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Kings XI Punjab’s accurate seam bowling was complemented by an all-round fielding display as they raced to an eight-wicket win over Pune Warriors

The Report by Mohammad Isam07-Apr-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsManan Vohra played an eye-catching innings on IPL debut•BCCI

Kings XI Punjab’s accurate seam bowling was complemented by an all-round fielding display as they raced to an eight-wicket win over Pune Warriors in Pune. It was the first time Punjab had begun an IPL season with a victory and they took just 12.2 overs to chase the target and hand the home side their second successive loss.Two run-outs and Gurkeerat Singh’s spectacular catch were the highlights as Kings XI took control of the game from the first over. The four-man seam attack hardly gave the Warriors batsman a chance on a pitch that perhaps misled them into batting first.Manish Pandey’s hesitant prod started Warriors’ slide and they struggled in the Powerplay overs. T Suman, who replaced the injured Yuvraj Singh, added 20 for the second wicket with Robin Uthappa, but both fell trying to push the run-rate. Suman skied Azhar Mahmood while Uthappa’s charge to the legspinner Piyush Chawla was poorly judged.Mandeep Singh then ran out Marlon Samuels with a terrific throw running in from the deep midwicket boundary, and Chawla later ran out Rahul Sharma with a direct hit from long-off, off the last ball of the innings.Parvinder Awana was a force among the quicks. After a good first over he bowled the best ball of the game, which took Angelo Mathews’ outside edge. Warriors were 38 for 5 at the end of the 10th over, and the game had slipped away from them.Kings XI’s accurate bowling made the difference, but the first-match energy from the fielders left Warriors batsman stranded at either end for long patches. The highlight in the field came in the 14th over, via a jaw-dropping catch. Ross Taylor’s trademark pull towards long leg was intercepted by Gurkeerat, who dived full length to his right and caught the ball after it had passed him and held on to it after crashing to earth.Had Mitchell Marsh and Abhishek Nayar not added 25 for the seventh wicket, Warriors would have had to defend fewer than the 99 they got in the end.Kings XI captain Adam Gilchrist took fourteen runs off the first over of the chase. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was hit for two straight fours and a flicked six, but Gilchrist fell soon after to a catch at deep square-leg.Then it was the turn of little known Manan Vohra to make a spectacle of his IPL debut. The No. 3 batsman smashed four out of five fours in the fourth over bowled by Ashok Dinda. There were nice shots on the offside before the youngster brought out a swivel-pull to finish the over. He then drilled Mathews to the straight boundary to make it five fours in as many balls.Warriors were poor in the field too. Dinda dropped Mandeep Singh at mid-on before Taylor dropped Vohra at slip. Mandeep and Vohra added 58 for the second wicket with the debutant making 43 off 28 balls.

A round-up of the second day of the ninth round of Division Two in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2011Mohammad Hasan hit his maiden first-class double-century, while Behram Khan hit a maiden hundred, to carry Karachi Whites to a mammoth 551 for 7, declared, against Lahore Shalimar at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex in Karachi. Both batsmen were at the crease, already past a hundred, when play resumed with Karachi Whites on 287 for 4. The opener, Behram, went on to make 175, while Hasan got to 251 at a healthy strike-rate of almost 79, before Karachi Whites declared. Lahore Shalimar had employed ten bowlers without much success, and then lost their openers cheaply to go to stumps on 58 for 2.Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) took a 44-run first-innings lead against Lahore Ravi at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. The visitors’ innings was built around cameos from most of the line-up, Yasir Arafat being the stand-out scorer with 78. The Lahore Ravi bowlers, too, mostly all contributed – Asif Ashfaq had the best figures, 4 for 50. The hosts then wiped out the deficit for the loss of one wicket, finishing the day on 55 for 1.Hyderabad put on a solid batting show to get to 500 for 7, declared, against Multan at the Bahawal Stadium in Bahawalpur. Their bowlers then knocked over three Multan wickets cheaply, to give their side complete control. Hyderabad’s total was driven by an unbeaten 200 from Rizwan Ahmed – his best first-class score – and knock of 133 from Lal Kumar.Peshawar‘s bowlers knocked over Quetta for 145 in 46.3 overs, to give their team a 94-run lead at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. Riaz Afridi caused most of the damage, taking 5 for 37, as none of the Quetta batsmen could manage more than Ata-ur-Rehman’s 45. Afridi was backed up by Afaq Ahmed and Waqar Ahmed, who took four wickets between them. Peshawar, on the back of an unbeaten 61 off 73 balls from opener Mohammad Fayyaz, extended their lead to 180 at stumps. They finished the day on 86 for 1.Driven by a quick century from captain Khurram Shehzad, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) took a 266-run first-innings lead against United Bank Limited at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Shehzad’s 122 came off 136 balls and included 24 fours. SNGPL’s charge to 393 at over four and a half runs an over was given an extra fillip by a knock of 97 from Ali Waqas. SNGPL’s bowlers consolidated their side’s position in the match by knocking over two wickets quickly in United Bank’s second innings, to leave them 45 for 2 at stumps on day two.

