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Punjab batsman Taruwar Kohli scored a triple-century, the fifth in the Ranji season so far, and lit up an otherwise inconsequential day in Jamshedpur

Amol Karhadkar10-Jan-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Taruwar Kohli scored the fifth triple-century of this Ranji season•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Taruwar Kohli converted his century into an unbeaten triple-century to light up an otherwise insignificant day of the Ranji Trophy quarter-final between Punjab and Jharkhand at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur.With Punjab having overhauled Jharkhand’s first-innings total of 401 to secure a semi-final face-off against Saurashtra, the last day’s play was a formality. But Kohli, playing his first game of the season, ensured that the day would be fruitful.He resumed his innings on 151 at the start of the day’s play, and made the tired Jharkhand bowlers toil for two sessions of two and a half hours each before Punjab declared at 699 for 3 on the stroke of tea. With Jharkhand opting to bowl only two of their four specialist bowlers, Kohli and Uday Kaul had the ideal opportunity to increase their averages. And they did it to perfection by taking a toll on part-timers.The only mistake of Kohli’s innings came when he was on 205. He uppishly drove Ishank Jaggi, who was bowling medium pace with the third new ball, but the captain Shahbaz Nadeem dropped a straightforward catch. It was the second over after lunch and Kohli made sure he made utmost use of the reprieve.With a ball remaining before tea, Kohli was batting on 296, and he drove offspinner Manish Vardhan through midwicket for his 34th boundary to burst into celebration amid applause from his team-mates. Kaul remained unbeaten on 113, after having scored his third century of the season.Punjab captain Harbhajan Singh was all praise for Kohli as he said, “At this level, it’s a great thing to see he took the responsibility and made sure that till the time he was there, he did not play any loose shot and took the team through.”Kohli’s 300 not out was the third triple-century scored by a Punjab batsman, after Dinesh Mongia’s unbeaten 308 against Jammu and Kashmir in 2000-01 and Pankaj Dharmani’s 305 not out against the same opposition in 1999-2000. This was the second triple scored at this venue, after VVS Laxman’s unbeaten 301 for Hyderabad against Bihar in 1997-98.Kohli’s triple was the fifth of the season. Kedar Jadhav scored 327 for Maharashtra against Uttar Pradesh; Saurashtra’s Ravindra Jadeja scored 331 against Railways in Rajkot and an unbeaten 303 against Gujarat in Surat; and Jadeja’s team-mate Cheteshwar Pujara registered the fourth triple-ton of the season during their quarter-final against Karnataka, hours before Kohli joined the 300-club.

A powerful unbeaten century from Luke Pomersbach led Brisbane heat to the BBL final after downing the Melbourne Renegades by 15 runs in the first semi-final

