England v West Indies, 2nd Twenty20, The Oval

West Indies stun England to level series

West Indies 113 for 5 (Samuels 35*, Patel 2-22) beat England 88 (Mathurin 3-9) by 25 runs Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Garey Mathurin, a previously unknown left-arm spinner from St Lucia, produced a remarkable spell of 3 for 9 in four overs as West Indies secured a shock 25-run victory in the second Twenty20 at The Oval. After being asked to bat first on a slow and low turner, they struggled to a total of 113 for 5 and looked set for a second heavy defeat in three days. But instead, they rallied supremely to bowl England out for 88 with more than three overs of their allocation to spare.

With England set to embark on a tour of India next week, and with the defence of their World Twenty20 crown taking place in Sri Lanka in 12 months' time, this was a match that will have caused a few jitters in the team thinktank. On the same pitch that proved receptive to spin in Friday's opening game, both teams stacked their side with slow bowlers, but it was England's new-look order that ultimately dealt with the conditions the worst.

England's innings began inauspiciously, as Mathurin's high action and appreciable turn gave Friday's matchwinner Alex Hales a strokeless start to his innings. He had managed just two runs from his first eight balls when Krishnar Santokie, another West Indian debutant, and this time one who hasn't played first-class cricket, bowled him with a beauty that nipped through his defences and into off stump.

Four balls later, Mathurin made his first big impression, as Craig Kieswetter - with two fours to his name - was so bamboozled by a slider that he stood his ground after being bowled, in the vain hope that the keeper had been the one to whip off the bails. Ravi Bopara was then spun out by a beauty in Mathurin's next over, and at 26 for 3 at the end of the Powerplay, the match was exquisitely in the balance.

Ben Stokes did his utmost to change the dynamic of the innings, as he greeted Devendra Bishoo with the most violent assault of the night - a six and two fours in the space of a first over that went for 17, but at the other end, Mathurin twirled away without anything being allowed to break his zone. Jonny Bairstow, the hero of the Cardiff ODI, might have been tempted to block out the final four balls of his spell, but instead he dropped to his knees for a sweep, and was bowled for 4.

Stokes continued to provide England with a boundary-finding option, but as had been the case in the West Indian innings, working the singles proved to be a problem, not least when the less-than-fleet-footed Samit Patel entered the fray. He was run out by a direct hit from gully as he belatedly set off for a leg bye and, one over later, Stokes responded to three dot balls in a row with a missed sweep that left him lbw for 31.

The arrival of Tim Bresnan at No. 8 was arguably the most encouraging sight for England at such a stage, but even his big-match experience couldn't rescue his side. He drove on the up to that man Mathurin at long-off to depart for 2 from 4, and instead it was the rookie alliance of Jos Buttler and Scott Borthwick who hauled England back from the depths of 60 for 7. With more pace on the ball now that the spinners' overs were running out, they added 23 in 17 balls before a brilliant shy from Darren Sammy at mid-on left Buttler stranded short of his crease, and England deep in the mire.

Another calamitous run-out followed one over later as England began to panic. Graeme Swann turned down a single to cover with Borthwick stranded at the wrong end of the pitch, and the captain hadn't scored from either of his two deliveries by the time England's No. 11, Jade Dernbach, was also sent on his way via a run-out. Earlier in the match, Swann had chosen not to bowl his full quota of overs to give his team-mates the practice. It was a quiet night for the noisiest man in the camp.

On a bad night for England full-stop, Borthwick's performance with the ball was undoubtedly the highlight. In a solitary over against Ireland last month, he conceded 13 runs in unfavourable conditions. Tonight he went for 15 in a full four-over quota, without conceding a single boundary. His maiden international wicket was a collector's item as well, a perfectly pitched googly that bamboozled Johnson Charles, West Indies' opener, and bowled him for 21.

After allowing West Indies to rattle to 42 for 0 in four overs against the seamers on Friday, Swann cannily chose to open with the spin of Patel. His first ball was swept for four by Charles, the last of his quota was nailed through the covers for another boundary, and in between whiles he was clubbed for six by Charles over long-on. But the remainder of his 21 deliveries conceded a grand total of six runs, as West Indies found no way to keep the strike rotating.

Even Marlon Samuels, the most renowned batsman on display, found it tough to raise his game in the circumstances. He struggled for timing initially and had made 11 from 20 balls before drilling his first boundary at the end of the 15th over, and though he lifted his game in the closing stages, a run-a-ball 35 appeared to have done little more than hoist the West Indies total into triple figures. That, however, proved to be decisive.

England's fielding, such a strong factor in their victory on Friday, was once again sharp, with Hales sliding round the deep midwicket boundary to cling onto a slog from Christopher Barnwell, before Borthwick at long-off swallowed a firm lofted drive off Sammy to give Bopara his fifth wicket of the series, and his first of the night. Dernbach was England's other wicket-taker, with an early lbw to remove Dwayne Smith, but at the end of a memorable summer, it was West Indies who were left to cavort around the outfield. Their season is only just beginning, but what a fillip this will be as they head off towards Dubai, Bangladesh and beyond.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s PP1 16-20 overs NB/Wides West Indies 58 7 2 25/2 39/1 0/2 England 57 8 1 26/3 3/1 0/1

 

South Australia v Warriors, CLT20 2011, Hyderabad

Smuts leads Warriors to big win

Warriors 171 for 5 (Smuts 88, Harris 2-23) beat South Australia 121 for 6 (Klinger 34, Tsotsobe 2-30) by 50 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

A dominant performance by the Warriors helped them win their second match in three days, this one a composed and clinical victory over South Australia. JJ Smuts' smashing 88 propelled them to an imposing total that proved too much for South Australia to chase. Smuts batted for all but seven balls of the innings and shared in two meaty partnerships, with Colin Ingram and Mark Boucher, that formed the foundations of their innings. The Warriors bowlers had plenty of runs to play with and, unlike their opponents, made good use of variation on a slow, dry pitch to frustrate the South Australia batsmen.

South Australia had early success when Ashwell Prince was bowled by the pacy Shaun Tait in the second over. But they were unable to build on that, as Smuts and Colin Ingram hit top gear in the Powerplay. Smuts dispatched Adil Rashid, who opened the bowling, and showed no fear in taking on Tait, regardless of whether he bowled full or short. Ingram swept impressively, particularly against Nathan Lyon, and the pair raced to 59 from six overs.

Lyon and Aaron O'Brien gave away only one boundary from the next two overs, but it was when Harris came on that the runs dried up. He bowled a good wicket-to-wicket line and frustrated Ingram, who tried to take him on at the start of the 11th over. The South African latched onto a short ball but didn't have enough on it to carry cow corner and was caught.

With Smuts tiring and Boucher battling to find his feet upfront, Christian and O'Brien pulled the run-rate down to under eight an over. Smuts continued to punish the short balls and Boucher finally got going with a lofted shot over O'Brien's head that went for four.

Tait's inconsistency allowed both Smuts and Boucher to ready themselves for an innings-ending burst. Smuts dealt with his full deliveries in smashing style and Tait bowled a no-ball, sprayed five wides down the leg-side and battled to get the yorker right consistently. It was into Tait's hands that Smuts eventually fell though. He looked well placed to get a century, but was dismissed trying to play an innovative scoop over short fine leg off Harris. Christian took two wickets in the final over to stop the Warriors from exploding at the end.

Against a dynamic attack, South Australia never really looked in the chase. Lonwabo Tsotsobe was able to get a hint of movement and angled the ball across the right-hander. Daniel Harris was uncomfortable with the angle and when he tried to bash one through the covers, got a nick and was caught behind. Tsotsobe's accuracy earned him a second wicket, that of Tom Cooper, who fed a simple catch back to him.

