Wells double compounds Surrey struggle

Surrey 351 and 66 for 1 (Smith 43*) trail Sussex 526 (Wells 208, Joyce 98) by 109 runs
Scorecard

Sussex haven't won at The Oval since 1994 but have a chance to break that run after building up a good lead and asking Surrey to bat out the final day for a draw.

Graeme Smith, Surrey's captain, led an excellent riposte as his side faced 17 overs before the close with an unbeaten 43 in 46 balls. He will be relieved after failing in his first two innings for his new club but will know tomorrow's biggest challenge may well be against Monty Panesar on a wearing wicket.

Panesar may be the only hope for a positive result on a surface that appears to be getting slower and lower. Sussex would have liked more than their solitary success by the close, Steve Magoffin swinging a full ball into Rory Burns who drove and edged behind, but the reality is the wicket is not competitive enough.

Panesar's initial burst on the third evening did not suggest he can win the match on day four. Smith biffed his first over for 14, putting a full toss past mid-off, a half-volley past mid-on and a short ball through square leg. Smith has already negated a much-vaunted English spinner on this ground in the past 12 months - Graeme Swann finding no joy in the Test match last July - and Smith will undoubtedly seek to unsettle Panesar tomorrow en route to a morale-boosting draw.

His side have been on the back foot for the past two days, having failed to take advantage of being 247 for 3 in their first innings. They crumbled to the second new ball, whereas Sussex thrived against it on the third morning and picked up the scoring rate.

Luke Wells predicted a fresh ball would be easier to score against and so it proved as he and Ed Joyce extended their partnership to exactly 200 before Joyce, like he did in the season opener at Headingley, failed to move through the 90s and was bowled by a Gareth Batty slider. It was the high point in Batty's day. He recorded an undesirable career record, with the most expensive innings figures he has sent down in the Championship.

Matt Prior played around with him in a typically jaunty half-century in 36 balls. Batty tossed it up just outside off stump and went over extra-cover; he bowled straighter and went past fine leg; he bowled flatter and went past backward point. Prior was a breath of fresh air that broke up what was an uninspiring day as the contest between bat and ball that thrived on the second afternoon was totally lost.

Luke Well was the beneficiary, going through to a career-best 208. The way he plays suggests that he is not one to waste opportunities. He took full advantage to become only the fourth Sussex batsman, after CB Fry, Murray Goodwin and Ranjitsinhji to make a double century against Surrey. It was also the highest individual score by anyone in a first-class match involving these two teams and the first Sussex double-hundred at The Oval since 1903.

His century was completed off Vikram Solanki on Thursday and it was the same bowler that allowed Wells to flick to deep point to bring up his double hundred as he emulated his father, Alan - whose sole Test cap came at The Oval - and uncle, Colin, in scoring double centuries in the County Championship.

"Luke was brilliant," Sussex captain Ed Joyce said, "200 from a young man is an incredible achievement. It's great that he's got runs because he failed in the first game and didn't look in great nick but it's good to know that everyone's now got a few.

"He loves batting. When he got his hundred he was talking straight away about getting 150 and then 200. He just keeps going and it's great to see because even if he's in bad form, if he does get that score he'll make it a big one. He's got a bright future for sure."

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Taylor accepts England challenge

Derbyshire 256 and 143 for 5 (Chanderpaul 57) trail Nottinghamshire 443 (Taylor 112, Cowan 59, Hales 56) by 44 runs
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If Derbyshire do turn out to be the whipping boys of Division One - not that anyone should wish that upon such well-managed and progressive newcomers - then James Taylor's century in this match may not be held to be of particular value. On the other hand, if Taylor's Test career is rebooted sooner rather than later, it could be seen as an important moment.

Either way, it has put Nottinghamshire in a position of strength, with the potential to complete a victory here despite the threat of showers on the final day, especially after the fillip of Shivnarine Chanderpaul's wicket late in the afternoon, soon after he had completed his second half-century of the game and when looking absolutely set. With Wayne Madsen gone too, not much batting remains for Derbyshire to clear their arrears, let alone give themselves anything to work with.

If there is a batsman with something to prove in the early part of this summer, then it is Taylor, whose rise from pint-sized wreaker of terror among Division Two bowling attacks to Test-class middle-order batsman might have seemed inevitable to some of his admirers but when it came last August suffered a false start.

Taylor, who moved to Nottinghamshire the winter before last after scoring freely for Leicestershire, was picked when Ravi Bopara withdrew from the second Test against South Africa. It did not help his cause to find himself unwittingly caught up in the Kevin Pietersen storm, although he will not fall on that or any other excuse to explain his modest performance. It was not seen as good enough to be retained for the winter tours and his absence from the list of names in the England Performance Squad indicated all too clearly that the selectors want to see more.

