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In the interests of their title challenge, the last thing Yorkshire want is to have the England selectors asking too many questions about Adam Lyth

Jon Culley at North Marine Road19-Jul-2014
ScorecardAdam Lyth’s stellar Championship could gain the selectors’ interest•Getty ImagesIn the interests of their title challenge, the last thing Yorkshire want is to have the England selectors asking too many questions about Adam Lyth but it may be difficult to keep them off the scent given his consistent excellence this season.Five first-class hundreds, four in the Championship; 1,134 first-class runs, 1,004 in the Championship (the first to do so in Division One): the numbers are impressive, as is the way in which he is making them, with an enhanced sense of care and responsibility.Already deprived of three players – Joe Root, Gary Ballance and Liam Plunkett – even with Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan out of favour, you would imagine Andrew Gale might want to play down the credentials of another but the Yorkshire captain is inclined to do the opposite. After Lyth’s 230 against Northamptonshire at the beginning of June, he boldly claimed that “compared with all the Yorkshire lads who have played for England recently, he has the most ability.”The selectors do not appear yet to be quite so keen. Since his 1,500 runs in the 2010 season earned him a trip to the Caribbean with an England Lions side managed by the recently appointed England selector Mick Newell he has not had a look-on. This is his best year subsequently – it may turn out even better – and there is no doubt he has moved to a different level.He has scored 50 runs or more in more than half of his 17 Championship innings so far, the consistent theme of which has been his willingness, when the situation demands it, to be a patient accumulator. He remains a lovely batsman to watch, particularly when driving on the off, but he has become much more willing to bide his time, less inclined to follow his attacking instincts and nick off early. He has worked hard to eliminate vulnerabilities in his game and it is paying off handsomely.As Yorkshire transferred operations to Scarborough, just along the coast from Lyth’s home town of Whitby, he demonstrated again that he has acquired an ability to stick around even in difficult conditions, making a grafted 117 that acquired even more value as Middlesex fought back late in the day.Lyth has half an eye on Cook’s form

Adam Lyth insisted his mind was fixed on scoring runs for Yorkshire rather than any impression he might have made on the England selectors with his form this season but acknowledged after making his hundred at Scarborough that there is one England opener not in the best of nick.

He believes, too, that he is a much better batsman than he was in 2010, when 1,500 runs in the domestic season earned him a winter with England Lions.

“It is not really in the back of my mind but obviously Alastair Cook is struggling for a bit of form,” Lyth said. “But all I can do is keep scoring runs. If I did get the call then obviously I’d be pleased. I will try to keep scoring runs for Yorkshire, helping us to win games and if the call came I’d be over the moon.

“I feel this is the best I am hitting the ball in my career so far. My technique is a lot better than it was in 2010 and I’m very pleased with the way it is going.

“I’m leaving the ball a hell of a lot better than the last couple of years. I’ve not really chased much outside off stump, although I did chase one on 99 to get to a hundred and had a bit of luck but I deserved that, I think.”

There were a few streaky moments, although nothing that constituted a chance until he had made 75, when he skewed a ball from Toby Roland-Jones that Eoin Morgan should have taken at gully. Lyth took in his moment of good fortune but then stomped away on to the adjoining pitch, swishing his bat angrily. He values his wicket highly now. He completed his hundred, too, with not his best shot, edging a ball from Steven Finn to the third man boundary for four.There was plenty in this pitch, which had bounce and carry and a good covering of grass and the atmosphere remained humid after overnight rain. Had Middlesex bowled a little fuller in the morning session, the day might have unfolded differently.As it was, their only success before lunch came when Roland-Jones produced a fine ball to remove Alex Lees, one that was pitched up and moved away late to take the edge as the batsman tried to defend.Rain hastened an early interval, after which Finn, unlucky against Lees earlier, gained his reward when Kane Williamson, back with Yorkshire to resume in Aaron Finch’s place as overseas player, was bowled by one that swung back.It was after a second, longer stoppage in the afternoon, setting up a final session that would have extended to almost 45 overs but for bad light, that Middlesex began to gain rewards for deciding to bowl first, encouraging them to think that, notwithstanding Lyth’s runs, they had done rather well.Finn claimed a second success – his 42nd of the season – when Gale cut straight to Rogers at point for 30, then 20-year-old Tom Helm, preferred to James Harris as fourth seamer with the latter going back to Glamorgan on loan, ended a torrid 42-ball innings from Bairstow by bowling the deposed England wicketkeeper for 5.With the ball doing plenty and batsmen perhaps struggling in the fading light, Roland-Jones bowled Jack Leaning with another full length ball before Helm made one bounce to end Lyth’s wonderful knock – his first Championship hundred on the ground of his cricket upbringing – via a catch off the shoulder of the bat, taken at second slip.