Rusty Theron was at his best, mixing up the yorkers and slower balls with ease. He was rewarded when Callum Ferguson failed to read the change of pace and hit a slower ball straight to Ingram on the edge of the circle. With South Australia falling far behind the required run-rate, the captain Michael Klinger decided to take the on the spinners. He smacked Nicky Boje over long on but was trapped lbw by a sharply turning Johan Botha delivery.

Cameron Borgas looked to do the same thing and cracked Smuts for a four and a six, before holing out to long-on, where Tsotsobe took the catch. Wayne Parnell was only introduced in the 11th over and continued in the same vein as his colleagues, making good use of the short ball. In his second spell, he started with a good length ball and bowled Tim Ludeman. Christian hung on until the end but was unable to pull off the spectacular as Parnell and Botha wound the match down and the Warriors completed a comfortable win.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides Warriors 33 16 1 59/1 52/3 1/10 South Australia 37 8 2 35/3 25/1 0/4

 

Kolkata Knight Riders v Somerset, CLT20, Hyderabad

van der Merwe leads Somerset to tight win

Somerset 164 for 5 (van der Merwe 73, Trego 28) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 161 for 3 (Kallis 74*, Yusuf 39*, Gregory 2-9) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Jacques Kallis showed technical prowess, Yusuf Pathan great power, but the pugnacious Roelof van der Merwe mastered the slow and low track the best to help Somerset chase a daunting 162. Kolkata Knight Riders' late surge with both bat and ball made them work hard for the win, Kolkata looted 78 off the last six overs, and quick wickets meant Somerset had to struggle for 43 off their last seven.

Even when Kallis and Yusuf went berserk, van der Merwe was the only man to hold his own. He went for just 14 from the 18th and 20 overs despite two dropped catches, one of which went for four. With the bat in hand he was an absolute jack in the box, reverse-sweeping sixes, managing to mishit over the infield, drop-kicking his favourite cricketer Kallis over midwicket, late-cutting the spinners delicately, and scoring the third-fastest Champions league fifty.

It would have been easy for Somerset to feel disheartened after part-timer Arul Suppiah conceded 30 off the 15th over, or feel hard done by Brett Lee's getting away with clear overhead bouncers and Alfonso Thomas' being penalised for a border-line slower bouncer with Kallis down on his knees. Especially when Thomas followed that harsh call with a high full toss that Kallis duly deposited for a six.

Somerset, though, got stuck in. And like with the ball van, der Merwe was the man with the bat. He came in to bat when Iqbal Abdulla struck with the first ball off the second over, but dominated so much that Peter Trego managed only 23 out of a 105-run second-wicket stand. He began with an edge through the vacant first slip region, but proceeded to counter Abdulla and Shakib Al Hasan with lovely late-cutting. It frustrated Kolkata so much that Manoj Tiwary - wired up for live-time interviews - berated his spinners on air for not turning the ball at all. The reverse-swept six off Shakib worked a treat.

Kallis, who had worked hard in the first innings for his 74, was picked up for a six over midwicket and then upper-cut over the keeper's head. That it was his devotee hitting him out of the attack made it more interesting to watch. At that time Somerset had reached 107 in 10 overs, and all they needed was milking. Kolkata, though, weren't quite bovine, and Shakib brought them back. He dropped a caught-and-bowled from Trego but produced a direct-hit to run him out. The one from van der Merwe in the same over he gleefully accepted.

With two new batsmen in, the pitch was back to being a mud-wrestling arena. The ball held up from the middle of the pitch, and stroke-making was difficult again. Nick Compton, Arul Suppiah and Steve Snell kept their cool for long enough to see them through with two balls to spare.

It was similar sensible batting from Kallis that had kept Kolkata alive in the first quarter of the game. With Somerset bowlers using the slow track well and the fielders giving hardly anything away, Kallis had to use all his technique and judgement. It took him 39 deliveries to reach a strike-rate of 100. That was in the 14th over, when he hit his first six to take Kolkata to 82, off the 82nd legal delivery. In the next over, Thomas, the exemplary Somerset captain, gambled. He asked part-time spinner Suppiah to bowl. He was the seventh bowler used, and the run-rate of six an over then didn't suggest Somerset needed overs to be made up. Perhaps Thomas was greedy with the slow track now.

Yusuf seized the moment. He stood still, waited for the full flat deliveries and kept swinging to leg, hitting four consecutive sixes. Eighty-three had become 113 in one over, and clearly the fielding side, who had played smart cricket until then, was rattled. Catches were dropped, overthrows conceded, Kallis joined in in the fun too, but van der Merwe was still in their face. He would continue to be there with the bat too.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides Kolkata Knight Riders 33 7 9 36/2 48/0 1/6 Somerset 32 17 2 63/1 34/1 (16.1-19.4) 0/5

 

New generation, same result

 
England cricket shirts are a powerful thing at the moment.
So long as you're wearing one, you're likely to be doing rather well. It doesn't seem to matter who your opposition is, or who your team-mates are.
Despite sweeping changes ahead of the matches against the West Indies, the dominant result was all very familiar.
Some in the press have suggested it would be better renaming these two T20s the 'Contractual Obligation Series', given the circumstances.
The ECB had to stage these games because of a deal struck on the basis of the Stanford triangular tournament, which disappeared along with its patron.
With more shoehorning required than the time Chris Tremlett thought it might be fun to try on Ian Bell's spikes, it would be easy to write off the games as more evidence of cricket's crazy scheduling.
What England seem to have learned, however, is that there is something to be gained from every match - hence a fresh-looking side to face an equally unfamiliar West Indies.
Nkrumah Bonner? Christopher Barnwell? Danza (and Cowers promises he isn't making this up) Pacino Hyatt? Then again, how many people will have been watching the development of Alex Hales from the beaches of Barbados? Mind you, you had to credit the crowd - 19,000 fans defied cricket fatigue from a long and one-sided summer to lend some vociferous support to England.
The reality for both sides is that the T20 World Cup is less than a year away, and both sides have a handful of games left to fine-tune their campaigns - something that stand-in skipper Graeme Swann touched on in the build-up.
"I think most people in the changing room thought the same thing when these games were plonked in front of us midway through the season," said Swann," but when you actually look at it and the scheduling before the World Twenty20 they are important."
Swann has come a long way since he played in the ill-fated Twenty20 for $20m game in 2008, a desperate and hopefully never-to-be-repeated contest before which the off-spinner talked about splurging his winnings on a pink Ferrari.
Give him a choice between a luminous sports car and a captain's armband, though, and Swann would surely choose the latter.
Granted, he couldn't remember that Jonny Bairstow was in the team at the toss, but it didn't matter. He remembered Ravi Bopara was a bowling option, and was rewarded handsomely.
And meanwhile the West Indies forgot any basics they had been working on in the build-up to this series.
The ball slipped through the fielders' hands all too often, while several bowlers sent down front-foot no-balls as if they thought the free hit might be a good thing. As spinners, Bonner (twice) and Devendra Bishoo were especially culpable.
"We'll do some fielding practice," West Indies skipper Darren Sammy reportedly said afterwards, before laughing with one of the team's media men.
You can be sure England will be doing their drills, though. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler were denied an opportunity to make an impression with the bat, but both were responsible for top-class run-outs.
Taking a relaxed approach to fielding is as sure a sign as any that a team is going nowhere fast. India proved that repeatedly over four Tests and six limited-over clashes.
At least we finally discovered some value for India's visit to England's shores - their sloppy summer of cricket was the ideal preparation for taking on a ragtag Caribbean outfit.
"Men against boys," concluded Nasser Hussain at the end of the contest. But that wasn't strictly true - it was boys against boys, with Swann the only Englishman older than 26.
The future's bright, especially if England can keep up the hard work when their opponents slip up on theirs.
USER COMMENT OF THE DAY: "I heard the fat lady has left her dressing room and is standing in the wings" - Merv in Germany called it early, and called it right.
TWEET OF THE DAY:  "England 10wicket Win...Kiss Teeth!!!!!! Sighhhhh!! Not lying I Vex Baddddddd!!!!!!!" Not exactly sure of the specifics, but somewhere in amongst those words Chris Gayle is a bit vexed to be in India, watching his team get pounded (after his own Bangalore Royal Challengers suffered a heartbreaker of their own in the Champions League T20).
STAT OF THE DAY: 3.4-0-10-4 - Ravi Bopara posts the best figures by an Englishman in T20 internationals.
SNAP OF THE DAY: Is Bopara so surprised by his figures that he's re-reading them on The Oval scoreboard? Or is Swann trying to protect him from seeing a highlights reel of the 2009 Ashes before the Essex man loses his mojo?

