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Pakistan extended their impressive run in Test cricket since the spot-fixing scandal deprived them of three first-choice players, securing a series win over Sri Lanka on a rare rain-hit day in Sharjah

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran07-Nov-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Rangana Herath dismissed Azhar Ali but couldn’t make any more breakthroughs•AFPPakistan extended their impressive run in Test cricket since the spot-fixing scandal deprived them of three first-choice players, securing a series win over Sri Lanka on a rare rain-hit day in Sharjah. Fittingly, Misbah-ul Haq, the man who took over as captain and provided a backbone to a team that was in disarray last year, remained unbeaten to ensure there were no implosions and confirm the draw.The result extends Sri Lanka’s winless streak to 14 Tests, again highlighting their struggle to come to terms with the loss of Muttiah Muralitharan. They betrayed a lack of killer instinct by batting on the final day of this must-win Test, despite a three-hour rain delay. They were 237 ahead by stumps on the fourth day, a sufficiently large lead in a match where the run-rate had been around two-and-a-half over the first four days, but they weren’t confident enough to declare at the start of play when 67.2 overs remained. Instead of going all out for a victory, they inexplicably batted out four overs before calling an end to their innings.Pakistan needed a high-octane start if they were to make a serious tilt at the target of 255 in 61 overs. Their openers began briskly, with Mohammad Hafeez slashing a couple of fours past point early on. Pakistan were 20 for 0 midway through the fifth over, but their momentum was taken away by a direct hit from substitute Lahiru Thirimanne at midwicket, which caught Hafeez short.Taufeeq Umar and the usually watchful Azhar Ali decided to shut shop, and Pakistan focused on playing out the overs for a draw. With the Sri Lanka spinners getting some turn, Pakistan scratched out six runs in an 11-over spell. Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv kept the batsmen on a leash, and Sri Lanka employed a clutch of close-in fielders as they hunted for quick wickets.Sri Lanka’s strikes came from contrasting deliveries. A ripper from Herath accounted for Azhar, trapped lbw after the ball drifted in before curling sharply away, while Younis Khan was dismissed by a pedestrian length delivery that he punched to the mid-on fielder.Still, Taufeeq firmly resisted and Misbah showed off his defensive mastery once again to drain Sri Lanka’s hopes. Their 15-over blockade nearly put the match to bed, but Sri Lanka perked up when Taufeeq irresponsibly slapped a short Randiv ball to Kumar Sangakkara at point. The spinners persevered and should have had another breakthrough when Asad Shafiq nicked to the keeper but the umpire failed to spot it.It was comfortable for Pakistan in the end, with Shafiq and Misbah stonewalling 16 overs in the fading light. Misbah even shared a light-hearted moment with Sangakkara as the match wound down, jokingly imitating a left-hand batsman. With Pakistan winning their first series over a better-ranked team since they beat India at home in 2005-06, Misbah could well afford to smile.

Graeme Swann has no plans to quit one-day internationals despite his recent comments that the format should be ditched

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2011Graeme Swann has no plans to quit one-day internationals, despite his recent comments that the format should be ditched, but believes the seven-match series England are due to play in India next year is “ridiculous”.Swann came out with strong comments earlier this week saying that international cricket should involve Tests and Twenty20 but didn’t expect much support for his view. However, as a cricketer who is active in all three formats he insists something has to give and in 2012 is due to spend 250 days in hotel beds.”I do think we play way too much of it and the idea of a seven-match series in India next winter is ridiculous,” he told the . “But I won’t hang up my one-day boots because I missed so much cricket for England over the eight years before I got back in that I don’t think I’d forgive myself if I started to pick and choose what I played.”That would turn me into the player I don’t want to be and the sort of bloke I don’t want to be, because I love playing for England so much. I realise I’m incredibly lucky to do what I do and I just have to get on with it. I might not be happy about playing in a seven-match one-day series, but we’ve got to give the best account of ourselves.”Swann admitted there have been times he has not been completely motivated for an international match due to the continuous flow of fixtures. “It annoys me that your mind can be in a place where you’ve got an international game and you’re not itching to play in it,” he said.Swann is currently on a rare lengthy break from the game since being involved on the one-day tour of India during October. He will return to action to face Pakistan in the UAE next month, which is the start of another hectic period of international cricket for England.The UAE trip is followed by two Tests in Sri Lanka starting at the end of March and the home season starts in mid-May. Following the visit of South Africa there is the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka then England tour India for a trip that involves four Tests before the end of the year.