The PCB has expressed concern over allegations of fixing raised in the media with regard to the recently concluded West Indies-Pakistan ODI series

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2013The PCB has expressed concern over allegations of fixing raised in the media with regard to the recently concluded West Indies-Pakistan ODI series. A Pakistan board official told ESPNcricinfo on Sunday that the PCB is in touch with the ICC about the matter as it falls under the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit’s purview.The , which raised the allegations, reported that the series was set to be investigated over claims of wrongdoing. Pakistan had won the five-match series in the Caribbean, which concluded on July 24, by a 3-1 margin. The third game of the series was a tie.”The PCB is obviously extremely concerned at the recent allegations of fixing reported in the media with regard to recently concluded ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies,” the official said. “The PCB maintains zero tolerance towards corruption in the game but investigations in this matter falls within the purview of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. The PCB is in contact with the ICC on this issue and understands that the ICC will be issuing a media release soon.”The PCB, at the moment, is examining all legal aspects but for the time being will not be making any further comments”.The Twenty20-leg of the tour is currently underway. Pakistan won the first of two T20s on Saturday, and the second and final game will be played later on Sunday in St Vincent.

Mountaineers registered a convincing 55-run win over Mid West Rhinos in the Logan Cup match at Kwekwe Sports Club

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMountaineers registered a convincing 55-run win over Mid West Rhinos in the Logan Cup match at Kwekwe Sports Club.Although Mountaineers dominated the first innings of the match, taking a 69-run first-innings lead, Rhinos did have a chance to make a comeback. A five-wicket haul by Graeme Cremer in the second innings helped Rhinos restrict Mountaineers to 216 – that meant a target of 285, with nearly two days of play left in the game.Rhinos, however, lost their way after a 48-run opening partnership between Vusi Sibanda and Jaik Mickleburgh was broken by fast bowler Shingi Masakadza – he had Sibanda bowled. By the time Mickleburgh was dismissed for 43, Mountaineers’ bowlers had made significant inroads, reducing the Rhinos to 101 for 5.A sixth-wicket partnership of 57 runs between Cremer and Mluleki Nkala gave Rhinos some hope, but once Cremer was dismissed for 29, Nkala ran out of partners and Rhinos folded for 230.

New Zealand Women began their World T20 campaign with an easy seven-wicket win after a late collapse restricted Sri Lanka Women to 110 for 8 in Delhi

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsNew Zealand Women began their World T20 campaign with an easy seven-wicket win after a late collapse restricted Sri Lanka Women to 110 for 8 in Delhi.Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat, and their opening pair of Chamari Atapattu and Yasoda Mendis stitched together a 39-run partnership. Mendis and Dilani Manodara built on that base, taking Sri Lanka to a promising position of 82 for 1 by the 13th over. The loss of Mendis to Amy Satterthwaite, however, sparked off a slide that undid the work of the top order.Manodara fell in the 15th over, after top-scoring with a 31-ball 37, and her wicket meant that the impetus Sri Lanka needed in the final leg of the innings did not materialize. They scraped a mere 23 runs off their last six overs for the loss of six wickets. Offspinner Leigh Kasperek took 2 for 19 but Sri Lanka also lost as many as three batsmen – including Manodara and captain Shashikala Siriwardene – to run-outs.New Zealand’s chase of 111 was clinical, despite a minor blip when they lost three wickets in as many overs. The openers, Suzie Bates and Rachel Priest, gave them early control adding 64 in the first 10 overs. Sara McGlashan and Satterthwaite then struck a flurry of boundaries to take New Zealand home with 25 balls to spare.

