An innings by Warwickshire’s Sam Hain which cannot have failed to impress watching selector James Whitaker was ended before the close on a rain-shortened day but Hain top-scored with 57 as the visitors replied to Durham’s 314 with 167 for 7

Jon Culley13-Jul-2015
ScorecardChris Rushworth reduced Warwickshire to 12 for 3•Getty Images

Sam Hain cannot have failed to impress watching England selector James Whitaker as he top-scored with 57 on a ground where he struck a century last season. He was the only batsman not out lbw, four of the victims going to Chris Rushworth, who moved one ahead of Middlesex’s James Harris as the leading wicket taker in Division One of the Championship.In difficult conditions that required them to counter a typical Riverside pitch after a delayed start and stoppages for rain that resulted in the 43.3 overs possible being played over five sessions, it is perhaps no surprise that Warwickshire are in a bit of a spot.They lost six of their seven wickets lbw, four of them to the admirable Rushworth as the ball jagged around and sometimes kept low. Rushworth broke the half-century mark for the third successive season. Of those, 23 have been leg before, remarkably, although before anyone suggests his success is all down to the pitches here it should be pointed out that he has taken more wickets (27) away from the Riverside this year than on his home turf.In the circumstances, then, the half century scored by Hain in a 98-run partnership with Tim Ambrose that towered above the wreckage of the rest of the Warwickshire innings is all the more outstanding.Hain is in only his second season as part of the senior squad at Edgbaston but has made such an impact that Warwickshire already feel his absences keenly, particularly now, with several top-order batsmen finding runs hard to come by. A shoulder injury suffered in the field against Worcestershire in May ruled him out for two months and he was badly missed.Still a teenager – at least until this Thursday – Hain is the former Australia Under-19 batsman who pledged his future to England in 2013 and raised exciting possibilities last season by becoming his county’s youngest first-class centurion – taking the record held by Ian Bell — and later the youngest double centurion among four hundreds scored during his debut season.There were two more half-centuries in the first three matches of this season before his injury. On his comeback against Yorkshire last week, when Warwickshire suffered a crushing defeat, his second-innings hundred set him apart as the only batsman able to counter a Yorkshire attack led by a rampant Ryan Sidebottom.Again here, with batting conditions such a challenge, he seemed to have the composure and technical qualities that deserted others. He had the chief England selector, James Whitaker, among those looking on, although Hain’s name remains one solely for the notebook for now. Although he avoided the new requirement for someone of his status to undergo a seven-year qualification term, he does not become eligible still until the winter of 2016-17.As it is, Warwickshire will do well to finish anywhere close to Durham’s 314 and much will depend on Chris Woakes, who reports that both ankle and knee stood up well to his comeback with the ball on Sunday, being able to reproduce the form with the bat that enabled him to make 93 on his guest appearance for Nottinghamshire’s Second XI last week.If day three begins in any way resembling day two he might not add many to his overnight 12. After a delayed noon start, Rushworth struck with his second ball, adding another disappointment to a string of low scores troubling Varun Chopra, the Warwickshire captain, who has been out for 16 or fewer in 13 of his 16 Championship innings. He seemed unimpressed with decision by David Millns, as Paul Collingwood had the day before, although he might have felt less unhappy had it come off the back of a run of fifties and hundreds.It was not long, in any case, before he had Jonathan Webb and Laurie Evans back in the dressing room with him, the two falling to Rushworth in consecutive, similar balls before Hain survived the hat-trick attempt, only just as it happens, his bat coming down just soon enough to flick the ball off his pads and divert it to the long-leg boundary.Ian Westwood became Rushworth’s fourth victim, at which point Warwickshire were 40 for 4. The Sunderland-born seamer’s propensity for lbws is the direct consequence, he said afterwards, of trying to bowl straight, at the stumps, rather than looking for swing.Thereafter, though, he was made to wait for more gains as Hain batted with the precocious maturity that has been the feature of performances since he announced himself last season. With Ambrose encouraging him, as well as keeping the scoreboard moving, he settled to his work and his confidence grew, to the extent that his dismissal on 57 was slightly unexpected. It was not Rushworth this time but John Hastings who found the way, posting Keaton Jennings as a short leg positioned deeper than is conventional, and reaping the reward as Hain turned a ball off his hip cleanly but could not get it past Jennings, who moved sharply to his right to take a fine catch.From Warwickshire’s point of view, the benefits of that partnership were undermined somewhat by the loss of three more wickets for 21. Ambrose departed four balls after Hain, lbw this time to Collingwood, before Rushworth returned to bag another one in Rikki Clarke. Then came the fourth and last stoppage of the day.

