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On the same ground where England plundered the previous record England thrashed 21 sixes and 41 fours in becoming the first side to reach 450 in ODI history

The Report by George Dobell19-Jun-20180:42

‘Very proud day for us as a group’ – Morgan

England 481 for 6 (Hales 147, Bairstow 139) beat Australia 239 (Rashid 4-47, Moeen 3-28) by 242 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEngland thrashed the highest score in the history of ODI cricket to set up the most crushing defeat – in terms of runs – ever inflicted upon Australia.On the same Trent Bridge ground where they plundered the previous record – 444 for 3 against Pakistan in August 2016 in the most recent completed ODI on the ground – England thrashed 21 sixes and 41 fours in becoming the first side to reach 450 in ODI history. Only once in the 56-year history of List A cricket – when Surrey scored 496 for 4 against Gloucestershire at The Oval in 2007 – has any side scored more.The result means England have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Australia have now lost five ODI series in succession and eight of their last nine ODIs against England. Indeed, they have won only two of their last 16 ODIs against all opponents. It is the first time England have won back-to-back ODI series against Australia since 1986-87 and, with two games to go, they now have a chance to complete their first 5-0 whitewash over them. They won 4-0 in 2012 with one game abandoned due to poor weather.The foundation of England’s total was high-class centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales and the quickest half-century in their ODI history from Eoin Morgan. For Bairstow, in magnificent form, it was his fourth ODI century in six innings and his sixth in 19 since his recall less than a year ago. He now has the highest batting average – 65.76 – of any man to open in ODI cricket on more than 10 occasions. The fact he is one of only two men in the top 50 of that list with a strike-rate in excess of 100 (his is 114.19) demonstrates how well he is batting. The fact that the other is his opening partner, Jason Roy, demonstrates how the game has developed and how England have been at the vanguard of that change.The pair combined perfectly here. With Roy murderous against the short ball – he played a hook in the opening overs that travelled far enough to require a visa – and Bairstow in the sort of form that makes a length delivery an opportunity to drive or pull, they posted an opening stand of 159 in 19.3 overs; the 10th highest opening partnership against Australia in ODI history.There were a couple of nervous moments. Australia called for a review when they thought they detected an inside edge on one from Stanlake that nipped back at Roy (replays showed the ball brushed his trousers), while Bairstow was dropped on 30 by Marcus Stoinis running back from mid-off and reprieved on review having been given out leg before attempting to sweep Ashton Agar.Those moments apart, this was one-way traffic. On the sort of pitch that most batsmen would like to whisk to Paris for the weekend – and most bowlers would like to never see again – England gorged and feasted on runs until they dripped down their chins.Hales soon dispelled any thought that the wicket of Roy – attempting an unwise second run – would ease Australia’s pain. A day after he had admitted – quite rightly – that he was likely to be the man to make way once Ben Stokes returned, he provided a strong case for his retention with a 62-ball century; the sixth-fastest in England’s history, all of which have come since the 2015 World Cup. Back on his home ground – the ground where he thrashed 171 against Pakistan in 2016 – he showed tremendous power but also nice placement and shot selection. Nearly two-thirds of his runs were heaved through – or over – the leg side.It looked, for a while, as if England might reach 500. Despite losing Bairstow, heaving down the throat of deep midwicket, and Jos Buttler, deceived by a slower ball, Morgan thrashed a 21-ball half-century. Having recovered from the back spasm that kept him out of the Cardiff match, Morgan not only recorded the quickest fifty in England’s ODI history but passed Ian Bell’s record to become England’s most prolific ODI run-scorer in the process.While Australia tried just about everything in the field – going round the wicket, bowling short, bowling full, even trying eight bowlers – none of it made much difference. AJ Tye, who became just the 11th man to concede 100 in an ODI innings and just the fourth to do so in fewer than 10 overs, had the ugliest figures but this was a day all of them will wake up screaming about in years to come.Australia’s reply started well enough. D’Arcy Short carved David Willey’s first ball for six and his second for four, while Travis Head brushed off a painful blow from a Mark Wood bouncer (Wood exceeded 91 mph in that first spell) to help Australia keep up with the rate for the first 12 overs.But that target – that vast target – required endless risk-taking. And after Short chipped one to mid-on, Head poked a return catch to Moeen Ali and Shaun Marsh lofted to long-on. Aaron Finch, attempting to repeat a six clobbered over long-on, was deceived by one nicely held back by Adil Rashid (Finch, moved into the middle-order to combat spin, has been dismissed by it three times in 13 balls this series) and Marcus Stoinis attempted an unwise second to Bairstow’s arm in the deep. By the time Glenn Maxwell was brilliantly caught at long-on by a leaping Liam Plunkett, it was clear this was to be a rout. Never had England won by such a large run margin in ODI cricket. England’s spinners – a key point of difference between the sides in this series – finished with seven wickets between them.Are such conditions – white balls offering little lateral movement and surfaces offering certainty of pace and carry – good for the game? The debate will continue. Certainly there were aspects of this match – mostly some outrageous hitting – that created an entertaining and memorable spectacle. And there is no doubt that the groundstaff at Trent Bridge have produced exactly what was asked of them. We can expect more of this – and not just at Trent Bridge – during next year’s World Cup.There is, though, an inflationary aspect to boundaries. At some stage, they begin to lose just a little of their novelty and, perhaps, appeal. Suffice to say, all pretence of maintaining a balance between bat and ball disappears in such circumstances. Bowlers compete in much the same way a clay pigeon does when someone goes shooting. It was a remarkable day’s cricket, but you wouldn’t want every day to be like this.There are a couple more caveats, too. This Australia attack, missing at least three first-choice seamers as it is, is not the strongest and the relatively short boundaries meant that, a couple of times, top-edges carried for sixes. On Australian grounds they may have gone to hand.But there have been weaker attacks and shorter boundaries. This was still an incredible effort from a remarkable England batting line-up that is playing wonderfully fearless, innovative and powerful cricket. As this series has progressed, it has become hard to fathom how roles have reversed since the 2015 World Cup when one of these sides lifted the trophy and the other was humiliated. It will amount to little until England do it in a global tournament but you can be sure that no side – and certainly no bowling attack – will relish facing them in conditions like this.