Craig Meschede took his wicket tally in this season’s YB40 to 20 as Somerset retained the Group C leadership with a five-wicket against Leicestershire

16-Jun-2013
ScorecardCraig Meschede took his wicket tally in this season’s Yorkshire Bank 40 to 20 as Somerset retained the Group C leadership with a five-wicket victory over Leicestershire at Taunton.The 21-year-old all-rounder confirmed his position as the leading wicket-taker in the competition by claiming 4 for 5 from his five overs as the visitors were restricted to 124 all out after losing the toss in a match reduced to 25 overs per side by rain.Alfonso Thomas returned 3 for 30 on his return after a hamstring injury, while Michael Thornely played a lone hand with 49 not out.Somerset made hard work of their target, stuttering to 127 for 5 off 21.3 overs, Craig Kieswetter leading the way with 50 and Marcus Trescothick making 28. Nathan Buck was the pick of the visiting attack with 3 for 25. Leicestershire were never able to gain sufficient momentum after crashing to 49 for 7 by the 13th over.Steve Kirby and Thomas created pressure with tight opening overs, Thomas removing openers Niall O’Brien and Josh Cobb, the latter having gone into the game with an average of 104 in the competition this season.Meschede had Greg Smith caught at midwicket with his sharp medium-pace and then switched to the Old Pavilion End to rip the heart out of the middle order by sending back Joe Burns, followed by Shiv Thakor and Rob Taylor with successive balls.The only resistance came from Thornely, with a little support from Anthony Ireland, who contributed 27 to a ninth-wicket stand of 44.Somerset lost Peter Trego, the competition’s leading run-maker, to Ireland early in their reply, but had moved to 60 in the ninth over when Marcus Trescothick was bowled by a length ball from left-arm seamer Taylor for 28.Kieswetter, in his first innings since recovering from a thumb injury, looked in good form at No. 3. But he had started walking off when dropped on 32 by Matthew Boyce at deep midwicket off Thakor. He went on to his half-century off 41 balls, with six fours and a six and had put Somerset within 29 of victory when caught behind, edging a cross-batted shot off Buck.Dean Elgar and James Hildreth also perished to Buck to give Leicestershire a glimmer of hope. But Nick Compton and Alex Barrow batted cautiously to complete the job with plenty in hand, Compton securing victory with a six off Taylor.

Sian Ruck, the New Zealand women pacer, has signed up with Northern Districts from Wellington for the upcoming domestic season

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jun-2014Sian Ruck, the New Zealand Womens pacer, has moved to Northern Districts from Wellington for the upcoming domestic season.Ruck, who was one of four New Zealand women players to be handed professional contracts by New Zealand Cricket last year, said she was looking for a fresh start after a poor season with Wellington where she picked up just three wickets from nine innings. She also said she was enthused by the prospect of playing under the new coach Mark Coles and coaching mentor Cliff Dickeson.”It has not been an easy decision to leave Wellington as it’s my home and I identify myself as a Wellingtonian,” Ruck said. “But after a disappointing 2013-14 domestic season, I believe a fresh start and a new environment is the best way forward for me. I want to enjoy my cricket and to work my way back into the White Ferns.”Having the opportunity to work with Mark and Cliff again is very exciting. I’m also looking forward to playing alongside leaders such as Nicola Browne, Morna Nielsen, and Natalie Dodd. I am also pleased that I will get the chance to work with some of the young up and coming talent in the region.”Ruck’s signing was welcomed by Coles, who believed that her experience would benefit the rest of the squad.”I’m thrilled to have someone of Sian’s caliber as part of our team this year,” he said. “She brings strong bowling skills to the group but she also has leadership qualities that I think will add so much value. This is a new season for us with lots of change coming, and for the better.”Ruck has played 27 ODIs for New Zealand Women, taking 24 wickets at an average of 32.75. In T20s, she has 40 international wickets in 37 matches at an average of 17.20.

After a halting first experience of combat against Australia, Ravi Bopara is adamant he can return to Test cricket for England, and has the tale of his Sydney Sixers team-mate Steven Smith as a source of encouragement to do so.