Hampshire climbed off the foot of the Division One table and now face a crucial match at Taunton starting on Wednesday

ECB/PA03-Sep-2015
ScorecardJames Vince helped Hampshire rattle of the required runs for victory (file photo)•Getty Images

Hampshire climbed off the foot of the Division One table and now face a crucial match at Taunton starting on Wednesday. A seven-wicket win against Durham at Chester-le-Street left them only five points behind Somerset in the battle to avoid the second relegation spot.Captain James Vince knuckled down to survive a testing start and waited for the right ball to put away in guiding Hampshire to their target of 163 with an unbeaten 76. He was helped by Liam Dawson, who contributed 34 to the unbroken stand of 82 as the last 64 runs came off 6.3 overs.Hampshire might have to seek their third successive win without Fidel Edwards, however, after he retired with a hamstring injury after taking 4 for 43.Rain prevented play before lunch and Durham didn’t hang around when they resumed their second innings on 126 for 6, 88 ahead, adding 74 in 15.3 overs before they were all out for 200.Gareth Berg took two wickets in two balls in the fourth over, having Ryan Pringle caught behind for 13 and John Hastings lbw. Umpire Jeremy Lloyds took several seconds to give the second decision.Left-hander James Weighell hit two fours off Ryan McLaren in reaching 20 before Edwards came on and yorked him with his first ball. The West Indian retired after bowling eight balls, although his exit did allow Ryan Stevenson to claim his maiden first-class wicket. He had Graham Onions caught at point by Jimmy Adams, ending a last-wicket stand of 36 in 28 balls.Chris Rushworth made an unbeaten 33 off 34 balls, hooking and driving Berg for two sixes prior to trying to add to his 85 first-class wickets this season.He had to wait until the 12th over, when Michael Carberry was on 21 and there had been 11 extras, before Adams shouldered arms and was bowled for 3.Rushworth also troubled Vince but the total advanced to 75 before Carberry fell for 39 when he skied a pull off Onions and Michael Richardson ran 25 yards to hold a tumbling catch at square leg. The wicketkeeper then held a regulation catch off Onions to send back Will Smith for 1, but the new-ball pair had bowled 11 overs each by that stage.Onions kept going for two more overs but was clearly flagging in his 13th, and the double change took the pressure off. After conceding only one run in his first two overs, Hastings’ next two cost 19. Weighell opened up with a maiden and was hit for three fours in his second over, one off a thick edge, as Vince passed 50 off 54 balls with 11 boundaries.Weighell wasn’t helped by four overthrows in his next over, which cost nine, and when Rushworth returned Dawson pulled him for six as Durham slumped meekly to their fourth successive home defeat.

Shane Warne has said he is excited to “create history” by bringing his Cricket All-Stars to the USA next month, while also hitting out at criticisms regarding the pricing of tickets and age of players involved in the event

Peter Della Penna08-Oct-20151:53

‘Chappell should see the bigger picture’ – Warne

Bowlers to have five-over quotas

Warne said the Cricket All-Stars matches will follow all normal ICC regulations, with one tweak: “Sachin and I got together and we thought, ‘What could we change to make it better in Twenty20?’ The only thing we thought of is that sometimes that fifth or sixth bowler just gets smashed. If the best bowlers can bowl an extra over… so we came up with four bowlers can bowl five overs.”