Mark Arthur has warned that Yorkshire could lose their ability to host major matches if they are unable to finance a partial redevelopment of their Headingley home “within weeks”

George Dobell20-Mar-2017Mark Arthur has warned that Yorkshire could lose their ability to host major matches if they are unable to finance a partial redevelopment of their Headingley home “within weeks.”Arthur, Yorkshire’s chief executive, says the situation is so critical that not only could the club lose its right to host four World Cup matches in 2019, but they would be unable to apply to host any Test cricket after that date and might even risk their chances of hosting games in the new-team T20 competition which is anticipated to start in 2020.Yorkshire’s predicament comes months after the ECB announced that Durham would no longer be considered eligible to host Tests due to financial problems. That leaves the prospect that Lancashire’s Old Trafford ground, in Manchester, could be the only ground north of Nottingham Test eligible to stage Test cricket from the start of the 2020 season.It would also appear to raise the possibility, if less likely, of arch-rivals Lancashire hosting the closest team to Yorkshire in the new T20 competition.The problem centres on the stand at Headingley shared with the rugby club. Built in the 1930s, it was partially condemned in 2015 due to corrosion with the hope it would be rebuilt in time for the 2019 season. The club were hoping to increase capacity from around 17,000 to 20,000 with the addition of the new stand. As things stand, capacity at Headingley is reduced to around 14,000.But attempts to raise the £17m required for the latest stage in the redevelopment (it is expected to cost £38m in all) have so far been thwarted. The biggest jolt came when Leeds City Council suddenly announced that they were not prepared to provide a grant of £4m for the project as previously hoped.”Ever since the grant was withdrawn, we’ve been working with Leeds City Council and Leeds Rugby, and other entities, trying to find a way of funding the new stand,” Arthur said.”At this moment in time, we haven’t got a formula to put to our members. What we can’t go to them with is a half-baked proposal. If the board does come to a resolution at some stage in the near future, which means that we can recommend a financial proposal to the members, then we would call an extraordinary general meeting to go through the numbers.”Yorkshire are close to £25m in debt, with around £20m of that sum owed to trusts set-up by ECB chairman Colin Graves. They had hoped that the prospect of major matches from 2020 onwards would help them repay such debts, but without a new stand their future is fraught with uncertainty.”Gordon Hollins, the chief operating officer of the ECB, has confirmed to us in writing that Headingley does not comply with the International Facilities Policy,” Arthur said. “Therefore, once the current staging agreement ends in 2019, we will not be considered for Test Matches.”This has to be resolved in the very near future or we will have run out of time to complete the stand by the start of the 2019 season. While the Ashes Test is secure, the four World Cup matches in 2019 are not.”The need to have a new stand has recently taken on greater importance with the introduction of a new T20 city based competition from the year 2020. The host cities will be selected on the basis of facilities and catchment. It will be akin to hosting four additional one-day internationals per year and will bring further incremental income to those host grounds and cities.”Not only is the clock ticking from a financial point of view, the ECB will be allocating international matches from 2020 to 2023 later this year as well as the new city based T20 host contracts.””We need to reach an agreement with all parties in the next few weeks. We will be solvent, but we will not be able to solve our long-term debt so quickly.”The allocation of major matches from 2020 until 2023 is already long overdue. That has led to concerns around the counties over their ability to plan for a future which looks set to contain fewer Tests.