India completed a fantastic year as far as home one-day internationals are concerned with another victory over West Indies in a topsy-turvy ODI to make the series scoreline 4-1

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran11-Dec-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Manoj Tiwary’s maiden ODI hundred set up India’s total of 267•AFPIndia completed a fantastic year as far as home one-day internationals are concerned with another victory over West Indies in a topsy-turvy ODI, on a sweltering day in Chennai, to make the series scoreline 4-1.The focus in dead rubbers is usually on fringe players auditioning for bigger roles, and plenty took centre-stage at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Manoj Tiwary stated his case for a permanent place in an increasingly crowded India middle-order with his maiden one-day century and Kieron Pollard played his finest international innings without managing to complete a herculean task after West Indies’ top order did its familiar house-of-cards impersonation.Those two were the headliners but there were significant contributions from other players scrapping for a place. Andre Russell showed why he should be an automatic pick for West Indies, legspinner Rahul Sharma displayed great accuracy and a cool head in only his second international match and Irfan Pathan caused plenty of excitement with his famous inswingers with the new ball.India were missing their four biggest ODI batting stars but that didn’t prevent their next generation, led by Tiwary and Virat Kohli, from piling on 267 for 6 on a slow-and-low track. Then West Indies’ batting floundered against an attack that featured at most one player who would make India’s first-choice XI.Irfan swung out Lendl Simmons first ball, and added the wicket of Kieran Powell soon after. Abhimanyu Mithun, one of the quick bowlers selected ahead of Irfan for the Test series in Australia, also took two wickets with the new ball. When Denesh Ramdin was adjudged lbw in the 16th over, the game seemed over as West Indies slumped to 78 for 5.Pollard thought otherwise. The slow surface in Chennai is not suited to Pollard’s explosive style of batting but that did not prevent him from stroking some effortless sixes down the ground. The one shot he did put some power behind, in the 16th over, cleared not just the rope but the stands as well, landing on the roof over long-on. There were very few slogs in his entire innings; virtually all of his the sixes were hit with a straight bat.Keeping him company in an attempted revival was Russell, who has already shown his hitting skills several times. He matched Pollard stroke-for-stroke in a boundary-filled stand of 89 runs for the sixth wicket. Caribbean flair may be an old cliché but there was plenty of it in Russell’s batting, highlighted by a flick for six over midwicket off Rahul Sharma. He bustled to his 50 off just 37 balls, outpacing even Pollard, though he did get two reprieves from wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel.It was an athletic bit of fielding that broke the partnership that threatened to take the game away from India. Gautam Gambhir pounced on a Pollard dab towards short third man and scored a direct hit to run out Russell, who carried on running to the pavilion. Sammy failed once again but that still didn’t stop Pollard from believing.He farmed the strike and sprinkled in the odd nonchalant six in what was easily the longest innings of his international career. His wait for a first international hundred seemed set to be extended when he thumped Rahul Sharma to Kohli at long-on when on 99, but Kohli shelled the straightforward chance. With only the final wicket remaining, a rain of boundaries followed from Pollard before one mis-hit ended the game; he holed out to Ajinkya Rahane at long-off to leave West Indies 34 runs short.If that was a special innings from Pollard, there was an important one from Tiwary earlier. It was Tiwary’s first opportunity of the series, and he came in with a charged-up Kemar Roach on a hat-trick, three balls into the match. It was only his sixth game for India in nearly four years, spread across four different series. He had never made a hundred even in domestic one-dayers, and his previous highest score in internationals was 24.He was greeted by a sharp bouncer from Roach, but grew more assured as the innings progressed. A couple of eye-catching off-drives early on eased his nerves, before he started picking off plenty of leg-side boundaries off the spinners. He first steadied the innings through an 83-run stand with Gambhir, whose 31 had a mix of sharp singles and panicky running.That didn’t prove a setback for India though, as Virat Kohli gave another example of his increasing ease at the international level. He worked risk-free singles off seven of his first eight deliveries, and opened up once he got used to the pace and bounce of the track. Kohli and Tiwary put on 43 runs in a five-over spell starting from the 27th over. It was not even the Powerplay and was supposed to be part of the ‘boring’ middle overs with the field spread out.Tiwary had been cramping towards the end of his innings, and retired soon after reaching his century. Kohli became the highest ODI run-getter of the year and marched on towards his fifth one-day century of the year, but spooned a catch to long-off on 80.The final stages of the Indian innings showed how difficult a surface it was to score on. Only three boundaries were hit in the final ten overs, as Sunil Narine proved hard to read, and Anthony Martin and Marlon Samuels didn’t offer any freebies. The damage had already been done though, and despite Pollard’s best efforts, West Indies couldn’t reduce the margin of defeat in the series, which was far more closely contested than the 4-1 scoreline suggests.