The Report by Alex Malcolm in Melbourne15-Jan-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA powerful unbeaten century from Luke Pomersbach led Brisbane heat to the BBL final after downing the Melbourne Renegades by 15 runs in the first semi-final.Scarcely at any stage during this BBL was the Brisbane side in the top four in the standings, yet now they have qualified for the Champions League, helped by two stunning Pomersbach innings back to back.The Renegades were given a boost at the toss when the Heat lost their captain James Hopes in the warm-up to a hamstring strain. Stand-in Chris Hartley elected to bat and cued more pyrotechnics from Pomersbach, following his innings against the Hobart Hurricanes.In the third over, he opened the shoulders, swinging a Darren Pattinson delivery powerfully to the leg boundary twice in consecutive deliveries. Peter Forrest fell in the same over, trying to clear mid-on. Pomersbach seemed oblivious to the loss of his opening partner, and clubbed four boundaries in the next nine balls. The Renegades turned to their trump cards Aaron O’Brien and Muttiah Muralitharan to put a halt to the easy scoring.But when Aaron Finch tried to wedge in an over from Pattinson, Joe Burns taxed 14 from it, dispatching a full toss to the cover rope and a length ball to the top tier at square leg, to raise the rate again.Pomersbach cruised to 50 from 36 balls, and the partnership reached 80 before Burns holed out to Finch in the 14th over. But Pomersbach made Finch pay for it, smashing three fours and a six from the rest of the over.The left-hand batsman did not just target the pacemen and the part-timers. He audaciously took on Muralitharan, reverse sweeping him to the rope, cracking him through cover, and slog sweeping him over the long-on fence. He reached his first T20 century, and just the ninth in the tournament’s history, with 11 balls left in the innings, and eventually scored with an unbeaten 112 off just 70 balls. Chris Lynn finished with a flourish to lift the Heat’s total to an imposing 3 for 183.The Renegades started the chase brightly, thumping 34 from the first three overs. Ben Cutting entered fresh from international duties to castle Alex Hales.The Heat did not field as well as they had batted, dropping four catches during the Renegades chase, but their bowlers were able to complete victory regardless of it. Alister McDermott, Daniel Christian, Kemar Roach, Nathan Hauritz and Cutting all delivered boundary-less overs after the early assault, and Forrest held a chance to remove Alex Doolan. Finch fell two balls later to an unlikely conqueror in Lynn to leave the Renegades reeling.But again Ben Rohrer emerged from the wreckage to play another wonderful hand and keep the home side in the hunt. His 42 from just 22 balls featured three magnificent sixes. He and Tom Cooper assaulted Christian in the 12th over, clearing the rope three times between them.Cutting returned to shatter Cooper’s stumps. Rohrer then launched Lynn into the stands, before holing out trying to repeat the stroke. A Renegades wicket fell in each of the last five overs as they pursued the 61 runs still required in that period. It was a target they fell 16 runs shy of to end their hopes of tournament success.The Heat will either remain in Melbourne for Saturday’s final, or travel to Perth, to meet the victor of Wednesday’s second semi-final.

Nondescripts Cricket Club, Badureliya Sports Club, Moors Sports Club and Sri Lanka Army won by an innings in the opening round of the Premier League Tournament

Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Feb-2013Each of the ten first round matches in Sri Lanka’s Premier League Tournament produced results, with Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC), Badureliya Sports Club, Moors Sports Club and Sri Lanka Army each winning by an innings, and taking the most points in either group. Panadura Cricket Club, Colts Cricket Club (CCC) and Bloomfield Cricket Club were the other winners in group A, while Sinhalese Sports Club, Tamil Union Cricket Club, and Colombo Cricket Club were the remaining victors in group B.Three young cricketers earmarked for future national duty were particularly impressive for NCC, having also had successful limited-overs tournaments earlier in the season. Reigning schoolboy cricketer of the year, 19-year-old wicketkeeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella made a bruising 146 off 142 deliveries against Kurunegala Youth on debut, setting up a mammoth first-innings total of 560, after Kurunegala had been skittled for 60 at NCC. The innings featured 16 fours, and was his fourth century in all formats, in his first season of professional cricket. He had also scored a century in his last match, where he helped set up victory for Wayamba in the provincial List A final.Offspinner Tharindu Kaushal, also 19, had been picked for the Test squad for New Zealand’s tour of Sri Lanka, and he continued to show why he was being closely watched, as he took seven wickets for 78 in what was also his first-class debut. Already earning renown as a big turner of the ball, unafraid to throw it up, Kaushal had taken 22 wickets at 18.63 in List A cricket so far this season. Twenty-seven-year old left-arm spinner Sohan Boralessa was the most successful bowler in the match, taking 9 for 85.Angelo Perera, 22, has been one of the most consistent batsmen in domestic cricket since 2009, and he began his 2013 first class season with a blistering hundred as well, clobbering 120 in 88 balls, having replaced Dickwella at the crease at 281 for four. Perera is chief among the young batsmen vying for a Test place in 2013, and if he can improve on a first-class average of 45.34 in the coming weeks against more skilful opposition than Kurunegala, the selectors may be forced to consider him for the Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka in March. Providing his form doesn’t dip, he should also earn a place in the A Team for their sole tour this year, in May and June.On the other end of the age scale, Thilan Samaraweera also began the season with a hundred, as he begins making a case for retention in the Test side. Samaraweera was Sri Lanka’s worst batsman during the Tests in Australia, and has the least secure place in the side, as the selectors look to give the likes of Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne a regular place. His first-innings 134 helped SSC set up a ten-wicket win over Chilaw Marians at SSC, after he put on 175 for the third wicket alongside Kaushal Silva, who top-scored with 141. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne also played himself into some form with a measured 70 from 116, after he had had a disappointing finish to the provincial List A tournament.Tamil Union, who have the best domestic wicket in the country, at the P Sara Oval, is now the home of Sri Lanka’s Test attack, with Rangana Herath, Shaminda Eranga and Chanaka Welegedara having recently moved to join Suranga Lakmal there. Unsurprisingly Tamil Union registered an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Ports Authority that was achieved through a strong first-innings performance with the ball. Eranga’s stunning 6 for 21 from 11.1 overs helped dismiss Ports Authority for 136 after Tamil Union had made 353, and the follow-on was enforced. Ports Authority batted with more resolve in the second dig, but were unable to mount sufficient resistance to escape with a draw, as Welegedara and Lakmal shared five wickets. Allrounder Sachithra Serasinghe, 25, who is also on the national selectors’ radar, also made an impact for Tamil Union, making 65 in his only innings and taking 4 wickets for 81.Nuwan Pradeep’s first innings 5 for 71 helped set up Bloomfield’s 171-run victory against Burgher Recreation Club at the Bloomfield ground. Bloomfield dismissed BRC for 184 to take a 52-run first-innings lead, as Suraj Randiv backed up Pradeep’s five-for with two top-order scalps of his own. Randiv took three more wickets in the second innings, as he attempts to keep his place as Sri Lanka’s second Test spinner after having had an indifferent home series against New Zealand.Ajantha Mendis took 9 wickets for 47 for Army at Panagoda, having just returned from national duty in Australia. Legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna had been Army’s prime-destroyer in the first innings, as he took 5 for 35, but Mendis bettered that haul on day two, taking 6 for 47 in the second innings, to end the match in two days. Akila Dananjaya also had a decent first class debut in Colts’ win over Ragama Cricket Club, when he rebounded from 0 for 29 in five overs in the first innings, to take 4 for 44 in the second.

Despite getting a first innings lead of 229 runs, Ireland declined to enforce the follow-on against United Arab Emirates, and finished on 188-3 in their second innings as the match descended into a tedious draw

Tim Wigmore15-Mar-2013
ScorecardTrent Johnston took three wickets in the first session to dismiss UAE for 360•ICC/Zainab Malubhai

