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Rajasthan Royals backed up a strong batting performance from Adam Voges and Faiz Fazal with a disciplined bowling effort that choked Kings XI Punjab after their top order had delivered a promising start

The Bulletin by Siddhartha Talya24-Mar-2010Rajasthan Royals 183 for 5 (Voges 45*, Fazal 45) beat Kings XI Punjab 152 (Bisla 35, Tait 3-22, Trivedi 2-25) by 31 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Adam Voges made another timely contribution at the end of the Rajasthan innings•Indian Premier League

Rajasthan Royals backed up a strong batting performance from Adam Voges and Faiz Fazal with a disciplined bowling effort that choked Kings XI Punjab after their top order had delivered a promising start. The 31-run win meant Rajasthan climbed to a joint-fourth position on the points table, leaving Punjab, who have lost four out of five games, at the bottom. A blistering cameo by Manvinder Bisla had raised Punjab’s hopes of scaling down a large target, but a combination of crafty bowling, agile fielding and some irresponsible batting crushed any possibility of a successful chase.Though the margin of defeat indicates a dominating show by Rajasthan, Punjab had their chances. Their bowlers managed to fight back after a strong start by the Rajasthan openers but faltered at the death in the wake of an assault from Voges and Fazal. Kumar Sangakkara and Bisla blazed away in their reply, racing to 76 in the first six overs, the highest score of the tournament after the Powerplay. But clever variations from seamers Siddharth Trivedi and Munaf Patel, and some uninspiring batting from the rest of the line-up, cut short what was gearing up to be a more exciting fixture.The conditions at the PCA Stadium in Mohali were conducive for fast bowling with the Punjab opening bowlers beating the outside edge on more than one occasion, and Shaun Tait doing the same during the chase. Tait, who had a poor start to the IPL, bowled a couple of excellent outswingers at Ravi Bopara but suffered an onslaught from Sangakkara, whose frequent hits to the boundary were as much a consequence of good fortune as the batsman’s conviction.A smattering of fours through cover was followed by an inside edge to fine leg before Tait, dropping one short, led the Punjab captain to upper-cut a catch straight to third man; but not before 41 had been scored in the first four overs.Bisla’s brazen aggression threatened to set Punjab on course, but also contributed to his downfall, a result of a well-executed strategy from Shane Warne. Bisla, who shot to limelight with a blazing 75 against Bangalore, tore into Munaf off just his second ball. Given the restrictions, he had figured out his scoring areas, and proceeded to take 18 off the fifth over, including two fours and six through the leg side. Warne, too, suffered a similar fate, smashed for 10 in two balls but Bisla’s ploy to strike against the turn cost him. Anticipating a slog, Warne had a deep midwicket in place, flighted the ball, Bisla obliged and holed out.Yuvraj Singh had returned to form in a thrilling chase against Chennai, and looked to continue that when he smacked a straight six off Warne. But his ill-executed shot off Trivedi, having been dropped two balls earlier, marked the beginning of a dismal collapse that squandered a healthy position of 107 for 2 in the 11th over.Both Munaf and Trivedi frequently took the pace off the ball which the Punjab batsmen, including Yuvraj and Bopara, failed to read. When Irfan Pathan was run-out brilliantly by Abhishek Jhunjhunwala in the 13th over, and Mohammad Kaif trapped in front by Yusuf Pathan 11 balls later, Punjab had lost four batsmen for 19 runs in 23 balls. Rajasthan had virtually sealed the game, and were met with little resistance when running through the rest of the batting.Just as in their batting, Punjab had slipped up with the ball when the game had been on even terms. They had the better of the conditions after choosing to field, but Sreesanth, Shalabh Srivastava and Irfan struggled for control with the ball moving around. Short balls were dispatched through point by the openers Michael Lumb and Naman Ojha, while full deliveries were picked up with ease over the leg-side field.Lumb had a woeful start to the tournament, but played with confidence, matching his aggressive partner Ojha stroke for stroke. However, Punjab struck to remove the openers within the first eight overs and earned the big scalp of Yusuf Pathan, caught off a slower one with seven overs still to go.But the stage was set for yet another turn in the game, as the Punjab bowlers failed to measure up to improvisations from Voges. He found the boundary with ease, piercing the gaps, following a well laid-out plan. Joining Fazal, Voges had marked his scoring areas. The spaces on either side, between long-on and deep midwicket and long-off and deep extra cover, were exploited, as Yuvraj, Piyush Chawla and Irfan were taken for two fours and a six in consecutive overs.Fazal, too, began fluently but ceded the floor to Yusuf and then Voges before opening up. He seized on length deliveries to dispatch four boundaries in successive overs off Irfan and Rusty Theron in the death overs; his 60-run stand with Voges, off 37 balls, gave Rajasthan a formidable total, one that thwarted Sangakkara’s plans at the toss to limit them to under 150 and handed their team another morale-boosting win.