When the Sri Lankan team watched the sun set behind Table Mountain two evenings ago, the possibility of winning their first series in South Africa still existed. Nowt they are looking only for a draw.

Firdose Moonda at Newlands04-Jan-2012When the Sri Lankan team watched the sun set behind Table Mountain two evenings ago, the possibility of winning their first series in South Africa still existed. Now, not even halfway into the deciding Test match and their focus has shifted substantially. Instead of their sights set on a massive upset they are looking only for a draw as they aim to share the spoils in this series.Geoff Marsh, Sri Lanka’s coach, admitted their poor first day, in which they conceded 347 runs and took just three wickets, cost the chance of shooting for the stars. “We have to play catch up cricket now,” said Marsh. “But if we manage to avoid the follow-on then that will open the game up a little bit.”Sri Lanka still require 232 runs to avoid the possibility of being asked to bat again at Newlands. With the amount of time left in the game, they will have to put in a supreme stand at the crease to deny South Africa their first series win at home since 2008, something Marsh thinks the hosts are anxious to achieve.When Graeme Smith declared, 40 minutes before tea, the decision was somewhat surprising because South Africa could have pushed the advantage. Marsh said he expected Smith to call time on South Africa’s innings because of the importance of clinching the contest. “They’ve got to win the game to win the series so we thought we would be batting at that time,” said Marsh. “They have to give themselves time to bowl us out twice.”Marsh believes Sri Lanka’s line-up is talented and tough enough to put up adequate resistance. “If we bat well, we are capable of making big scores,” said Marsh. “We’ve got some very good Test cricketers with some very good averages and we would expect what we were doing to back that up.”The back up started with captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, who scored an aggressive 78, before falling in a typical fashion, attempting a big shot over long-on. It is his best effort of the tour and his first half-century in the three Tests. Had he still been at the crease, Sri Lanka would have slept easier. “We’d love to have been one down,” said Marsh but added that the team was grateful for the start Dilshan gave them. “Dilshan plays the way Dilshan plays, that’s why he is so dangerous. It’s always good when Dilshan gets runs because he gets them so quickly. He himself wants to be a bit more consistent. Today he batted beautifully. It’s a pity he got out.”Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are currently at the crease. The pair hold the world-record partnership for any team with their third-wicket stand of 624 against South Africa in Colombo. Although that was achieved in completely different circumstances, it is a performance that Sri Lanka will likely draw some inspiration from.The strip itself may provide the rest of the motivation. From their first day’s toil, Sri Lanka know that taking 20 wickets on a batsmen-friendly pitch will be a challenge for any side. Sri Lanka struggled to make breakthroughs on a pitch that didn’t offer much assistance and a batting line-up determined to attack.More than inexperience, it was the lack of surety that affected Sri Lanka’s bowlers and may be the reason they miss their chance at history. If they do, they can take some consolation in knowing that they have been described as the sub-continental side that has made the biggest strides by South African stalwart Jacques Kallis. “In previous years sub-continent sides have struggled with the bounce in South Africa but they have all improved the way they’ve played the pace and bounce,” he said. “And I think Sri Lanka have improved the most.”When the sun sets on the Test series in three days time, Marsh said his team do not want it to go down with them left wondering about what could have been. “To beat real good sides, you can’t make mistakes but the boys are really keen,” he said. “They don’t want to just play the last Test, win that, and then play badly in this Test.”

