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James Faulkner’s afternoon hat-trick helped Lancashire dominate the opening day of their Second Division championship match against Leicestershire at Old Trafford

ECB/PA14-Jun-2015
ScorecardJames Faulkner took Lancashire’s first Championship hat-trick for 12 years [file picture]•Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

James Faulkner’s afternoon hat-trick helped Lancashire dominate the opening day of their Second Division championship match against Leicestershire at Old Trafford.Faulkner became the 29th Red Rose player to achieve the feat in first-class cricket and the first since James Anderson against Essex on the same ground in 2003 as the visitors were bowled out for 207 in 50 overs.Left-arm seamer Faulkner had Ben Raine caught at point with the last ball of the 43rd over and Jigar Naik and Charlie Shreck lbw with the first two balls of the 45th, finishing with 3 for 53 from 15 overs.Faulkner, who missed out on a hat-trick in the recent one-day World Cup semi-final against India, is not the first Australian to take a hat-trick for Lancashire, with fellow Tasmanian Ted McDonald taking the last of his three for the county in 1930.”I didn’t know until I was walking back to my mark after the second wicket and the umpire told me I was on a hat-trick,” Faulkner said. “The rest of the boys didn’t know either. The first wicket was a wide half-volley – probably the worst ball of my spell. It wasn’t a great ball, and you take them any way you can.”Tom Bailey also claimed 4 for 69 from 20 for the Division Two leaders, who lost the toss, as they reduced the visitors to 78 for 5 before lunch.Forty four overs were lost to the weather, including 42 to bad light. Lancashire did not get the chance to start their reply.Former Lancashire batsman Andrea Agathangelou was the only Leicester batsman to make it beyond 30 as his composed 54 off 66 balls frustrated the hosts either side of lunch. He shared 87 inside 21 overs for the sixth with Raine, who made 26.Agathangelou played 21 first-class matches during his four-year stay in Manchester between 2011 and 2014, scoring two fifties and one hundred – against Hampshire at Southampton in 2013. But this was his maiden first-class fifty on his ground.Bailey and Kyle Jarvis shared five morning wickets as Leicester failed to capitalise on winning the toss against a Lancashire side including spinners Simon Kerrigan and Arron Lilley.Jarvis, who later picked up his 50th Championship wicket of the season, got openers Niall O’Brien and Angus Robson caught behind. Bailey had Ned Eckersley caught at first slip, Umar Akmal caught behind and Mark Cosgrove lbw. His fourth wicket was that of Agathangelou, caught behind to leave the score at 165 for six in the 38th over.Jarvis then picked up his 50th wicket to wrap up the innings in the early stages of the evening when he had Atif Sheikh caught behind by Alex Davies, his fifth victim behind the stumps.

Tim Southee believes New Zealand will face another long day in the field after their poor show with the new-ball on the first day

Andrew McGlashan in Wellington14-Mar-2013Tim Southee has blamed New Zealand’s insipid new-ball bowling in Wellington on the first day as the major reason why the home side are facing another long stint in the field, after Brendon McCullum had stuck to his pre-match promise of bowling first.Having sent down 170 overs in the second innings in Dunedin to try and force a victory, they had only two scalps to their credit after another 90 overs of toil. With Jonathan Trott unbeaten on 121 and Kevin Pietersen on 18, another hefty stint in the field will test New Zealand’s resolve.”It was a tough day. I don’t think we started particularly well with the new ball in favourable conditions, and the little period after lunch wasn’t great either,” Southee said. “There was a little in it early and I don’t think we used that to our advantage. We were chasing it from there. But between that we showed patches where we managed to dry up [the runs], and if we’d grabbed a couple of wickets, it could have been a different story.”New Zealand’s quicks bowled 114 overs between them in the second innings at University Oval, and were given a very gentle time of it between matches with almost no bowling on the warm-up days. After the early success of removing Alastair Cook, there was no further joy for the seamers, and it was left to Bruce Martin, the left-arm spinner, to tie up an end and eventually remove Nick Compton for 100, which ended a second-wicket stand of 210.Southee added that backing up after long spells in the field was something bowlers had to be prepared for. “It’s part of Test cricket and you almost have to enjoy it,” he said. “It’s tough, but it can be very satisfying when you get the rewards. The bodies have recharged and we are ready to go again. It’s a big day tomorrow and it’s [all] about enjoying it.”Yet, while England’s total of 267 for 2 suggests that there was only one decision a captain should have made at the toss, Jonathan Trott confirmed that they would have likely taken the same approach. “I think we would have done the same. Alastair is probably very lucky, or very happy, that it didn’t land on heads.”