SLC comes to an understanding with the country’s sports ministry over a dispute surrounding the restructuring of the domestic tournaments

Madushka Balasuriya21-Sep-2023Sri Lanka Cricket has resumed its domestic cricket season, which was halted nearly three weeks ago, after coming to an understanding with the country’s sports ministry over a dispute surrounding the restructuring of the domestic tournaments. As such the Major Club three-day tournament and the Tier B Club three-day tournament will resume on Friday, September 22.”Consent was given by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, subsequent to a meeting held between Sri Lanka Cricket and the Ministry of Sports,” an SLC media release stated. “Following the meeting, in a letter addressed to Sri Lanka Cricket, the Ministry of Sports and Youth further clarified the direction given by the Director General of Sports pertaining to the ratification of an appeal advisory committee decision by the Hon. Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, which resulted in domestic cricket tournaments being halted, until further clarification was sought on the matter.”While the exact contents of the meeting haven’t been disclosed, ESPNcricinfo understands that the ministry had agreed to abide by the Court of Appeal’s decision to allow the tournament to continue uninterrupted until a decision is taken in the case of Gesto Cricket Club (GCC) versus SLC.The case, which had seen GCC argue against a decision taken at an SLC Emergency General Meeting to change the tournament structure, is due to be taken up again on September 26.Sri Lanka’s sports ministry had become involved in the matter after GCC, unhappy with the court’s decision to allow the tournament to continue while the case was being heard, had appealed to the sports ministry directly.This led to a dispute between SLC and the sports ministry, in which the latter claimed that any change to the structure of a tournament would need to be done via a change to the SLC constitution, itself something that could only be made through with the approval of the sports ministry.SLC however argued that, after it had written to and not received a response from the sports minister regarding the proposed changes, it had gone ahead with it regardless as it had been voted for by the SLC membership. This view was bolstered by the fact that change in structure itself was to one that had been in place for several years prior – as such SLC believed it was reasonable to assume that this would not be an issue. Aside from that, there is also disagreement in some quarters over whether in fact a change to tournament structure requires the explicit approval of the sports ministry.

He was earlier replaced by Anamul Haque in the squad as he was down with fever

Mohammad Isam04-Sep-2023Litton Das has joined the Bangladesh side in Lahore ahead of the Asia Cup Super Fours. Litton, who was initially ruled out of the tournament due to illness, linked up with his team-mates on Monday evening after receiving medical clearance.Bangladesh chief selector Minhajul Abedin said Litton was added to the squad due to a number of injury concerns in the team. Najmul Hossain Shanto clutched his hamstring a few times during his century against Afghanistan. Mehidy Hasan Miraz suffered finger cramps during his century as well and retired hurt. Earlier, Mustafizur Rahman picked up a niggle in the Sri Lanka game in Pallekele on August 31 and could not play against Afghanistan.”The Asia Cup squad has a few injury concerns and the team management felt the need for an additional player going into the Super Four,” Abedin said. “We have received the BCB medical team’s clearance regarding Litton’s health and have decided to send him to Pakistan.”Bangladesh secured a spot in the Super Four following the 89-run win over Afghanistan in their last group match in Lahore on Sunday.