'I never imagined I'd get so much out of cricket'

Cricketing journeyman Ryan ten Doeschate talks about his experiences in different countries, playing for various teams

South African-born Ryan ten Doeschate is one of cricket's original freelancers, having played in the domestic competitions of six Test-playing countries, in addition to his international career with Netherlands. He is currently playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Champions League Twenty20 in India. ESPNcricinfo spoke to him in Hyderabad.

You said that you are away so much from the Netherlands squad that when you go back, you find it a little awkward to gel with them. How do you make that mental adjustment, having played with so many teams?
At times it is really easy to go in to a team and gel straight away. At times it is not so easy. Most importantly, you have got to look after your own game first. It certainly helps the team culture if you go in and do well. You have to understand that players are working in a full programme for the whole year and they are moving the team forward in their own way. And then someone comes into the team, so it can be very tough mentally. I look to focus on my own game and then try to adapt to the team culture.

You have played in countries as diverse as Australia, Zimbabwe and Netherlands. What is the approach when you join, say, the Mashonaland Eagles side?
The best thing is not to think too much. You are aware that you are going to be up against different conditions. For instance, in India you see pitches that are slow and turn a lot, but if you look at the pitch in Hyderabad, you might not see a wicket that quick even in Australia. I think, from a practical point of view, to not make a big deal about these things is important.

The biggest contrast for me was when I went back to England from the IPL to play a four-day game in Gloucester. That's not even club cricket, that's first-class cricket. The difference in the atmosphere, with only 30-40 people watching, can be alarming. You have got to find a way to bring your own energy into each game, otherwise it can all drift past very quickly.

What strikes you the most about a country like India?
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of India is the passion for the game. When you go to the stadiums, people will shout when, say, a Yusuf [Pathan] or a Brett [Lee] appear on the big screen. It's just superstardom. It's an honour to play cricket in India.

It's a massive shock initially when you come to India, but in a positive sort of way, to see the sport that you are involved in get so much attention. Obviously the passion in England is much more reserved. While there are various good aspects about different countries like England and Australia, India stands out by miles as the best place to play cricket.

Travel is one of the biggest things. Has there been a day when it has all felt like a little too much?
I'm pretty lucky I don't suffer from jet lag. I enjoy the travel and feel a bit like a tourist. Lot of the guys don't enjoy getting out, but I like seeing new places.

From a cricketing point of view, I have never felt fatigued physically [with all the travel and games]. Mentally, you don't consciously feel fatigued, but what catches up with you is that you don't have a base and a home. That is the draining part. I have realised in the past 18 months that taking a break is also part of your cricket preparation. I'm looking forward to having a break after this tournament where I am just going to do a bit of travelling and go home to South Africa.

Which is the country you most love to go out in when you are touring?
I am not saying this because I am here now but I am fascinated by the history of India and its different cultures. Obviously I would not get to see such things in the western countries or in Australia. Things like the old forts, the monuments and the street life. When you walk out of your hotel, the atmosphere and the vibes here are quite different compared to walking in a city like Sydney.

How does the stomach hold up, though?
No problems there. I had a few issues in Delhi during the World Cup, when I struggled a bit, but I have been really lucky on that count. We were out for a walk at night and I bought what looked like a dessert from a street vendor. It had been fried and appeared safe. It was like eight pieces for only Rs 20 and that should have set alarm bells going. I had it, and fortunately it did not have any [ill] effect.

	"The biggest contrast for me was when I went back to England from the IPL to play a four-day game in Gloucester. The difference in the atmosphere, with only 30-40 people watching, can be alarming. You have got to find a way to bring your own energy into each game, otherwise it can all drift past very quickly"

What advice would you give a player landing in India from England for the first time?
Soak up the entire cricket atmosphere. Don't do anything that upsets the people on the other side of the fence, as you want to keep them on your side.

What about tackling different people and languages? Every team is so different.
Very, very different. There is a huge contrast between how people bring you into teams as well. For instance, I have never seen a welcoming team culture like Tasmania. They just made me settle in straight away. Every single person I was in contact with was so genuine and so friendly. They are the nicest bunch of people I have ever come across in my life.

At Kolkata Knight Riders, everyone is very respectful. It's a characteristic of the culture here; people are very respectful. The big names that I [had] never played with before, it's been quite amazing to see how humble and accommodating they are.

Jacques [Kallis] is someone I have always looked up to. This is the first time I have rubbed shoulders with him and talked to him, and he's been so normal. It doesn't sound like a compliment, but it is. You always see the Australian team putting up this big front but [Brad] Haddin and Lee are two of the nicest guys I have come across.

Having played so much cricket all over the world, what direction do you think the game is headed in?
The game is going through a phase now where Twenty20 is a craze. The only real opportunity for guys outside the big international teams is to try and play in T20 competitions. I think it's fantastic, with the kind of opportunities it presents. It definitely raises the standards by getting some of the big players from other countries to play in domestic competitions.

Do you think the sense of home advantage is slowly disappearing?
Home advantage is getting lesser, gradually. Players are playing in all conditions all the time. Given the homework and preparation that go into tours now, I don't think the conditions factor is as big as it was 15-16 years ago.

What has given you the most satisfaction - the World Cup hundreds, the Essex performances or the Twenty20 performances?
That is a difficult question to answer. [I think] any close game where I can help my team get over the line. But I have had most of my success at Essex. Most of my fond memories are from helping Essex do really well.

Have you always been so fleet-footed against spin? Watching you hit those sixes, against Somerset, it seemed as if it came naturally to you.
I sometimes get a bit tied up against spin. But I have made it a point to watch the ball closely, and it has helped. I do like to get after the spinners and I think that is the best way to play them.

How much has playing for Netherlands meant to you?
The opportunity to play international cricket for Netherlands has been fantastic. We have had some special times, especially beating England in the World Twenty20 in 2009 and running them close in the World Cup 2011. It's been a privilege to play for Netherlands.

And the experience of playing in Zimbabwe?
Given the problems that Zimbabwe have had to overcome, it was heartening to see the progress they have made. The domestic Twenty20 competition was so well run that I was surprised and impressed. They have lots of potential.

Paul Strang said that coming from Africa, the culture in New Zealand is totally different. What do you make of that?
What struck me about New Zealand was a comparative lack of resources. It is quite a tough place to play domestic professional cricket. But as a small nation, they always do really well in tournaments like the World Cup.

After all this, what will you remain at heart - a South African or a Dutchman?
I will always remain a South African at heart. I was brought up there and I still spend half my time there. I grew up following South African sport.

I am so grateful for all the experiences I have had. I could have never imagined getting so much out of cricket. I started very late and got a break for Essex and a chance to play for Netherlands. Playing for a side like Kolkata has been the pinnacle. I just hope to bring a bit of enjoyment to people who watch me play.

When you finally call it a day, where will you settle down?
Because you get to go around so much, you only see the best about places in four to six weeks. I guess my home is still Cape Town. If I were to push for a second home, I'll go for Hobart.