New Zealand’s now former ODI captain Brendon McCullum has praised his team for the way they responded to a batting collapse in the first innings and staged a 55-run win to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-20164:49

‘Lively, exciting, and seemingly indestructible’

New Zealand’s now former ODI captain Brendon McCullum has praised his team for the way they responded to a batting collapse in the first innings and staged a 55-run win to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.McCullum, playing his final ODI innings, smoked a 27-ball 47 to set New Zealand up nicely, but the hosts lost their way towards the end of the innings, losing six wickets for just 23 runs to muster a below-par 246.If New Zealand were feeling low immediately after that slide, they certainly did not show their disappointment when they took to the field, as McCullum revealed that he had urged his players during the break to not get bogged down.”The team performance today, especially after losing six for not many, I think lesser teams would have folded,” McCullum said. “And one thing we pride ourselves on is making sure that if we are going to get beaten, we’re going to make it hard for the opposition to do so.”That was the mentality we try to take out to fielding and bowling and also just stress to the guys, it doesn’t matter what we get, it’s a matter of what they get. If we were capable of losing six for not many, it was a wicket that was tough to start on, so that was the message that was stressed at halftime.”McCullum’s words clearly lifted the team, as excellent spells from Doug Bracewell, Ish Sodhi, Corey Anderson and Matt Henry suffocated the Australia batsmen on a slow pitch, and New Zealand bundled their opponents out for 191 inside 44 overs. McCullum, who now has just two more Tests left in him before he quits internationals all together, could not think of a better way of signing off from limited-overs internationals.”To beat the world champions in the Chappell-Hadlee series, which means so much to us, is a fitting way to step away from the game. For us to be able to still step out and beat the best team in the world is testament to the depth that we’ve been able to create over a period of time.”That was a pleasing aspect of it and I thought the way the guys responded was phenomenal. Doug Bracewell, he was on the the sidelines for the last little while, and the way he came in and seized that key moment, kept it tight, started building some pressure.”And that allowed Ish, another wonderful story of a guy who’s come back in after a long time out of the side, and he bowled with confidence and he bowled beautifully. He was able to apply some pressure and get wickets.It’s great when you can see guys come in and perform in pressure situations.”

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin continued to be left out of West Indies’ limited-overs plans, as he was omitted from the 13-man T20 squad for the two-match series against Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-2013

West Indies T20 squad

Darren Sammy (capt), Samuel Badree, Christopher Barnwell, Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles (wk), Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons
IN – Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels
OUT – Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin continued to be left out of West Indies’ limited-overs plans, as he was omitted from the 13-man T20 squad for the two-match series against Pakistan. The squad includes Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who missed the previous T20 series against Zimbabwe in March due to rest and injury respectively. Besides Ramdin, the only other player dropped is the allrounder Andre Russell.Ramdin was left out of the ODI squad in the ongoing five-match series against Pakistan, leaving the wicketkeeping duties to Johnson Charles. Ramdin has hit only one half-century since his recall to the West Indies one-day side in October 2011, and had been dropped in several recent matches, during the Champions Trophy and the home tri-series which also featured India and Sri Lanka. Kieron Pollard was retained despite his poor limited-overs form in 2013, making six ducks in ODIs.The two matches are scheduled on July 27 and 28 in St Vincent. This will be West Indies’ last set of international matches for the season before the inaugural Caribbean Premier League begins on July 30.

Tim Bresnan will be available for Yorkshire on Twenty20 Finals Day after the England management reversed their decision to make him unavailable

David Hopps at Cardiff24-Aug-2012Tim Bresnan will be available for Yorkshire on Twenty20 Finals Day in Cardiff on Saturday after the England management reversed their decision to make him unavailable because of concerns about his workload.Bresnan had an inactive day watching the rain that wrecked the opening ODI between England and South Africa at the Swalec Stadium and, with Finals Day scheduled for the same ground, a few miles to the hotel and back again were not about to risk travel exhaustion.Bresnan’s involvement if the FLt20 Finals Day stretches into Sunday’s reserve day – a forecast of sunshine and showers makes that a possible outcome – would not be determined by England until Saturday evening, as they insist that preparation for the next ODI, at West End on Tuesday, takes precedence.Fatigue should not be an issue for Bresnan. He missed the final Test at Lords and has bowled only 387 overs since the start of April. He would also only bowl a maximum of eight overs for Yorkshire on Finals Day.England’s initial refusal to make Bresnan available stunned Yorkshire, who had assumed that availability would not be an issue on a day that has become the highlight of the domestic season and that the availability of all international players would be treated equally.If Bresnan is withdrawn at any stage over the weekend on England’s orders, Rich Pyrah would be likely to deputise. All other England players involved in the ODI series would be automatically available if Finals Day extended into Sunday.The Cardiff washout, meanwhile, has led to Ravi Bopara being made available for Essex’s CB40 match against Middlesex on Monday. Bopara has been in need of match practice after time off for personal reasons and made a guest appearance for Gloucestershire against the South Africans on Wednesday.For the likes of Craig Kieswetter, considering an England ODI one minute, a domestic finals day the next, adjustment has to come almost instantly. While IPL surfs along on permanent hype, England’s T20 Finals Day is crammed into an England-dominated programme.”It’s probably not ideal,” Kieswetter said. “I think a lot of the counties would prefer to see Twenty20 in a block and then move on with the rest of the season. It is no hidden fact that our schedule is pretty hectic. It would probably the most ideal set-up to have it as a block and get it done and finished with.”Somerset have lost in the last three finals, but their achievement in getting to the semi-finals of the Champions League last year has helped to dispel the feeling of perennial bridesmaids.”I think it has gotten past the stage of being an issue for us,” Kieswetter said. “It is just another finals day. Hopefully we can get over that finals hurdle.”