Sussex have announced a £124,000 deficit for 2011. The figure was a marginal improvement on the deficit for the previous year.

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2012Sussex have announced a £124,000 loss for 2011. The figure was a marginal improvement on the deficit for the previous year.Chief executive Dave Brooks said the results showed steady progress for the club who have embarked on an £8 million ground improvement project. Operating revenue rose 7% leading to an operational surplus of £12,000, but depreciation brought down the overall figure to a deficit.”We are proud of our achievements over the last three seasons,” Brooks said. “We remain determined to be one of the leading counties in all aspects of our business.”Sussex are coming to the end of the ground redevelopment which has seen the replacement of the much-maligned Gilligan Stand, a revamped pavilion and a new south-west stand. The development was made possible by a £12 million legacy left by former club president Spen Cama, who died in 2001. The new pavilion was named in his honour.”Our timing in investing the vast bulk of the legacy in ground improvements has been fortunate,” Jim May, Sussex chairman, said. “While 2012 may be challenging economically, we look forward to the season with optimism at our lovely redeveloped ground. We are well placed with a settled team on and off the field which has the capability to deliver continued growth and success for the club.”Sussex begin their 2012 season against Surrey at the Oval. They have signed Scott Styris for the Friends Life t20 campaign, which begins on June12 against Kent at Tunbridge Wells.

The South African keeper will mentor a potential replacement on the tour

Firdose Moonda05-Mar-2012Mark Boucher is likely to announce his retirement after South Africa’s tour of England in July this year.”I would like to go England and then start a process of trying to get another keeper involved. I think I’ve still got a lot to offer in that department,” Boucher, who is part of South Africa’s Test squad touring New Zealand, told ESPNcricinfo. “My body is getting a little sore, to be honest. The back is starting to play up a bit. If I can manage myself form-wise and it all goes to plan, then after England I will probably look at my career and my retirement.”Although South Africa have not picked their squad to England yet, Boucher was hopeful of being included, depending on his performances in New Zealand. He has been on three tours to England, and said his experience could merit a fourth visit.”I am pretty well-equipped mentally for what’s going to happen,” he said. “Even the English keepers will tell you that in England you will drop the odd ball. You just have to try and hold on to the catches, because it does move around there a lot.”Boucher has been South Africa’s premier wicketkeeper for 15 years and has only missed three Tests since making his debut in 1997.His first tour to England, in 1998, Boucher said, played an important part in his overall development. “When I first went there, it was a big eye-opener for me in terms of my technique. I thought keeping in South Africa on some occasions was quite difficult but it’s actually a lot harder keeping in England. The second time I went there [in 2003] was actually a lot easier because I wasn’t blind to what I was going to do and it went a lot better for me. Hopefully, third time round I will be able to keep even better.”If selected, Boucher will have to play the dual role of keeper and mentor, as Cricket South Africa – which, for the first time since it introduced contracts in 1998, signed a second wicketkeeper for the 2012-13 season – prepares for life without him.Thami Tsolekile, who took over from Boucher in 2004, has been earmarked as his successor once again, but Andrew Hudson, the convenor of selectors, said Tsolekile was not guaranteed a place in the national side simply by virtue of his contract and that other keepers around the country, such as Heino Kuhn and Dane Vilas, are all eligible for selection.Hudson said Boucher would groom his successor; the process for appointing one is likely to start on the England tour, for which the panel will consider sending two keepers.Although he has not clearly identified a replacement, Boucher has helped monitor the situation at his own franchise, the Cobras, where he has played a part in Vilas’ development.”I’ve been working hard with Dane Vilas. He’s extremely talented,” he said. “He has a couple of things to do as a keeper but he is improving every day and improving fast. As a batter he could fit into any side. He is extremely talented, he is aggressive, which is just perfect for Twenty20, one-day and Test cricket. I’m not saying he is the next guy to take over but he certainly has potential.”For now, Boucher said he is focused on the tour of New Zealand, which could set the tone for South Africa’s next year of travel. Boucher arrived with the remaining members of the Test squad last Thursday, and as one of only four players to have been to New Zealand before, on the 2004 tour, is looking forward to the challenge a second time around.”We haven’t been to New Zealand for a long time and it looks like the conditions have changed a lot from the past. It looks like there might be a bit of assistance for our bowlers. New Zealand are very similar to us in the way that they walk around, they are very confident, bordering on arrogant, which is a good thing. It will be a good contest.”