Head coach believes team had been “really good over a period of time'” before Shanaka changed the course of the game

Andrew McGlashan12-Jun-2022Not much has gone wrong for Australia’s T20I side since the start of last year’s World Cup, but Saturday night’s heady scenes in Pallekele – as Sri Lanka pummelled a record-breaking 59 from the last three overs – put the spotlight on an area of their game that will need some refinement ahead of their title defence later this year.For the third time this year Sri Lanka put Australia’s death bowling under severe pressure defending a target – the stunning chase followed a victory in Melbourne in February and a tie in Sydney which Australia ultimately won in a Super Over.Related

• Mitchell Marsh in doubt for ODI series

• Shanaka's 25-ball 54* scripts stunning victory for Sri Lanka

• Cricket cannot solve Sri Lanka's massive problems but at least it can be a distraction

• Injured Starc in doubt for ODIs

The Melbourne chase was never in the realms of what Dasun Shanaka achieved in Pallekele – Sri Lanka needed 28 off the last three overs and nine off the last – but Sydney had provided a warning when they ransacked 45 off the last three before Josh Hazlewood’s five-run Super Over decided the contest.The latest contest, with the series decided after Australia went 2-0 up in Colombo, again saw Aaron Finch give his team the chance to defend as he had done in Melbourne instead of continuing with the successful bowl-first model. There was little broader consequence in the outcome of the game for Australia, but that would not be the case in a World Cup knockout where the decision to defend could be taken out of their hands.”The small reviews we had last night with individuals was that if you had the time again you’d have taken some different options,” head coach Andrew McDonald said. “We felt we got a little one-dimensional at certain periods, a little too predictable and probably went away from what made us really good in the first two games, albeit we weren’t defending a total.”As in Melbourne, it was Jhye and Kane Richardson who were given the 19th and 20th overs of the innings, but it also went wrong for the previously outstanding Hazlewood who missed his length and went for 22 in the 18th over having started with remarkable figures of 3-1-3-2.”We feel that pressure probably took us away at times from what made us really good,” McDonald said. “We’ve been really good over a period of time and even last night you could argue that for 34 overs that we playing really good cricket. We’ve got some personnel who are getting exposed to situations which is always a positive.Dasun Shanaka blazed his bat around to give his team an unlikely win.•Getty Images

“There were a couple of areas we could tidy up, no doubt about that. When you get put under that type of pressure…we didn’t execute as well as we may have hoped to in that situation but full credit to an innings of that quality, it deserves the result it got and it was a great game. Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of that but plenty of opportunities to learn from those types of situations.”Starc, who was injured in the first game of the series, and the rested Pat Cummins were missing from Australia’s side although Cummins was also among those taken to in the Sydney chase when he conceded 17 off the 18th over.The next opportunity Australia will have to fine-tune their T20 game is a three-match series in India in mid-September before the final lead-in to the World Cup with matches against West Indies and England at home.On this tour, the focus now switches to the five-match ODI series which begins on Tuesday and marks a starting point of sorts for the 2023 World Cup build-up. Although missing Adam Zampa, who is on paternity leave, and having Starc and Mitchell Marsh carrying injuries, it is the closest Australia have come to having a full-strength ODI side together since the start of the series against India in November 2020 – albeit this is only their third series since then.A patched-up side won 2-1 in West Indies last year and another started well in Pakistan in late March before losing the series. Australia have a lot of ODI cricket on their calendar due to Covid catch-up series, although some may not feature a full-strength team and the three matches against South Africa next January remain in doubt with CSA wanting them moved due to their new T20 league.The five games in Sri Lanka will likely see most of Australia’s squad get some match time fitness permitting, particularly among the quick bowlers who will be rotated amid a tight schedule. Allrounder Cameron Green, who made a century for Australia A last week, will not be available to bowl for the first two matches as a cautious approach is taken with his workload.”He’s just a fraction behind where we’d like him to be so we’ll go on the conservative side there,” McDonald said. “But the three games back in Colombo we feel he’ll be well positioned to fill his full capabilities in being an allrounder.”With Marsh also unavailable at least for the start of the series Australia may need to find 10 overs between Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Marnus Labuschagne depending on the final balance of their side.

The series, which was earlier postponed following the Covid-19 pandemic, will be part of the ODI World Cup Super League

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-2022Netherlands are set to host Pakistan for three ODIs in August in Rotterdam. The series, which was supposed to be held in June 2020 and was postponed indefinitely following the Covid-19 pandemic, will be part of the ODI World Cup Super League.The series will also be the inaugural bilateral ODI series between the sides, with the three matches set to be played on August 16, 18 and 21 at the VOC Cricket Ground. The two sides have previously met in the World Cup in 1996 and 2003, and the Champions Trophy in 2002 with Pakistan winning the three encounters.