Taylor, for his part, has no quarrel with that assessment. "It was a disappointment," he said. "I had a taste of Test cricket and it was amazing to get in that England side in the first place but I didn't deliver the way I wanted to.

"But I learned a lot from last season and in some ways it is good to have a setback to kick you up the backside. There is a difference in quality between second and first division. It is definitely a step up, although I don't think my own performances were a reflection of that.

"Sometimes though you need to take a step back to take two steps forward. I know where I stand with England and it is just down to me to score as many runs as I can."

In the event, it was just the mindset that was needed here, on a slow pitch that has rewarded graft. Taylor's approach was first not to get out, taking his cue from Chanderpaul. From 67 overnight, he scored only 26 more before lunch, without one boundary, negotiating 77 balls against a Derbyshire attack who maintained their discipline and again offered few easy pickings.

When his century came - incongruously from a false shot, an edge between first and second slips that brought only his fifth four - it was the slowest of his 14 so far in first-class matches, from 265 balls and 14 minutes short of six hours. He shared a stand of 52 with Stuart Broad but the support he had from Luke Fletcher was equally important in getting him over the line, the bowler sticking by Taylor more than an hour.

Broad's knock was eventful, to say the least. He can bat when he is of a mind but he rode his luck spectacularly as Derbyshire's fielders somehow managed to drop him three times in the space of five balls before Tim Groenewald at last clung on to a top-edged hook.

The stricken Andre Adams batted with a runner in his last appearance before an anticipated five-week lay-off with a torn calf muscle and though he could contribute no more than a swing and a nick Nottinghamshire did finish with a lead of 187. Taylor fell for 112 when, finally taking a risk or two, he skied David Wainwright to mid-off.

Derbyshire were soon up against it, losing two wickets for 24 and though Chanderpaul gave them hope in a partnership of 83 with Madsen the departure of both in the space of five overs put Nottinghamshire back on top. Chanderpaul felt he was unlucky to be given out caught behind, claiming the ball brushed his thigh rather than the bat, but the wicket was one that Fletcher deserved. Broad went wicketless and it was Harry Gurney, an improving left-armer, who struck the second decisive blow when Madsen was leg-before. Then Patel had Ross Whiteley taken at slip to leave Derbyshire hoping for a good last morning and a wet afternoon.

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Tendulkar emphasises on 'situational awareness'

Sachin Tendulkar stressed the importance of "situational awareness" as a key factor in succeeding in the closing stages of IPL games. Tendulkar was speaking at an event in Mumbai and was asked by an audience consisting of children, amateur and aspiring cricketers, how to score ten runs off the final over to win a T20 games. He said there could be no set formula.

"Basically you have got to see what the bowler is bowling and what his strengths are, weaknesses are," Tendulkar said. "What are the areas where you can score off that particular bowler. There are many factors like the kind of surface you are playing on, the kind of field setting." Tendulkar said what a cricketer needed at a time like that was "awareness." "You have got to have situational awareness. Once you have that, you respond to the situation according to the bowler and the opposition."

At a gathering of about 200 people, Tendulkar answered a range of questions: about how he related to the new Mumbai Indians' captain Ricky Ponting, the technique behind his trademark straight drive and the formula for his success.

Tendulkar said he didn't think twice before passing on a tip to Ponting. "Because I know little bit about our cricketers, which Ricky hasn't had the opportunity to watch them much. Also a lot of things are planned in team meetings. But there are things that spontaneously come to your mind and you share your thoughts. So it is basically about sharing our knowledge and giving some background about the bowler."

Excellence on the cricket field, he said, had to be priority for any cricketer who was trying to succeed. A young cricketer he said needed to be, "madly in love" with the sport and due to that to immerse himself in his training. "You can't count the number of hours, the number of balls you have practised, the number of balls that you have bowled. You can't be counting. You can't look at your watch. You have to just practise and practise."

He gave an example from his childhood to his audience, saying that his practice began at 7:30am and ended 12 hours later. "Eventually my coach had to sort of pack my kit bag and send me off saying 'it is too dark to play cricket and we all want to go home'. " Tendulkar said his passion for cricket was still alive, "Boys like you or even girls now, whoever wants to become a cricketer, should be passionate about the game. Cricket should be in your heart first and then as you mature and grow, slowly you will find how to score runs and how to bowl [an] over, how to bowl spells. First cricket has to be in your heart and the rest follows."

