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In the latest round of Twenty20 Cup matches, there were wins for Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Lancashire, while Gloucestershire triumphed over Northants in a game reduced to just 5-overs-a-side by rain.At Headingley, Darren Maddy smashed 111 off 60 balls with eight fours and two sixes – the highest Twenty20 score by a Leicestershire batsman – as Yorkshire were set an imposing total of 221. Phil Jaques lead their reply with 92 off 49 balls, but despite a late flurry of runs Yorkshire fell 10 short.Bradd Hogg bowled Warwickshire to victory at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, taking 4 for 30 as Glamorgan fell 26 runs short of Warwick’s 152. Matthew Maynard’s 31-ball 53 was the only highlight of Glamorgan’s innings, with only two other batsmen – neither of whom reached 20 – making it to double figures.At Derby, Dinesh Mongia completed his three weeks as Carl Hooper’s replacement by guiding Lancashire to a 5-wicket win against Derbyshire – their first victory in all domestic cricket since May 29. Mongia cracked 50 off 34 balls, falling just before the winning runs were it, as Lancs successfully chased Derby’s total of 142.Persistent rain reduced Gloucestershire’s game against Northamptonshire to just 5-overs-a-side. James Averis picked up three wickets in his solitary over, and still managed to go for seven runs, as Northants made 42 for 5. Tim Hancock lead Gloucestershire’s reply with 28, and despite Carl Greenidge bowling his over for just one run, Gloucs romped home with five balls to spare.
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Yesterday’s Championship reviewNational League Division One
Division One table Gloucestershire v Surrey, Bristol
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Match abandoned. Worcestershire 271 for 4 beat Kent 132 by 139 runs
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Kent crashed to their fourth defeat in five National League games, thanks to a pounding from Graeme Hick, who made a run-a-ball 108, his 13th century in the competition. Worcestershire’s total of 271 for 4 proved to be well out of Kent’s range. They lost theiropeners in a tight spell by Matt Mason, and David Leatherdalefinished with 5 for 36 with his medium-pacers. The only resistance came from Greg Blewett (25) and Matthew Walker (23) as Kent folded for 132 in 31.5 overs. Yorkshire 153 for 7 lost to Glamorgan 165 for 6
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Glamorgan overcame the confusions of a rain-affected run-chase to keep up their 100% record with a fourth-successive victory in the National League. Yorkshire batted first and edged to 153 for 7 in 32 overs, thanks in part to an aggressive 37 from Chris Silverwood, sent in for quick runs at the top of the order. The specialist batsmen found the going rather tougher, with Yuvraj Singh making 34 from 53 deliveries. Glamorgan’s adjusted target seemed a long way off when Silverwood ripped out both openers with six runs on the board, but Michael Powell and Matthew Maynard kept them on course with a 76-run stand for the third wicket, Silverwood finished with 4 for 45, but Mark Wallace and Mike Kasprowicz sealed the match with a volley of boundaries.National League Division Two
Division Two table Scotland 192 for 8 beat Lancashire 151 by 41 runs
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Scotland continued their astonishing run of form in their debut season in the National League, as Lancashire became the third county side – after Durham and Somerset – to suffer an upset. Lancashire were missing the likes of James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff, but still started firm favourites with Stuart Law and Carl Hooper in their ranks. That feeling had been strengthened by the time Scotland had grafted to 192 for 8, thanks to a pair of 60s from Greig Williamson and Colin Smith. In reply, Lancashire had been cruising at 61 for 1, but when Mal Loye fell for 38, the innings went badly awry. Hooper was run out for 2, and Law and Glenn Chapple were dismissed in the same over by Craig Wright, as Lancashire floundered to 92 for 6. Peter Martin hoofed an unbeaten 29, but he ran out of support as Scotland pulled into second place behind Northamptonshire. Durham v Derbyshire, Chester-le-Street
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Match abandoned. Hampshire 248 for 3 beat Somerset 149 by 99 runs
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Hampshire gained swift revenge for their four-wicket defeat in the Championship on Saturday when they cruised to a 99-run victory at the Rose Bowl, Somerset’s fourth defeat in five National League matches. Derek Kenway led the rout with 115, to add to his 94 on Friday, and he was given excellent support by John Crawley (66) and Simon Katich (51 not out off 49 balls.) Somerset were never in the hunt, as Allan Mullally opened with a miserly spell and Dmitri Mascarenhas picked up four wickets. Jamie Cox and Rob Turner top-scored with 27, as Somerset crumbled to 149. Middlesex 200 for 7 lost to Northamptonshire 204 for 2 by eight wickets
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Northamptonshire put their poor first-class form behind them and reinforced their position at the top of the National League Division Two. Middlesex had also been unbeaten going into the match, but they were always up against it after struggling to 200 for 7 in their 45 overs. Middlesex floundered at the start and finish of their innings, but a pair of half-centuries from Ed Joyce and David Nash, and a quickfire 38 from Simon Cook gave them hope after Mike Cawdron’s tight spell of bowling (9-3-22-2). But David Sales and Mike Hussey devoured the target with an unbeaten 142-run partnership for the fourth wicket, cracking eight fours each to win with three balls to spare. Sussex 258 for 6 beat Nottinghamshire 150 by 97 runs
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Sussex continued their barren run, as Usman Afzaal and Chris Cairns carried Nottinghamshire to an impregnable 258 for 6 in a rain-affected match. Afzaal cracked seven fours and a six in his 83, but it was Cairns – on his return from international duty – who really caught the eye, cracking 53 not out from just 36 balls, with six fours and two sixes. Rain caused a recalculation of Sussex’s target, but it was academic as they slumped to 80 for 7, with Gareth Clough picking up 4 for 32