This may be a critical match for both sides, for reasons it was hard to foresee at the start of the campaign

20-Jul-2011
ScorecardSteven Croft kept Lancashire ticking with a half-century•PA Photos

This may be a critical match for both sides, for reasons it was hard to foresee at the start of the campaign. Who would have tipped Yorkshire to be battling to stay out of the bottom two in the Division One or given Lancashire a fighting chance of winning the title?Yorkshire arrested their slide by beating Worcestershire at Scarborough last week but began this match knowing, like a tennis player who has just broken serve, that it will count for nothing if they don’t follow up with a hold. With that in mind, confronted with what looked like a decent pitch, Andrew Gale might have been expected to take the safe option on winning the toss and opted to bat first.Instead, he chose to bowl, perhaps anticipating some help from moisture in the air, even though one of his quick bowlers is making his Championship debut. Iain Wardlow, a 26-year-old right-armer who plays for Cleckheaton in the Bradford League, stepped up after making a good impression in Twenty20 matches, although he will drop out of this match if England release Tim Bresnan.Gale’s second season at the helm has been difficult, not least because the loss of Jacques Rudolph has left a gap in their batting that has not been filled. How relieved he must be that Yorkshire have found the resources to bring the South African back for the remainder of this campaign, although the decision to leave out Adam Lyth to make room for him raised an eyebrow or two. The left-hander, who topped 1,500 runs in 2010, has been much less effective this year, yet it is difficult to argue that his dip in form has been more pronounced than that afflicting Anthony McGrath.McGrath probably expected to be asked to justify his retention fairly soon but instead it was Wardlow under the spotlight, sharing the new ball with Ryan Sidebottom. His first spell generated some movement and while he invited the drive a few times there was a boundary or two off the edge of the bat. Greater accuracy will come, although he will have to develop considerably to match the standards of the man at the other end, whose first eight overs cost a mere 10 runs and brought the wickets of Stephen Moore, leg before to an in swinger, and Karl Brown, although the latter contributed to his own downfall with an unwisely expansive drive.Lancashire did not emerge badly from a difficult morning, lunching at 79 for 2, but lost a third wicket early in the afternoon session when Ajmal Shahzad, who had generated a testing pace at the pavilion end, had Paul Horton caught behind. McGrath held a catch at second slip as Mark Chilton became Sidebottom’s third victim; he should have had a fourth soon afterwards but McGrath then missed a chance offered by Steven Croft on 25.It was a relatively costly mistake. Lancashire would have been 131 for 5 and Croft and Tom Smith added 62 more before the next wicket fell.Lancashire probably felt it should have cost a few more. When Croft fell, to the ball before tea, dark clouds were gathering and the batsman clearly did not pick up the yorker length ball from Shahzad that bowled him. He appeared to communicate his displeasure to umpire Neil Mallender as he walked past him and was summoned to the umpires’ room to explain himself at close of play.Wardlaw celebrated his maiden wicket when Smith, who had played solidly to reach 51, rather wasted an opportunity with an ill-chosen slash and was caught behind. If he had been a shade unlucky at times, that sentiment clearly applied to Pyrah, who has made himself a candidate for player of the season since his graduation to the four-day side. He beat the bat repeatedly and at least was rewarded when he gained an lbw verdict against Gareth Cross.It may have been one of those days that needs a match to unfold before it can be evaluated properly but the balance almost certainly swung towards Lancashire in the evening, between showers. Adil Rashid, another whose form is down on last season, bowled an expensive spell that Sajid Mahmood, in particular, used to his advantage. He and Glen Chapple have added a valuable 53.

