell by opening bowler Baba saw Tamil Nadu reeling at 31 for four by the ninth over. Baba took three of the wickets. SP Lakshmi Kumar (34) and S Satish then initiated a recovery process by adding 61 runs for the fifth wicket off 17 overs. Lakshmi Kumar who faced 64 balls hit four fours and a six. The recovery process was maintained with Satish and Dhandapani (20) sharing a sixth wicket partnership of 62 runs off 21 overs. And finally Satish and MR Shrinivas added a further 70 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket off 27.1 overs. Satish’s 92 has so far been compiled off 191 balls with the help of 13 fours. Shrinivas’ 32 has come off 88 balls with three fours. Baba after that opening burst took no more wickets but was still the most successful bowler with three for 56.Earlier, Hyderabad resuming at 242 for eight did well to get 283, thanks in the main to a fine unbeaten 59 by Amresh Kumar. He faced 107 balls and hit five fours and two sixes.

Warwickshire win as rookie Dagnall strikes

Rookie seamer Charlie Dagnall overshadowed Allan Donald’s farewellappearance in Birmingham to keep Warwickshire’s hopes of winning promotionfrom the National League division two. Dagnall took 4 for 34 againstDerbyshire to ensure a 44-run win at Edgbaston. Warwickshire batted firstand scored 233 runs for 8 wickets in 45 overs. In reply, Derbyshire made189 all out in 43 overs.Dagnall was recalled in this game as Ed Giddins was injured and GreameWelch was not selected following his request to be released from hiscontract. Dagnall, who worked as a presenter on a cable television shoppingchannel, was in the spotlight as Warwicks recorded their first home winsince May 31.Dagnall dismissed Matthew Cassar (5), Rob Bailey (6) and Mathew Dowman (6)in his first spell and came back to dismiss Michael Di Venuto (84) in hissecond. Di Venuto and Steve Stubbings put on a stand of 106 in 22 overs forthe fourth wicket. Then Derbyshire lost their last seven wickets for 43runs. Ashley Giles took 3 for 45 while Donald took the last wicket of KevinDean (8).Warwickshire’s score of 233 for 8 was achieved mainly due to the sixthwicket partnership of 78 between Michael Powell (41) and Dougie Brown (36).Donald was applauded to and from the wicket in his final innings atEdgbaston. He contributed an unbeaten four. At tea, he was presented with asilver salver to mark his 11 years’ service to Warwickshire.

Yadav sends Vidarbha hurtling to doom

A spectacular 15 wicket match haul by Jai Prakash Yadav sent Vidarbhatumbling to an innings and 176 run defeat against Madhya Pradesh atthe Nehru Stadium in Indore. The 26 year old medium pacer from Bhopalwho grabbed 7/31 in the first innings went one better in the secondwith a haul of 8/80 as Vidarbha, following-on, were dismissed for 219.The visitors began their second knock on Thursday, having conceded astaggering 395 run first innings deficit. After Maninder Singh came onfirst-change to strike the first blow, removing opener and wicketkeeper V Naidu at 21, it was Yadav all the way. Beginning with thewicket of Adwait Manohar, he ripped the innings apart with the onlynotable resistance coming from the eighth wicket pairing of SA Khareand Amol Jichkar who added a doughty 51.Khare’s topscore of 44 off 55 balls was studded with six fours. No.10Abhijeet Piprode provided some late entertainment with a lusty 32 off29 balls, including five fours and a six before Yadav in his 25th overhad him caught by skipper Chandrakant Pandit to close out the matchfor Madhya Pradesh. The win took the hosts to the top of the pointstable with 14 points from three games while Vidarbha are yet to opentheir account in two engagements.