It was cricket at its one-sided worst. Sri Lanka arrogantly decided to bowlfirst on a shirtfront of a pitch and swept through a paper-thin Bangladeshline-up in double quick time before their batsmen went on a greedy run spreeat the Sinhalese Sports Club on Thursday.Sponsors, broadcasters and spectators (who had at least been enticed withfree entrance) had expected as much and stayed well away from an Asian TestChampionship match that was always going to attract little interest so soonafter Sri Lanka’s 2-1 Test series win against India.For the sadistically minded cricket fan there were moments to cherish,including yet another five-wicket haul by Muttiah Muralitharan, blistering89 off 56 balls from Sanath Jayasuriya and an elegant 99 not out from MarvanAtapattu but, all-in-all, there would have been greater tension at animpromptu softball game on Galle Face Green.Sri Lanka bowled out Bangladesh for just 90 runs in 36.4 overs, which wasthe tourist’s lowest total in their short five-Test baptism and the lowestever score made against Sri Lanka in their 112-Test career, before therebatsmen piled up 246 for one in just over three hours of batting, to givethem a daunting 156 run lead at the close.Atapattu had set the tone for the innings with three exquisite cover drivesfor four in the first over of the innings, but it was Jayasuriya who stolethe limelight, as he came close to clobbering one of the all time fastestTest centuries.He reached his fifty off just 35 balls with a pull for six, as second fiftyof the innings came up in just 22 balls and took Sri Lanka into tea on 115without loss after just 15 overs.After the interval in continued in the same disdainful vein before he wastrapped leg-before wicket by off spinner Naimur Rahman for 89 off 56 balls,having hit eleven fours and four sixes, two of which were carved over cover.Bangladesh fought-back bravely in the final two hours of the day and couldhave picked up further wickets if they had not spilled two chances at firstslip off Atapattu.Nevertheless, Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara, who retained the number threeposition despite the inclusion of Michael Vandort earlier in the day, added102 runs for the second wicket.Atapattu finished the day on 99, agonisingly short of his eighth Testcentury and Sangakkara was left on 49 not out. The only ones havingsleepless nights, however, will be the middle order batsmen waiting in thedressing, who may be concerned that they are going to miss out on a chanceto boost their Test averages tomorrow.Bangladesh had started the day in disastrous fashion when they lost threeearly wickets to the new ball: Javed Omar (7) played inside a straightdelivery and edged a simple catch to first slip, Habibul Bashir (4) wascleaned bowled by an inswinger in Vaas’s next over and Aminul Islam (6) wascaught behind off Ruchira Perera’s first ball of the day.Opener Mehrab Hossain and middle order batsman Al Shahriar then staged amini fight back, adding 28 runs for the fourth wicket, before the touristslost four wickets for four runs after the introduction of Muralitharan inthe 19th over of the innings.Al Shahriar (16) edged Muralitharan’s cleverly-disguised arm ball, openerMehrab’s (23) patient resistance ended when he was run out and both NaimurRahman and Khaled Mashud were bowled for ducks in the last over beforelunch.After the interval teenage debutante Mohammad Ashraful held up the home teamwith an entertaining 26, which included three boundaries in one over fromChaminda Vaas, who cruelly greeted the new boy with a succession of shortballs.Nevertheless, Bangladesh’s resistance did not last long and 41 minutes afterlunch the bowlers had their feet up in the balcony, facing the pleasantprospect of two days rest before they are next needed.In the morning Sri Lanka announced three changes to the side that defeatedIndia on Sunday: Russel Arnold made way for debutante Michael Vandort after27 consecutive Tests and fast bowlers Ruchira Perera and RavindraPushpakumara replaced Dulip Liyanage and the injured Dilhara Fernando.Bangladesh made two changes to the side that lost by an innings and 264 runsto Pakistan in the first game of the championship at Multan last week:Ashraful, just 16 years old, came in place of left-arm spinner Enamul Haqueand middle order batsman Al Shahriar, 23, replaced the experienced AkramKhan.