The preview of the third ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran12-Jun-2012

Match facts

Wednesday, June 13
Start time 1430 (0900 GMT)Kumar Sangakkara hasn’t been at his best so far in this series•AFP

Big Picture

After the Twenty20s in Hambantota and two ODIs in Pallekele, the series now shifts to Sri Lanka’s third World Cup venue – the R Premadasa Stadium. It’s hard to predict how the third ODI will pan out: almost nothing seemed to go Sri Lanka’s way in the first one-dayer when they limped to 135 for 8, but two days later, and on the same pitch, their batting was back to near its best and they piled up a match-winning score.One thing that didn’t change for Pakistan over the two matches was the abysmal fielding. Catches were generously put down in the first ODI and a number of run-out opportunities were spurned in the second. While Pakistan were largely unpunished by the mistakes in the field in the first game, Tillakaratne Dilshan made the most of his reprieve in the second game, going on to make an unbeaten century.After Dilshan pushed Sri Lanka to a big total, the lack of depth in Pakistan’s batting was shown up. Younis Khan has been out of sorts in recent matches, and the unpredictable Shahid Afridi comes in at No. 6 – one position higher than his usual slot in recent years – putting plenty of pressure on the remaining four batsmen. Sarfraz Ahmed played a crucial hand in the Asia Cup final, but is yet to convince as a long-term No. 7. In the absence of allrounders such as Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik, Pakistan may consider playing an extra batsman in an attempt to shorten the tail.For Sri Lanka, the thinktank will be pleased Dilshan shrugged off a run of low scores. One difference from his century on Saturday to previous recent innings was that he took his time early on to gauge the conditions, instead of going on an all-out assault right from the start. The decision to shift Mahela Jayawardene down the order also worked as he struck an innovative half-century to pilot Sri Lanka’s late charge.The one thing the home board will be worried about is that heavy rain is predicted for Wednesday afternoon and evening in Colombo.

Form guide

Pakistan LWWLW (Most recent first)
Sri Lanka WLLLL

Watch out for…

Azhar Ali has often been pegged as a Test specialist given his leisurely rate of scoring (slowest in Tests among all current cricketers with more than 1000 runs), but showed in the second ODI that he could adjust to the demands of the limited-over formats. Thrust in as an opener, he scored at a run-a-ball early on.Kumar Sangakkara is the second-highest run-getter in ODIs this year, but hasn’t been at his best in this series, and was off-colour during the IPL as well. Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene, though, wasn’t concerned about the lack of runs. “I don’t worry about Kumar’s form for a second,” he said. “He’s a kind of batsman who needs to spend just half an hour in the middle and you will see what difference he makes.”

Team news

Pakistan are still waiting on the fitness of fast bowler Mohammad Sami, who is recovering from a thumb injury but not yet 100%. If he is deemed fit, he will take the place of he listless Rahat Ali. Shahid Afridi was down with a stomach bug, but is expected to recover in time to play.Pakistan (likely) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shahid Afridi, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Mohammad Sami/Rahat AliSri Lanka have already made one change to their squad, bringing in 34-year-old left-arm-spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon in place of Rangana Herath, who has been rested ahead of the Tests. They have to decide which of the three spinners in the squad to pick: Weerakoon, Jeevan Mendis or Sachithra Senanayake.Sri Lanka (likely) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Upul Tharanga, 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Sachithra Senanayake, 11 Lasith Malinga

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan have won eight of their previous nine ODIs at the R Premadasa stadium.
• Left-arm spinner Weerakoon, who is yet to make his international debut, has 693 first-class wickets
• Dinesh Chandimal averages 15.50 in his eight ODI innings against Pakistan, but averages 45.04 in 29 ODIs against other opposition

Quotes

“Our fielding has been an on and off problem for us for a long time now. We have not been consistent in this department. In the last few days everybody has been practicing hard on their fielding.”

“I think I have done enough to convince them that I deserve a place in the Sri Lanka team.”