The straight drive, his signature shot, Tendulkar said started from a correct head position and balance. "If your balance is not good then you are not going to be able to play straight, you either drag it with bottom hand to midwicket or you slice it to cover or cover point." When the body was correctly aligned, "then you can hit bowlers straight. For batting or bowling, generally on a cricket field, you have got to have good body balance."

It was also Tendulkar also stressed on the importance of concentrating solely on the game when on the field. "I don't think about watching movies [when I bat]. You can't think of anything else. Your mind is full of ideas, how to score against a particular bowler." The focus he said has to be on the ball and the bowler. "The bowler is constantly asking you a question and you are responding to that question, whatever is delivered... So I have no other thoughts on [the] mind. I am just thinking of how many runs I can score and how we can win."

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Northants close in on victory

Gloucestershire 192 and 280 for 9 (Gidman 87, Howell 56, Dent 50) lead Northamptonshire 404 by 68 runs
Scorecard

Northamptonshire look set to claim their second Division Two win of the season despite half-centuries from Alex Gidman, Benny Howell and Chris Dent for Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The hosts, trailing by 212 on first innings, were largely indebted to Gidman (87), Howell (53) and Dent (50) for guiding them to 280 for nine at stumps and an overall lead of 68.

But the Northamptonshire attack stuck well to their task on an easy-paced pitch and there were three wickets each for Andrew Hall and Steven Crook as they closed in on victory.

Gloucestershire started the day on 34 for 1 and, with no addition to the total, Dan Housego fell to the fifth ball of the morning when he was caught down the legside by wicketkeeper David Murphy off Copeland.

Gidman and Dent applied themselves well to add 56 in 21 overs, but Dent then attempted to withdraw his bat to a delivery from David Willey and only succeeded in getting an edge on to his stumps. Marshall departed five overs later, caught at first slip by Copeland off Andrew Hall, and Gloucestershire went into lunch in considerable trouble on 111 for 4.

The afternoon session started well for the hosts as Gidman and Howell put on 69 for the fifth wicket with few alarms.

Gidman brought up his 95-ball half-century by cutting Copeland to the cover boundary and the county's former skipper then took three fours in quick succession off Hall. He also hit off-spinner James Middlebrook for a straight six and appeared on course for a century until he pushed forward to Hall and edged low to Copeland at first slip.

Will Gidman, Alex's younger brother, was dismissed six overs later when he was caught behind off Crook. Gloucestershire took tea on 188 for 6, still 24 short of making Northamptonshire bat again. The visitors only had to wait one over after tea to take the second new ball, but Howell and Cameron Herring successfully saw off the shine with some attractive strokeplay in a partnership of 54.

Teenage wicketkeeper Herring was dropped on nine by Rob Newton at backward point off Crook, but otherwise played impressively in only his second first-class innings.

Howell progressed to a patient 142-ball half-century, with five fours, before he edged Hall to David Sales at second slip to give the South African his third wicket.

Jack Taylor took successive boundaries off Hall, to midwicket and backward point, on his way to an unbeaten 30 at stumps, but there were still two more wickets for Northamptonshire to celebrate in the closing overs. Herring chipped Crook to Alex Wakeley at midwicket to depart for 32 and the seamer then bowled David Payne for a duck.

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Honours 'even' after first day - Tamim

When cricket no longer pays Tamim Iqbal's bills, he should look for work as a raconteur because that was exactly how he dealt with the media after the first day's play. He could afford to because Bangladesh are in what he calls an "even," position and most of their blushes were saved by a big partnership of 123 between Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Better still, Tamim's comments about the Zimbabwean attack and Kyle Jarvis, in particular, being "ordinary," in 2011, did not come back to bite him. In truth, Jarvis looked decidedly so and Tamim could not hold back a smile when he was asked if he still thought of him as nothing more than mediocre.

"I knew this was coming," Tamim said. "Even if I make a thousand comments now, it is never going to change. Look, Jarvis is a good bowler. He is a very good bowler. But I don't want to tell him he is a good bowler because I am the opposition."

As long as no-one tells Tamim this is a public site, he won't have to realise that his showering of compliments on Zimbabwe's spearhead is known to all who read it and will wash away some of the string from two years ago. "Jarvis has improved a lot and he is now the best bowler in their team," he said.

Today, that could come across backhanded. Zimbabwe's bowlers were woeful on a surface that was supposed to suit them. Elton Chigumbura admitted it did a lot less than they expected it to do when they decided to field first and when they saw that, they grew anxious. "It was a bit soft in the morning and we didn't hit the right areas. When that happened, we also got a bit impatient," Chigumbura said. "It's a much better wicket than in the first Test."