The Champions League is split wide open

It's hard to pick a favourite for the tournament, because for the first time in a long time bowlers have been given a fair chance to attack in the Twenty20 format

If the qualifying section is anything to go by, this might be the best Champions League Twenty20 tournament yet. There has been some good cricket and a few surprises, which all served to confirm a couple of adages about the game. Most importantly, whereas in the past a couple of sides have looked out of their depth in the tournament, this time it would appear that any of the 10 teams could win the trophy.

First, the adages. Pitches that give the bowlers a chance produce the best cricket. The ones in Hyderabad and Bangalore had bounce and a little bit of life, which meant the bowlers were always encouraged and the batsmen had to be constantly alert. Pitches with some life also encourage the braver captains to seek wickets rather than concentrate purely on containment. This is when the game is seen in its best light.

The boundaries at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi Stadium were fair; the sixes were legitimate and the mishits stayed inside the boundary rope. When the game becomes a boundary-hitting bonanza, it loses a lot of artistry, and fielding and running between wickets, two of the more exciting aspects, reduce in importance.

Then there were the surprises. Somerset were a revelation. They played aggressive cricket, their batsmen successfully attacked the spinners without constantly resorting to the sweep shot, and they have a good young legspinner in Max Waller.

You know the cricket world is in a state of flux when England is producing legspinners and Australia, the land of Shane Warne, Bill O'Reilly and Richie Benaud, can't unearth one.

Fortunes also fluctuated during a couple of games. In these matches the result seemed to be heading in one direction only to dramatically switch tack, like a good mystery novel, with a couple more surprises to follow and then a thrilling climax. This isn't the normal pattern associated with the shortest form of the game, where it's generally expected that one or two bad overs virtually put a team out of the contest.

	You know the cricket world is in a state of flux when England is producing legspinners and Australia, the land of Shane Warne, Bill O'Reilly and Richie Benaud, can't unearth one

Once again this was a reflection on the pitches provided. It reconfirmed that when the fielding captain and the bowlers feel like they have a chance, all hope is not lost.

Also, the trend of using spinners in the Powerplay overs, to both stifle scoring and take wickets, has almost become the norm. This has come about in part because of the reluctance of batsmen to use their feet to spinners. It's now up to the batsmen to answer this challenge.

If the game is to keep moving ahead, these types of challenges have to be met immediately rather than generationally. The teams able to adapt quickly to trends, and even set a few of their own, will leave the sides that are slow to react in their dust.

The teams that work hard on getting their structure right and on putting in place good systems for developing players will have a distinct advantage over any of their competitors who are tardy in this aspect of administration.

One of the areas of opportunity is in junior development. The best coaches should be in charge of the juniors - from around ages 10 to 16, where they can have the biggest effect on a young player. The teams that develop young players to be complete cricketers will take a huge step towards achieving prolonged success. These teams will not only lead their opponents in skill but will also have greater depth of talent. With the amount of cricket being played now, the injuries mount up, and the strength of the reserve players is critical. The teams with skilful reserves will have a huge advantage over those whose ranks are tissue-paper thin.

A packed itinerary and injured players are now a part of the game, and unfortunately there are some star players missing from the Champions League tournament. However, this only provides opportunities for the young and ambitious, and judging by the qualifiers, there are quite a few hungry players around.

England v West Indies, 2nd Twenty20, The Oval

England aim for perfect finish

Match Facts

September 25, The Oval
Start time: 6.30pm (1730GMT)

Big Picture

It was easy for England on Friday evening as they cantered to their first 10-wicket victory in a Twenty20 international and their momentum showed no signs of abating as the season comes to an end. The match was a contest for 10 overs, but from 97 for 2 West Indies subsided in dismal fashion against a combination of Ravi Bopara, Jade Dernbach and England's outstanding fielding.

Graeme Swann had to do some thinking as Dwayne Smith cut loose in the Powerplay but he remained calm and produced a number of clever bowling changes, including using Samit Patel early then entrusting Bopara with the death overs. No wonder he was in a chipper mood after the match. Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad won't hear the end of Swann's time as captain.

For a while West Indies suggested they would present a challenge, but the batsmen struggled against spin as inexperience shone through. However, everyone knew this was a raw side coming over, and deficiencies in batting and bowling can almost be accepted. The shocking standard of fielding, though, was really embarrassing. No matter how inexperienced a team is, they should be able to compete with commitment through diving, catching and throwing.

It was West Indies' first game after their off-season, so some rustiness was to be expected, but the squad had spent time at a camp in Barbados before this trip. Ottis Gibson, the coach, must be exasperated by what he was watching. It's hard to see much changing with one day between games, but West Indies will cling to the hope that one performance can win a Twenty20 match. In truth, though, it will take more much to stop England.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
England WWLLW
West Indies LLWLL

Spotlight

Craig Kieswetter and Alex Hales both played superbly to knock off the target in the first match, but the 10-wicket margin meant there wasn't a chance to see England's exciting middle-order in action. Jos Buttler, the Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman, has played two Twenty20 internationals and still hasn't got to the middle. Although a keeper by trade he has shown some brilliance in the outfield and produced a direct hit to run out Devendra Bishoo on Friday. Straight after this series is finished he is heading off to join Somerset at the Champions League Twenty20.

Marlon Samuels is an experienced player amid a host of new faces for West Indies but he struggled for 4 off 7 balls before being cleaned up by Swann. He'd come in after a flying start provided by Dwayne Smith and it was disappointing that he couldn't consolidate. It's difficult to come in and fire straight away against quality bowlers, but Samuels could have given himself a little more time. West Indies need him to perform.

Team news

There was plenty of assistance for England's spinners in the opening game so there will be a temptation to play either Scott Borthwick, the Durham legspinner, or Hampshire left-arm spinner Danny Briggs, although it's hard to see how they would fit in. One option would be to leave out Steven Finn, but that would mean using Dernbach earlier in the innings.

England (possible): 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann (capt), 10 Steven Finn, 11 Jade Dernbach

It's hard to know what West Indies can do, but they can't lose anything by making a few changes. Nkruma Bonner looked out of his depth with bat and ball so Miles Bascombe may get a game, while the left-arm spin of Garey Mathurin could be used on a worn surface.

West Indies (possible): 1 Dwayne Smith, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Danza Hyatt, 5 Miles Bascombe, 6 Derwin Christian (wk), 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Andre Russell, 9 Garey Mathurin, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Fidel Edwards

Pitch and conditions

The same pitch will be used on Sunday so expect more assistance for the spinners. Bopara also showed the value of taking the pace off the ball and bowling straight. The weather is also set fair with the UK enjoying some belated summer weather as the season draws to a close.

Stats and trivia

• Ravi Bopara's 4 for 10 were the best figures by an England player bowling in Twenty20 internationals, beating the previous record of 4 for 22 held by Jade Dernbach and Paul Collingwood.
• England haven't lost a match since July 3 when they were beaten by Sri Lanka in the third one-day international at Lord's.

Quotes

"I'll take that, it was a dream start as captain. I asked the boys to give everything and they did that, I was delighted with the way everybody performed."
Graeme Swann enjoyed his captaincy debut

"When you get a good start you have to capitalise. The batsmen coming in have to be more responsible.
Darren Sammy wants more from his middle order

 

Cobras v NSW, CLT20, Chennai

Cobras cruise to big victory

Cape Cobras 136 for 3 (Gibbs 55, Henriques 1-20) beat New South Wales 135 for 8 (Watson 34, Philander 2-21) by seven wickets
Live Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Cape Cobras completed a clinical win over New South Wales in a contest that failed to capture the same imagination in the same way the tournament opener did on Friday. Cobras fielded poorly and were unimpressive in the field in the first 10 overs but adjusted quickly to restrict New South Wales to under 140 on a slow pitch. The surface was not as sluggish for the chase, which Cape Cobras dominated.