Jonathan Foo, the 19 year-old lower-order discovery of Chinese descent exploded in sensational fashion as wickets clattered at the other end to steal a one-wicket victory for Guyana in the Caribbean T20 final

The Bulletin by Nitin Sundar01-Aug-2010
ScorecardJonathan Foo crashed Barbados’ party with a blitzy 42 off 17 balls•Anthony Harris/West Indies Cricket Board

It was a finish befitting a big final on a night when both teams displayed nerves befitting a big final. In the end, it came down to one man who held his nerve under pressure. Jonathan Foo, the 19-year-old Guyanese discovery of Chinese descent, exploded sensationally as wickets clattered at the other end to steal victory, and a berth in the Champions League, from Barbados’ grasp.Foo arrived with his side’s hopes all but dashed. The Bajan spinners, led by Ashley Nurse, had choked Guyana’s batting. Their last four batsmen needed 59 off the last five overs but Lennox Cush and Esuan Crandon fell in quick succession. Barbados were already celebrating when Foo marked his guard for one final onslaught: Nurse was lofted over long-off but the smiles were still on the Bajan faces. Dwayne Smith was worked for fours to third man and square leg in the 18th over, but surely Guyana could not pull this off from here? Not after they lost their ninth wicket, Nurse’s fifth, with 26 required off 11.Foo responded by launching Nurse for another huge six over long-off. Barbados’ smiles were replaced by frowns now. Then came the defining moment: Nurse delivered a low full toss on leg stump, Foo smashed it high in the direction of deep midwicket where Larry Babb readied himself to take the catch that would have given Barbados the title. It was not to be – he palmed it over the ropes. The force was with Foo and Barbados had just dropped the Caribbean T20.With 11 to get off the last over, Foo smashed Javon Searles through point for two fours, reminiscent of Lance Klusener’s boundaries in World Cup semi-final. Unlike at Edgbaston, though, Foo had not come this far to return disappointed. More importantly, he had for company a calm No 11. Foo tapped a single to mid-on, giving Devendra Bishoo strike with two required off two. Searles aimed a yorker at off stump and did not miss by much, Bishoo squeezed it out to cover for one, but Sulieman Benn fumbled a regulation stop to allow a second. Foo charged back to the non-striker’s end and threw his arms aloft. The Guyanese supporters invaded the field and surrounded their hero, while Ryan Hinds, the Barbados captain, was down on the ground holding his head in despair.The dramatic denouement to the chase of 135 was preceded by a sluggish and nervy start. Guyana’s approach was confusing. They did away with the experimental line-up, which worked wonders in the semi-final, and nearly paid the price for being too conservative. Travis Dowlin, who had batted with freedom in that game, played well within himself tonight against bowling that was at best steady. Searles sprayed wides down leg side and over the batsmen’s heads, but Benn was at the batsmen from the start. He trapped Dowlin in the fourth over with an arm ball for 8 off 17 balls. Sewnarine Chattergoon did not fare any better, pottering to 9 off 15 balls before falling in Hinds’ first over. Suddenly Guyana were staring at a required-rate in excess of eight in their last 12 overs – no cause for alarm by Twenty20 standards, but not in these conditions against a determined attack.Runs came in singles until the 12th over when Ramnaresh Sarwan and Narsingh Deonarine swung Hinds for a four and a six each. Things went awry in the next over though, as Nurse got Sarwan and Christopher Barnwell to hole out. When Hinds took out Deonarine in the 14th over, Guyana had lost half their side with less than half the target achieved. Hurricane Foo, though, was about to ravage Barbados.Both teams had disregarded the conditions at the start of the game: despite the possibility of showers Barbados chose to bat, and despite the bounce and movement on offer, Guyana used offspinner Cush with the new ball. Initially Cush’s lengths were poor and Dale Richards capitalised to kick-start Barbados’ innings. Esuan got sharp movement but repeatedly bowled inswingers down the leg side.In the third over, Cush got Richards to top-edge a full toss to short third man. That brought Jonathan Carter to the crease and just like that Esuan transformed from inconsistent to unplayable. Carter rarely got bat on ball and his early troubles against Esuan set the tone for his entire innings, though, to his credit he did not throw it away. Barnwell struck after the Powerplay with a smart change of pace, foxing Kirk Edwards into an early waft.Carter played and missed often and was guilty of not rotating the strike enough. His momentum was subdued further by a short ball from Barnwell that thudded into his box and had him in strife. Alcindo Holder tried to inject urgency by coming down the track. He picked a couple of boundaries but the ploy did not work against Bishoo, and Holder holed out to deep midwicket in the 15th over. Dwayne Smith also failed under pressure, slogging Bishoo straight to Foo at long on.Barbados desperately needed to finish on a high and they succeeded by stealing 33 runs off the last three overs. Three sixes were struck in that passage of play, including a monster blow from Carlo Morris that nearly landed in the commentary box and a last-ball six over midwicket by Carter. That was after Carter had reached 50 off 60 balls, getting a couple after heaving to cow corner where Foo put him down. Unfortunately for Barbados, it was to be Foo’s only error on the night.

