Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox made eye-catching debuts for Essex but it was Elgar’s fellow South African Dane Paterson who stole the show for Nottinghamshire on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship season at Trent Bridge.
Opener Elgar, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, looked more than capable of filling the void left by Sir Alastair Cook, defying typical opening-day conditions with a classy 80.
He shared a 112-run third-wicket partnership with the talented former Kent batter Cox, who went on to make 84, but Paterson powered a Nottinghamshire fightback by taking five for 49 with his wily medium pace.
Paterson bowled Elgar with one of several outstanding deliveries as Essex, runners-up in Division One last season, slipped from 170 for two to 176 for five before closing on 244 for nine from 77 overs, with time having been lost to a wet outfield at the start and bad light in the evening.
Kashif Ali scored an accomplished maiden century as Worcestershire made a solid 316 for seven against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Kashif struck 110 (188 balls) and Gareth Roderick added 68 (163) as the visitors returned to Division One with a strong day’s work following promotion last year.
Seamer George Hill claimed three key wickets, including Australian opener Marcus Harris for 56, as Yorkshire had the better of a shortened opening day against Leicestershire at Headingley.
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Heavy overnight rain meant a wet outfield and a delayed start until 3.40pm, with Division Two title favourites Yorkshire opting to bowl upon winning the toss.
The Foxes, led by fringe Test left-hander Harris, started brightly as they reached 89 for one. But skilful Hill set about changing the course of proceedings and left the close-of-play score at 164 for five from 46 overs.
Sam Northeast became the summer’s first centurion in Glamorgan’s Division Two clash with hosts Middlesex at Lord’s.
The Glamorgan skipper passed the landmark for the 30th time in his career, sharing century stands with Billy Root, 67, and Kiran Carlson, 77, and finishing unbeaten on 186 as the Welsh county reached 370 for three by the close.
Northamptonshire had the better of the half day’s play that was possible against Sussex as their batters battled hard and reached 95 for two when bad light – with no option for floodlights – drove the players from the field just after 6pm.
There was no play possible in the Division One games between Durham and Hampshire, Kent and Somerset and Lancashire and Surrey because of the wet weather.
In Division Two Derbyshire versus Gloucestershire was also wiped out.
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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