Neither side had played competitively for a few months, with both coming out of winter in their respective countries, but it was the South Africans who showed their rustiness. Justin Ontong should have ran David Warner out in the second over but missed the stumps and gave away four overthrows. Both openers, Warner and Shane Watson, were dropped at mid-on within four balls of each other and Warner was dropped a second time, by Robin Peterson at mid-wicket. He responded with the first six of the match, a smashing shot over long-on but his luck ran out the next ball, when Charl Langeveldt showed his variation with a slower, short ball and Warner pulled to deep mid-wicket. Ontong held on to the chance to give the Cobras their first wicket.

Watson continued capitalising on his lifeline with some masterful strokes. His six off Vernon Philander over mid-off and powerful four down the ground where the highlights of his innings. Peterson's love affair with the Chennai pitch continued - he took three wickets here for South Africa against England at the World Cup in February - and he bowled Watson with a well-flighted ball that had the Australian playing the sweep shot too early. The brakes had bee applied and Cape Cobras pushed them down firmly in the second half of the innings.

Justin Kemp removed his opposite number, Simon Katich, with a gentle delivery that Katich tried to hit over the cover boundary but JP Duminy took a fine catch to send him on his way. Kemp's slower deliveries at one end and Philander's wicket to wicket line at the other ensured that only 20 runs were scored in the next four over and 53 in the last ten.

Although Cape Cobras did not bowl extraordinarily well, they were able to prevent New South Wales from scoring on a surface that slowed down. Kemp and Langeveldt's arsenal consisted of good variations, particularly of the slower ball and even Steyn was forced to bowl with far less gas than usual.

Cape Cobras bossed the chase from ball one when Nathan Hauritz presented Richard Levi with a long hop that he pulled behind square. Gibbs was, unusually, the more watchful partner and was particularly hesitant to take on 18-year-old paceman Pat Cummins at first.

While Gibbs was debating what to do with Cummins, Levi manhandled Mitchell Starc, dispatching the short ball, the full one and the slower one. Cummins bowled several short balls in his first two overs and once Gibbs had decided to use his pace, he was tossed around the field. Gibbs' first six was precarious but he was soon middling the ball and hit the biggest six of the tournament so far, 90 metres, off Nathan Hauritz.

None of the New South Wales bowlers were able to make run-scoring difficult for Cape Cobras on a pitch that the Australian side made look far trickier to execute strokes on. Levi's dismissal slowed things down a touch, Gibbs recorded his half-century and was out soon after, Owais Shah came and went cheaply, but JP Duminy and Justin Ontong finished it off with almost three overs to spare.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides New South Wales 39 9 3 54-1 26-3 1/6 Cape Cobras 38 13 3 58-0 10-0 2/7

 

Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians, CLT20 2011, Chennai

Malinga's cameo outdoes Hussey's hard work

Mumbai Indians 159 for 7 (Malinga 37*, Ashwin 2-23, Raina 2-6) beat Chennai Super Kings 158 for 4 (Hussey 81, Dhoni 22*) by three wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

It is not raining, it is absolutely pouring for MS Dhoni. On a night that everything was going to script for Dhoni's side - the toss was won on a slow track, Michael Hussey had scored 81 to set up a more-than-competitive total, the slower bowlers had choked the Mumbai Indians innings off, Dhoni had himself pulled off two good stumpings and a dodgy catch - he missed a fairly simple chance to stump Lasith Malinga. Malinga had come in to bat with 53 required in 4.4 overs with three wickets in hand, but with nothing to lose he swung hard. When he connected clean he hit sixes, when he edged he got fours, when he missed he got byes. With 37 off 18, he completed an improbable win with one ball to go.

It was a classical Twenty20 case of four overs outweighing the hard work done over 36 overs. It all began with the profusely sweating Hussey. He had lost four kilos over September 16 and 17 in Colombo when scoring the century that earned him the third of three Man-of-the-Match awards in the three-Test series. A week later, in similar humid conditions but a completely different format, he seemed like he had never stopped playing Indian leagues on slow and low pitches.

Seamlessly he went from playing dabs and nudges for ones and twos to pulling out the big hits, helping Chennai double their 12-over score of 79. He even got the better of Malinga, scoring 13 off the bowler's third over, but Malinga came back well to concede just eight of his last. Little did Malinga know then that he would be doing similar things with the bat at a similar stage of the next innings.

Mumbai's openers knew a majority of their scoring would have to be done against the hard ball, and came out swinging accordingly. However, the approach was not going to work against the spinners. Hussey played 22 dots in his innings of 81; Aiden Blizzard, though he hit attractive shots, failed to score off ten balls in his 28. R Ashwin came on to accentuate the dots. Almost inevitably he got Jacobs stumped down the leg side. Dhoni's no-reverse-follow-through stumping worked a treat here.

Dhoni introduced Raina before the specialist spinner, Shadab Jakati, and was rewarded with another stumping to send T Suman back. That followed a low catch to dismiss Ambati Rayudu, a piece of action that didn't meet the scrutiny it deserved. Once again it was all down to Pollard, who flattered, promised, and as has so often happened, deceived by top-edging a slower one from Albie Morkel. Then came Malinga.

He began with a pulled four off Morkel, but his innings reached a crescendo when he hit successive deliveries from Jakati for near-parallel straight sixes into both dugouts. Chennai were not panicking quite yet. Later in the over Malinga ran past a flat one from Jakati. This time Dhoni had enough time to collect it cleanly, but his instinctive no-reverse-follow-through method caused the ball to spill. He rarely misses those. He did today with 31 still required off three overs.

In the next over Malinga edged a Bollinger yorker fine for four. The curse of the batsmen with nothing to lose was working. Bollinger came back with four slower deliveries that went for just one run. Morkel tried slower balls too, but bowled two of them wide. The one quick one he bowled Malinga sent for another flat six over long-off. Still at 13 required off seven, Chennai were the favourites.

Morkel finished his night deceiving Malinga with a slower ball. The ball bounced halfway through to Dhoni, took a vicious bad bounce towards his face, and went for two byes. The second delivery of the last over Malinga absolutely slapped with no idea where he was hitting. It went flying over point for four, and Mumbai were now the favourites with six required off four. Captain Harbhajan Singh provided the finishing touches with a clipped four off a slower one and a single off the fifth ball of the over.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides Chennai Super Kings 46 13 3 36-1 46-1 0/7 Mumbai Indians 52 17 5 49-1 46-0 0/5

 

Watson, Warner key to NSW's chances in CLT20...

New Delhi: New South Wales (NSW) have a number of players who could come to the fore and enhance the team's chances of going all the way in the 2011 Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

The opening pair of Shane Watson and David Warner who have starred for their respective teams, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years will be once again looking to turn on the heat for the 2009 CLT20 champions.

The opening pair of Shane Watson and David Warner will be looking to provide the team with solid starts.

Watson whose multi-dimensional role has been on display time after time for Australia will be looking to fire on all cylinders for NSW with both bat and ball.

Simon Katich who lost his central contract in the Australian national team recently would be determined to prove that he is still very much a force to reckon with; however Aussie Test opener Phil Hughes who is in the midst of his duties in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka will have to jump a gear or two to make the adjustment in the slam bang format of the game.

NSW will be well served in the spin bowling department by offie Nathan Hauritz and leg break bowler Steven Smith while veteran pacer Stuart Clark will be looking to bring on years of experience into play and help his side win their second CLT20 title.

Tait cherishes playing alongside Dravid

Kolkata: Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait who shared the Rajasthan Royals dressing room with Rahul Dravid in the last edition of IPL stated that the retired India ODI batsman was one of the toughest to bowl at.

The 28-year-old further said his Test career was all but over as he was concentrating more on the Twenty20 format.

The 28-year-old played alongside Dravid for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

Tait, who is here spearheading the South Australia Redbacks attack in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20, said he learnt a lot from the Indian batting star who bid adieu to ODI cricket in England on Friday.

"It was really good to have him in the Rajasthan Royals squad. We have learnt a lot from him. He may be known as a Test specialist, but he showed that he can play the Twenty20 format as well," Tait said, lauding Dravid's mental toughness.