Charlie Allison’s 98 heads impressive collective effort while Michael Pepper remains 54 not out

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay16-Sep-2025Essex 325 for 5 (Allison 98, Pepper 54*) vs WarwickshireCharlie Allison fell two runs shy of a century in an effective batting display by Essex on the second day of their Rothesay County Championship match with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.Advancing towards the draw that would secure their Division One status, Essex closed on 325 for 5 with Allison’s 98 off 175 balls heading an impressive collective effort. No batter scored fewer than 25 while Michael Pepper made 54 not out (94), Dean Elgar 48 (111) and Matt Critchley 47 (64).After a washout on the first day and, judging by the weather forecast, very little play likely on the third, this match appears nailed on for a draw which would send both teams into next week’s final games safely clear of the bottom two.In their last home match of the season, Warwickshire chose to bowl and were unlucky not to take more than one wicket in the morning session. Olly Hannon-Dalby in particular maintained high pressure, conceding just three runs from his first seven overs, but the ball frequently beat the bat rather than taking the edge.Elgar and Paul Walter added 41 in 14 overs before the latter was lured into driving at a wide ball from Nathan Gilchrist and edged to wicketkeeper Alex Davies.Elgar moved diligently to 48 in 144 minutes then perished in similar fashion to his opening partner. The left-hander edged Gilchrist to second slip where Rob Yates accepted his 15th Championship catch of the season.When Tom Westley drove around an Ethan Bamber yorker, Essex were 111 for 3 but Allison and Critchley ensured there was no collapse with a measured partnership of 98 in 25 overs. Critchley was closing in on his 33rd first-class half-century when he nicked an excellent ball from Michael Booth to Davies.Allison found another resolute partner in Pepper. Both scored Championship centuries against Warwickshire at Chelmsford in July and this time they added 77 in 20 overs.Allison, having spent quite some time in the 90s, then attacked the wrong ball from Bamber and Rob Yates accepted his 16th championship catch of the season. That proved to be the only wicket with the new ball.Again, Warwickshire’s seamers bowled well without much luck but Pepper completed his half-century in the day’s penultimate over and Essex can be well-satisfied with a strong day’s work by their batters.Without Shane Snater (calf injury) and Sam Cook, who sustained a broken thumb during the Hundred, Essex are giving a first class debut to seamer Charlie Bennett.

Tafadzwa Tsiga, Newman Nyamhuri, and Vincent Masekesa are the three uncapped players in the squad