Division One leaders reach 444 for 9 declared as they look to turn screw on Lancashire

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2024Rory Burns led from the front with a magnificent career-best 227 as Surrey reached a second day 444 for nine declared to take total control of their Vitality County Championship match against Lancashire at the Kia Oval.Surrey captain Burns was well supported by Ben Foakes, who hit a fine 82, as the Division One leaders and defending champions built a potentially match-winning halfway lead of 240 after bowling Lancashire out for 204 on day one. In five balls’ batting before bad light ruled out the last scheduled 7.1 overs of the day, Lancashire reached four without loss in their second innings.Burns and Foakes put on 197 for the fourth wicket, with England’s erstwhile Test wicketkeeper eventually out to the second new ball – bowled through a weary-looking flip towards mid-on by George Balderson’s medium pace.Former England opener Burns’ 26th first-class hundred was his second of the season and his highest score, surpassing the unbeaten 219 against Hampshire at the Oval in 2017. He batted for seven and a half hours, facing 348 balls and hitting a six and 29 fours.Dom Sibley, Will Jacks and Sam Curran all missed out in warm sunshine, with batting markedly more comfortable than on the opening day, while India white-ball international Sai Sudharsan also made only 6 after coming in at 377 for 5 and at least seeing Burns through to his double-century before edging Tom Aspinwall to second slip.But Jordan Clark made 25 not out, helping Burns to add a useful 50 for the seventh wicket before Surrey’s captain skied Balderson and keeper Matty Hurst sprinted thirty yards to take a good tumbling catch. Both Tom Lawes and Conor McKerr then came and went for nought, bowled and leg-before respectively to left arm spinner Tom Hartley, sparking Surrey’s declaration.It was, overall, a chastening experience for a young Lancashire team containing seven homegrown players and with an average age of 25, as Surrey moved remorselessly into a position from which to force a seventh Championship win of the season and boost their chances of three titles in a row.Surrey resumed on 83 without loss and, to Lancashire’s credit, they were initially checked as Sibley fell early for 39, shouldering arms to depart leg-before to a probing Will Williams after adding just two runs to his overnight score.And they were 97 for 2 when Ryan Patel, after one resounding pull off Balderson, nibbled at one from the same bowler to edge behind on four.Jacks, in at No. 4 for his first Championship innings of the summer, was soon driving Balderson high and handsomely over long-off for six, but he was later fortunate to see another mishit lofted drive just make it over the head of a deep extra cover fielder on the short boundary for another maximum.On 31, however, Jacks drove Aspinwall’s first ball of the day straight into the hands of short extra cover to leave Surrey 149 for 3.But Burns and Foakes saw their side not just through to lunch but well beyond. Between lunch and tea they added 136 in 32 overs of steady accumulation and, towards the end of the session, a burst of legside hitting by the left-handed Burns to the short boundary on the old gasholders’ side.Burns greeted the reintroduction of Luke Wells’ leg spin by slog-sweeping him for a succession of fours and one six that brought up Surrey’s 300.And, after tea, they put on another 39 to blunt the second new ball before Foakes fell, after hitting 11 fours from 158 balls, Curran got off the mark by flashing Aspinwall through first slip’s hands but then soon departed for eight when he miscued a pull at Aspinwall to mid-on.

Sport’s failings laid bare in 317-page document, including 44 recommendations to improve equity

Andrew Miller26-Jun-2023The leadership of the ECB has issued an unreserved apology to “anyone who has ever been excluded from cricket or made to feel like they don’t belong”, and has promised to “use this moment to reset cricket”, in the wake of the hard-hitting findings of the long-awaited Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report, published on Tuesday.The 317-page report, titled “Holding Up A Mirror To Cricket”, features evidence from more than 4000 people, including players, coaches, administrators and fans, and drills deep into the sport’s historical structural inequalities – with special emphasis on its post-colonial heritage – to reveal a pattern of deep-rooted discrimination within the game, in particular on grounds of race, class and gender.The commission was established in March 2021, in response to the murder of George Floyd in police custody in the USA and the Black Lives Matter movement, which prompted numerous claims of institutional racism within English cricket, not least Azeem Rafiq’s revelations about his treatment at Yorkshire, which culminated in his emotional testimony before a Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select commitee in November that year.”For many involved in the sport (including the ECB) the revelations and recommendations of this report will make for uncomfortable reading,” Cindy Butts, the commission’s chair, writes in her foreword to the report. And while she commends the current ECB management for being “brave enough” to open up the sport to such forensic independent scrutiny, she also adds that previous initiatives – not least the ECB’s “Clean Bowl Racism” campaign, launched in 1999 – had done little to address the “sirens of concern”.A total of 44 recommendations have been outlined in the report, the first of which is the ECB’s public apology for its previous failures – as issued by Richard Thompson, the chair – which is described by the commissioners as an “essential first step … to help to rebuild trust and signal a clear future direction”.”On behalf of the ECB and wider leadership of the game, I apologise unreservedly to anyone who has ever been excluded from cricket or made to feel like they don’t belong,” Thompson said in a statement. “Cricket should be a game for everyone, and we know that this has not always been the case. Powerful conclusions within the report also highlight that for too long women and Black people were neglected. We are truly sorry for this.The ICEC commissioners (L-R): Michelle Moore, Sir Brendan Barber, Cindy Butts (chair), Dr Michael Collins and Zafar Ansari•ICEC

