Round-up of the fifth day’s action in the Faysal Bank T-20 Cup 2010-11

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2010Rawalpindi Rams accomplished what no team has managed since April 2005 – win a Twenty20 match against Sialkot Stallions – as they overcame the local giants by 13 runs in a high-scoring clash in Lahore.Stallions came into the game on the back of a five-year unbeaten streak, but it was clear from the outset that today was going to be no walk in the park. Naved Malik and Awais Zia came out throwing punches in all directions, spanking quick 40s in an opening stand that raised 88 in 6.2 overs. Sarfraz Ahmed and Abdur Rehman bore the brunt of the assault, bleeding 101 runs in their eight combined overs.The innings failed to build on the frenetic start, but the middle-order ensured that they did not throw it away either. Adeel Malik pulled things back with 3 for 25 in the middle overs, but Naved Ashraf and Hammad Azam ensured the Stallions would need to chase close to 200 to qualify for the semis.Imran Nazir launched the pursuit in typical fashion, lashing 45 runs in just 15 balls, suggesting that even a target of 198 could not rein in the champion side. He smote five sixes and three fours, and raised 72 in 32 balls with Tahir Mughal to set the tone for a tight finish. Azam was larruped for 50 runs in his four overs, but also managed to strike four crucial blows. His dismissal of Nazir prompted an inevitable drop in the scoring rate, but Shoaib Malik and Haris Sohail kept their side in the hunt with a 41-run stand in 31 balls. Shoaib’s exit, with 42 needed off 31, gave the Rams an opening and they barged in with a flurry of late wickets. Sohail kept trying, but Rana Naved-ul-Hasan’s inability to rotate the strike or reach the boundary towards the end cost the Stallions a spot in the final four as the innings closed at 184 for 7.Islamabad Leopards charged into the semis with a commanding nine-wicket victory against Faisalabad Wolves in the winner-takes-all Group C clash at the Gaddafi Stadium.The spin of the coin was the only thing that went the Wolves’ way as their batting came unstuck in spectacular fashion against Shoiab Akhtar. Asif Hussain, Mohammad Hafeez and Ali Waqaz were all back in the pavilion for ducks by the end of the first over, and the Wolves’ eventual score of 141 for 8 was a major improvement after that shambolic start. Misbah-ul-Haq, recently appointed as the captain for the Test series against South Africa, gave a reminder of his Twenty20 skills with 47 off 32 balls. Khurram Shehzad and Naved Latif offered support to set the Leopards a tricky chase.The reply was just as dominant as the bowling performance earlier in the day as Raheel Majeed stroked 69 off 58 balls with nine fours and a six to lead the way. Umair Khan and Fayyaz Ahmed offered support to ensure that the Leopards got home with plenty to spare.Karachi Dolphins surged to the highest domestic Twenty20 score in Pakistan – 243 for 2 – on the back of a majestic 101 off 61 balls from Shahzaib Hasan, to defeat Lahore Eagles and qualify to the semis from Group D. The Eagles were left to rue their decision to field as the Dolphins openers took off in spectacular fashion. Khalid Latif’s 55 off 37 balls was completely over-shadowed by Shahzaib, who capitalised after being put down on 11 by Ali Azmat. Shahzaib has been in fine form during this event, adding a century to his 76 against Hyderabad Hawks on Monday. His displays showed the national selectors, who announced the Twenty20 squad for the South Africa series ahead of this tournament and left him out of it, in poor light.Following the 138-run opening stand, Shahid Afridi blitzed 48 off 18 balls, before Tariq Haroon tonked four of his six balls for sixes to take the Dolphins to a towering total. The Eagles made a fist of the chase, with Imran Farhat hitting 53 off 36 balls to launch the reply. Azmat tried to make up for his drop with five sixes and five fours in his 69 off 38 balls, but Tanvir Ahmed and Afridi bowled tight spells to ensure that the Eagles fell 35 runs short.