Sarel Burger’s cameo ensured Namibia made it two wins out of two over Kenya

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2011Namibia captain Sarel Burger ensured his side made it two wins out of two over Kenya at the Windhoek High School. Having opted to bat first, Kenya put on a much improved batting display, led by Collins Obuya, to post 170 for 5. But Burger provided the finishing kick to Nambia’s innings to take his side home with five wickets and three balls to spare.Kenya lost opener Alex Obanda in the third over but Obuya was in a determined mood, smashing five sixes and three fours in a 53-ball 79. He was well supported by Ragheb Aga, who made 45 from 32, as the pair added 112 for the fourth wicket at 9.60 runs an over. Both men lost their wickets in the final over, but had done enough to see their side to a competitive total.Louis van der Westhuizen and Raymond van Schoor gave the hosts an explosive start, racing to 57 from 5.2 overs before Westhuizen holed out off the bowling of left-arm spinner Hiren Varaiya, having made 27 from 13 balls. Van Schoor and Gerrie Snyman kept the scoreboard moving faster than the required rate, but Snyman’s wicket with the score on 90 prompted a mini-collapse as Namibia lost 4 wickets for 31 runs. Having played the anchor role in the last game, Burger turned into the finisher this time, looting a quick 32 from 20 balls and sharing in a 50-run partnership with Gerhard Erasmus that took their side to victory.

Zimbabwe XI fought back gamely for most of the third day after Australia A’s openers had put on a 289-run stand, Ray Price leading the way with four wickets as the visitors were restricted to a lead of 198

The Report by Liam Brickhill23-Jul-2011
Scorecard
Chris Mpofu picked up two wickets in an over as Zimbabwe XI fought back on the third day in Harare•Zimbabwe Cricket

Zimbabwe XI fought back gamely for most of the third day after Australia A’s openers had put on a 289-run stand, Ray Price leading the way with four wickets as the visitors were restricted to a lead of 198. The Zimbabwean batsmen were soon under real pressure, however, as Mitchell Starc’s early strikes left them precariously placed at 49 for 3.The second day had belonged almost entirely to Australia but Zimbabwe made a good start on the third morning, taking just three overs to break a massive opening stand between Aaron Finch and David Warner. Price provided the breakthrough, bowling Finch for 122, and in the very next over Chris Mpofu had Usman Khawaja caught behind for a golden duck as Australia slipped to 290 for 2.Callum Ferguson’s fluent 48 helped Warner to stem the tide, the latter bringing up a 330-ball double hundred – his first in first-class cricket – in the course of their 78-run stand for the third wicket. Once Ferguson was removed, caught behind off Elton Chigumbura, there was another flurry of wickets and Price had Tim Paine caught by Craig Ervine for his second scalp.Zimbabwe immediately took the new ball, with dramatic results. Mitchell Marsh had his stumps re-arranged by Mpofu, who trapped Warner in front of his stumps for 211 four balls later. Vitori got past both Luke Butterworth and Trent Copeland in the space of an over, and Australia had lost four wickets for one run in 10 balls.Australia A were 437 for 9 when Price bowled Peter Siddle for his third wicket, but then came a determined fightback by Jason Krejza and Starc, who clung on to add 61 for the tenth wicket to frustrate the Zimbabweans. Krejza brought up a 72-ball fifty and was prised out by Price soon after, Australia A reaching 498 in the 138th over.The momentum swung firmly back Australia’s way in Starc’s opening spell as he removed both Vusi Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo within the first six overs. Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor began to re-build the innings but Masakadza was removed by Copeland minutes before the close, and Zimbabwe’s fortunes may well now hinge on Taylor, unbeaten on 32, as they look to save the game on the final day.

Fast bowler set to depart Trent Bridge having played a role in six title-winning campaigns