Runs came easily and the bowlers looked unthreatening, so much so that none of them could lay claim to Tamim's scalp. He ran himself out in search of his 50th run and accepted that it was an irresponsible decision to opt for a quick single. "My wicket was a disgrace," he said. "It was, maybe a rush of blood or something like that. It was a very stupid dismissal."

It was not the only one. The rest of Bangladesh's top five also gifted Zimbabwe wickets and for that Tamim was regretful. "We all gave our wickets away, except the captain at the end. It really wasn't doing that much," he said. "If we had only lost four wickets, that would have been ideal for us but 300 on this ground is worth 375 on other grounds because it's a slow outfield so that's why I say we are pretty even."

Zimbabwe helped that with a poor display in the field which Chigumbura had no explanation for. Tamim offered his, though. "I'm telling you there is something in this ground. If you look at the first Test, we dropped a catch in the first over and then they did and now they did again," he said, grinning.

"But catches are something that helped us, it's something we have to be serious about when we are in the field. We don't want to give them any chances, like we did with [Brendan] Taylor in the first match."

They also don't want to give away any chances when batting on the second morning. Tamim is eyeing 400 as a target while Zimbabwe are hopeful of nipping out the last four wickets cheaply. "If we can bowl well and get them out for less than 50 runs that would be good. Less than 350 will be good for us," Chigumbura said. "Then, if we can apply ourselves with the bat, we can get a big score on that wicket."

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Petersen and Buttler give Somerset initiative

Somerset 358 for 6 (Petersen 136, Compton 52, Trescothick 51, Buttler 90*) v Warwickshire
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If Alviro Petersen had his own tankard in the local pub and a cider named after him, he could hardly have taken to life with Somerset more comfortably.

Petersen, fresh from the 258 runs he scored on debut at The Oval, followed up with a century in his first game at his new home ground to help Somerset establish a commanding position by the end of the first day of this game against Warwickshire. A total of 394 runs in his first three innings does not just bear testament to some good wickets, but also a batsmen in supreme form.

Some might look at the scores and conclude that Petersen is filling his boots against soft county attacks, but it is not so. There was nothing soft about this innings. Somerset, choosing to bat on a green-looking pitch on which Warwickshire would have chosen to bowl, were up against a fast-bowling attack that contained three men pushing for an England place. And while a couple of them were not absolutely at their best, a crowd of over 2,000 was treated to a high-quality encounter between two strong teams that would not have disgraced many international matches. The standard of county cricket at the top of Division One really is impressive at present.

That Somerset have, at this stage, had the best of it is largely due to the strength of their top-order batting. A trio of Marcus Trescothick, Nick Compton and Petersen would grace many international sides and they responded to the challenging circumstances with classy displays.

While Petersen will gain the headlines - he drove beautifully, but also cut and pulled fluently - the foundations for this innings were laid by Compton and Trescothick in an opening partnership of 103. Progress was not easy - runs to third man were plentiful as Warwickshire's bowlers found the edge regularly - and Trescothick was hit a crunching blow on the side of his neck in the middle of a fierce spell from the dangerous but expensive Rikki Clarke.

Perhaps Warwickshire were a little unfortunate, too. Compton, on 2, survived an edge off Chris Woakes that flew between the slips and gully, while Trescothick, on 9, was lucky to see his slashed edged go high over the cordon. But both batsmen leave so well and allow so little margin for error that, having survived the early challenges, they gradually gained the initiative.

"Our openers did a great job seeing off the new ball," Petersen said afterwards. "That made my job easier. I'm pretty happy with where my game is going and I hope I can go from strength to strength in the next two years."

Warwickshire may also reflect that they were not absolutely at their best. Chris Wright, perhaps anxious to make an impression in front of the TV cameras and the watching selector, Ashley Giles, struggled for rhythm just a little and drifted down the leg side more than normal, while Oliver Hannon-Dalby, in for the injured Keith Barker and preferred to Boyd Rankin, struggled to maintain the pressure with a few spells of floaty medium pace. It meant an attack that usually has a relentless nature to it instead had a weak link that allowed the batsmen to settle and regroup.

Maybe Warwickshire chased the game for a while, too. After clawing their way back into contention after lunch, they seemed to strive too hard for wicket-taking deliveries rather than maintaining discipline and patience. It saw Petersen and Jos Buttler counterattack fluently in a partnership that eventually yielded 193 runs in 47.1 overs. Woakes, the pick of the bowlers, always demanded respect, but his colleagues overpitched and underpitched more than would, by their own high standards, have pleased them. Wright, in particular, improved during the day and produced several searing bouncers - one of which struck Buttler on the gloves - but with Graham Onions prospering elsewhere, may have ended the day further from the England team than he started it.