“This report makes clear that historic structures and systems have failed to prevent discrimination, and highlights the pain and exclusion this has caused. I am determined that this wake-up call for cricket in England and Wales should not be wasted. We will use this moment to demonstrate that it is a game for all and we have a duty to put this right for current and future generations.”In an open letter to Butts, Thompson went on to thank the commission’s five-person secretariat – which also includes the England cricketer-turned-barrister Zafar Ansari – for their “rigour” and for holding up an “unfiltered mirror to all cricket in England and Wales”.”I am determined that this wake-up call for cricket … must not be wasted,” Thompson added. “We will use this moment to reset cricket. This cannot and will not be a quick fix – we must take the time to put in place meaningful structural reforms. As your report rightly points out, cricket has been here before. This time our response will be different. Our response must be wide-ranging and long-term.”The next step of the ECB’s response will be a three-month period of consideration, with the ICEC’s 44 recommendations – many of which are multi-faceted and contain sub-recommendations – due to be discussed at both the professional and recreational levels of the game.This consultation process will be led by Clare Connor, the ECB’s deputy chief executive, with the support of a sub-group of the ECB board including Baroness Zahida Manzoor, Pete Ackerley, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Sir Ron Kalifa, Richard Thompson and Richard Gould.The ECB acknowledged in its statement that some reforms can be “implemented swiftly”, and that others are achievable under the current framework of cricket but will require “time and investment over the coming months and years”.Others, however – perhaps most significantly the call for women’s cricketers to achieve equal pay at domestic level by 2029 and at international level by 2030 – will require “fundamental, longer-term changes to cricket in England and Wales, and its funding model”.The report also recommends the establishment of a new independent regulatory body, in light of persistent criticism of the sport’s existing disciplinary processes – such as those raised at the select committee hearings, and at the subsequent Cricket Discipline Commission hearing into Yorkshire’s dressing-room culture, the sanctions for which are due to be revealed later on Tuesday.”The ECB’s dual roles of promoter and regulator have the potential to give rise to conflicts of interest,” the report states. “The phrase ‘marking your own homework’ was often used in evidence to us.”Separately, Marylebone Cricket Club – for centuries the most powerful body in world cricket and still considered, through the grandeur of Lord’s, to be the game’s spiritual home – comes in for significant criticism.The report recommends that the venue’s hosting of annual fixtures between Eton and Harrow, and Oxford and Cambridge, should be ended after 2023, and replaced with a national finals’ days for state school Under-15 competitions for boys and girls, and a similar event for men’s and women’s university teams. The commission also expressed “alarm” that the England’s women had never yet played a Test at Lord’s, adding: “The ‘home of cricket’ is still a home principally for men.”Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, reiterated that work was already underway to make English cricket more inclusive, including an increase in funding for the African-Caribbean Engagement Programme for young Black cricketers and increased provision of cricket in state schools, and was grateful for the report’s assessment that “green shoots of progress” are already visible. However, he also acknowledged that the governing body “needs to go further and faster in our efforts”.”Making cricket more inclusive and reflective of the communities it serves is my number one priority,” Gould said. “This cannot and will not be a quick fix. We are committed to taking the time to work with everyone in the sport, and especially with leaders of cricket’s clubs and institutions, to put in place reforms that are wide-ranging, long-term and meaningful. We should view this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore trust in the game we love.”

Run-a-ball 65 helps visitors overhaul target of 211 with six wickets to spare in Bristol