Former Australia legspinner Shane Warne has said he is excited to “create history” by bringing his Cricket All-Stars joint venture with Sachin Tendulkar to the USA next month, while also hitting out at criticisms regarding the pricing of tickets and age of players involved in the event.Earlier this week former Australia captain Ian Chappell had been critical of the plans for the event on , a video series on ESPNcricinfo. The tournament will feature two teams of retired players, some as old as 52, playing three exhibition Twenty20s in New York, Los Angeles and Houston. “I’ve always thought that the reason for retiring is that you wanted to stop playing,” Chappell had said. “The other thing I don’t understand is why people want to watch older cricketers.”At the end of his time with the Melbourne Stars, Shane Warne was struggling in the field as you would expect with someone in their 40s. Your back gives you trouble, you can’t bend over as easily, catches that you used to take very easily you can’t get down very far to take them. You start to look like what you are, an old cricketer.”Warne said he was disappointed with Chappell’s comments. “I think it’s a bit harsh for Chaps to say that,” he said. “I would have thought he would have seen the bigger picture about spreading the game of cricket globally, and that actually we’re doing a good thing if we make sure these games are fun and entertaining.””There are a lot of people in America that have never seen some of their idols play. They’ve got their chance for the first time to come to the stadiums and actually see some of their heroes play. I think that’s a very exciting thing. We’re going to be putting on free coaching clinics for schools, all sorts of stuff. I think it’s disappointing that Ian has that view.”When asked about the pricing of tickets – $50-$175 in New York and Houston, with the majority of tickets at $175, and $325 in Los Angeles – Warne said: “They’re [Major League Baseball Divisional Series playoff tickets] $30-$150, we’re $50-$175, so that’s pretty similar there. There’s lots of entertainment at the grounds too. We’ve got some pretty big name DJs coming, got cheerleaders and all sorts of action-packed stuff. I think the ticket prices are reasonable.”Ticketmaster’s online booking system in Houston, though, reveals that less than 1,500 tickets were sold at the 41,574 capacity Minute Maid Stadium in the 36 hours since tickets first went on sale. The majority of those tickets sold were in the $50 and $75 price brackets. Also, there were concerns about fans attending a mid-week event in the daytime in Houston, resulting in the start time changing from 2 pm to 7 pm.The other major concern for organisers in New York City is the weather. Warne acknowledged that is an issue. “The last two years in New York, November the seventh, it was 20C two years ago and there was some snow last year,” he said. “So we’re hoping and keeping our fingers crossed that the long-range forecast looks pretty good.”When asked why the Central Broward Regional Park in Florida, USA’s only ICC-certified cricket-specific stadium, was bypassed, Warne said: “We’ve got iconic players, we’ve got iconic baseball stadiums, we thought it was a fantastic fit. We thought a drop-in pitch in a baseball stadium is a pretty unique thing to do and that’s why we’re sort of making history.”Warne said Simon Taufel and Marais Erasmus will be the standing umpires at the event, and the match referee will be Ranjan Madugalle.

Umar Akmal made 38 to give Pakistan a late boost after a regular fall of wickets, and the target was made to look bigger with the bowlers dismantling the Zimbabwe top order inside five overs

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu29-Sep-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:12

By The Numbers – Six on the trot for Pakistan

The second T20I between Pakistan and Zimbabwe more or less followed the same script as the first. Having chosen to bat, Pakistan scraped to 136 again, and the Zimbabwe batsmen were never on course during the chase. Umar Akmal struck a busy 38 to lend the visitors late boost after a regular fall of wickets, and the target was made to look bigger with the Pakistan bowlers dismantling the Zimbabwe top order inside five overs. The asking rate continued to rise and the hosts eventually fell short by 15 runs.Chamu Chibhabha was given out lbw in the third over of the chase despite the ball pitching outside leg stump, Hamilton Masakadza made room and carved Mohammad Irfan to third man, while some sharp fielding from the tag team of Shahid Afridi and Sohaib Maqsood ran out Craig Ervine. Imad Wasim then struck in his second over when Richmond Mutumbami, scoreless for seven balls, was bowled through the gate. The Pakistan fielders cranked up the intensity, cut down runs and ably backed their bowlers up.Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza offered some resistance with a 60-run partnership, using nudges and bunts while occasionally attempting reverse-sweeps and slogs. Just as Zimbabwe looked to find a higher gear, Raza was dismissed by a canny slower ball from Imran Khan for his maiden international wicket. At that point, the equation read 53 runs from 23 balls.Elton Chigumbura, though, gave Zimbabwe an outside chance when he hit two sixes off Imran over long-off in the 17th over. The first one was palmed over the fence by Ahmed Shehzad, and the second cleared him comfortably. The returning Irfan, coming in for Wahab Riaz, snuffed out Zimbabwe’s slender chance by having Chigumbura caught at long-on for 17 off 8 balls. Williams and Luke Jongwe fought it out but could only reduce the margin of defeat.While Irfan generated typical extra bounce even on a slow pitch, Imran was impressive with his assortment of slower cutters. They finished with combined figures of 8-0-60-4 as Pakistan claimed their third straight T20 series win.The match-winning target was set up by Akmal, who came in at 72 for 4, and boosted Pakistan’s innings. He began with a brace of fours before he launched the first six of the game off the penultimate ball of the innings. Akmal was also adept in finding gaps and Wasim managed a couple of fours as Pakistan took 14 runs off the last over.The start too had been bright before the middle order botched it up. Mohammad Hafeez, the other change in Pakistan’s XI, did not take much time to find his bearings, playing a handsome drive and two pulls.However, Tinashe Panyangara dismissed Shehzad for seven in the fourth over, and two overs later Hafeez was undone by the slowness of the pitch when he tamely chipped Jongwe to short midwicket.The Shoaibs – Malik and Maqsood – threatened to mount a recovery but were foiled by the spinners. Their 30-run stand ended when Malik dragged Graeme Cremer to long-on. Instead of going back to rebuilding mode, Maqsood advanced down the track the following over and played an injudicious shot: skewing one into the lap of backward point. Rizwan and Afridi also failed but Akmal lifted Pakistan, despite good variations from Panyangara and Jongwe at the death.