Albie Morkel ransacked 28 runs off the first six balls he faced – the 19th over – to pull off an incredible heist for Chennai Super Kings, the second highest successful chase in the IPL

The Report by Firdose Moonda12-Apr-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Faf du Plessis built the platform from which Albie Morkel launched his match-winning assault•AFPAlbie Morkel ransacked 28 runs off the first six balls he faced – the 19th over – to pull off an incredible heist for Chennai Super Kings, the second highest successful chase in the IPL. Pursuing 206, Super Kings needed 43 off 12 balls and Royal Challengers Bangalore would have thought the match safe, only for Morkel to shatter the notion by savaging Virat Kohli’s over.Morkel launched three sixes, two fours and ran a two, to leave Super Kings with 15 to get in the last over. Although he was caught on the boundary, and Super Kings needed 14 off four balls, Dwayne Bravo was on hand to finish it off, helped by a no-ball and a full toss from Vinay Kumar. It was a compelling finish to an innings that had its platform laid by aggression from Faf du Plessis and innovation from MS Dhoni, who promoted himself to No. 4, but until that rocket-fueled thrust from Morkel, Super Kings had been behind for 38 overs.In hindsight Royal Challengers were left to rue a late collapse in their innings, when five wickets fell in six balls and they scored only 11 runs off the final ten deliveries. Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli had done enough to ensure they were the first side to make more than 200 in this IPL, but they were set for more than 205 at one stage.While Royal Challengers swelled in the middle of their innings, scoring 21 off the ninth over, Super Kings waited for the end to lash out after a solid start. Du Plessis took control of the innings early on and scored risk-free boundaries off short balls. He dominated the first seven overs, while M Vijay batted in his shadow.Vijay became the first of Muttiah Muralitharan’s three scalps when he offered the Sri Lankan a return catch. Murali had to dive to his right and defy his age to complete it and he did. Murali broke the next two partnerships as well to prevent Super Kings from gaining too much ground. Suresh Raina and du Plessis both holed out as they fought a climbing asking rate.With more than 15 an over required off the last five, Super Kings needed a sustained attack. It did not come. Dhoni perished in the cause, attempting the helicopter shot to be caught at long-off, which proved a blessing in disguise as it brought Morkel to the crease.Kohli was given the responsibility of the 19th over because Vettori had exhausted the quotas of his experienced bowlers and Gayle was off the field with what seemed to be a groin niggle. Morkel got underway with an inside edge for four and then blasted the next delivery over long-on for six. An outside edge off the third ball flew towards third man for four and Morkel clobbered the fourth and sixth deliveries for six as well.When Morkel was dismissed, the advantage was back with a shell-shocked Royal Challengers but Vinay Kumar let it slip again. He bowled a high no-ball that Bravo pulled for four and the next delivery was a full toss, which got slapped for six. Vinay Kumar followed up with two boundary-less balls leaving Super Kings with two to win off the last ball. Ravindra Jadeja swung hard at the final delivery and outside-edged to the third-man boundary, sparking off delirious celebrations in the Super Kings dugout. Royal Challengers explosive efforts with the bat were a distant memory.During Royal Challengers’ innings, Mayank Agarwal had performed a similar role to Du Plessis, attacking at the start. He initially eclipsed Gayle, peppering the off side with powerful shots, lofting the ball over mid-off and timing it sweetly through covers. Agarwal ushered Royal Challengers to the first half-century score inside five overs this season.Unlike du Plessis, however, Agarwal did not build on his platform and top-edged a slower bouncer from Morkel to mid-on. He had done enough though for Gayle and Kohli to build a skyscraper on. Both scored half-centuries in contrasting styles. Gayle gathered runs with power while Kohli did it with placement and timing. Their partnership grew to the highest of this IPL but neither of them survived until the end of the innings, from where they may have been able to launch the kind of onslaught Morkel did, and break the game.