Ireland have often been praised for their daring cricket but they opted for caution on the last day of their Intercontinental Cup game against UAE. Despite getting a first innings lead of 229 runs, Ireland declined to enforce the follow-on, and finished on 188-3 in their second innings as the match descended into a tedious draw.The decision is easy to criticise, and perhaps suggests a lack of self-belief that Ireland could dismiss UAE in the 75 overs or so remaining. But actually it can be defended.The most important games of this tour, the World Cup qualifiers on Monday and Wednesday, are still to come. It would have made little sense for Ireland to strive for victory, bowling Trent Johnston into the ground and then risk the 38-year-old being injured for the qualifiers. Perhaps the issue was really one of scheduling; had the Intercontinental Cup game been at the end of Ireland’s tour, they wouldn’t have had such concerns.Even without going for victory, Ireland should still be content: they received nine points for first-innings lead to consolidate their position at the top of the table. They now need a maximum of 15 points from their final two games to qualify for the final, which will be held at the end of the year. UAE need to win both their remaining fixtures to have any chance of qualifying.When the immaculate Johnston wrapped up the UAE first innings with three morning wickets, the day had promised a little more. Figures of 4 for 60 from 26.1 overs, on a pitch offering the bowlers nothing, were reward for a cricketer who has come to embody the spirit of Irish cricket. There was less fortune for UAE wicketkeeper-batsman Swapnil Patel, who was left stranded on 89*, not helped by Saqib Shah retiring hurt.Ireland’s decision to bat again rendered the rest of the day a glorified net session. Skipper William Porterfield had time to complete his ninth century for Ireland, though it is one few will remember. Andrew White was also promoted to number three and made a half-century.Yet the lack of intensity on the final day shouldn’t be replicated in next week’s World Cricket League games, both of which are being televised by the ICC. With two wins, Ireland could virtually seal automatic qualification to the 2015 World Cup. If UAE are able to win one of the games, they will jump to second in the table, and on course for the other automatic berth.Reflecting on the decision not to enforce the follow on, Porterfield said: “It’s a very flat wicket and it would have been hard on the bowlers to ask them to go out and do it again after spending nearly 140 overs in those conditions. Some people might think it was negative but we would have been running our bowlers into the ground, and it would be pointless seeing as we’ve got two massive games coming up next week.Trent Johnston said that the pitch was one of the flattest he’d ever bowled on. “It was hard out work out there, and very difficult for the bowlers. George (Dockrell) didn’t see a ball turn in his 46 overs, while the new ball only swung for about one over in total. To get nine points here was good, as I couldn’t see us getting 14 wickets in the day, after only 13 fell on the first three days. The WCL is the priority but I love playing four-day cricket and we are confident of getting enough points against Netherlands and Scotland to make the final.”

Alan Hamer, Glamorgan’s chief executive, has admitted that Cardiff’s role as one of the host venues for the Champions Trophy “raises the stakes” for county and country

Alan Gardner07-Apr-2013Alan Hamer, Glamorgan’s chief executive, has admitted that Cardiff’s role as one of the host venues for the Champions Trophy “raises the stakes” for county and country and that their success or otherwise will have a direct impact on the SWALEC Stadium’s prospects as a venue for international cricket in Wales.Cardiff is up against Birmingham and London as one of three grounds hosting the June 6-23 event. While three of the five games at each of The Oval and Edgbaston sold out in the first round of ticketing, only one of Cardiff’s – the opening fixture between India and South Africa – did so, with sales in the other matches, which include England’s group game against New Zealand, described as average. A second, limited batch of tickets for all Champions Trophy matches, including India v Pakistan at Edgbaston, will go on sale on Monday morning at 10.30am BST (09.30 GMT).With the next four-year cycle of international match allocations in England to include the World Cup and Ashes in 2019, as well as the proposed World Test Championship in 2017, Hamer believes an impressive Champions Trophy showing will help state Cardiff’s case. While not a ground as storied as the likes of Lord’s or Headingley, Hamer emphasised the importance of continuing to create that history and wants a “sports hungry” Welsh public to play their part, with the eyes of the cricket world watching. Welsh cricket is on a charm offensive.”This is the first time we’ve had a global event here so it raises the stakes, not just for us but for the country as a whole because the TV audience isn’t just UK-based, it’s worldwide,” Hamer said. “And it gives an opportunity for people overseas to understand a bit more about Wales and Welsh cricket. It is important to us because if this tournament goes well then it puts us in a strong position when it comes to staging future global events.”We’re still a relatively new ground in terms of history of international matches. The only way we’re going to increase our ‘database’ is by staging more games. Other grounds have a lot more history and a lot more games than us. We’ve only got one Test match in the current four-year cycle, the 2015 Ashes, which is probably right, and at the end of the cycle we’ll be in a far stronger position in terms of support base.”While Cardiff may well be judged in comparison with attendances in London and Birmingham when measuring success, Hamer said that any rivalry was friendly. “All the venues are trying to work together to support their respective matches, so as well as us doing well here, we need The Oval and Edgbaston to do well as well. It’s good competition,” he said.Tickets for the Champions Trophy – which is being held for the final time – are priced as low as £20 for adults sitting in the family sections, with the most expensive being the £60 “Gold” seats for the final at Edgbaston. Strategies for Cardiff include targeting the city’s student population and invoking the successful sporting events held in Wales in recent years, from the Ryder Cup to multiple FA Cup finals and the 2009 Ashes Test.Although there is the perennial competition from rugby and football for attention, there is a sense that the impending arrival of the world’s best cricketers in Wales will catch the public’s imagination. The tournament will open in Cardiff, with a ceremony at the medieval castle in the city centre, while teams preparing between matches will be based in nearby Newport, using local facilities.Glamorgan will hand over control of their SWALEC Stadium – which will be rebranded as the Cardiff Wales Stadium – to the ICC for the duration of the tournament, meaning ticket revenue goes back to the governing body, but thronging crowds are likely to increase the “secondary spend” on food and drink, to go with the venue hire fee. “It is very much financially in our interest to do well,” Hamer said. “We’re incentivised to get as many bums on seats as possible.”