Tait, who played his last Test for Australia against India in Perth more than three years ago, said he was no longer looking towards coming out of retirement from longer version.

"I am no longer looking at Test return. Test cricket is too long that takes a toll on the body. I will stick to Twenty20," Tait who became world's second fastest after clocking 161.1 kph at the Lord's against England said.

On the upcoming India-Australia series next year, Tait said it would be highly competitive.

CLT20 matches shifted from Eden Gardens

Kolkata: The four Champions League Twenty20 ties, which were scheduled to be held at the Eden Gardens here, was on Tuesday shifted to Hyderabad and Bangalore after the stadium was rendered unsuitable for the matches due to flooding following monsoon rains.

After a discussion between Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and CLT20 organisers, the governing council of the tournament has moved the matches from Eden Gardens to Hyderabad and Bengalore, pending approval from local authorities.

The matches were shifted to Hyderabad and Bangalore after the stadium was rendered unsuitable for the matches.
"With regret and in the best interests of the tournament, CAB and CLT20 have reluctantly agreed to moving its four scheduled Group B matches away from Eden Gardens due to the heavy rains that have deluged Kolkata," CAB President Jagmohan Dalmiya said.

"We're disappointed that we're not able to host the matches, but this decision was unavoidable and taken out of our hands due to the current weather conditions. We wish CLT20 luck for the tournament and hope CAB will have the chance to host the event in the coming years," he said in a statement.

As a result of Tuesday's decision, the Group B matches on September 25 and 28 will now take place at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, while the match on September 29 involving Royal Challengers Bangalore and a team from the qualifiers will be played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengalore.

NZ pacer Southee pulls out of CLT20

Christchurch: New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee on Tuesday pulled out of the Champions League Twenty20 cricket tournament after suffering a knee injury.

Southee, who recently won the ICC Twenty20 International Performance of the Year award, was scheduled to fly to India this week to join the Chennai Super Kings ahead of their first match on September 24.

A knee injury has led to Tim Southee withdrawing from the third edition of the competition.
But now, he will stay home for treatment in an attempt to be fit for New Zealand's upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.

"Tim has suffered some cartilage damage to his left knee while preparing for the Champions League," New Zealand director of cricket John Buchanan said.

"He requires further assessment to determine the seriousness of the injury but initial signs indicate that he is unlikely to require surgery.

"A call on his availability for the Black Caps' tour of Zimbabwe will be made closer to the time."

Southee won the T20 performer of the year award for his five wickets in eight balls, including a hat-trick, when New Zealand beat Pakistan by five wickets last December.

We believe in our ability: Daren Ganga

Hyderabad: Pleased over the second consecutive victory in the qualifying round of the Champions League Twenty20, Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga said he is confident of a good show in the main tournament.

"As a captain, you are always pleased with a victory like this. It was a convincing victory from the very first ball. We laid good foundation for this victory. It is really heartening to see batting come together," Ganga told reporters after his side defeated Leicestershire by 51 runs to qualify for the main stage.

Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga said he is confident of a good show in the main tournament..
"It was not assailable total in these conditions again we set the game up in the first six to eight overs. It was really good to dominate a team like this."

"We just want to focus playing one game at a time. We came to play eight matches. We played here two, got four matches in the preliminary round. I don't want to sound overconfident but we believe in our ability. We believe in our style of Twenty20 cricket and we will continue playing to our strength," said Ganga.

The captain of the Caribbean team said they were looking forward to play against Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. "We will rise to the occasion. We think that we are prepared as a team. To beat these guys will be a big feather in our cap. I am sure we are very motivated for these encounters."

"It is a weird sort of situation because both were players in our team," he said about Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, who are playing for MI and CSK respectively.

Leicestershire captain Matthew Hoggard blamed poor batting for his side's defeat. "We knew 168 was going to be a challenging total. We needed a good start but we lost four wickets in the first four overs."

"We played some shots in the first four overs as if we are going to knock off the runs in 15 overs rather than full 20," he said and hoped that the team would come out with better plans for the second match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.

Somerset win to put Auckland out of CLT20

Hyderabad: Somerset held their nerve in a nail-biting qualifying match against the Auckland Aces, to win by four wickets in their Champions League T20 match in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Chasing 126 to win, Somerset opener Chris Jones blasted three quick fours before a stunning catch at point by Jimmy Adams off Kyle Mills ended his innings.

Auckland bow out of the qualifiers after losing off the last ball by four wickets.
RE van der Merwe and Peter Trego then took Somerset across the fifty mark but Ronnie Hira struck in the ninth over, removing the former to reduce them to 52 for two.

Michael Bates then struck twice in two balls, dismissing Trego and Nick Compton, as all of sudden Somerset slipped to 54 for four in 9.2 overs.

Somerset found themselves in a spot of bother on 64 for five, but a 61-run partnership for the sixth wicket between James Hildreth (34) and Steven Snell (34 not out off 24 balls), took Somerset within spitting distance of a victory.

Hildreth was run-out in the second last delivery of their innings when he tried to steal an extra run but it didn't have any bearing on the results as next batsman Thomas scored the winning runs in the last ball of the match.

Earlier Somerset produced a brilliant bowling display to restrict Auckland Aces to a modest 125 for seven. Electing to bat, Auckland could never recover from their disastrous start where they lost three wickets for 14 runs in 3.1 overs and failed to put enough runs on the board in their second qualifying do-or-die match.

Lou Vincent top-scored with an unbeaten run-a-ball 47, laced with three fours and a six, but with wickets tumbling on the other hand, he was left to do very little.

Openers Martin Guptill (9) and Jimmy Adams (0) failed to give Auckland a good start as Trego trapped the latter in front of wicket in the second over itself.

First down Rob Quiney (4) also could not last long and was sent packing by Thomas in the third over after being adjudged lbw to a delivery that stayed a touch low.

Guptill, who was dropped by Waller in the second ball off Thomas, couldn't make use of the opportunity and was dismissed by Trego when his lofted shot landed in the hands of Hildreth.

Skipper Gareth Hopkins and Vincent then joined hands and brought up the fifty in the ninth over.

Vincent scored his first four with a thickish edge past the keeper, before hitting Trego for a boundary and a six in the sixth over.

Hopkins then hit a couple of fours before a direct throw from Arul Suppiah ended his innings. Colin Munro (6), Mills and Hira too failed to make any impact.

For Somerset, Peter Trego (2/26) and Alfonso Thomas (2/21) picked up two wickets each, while C Waller (1/18) and RE van der Merwe (1/25) scalped one each.

Miandad wants T20 Cup shift over dengue fears

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad insisted on Tuesday for shifting the Faysal Bank T20 cricket tournament to Karachi because of dengue fever epidemic in Lahore.

"Because of the menace of dengue in Lahore, it is important to shift the event to Karachi," he told reporters at the Bilawal House after a group of sportspersons met President Asif Zardari.
Miandad said all educational institutions in the Punjab capital have been closed which itself is a clear indication as to how bad is the situation there.
"By holding the event in Karachi the players can also show their solidarity with the flood and rain-affected people of Sindh and can raise funds for them," he said.

CLT20: KKR, Somerset eye qualification

Still, a straightforward victory will prevent any undue stress and the pressure will be more on the Kolkata side, whose owner Shah Rukh Khan is expected to be in the stands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Hyderabad: With both teams in the running to make it to the next stage of the Champions League T20, the final qualifying match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Somerset on Wednesday is bound to see a few nerves.

However, coming into the game, the two sides involved will have the advantage of knowing the result of the earlier match between Ruhunu Eleven and Leicestershire Foxes, depending on which both Kolkata and Somerset could qualify irrespective of who wins their game.

Both KKR and Somerset are in the running to make it to the next stage.