ESPNcricinfo previews the Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the fifth IPL season

Kanishkaa Balachandran02-Apr-2012Big pictureIf one had to fix the ‘chokers’ tag to an IPL team, it would have to be on Royal Challengers Bangalore. They’ve reached two IPL finals and a Champions League final, finishing runners-up in all three. Faltering at the biggest stage has become a habit for a team very capable of winning titles consistently. They’ve got balance, big hitters, stars and a penetrative bowling attack. The squad also has a mixture of youth and experience.The team has come a long way from the ‘Test team’ of 2008. Chris Gayle leads a power-packed top order, followed by Tillakaratne Dilshan, AB de Villiers and India’s latest sensation, Virat Kohli. Gayle was retained this year for an official amount of US$550,000, while the two big purchases were Vinay Kumar (US$1 million) and Muttiah Muralitharan (US$ 220,000). Andrew McDonald, the Victoria allrounder, was bought from Delhi Daredevils during the transfer window. Zaheer Khan, if fit, will be a valuable asset to the bowling.Royal Challengers began with a win last year but lost the next three. The fifth was abandoned, but they made the next seven games their own. In one of those games, against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Gayle smashed 37 off one over, the hapless bowler being Prasanth Parameswaran. Gayle made Bangalore the team to watch, and it was his hitting that led them to the top of the points table. However, they lost the first qualifying final, meaning they had to win their second qualifier against Mumbai Indians to meet Chennai again in the final. In the end, they were no match for Chennai, who batted them out of the game and dismissed Gayle for a duck.Key playersChris Gayle – The ‘hired gun’ from West Indies, probably most sought-after Twenty20 player, has committed himself to the full season. He has been busy, though, sorting out his differences with the WICB. He’s expected to be fit from the groin niggle that he had sustained during the Bangladesh Premier League.Virat Kohli – No target is beyond reach for Kohli, who’s proving to be a sensation during chases. He is clearly the best thing to come out of the rubble of Australia 2011-12. He’s in the form of his life, emerging as one of the most dangerous limited-overs batsmen in the world in the last year and a half. Along with Gayle, Kohli would form a destructive pair.Big names inVinay Kumar – The India fast bowler was bought back by his native Bangalore for a million dollars, one of the biggest buys at the auction. He became a changed bowler during the limited-over games in Australia, running in hard and cranking up his pace. Kumar needs to work more on his death bowling though.Muttiah Muralitharan – Like Gayle, the former Sri Lanka offspinner is another Twenty20 player available for hire the world over. He was bought for US$220,000 from the defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala. Captain Daniel Vettori couldn’t have asked for a better spin partner.Below the radarVijay Zol – The 17-year-old smashed a remarkable unbeaten 451 for Maharashtra Under-19s against Assam Under-19s in Nasik last year. His knock even caught Virender Sehwag’s attention. He has since played only one match for the Maharashtra senior side, but his lack of experience at the highest level didn’t stop Bangalore from signing up an unknown.KP Appanna – The left-arm spinner could be Bangalore’s first-choice spinner if Murali doesn’t play. He was Karnataka’s leading wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 tournament with ten wickets.AvailabilityDilshan is expected to miss the opening game, due to the second Test between Sri Lanka and England. The rest of the squad is free from international commitments.