Ned Eckersley again made New Road a stage for his batting talent as Leicestershire blunted Worcestershire’s hopes of pressing for a win

10-May-2013
ScorecardNed Eckersley made his first Championship century of the season•Getty Images

Ned Eckersley again made New Road a stage for his batting talent as Leicestershire blunted Worcestershire’s hopes of pressing for a win with their spinners in their rain-hit clash.The home side set out their stall by declaring at 320 for 7 after a maiden Championship century for Thilan Samaraweera, but Eckersley’s undefeated 108 took Leicestershire to 229 for 2. They were still 91 behind when the third day closed because of bad light.The 23-year-old’s third first-class century, a well crafted innings with 14 fours from 186 balls balls, was completely different from an explosive performance when he last appeared on this ground in August last year. Hitting seven sixes in an unbeaten 72 from 44 balls he turned impending defeat into a memorable 40-over victory.A return visit offered a new challenge in facing Shaaiq Choudhry and Moeen Ali in helpful conditions for the spin pair. Slow left-armer Choudhry, appearing in a home Championship match for the first time, made a breakthrough by bowling Michael Thornely after an opening partnership of 51 with Niall O’Brien.In general, however, Leicestershire played the slow bowlers well and O’Brien, although restricted to a couple of fours, featured in a stand of 55 with Eckersley before he was bowled for 46. That was Moeen’s 100th first-class wicket and soon afterwards he might have had another when Ramnaresh Sarwan was dropped at short midwicket.That proved to be costly for Worcestershire as the West Indies batsman – he will be playing in the Champions Trophy next month – reached 46 not out and helped Eckersley through to his hundred. Their stand was worth 123 at the close but the overall tempo for the match has been stuck at a fraction under three runs an over.Samaraweera’s first innings for Worcestershire at New Road was technically proficient but rarely eye-catching. After passing 50 he went through more than 30 overs without scoring a boundary and the clip off his legs that brought up the hundred was only his ninth four in over five hours.Worcestershire resumed on 294 for 7 and claimed a third batting bonus point with Choudhry making 32 not out in an unbroken stand of 63 with Samaraweera.

For Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell, there were runs aplenty before having to contend with New Zealand – half-centuries, indeed

Ivo Tennant at Edgbaston10-May-2013
ScorecardJonathan Trott and Ian Bell warmed up for the first Test against New Zealand with 60s apiece•Getty Images

For Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell, there were runs aplenty before having to contend with New Zealand – half-centuries, indeed, off Steven Finn among others. In a match that has been affected by the weather, they and Sam Robson’s double-century are likely to prove the most memorable achievements, assuming Warwickshire gain the 12 runs they require to avoid the follow on.Perhaps something can still be fashioned by the captains. Middlesex declared at their overnight score of 428 for 5, as really they had to do after only 39 overs were bowled on the second day, and much of the subsequent cricket centred around the batting of Laurie Evans and Trott. Steadfast stuff, as might be imagined.Evans, whose opener partner, Will Porterfield, was caught at second slip off Corey Collymore, had made 59 with seven fours – all technically correct solid defence and the occasional shot of attacking intent – when he had to retire after being struck on the left hand by Finn. The England fast bowler had resorted to the short ball against him, able as he was to extract some life out of this even-paced pitch.An X-ray revealed his hand to have been broken. Finn, by any standards, was quick, and altogether a different proposition from facing the disciplined Tim Murtagh and the mixed medium pace of Collymore, Gareth Berg and Neil Dexter. Trott played him admirably, characteristically driving him off his hip to the midwicket boundary to reach a half century off 97 balls. It was his ninth four.Trott had played that same consummate shot off Berg and, indeed, nothing appeared more probable than that he would reach three figures in this, the match that marks the tenth anniversary since his debut for Warwickshire. He had reached 65 when Murtagh, who always seems to maintain an straight line, moved one away sufficiently to have him taken at first slip.Bell, given some classy support from Tim Ambrose after Jim Troughton had turned Murtagh straight to leg slip – good field placing, this, by Chris Rogers – timed his drives about as well as a batsman can in early May. There were six fours in his half century and eight in all in his innings of 62.About the highest praise that could be bestowed on Ambrose was that his batting did not suffer by comparison. Indeed, he reached a half-century of his own a ball quicker than Bell had done and survived for longer. Bell was leg-before to Collymore, falling over slightly as the ball appeared to keep a little low.For much of a murky day the floodlights were on. Play would largely have been impossible without them; hence the worth of such investment. Arching in towards the middle, they do not look out of place. Items to show off amid some concern about the comment last week of Derek Brewer, the secretary of MCC, who regards the Ageas Bowl at Southampton as posing a greater threat to Lord’s retaining two Tests a summer than Edgbaston. There is a need to provide a compelling argument for more Test cricket here given nothing is scheduled for this year.

It was, in the end, the scenario most of the locals wanted: two young, born and bred Yorkshiremen, digging England out of a hole with batting of class and substance. This was a golden afternoon for Yorkshire cricket.

The Report by George Dobell25-May-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWhite roses: Joe Root, with his maiden Test hundred, and Jonny Bairstow added 124•PA Photos