Kolkata are clearly the superior side to their English counterparts, even though they are missing injured skipper Gautam Gambhir. Their performance in the first game belied their strength, however, with the IPL side managing only a narrow two-run victory over Auckland Aces. Stand-in skipper Jacques Kallis stressed the need to improve after that match, and KKR will be hoping the lessons have been learnt quickly.

Despite being given a good start Manvinder Bisla (32-ball 45) at the top of the order, no other batsman bar Kallis (33) managed to make a significant contribution. KKR will need the likes of Yusuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwary and Shakib Al Hasan to get them some quick runs.

It was KKR's slower bowlers who helped them defend 121 and earn the win, as they were able to keep things tight as well as pick up the wickets. Yusuf, Shakib and Rajat Bhatia should again prove to be quite a handful for the Somerset line-up in favourable conditions.

Somerset also defeated Auckland in a last-ball thriller in their first game, and again it was the bowlers who did the job for the County side. None of the bowlers went for more than six-and-a-half runs an over, with only Indian left-arm spinner Murali Kartik going wicket-less.

The batting, shorn of international stars like Craig Kieswetter on England duty, struggled to chase the low total of 126, with only a late cameo from the hitherto unknown Steve Snell (24-ball 34) pulling them through. James Hildreth (34) will have to be among the runs again, while more will be expected of South African Roelof van der Merwe.

The intensity of the game may depend on how things pan out by the time KKR and Somerset take the field. Still, another close game in likely, with the bowlers likely to make the difference for either side.

It hurts to come this close and lose: Hopkins

Hyderabad: Auckland Aces skipper Gareth Hopkins on Tuesday said it was "gut-wrenching" for his side to crash out of the Champions League twenty20 after coming so close to victory.

Auckland, who were beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders by just two runs last night, suffered a four-wicket defeat against Somerset on Tuesday night.

Gareth Hopkins said it was "gut-wrenching" for his side to crash out of the CLT20.
"It is gut-wrenching to go this close and fall short. We were just looking to play straighter, but I think we had enough with our experienced bowling line-up. The Somerset boys played really well in the end," Hopkins said after the match.

Chasing 126 to win, Somerset recovered from a mini-collapse and reached the target only in the last ball of the match with skipper Alfonso Thomas, himself, hitting the winning runs.

"We didn't deserve to win it until the last couple of overs really, the way we batted. It was a bit of deja vu really to go out and finish a game here," he said.

"The goal is always to get into the second half where we have two more international players coming," added Thomas.

Wicket-keeper batsman Steve Snell, who scored an unbeaten 34 off 24 balls to set up the runchase, said they were trying to be patient and were confident of pulling it off in the end.

"It was nice to be out there and playing in a high-pressure game. We were trying to be calm, and thought one boundary an over would win us the game," he said.

"We knew even if we needed 15 in the last over, we were in the game. Didn't want to lose it before that. Pretty delighted to get there in the end. I am a back-up for two internationals, a spare keeper if you like. So enjoyed it," he added.

Somerset will next play Kolkata Knight Riders in their second qualifying match on Wednesday.

CLT20: Ruhunu, Leics play must-win encounter

Hyderabad: Leicestershire Foxes take on Ruhunu Eleven in their must-win match of the Champions League qualifiers at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, on Wednesday.

This is the final match in Pool A, with the Caribbean team Trinidad and Tobago having already qualified for the main tournament after winning both their matches. Other than the topper of Pool B, the third-best team (based on points and/or net run rate) from either groups goes on to play the main tournament.

Ruhunu Eleven were defeated by T&T in their first match of the tournament

In their opening match, the Foxes succumbed to an embarrassing 51-run defeat against Trinidad and Tobago, which has seriously dented their chances of qualifying. So the English champions not only have to beat Ruhunu but also do it with a fair margin to resurrect their awful net run rate.

Their bowling was all at sea against T&T. The batting too didn't have anything to write home about, largely due to contrasting conditions from what they are used to in England. Abdul Razzaq holds the key but needs to bat up the order to boost Leicester's chances of putting up an impressive total.

Ruhunu, on the other hand, should be able to negotiate the conditions, which are similar to what they get at home in Sri Lanka. With experienced international stars like Sanath Jayasuriya in the ranks, they surely start as the favourites. Should Jayasuriya fire, Dinesh Chandimal can hold the middle order together while chasing or setting a target.

Their bowling relies on their slow bowlers as they showed in the match against T&T, where they opened with Sanath Jayasuriya.

As things stand, Ruhunu seem to have their noses slightly in front with the presence of Jayasuriya, familiar playing conditions and better run-rate compared to Leicestershire.

Team gelled well in Zimbabwe - Waqar

Pakistan news

Waqar Younis: "I am happy and a satisfied man and have learnt a lot during my tenure [as coach]." © AFP

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Pakistan had gelled well as a unit on their successful tour of Zimbabwe, outgoing coach Waqar Younis has said. Pakistan had played one Test, three ODIs and two Twenty20s during the recently concluded tour, with a 100% win record.

"I think there is no need to say much as results speak for themselves," Waqar told AFP after the team returned to Pakistan. "We won all the matches on the tour and the players gelled well to give this good performance."

He was pleased with his stint as coach, he said. "I am happy and a satisfied man and have learnt a lot during this tenure." Waqar had announced before the tour of Zimbabwe that he would be stepping down for personal reasons after 18 months as coach. He will now head to Australia, where his family resides, to undergo treatment on his liver.

Waqar took over as coach of the national side in March 2010, in the aftermath of a dismal tour of Australia on which Pakistan failed to win a game. He replaced Intikhab Alam and his stint coincided with a turbulent phase for Pakistan cricket. The spot-fixing controversy erupted during the 2010 tour of England and the wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain Haider, fled to London while Pakistan was involved in a series against South Africa in the UAE later in the year.

On the field though, Pakistan enjoyed a successful tour of New Zealand under Waqar, prior to the 2011 World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals. They also beat West Indies 3-2 in an ODI series in the Caribbean, but the tour was marred by his differences with then limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi over discipline.

Current captain Misbah-ul-Haq said he was "on the same frequency" as Waqar whenever the two worked together. "He [Waqar] did very well and during his stints we, as a team, progressed well," Misbah said. "I hope that the experience gained during the [Zimbabwe] tour will serve us well during the upcoming series against Sri Lanka."

Pakistan play three Tests, five ODIs and a lone Twenty20 against Sri Lanka in the UAE between October 18 and November 25.

 

Presenting the county awards for 2011

First-class cricket in England has been bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked for the last few seasons. And the one just concluded was truly special...........

Glen Chapple: The bloody-minded Becker of county cricket © Getty Images

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Related Links Players/Officials: Azeem Rafiq | Keith Barker | Michael Carberry | Glen Chapple | Andrew Gale | Neil McKenzie | David Masters | Graham Napier | Adrian Shankar Series/Tournaments: County Championship Division One | County Championship Division Two | England Domestic Season Teams: Durham | England | Essex | Hampshire | Lancashire | Middlesex | Somerset | Warwickshire | Worcestershire | Yorkshire

Being an agnostic Jew, I wouldn't call it heaven, but a near-empty Lord's on a luscious late August afternoon was definitely in the neighbourhood of nirvana. If there were 2000 of us there I'd have been surprised. No food court, no cheerleaders, no replays, precious few oohs and barely a single aah.

Corey Colleymore, Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones were threatening to mow down Leicestershire, as promotion - hallelujah - beckoned for Middlesex, but wee Jimmy Taylor, Graham Thorpe's spiritual son and heir, was in no mood to let anyone or anything pass. The game found a sedate yet rhythmic groove, long stretches of arm-wrestling regularly punctuated by grumpy appeals and the occasional thunk of leather on perimeter board. There we were, in the middle of one of the world's noisiest cities, in a land still reeling from the aftershock of widespread rioting, yet aside from the gentle fizz of chatter and the rustle of sandwich wrappers, peace reigned. Aaaah.