Daniel Brettig20-Dec-2013If Steven Smith can do it, then why not Ravi Bopara? After a halting first experience of combat against Australia, Bopara is adamant he can return to Test cricket for England, and has the tale of his Sydney Sixers team-mate Smith as a source of encouragement to do so.Like Smith, Bopara stumbled on first contact with Ashes pressure, losing his place in the England top six to Jonathan Trott , after the first four Tests of the 2009 series reaped a mere 115 runs at 15. He has played only three times since, but Bopara yearns for another chance to prove he has learned much in the meantime. Still only 28, England’s batting stumbles in Australia may yet offer him a chance to emulate Smith’s century in Perth.”I’d love another crack at Test cricket, I’ve got a lot to offer still,” Bopara told ESPNcricinfo ahead of the Sixers’ first match, against the Sydney Thunder on Saturday. “I’d love another chance, and I think I have learned. I’ve become a stronger person, a better player, and I think my results of the recent past are showing that as well.”I’m 28 years old, I think I’ve got another seven, eight years in the game, hopefully I can stay fit, maybe even more. I’m not an allrounder where I need my bowling to get me into a team, I can do that with my batting alone, and you’ve seen batters go on to 39 or 40 these days, so there’s no reason I can’t do that.”A batsman of considerable talent but also a very useful change bowler, Bopara offers a few options to England’s hierarchy should they judge him to have made the necessary strides. Having batted at No. 3 in 2009, his more recent Test appearances have been at No. 6, but the likely long-term absence of Trott may open up another place in the middle order.As Australia were completing their 3-0 Ashes thumping of the tourists, Ravi Bopara was shaking off jetlag while settling into his Sydney base for the Big Bash League. As a key member of England’s limited-overs squads, he will play four matches with the Sixers before returning to the banner of the Three Lions ahead of matches against Australia, West Indies and the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.”I’m not entirely using this as a way to get acclimatised, this is a very important competition, not only to the club but to myself as well,” Bopara said. “I’d love to come and do well, and hopefully have a future in the BBL as well, it’s not just about these four games … it would be a lovely place to keep coming back to play.”Observing how the hosts had so vastly improved their performances to not only beat England but pulverise them, Bopara said he had felt something of a momentum shift during the ODIs that followed the Ashes. England had beaten Australia comfortably in a Champions Trophy encounter earlier in the summer, but in the autumn fixtures Mitchell Johnson’s pace and the aggression of the Australian batsmen had already begun to have an impact.”I definitely see a bit of a difference in the Australian team … I can only judge them on the one-day format and they beat us in that after the series in England so they were playing well,” he said. “When I played against them I thought ‘This is tough, hard cricket’, and it was always going to be tough to beat Australia out here in their own conditions. I’m shocked by the scoreline, but I’m not shocked that it was going to be difficult.”I know it’s 3-0 in the Test series but I wouldn’t be too doom and gloom about what’s happening on this tour, there’s a lot of cricket to be played over the next year or so, I’m pretty sure England will be back to winning ways soon – it won’t be too long.”

Chris Nash led the way with 108 as Sussex beat champions Durham by six wickets to secure third place and £87,000 prize money in the LV= County Championship

27-Sep-2013
ScorecardChris Nash rounded off his, and Sussex’s, season in style•Getty ImagesChris Nash led the way with 108 as Sussex beat champions Durham by six wickets to secure third place and £87,000 prize money in the LV= County Championship.Nash and opening partner Luke Wells laid the foundations for victory with a stand of 163 after Sussex had been set 295 to win in 75 overs. Wells was out for 88 which meant he fell six runs short of lodging 1,000 first-class runs for the season, but Nash pushed on to his third hundred of the summer to ensure Sussex finished in their highest position since they last won the title in 2007. He also completed 1,000 Championship runs in the process.Nash gave one chance on 91 when he edged hard to second slip, but despite getting both hands on the ball Scott Borthwick was unable to hold on and in the next over Nash took successive boundaries off Ben Stokes to reach the 16th hundred of his career.Left-hander Wells was equally impressive as Sussex made relatively light work of what looked a tricky run chase. He was reprieved on 33 when Will Smith, on his last day as a Durham player, shelled a tough chance at short leg during a probing spell by legspinner Borthwick.Durham skipper Paul Collingwood eventually recalled the country’s leading-wicket taker Graham Onions and he snared his 70th victim with a ball that held its line that Wells edged to slip, where Collingwood held a superb one-handed catch.But Nash and skipper Ed Joyce shared a second-wicket stand of 80 in 17 overs during which Joyce moved into fourth among the leading run-scorers this season.Borthwick eventually had Nash caught at long-off for 108, made off 147 balls with 17 fours, and with the game all but lost Collingwood threw the ball to wicketkeeper Phil Mustard – who claimed his maiden first-class wicket with his fifth ball when Luke Wright was leg before.Matt Prior had fallen to the part-time spin of Smith but there were still 10 overs left when Brown hit the winning boundary. Joyce finished on 65 not out.Earlier, Usman Arshad made his highest first-class score before Durham, who had been 120 for 6, were finally bowled out for 458. Arshad hit 83 off 88 balls with 12 fours and three sixes before he was brilliantly caught by Joyce at short mid-wicket when a drive struck him on the arm and he held onto the rebound.Arshad had added 106 in 21 overs for the eighth wicket with Keaton Jennings before the opener was caught behind cutting at Nash. He had batted for more than seven hours and faced 308 balls, with 16 fours.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta heaped praise on his players after the club's thumping 4-1 win over Newcastle United.