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2025Left-arm pacer Richard Ngarava has made a return from injury to Zimbabwe’s T20I squad for the upcoming triseries at home against South Africa and New Zealand.Three uncapped players – wicketkeeper-batter Tafadzwa Tsiga, left-arm seamer Newman Nyamhuri, and legspinner Vincent Masekesa – were also included in the squad of 16. Vincent and Tsiga have played Tests for Zimbabwe, while 19-year-old Nyamhuri has played three Tests and four ODIs.The triseries is scheduled to take place at the Harare Sports Club from July 14 to 26. Each team will face the others twice before the top two sides contest the final.Ngarava recovered from a lower-back injury that had ruled him out of Zimbabwe’s recent fixtures; his last competitive match was the one-off Test in England in May. Allrounder Brian Bennett was also been cleared to play following a concussion suffered during the recent Test series against South Africa.Zimbabwe open their campaign against South Africa on July 14, followed by matches against New Zealand on July 18, South Africa again on July 20, and New Zealand on July 24. All the matches of the tri-series will begin at 1300 local time.Zimbabwe squad for tri-series: Sikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Tafadzwa Tsiga

Apart from poor recent form, South Africa also have a slew of injured bowlers to deal with

Firdose Moonda23-Dec-2024South Africa will find a way to “pull together” for the Champions Trophy 2025 after suffering their first ODI whitewash at home and without any more match practice with a full-strength squad ahead of the tournament, according to white-ball coach Rob Walter.After overseeing the 3-0 defeat to Pakistan, Walter has been left with an ODI record of two series wins from six but does not think bilateral form accurately reflects what the team is capable of at major tournaments. “I know they’ll shine through when it comes to these world events, these marquee events. The guys tend to step up. They tend to bring their best cricket,” Walter said at the Wanderers. “We’ve seen that for two World Cups in a row.”In June, South Africa reached the T20 World Cup final with no bilateral series wins from four attempts under Walter and with the entire squad only convening two days before the event started, with players traveling from the IPL. And last November, South Africa reached the ODI World Cup semi-final, with limited ODI game time under their belt. They drew a series against West Indies in March 2023 and then came from 2-0 down to beat Australia 3-2 in September just before the tournament.Related

• Champions Trophy 2025: Dubai to host all India matches, including the knockouts if India qualify

• Ayub hundred condemns SA to maiden home ODI whitewash

This time, they also have fixtures on the eve of the Champions Trophy – a tri-series in Pakistan – but will not be able to have all their first-choice players available as some will be competing in the final stages of the SA20. Walter understands that could pose a challenge.”The reality is the lead up into the Champions Trophy won’t be anything, like the lead up to the World Cup. That’s the reality of the way the schedule is stacked up. But at the end of the day, I’ve just got to trust in the quality of the players,” he said. “Obviously, the switching in codes will potentially pose a little bit of a challenge to us. But again, it’s not like the guys have not played 50-over cricket. So I trust that when the time comes, we’ll be there.”Mindset and sense of occasion aside, South Africa also have personnel questions as they deal with a slew of injured bowlers. Seven of their seamers – Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee, Wiaan Mulder, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams are currently injured – and though all but Burger, who has lower back stress fractures, are expected to return this season, there is no telling how many will make it to the Champions Trophy. The problem is compounded by a niggle to Keshav Maharaj, who missed the recent ODI series after picking up a groin strain ahead of the first game, but could return for the Tests. For Walter, the number of players unavailable also means he was hamstrung in selection, which may ease the criticism of his results.But there is no softener in the batting department, where South Africa have struggled to find someone to fill Quinton de Kock’s role at the top of the order, and collectively underperformed. Heinrich Klaasen was their only batter to score a half-century in the series – and he did it three times – but no-one else scored more than 100 runs across the three matches or got an individual score over 40 which Walter recognised as a concern.”As a batting unit, we’ve spoken about someone taking pride in getting in and getting a big hundred and to be fair, we just haven’t been able to convert anything into really substantial knocks or partnerships in this series,” he said. “It’s not like we’re unaware. Some of it is down to batting error and others down to bowling quality and we also have to acknowledge that.”He appeared to back Tony de Zorzi as Temba Bavuma’s opening partner, though there is also the option of Ryan Rickelton.”If you look at Tony de Zorzi’s knock today (at the Wanderers, where he made 26), he was batting beautifully and then he got a brute of a ball that got him out at the end of the day. How do you assess that and what conversations do you have? I just want him to continue to play like he was playing because he was putting our noses in front up until that point,” Walter said. “These things do happen and ultimately I think it’s important to know that the players themselves want to be better. They want to convert. They want to get big hundreds. It’s not through any lack of want. And again, I have to trust that that conversion will start happening and hopefully sooner rather than later.”Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram’s form at Nos. 3 and 4 could also come under the microscope. Van der Dussen has not scored a half-century in 10 innings while Markram has one 50-plus score in his last 11 completed outings. South Africa’s over-reliance on Klaasen and David Miller (whose wife Camila is expecting their first child in February which could affect his availability) is clear. But Walter, despite whispers of pressure, does not look too perturbed with current results. He understands white-ball cricket has had to juggle selection with the needs of the Test side, who are one win away from securing a place in the World Test Championship final, and then will shift attention to the SA20, which takes precedence over everything else in the South African summer because of the profits it makes.By then, Walter is hopeful there will be enough good memories, vibes and form to carry the ODI side through the Champions Trophy where they are grouped with Afghanistan, Australia and England. “As a Proteas family, we’ll focus on these Test matches and getting ourselves to that World Test Championship final. And then obviously all the lads will pretty much be involved in the SA20, which will be highly competitive cricket, albeit in a different format,” he said. “I’m optimistic that when the time comes, we’ll pull together.”