Arul Suppiah and James Hildreth scored hundreds as Somerset made the home bowlers toil on day one

David Lloyd at The Oval16-May-2012
ScorecardLook away Mark Ramprakash – Arul Suppiah was one of two Somerset batsmen to reach triple figures at The Oval•PA PhotosIt would probably be best not to raise the subject with Mark Ramprakash but even someone low on form and down on confidence would have fancied his chances of making good runs on this benign pitch. As for Somerset, they do not have too many top-order strugglers right now and most of their batsmen who made it to the middle on Wednesday duly tucked in.It is impossible not to feel some sympathy for Ramprakash, who has been dropped by Surrey after managing just 62 runs in eight Championship knocks. Almost all those innings were played in extremely challenging conditions and yet the surface produced for this match looked, and has so far played, like the answer to an anxious batsman’s prayers.Time will tell whether Ramprakash’s colleagues make hay with as much ease as Somerset have done to date. But they will need to get their heads down because the men from the West Country, led by hundreds from Arul Suppiah and James Hildreth, are on course for a formidable total – even though run machine Nick Compton stalled when in sight of his fourth century of the first-class season.Nothing looked more certain than three figures for Compton. He reached 83 with scarcely a false shot and then pushed forward, having put in a decent stride, at medium-pacer Zander de Bruyn as tea beckoned. There were two noises, or so it sounded, but umpire Trevor Jesty was confident that pad came first and raised the finger.Shock or what? Compton’s average has ‘tumbled’ to 117 but he still has perhaps four more innings to move from 819 runs to 1,000 and become the first batsman since Graeme Hick in 1988 to reach that grand mark before the end of May.Somerset, though, are anything but a one-batsman team. They may be missing Marcus Trescothick at the top of the order (and are so depleted generally by injuries that 18-year-old identical twins Craig and Jamie Overton are both playing here) but most of the senior men have found some form this campaign.They found a bit more today, helped it must be said by not only a sound surface but also a Surrey bowling attack – missing both Jade Dernbach and Tim Linley because of the county’s rotation policy – that lacked discipline in terms of line and length.Suppiah and Hildreth succeeded where Compton, unusually, failed by scoring centuries that were, in both cases, highly entertaining and expertly compiled. And yet it was the 20-year-old opener Alex Barrow who set the tone early on with a rapid, boundary-filled innings of 47.Barrow drove merrily until Stuart Meaker adjusted his length to have the youngster caught at gully. But even at that stage Surrey’s decision to play Chris Jordan and George Edwards ahead of Dernbach and Linley seemed flawed – and so it proved.Suppiah and Compton enjoyed a double-century partnership against Notts last month and looked for all the world as though they would repeat the feat here. Other than when Compton called his partner for a particularly sharp single that required Suppiah to dive full length for safety, nothing appeared to trouble them a great deal.Compton, as is his way these days, gave the bowlers zero encouragement while Suppiah – having initially played second fiddle to Barrow – went through the gears with alacrity to gather boundaries all around the wicket. Not every shot from the opener was out of middle, for sure, but it was entertaining to watch and he thoroughly deserved his hundred.Suppiah did not get many more, mind, after raising the bat. He was run out for 106 after being sent back, rightly it seemed, by Compton as Surrey ended the second wicket stand on 143 through a good stop and throw from Tom Maynard. Compton’s exit was an even bigger bonus for the hosts but they had to wait until just before the close – and another lbw verdict that went in de Bruyn’s favour – to get rid of Hildreth.Somerset’s acting captain played beautifully throughout. His touch and timing were almost faultless and even the stroke he eased over midwicket, off Jon Lewis, seemed effortless. Add 16 fours to that one six and it was no wonder Surrey were mightily relieved to see the back of Hildreth, but there is still power for the visitors to add to the first-day punishment.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second ODI at The Oval