David Hopps17-Apr-2022Yorkshire have endured a rancorous winter, with racism allegations to the fore, but victory in their opening match of the season will sustain the belief that on the field they are in good order. They overhauled a target of 211 in 60 overs with six wickets and 11.5 overs to spare, and have looked a happy and confident unit throughout. Their MD of cricket, Darren Gough and coach Ottis Gibson can take considerable credit for creating that mood of positivity, but ultimately matches are won on the field and until Dawid Malan took charge with a run-a-ball 65, the outcome felt as if it might be tighter.In an awkward chase, the sight of Malan at the crease conveys the impression that the grown-ups are in charge, and he fashioned the task with the professional air of a man who had done it countless times in the past, finally seeing off Gloucestershire’s challenge after four days of hard-fought cricket which showed the Championship in a favourable light.When Yorkshire enticed Malan from Middlesex in time for the 2020 season, they imagined they had made a perfect signing, a high-class player who possessed international pedigree, but whose England career – for all his ambition – might well be over. Best-laid plans and all that. Days later, Malan hit the fastest T20 hundred in England’s history, won an IPL contract with Punjab Kings and then regained his Test place.Two years later, with Malan now 34, Yorkshire will hope once again that he can be the ever-present, dominant figure in their middle order, not that it would be wise to tell him as much. He got on with the job unfussily and, by the time he was fourth out, slog sweeping to deep midwicket, Yorkshire’s confidence that they could chase down another 65 in 23 overs was cemented in.That was the perfect scenario for Harry Brook’s unbeaten half-century, a succession of blissful drives and two successive pulls against the left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar to reach his 50. Harry Duke even had the luxury of practicing some cheekie-chappie paddle scoops. They had Malan to thank for that.Harry Brook played two excellent innings•Getty Images

“Winning in the way we did is fantastic, especially under new leadership and new direction,” Malan said. “The pitch became a little bit dead, but because the boundaries were quite short on one side and there was a wind, we were able to target their quicker bowlers, which we did quite well. The original plan was to just bat and see where we were with 20 overs to go, but I managed to find a bit of momentum and just went with it. It’s up to us senior professionals to bring the younger ones along. We’ve seen that with Harry Brook in this game. He is learning how to play certain situations and is fast becoming a senior player himself.”Gloucestershire hung in there determinedly until the final session – showing the same resolve as in their nail-biting draw against Northants last week. But gnawing away at their self-belief would be the knowledge that counties like to chase at Bristol, where the pitches can encourage bowlers on the opening day but which become overly placid, lacking pace and turn, in the later stages of the match. Lancashire’s Kyle Jarvis and Imran Tahir, for Derbyshire, are rare examples of bowlers who has pulled off a match-winning fourth-innings display on this ground in the past decade.Gloucestershire had little leeway if they were to avoid defeat, but their challenge wilted markedly after tea. They will find optimism, however, as far as their bowling attack is concerned, in the six wickets in the match for Ajeet Singh Dale, who looked lively throughout.Yorkshire’s chase was cagey until tea, 53 on the card for the loss of Adam Lyth and the debutant, James Wharton, and only two boundaries managed in 23 overs. Lyth fell at fine leg, hooking Matt Taylor from well outside off stump when a cut would have been a better option. Wharton, who might have fallen to Taylor from the first three balls he faced, was bowled through the gate by Singh Dale.A wearing fourth-day pitch, with turn for Gohar, would have made Yorkshire’s chase more challenging, and his immediate introduction into the attack when Malan came to the crease appeared to be an intended match-up, but there was no purchase to be had. Malan soon had the upper hand. George Hill, a patient soul, was also showing signs of opening up when he overbalanced and clipped a half-volley from Singh Dale to midwicket.Gohar exhaled in disbelief when Malan lobbed one over his head, but it was to be his last scoring shot. The next ball, he slog-swept Gohar to the longest boundary where Ryan Higgins, on the line and at full stretch, calmly knocked the ball up to complete the catch at the second attempt.Related

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Gloucestershire, six down for 253 overnight, and the second new ball only four overs old, resisted gamely until the sixth over after lunch, adding another 106 runs. Another half hour might have been enough. The dominant figure was again James Bracey, who resumed on 112 and who was last out for a career-best 177, a valiant but ultimately unavailing innings spanning more than seven-and-a-half hours, when he drove Steve Patterson to short extra. Patterson is 38 now, one of the slowest third seamers around, not much above 70mph, but he bowled with great nous and control for his 3 for 43.What does this mammoth effort say about Bracey’s suitability for England? There is no doubt that he is in form, as hundreds in the first two matches of the season testify. He is one of the most disciplined top-order batters around and such attributes among top-level players are in short supply.But slow county surfaces such as these can only reveal so much and do not provide ideal preparation for a Test career; in that, Bristol is no different to many squares up and down the country. Most disconcertingly perhaps is that Bracey was struck on the helmet for a second time by the one bowler in the match with true pace, Haris Rauf. Saturday’s blow was full-on when he failed to hook. On this occasion, he ducked, calmly enough but not quite low enough and the ball skimmed the top of his helmet.As he tired, Rauf caused him more trouble than most. Just before the physios came on with his third helmet of the match, he survived a vociferous appeal for a catch at the wicket – the ball brushing his trouser pocket – and almost chipped up a catch down the leg-side off his hip, the ball falling just short of a scrambling wicketkeeper. Two emphatic pulled sixes against Rauf in a calculated final assault will have been confidence-restoring.Rauf gives Yorkshire’s attack an extra dimension. He has scant first-class experience, but he maintained an impressive pace and, at the very least, could mop up a few tails in quick succession before his stint comes to an end.