The PCB is also pushing to permanently move the PSL window into April and May, where it will clash with the IPL

Danyal Rasool17-May-2024The PSL will get two new franchises from 2026, making it an eight-team league. This was officially confirmed in a statement by the PCB on Friday, which called the upcoming season in 2025 – the tenth edition – the “last six-team event”.While this had been likely from the day the PCB and the PSL franchises agreed not to add further teams until after the tenth season, this is the first time the PCB has publicly confirmed the PSL expansion. Multan Sultans’ entry in 2018 has been the only addition to the original five so far. The process for deciding which cities the new teams represent has not begun yet.The year following the tenth season is potentially one of sizeable flux and jeopardy for the PSL, with the ten-year lease ownership agreements the PSL reached with franchise owners expiring in 2025. ESPNcricinfo understands Sultans’ lease is also up for renewal next year, despite them joining the PSL two years after the rest. All six owners have right of first refusal, meaning ownership of a franchise only goes up for sale in the event of a current owner declining to match the franchise’s valuation.What is more contentious, however, is when the PSL will be played from next season onwards. The Champions Trophy will be played in the traditional PSL window in February-March, and with the ILT20 and the SA20 cutting in on PSL territory, the PCB wants a more reliable window. Their current preferred solution is the move the PSL into April and May, carving out a six week window from April 7 to May 20 next year, and clashing directly with the IPL. More contentiously, the PCB aims to make this the PSL’s permanent window rather than an ad hoc solution to a crowded calendar next year.Related

• Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi agree to extend PSL ownership rights for another ten years

• Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars to kick off PSL 2025 on April 11; final on May 18

• PSL draft to take place on January 11

• PSL set for IPL clash as PCB proposes move to April-May window

• ILT20 2025 to begin on January 11, set to clash with BBL and SA20

There is by no means universal agreement for this option. Most of the PSL franchises initially opposed the idea because of the implications it would have on player availability and the inevitability of playing second fiddle to the IPL, and at least three of the six franchises remain firmly opposed to it. A PCB official, though, told ESPNcricinfo they remain confident the franchises will come around to it. It is also worth noting that franchise opposition to the idea cannot necessarily stop it happening; those decisions are made by the PSL governing council. De facto, that means the PCB could decide to play the tournament in any window, with or without the support of the franchises.The PCB has offered to tweak player recruitment rules and open up fiscal space to allow franchises to sign one marquee player independently of the draft to alleviate concerns around player availability. With their current broadcast partnership ending in 2025, the next season could effectively become a test case for the future viability of hosting the league at the same time as the IPL. In addition, the league’s expansion to eight teams would have necessitated a larger window anyway, with the three-month window currently carved out for the IPL providing enough time for a slightly extended PSL.However, this also necessarily means the PSL will effectively only have overseas players available to them who go unselected at the IPL, given the large financial disparity between the two leagues. This, for example, effectively rules out Rashid Khan turning out for the Lahore Qalandars – one of the franchises opposed to the window – for the foreseeable future. Qalandars opted to retain him for PSL 2024 despite knowing he would not be fit to ensure they would be able to keep the Afghanistan legspinner the following year. However, it is likely he would turn out for the IPL if the two leagues clash.ESPNcricinfo also understands the PCB is seriously exploring the possibility of hosting the playoffs and final of PSL 2025 in the UK if this April/May window is finalised. Lahore is unseasonably hot in mid-May – temperatures are currently hovering in the mid-40s. The move to the UK, according to the PCB, does more than mitigate against the weather, though; it also globalises the reach of the PSL. The UK is also believed to be a more cost-effective option than the UAE, which has, in the past, hosted every PSL match that did not take place in Pakistan.