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2024Luke Fletcher, Nottinghamshire’s veteran seam bowler, is to leave the club at the end of the 2024 season after a 17-year career at Trent Bridge.Fletcher, who turns 36 on Wednesday, has taken 442 first-class wickets since making his Nottinghamshire debut in 2008, as well as 93 List A, and 108 T20 wickets. After working his way through the age-group system at Trent Bridge, he was released back to club cricket at Papplewick and Linby – and even worked on the gates at the club – before earning a consistent starting spot in 2009.He became a cult hero at Trent Bridge for his wholehearted approach to the game, and played a role in six title-winning campaigns, including their County Championship triumph in 2010 and two T20 Blast titles in 2017 and 2020.”For a local lad to represent this club is an honour, and I never could have expected the career I’ve had,” Fletcher said. “My overwhelming feeling now is how grateful I am for all the years I’ve spent with Notts and the memories I have made along the way.”A place is only as good as the people within it, and I’ve had the pleasure of sharing a dressing room with so many great people, and creating relationships that I will cherish forever.”But it’s also everyone around the club – from the ticket office to the chefs, community teams, ground staff, dressing room attendants and so many more. I’ve been here for such a long time and it has all meant a great deal to me.”Whilst I am sad that my time at the club is done, I couldn’t be happier with everything I have achieved. Trent Bridge feels like home, it always has done, and it always will do.”Fletcher’s finest year at the club came in 2021, when he was named PCA County Championship Player of the Year after taking 66 wickets at an average of 14.9. That came four years after a career-threatening injury in 2017, when he was struck on the head by a Sam Hain drive in a T20 clash against Birmingham Bears – an incident from which he made a full recovery.He is one of only five men to have taken 100 T20 wickets for Nottinghamshire, while his eight fifties for the club include two career-best scores of 92.”Luke is a hugely popular character, and with good reason,” Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, said. “He has given his heart and soul to this club, forged so many friendships and played with a smile on his face.”It says a great deal that Stuart Broad – who played with some of the greatest players of his generation – deems Fletch one of ‘the best team-mates you could ever have’.”It means so much to him to have represented his home county for nearly two decades, and that loyalty has been reciprocated by members and supporters who show him great affection.”His stats and success deserve mention too – he has worked tremendously hard at his craft to be the best he can be, and that has paid dividends.”We wish him all the best wherever he goes, and whatever he does – he will always get a warm welcome and special reception at Trent Bridge.”

Duo put on 98-run stand after Dattani’s four wickets keep target modest

ECB Reporters Network11-Jul-2023Naomi Dattani starred with bat and ball as Thunder registered their first win of this season’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy with a six-wicket victory over Northern Diamonds in York.Dattani claimed four wickets to help bowl Diamonds out for 167 and played a crucial innings of 46, sharing a 98-run stand with Deandra Dottin – who made 54 not out – as Thunder completed their run chase with 12.2 overs to spare.Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scored for Diamonds with 33, but their total never appeared enough as the defending champions slipped to their fourth defeat of the competition.The Diamonds’ innings was a story of wickets falling at regular intervals as Thunder produced an excellent display with the ball and in the field.Openers Winfield-Hill and Sterre Kalis began patiently but solidly, reaching 37 without loss after 10 overs having been asked to bat first.Winfield-Hill looked set for her fifth half-century of the competition as she began to move through the gears, but she was the first wicket to fall – superbly caught behind by Ellie Threlkeld to hand Dattani her first wicket.Kalis departed six balls later, bowled by Laura Jackson for 21, to leave Diamonds 58 for 2 after 14.1 overs.From there, the hosts struggled to build any momentum as Thunder kept things under control with regular breakthroughs.Hollie Armitage fell for 6, bowled by Dattani, before Emma Marlow was well run out for 9 by Liberty Heap to make it 88 for 4.Diamonds reached the halfway stage on 102 for 4 and Bess Heath and Chloe Tryon both began positively.But Thunder were impressive in the field and Dottin ran Heath out as she attempted a second run to fall for 17 before Tryon was bowled by Fi Morris for 14.Leah Dobson also started brightly, launching a couple of excellent boundaries, but Heap struck twice in the 36th over to dismiss her for 13 and Lizzie Scott for 6 to leave Diamonds struggling on 136 for 8.Morris bowled 10 excellent overs on the bounce, taking 1 for 27.Katie Levick tried to offer late impetus with two boundaries off Dottin, but Dattani returned to wrap the innings up, having Levick caught by Morris for 11 before Grace Hall edged behind for 13 as Diamonds were all out in the 44th over.Thunder began their chase of a modest target with intent, reaching 32 for one after five overs – Seren Smale perishing a ball earlier, bowled by Scott for a brisk 15.Diamonds were sloppy with the ball, conceding 13 extras in the first seven overs and that allowed Thunder to take charge at 52 for after 10.England opener Emma Lamb, omitted from the ODI Ashes squad named on Monday, was key to Thunder’s hopes and she looked in good touch. But the introduction of spinner Levick turned the tide in Diamonds’ favour. First Lamb was trapped lbw for 21 and Morris went for a duck three balls later as Thunder were suddenly 58 for 3.Thunder’s pair of Dattani and Dottin found runs hard to come by but had ticked their side on to 85 for 3 after 20 overs, before there was a 12-minute rain interruption. At the halfway mark, Thunder were 93 for 3, needing another 75.Dattani and Dottin appeared to have assessed their low required run rate and a tricky pitch, batting with great patience to edge towards their target.Dottin reached her half-century from 88 balls in the 37th over before Dattani was trapped lbw by Tryon to end their decisive stand with just 12 more needed.Ellie Threlkeld hit the winning run as Thunder ended their wait for a win.