Whatever Trevor Bayliss’ ability as a coach – and an early Ashes victory enhances an already outstanding record – he surely has no future as a media spin doctor.Certainly his attempts to play down expectations of Ben Stokes backfired. What started as an attempt to avoid comparisons with Andrew Flintoff or Ian Botham, ended with England’s new coach comparing him with England’s highest wicket-taker and praising both other aspects of his game. Even the outwardly calm Bayliss, it seems, is excited by Stokes’ potential.”We don’t want to put too much expectation on him,” Bayliss said. “We don’t want to say he’s going to be the next Botham, or the next Flintoff. He’ll be the next Ben Stokes.”But then he couldn’t help himself.”His batting is right up there,” Bayliss continued, now warming to his subject. “And with his bowling, as we’ve seen here, he could be another Jimmy Anderson.”Another James Anderson. Another man who takes 400 Test wickets and leads the attack with distinction in England, Australia and India. It is quite a claim.On the evidence of Trent Bridge, though, it is not quite so outlandish as it may sound. Stokes harnessed the conditions so expertly that he did a more than a reasonable job of standing in for the injured Anderson. Swinging the ball sharply, generating sharp pace and delivering long, consistent spells, he claimed six second-innings wickets and looked every inch Anderson’s successor.Add to that Stokes’ batting and you can understand why Bayliss is excited and why, during the Caribbean tour, Phil Simmons compared Stokes to Jacques Kallis.

Bayliss on…

Australia
“It’s a challenge for any team to win away. I think that’s the way it should be. I know how good these Australia players are, but it is probably a team in a little bit of a transition period. I’m not going to gloat. Not in front of them, anyway.
Steven Smith
“He will handle captaincy well. He has shown it already in Test cricket earlier this year. He’s a very proactive type of captain. I think he’ll do a fantastic job, and certainly has the respect of the rest of his team-mates. They know he is one hell of a player and a very good captain.”
Alastair Cook
“First of all, he’s a fantastic guy. He is very well-respected in the dressing room, not just because of his own record but the type of person he is. I think he’s captained extremely well in this series so far. He has been pro-active, not reactive and I think the results speak for themselves.”

As Bayliss put it: “On top of that he’s probably the best fielder in the team as well. To have that rolled up in one player is a good thing for English cricket.”I’m sure we’ll all enjoy watching where he’ll end up, and the performances he puts on the board over the next 10 to 15 years. I’m looking forward to it.”Stokes’ first experience of international cricket was not especially happy. Only once in his first 27 ODIs did he reach 40 and he struggled to find consistency with the ball.But now, in the more relaxed England environment, he is one of the players who appears to be thriving and seems set to play a defining role in the team over the next decade.Bayliss has played a role in creating that environment. Outwardly calm, at least – “I’m like a duck under the water, feet paddling pretty quickly,” he said – he has emphasised enjoyment and relaxation and, notably, has reintroduced football in the warm-ups where it was, in the past, considered an injury risk.It probably is an injury risk, of course. But Bayliss has reasoned that the positives – it brings the team together in a way in which they enjoy – outweighs the potential negatives.”I think if the coach is showing his emotion, or looking nervous and making comments that are not necessarily helpful, it just makes the players even more nervous,” he explained. “They are going to be nervous anyway. They just don’t need that negative feel from others as well.”You want the team to be happy. It doesn’t matter what it is – it could be a game of marbles – but as long as they’re feeling good about themselves and doing what they want to do, that’s great. The football the boys play certainly gets their juices flowing.”The “juices are flowing” in Bayliss, too. Much as he tried to minimise expectations, much as he knows his team are raw and that tough challenges loom in the not too distant future, it is clear he is excited by the potential of what he sees.”We’ll enjoy this win tonight,” he said. “But we’re not going to paper over the cracks. There are some improvements to be made with this team if we want to be the best in the world, and want to play consistent cricket over a period of time and on foreign soil.”So we have got some things we’ve got to work on. But if they keep improving, the future is bright.”