Both teams will picked based on performances during the tournament

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Feb-2020The one-off all-star match that was meant to preface IPL 2020 will now be played after the tournament. The match was originally scheduled to be played three days before the IPL, which begins on March 29, but due to operational reasons it is now set to be played after the tournament which ends on May 24. No date or venue has been finalised yet though.IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed the development, saying the two teams for the game would be picked based on the performances of the players in the tournament. “It will be after the tournament,” Patel, a former India batsman, told ESPNcricnfo. “We will see the performance of the players and on that basis the two teams will be selected.”The all-star match was originally proposed by the Patel and found support from the BCCI. ESPNcricinfo understands at the last IPL Governing Council meeting, held on January 27, it was decided to have a selection committee in place to pick the two teams. That meeting was attended by the BCCI’s top brass including Sourav Ganguly (president), Jay Shah (secretary) and Arun Dhumal (treasurer).In that meeting, the date for the all-star match was tentatively set as March 25 while Mumbai was picked as the venue, considering the tournament opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings was scheduled at the Wankhede stadium on March 29.Subsequently, however, the BCCI realised it did not have much time to get various things in place including the availability of players as well raising a broadcast tender. The IPL begins barely 10 days after the three-match ODI series between India and South Africa, which ends on March 18 in Kolkata.Immediately after the ODIs against South Africa, five Indian players are set to travel to Bangladesh to participate in two T20Is between an Asian XI and a World XI, organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board to commemorate the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding father. The BCCI has not yet announced who will be going, but some prominent India players are part of the list of names approved.One of the officials, who attended the January IPL governing council meeting, said there is ample time now to float the tender and discuss the rights for the all-star match with Star, who hold the broadcast rights for IPL till 2022. It is understood a team lead by Patel was meant to meet up with Star to talk about the tender for the all-star match. That meeting is yet to take place. At the January 27 meeting it was also decided that the proceeds from the match will likely be used for a charitable purpose.

Centuries from Simon Harmer and Tom Westley put Essex in complete command against Surrey at the Kia Oval, where the champions ended day two facing their first defeat of a triumphant season