Mark Footitt, the former Derbyshire left-arm fast bowler, and Liam Dawson, the Hampshire left-arm spinner, have been called up to the England Performance Programme (EPP) in South Africa and Dubai next month

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2015Mark Footitt, the former Derbyshire left-arm fast bowler who recently joined Surrey on a four-year contract, has been called up to the England Performance Programme (EPP) for a ten-day training camp in Potchefstroom next month.Footitt, 29, is considered by many to be the quickest bowler on the county circuit, and trained with England ahead of the Ashes last summer to help the batsmen prepare for the left-arm pace of Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc.He was initially overlooked for this winter’s EPP, even though some pundits suggested he would have been a worthy replacement during England’s Test series in the UAE, after Steven Finn succumbed to a stress injury in his foot.From November 11, he will be working alongside seven other promising English fast bowlers in South Africa – Jake Ball, Craig Miles, Craig and Jamie Overton, Tymal Mills, Olly Stone and Tom Curran, who was himself added to the party last month.Hampshire’s left-arm spinner, Liam Dawson, is another man who will be featuring in the EPP plans this winter, after he was called up to the batting and spin-bowling camp that starts in the UAE at the same time but lasts for two-and-a-half weeks.Dawson, who claimed 29 wickets at 31.93 for Hampshire last season, takes the place of Zafar Ansari, who has failed to recover in time from the thumb injury he sustained while fielding for Surrey against Lancashire.Ansari, whose injury occurred on the same day that he had been called into the Test squad, will continue to be monitored by a specialist, and his participation with the EPP and Lions programmes later this winter will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.From South Africa, Footitt and the rest of the EPP fast bowlers will fly to Dubai to join up with the EPP batting and spin bowling group for a further training opportunity in sub-continent conditions – ahead of the England Lions T20 series against Pakistan A, which gets underway on December 7.Both Footitt and Dawson will first take part in a four-day EPP training camp for all players at the National Cricket Performance Centre (NCPC) in Loughborough next week.”Congratulations to both Liam and Mark on their selection for this winter’s England Performance Programme,” said James Whitaker, the national selector. “The training camps in Dubai and Potchefstroom next month present an ideal opportunity for them to work closely with the EPP lead coaches and experience what it is like to be in an England environment.”This is essential as they continue to develop their all-round games and push for future international recognition.”It is unfortunate that Zafar’s recovery from injury has not progressed at a rate that would allow him to participate fully in the EPP batting and spin camp in the UAE at present. But we will continue to monitor his progress closely and will consider involving him in the later stages of the EPP and Lions programme this winter, once he regains full fitness.”