Our Test and Twenty20 teams may be top o' the world, ma, but some things never change. It may be the secret of that success, but Britons of a certain age and inclination continue to defend county cricket as if it were a combination of the National Health Service and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home: none of them make a bean but without them we'd be another country. Helpfully, recent seasons have been invigorating, and 2011 was no exception, capped by a cracking climax to the County Championship, which put an end to the second-best-known losing streak in English sport. (And the last local hero to take the men's Wimbledon singles, Fred Perry, did so in 1936, a full two years after Lancashire claimed their previous outright pennant).

So, without further ado, this column proudly presents the inaugural I ♥ County Cricket Awards (please note that the ceremony will not be attended by any Indian tourists, or anyone else for that matter).

Most Valuable Player and Rod Marsh Pie-Chucker Award
Despite the compelling attractions of Marcus Trescothick (2500 runs across all formats) and Darren Stevens (1580 runs, 57 wickets), both baubles go to a chap with a PhD in journeymanliness - David Masters. Capped by a haul of 8 for 10 to eject Leicestershire for 34 (only two of the strikes required a fielder's assistance), the Kent-turned-Leicester-turned-Essex man's 93 Championship victims were the most by a Pom since the end of the three-day era. Snigger at the lower tier, bemoan the pitches and badmouth that darned Tiflex ball all you like: just remember that Essex's next biggest contributor in the W column managed just 28. Atlas had it easy.

Hughie Green Memorial Plaque/Hey Hey It's The Recession Award
With belts being tightened to hernia-inducing levels and the ECB offering sizeable inducements for fielding (cheap) homegrown youth, opportunity is not so much knocking as banging. Better yet, contends that wise old bird John Emburey, the youth drive has helped banish "the fear factor". Witness Jonny Bairstow in Cardiff. Better yet, Old Trafford in June. Eight to win, 9 and 10 in harness, four balls left, a Roses T20 match in the balance; fortunately for Yorkshire, Azeem Rafiq doesn't do wary. Hitherto best known as the most dastardly tweeter in town, the ex-England Under-19 skipper Dilscoops the next two balls for four. He also bowls a mean doosra.

Brian Close Up-And-At-'Em Award
Glen Chapple is 37. Allegedly. Not that he acts his age. Perhaps that's why he still dispatches 50 batsmen a year and makes such a rousing captain. They call him Boris, apparently, presumably because he's the dead spit of Becker (of tennis fame and bonking repute). Not that the similarity stops at facial resemblance and redheadedness. Both ooze defiance. Strained hamstring? Pah. One effective leg was quite enough for Chapple to charge in and snap up three Somerset second-innings wickets in Taunton, telling blows all, as Lancashire swept towards their holy grail. "Credit our physio, some decent strapping and some tablets," he recommended, clearly forgetting to mention that magnum of bloody-mindedness, those pints of post-teen spirit and that wee dram of skill. If he wants to rub it in, he could do worse than take out a page ad in the Yorkshire Post reminding folk that he was born in the Dales.

Tony Greig Foot-in-Mouth Award
Andrew Gale was anything but alone in predicting relegation for Lancashire. Trouble was, as Yorkshire captain his forecast was fraught with risk. Not only did Lancashire complete a Roses double for the first time in 22 summers and take their first outright Championship in 77, the Tykes went down instead. In August, by way of rubbing it in, Gale suffered a season-ending broken wrist at the hands of one of his own bowlers.

Oliver Stone Conspiracy Theory Award
Durham feel they were champions in all but name, and it's easy to see why. They beat Lancashire twice and Warwickshire twice, meting out innings defeats to both. No top-tier county harvested more bonus points; they even won 14 of 16 tosses (judgement, mind, wasn't always unerring: they put Somerset in twice and twice conceded 600). Unfortunately, relentless injuries and national call-ups depleted them in the second half. What miffed them, and many others, was the remarkable success of Ashley Giles - who wears highly conspicuous hats as both national selector and Warwickshire coach - in keeping Chris Woakes out of the international frame. "Gilo" is widely regarded as one of the good guys, but how long such a conflict of interest can persist may be a matter for the ECB's conscience. Riots in St John's Wood should not be discounted.

Jessop-Botham Sobriety Award
Until June 2008, Graham Napier was just another member of England's 1999 Under-19 World Cup-winning side who had failed to kick on, an allrounder who had reached considerable heights (a game on Everest) but fallen short of expectation. Uncertain of future, he had applied to join the police. Then came a 58-ball 152 in a T20 match against Sussex, replete with 16 sixes. Cue an IPL contract and a World Twenty20 call-up, whereupon his back gave way. At Croydon in May, in his first Championship innings for 11 months, Essex's fearlessly luckless No. 7 took his frustrations out on Surrey's international-studded attack, sizzling to 196 off 130 balls - 172 in boundaries, 103 off the last 29 deliveries. Dominating a ninth-wicket stand of 190 at nigh on nine an over, he thrice powered three sixes in an over, the upshot a world record-matching, self-equalling 16 (and in case you're wondering about the size of the Whitgift School boundary, the other 21 batsmen between them mustered only seven). Eerily, that same week saw the 100th anniversary of Ted Alletson's legendary 189 in 90 minutes in Hove - now that's what I call timing.

Fred Titmus "Who Needs Toes?" Rapid Recovery Award and Hobbs-Sutcliffe Dynamic Duo Award
Sometimes you just have to cheer. Last November, Michael Carberry, a Test debutant earlier in the year, was discovered to have blood clots on his lungs: not just career-threatening but life-threatening. Returning, somehow, in July, he learned, just before facing Yorkshire, of the death of a mentor, the former Croydon schoolteacher David Lomas. Shaken and stirred, he took guard wearing a black armband and duly paid his respects with a cool 300 while adding an even cooler 523 with Neil McKenzie - the second-best for the third wicket in first-class annals and the ninth loftiest for any professional wicket. Ever.

That, though, was merely the pair's second handiest stand of the campaign. As fate would have it, they strode out together at the Rose Bowl on the final day of the final round, the main obstacle between Warwickshire and half a million quid, Lancastrians willing them to do it again. Hampshire's relegation was assured, so there was nothing to play for beyond pride, but do it they did, carving a century apiece. A pair of season tickets for the Theatre of Dreams must surely be in order.

Bill Frindall Uncanny Numerical Coincidence Award
The Artists Formerly Known As Rabbits are getting far too uppity, none more so than Warwickshire's Keith Barker, smiter of one hundred at No. 8 and one at No. 9. Remarkably, two of the eight century stands for the ninth wicket, both 150-plus, occurred on May 4. Which is nowhere near as boggling, of course, as the fact that all three three-figure stands for the 10th wicket came on July 11.

Graeme Swann Cheeky Chappie Award
Before signing for Worcestershire, Adrian Shankar, a Cambridge law graduate who'd flunked out at Lancashire, pulled off what is almost certainly a unique hat-trick: hell, if you're going to lie about your age and career record, you might as well go the whole hog and fabricate a glowing reference from a former coach. A career in politics awaits.

Jagmohan Dalmiya Exterminate-The-Draw Award (shared 18 ways)
Just two Wisdens ago, the ever-vigilant Neville Scott noted that a lousy 44% of Championship fixtures in 2009 had produced a definite result, the worst in 17 summers of full four-day warfare. Thanks in part to the draw having been devalued, in part to the silencing of the heavy roller, in part to some first-day greentops, and in part to a dry start - albeit not to a horribly soggy middle - the 2011 season yielded just 18 draws in Division 1 compared with 29, 43 and 38 over the previous three. Across both tiers, there were 103 decisive results in 144 games - 71.5%, easily a modern record. Meanwhile the Test XI have clearly lost the ability to block for a draw. Where are my Monty and my Onions? Something Must Be Done.

Rob Steen is a sportswriter and senior lecturer in sports journalism at the University of Brighton

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