Netherlands vs Pakistan in Rotterdam

• 1st ODI – August 16, 2022

• 2nd ODI – August 18, 2022

• 3rd ODI – August 21, 2022

Zakir Khan, PCB director, said: “We are pleased that with the support of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (KNCB), we have been able to reschedule the series, which is important to the growth and development of cricket in Netherlands as well as to the two teams’ chances of progressing directly to the 2023 World Cup.”Our men’s national cricket team had an excellent 2021-22 season and I am confident they will build on the momentum to entertain expat Pakistanis and the Dutch spectators with good cricket. This series will also help KNCB attract new and young audiences towards the game.”Netherlands are currently at the bottom of the Super League table in the 13th place with two wins in 10 matches while Pakistan have won six out of 12 matches and are in the ninth place. The top seven sides plus hosts India will qualify directly for the 2023 Men’s World Cup.

Experienced commissioner will lead appointment process for other members

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2021The ECB’s board have appointed Cindy Butts as chair of the newly-established Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket, which was unveiled in November as part of the board’s measures to drive out discrimination and increase diversity across the game.Butts, whose other roles include serving on parliamentary committees and membership of Kick It Out’s board of trustees, will work with the ECB board to “finalise the terms of reference” for the commission, and will lead the appointment process for other roles within it.The commission “will independently gather and assess the evidence of inequalities and discrimination of all forms within cricket and identify the actions the ECB will need to take to tackle these issues”, according to an ECB statement.The creation of the commission was announced in late 2020 following claims of institutional racism within the English game by several high-profile figures, including former England international Michael Carberry, the former Yorkshire spinner Azeem Rafiq, and the former Test umpire John Holder. Only this week, the ECB was accused of ignoring the Rooney Rule when appointing a new elite performance pathway coach.Ian Watmore, the ECB’s chairman, said: “The creation of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket is an important step in our ambition to make cricket a game for everyone. Cindy is extremely well-qualified to lead this work and will bring empathy, rigour and practical experience to the deliberations and recommendations of the commission.”Butts said: “I’m excited to be bringing together my lifelong love of cricket with my passion for equity and inclusion, to lead this work for the ECB. Over the coming months we will be looking to hear from a wide range of people who share a love of cricket, whether as spectators, players, coaches or administrators both present and past.”While it’s important we preserve the best of cricket’s traditions, it is also important we identify ways it can evolve and innovate to attract and welcome diverse communities who can make an impact in all areas and at all levels of the game.”I am committed to ensuring that cricket has a bright future in this country.”Brenda Trenowden, the senior independent director of the ECB, will lead the board’s engagement with the commission. “Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion across the game is critical to the success of our game-wide strategy, Inspiring Generations, and our purpose of connecting communities through cricket,” Trenowden said.”Whilst we have taken a number of positive steps forward over recent years, we recognise that there is still a lot of work to do in this area. The commission will play a valuable role in helping us to really listen and understand the reality of the inclusion challenges in the game, so that we can focus our efforts to ensure that more people can say that cricket is a game for me.”

While backing his current partner, Warner also said he would have full faith in Will Pucovski

Daniel Brettig23-Nov-20201:08

Don’t need to break something that’s working – Warner

David Warner has depicted Joe Burns as his most effective opening partner since Chris Rogers, while conceding that the Australian selectors will ultimately have the final say over whether he is partnered by the Queensland batsman or the rising star of Victoria’s Will Pucovski.The selection chairman Trevor Hohns made an extraordinary admission when announcing the Test squad, stating that Warner would be given a say in the choice of the opening combination after he and Burns provided a strong platform for the Test team last summer, following plenty of top-order misadventures during the 2019 Ashes series.Hohns’ words in turn made Warner’s still more significant than usual, and while he couched his views with the usual caveats about the selectors, he left little doubt that he felt Burns was good value for his spot, particularly in terms of how the pair have complemented each other as players in a way he had not experienced since Rogers retired in 2015. Warner and Rogers opened together in 41 innings between 2013 and 2015, averaging 51.32 with nine century stands; Warner and Burns average 50.55 from 27 stands including six century partnerships.ALSO READ: Chappell – This Australia-India series might hinge on who makes the better selection decisions“I know you guys would like an answer. For me to be honest I’ve had over a dozen opening partners and it’s never been quite stable. I think they gave me the opportunity to ask me who I feel comfortable with, and when I was batting with Rogers we had a great partnership and…we bonded really well together out in the middle,” Warner said. “I think with me and Joe, we’ve done that over the past few years.”I’ve known Joe for a long time, we’ve played out in the middle together, we know each other’s game very well, but it’s upon the selectors to pick the right person to fit that position. If they go the way of Will, he’s batting fantastic, he’s been in and out of the Test squad and he removed himself with some sad times with his mental stuff. So for him he’s in the right frame of mind at the moment, it probably is an opportunity for him to come into the team.”But as we know it’s harder to get out of this team than get in, so whoever they go with, I’ll be well and truly happy with, as long as the person who comes in does their job. At the moment I didn’t think Joe did anything wrong last summer, we put on some great partnerships, averaged over 60 and that’s what you want from your opening partnership. It’s upon the selectors to pick their team and I’ve got to be happy with that and embrace it.”Joe Burns and David Warner run between the wickets•Getty Images