The Preview by Alex Winter30-Jun-2012Match FactsSunday, July 1, 2012
Start time 1045 (0945 GMT)The Big PictureVictory at Lord’s was extremely important for England. Many would have cast off their improved ODI fortunes as nothing much having beaten Pakistan at the end of a tour in which the opposition had already got the job done in the main series – Pakistan swept the Tests 3-0 – and then against West Indies, who were always going to struggle in bowler-friendly conditions.The win in the first ODI was against top class opposition – Australia are the World’s No. 1 ODI team – who were fresh, prepared and motivated for the series. More wins against these type of teams will make people look more favourably on England’s chances for the 2015 World Cup – which is what this series in particular is geared towards. Another England victory would also have them dreaming of claiming the No. 1 spot from Australia, which a 5-0 whitewash would achieve.The only issue for the hosts is whether James Anderson is fit to play. Surrey’s fast man Stuart Meaker has been called up as cover. Anderson was rested when fit for the Edgbaston Test so any sign of injury will surely see him whisked out of the side.For the tourists, they didn’t do too much wrong at Lord’s but where their problems could lie is in the middle order. David Hussey looked troubled by the pace of Steve Finn – pace which will be accelerated by a hard Oval pitch – Steve Smith is yet to convince at No. 6 and Matthew Wade is perhaps batting too low for his talent and could often be coming in under pressure with the two players above him struggling to contribute.Form guideEngland WWWWW
Australia LWLTLPlayers to watchConsistently above 90mph at Lord’s Steve Finn will have a firmer deck to get through at The Oval which will help him even more. He has been England best bowler in the last few ODI series and is England’s answer to the young quicks that Australia are bringing through. Finn has the firepower to take out Australia’s big hitters and is key to providing a sharp edge to England’s attack.A harder, flatter pitch might help the quicker bowlers but it will also provide a perfect platform for David Warner. He hits the ball so hard and has a marvellous ability to hit cleanly through the line and use the pace of the ball to cut, again with immense power. He will enjoy The Oval.Team newsEngland (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ravi Bopara, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Craig Kieswetter, 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson/Stuart Meaker, 11 Steve Finn.Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 David Warner, 3 George Bailey, 4 Michael Clarke, 5 David Hussey, 6 Steven Smith, 7 Matthew Wade, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Clint McKay, 10 Pat Cummins, 11 Xavier Doherty.Pitch and conditionsThe weather at Lord’s was nearly the Australian’s 12th man, with the ball zipping around at the start of England’s innings. No such advantages should be experienced at The Oval with the forecast fine with period of sunshine expected. The wicket looks brown and hard and should be quicker than Lord’s.Quotes”It’s nice as a captain when you can keep pulling on bowlers of that quality, take one off and another one keeps following up, and keeps the pressure on. That’s the idea anyway. We’re being really harsh on ourselves, I don’t think it was a perfect performance in the field or close to it, so that was encouraging.”
“We weren’t outplayed at all yesterday, I just think that we lost our wickets in clumps, the Powerplay cost us and that little back part of the innings where they got 40-50 runs from the last few overs, they’re the crucial moments that win it or lose it for you. We’ve got to fix those things up and then I reckon we’re in good stead for the next four games.”