Hauritz turns Final on its head

If it is the knack of successful captains to make exactly the right decisions at exactly the right times, then it seems likely that Nathan Hauritz will, ultimately, enjoy a long and fruitful career in the pursuit. For, with one mere piece of initiative, the brazen Queensland skipper turned an engrossing National Under-19 Championship Final against Victoria completely on its head here at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart today.Like many of his teammates, Hauritz was unable to set an overcast Hobart day ablaze with any great deeds with the bat. But, just under six hours after he and his charges had been asked to make first use of a never altogether-friendly pitch, he had them right back – possibly even holding the edge – in a game upon which they had previously been unable to extract a hold all day.Victoria had entered the match a raging favourite and, for most of the opening stages, played in accordance with the status. Following his victory at the toss, captain Tim Welsford (0/20) joined with left armer Brett Anderton (1/49) to lead the way with excellent opening spells. On a charcoal-tinged pitch which offered significant encouragement to the bowlers, they set a pattern of impeccable line and length that their support cast could not help but follow. Albeit that only one wicket – that of Chris Simpson (16) to an lbw decision at the hands of Ben Waterman (2/25) – fell in the pre-lunch session, the Queensland upper order found itself under consistent pressure as the contest began.Following lunch, the Victorians formally converted their early dominance into a comparatively rapid rush of wickets. Between the dismissals of Aaron Maynard (12) and Mitchell Chapman (1) to medium pacer Mark Simpson (3/31) and the departure of Chris Hartley (17) to a loose stroke at Paul Seeary (1/28) outside the line of off stump, further success came the way of Waterman with the prize scalp of Nick Kruger (61). With his clever control, changes of pace, and ability to produce notable variation in bounce from just short of a length, medium pacer Waterman was probably the pick of the attack throughout.It was just as well for the Queenslanders that they received the benefit of a largely unrelenting individual performance of their own – in their case from Kruger, who was able to hold things together in a stabilising hand that occupied more than three hours. Through his innings, the left hander was often uncomfortable. But, crucially, he was also unyielding. And, without his gritty half-century, his team might well have found itself in dire straits.Even after tea, there was no real let-up in the pattern of Victorian dominance until the aggressive John Dellit (46*) fashioned an association with Chris McCabe (22) that brought the Queenslanders a priceless fifty runs for the eighth wicket. Dellit was in fact in the midst of an excellent attacking innings when, out of the blue, his captain decided that enough scoring had already been done. With only thirty-five minutes left on the clock, and potentially as few as seven overs remaining, came Hauritz’s closure at 8/232.Admittedly, it was a freakish piece of brilliance from McCabe in the cover field – in intercepting a well-hit shot and then throwing down the stumps – that went much of the way toward vindicating the gambit. Certainly, Travis Birt (15) had appeared in little trouble until his opening partner Peter Dickson (1) drove a ball powerfully off the back foot, seemingly well away from the tall seventeen year old, and set off with the stroke.When the jubilant Queenslanders then added to their bounty the wicket of Dickson himself as he pressed only half forward to a well pitched off cutter from Nathan Rimmington (1/13) in the following over, the scoreboard was suddenly reading 2/16. Stuart Brohaska (1*) and Nathan Geisler (0*) survived the four deliveries that followed but not without enduring the odd scare of their own. Suddenly, it had become a completely different game.

Bracken cleared to play

MANCHESTER, England – Fast bowler Nathan Bracken has been given theall-clear to remain on Australia’s cricket tour of England.Bracken received the results of an MRI scan on his left shoulder thismorning which revealed that fears about suspected torn ligaments wereunfounded.Bracken will not play for two weeks while he does strengthening work andphysiotherapy on his shoulder.”At the moment we are just taking it as it comes,” Bracken said atAustralian training at Old Trafford today.”It wasn’t actually that bad, the instability basically just caused a bit ofextra strain on the nerve.”It was just a concern because it was something I hadn’t felt before.”Bracken’s fellow fast bowlers Jason Gillespie (hamstring) and Damien Fleming(calf) trained strongly this morning after their recent injury problems andthey will be available for the one-day match against England here onThursday.However, Bracken will remain in cotton wool for the time being.There were fears yesterday that Bracken’s injury was worse than previouslythought.”Myself and (team physiotherapist) Pat Farhart were really the only two whoknew the extent of it,” said Bracken.”I could do pretty much everything – I could lift, I could move the armfreely and most of it was pretty much pain free.”I know there’s been a bit of speculation about what has gone wrong but Ididn’t want to put anything out there because I didn’t know.”But it is clear, it’s fine and it’s ready to go.”

Long trek for Lymington in SEC semi-finals

Lymington have received scant reward for their Southern Electric Contracting Cup win over BAT Sports in midweek.They have been drawn away to Rowledge, near Farnham, in the semi-finals on either July 10 or 12.Andover face Havant, the Premier League champions and cup favourites, in the other semi-final at London Road.The final is on the Hampshire Rose Bowl Nursery ground on August 1.

Somerset 2nds need Coles to make big score

Resuming at 218 for 4, Somerset 2nds lost their six remaining wickets for the addition of just 82 more runs on the third day of their game against Gloucestershire 2nds. For Gloucestershire Tim Hancock took 3 for 59 while Jon White ended with 3 for 66.Following on 303 runs behind, Somerset had reached 214 for 4 by close of play, with Michael Coles not out on 37. Earlier Chris Hunkin had made 77, Wes Durston 41 and Keith Parsons 31.Somerset require 89 to make the visitors bat again, and if they are to save the game will be looking for Coles, who has enjoyed a great start to the season with the bat, to go on and make a big score.