New Zealand will trial the pink ball and day-night format in the Plunket Shield in February, with plans being formulated to play a floodlit Test match against Bangladesh in December 2016

Daniel Brettig in Adelaide26-Nov-2015New Zealand will trial the pink ball and day-night format in the Plunket Shield in February, with plans being formulated to play a floodlit Test match against Bangladesh in December 2016.The February 20 round of the domestic competition will feature day-night matches played in Auckland, Hamilton and Napier, as a step on the road towards a proposed night Test against Bangladesh. Lindsay Crocker, New Zealand Cricket’s head of cricket, said December was the right time of year for the concept.”We think probably the best one to try it would be Bangladesh in December,” Crocker told stuff.co.nz. “We think November is a little early so that December series could potentially be one. But we haven’t discussed that with them yet.”That [Plunket Shield round] sits quite nicely with three home teams having lit venues. We’ve identified that as a round that, should this [Adelaide] match go successfully and we’re satisfied that we can try it, then we would [go ahead].”The BCB said it hadn’t been approached yet. “They haven’t told us but if it comes up, it will first go to the cricket committee, then we will take a policy decision on the board level,” the chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo.David White, the NZC chief executive, said momentum for the format was growing. “In the debate around the ICC chief executives’ table there has been a lot of interest,” White said. “Everyone acknowledges that outside of England and Australia it’s been a challenge for Test crowds and is certainly a concept that people are very receptive to.”The news arrived as Brendon McCullum’s team prepared for the inaugural day-night Test at Adelaide Oval from Friday, with several other nations already showing an interest in a concept that has been pushed heavily by Cricket Australia in recent times.”People are voting with their feet that they’re encouraged by what the pink ball Test match has to offer,” McCullum said before his team’s floodlit training session on match eve. “For us to play in front of 40,000-odd people in a Test match is pretty amazing and we’re really, really excited about it. Hopefully it goes off brilliantly and there’s no challenges and no problems.”If we have that final session on that fifth day under lights and a result is in the balance then it could be anything for Test cricket. It could be something that is outstanding for the game. We’ll find out once the game’s over but we’re relishing the opportunity to test it out.”

Victoria fast bowler Scott Boland is one step closer to a dream debut in the Boxing Day Test after he was officially added to Australia’s squad

Brydon Coverdale22-Dec-2015Victoria fast bowler Scott Boland is one step closer to a dream debut in the Boxing Day Test after he was officially added to Australia’s squad. Nathan Coulter-Nile, who had been 12th man in the win over West Indies in Hobart, suffered a shoulder injury while playing for the Perth Scorchers in Monday night’s BBL match at the WACA, and has been ruled out of the Boxing Day Test.”The Scorchers medical team confirmed that Nathan dislocated his right shoulder while fielding last night,” Cricket Australia physiotherapist David Beakley said. “Although the extent of the injury and rehabilitation period will not be fully known until we receive the results of scans later today, we can confirm that Nathan will not be available for the Boxing Day Test.”Boland, who was on standby for the Hobart Test but was ultimately not required to join the squad, has now been officially added to the squad for the second Test against West Indies. Although it remains unlikely that Boland will play, if any of Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson or Peter Siddle struggle with their fitness over the next few days he will come into contention.Boland, 26, has collected 13 wickets at 17.07 so far this Sheffield Shield season. He particularly impressed Australia’s selectors during a Shield game against Western Australia in Perth, where he picked up 7 for 31 and bowled with pace, accuracy and movement.

an Bell is to replace Varun Chopra as Warwickshire captain, following his axing from England’s Test squad and his retirement from limiited-overs cricket