Reflecting on how he and Burns had gelled, Warner said that their ability to start with a long partnership together in the first Test of the summer against Pakistan in Brisbane, after Warner’s personal hell during the 2019 Ashes, had further reinforced what was already a strong relationship.”I haven’t spoken to Cracker [Hohns] yet, no, if they come to me and ask me, I’ll speak honestly,” Warner said. “But with me and Joe we’re good friends off the field as well, so having that support when you’re out there, I know last year we were both quite nervous when we were going into that first Test and then for him coming back into that team, not getting the opportunity in England, there’s a few nerves that float around.”But we obviously know how to get off strike with each other, but that’s just normally what you do anyway as a cricketer – if Will’s there he’s not going to do anything different. So it’s about building that bond and relationship and we’re the two that go out there together all the time when we face up, so you’ve got to have that bond and partnership.”Asked about criticism of Hohns’ suggestion he would be consulting Warner from the former Test captains Ricky Ponting and Mark Taylor, the opener said that his views were formed soundly on the basis of recent performance from the duo, even if Warner has been able to put far more individual runs on the board than Burns.”They’re two guys who have captained their country. I’m sure they would have had a say in their teams as well. But obviously they were captains,” Warner said. “As I see it, I don’t think it’s just like the selectors are going to come and ask me. It’s just more of a preference in the sense of the amount of time I’ve spent with Joe Burns in the middle.”Obviously we won a lot of games last year, so for me, you don’t really break something that is working, which is obviously the opposite to when things aren’t going your way and you’ve got to try and find solutions to problems. That’s the only thing I can sort of back that answer up with. As you say, when you get into the Australian team, you have to put numbers on the board and Will is an exceptional talent and a great player and he’s in the right mind-frame at the moment.”This next sort of A game is going to be the tell-all. It could well be the bat-off for that position. It’s going to be interesting to see but the selectors will pick the team.”Warner also reflected on how, at the age of 34, his game had evolved into a lower risk – though still free scoring – mode of batting. “I’ve just recently turned 34, so my days are numbered, when you’re in the 30s. There’s obviously a risk element but there’s a cricket smarts element to it as well,” he said. “For myself, it’s about getting off to a good start and taking calculated risks in that middle-overs period if we’re talking about 50-over games.”I think last year was probably the most disciplined I’ve batted in Test match cricket as well. I faced a lot of balls in the games and gave myself a lot of time. I really took pride in the last 12-24 months, to apply that discipline and you keep learning as you get older.”You don’t always have this game down pat. You’ve always have to keep thinking outside that square and bowlers have different ideas and ways of trying to get you out. You’ve got to be on top of your game to be able to adapt to that.”

Sussex and Gloucestershire made up for lost time as 22 wickets went down on the second day at Hove