Semi-final line-up

(both matches in Lahore on October 15)
Islamabad Leopards v Lahore Lions
Karachi Dolphins v Rawalpindi Rams

Overnight and early morning rain in St. Vincent left the outfield waterlogged, forcing the third day’s play between West Indies A and Pakistan A to be abandoned

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2010West Indies A 216 for 1 (Brathwaite 117*, Babar 1-57) v Pakistan A
ScorecardOvernight and early morning rain in St. Vincent left the outfield waterlogged at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex, forcing the third day’s play between West Indies A and Pakistan A to be abandoned. West Indies A are presently 216 for 1 in their first innings and the match will certainly be drawn. There is more rain forecast for the final day.

An enthralling day of action moved the third Test along in fast forward at the WACA with Mitchell Johnson reviving his career and Australia’s Ashes fortunes with a brutal 6 for 38 to dismiss England for 187

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan17-Dec-2010
ScorecardMitchell Johnson removed Kevin Pietersen without scoring during an electric burst•Getty Images

An enthralling day of action moved the third Test along in fast forward at the WACA with Mitchell Johnson reviving his career and Australia’s Ashes fortunes with a brutal 6 for 38 to dismiss England for 187. However, the home side didn’t extend the advantage without further top-order failures as Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett caused problems although by stumps Shane Watson was unbeaten on 61 and the lead was 200.After eight days of England dominance this one went comprehensively to Australia and how desperately they needed it. If the visitors had batted throughout the day the Ashes would have been hard to save, but by the close Australia’s belief was being restored after the efforts of their most mercurial cricketer. Johnson’s morning burst of 4 for 7 knocked the stuffing out of England’s previously prolific line up. The whole feeling of the series changed with each booming inswinger and all ten wickets fell for 109.Conceding an advantage of 81 on a lively surface left England playing catch-up, but they aren’t without hope if the bowlers can leave a target under 350. In 2008-09, South Africa chased down 414 on the way to topping Australia’s home record – after Johnson took 8 for 61 in the first innings – although that was a flatter surface.England’s quicks did their best to even the ledger during the final session. Phillip Hughes was worked over for the second time in the match before edging to third slip off Finn, who went for 14 in his first over but continued the knack of picking up wickets. His next was Ricky Ponting as his poor form continued with a glove down the leg side which was ruled out on review.Michael Clarke began by pulling his first ball for four and added three more boundaries as he tried to impose himself on the attack with the bowlers overdoing the short balls. Clarke, though, paid the price for his approach when he dragged Tremlett into his stumps to leave Australia 3 for 64 and England scenting further evening inroads. But Watson played positively, latching onto to the loose deliveries, to reach another half-century and the run machine of Mike Hussey was setting another platform in a stand of 55.The 81-run advantage Australia earned during the first two sessions could become priceless. After a Test and a half of churning out runs by the bucket load, England’s batting subsided after a promising opening stand of 78. Johnson’s introduction changed the complexion as rediscovered the swing which makes him such a deadly prospect when he’s on song.His hours in the nets since being dropped have clearly worked and he also rode on the confidence of his batting effort to produce a wonderful spell of 9-3-20-4, which included a burst of three wickets in 12 balls to crash through England’s previously formidable top order. The scalping of Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, and Paul Collingwood were classic left-armer to right-hander dismissals as the batsmen were beaten by sharp movement.Cook looked set to continue his prolific series before driving at a full delivery which shaped away, giving Hussey a low catch in the gully. Trott only lasted eight balls when Johnson beat a flat-footed drive with one that swung back into the right hander and would have taken off stump.Pietersen’s stay was even briefer as Johnson followed two off-stump deliveries with another inducker which struck the batsman in front of middle and leg. His request for a review was a waste. Initially, Collingwood was given not out when he was beaten by pace and swing, but Johnson persuaded Ponting to use a review and it proved the right call. Johnson returned in the afternoon to take out the final two wickets, shattering Tremlett’s stumps and winning his duel with Anderson, and appeared a cricketer reborn.