George Dobell21-Jan-2016Ian Bell has described his appointment as Warwickshire captain as “the fulfilment of a boyhood dream.”Bell is replacing Varun Chopra, whose form with the bat has declined since taking on the captaincy.But Bell insists his ambitions to win back a place in the England Test team remain undiluted and hopes that the longest break he has enjoyed from the game in more than a decade will spark a revival in his own form.”If I play at my best, I know I’m good enough to get into that England team,” Bell told ESPNcricinfo. “But I know I haven’t played at my best, or scored enough runs, in the last few months.”Warwickshire have asked me to do this job in the understanding that I still want to play Test cricket. I haven’t picked up a bat since the end of the UAE tour – the longest break I’ve had in 12 years at least – and I won’t do so until February 1. I feel fresher than I have for many, many years and I’m hoping we’ll see that time off pay dividends.”Bell is steeped in Warwickshire folklore. Having supported the team as a boy – he was in the crowd at Lord’s when they won the 1993 NatWest Trophy – he then represented the team at every stage of their youth system. As a result, representing them has always been about far more than a means to an end in winning England selection.And while he gained a reputation for diffidence in the England dressing room, he is a giant at county level. In an environment where he has been almost unconditionally valued, respected and supported from the start, he has batted with a confidence and dominance he has shown all too rarely at international level.To see him captain Warwickshire, meanwhile, has been to see a man confident in his ability as batsman and leader, inspired by a love for the team and deeply admired by colleagues and team-mates. He previously led the side to the Clydesdale Bank Trophy in 2010, scoring a century in the final, and has always said it was his ambition to captain the club at some stage. This is a role he will value and embrace. It is not a surprising decision.”The club and Edgbaston have been a huge part of my life since an early age and, in the past, I have made no secret of my desire to captain the Bears,” Bell said. “I am very proud to now be given the opportunity to lead this exciting squad and to challenge for titles in all forms of the game.”My England ambitions haven’t changed. But I’m trying not to think about that. If I do my job for Warwickshire – lead well and score the runs I know I can – England will look after itself.”Bell will know, however, that he may be in territory once occupied by Mark Ramprakash. However many runs he scores, however many games he helps his team to win, England may have moved on. He has been assured that is not the case – he has had face-to-face meetings with Trevor Bayliss and Andrew Strauss – but, now aged 33 and having retired from limited-overs international cricket last year, his chances of a recall are dwindling. Warwickshire, with Bell and Jonathan Trott in the middle order, may just be able to give Yorkshire a fight in the County Championship this year.”That’s the aim,” he says. “We have to ask ‘how do we become like Yorkshire?’ How do we get eight Warwickshire players in the England squad?”I want to help us win trophies, yes, but I also want to create an environment where everyone enjoys playing and is able to give of their best. I want to help Sam Hain become the next top player for England and find the next crop of top England and Warwickshire players.”And, of course, he wants to win back that England place. Despite their success in South Africa, nobody has nailed down Bell’s spot in the batting order and he certainly believes it is still possible.”I haven’t watched a huge amount of it, because I really was trying to have a break from cricket,” he says. “But what they have done in South Africa is magnificent. I’ve played there; I know how hard it is to win.”I’m delighted for them. I have a lot of friends in that side and even if I never represent them again, I’ll always be an England supporter. Being left out doesn’t change that.”But seeing them win just makes me more determined to be part of it.”Ian Bell could be a regular fixture in Warwickshire’s teams throughout the 2016 season•Getty Images

Chopra led Warwickshire to the NatWest Blast T20 trophy in 2014 and second place in both other competitions that season. But his form with the bat appeared to deteriorate with the responsibility of leadership – after recording 1,000 first-class runs in 2011, 2012 and 2013, he failed to do so in his two seasons as captain – and, as a result, his own international aspirations dwindled.His captaincy also gained mixed reviews. While his calm demeanour was a fine quality when his side was under pressure in the field, in limited-overs cricket especially, it was sometimes interpreted as something approaching apathy over the course of a long season. He is not understood to be especially upset by the decision – indeed, he was party to it – though it will increase the possibility that he returns to a club in the London area in the relatively near future.”I was surprised when I was offered the job,” Bell said, “but it sounds as if Varun wasn’t in the best place to continue. If he can concentrate on scoring the runs he has for us in the past, we’ll be in a great position. I consider him a key member of the side.”Warwickshire were fifth in Division One of the County Championship in 2015 – a modest result for a strong squad – and made it to the semi-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast. They finished the season looking oddly weary, however, and with the dressing room less content than it had been for several years.”I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as captain of the Bears and regard our NatWest T20 Blast success in 2014 as one of the best moments of my career,” Chopra said. “Whilst it has been a difficult decision to make, I feel that focusing on my batting is in the best interests of the team and I’m looking forward to fully supporting Ian and hopefully contributing to more success in 2016 and beyond.”There is talk within the club that Dougie Brown, the current director of cricket, could also make way in the relatively near future. There are those, not least some players, who feel that Jim Troughton, the captain when the team won the Championship in 2012, would make a better director of cricket. Brown’s record, however, is impressive – he won a trophy in 2014 – and the club have limited resources to make such a change. He, like Bell, is part of the fabric of the club; it would be a shame if they could not work together.While they announced record profits of £3.7m for the last year (before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) earlier in the week, Warwickshire face a tricky year or two, with lower-profile international fixtures to host and a huge debt to service. They recently cancelled their pre-season tour of Barbados and replaced it with a cheaper tour to Dubai.”The relationship between the captain and the coach is always vital,” Bell continued. “So it’s very important to get that right. Hopefully we can do that.”Being appointed to this job is a dream. It is a role many of my boyhood heroes – people like Dermot Reeve, Neil Smith and Tim Munton – had before me.”But it is only the start. Making a success of it over the next few years is the key thing now. I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