ECB Reporters Network25-Sep-2018
ScorecardCenturies from Simon Harmer and Tom Westley put Essex in complete command against Surrey at the Kia Oval, where the champions ended day two facing their first defeat of a triumphant season. At stumps, Surrey were 88 for 1 in their second innings – still 322 runs behind – after Harmer, Westley and Adam Wheater, with a punchy 68 from 105 balls, had swept Essex to 441 for 8 declared.Mark Stoneman, dropped on 5 off Matt Quinn by replacement keeper Michael Pepper – who dived across first slip but only succeeded in deflecting the edge into M Vijay’s left knee – moved confidently to 41 not out from 63 balls although Rory Burns gave Jamie Porter a simple return catch on 21 when Surrey’s captain attempted to flip a short ball to leg but got a leading edge instead.Harmer and Wheater added an unbroken 159 in 36 overs in the afternoon session, establishing a new seventh-wicket record for Essex against Surrey and piling on the agony for the runaway Specsavers County Championship winners after Westley’s dismissal in the last over before lunch.Wheater, however, had to retire hurt during the tea interval after failing to shake off a nasty blow to his right thumb, suffered four balls before the interval when former South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel made one rear from a good length on a pitch that otherwise played much better than on the opening day.Harmer then saw Porter and Sam Cook both fall to the persevering Jade Dernbach, who finished with a creditable 4 for 95, before swiping off spinner Amar Virdi for six just over the head of the long-on fielder to reach only his second first-class century. The declaration came soon afterwards, with Harmer unbeaten on 102 from 156 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes – both off the suffering Virdi.Essex, the 2017 champions, were already in charge of the match when starting day two 130 runs in front at 197 for 2, but they continued to build a position of utter dominance after Westley quickly completed the 20th first-class hundred of his career.Resuming on 93, Westley took just 12 balls to go to three figures and went on to 134 before tickling a leg-side ball from Rikki Clarke to keeper Ben Foakes to leave Essex 282 for 6. But the afternoon session belonged to Wheater and Harmer as they crushed any realistic hopes of an unlikely Surrey fightback.Essex, who bowled out Surrey for a mere 67 in early bowler-friendly conditions, lost both Dan Lawrence and Ravi Bopara in the second day’s opening hour. Lawrence was leg-before to Clarke having battled through 77 balls to make 17, and Bopara had scored just 8 when he attempted a paddle-sweep against Virdi – in the last over before the second new ball was taken at 238 for 4 – and was bowled behind his pads.But Westley stood firm, joined in a fifth-wicket stand of 40 by Ryan ten Doeschate before the Essex captain edged Dernbach to gully to go for 27. When he was finally dismissed, Westley had batted for almost six and a half hours, facing 282 balls and hitting 21 fours.Wheater hit eight fours and a six over long-on off Virdi, but was replaced as keeper by substitute Pepper when Surrey batted again. And Essex needed another replacement when seamer Cook could not pass a concussion test – following a blow on his batting helmet during his brief innings, facing Dernbach – and so called up Matt Coles to deputise.

Hampshire captain was dropped from Test side when he believes he was on the brink of a breakthrough

Andrew McGlashan at Lord's29-Jun-2018James Vince was the first player to get the unwanted phonecall from the new national selector Ed Smith earlier this season when he was dropped from the Test side. A double century on the eve of the squad announcement wasn’t enough to save him after a winter which offered flashes of promise but too many flashes outside off stump.Vince remains understandably diplomatic about his omission, which came despite making 76 in the final Test against New Zealand, although he believes he was getting close to a breakthrough performance.”I think I’ve been treated very fairly and been given good opportunities before that,” he said. “I’m averaging 24-25, that doesn’t mean you should be selected for England. I understood it, but at the same time, 70-odd in the last Test then 200 the week before [selection], I felt I was going to get that big one in Test cricket and felt in a good place to do it in the first Test this summer.”On Saturday, the Royal London Cup final, against Kent at Lord’s, offers another chance in the spotlight, albeit in a different format to the one in which he relinquished his position.”I think every game is a big opportunity,” he said. “But, yes, tomorrow, not just for me but for everyone. There are some young guys making really good progress. It’s a chance for them to get noticed and for myself and some of the older guys to show they can do it on the big days.”England are certainly not short on batting options in the white-ball game – the dilemma of how to fit Ben Stokes back in the site is evidence of that – but there could yet be one spot in the World Cup squad up for grabs. Sam Billings, Vince’s opposite number in the final, has been left out of the squad to face India; Billings has had a frustrating time carrying the drinks while being unable to take the occasional chances that have come his way.It could well be that Billings does enough to be at the World Cup – he is a versatile cricketer, and brilliant in the field which is an important aspect – but there is a chance for others to make the selectors ponder too. Vince has scored 504 runs in the Royal London Cup, peaking with a magnificent 171 in the semi-final against Yorkshire, which followed a century against Somerset in the last group match.Vince’s ODI career has been limited to five matches. His debut came in Dublin on the occasion that Peter Moores was sacked in 2015; on a miserable day he didn’t get a bat then a year later made a half-century in his second outing against Sri Lanka. Three more matches followed in Bangladesh, when he filled the spot vacated by the absent Alex Hales, but he missed his chance to press for a permanent place with 53 runs in three innings and hasn’t featured since.”That is a very tough side to get into at the minute, bowling and batting, but the batting especially they are winning games,” Vince said. “All you can do is get yourself as high up the ladder to be the next guy in, whether it’s an injury or loss of form. At the minute there is probably no batter in the country who would expect to be in that side. So it’s a waiting game for the guys playing county cricket.”He is probably a long-shot to make the final World Cup squad because his best position in 50-over cricket would be among the top three, where England are already likely to have a natural reserve once Stokes fits back in, but a hundred in a Lord’s final – even in an era where the fixture carries less weight – would do no harm.