Smart Stats

• England lost ten wickets for 109 runs, in the process collapsing from 78 for 0 to 187 all out. This aggregate of 109 runs between the second wicket and last wicket is the tenth worst for England against Australia and their worst at Perth.

• Mitchell Johnson picked up 6 for 38, which is his finest bowling performance against England. It is also his second five wicket haul against them after the 5 for 69 at Leeds in 2009.

• Ian Bell scored his third half century of the Ashes and his 11th against Australia overall. He is yet to score a century in this series though.

• England have made six scores below 200 at Perth. They have gone on to lose on all five previous occasions.

• Since March 2010, Ricky Ponting has scored five fifties in 16 innings at an average of just under 29. In eight of those innings, he has failed to cross 10.

He was well supported by his fellow quicks. Ben Hilfenhaus, who hasn’t taken a wicket since the third ball of the series, deserved something but instead it was Ryan Harris who took the spoils, ending attractive half-centuries from Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell. Strauss was offered a life on 16 when Watson and Brad Haddin both left it to the other to hold an edge, but after reaching a positive fifty edged a good ball that climbed off a length.No one in the England team, though, is playing better than Bell. He launched his innings with a perfect straight drive and showed outstanding composure to weather the initial Johnson storm. His timing remained perfect whenever the bowlers strayed in a display that showed how much he has developed since four years ago in Australia.At stages some of Australia’s tactics were curious, especially when they persisted with the short ball but the plan did bring Matt Prior’s wicket. The ball after being hit on the shoulder by Peter Siddle, a ball struck his body, bounced back onto the glove and down onto leg stump. It was Siddle’s first wicket since the opening day in Brisbane when he took six.Graeme Swann offered solid support to Bell in a useful stand of 36 and received plenty of short stuff which he handled reasonably well. However, Harris returned the attack, after treatment on a minor calf problem, to find the edge and Bell felt he had to attack when he edge a booming drive which was superbly held by Ponting at second slip. Bell’s departure guaranteed Australia a sizeable advantage and suddenly the Ashes series was back in the balance.

Michael Clarke is Australia’s 43rd Test captain after succeeding the injured Ricky Ponting for Monday’s fifth Ashes Test in Sydney