It was, in the end, the scenario most of the locals wanted: two young, born and bred Yorkshiremen, digging England out of a hole with batting of class and substance. This was a golden afternoon for Yorkshire cricket.Joe Root led the way. The 22-year-old, batting with a maturity that put his much-vaunted top-order colleagues to shame, registered his first Test century to steer his side away from the rocks and into far calmer waters.While his colleagues paid the price for pushing and prodding away from their bodies, Root was compact, disciplined, patient and composed. He looked every inch the finished article as a Test batsman and generally played as late and as straight as any of his illustrious Yorkshire and England forefathers. Indeed, by becoming the first Yorkshire player to register his maiden Test century on this ground, he achieved something none of them had. He was also the first Yorkshire player to score a Test century at Headingley since Michael Vaughan in 2007.With his county team-mate Jonny Bairstow, Root added 124 for the fifth wicket in increasingly confident style just as it appeared that New Zealand had seized the initiative. Until the pair came together, the second day of this match – the first had been lost to rain – had been characterised by soft dismissals as New Zealand’s admirable bowlers again made good use of helpful conditions. Indeed, when England went into lunch 67 for 3 it raised questions about the wisdom of Alastair Cook choosing to bat first after winning the toss. New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum admitted he would have bowled first anyway.But there was more than a degree of self-harm in England’s early wickets. While Nick Compton, caught at third slip in the fourth over of the day, might consider himself the victim of fine bowling – the impressive Tim Southee drew Compton into driving a delivery he could have left by going wide on the crease and angling the ball in only to nip it away – Jonathan Trott had less excuse.Having seen off the new ball, Trott was beginning to bat with some fluency when, on the brink of lunch, he attempted an uncharacteristically loose drive well outside off stump and edged behind. Cook followed to the next delivery, prodding at one he could have left and edging another catch to third slip.By the time Ian Bell prodded lamely at an innocuous delivery well outside off stump from the part-time offspin of Kane Williamson, New Zealand were well on top. Bell’s torturous innings had included being given out leg before to Southee on 12 – the decision was over-turned on review – and, on the same score, surviving an edge to the keeper off Trent Boult that the bowler, the umpire and most of the New Zealand fielders seemed not to notice.Certainly, England were grateful for the Yorkshire influence. Root, particularly fluent off the back foot at the start of his innings, drove and cut nicely, put away the poor ball adeptly and ran like a whippet between the wickets.But, as with any successful Test batsman, it was the shots Root did not play that were as important as those he did. While his more celebrated colleagues paid the price for pushing outside off stump, Root remained compact, refused to be drawn into anything away from his body and played the ball right below his eyes.But it would be wrong to characterise Root as dour and defensive. In partnership with Bairstow, he plundered 19 from one over from Willamson, hitting three boundaries in succession as he showed a willingness to skip down the pitch and drive, to sweep and then to reverse sweep. His century, from 164 balls, came with his ninth four – a dab to third man – and made him the 11th youngest England player to score a Test century.He survived a couple of anxious moments. Brendon McCullum was convinced he had caught Root down the legside off Doug Bracewell when he had 93 and utilised New Zealand’s last review to check, and the umpire called for a replay when Neil Wagner got a hand on a Bairstow drive and thought – incorrectly as it transpired – that he may have run out Root as he backed up.Bairstow took some time to settle but, once he had, lost little by comparison. Powerful on the pull and the cut, Bairstow was also strong off his legs and brought up his own half-century and the century stand with a sumptuous on-driven four that brought back memories of the stroke with which Geoff Boycott reached his 100th first-class hundred.The value of their stand was thrown into even sharper relief by events that followed it. Once Root fell to a loose waft outside off stump, more a victim of a loss of concentration than the first delivery with the new ball, England lost three wickets for 16 runs. Bairstow, attempting to leave one outside off stump, was also caught behind before Stuart Broad, rooted to the crease, poked at a full ball and gave an inside-edge to McCullum.Had Matt Prior, on 21, been caught at midwicket by Bracewell off Neil Wagner, New Zealand may have been able to finish off the innings. As it was, however, Prior and Graeme Swann were able to extend the eighth-wicket stand beyond 50 and ensure Root’s hard work was not squandered.

Northamptonshire moved top of the group in the Friends Life t20 after clinching a narrow 10-run victory over Somerset at Wantage Road.

17-Jul-2013Northamptonshire 150 for 8 (Crook 63, Arafat 3-21) beat Somerset 140 for 8 (Kieswetter 38, Azharullah 3-16) by 10 runs
ScorecardSteven Crook struck 63 in just 36 balls•Getty Images