Kent maintained their Royal London Cup qualification hopes after beating Somerset by 28 runs under the DLS method in a rain-ruined floodlit game in Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network29-May-2018
ScorecardKent maintained their Royal London Cup qualification hopes after beating Somerset by 28 runs under the DLS method in a rain-ruined floodlit game in Canterbury. Reduced to 42 overs per side after heavy morning showers, Kent held sway throughout against the injury-hit west country visitors before a further deluge washed out the remaining 26 overs and confirmed Kent’s third successive south group win.”It was a thoroughly professional performance I felt and a refreshing way to win, given our last ball thriller down in Hampshire on Sunday,” Kent coach Matt Walker said. “We area learning and growing as a team and that is really pleasing to see. Players are starting work things out now after our two early losses and we’re looking like a decent side now.”Chasing Somerset’s 221 for 9, Kent made a disastrous start losing leading Royal London Cup scorer Daniel Bell-Drummond for a third-ball duck, caught behind wafting outside off against Lewis Gregory.The hosts regrouped sensible to reach 48 for 1 come the end of the batting Powerplay and had cantered to 88 for 1 through Joe Denly and Heino Kuhn when a sharp shower just before 8pm took the players off with Kent 28 ahead of the required rate.Bowling first after winning the toss, Kent made a flying start through Matt Henry, who was awarded his Kent cap before the game. The Kiwi paceman saw Johannes Myburgh dropped by Alex Blake off a rasping drive in his first over but, after the batsmen cantered a single, struck with his next ball to have left-handed Steve Davies caught at the second attempt by Blake, again at extra cover.In thundery, overcast conditions, the ball swung and nipped around off the seam under the floodlights and Henry struck in his next over by pegging back Myburgh’s off stump after he shouldered arms to an offcutter that moved up the slope.Peter Trego and James Hildreth took Somerset to 41 for 2 at the end of their nine-over batting Powerplay but, three runs on, Darren Stevens struck with his third delivery winning a leg before shout as Hildreth played back and across a shooting offcutter.One-time Somerset allrounder Calum Haggett accounted for former team-mate Trego by snaffling a sharp caught-and-bowled chance off a leading edge and Tom Banton chipped a Stevens slower ball low to Blake diving forward at short midwicket.After reaching 83 for 5 at the innings mid-point, Somerset’s skipper Gregory lofted a Stevens length-ball over the ropes at long-on for the first six of the match as Gregory and Matt Renshaw posted 51- and 53-ball fifties in turn during a stand worth 103. The partnership ended when Haggett had Renshaw caught at short fine leg paddle sweeping and then, four balls later, Roelof van der Merwe was caught at extra cover against Haggett.Gregory’s 61-ball stay for 60 ended when he heaved across one from Mitch Claydon to lose middle stump and Jamie Overton skied to the keeper, Kent’s captain Sam Billings who returned from a 10-match IPL stint with eventual winner’s Chennai Super Kings only 24 hours earlier.”We were pretty poor to be fair,” Gregory said. “It was a good toss to win what with the pitch having been under covers for most of the morning and with more bad weather expected, but we didn’t really adjust to conditions.”We found ourselves a few runs short batting, 221 might have been possible to defend, but we lose momentum and wickets at crucial stages. We were 65 for five at one point and you’re not going to win too many games from that point.”