ECB Reporters Network28-Apr-2018
ScorecardSussex and Gloucestershire made up for lost time when their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match resumed at Hove on Saturday. Just 21 overs had been bowled on the opening day, when no wickets fell, but 22 went down on the second day and Sussex, 51 for 2 in their second innings, led by 13.Having begun the day on 86 for 0, Sussex were bowled out for 145, losing all 10 wickets for 59 runs in 26 overs before lunch, with Ryan Higgins taking a career-best 5 for 21. Luke Wright, who was dropped twice, was Sussex’s top scorer in the session with 13.There was some encouragement from a lively pitch, and the overcast conditions suited the bowlers too. But a number of batsmen also perished by their own careless hands.Luke Wells had added just two runs to his overnight 25 when he was caught behind playing forward to Higgins. In the same bowler’s next over Phil Salt, 54 not out overnight, skied to long leg.The wickets continued to tumble: Stiaan van Zyl was caught in the gully off Higgins, Harry Finch was caught behind off Daniel Worrall and captain Ben Brown was lbw to Worrall for a second ball duck, leaving Sussex 105 for 5.Mark Burgess and Ollie Robinson, rashly, were caught in the slips from successive deliveries with the score on at 116, both off Higgins, and it was 117 for 8 when David Wiese lost his leg stump to Matt Taylor. Briggs and Wright had a final fling but Gloucestershire still had time to face one over before lunch.Sussex broke through with the score on 27, when Chris Dent dragged on a delivery from Robinson, losing his middle stump.A vigorous innings from Benny Howell, who had hit star Sussex signing Ishant Sharma for three fours in four balls, came to an end when he was lbw to one that moved into him from Wiese. Ishant was taken out of the attack after his first three overs cost 32 but Robinson struck again when he bowled James Bracey for 15.It was 102 for 4 when Robinson took his third wicket, having Gareth Roderick lbw for 23 as the batsman shuffled forward.At tea Gloucestershire were still well placed, but Jack Taylor, hooking as he took his eye off the ball, was caught at long leg – 107 for 5. Gloucestershire were not even sure of gaining a first-innings lead when Craig Miles was eighth out at 144. But some firm blows from Kieran Noema-Barnett (31) gave his side an advantage worth 38. Wiese and Robinson shared nine wickets between them.When Sussex batted again, in the best conditions of the day, Salt had his middle stump plucked out by Higgins for a second-ball duck. Wells was then bowled by Noema-Barnett for 22 with the last ball of the day.

Sean Dickson hit an excellent 142 to ensure West Indies endured three sessions of leather chasing on the second day against Kent at Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network07-Aug-2017
Sean Dickson dominated the West Indian attack•Sarah Ansell / Stringer

Sean Dickson hit an excellent 142 to ensure West Indies endured three sessions of leather chasing on the second day against Kent at Canterbury.Kent declared in the final over of the day on 331 for 9 to secure a first innings lead over the West Indies of 66 runs going into the third and final day of the tourists penultimate warm-up game before the first Test with England starting on August 17 at Edgbaston.Dickson, who amassed a career-best 318 against Kent’s County Championship rivals Northamptonshire last month, cracked 29 fours and three sixes in his four-and-a-half hour stay that left the tourists wondering when their next wicket would come.Dickson and first-class debutant Zak Crawley combined to post a record 182 for Kent’s second wicket – beating the county’s previous best against the tourists of 79 set by Brian Luckhurst and Alan Knott in 1969 – as the West Indies toiled all day for eight wickets.Roddy Estwick, the West Indies bowling coach, was happy in the way his attack bounced back late on “A lot of our guys haven’t really played in English conditions so they’re still learning, trying to get their lengths right.”If you look at Azzari Joseph, he got better as the day went along. He didn’t start as well as we’d have liked, but we made one or two technical adjustments with his run up and we spoke about his lines, and he was able to look a lot better.”I felt the figures of Miguel Cummins didn’t do justice to the effort he put in and Bishoo didn’t get any help of the wicket. But you have to credit Kent also, they batted nicely, they were patient and when the bad balls came along they put them away.”While Dickson, 25, took the plaudits, Crawley cut an impressive figure reaching a 94-ball 50 as Kent moved past the tourists’ modest total of 265 all out soon after tea.Crawley, 19 years-old and six feet six inches tall, played a mature and responsible knock full of well-timed drives and pulls as Kent, resuming on their overnight score of 1 for 1, dominated.The pair set out to punish anything loose or wide as Crawley, a product of Tonbridge School, got off the mark on his first-class debut with a rasping pull for four through mid-wicket against Alzarri Joseph.Dickson, making his first appearance for the county since the start of the NatWest T20 Blast, looked in good fettle from the off. His sweetly-timed punch drive flew past Joseph for four and he almost repeated the dose only to see the non-striker’s stumps act as an inadvertent barrier.The pair posted their half-century partnership inside 20 overs then Dickson upped the tempo by hitting the first six of Kent’s reply just before lunch pulling a short one from leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo over the ropes adjacent to the St Lawrence lime tree.Dickson twice edged balls from Joseph just short of the keeper, then nicked one through the slip cordon for four but the delivery from Raymon Reifer was called a no-ball.Dickson went on to post the 12th first-class 50 of his career from 105 balls with seven fours to go with his maximum, but might have gone for 51 when Bishoo downed a stinging caught and bowled chance.The pair ploughed on during the mid-session with Crawley cracking seven fours before he departed to a stunning diving slip catch by Kieran Powell.Acting Kent skipper Sam Billings scored a typically impish 25 before being run out by Shai Hope’s throw from the deep then Dickson’s stay ended when he holed out to long off. In a wonderfully old-school display of sportsmanship, the West Indies’ side lined up to shake Dickson’s hand as he trudged off.In the quest for quicker runs Adam Ball danced past one from Kraigg Brathwaite to be stumped and Will Gidman was bowled by Reifer.Against the second new ball Adam Rouse missed an attempted sweep to be skittled by Brathwaite, Charlie Hartley fenced to second slip and Adam Riley had his off pole plucked out to give Joseph hard-earned figures of 4 for 72.In the final over of the day Calum Haggett took a blow on the hand from Miguel Cummins sparking Kent’s declaration.