Peter English30-Dec-2010Michael Clarke is Australia’s 43rd Test captain after succeeding the injured Ricky Ponting for Monday’s fifth Ashes Test in Sydney. Clarke, who has been the deputy since 2008, takes the coveted job at a time when the team is at its nadir and the 29-year-old is in a severe batting rut.Ponting’s broken left pinky not only means he may never add to his 152 Tests, but it accelerates the transition to Clarke during a summer in which his performances have indicated he is not ready for the role. He now has no choice after his appointment – and the elevation of Brad Haddin to vice-captain – was approved in a unanimous decision by Cricket Australia’s board on Thursday afternoon.”Obviously I’m honoured, it’s for this Test match and hopefully we can get Punter right as soon as possible and get him back into whichever team,” Clarke said at the SCG. “The sooner we can get him back into the one dayers, the better for us.”Clarke is in charge of a 12-man squad as it attempts to draw the series with England, who retained the Ashes with their innings victory in Melbourne on Wednesday. Usman Khawaja has been included to make his debut at No. 3 while Doug Bollinger was recalled to replace Ryan Harris, who suffered a stress fracture in his left ankle at the MCG.But the major focus is on how Clarke will deal with his switch from energetic lieutenant to the man who has to juggle his own game with all the extra commitments required to run a team. He has led Australia in 18 ODIs and another 18 Twenty20s and has usually enjoyed giving the captaincy back to Ponting.In his dream Clarke would have taken the job in peak form, but he has experienced a poor campaign against England with 148 runs at 21.14 and only one half-century. Even that came with criticism after he tweeted an apology for not walking when he was dismissed late on the penultimate day in Adelaide.”I make no bones about it, my form has not been good enough throughout this series,” he said. “I’ve had a couple of innings where I’ve felt really good but I need to get out here and make sure I get some runs on the board, and that’s my focus right now. I’ve had the chance to captain Australia in the Twenty20 form and a handful of one-dayers as well, and I don’t think it’s hurt my performance. Hopefully that’s the same this week.”Clarke is a modern cricketer and his metrosexual tendencies and A-list activities have created lingering questions over his suitability for the leadership. His on-field moves will now be analysed intently as he hopes for a way out of such a dire period for Australia.Ponting’s fractured finger deteriorated during the fourth Test that finished with him failing to win the Ashes for a record third time. If the urn was still up for grabs he would have pushed to play but gave into medical advice.”I’m devastated to tell you the truth, it was the news I was dreading,” Ponting said after landing in Sydney. “During the game I didn’t think I’d done too much more to it.” When asked if he was considering retirement he said: “I’m not thinking about it at all.”Ponting, who scored only 113 runs in the first four games, could face surgery on his finger, but is expected to be fit to guide Australia in their push to win a fourth consecutive World Cup. He had an x-ray on the final day of the Melbourne defeat and it showed the fracture had moved during the match.”What I need right at the moment is just as much time as I possibly can to let it heal and make sure that I’m 100% right for the start of the World Cup,” he said. “That’s really how the decision was made, so I’ve just got to do everything in my power over the next little bit to look after it as well as I can.”He will see a specialist again over the next day to decide on the best way forward. “Hopefully he will commence training in the later part of the Australian summer,” Alex Kountouris, the team’s physiotherapist, said. “He is expected to be fully fit for the World Cup.”Ponting’s Test future is less clear as Australia’s next five-day engagement is currently scheduled for Sri Lanka in August, although there is a talk of a series against Bangladesh after the World Cup. He is already 36 and Australia have realised during their poor Ashes performance that they have to start rebuilding through young players.Australia squad Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger, Michael Beer.

Salman Butt’s request for a postponement in the ICC tribunal’s hearing into the spot-fixing case has been rejected

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Dec-2010Salman Butt’s request for a postponement in the ICC tribunal’s hearing into the spot-fixing case has been rejected. Michael Beloff QC, the ICC’s code of conduct commissioner and a member of the three-man tribunal to hear the charges against Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, made the decision during a lengthy teleconference with Butt’s lawyers on Wednesday.”Mr Beloff, the Chairman of the ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal, following a lengthy telephone hearing and having received written submissions, has ruled that Mr Butt’s application is denied and as such, the full hearing will take place as scheduled from 6-11 January 2011 in Doha, Qatar,” an ICC release said.Butt’s legal representatives were aiming for a postponement of the hearings to a date after the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had dealt with the case. Independent of the ICC, the Scotland Yard is pursuing its own case against the trio in the UK and has handed over evidence to the CPS.The CPS is to determine whether the case is strong enough to warrant a criminal prosecution on charges of a conspiracy to defraud, but since receiving two files of evidence from Scotland Yard – in September and November – no decision has been reached.In the early days of the case, the PCB repeatedly expressed concern over the two separate investigations being pursued against the players and asked for one to be completed before the other was taken up. But the board has since withdrawn support for the trio.Yasin Patel, a London-based barrister, will handle both the ICC and Scotland Yard cases for Butt. Asif and Amir had not asked for a postponement, though Shahid Karim, who represents Amir, while confident of his client’s prospects, said he would have preferred an independent tribunal instead of the three-man panel set up by the ICC for the hearings in Doha.Apart from Beloff, that panel includes Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa and Sharad Rao of Kenya.