Outgoing interim committee chairman Sidath Wettimuny has called for a change to Sri Lanka Cricket’s constitution in order to bring in greater accountability.Wettimuny heads a nine-member interim committee that will be dissolved by the end of the month before the board elections on January 3. Wettimuny, who has been a part of several interim committees in the past, said the presence of seven such committees in the last 14 years indicated a flaw in the system. He further suggested that SLC would need to change its constitution through an act of Parliament and not by membership.”As you can see in the media there is absolute chaos about elections and constitutions. The Attorney General is saying the constitution is flawed. My thinking is until we change the Sri Lanka Cricket constitution nothing will work,” Wettimuny said. “To have served in seven interim committees within a span of 14 years shows that there is a flaw in the system.”This has been an ongoing process. We need a constitution which has more accountability and transparency. Until that is done and you bring something proper nothing will happen.”The only way out for Sri Lanka Cricket is to change the constitution by an act of Parliament, not by membership because you will never get the required two-thirds majority.”Wettimuny also raised the issue of accountability in terms of SLC’s financial dealings with stakeholders.”In December last year, Rs. 250 million was doled out to stakeholders. Does the SLC have any accountability what was being done with this huge volume of money? I am told a vote is going at half a million,” he said. “I don’t know whether this is true. But how can you run a set-up like this?”When we take over and run Sri Lanka Cricket, we run it with no interest in a vote. We have taken impartial decisions without political affiliations. You can look at it from whichever side, what we have done in these last eight months I don’t think anyone has done in the last 15 years. If you analyse that’s the truth. You’ll have to ask yourself will it be done under normal circumstances.”Wettimuny said that he had proposed a draft constitution and handed it to the Sports Minister for further action.The nine-member interim committee headed by Wettimuny came into effect in April this year, and was appointed by the former sports minister Navin Dissanayake.The committee was established because the posts held by the office bearers had become null and void. The laws governing all sports bodies in the country require annual elections to be held on or before March 31. SLC’s elections, however, were postponed until the end of April due to the World Cup, which ended on March 29.Wettimuny said the committee had addressed issues on the administrative and cricketing front. Wettimuny also stated the committee had made sure the national team’s dressing room was a happier place by getting the right people to do the right thing.”If you ask the players they are happy. We are convinced the people are happy and the workforce is happy,” he said. “Ladies cricket had a lot of issues but now that is under control. Even Lasith Malinga is working with the ladies cricketers at the moment helping them to try and perform better in the upcoming T20 World Cup.”

Rory Hamilton-Brown has been reinstated as England Under-19 captain after the ECB was forced to make an about-turn, less than a week after it had stripped him of the captaincy and banned him from the first of two Tests against Pakistan.On Monday, it was reported that Hamilton-Brown had been punished for drinking on the eve of the first Test. He was named in the squad for the second match at Derby, which starts today, but only as a player with Ben Wright continuing as captain.But this morning the ECB issued a statement which said: “Following an investigation, Rory Hamilton-Brown has been reinstated as captain. Following the original decision taken by the England Under-19 team management there were suggestions that Hamilton-Brown had been involved in purchasing and consuming alcohol. Those suggestions have now proven to be unfounded.”The ECB has launched a full inquiry into the circumstances which led to the initial suspension which was imposed by the team management of John Abrahams and Andy Pick on the morning of the first Test.Whatever the outcome, board officials are likely to face some embarrassing questions as to how he was so swiftly banned on what now appears to be unsupportable evidence.

Cricket South Africa has announced that it will not be able to send a side to play in England should Pakistan not be able to honour their commitments.”We were approached by the ECB earlier this week, requesting the Proteas to replace Pakistan should they withdraw from the ODI tournament against England,” Gerald Majola, the board’s chief executive told reporters. “We have turned down the request on the basis that we are committed to playing against Zimbabwe in the three-match ODI tournament starting next month.”Majola also indicated that South Africa are concluding arrangements to face as yet un-namedopposition in Abu Dhabi “`We are looking for extra one-day games and they are almost finalised,” he said. “The conditions in Abu Dhabi are very similar to those in India and that willgive us the preparation we need for the Champions Trophy.”England have also been reported to have approached New Zealand and West Indies asking whether they could fill the gap should the need arise.But West Indies are due to play their opening match in Malaysia on September 12 – two days after the scheduled date for the last ODI in England – and are also likely to find themselves struggling to help out.