A six-for from fast bowler Mudassar Bukhari toppled UAE for 112 and spearheaded Netherlands’ seven-wicket victory in their World Cricket League match in Abu Dhabi

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2016
ScorecardFile photo: Mudassar Bukhari took 6 for 24, his best figures in List A cricket•ICC/Sportsfile

A six-for from fast bowler Mudassar Bukhari toppled UAE for 112 and spearheaded Netherlands’ seven-wicket victory in their World Cricket League match in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Bukhari dismissed four of the top five batsmen and finished with 6 for 24 from his 10 overs, his best figures in List A cricket. Opening batsman Michael Swart struck an unbeaten 60 off 67 balls with seven fours and two sixes to make sure the chase was complete with 177 balls left unused.Netherlands opted to bowl at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium and had immediate success. Bukhari dismissed UAE captain Muhammad Kaleem off his first ball of the match, bagged Shaiman Anwar for 13 and Swapnil Patil for 2 in his next over. When Mohammad Usman fell for 6, to Bukhari again, the hosts were 38 for 4 in the 10th over. Mohammad Shahzad cobbled together 37 off 78 balls and wicketkeeper Saqlain Haider hung on for 33 off 68 balls, but with eight of their team-mates making single-digit scores, there was very little chance of recovery.

A 60-ball 122 from Babar Hayat carried Hong Kong to the threshold of their 181-run target but Oman managed to stave them off and seal a five-run win on their Asia Cup debut

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Babar Hayat struck nine fours and seven sixes in his 60-ball 122•ICC

A 60-ball 122 from Babar Hayat carried Hong Kong to the threshold of their 181-run target but Oman managed to stave them off and seal a five-run win on their Asia Cup debut. Hayat’s 122 was the fourth-highest score in all T20Is. The innings, which included nine fours and seven sixes, carried Hong Kong almost single-handedly through their chase: the next highest score was Aizaz Khan’s 15.Hong Kong’s situation seemed desperate when Aizaz was sixth out in the 17th over, with 48 needed from the last 21 balls. But Hayat smashed four sixes in the 18th over, bowled by the left-arm spinner Zeeshan Maqsood, to bring the equation down to 18 from 12 balls. But the momentum swung back in Oman’s favour after a tight 19th over in which Bilal Khan conceded only three runs, and Hayat fell in the final over, going for a big hit with 11 needed from the last three balls.There was a controversial moment in the ninth over of Hong Kong’s innings, when Aamir Kaleem spotted Mark Chapman backing up too far and Mankaded him. At that point, Hong Kong were 77 for 3 with Hayat already on 57. The wickets of Nizakat Khan and Tanwir Afzal, coming close on the heels of Chapman’s dismissal, set back their momentum considerably.Having chosen to bat, Oman’s innings got off to a solid start thanks to Jatinder Singh (42 off 35 balls), who added 34 with opening partner Zeeshan and 41 with No. 3 Vaibhav Wategaonkar to move them to a solid 75 for 1 at the 10-over mark. Left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed dismissed both Jatinder and Wategaonkar in the 11th over, but every member of Oman’s middle order chipped in to ensure there was no loss of momentum. Adnan Ilyas (23) and Aamir Kaleem (19) were dismissed in quick succession after putting on 38 for the fourth wicket, before Mehran Khan (28* off 16) and Amir Ali (32* off 13) gave the innings an explosive finish, adding an unbroken 50 runs for the sixth wicket, off just 24 balls.