Yusuf Pathan swung the game India’s way with three brutal shots and Harbhajan Singh sealed a close win with two sixes, to give India a 2-1 lead in the series

The Bulletin by Sriram Veera18-Jan-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsYusuf Pathan’s three sixes in an over off Johan Botha started India’s revival•Getty Images

Yusuf Pathan swung the game India’s way with three brutal shots and Harbhajan Singh sealed the win with two violent game-breaking hits. Morne Morkel had threatened to derail India’s chase with an inspired performance but it was India who held their nerve, and took a 2-1 lead in the series. India were 104 runs adrift of the target when Yusuf cemented his World Cup spot by biffing Johan Botha for three sixes in an over to push India ahead. When he fell, 39 runs short of the target, Harbhajan crashed Wayne Parnell and Morne for stunning sixes at vital moments of the chase to clinch the game, with 10 balls to spare.India had lost five wickets and looked down for the count on a sluggish pitch where stroke-making wasn’t easy when Yusuf launched a violent assault on Botha. He muscled three sixes, the last of which flew out of the stadium, to loot 19 runs in the 30th over. Yusuf added 75 runs with Suresh Raina, who threw his wicket away with a wild shot in the 37th over, before falling in the 40th to a stunning catch by Morne, who arched back to pouch an upper cut over his head at third man. His dismissal put South Africa ahead but Harbhajan seized the moment. He added 26 runs with Zaheer Khan before stitching together another 15 with Ashish Nehra to take India home. Harbhajan took the Powerplay in the 43rd over, smote Parnell for a six over wide mid-off in the 45th, and flat-batted Morne, bowling his last over, beyond long-off in the 47th to kill the contest.Control was a loose concept during the match as whenever South Africa got ahead, India pulled them back and vice versa. In the end Yusuf’s innings proved the difference. Yusuf’s strength is his mental tenacity. His short-ball woes are well documented but he rarely lets a delivery in his hitting arc go unpunished. Unlike Raina, he doesn’t hang back and expect bouncers every ball, and today, too, that temperament was on display.Until that game-breaking 30th over bowled by Botha, it was South Africa who held the edge, courtesy of Morne. He dismissed the in-form Virat Kohli to put India in trouble early, later got rid of Raina to resuscitate fading hopes, and grabbed a stunning catch to dismiss Yusuf, but still had to end up on the losing side.In hindsight, South Africa will feel they were 25 runs short. A shaky Graeme Smith was the reason South Africa dawdled at the start, and it was also due to him that they stayed afloat for a while. However, his dismissal in the 23rd over left them wobbling at 90 for 4, but JP Duminy and the debutant Faf du Plessis showed admirable maturity to revive the innings and give it respectability.du Plessis’ serenity under pressure was reflected by the fact that he hit his first boundary – a crisp cut off Yuvraj Singh – after he had reached 39. It’s not a criticism but a tribute to his mature approach that there were just two shots that stood out in his innings: the first was that cut shot and the second, which came after his half-century, was a skillful one that hinted at a larger repertoire that he had deliberately held under check. He went down the track to Munaf Patel, adjusted to the slower one, and managed to punch it on the up and over mid-off. Mostly, he kept things risk-free like an experienced pro and dealt in calculated nudges and pushes. He brought up his half-century with a dab to the on side and brought up the century partnership with Duminy, in the 44th over, with a swatted pull through midwicket.For his part, Duminy, who set off South Africa’s collapse in the second ODI at the Bull Ring by holing out to long-on, too remained patient and worked the angles. He flicked and square drove and adjusted to the slow pace. The ball didn’t come on to the bat neatly but he waited on the front foot, to steer and dab his way through the difficult period. However, both batsmen fell in the space of four deliveries, after they took the Batting Powerplay in the 45th over, and South Africa crumbled in the end overs, losing their last six wickets for 20 runs.It was a torrid time for Smith, first against Zaheer, and soon against everyone. However, perhaps due to the brittle nature of the lower order, he never dared to hit his way out of trouble. During a sequence of 11 deliveries from Zaheer when he was beaten nine times, Smith actually looked at the bowler and smiled. There was a touch of embarrassment in it but it was also a smile of a man who seemed to have accepted the situation he was in; he chose to graft and was willing to look ugly from then on. Considering what happened in Johannesburg, where Smith made 77 but the batting collapse after he was out, it was perhaps the right thing to do as his team needed its leader to fight. Inspired by his grit, Duminy and du Plessis batted with care to propel South Africa to a fighting total but Yusuf and Harbhajan did enough to chase it down.