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Arteta in awe of Arsenal playersArsenal thrashed Newcastle 4-1Praised the team's off-the-ball movementsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners' convincing performance against the Magpies left Arteta in awe of his players as he wholeheartedly praised the team for their dominance against a formidable opponent. The manager also claimed that he was left impressed by his team's off-the-ball movements which were lacking in their defeat against FC Porto in the Champions League earlier in the week.

AdvertisementWHAT MIKEL ARTETA SAID

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the game, Arteta said, "I'm really happy with the performance against a Newcastle team who are really really good. The boys were really good, really aggressive and we deserved to win the game. They [Newcastle] have a lot of resources to create issues but we continued in the same way, we maintained our rhythm and it was a joy to watch the team play.

"We are really happy, we have to continue to do the things that we are doing well. There are still things that we can do better and we are bringing big players back from injury so that is a big boost. Against Porto, we were ourselves with the ball but not without the ball. It was a big lesson and you learn a lot from those moments."

(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Sven Botman's own goal handed the north London club the lead in the 18th minute before Kai Havertz doubled his team's lead in the first half. Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior then scored a goal each in the 65th and 69th minute to seal the crucial three points. Joe Willock then netted a consolation goal for Eddie Howe's side in the 84th minute.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

The Gunners are set to face Sheffield United and Brentford in their next two Premier League matches before they take on FC Porto in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 fixture on March 12.

Derbyshire secured their first victory at Wantage Road since 2002 shortly after lunch on the third day, chasing just 72 for their third win of the season and beating Northamptonshire by seven wickets

ECB/PA20-Jul-2015
ScorecardWes Durston picked up three handy wickets to end Northamptonshire’s second innings•Getty ImagesDerbyshire secured their first victory at Wantage Road since 2002 shortly after lunch on the third day, chasing just 72 for their third win of the season and beating Northamptonshire by seven wickets.The visitors controlled the LV= County Championship game from the first evening when they built up a first-innings total of 361. Northamptonshire found no response, bowled out for just 116 in reply – their lowest total of the season – and, despite a better fist of their second innings, gave Derbyshire only a small target to overcome.For a while on the third morning, Northants were building their lead relatively comfortably through Ben Duckett (154) and Josh Cobb, but Wes Durston made the breakthrough and the final four wickets fell for just 25 runs.Duckett and Cobb batted through the opening 75 minutes untroubled with Northants having begun the day with the scores level and four second-innings wicket remaining.Duckett went through to a first-class best score, beating his previous best of 144 not out, made at Taunton last season, and brought up 150 in 206 balls. But, trying to drive Durston, he edged a ball that bounced a little outside off and was caught at slip.Another Durston delivery that bounced a touch took a wild edge from Rory Kleinveldt trying to play a lofted drive and looped to backward point.Durston added a third wicket as Cobb heaved him to deep mid-wicket having struck his previous delivery for six over the same fielder.Cobb had been comfortable in sharing a stand of 54 with Duckett and brought up the 300 by pulling Durston for 4, but it was the offspinner who mopped up the tail and just three deliveries of Mark Footitt with the second new ball were needed to finish the innings.Coming out for three overs before lunch, Derbyshire lost Hamish Rutherford, sharply caught at gully second ball, and there was a nasty blow for Chesney Hughes, who was struck flush on the helmet by Kleinveldt – as a precaution, Hughes did not return to bat after lunch so it was left to Alex Hughes, whose first-innings century set the match up for Derbyshire, and Durston to complete victory.Derbyshire lost two more wickets in the chase. Their captain Wayne Madsen struck a beautiful off drive against Kleinveldt but, attempting to take a sharp singe into midwicket, was run out by Duckett, who threw down the non-striker’s end stumps. Billy Godleman also edged debutant Ben Sanderson to first slip with 11 needed to win.Northants slipped to a second consecutive heavy defeat, having lost at Cheltenham by nine wickets in their last Championship match. They at least now have an extra day’s rest before their penultimate T20 at Edgbaston on Wednesday night – victory in one of Northants final two matches will secure a quarter-final spot.