Division One

Points TableRamnaresh Sarwan fell one short of his second century for Gloucestershire, who ended the day on 181 for 6, leading Surrey by 181 with four wickets in hand. Surrey resumed on 409 for 7, and although Mark Ramprakash only added seven to his overnight 185, Tim Murtagh smashed his way to 66, his second half-century of the season. Sarwan and Kadeer Ali put on 151 for the second wicket, wiping out their first-innings deficit of 113. Sarwan’s wicket triggered a mini collapse, however, with four wickets falling for 59. Gloucestershire’s lead is only 181 with four second-innings wickets in hand, but rain is forecast for London tomorrow.

Division Two

Points TableAnother hundred from Andrew Symonds put Lancashire in a strong position against Yorkshire. Click here for a full report.A stabilising innings by Ronnie Irani, useful lower-order runs from Darren Gough and more excellent bowling from Danish Kaneria put Essex on top against Derbyshire at Derby. Irani hit 99, one short of what would have been his second hundred of the season. Having lost Grant Flower, who only added one to his overnight score of 60, Irani was involved in partnerships of 104 with James Middlebrook and 77 with Gough, who made an enterprising half-century from just 38 balls. Derbyshire, in reply, slumped to 34 for 4 before Jono Moss (74) and Luke Sutton (38*) checked the slide with a stand of 121. Kaneria took 4 for 53, giving him ten wickets in the match so far. Derbyshire, who lead by 314, are seeking their first win of the season.Somerset were on the verge of defeat against Worcestershire, with just two second-innings wickets remaining at the end of the third day at New Road. Worcestershire’s imposing first innings finally came to a close as they declared on a massive 696 for 8. Ben Smith’s excellent season continued, as he went on to a season’s-best score of 172. Steven Davies, 19 and playing in only his sixth first-class game, hit a magnificent 148 – his maiden first-class century – and became his side’s third centurion of the innings. In reply, Matthew Wood struck a solid 72 but Worcestershire never allowed Somerset to settle. Gareth Batty and the Zimbabwean Ray Price bowled in tandem for most of the afternoon, picking up seven of the eight wickets to fall. Somerset still trail by 158 runs with just two second-innings wickets in hand.

Andrew Hall has pledged his future to South Africa and hopes to be selected for the tour to Sri Lanka starting next month. Over the past few days there has been speculation in South Africa about Hall quitting international cricket. However, Hall debunked this by saying that playing for Worcestershire in the English county season was a means by which he enhanced his skills, which would ultimately help him at the highest level.The Sky Sports website quoted Hall as saying, “To say I am thinking about quitting playing for South Africa is absolute rubbish. That’s one of the reasons why I come to England to play county cricket – to sharpen up my skills before tours with my country. I’m very much hoping that I’m going to be selected for the tour of Sri Lanka coming up.”Hall also insisted that had fully recovered from the back problem, for which he had undergone surgery in March. He also exspressed his satisfaction with his form. “Earlier in the month I was struggling a little bit with my form but things are starting to come together. For the past two or three weeks I have been playing really confidently and starting to feel more comfortable. The back problem is behind me.”If he is selected for the Sri Lankan tour, Hall will have to cut short his stint with Worcestershire and return to South Africa for a preparatory training camp, which starts on July 10. Hall, however, insisted he would like to return for a third season with Worcestershire and added, “I’ve had a great time here and I’d love to come back for another season, or maybe another two if I could.”

The former Pakistan Test player MEZ Ghazali died in Karachion April 26. He was 79, and had been ill for some time.

“Ebbu” Ghazali was an offspinning allrounder who played two Tests on Pakistan’s first full tour of England, in 1954. He made 18 and 14 at Trent Bridge, but at Old Trafford bagged a pair inside two hours – the fastest in Test history. In all hescored 601 runs (28.61) and took 17 wickets (39.64) on that tour.He was also a member of the strong Pakistan Eaglets side which toured England theyear before. His highest first-class score was 160, for Services at Karachi in 1953-54, and his best bowling (5 for 28) came the following season against Punjab at Lahore.Mohammad Ebrahim Zainuddin Ghazali was born in Gujarat, played for Maharashtra before Partition from India, and served as an administrator after his retirement. He was manager of the Pakistan tour of Australia in 1972-73, by which time he was a wing commander in the Pakistan Air Force.