New South Wales took control of their game against Victoria in Melbourne, after Trent Copeland knocked over the hosts’ top order

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2011Stumps
Scorecard
Trent Copeland knocked over Victoria’s top order to give New South Wales control of the game and crush any lingering hopes Victoria might have had of winning a third straight Sheffield Shield title. It was a day of fluctuating fortunes, as Victoria had the best of the early session. Peter Siddle snapped up centurion Phil Jacques in the third over of the day for the addition of just one run to his overnight score of 128. That dismissal triggered a batting collapse, and the last seven wickets tumbled for 69 runs. Siddle picked up four of them to finish with 6 for 89, as NSW were restricted to 416.Needing a win to keep alive their chances of defending their title, Victoria lost Michael Hill early, caught behind of Copeland. Things then looked to have settled while Chris Rogers and Aaron Finch were adding 53 together but Rogers edged one to the keeper off Copeland after making 35. Finch and Ryan Carters soon followed, falling to Moises Henriques and Copeland respectively. When Matthew Wade became Copeland’s fourth victim, Victoria were struggling at 5 for 100.Robert Quinney and Glenn Maxwell then provided some lower order resistance, adding 73 in quick time. But both men fell to left-arm chinaman Beau Casson, who had Quinney caught for 66, having struck seven fours and two sixes, and then trapped Maxwell plumb in front for 38. Victoria would lose one more wicket, ending the day on 8 for 206.

John Hastings derailed the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI chase with a hat-trick to spur the visiting Australians to a comprehensive victory in their only warm-up game ahead of the three-match ODI series

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2011
Scorecard
John Hastings rattled the hosts with a hat-trick•Associated Press

John Hastings, the medium-pacer, derailed the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI chase with a hat-trick to spur the visiting Australians to a comprehensive victory in their only warm-up game ahead of the three-match ODI series.Raqibul Hasan and Maisuqur Rahman had built a solid century stand in the BCB XI’s response to 308, though the hosts were well behind the required rate. But that partnership was put to an end by Hastings, who bowled Raqibul for 65 and trapped Alok Kapali and Shuvagoto Hom off successive deliveries to claim a hat-trick in the 36th over. He wasn’t done, as he returned in the 38th over to dislodge Maisuqur. The tail offered some resistance as BCB XI limped to 218 for 7.Australia’s strong performance with the bat centered around half-centuries from four of their batsmen – Brad Haddin, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey. Ponting, having relinquished his post as captain, played a fluent innings, striking 10 fours and a six in his 69. Clarke, his successor, made 55 in 56 balls and Hussey made a quickfire 69.At 236 for 3 at the end of 41 overs, Australia would have hoped to pile up more than what they eventually got, but it proved more than sufficient. The first of three ODIs begins on April 9 in Dhaka.