Essex need one more wicket on final morning after enforcing follow-on

Paul Edwards21-May-2022
In the opening weeks of this season a few people of good judgement appeared to assume Lancashire were going to win the County Championship. This match has offered a powerful corrective to such weirdly confident views. For whatever the vagaries of Manchester’s weather – and the forecast is for rain – Lancashire have been quite outplayed in this game and had Essex managed to take one more wicket this evening, Emirates Old Trafford would resemble the tomorrow. Instead, it is all aboard for a short voyage on the good ship .None of which should obscure the memory of an Essex team that has brimmed with confidence and dynamism these three days. After enforcing the follow-on – the first time Lancashire have suffered this indignity since 2017 – Tom Westley’s bowlers took seven of their opponents’ second-innings wickets and claimed an extra half-hour in the hope of completing their victory today.Tom Bailey and Hasan Ali obligingly holed out in the deep to leave James Anderson defending stoutly against Simon Harmer in the hope that it will hose it down for hours. “I just love this game and I don’t understand it at all,” a member of Lancashire outstanding live-stream operation said.Related

• Northants still fighting to avoid follow-on despite Vasconcelos, Procter knocks

• Notts set up final-day run chase after Derbyshire resistance

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• Jordan Thompson's new-ball burst prompts Warwickshire shiver of realisation

• Barker's half-dozen leads Hampshire to victory as Somerset fold

Harmer, on the other hand, understands cricket’s engaging eccentricities all too well. He knows that it can treat you “dreadful crool”, as Eliza Doolittle might say, and that he has probably deserved more than the six wickets he has bagged from the season’s opening five games. Today, an Old Trafford pitch that offered sufficient help was just what he might have ordered to revive his season and he filled his rather large boots with figures of 5 for 85 from 40 overs.One or two Lancashire batters, notably Dane Vilas, took the attack to the South African Test offspinner but no-one played him with certainty. Vilas, who made 62, perished lbw on the back leg in a chaotic last hour that saw five Lancashire wickets go down. Matt Parkinson and Hasan also succumbed to Harmer’s flight and spin but Anderson and Luke Wood stood firm as the home dressing room hummed with the apocalyptic predictions of amateur meteorologists.And yet, if Lancashire survive, it will be a Dreyfus-esque injustice. For most of the morning – indeed, for most of the game – things have proceeded much Westley might have wished. You will recall that Lancashire resumed, hale and hearty, on 32 for 5. Wood then hit a couple of fours before edging a drive to Adam Rossington off Sam Cook, who also had Bailey lbw in his next over. Hasan survived two balls before edging Shane Snater to Harmer at second slip and Lancashire then needed another 11 runs to avoid posting their lowest total against Essex in the 125 years it has taken the sides to play 161 matches.Their minds uncluttered by such minutiae, Phil Salt and Parkinson put on 43 in 14 overs with Salt pulling Snater into the temporary stand for six. But it was a reflection of Essex’s command in Lancashire’s two innings that losing the ball, either in the building site or the seating, was more or less their greatest inconvenience. Otherwise, events unfolded roughly as they willed them.After making 44 in two hours Salt was leg before to a ball from Matt Critchley that seemed hurry on off the pitch in the manner of a topspinner. Next over, Parkinson smeared Harmer to the sub fielder, Aaron Beard at deepish square leg and Westley opted for traditional orthodoxy rather than the left-field funkiness when it came to enforcing the follow-on. Then again, the humiliation inflicted on opponents by asking them to have another go is probably underestimated. It certainly seems so this evening.