England stars out cheaply as Dukes ball returns to County Championship

By Sports Desk April 19, 2024

England trio Zak Crawley, Joe Root and Harry Brook were all out for single-figure scores as bowlers across the Vitality County Championship had more success following the return of the Dukes ball.

The trial of the Kookaburra ball, which has a flatter seam than its Dukes counterpart and tends to go softer earlier, in the opening two rounds has proved divisive and led to much higher scores than expected in the early season.

Warwickshire captain Alex Davies’ fantastic 149 underpinned his side’s 340 for four in their Division One clash against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl – but the opener was the only batter in the country to reach three figures on Friday.

Crawley edged to third slip for five in his first appearance of the season for Kent, who ended a rain-affected opening day on 111 for three after 39 overs against defending champions Surrey at Canterbury.

Daniel Bell-Drummond registered 70 before he was trapped in front by Tom Lawes and Daniel Worrall accounted for Crawley and fellow opener Ben Compton.

Four wickets for Shane Snater and three for England hopeful Sam Cook helped Essex skittle Lancashire for 146 at Chelmsford, where the hosts went to stumps on 68 for one with just 54 overs possible.

England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir snared the in-form Joe Clarke as Nottinghamshire were all out for 193 against Somerset at Taunton.

Craig Overton was the pick of the attack with three for 57 before a classy 70 not out from Sean Dickson led Somerset to 116 for one at the close.

Durham’s Ollie Robinson thrashed six fours and three sixes in a belligerent 55 off 43 balls but his side were all out for 244 against Worcestershire in a clash between the two promoted sides at Kidderminster.

Former West Indies captain Jason Holder took three wickets for Worcestershire, who reached 78 for four in reply.

In Division Two, Yorkshire were dismissed for 159 by Middlesex at Lord’s, where Root steered to gully for five while Brook made just three before nicking to second slip.

Middlesex slipped to 37 for two in reply but Mark Stoneman’s unbeaten 38 and Leus du Plooy’s 23 not out led the hosts to 84 without further loss, with 55.4 overs bowled in the day.

Half-centuries for Ben Charlesworth (62), Miles Hammond (56) and James Bracey (69) ushered Gloucestershire to 319 for eight against Sussex at Hove. Danny Lamb took three for 49 for the hosts.

Colin Ingram’s 69 not out rescued Glamorgan from 27 for four against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Ben Sanderson’s third wicket left the Welsh side on 96 for five but Ingram’s efforts and 50 from Dan Douthwaite helped them close on 203 for seven after 56.1 overs.

Leicestershire opener Marcus Harris’ unbeaten 77 got his side to 168 for two after 46 overs against Derbyshire at Derby.

Related items

  • Molineux stars with 64 as Melbourne Renegades Women win second match in a row Molineux stars with 64 as Melbourne Renegades Women win second match in a row

    Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin’s Melbourne Renegades Women got their second win in a row in the Women’s Big Bash League thanks to a brilliant batting display from captain Sophie Molineux against Adelaide Strikers Women at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Sunday.

    The Renegades, chasing 158 for victory, found themselves 52-5 in the ninth over when Molineux came to the crease to join Dottin.

    The pair put on a crucial 79 runs before Dottin fell for 20. Seven runs later, Molineux fell for a match-winning 32-ball 64 including nine fours and three sixes.

    Eventually needing six runs off the final over, Nicole Faltum and Sarah Coyte guided the Renegades to victory.

    Darcie Brown, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Jemma Barsby took two wickets, each, for the Strikers in their efforts to defend what looked like a match-winning total.

    Earlier, captain Talia McGrath led the way with 64 off 44 balls including eight fours and a six while Orla Prendergast supported well with 31 as the Strikers made 157-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.

    Molineux took 2-39 from her four overs while Georgia Wareham and Alice Capsey split two wickets. Matthews and Dottin when wicketless in seven overs between them.

  • Australia recover from middle-order collapse to win Pakistan opener Australia recover from middle-order collapse to win Pakistan opener

    Australia rallied to overcome Pakistan by two wickets in the first of three one-day internationals between the teams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

    Roared on by vocal travelling support, Pakistan were in the ascendency when their pacemen dropped Australia from 113-2 to 115-7, with the hosts chasing 204 for victory.

    Harif Rauf dismissed three while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain also got in on the act to decimate the hosts' middle order.

    Naseem Shah had earlier scored 40 off 39 balls to salvage a score of 203 all out for the tourists, but a crucial cameo from captain Pat Cummins got Australia over the line.

    Cummins calmly came up with an unbeaten 32 from 31 balls as the hosts sealed victory with 16.3 overs remaining, with even Sean Abbott's error in being run out for 13 failing to inspire a change in the momentum. 

    Bowler Mitchell Starc told ABC Grandstand after the match: "We probably didn't like that Patty and I had pads on, but it's a positive start to the summer.

    "A win is a win no matter how you get there."

    Data Debrief: Cummins leads from the front

    Cummins' unbeaten 32 may not go down as his most memorable knock in ODIs, but it did equal his best innings for Australia in the format.

    That proved crucial after Matthew Short (1), Jake Fraser-McGurk (16), Marnus Labuschagne (16), Aaron Hardie (10) and Glenn Maxwell (0) disappointed with the bat.

    Australia, who have won both of their ODI series versus West Indies and England since lifting the World Cup in 2023, can now seal a series triumph in Adelaide on Friday.

  • Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to lead Hurricanes to seven-wicket win over Red Force Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to lead Hurricanes to seven-wicket win over Red Force

    Justin Greaves made history to lead the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an impressive seven-wicket win over the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in CG United Super50 Cup action at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Sunday.

    Greaves, who is coming off scores of 111* and 112 in his first two games this season, became the first player in regional List A cricket to hit three consecutive hundreds when he hit his match-winning and career-best 151* to anchor a successful chase of 292 by the Hurricanes with two overs and three balls to spare.

    The Bajan’s knock came off 129 balls and included 13 fours. Opening partner Mikyle Louis was good in support with 57 while Chesney Hughes and Jahmar Hamilton chipped in with 33 and 25*.

    Earlier, the hosts made 291-6 off their 50 overs after being put in to bat by the Leewards. In form Amir Jangoo fell agonizingly short of a maiden List A hundred with 96 off 109 balls while Jason Mohammed and Tion Webster also got half centuries with 79* and 60, respectively.

    Oshane Thomas took 2-54 off eight overs for the Hurricanes who will next play the Guyana Harpy Eagles at the same venue on Tuesday.

    The Red Force will next oppose the West Indies Academy at the Sir Frank Worrell memorial Ground on Thursday.

    Full Scores:

    Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 291-6 off 50 overs (Amir Jangoo 96, Jason Mohammed 79*, Tion Webster 60, Oshane Thomas 2-54)

    Leeward Islands Hurricanes 292-3 off 47.3 overs (Justin Greaves 151*, Mikyle Louis 57, Chesney Hughes 33, Jahmar Hamilton 25*)

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.