Northamptonshire moved top of the group in the Friends Life t20 after clinching a narrow 10-run victory over Somerset at Wantage Road.Rejuvenated Northamptonshire continued their impressive season with a fifth win in six matches and heaped more pressure on struggling Somerset after defending just 150 for 8 in front of their home fans. Somerset, who have reached Finals Day in each of the last four years, have work to do if they are to maintain their fine record in the competition and have now lost three of their opening five group fixtures.They made a dream start to the match when, after losing the toss, Pakistani pace bowler Yasir Arafat removed dangerous Northants duo Richard Levi and Cameron White in the first over of the match. Arafat became the leading wicket-taker in the domestic T20 competition when he pinned Levi lbw and then had White caught in the deep.Somerset remained on top and it wasn’t until all-rounder Steven Crook came out to bat that Northants gave themselves hope. Crook, in excellent form, cleared the boundary four times during his entertaining innings of 63 from just 36 balls and ensured Northants reached a competitive total.In reply, Somerset openers Marcus Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter put the visitors ahead of the rate with a breezy 38-run partnership inside five overs before Crook continued his inspirational evening with the breakthrough wicket of Trescothick. The Northamptonshire fightback continued the following over when pace bowler Muhammad Azharullah removed Peter Trego and Nick Compton without scoring.Kieswetter and Jos Buttler kept Somerset in contention and the latter appeared to be taking Somerset over the line before he was run out in the penultimate over following a mix-up with Arafat. That wicket signalled the end of Somerset’s hopes and Azharullah made Alfonso Thomas his third wicket at the death to end with 3 for 16 from his four overs.

Shikhar Dhawan’s record 248 helped India nudge out South Africa in a high-scoring virtual semi-final in Pretoria

The Report by Devashish Fuloria12-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe year keeps getting better for Shikhar Dhawan•Getty Images

Shikhar Dhawan began with Mo Farah-esque strides and ended with an Usain Bolt-like burst to plunder 248 off 150 balls – the second-highest List A score ever and the record for an A-team – out of India A’s giddying 433 for 3, in the virtual semi-final against South Africa A in Pretoria. South Africa, in reply, made the most of a flat pitch and short boundaries to come close to the target and only ran out of steam towards the end to lose by 39 runs.India had chosen to bat and the innings started with Dhawan driving one straight down the ground. A flurry of boundaries helped Dhawan and his new partner at the top, M Vijay, scoot to 91 in the 12th over, but as Pujara joined Dhawan after Vijay was caught behind for 40, there was a quiet period as the run rate dropped to below seven. It was merely the quiet before the violence.Dhawan arrived at the century-mark off 86 balls with a straight-driven boundary in the 27th over, and found his nitro booster to rocket from there on. In the 28th over, he smashed his first six, off Juan Theron, and immediately followed it with another. The projected team total was constantly being readjusted to higher levels as Dhawan kept finding the boundaries in an unprecedented attack. His second hundred came at almost double the rate as his first, taking 46 balls, as he smashed his way to becoming only the third Indian to record a double-century in limited-overs cricket after Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. At the other end, Cheteshwar Pujara had quietly brought up his own fifty off 54 balls.Dhawan would not have got his double century had Rusty Theron held on to a chance off the bowling of Roelof van der Merwe when Dhawan was on 154, but with 10 overs still left when he got past that landmark, the 11-year-old record of the highest List A score of 268 looked well within his reach. He fell 20 runs short of it to finish second best. Pujara’s unbeaten 109 off 97 seemed mild in comparison. The two batsmen scored 285 runs together in 33.2 overs, 198 of which came from Dhawan’s bat.South Africa’s bowling unit also entered record books as this was the first instance of five bowlers giving away more than 60 runs each in a List A match, but they were not the only ones to suffer. India’s bowlers were meted out the same treatment as South Africa openers Reeze Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw rampaged their way to 121 by the 13th over and a repeat of South Africa’s senior side’s memorable night seven years ago didn’t appear improbable.A couple of quick wickets fell to the spinners, but Hendricks hammered a 75-ball hundred to take South Africa past 200 in the 25th over. The ball frequently disappeared to the adjacent net-ball courts as South Africa remained abreast with the required rate.After the dismissal of Hendricks, the required rate went over 10-an-over for the first time in the 32nd over, but Vaughn van Jaarsveld, with helpful cameos from Justin Ontong and Roelof van der Merwe, kept up the hope. Van Jaarsveld fell soon after reaching to his century, top-edging an Ishwar Pandey slower delivery to mid-off, effectively ending South Africa’s challenge, as India mopped up the remaining batsmen quickly. However, on a batsman’s day, Dhawan’s knock proved to be the difference.