Martin-Jenkins unfit for Sussex's clash with Hants

Robin Martin-Jenkins is still unfit to play with the Sussex first XI and will not be playing against Hampshire in the Cricinfo Championship match starting tomorrow. He is currently playing as a specialist batsman with the second XI.Tony Cottey is unfit to play due to recurring tennis elbow. He is assisting Keith Greenfield with coaching the second XI and Under-19s until declared fit to play.Expected team:Montgomerie,Goodwin,Adams,Zuiderent,Yardy,House,Prior,Davis,Kirtley,Lewry,Robinson,Rashid

Notts crumble to record defeat at hands of Hampshire

Nottinghamshire’s resistence crumbled in little more than an hour of the last day at the Rose Bowl to give Hampshire victory by 338 runs, the biggest ever margin by runs at a home venue for Hampshire in more than 100 years of championship cricket.Nottinghamshire resumed the last day in a hopeless position at 113 for seven in their second innings, their victory target of 491 a distant and unattainable dream.Their only hope was the weather but after a night of heavy rain play began on time. Richard Logan and Andrew Harris hung around together for another seven overs and eleven runs before Harris was superbly caught at short leg by Giles White off a full-bloodied drive.That gave Alan Mullally his fifth wicket of the innings but Nottinghamshire were not beaten yet. Richard Stemp, scorer of a career-best 66 in the first innings, helped Logan add a further 24 in eight overs to frustrate Hampshire who did not help themselves by dropping two slip catches, Shaun Udal the culprit both times.Stemp, who made ten this time, needed lengthy treatment after being struck on the hand by a delivery from Alex Morris and then edged again into the slips at 148 where Derek Kenway clung on easily enough.Logan guided Chris Tremlett past the slips for the four which took Nottinghamshire to 150 but at 152 in the 55th over of the innings, Logan was caught by Kenway in the slips off Tremlett to signal the end.Nottinghamshire lasted 64 minutes of the last day and added 39 runs but the resistence was largely futile. Mullally finished with five for 68 and Tremlett took three for 15 while Logan’s dogged 28 was in vain.

Minor Counties Championship Results

Wardown Park:
Hertfordshire 206-8dec & 231-2dec (D Lowe 142*)
Bedfordshire 126 & 244 (A Roberts 113)
Herts (21 pts) bt Bedfordshire (3 pts) by 67 runsFinchampstead:
Dorset 203 & 175 (DJ Cowley 55; RP Davis 4-48, PR Carter 4-32)
Berkshire 160-6dec & 219-6 (J Wood 65)
Berkshire (20 pts) bt Dorset (3 pts) by 4 wicketsMarlow:
Buckinghamshire 269-5dec (PD Atkins 55, RP Lane 81)
Suffolk 266-6dec (R Catley 100no, I Graham 52)
Match drawn: Buckinghamshire 4 pts, Suffolk 4 ptsBowdon:
Cheshire 208 & 72 (K Evans 5-15)
Shropshire 119-4dec & 119-8 (SJ Renshaw 5-57)
Match drawn: Cheshire 6 pts, Shropshire 8 ptsExmouth:
Cornwall 98 & 157 (J Bishop 6-44)
Devon 177 & 80-0
Devon (21 pts) bt Cornwall (4 pts) by 10 wicketsGrantham:
Lincolnshire 129 & 192 (MA Fell 66*)
Cumberland 397
Cumberland (24 pts) bt Lincolnshire (4 pts) by an innings & 76 runsJesmond:
Northumberland 200-9dec & 198-4dec (J Graham 70, A Heather 55)
Cambridgeshire 179-8dec (SA Kellett 73) & 179-6 (SA Kellett 72, B Potter 50)
Match drawn: Northumberland 8 pts, Cambridgeshire 9 ptsBanbury:
Oxfordshire 91 & 318
Herefordshire 208 & 165 (P Sarfraz 52)
Oxfordshire (20 pts) bt Herefordshire (5 pts) by 36 runsWalsall:
Norfolk 173 & 314-4dec (C Amos 138, CS Carey 72*)
Staffordshire 228-4dec & 200-7 (GF Archer 71)
Match drawn: Staffordshire 10 pts, Norfolk 5 ptsWestbury:
Wales Minor Counties 163 & 204 (A Jones 56)
Wiltshire 163 & 205-2 (R Howe 67, M Coxon 62*, M Soully 53)
Wiltshire (20 pts) bt Wales Minor Counties (4 pts) by 8 wickets

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