Michael Clarke has said he was happy with the smooth captaincy transition during the one-day tour of Bangladesh, which was Ricky Ponting’s first international series under another skipper in seven years

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Apr-2011Michael Clarke has said he was pleased with the smooth captaincy transition during the one-day tour of Bangladesh, which was Ricky Ponting’s first international series under another skipper in seven years. Clarke said he felt Ponting still had plenty to offer the team, in both runs and experience, and that the former captain had no trouble handing over the reins to Clarke.”Both of us spoke openly daily, we enjoyed it and I certainly see Ricky playing a big part not only in my captaincy, but the other guys in the team and their development,” Clarke said at a function in Sydney on Wednesday. “There’s a lot less stress on his shoulders now. He can concentrate on batting well, as he has been, and helping the rest of the boys.”Ponting became the first Australia captain in nearly 30 years to stay on in the team after relinquishing the leadership, when he was named in the squad for the series in Bangladesh. But Clarke, who had already led Australia 43 times across all formats before he took the job full-time, said there was no risk of him deferring to Ponting when making decisions.”It will never get to that,” he said. “You’re always asking other players for ideas and what their thoughts are on the field. He was there in Bangladesh when I needed him. Ask him a question and he’ll give me the answer, then it’s the captain and the vice-captain’s decision to work out what’s best for the team and make that call.”The relationship among all the players – that’s one thing I make clear to all the guys, to feel free to be who they are, to be open, be upfront and if they have an idea to try and do whatever’s best for the team. Just about all the guys have played under me as captain, whether it be Twenty20 or one-dayers.”He gave me the freedom to be me and be the captain I wanted to be. He was there if I needed guidance or had any questions. As I said before we left for Bangladesh, Punter and I have a great relationship and I know that’s the guy he is – he’ll want to continue to do whatever is best for the team and he certainly did that in Bangladesh.”Clarke’s next on-field challenges don’t come until August, when the team heads to Sri Lanka for a Test tour. In the meantime, one of his major tasks will be to discuss the future direction of the side with the Don Argus-led panel charged with conducting Cricket Australia’s performance review.

James Foster and Matt Walker put together a thrilling unbeaten century stand to
carry Essex to a superb seven-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire in their
Clydesdale Bank 40 clash at Chelmsford

01-May-2011
Scorecard
James Foster and Matt Walker put together a thrilling unbeaten century stand to
carry Essex to a superb seven-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire in their
Clydesdale Bank 40 clash at Chelmsford.Replying to a total of 287 for 7, Essex reached their objective with an
over to spare as Foster and Walker shared in a partnership of 108 in 10.3
overs.Foster plundered 66 from 44 balls, with the help of seven fours and a
straight-driven six against Ben Phillips that sealed victory.
Walker contributed 45 from 26 deliveries, with the aid of seven boundaries.The efforts of the third-wicket pair came after Alastair Cook had provided a
persuasive argument for being included in England’s side in the longer version
of the limited-overs format.Cook has made no secret of the fact that he was disappointed to be
left out of the recent World Cup squad and pressed his claims with a fine 96
from 102 deliveries. His innings included 13 fours, and it was while seeking his 14th with a
leg-side pull that he was bowled by Luke Fletcher.Most of Cook’s runs came during a second-wicket stand of 110 in 18 overs with
Ravi Bopara, another player hoping to win the nod from England’s selectors.
Bopara did his cause no harm at all by making 50 from 39 balls, an effort that
contained three sixes in addition to a couple of fours.His innings was brought to an end by spinner Samit Patel as Neil Edwards took a
catch in front of the sidescreen.The assault from the Essex batsmen came after Notts opener Alex Hales had put
together a punishing 116 to carry the visitors to their formidable total. He scored those runs from 101 balls, and on the way laced his innings with a
dozen fours and three sixes before he skied a catch to Adam Wheater in the
covers.Hales had earlier taken part in a partnership of 124 in 17 overs with Patel,
whose 69 from 51 deliveries included 12 boundaries. While they were together, Notts had looked set to post a much more imposing
total after reaching 150 at the halfway stage.But they were pegged back by left-arm spinner Tim Phillips, who conceded just
34 in his seven overs. Bopara, with his medium pace, also played a part in putting the breaks on, with figures of two for 40 in eight overs.Lonwabo Tsotsobe had the satisfaction of claiming the wicket of Hales and later
that of Chris Read. But the South African’s line and length left much to be desired as he conceded
73 in his eight overs.