Fifties from Josh Cobb, Ben Duckett and Rob Keogh saw Northamptonshire move closer to a quarter-final spot in the Royal London Cup with an easy chase against Derbyshire at Wantage Road

ECB Reporters Network31-Jul-2016
ScorecardJosh Cobb top-scored as Northamptonshire completed a comfortable chase•Getty Images

Fifties from Josh Cobb, Ben Duckett and Rob Keogh saw Northamptonshire move closer to a quarter-final spot in the Royal London Cup with an easy chase against Derbyshire at Wantage Road. Cobb and Duckett shared an opening stand of 116 as Northants chased 273 with seven wickets in hand.Victory takes them to nine points in the North Group and, with a very healthy run-rate, it should be enough for qualification. Derbyshire now have to win their final game against Leicestershire and hope other results go in their favour.The day began well for the visitors with Ben Slater making an unbeaten 148 – the third-highest List A score for Derbyshire and highest against first-class opposition – as they posted what appeared a competitive 272 for 7 but Northants made very light work of the chase, winning with eight overs to spare.Cobb and Duckett broke the back of the chase with Northants’ best opening partnership in the competition this season of 116. Cobb was able to find boundaries at will and he cleared his front leg to swing his first six over long-on. Another followed as Jimmy Neesham returned to the attack. In between, Cobb slog-swept Matt Critchley only just over the head of deep midwicket.A century seemed to be waiting for Cobb but he fell for 88 in 91 balls in a bizarre dismissal when his bat – slipping from his grasp – flew further than the ball.A hundred was also at Duckett’s mercy as he continued a truly remarkable run of form. He survived a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to Shiv Thakor on 26 before slapping the next ball over mid-on for four, driving another past extra-cover and finally carving over the covers for his second six – the first having come with a straight drive off Ben Cotton.A scoop off Thakor and another drive through extra-cover brought a fine fifty in 43 balls but he was yorked by Alex Hughes for 70 in 56 balls – his fourth score over 50 in six innings in this season’s competition.Slater’s impressive 148 not out was consigned to a losing cause. With a hundred against Durham earlier in the competition, he arrived in form and looked very assured. After moving past fifty in 73 balls, he accelerated well, using Azharullah’s sixth over to provide some middle-innings impetus with three fours flicked over the leg side.Slater survived another flick that nearly carried to long leg diving forward but was otherwise chanceless in going to a hundred in 120 balls with 10 fours and a six. His only trouble came playing the left-arm spin of Graeme White, who again provided excellent control and threatened with the help of some turn on a used wicket. He produced the opening breakthrough after a first-wicket stand of 69 when Billy Godleman reverse-swept to backward point.White’s second wicket came to end the second-wicket stand of 96 after Slater and Wayne Madsen that had Derbyshire nicely poised at 165 for 1 in the 33rd over. Madsen miscued a drive to point for 39. White took 2 for 32 from his 10 overs.But it was the return of Richard Gleeson that prompted Derbyshire’s slide from 204 for 2 to 209 for 5. He clean bowled Neil Broom and Thakor, trapped Jimmy Neesham lbw and then also bowled Wes Durston to finish with 4 for 66. He leaked 15 from his final over but it was still not enough for Derbyshire.