Buttler will certainly have gone in the other direction. He is an unusually gifted batsman and will resume in the morning 10 short of the third century of his first-class career. There are times, such as when he throws his hands at wide deliveries without foot movement, when you worry for his technique but, when the ball disappears for four as often as it did today, such concerns fade. For the second game in succession, he added over 100 with Petersen and, perhaps more pleasingly, for the second game in succession, he tempered his own attacking instincts for the good of the team when a break for bad light and the loss of two late wickets threatened to reverse Somerset's progress.

For a while it appeared Somerset might squander their good start. They lost four wickets for 40 runs either side of lunch as James Hildreth pulled to square leg and Craig Kieswetter's 17-ball duck ended when he fended one to slip as if providing catching practice. Earlier Compton was unfortunate to be adjudged lbw - there was more than a hint of inside edge on the ball - and Trescothick, just starting to show glimpses of his imperious best, played down the wrong line to the first ball of offspin from Jeetan Patel.

Later Petersen, slashing at a cut, was brilliantly held in the slips, before Peter Trego, in the middle of a run of batting form so grim that his last six first-class innings have garnered just 19 runs, top-edged a pull and was also athletically held by Tim Ambrose. Ambrose's days as an England player are surely gone but, on merit, he and Chris Read really should be considered among the very best of the contenders as No. 2 to Matt Prior in the Test team.

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Northants depth leaves Gloucs in trouble

Gloucestershire 192 and 34 for 1 trail Northamptonshire 404 (Wakely 88, Middlebrook 62, Crook 53, Gidman 4-109) by 178 runs
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Half-centuries from Alex Wakely, James Middlebrook and Steven Crook put Division Two leaders Northamptonshire in control on the second day of their Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Wakely led the way with 88 as the visitors ran up 404 all out in reply to 192, Middlebrook making 62 and Crook 53. Gloucestershire were left with an awkward period to bat before the close and lost skipper Michael Klinger for a single in moving to 34 for 1, still 178 runs behind.

Northants began the day on 107 for 3 and Rob Newton soon set about adding to his score of 14, pulling a ball from Alex Gidman over fine leg for six. Newton had moved brightly to 39 when caught at backward-point by Jack Taylor off Benny Howell.

Wakely, unbeaten on 23 overnight, looked in good touch as he was joined by Andrew Hall, who was given a life on 18 when dropped by Chris Dent at second slip off David Payne. The pair had added 77 by lunch, which was taken with Northants 226 for 4.

Hall was 27 not out at the interval, but could add only a single in the afternoon session before falling leg-before to Will Gidman. Northants fell to 242 for 6 when Wakely departed, also lbw to Gidman, having faced 166 balls and extended his boundary count to 11.

When the second new ball became due, not surprisingly, Klinger opted to take it immediately and Payne was the bowler to capitalise as David Murphy was caught by diving wicketkeeper Cameron Herring for 16 and three balls later David Willey had his middle stump uprooted.

The Northants lead was just 91, but their tail wagged energetically as Crook joined Middlebrook to produce the most attacking batting of the day. Middlebrook hit eight fours in reaching a 72-ball half-century, while Crook also punished anything loose. By tea they had taken the score to 353 for 8, earning Northants a third and fourth batting point in the process.

The final session saw Middlebrook caught behind off Taylor's offspin without adding to his score but last man Trent Copeland then contributed 27 not out to a stand of 46 with Crook. Will Gidman claimed his fourth wicket when Crook chipped a catch to Dent at midwicket, having helped Northants to maximum batting points.

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Onions makes Yorkshire wince

Yorkshire 177 (Root 49, Onions 5-63) trail Durham 237 (Mustard 70, Bresnan 4-41) by 60 runs
Scorecard

Batting is a tough proposition in Durham in April and it gets no tougher than when Graham Onions is scowling at you at the end of his run. Durham traditionally refers to itself as the land of the Prince Bishops, but when Onions gets the ball in his hand it becomes the land of the High Fives. He even high fives in slightly menacing fashion. You get the impression that it is best not to mess up a high five with Onions, never mind put a catch down in the slips.

Under northern skies, nobody can match Onions' threat. Stern-faced and hostile, with jet black hair, he gives the impression that he might have been chiselled from the landscape itself; the harshest side of the hill, the one forever exposed to the blast of northerly winds. Nobody carries a county side with more resolve, nobody suggests more often that they are capable of turning a game single-handedly.

He nagged away constantly, unpicking the merest hint of a slovenly technique, his length full and insistent, his bouncer quick enough to keep a batsman honest. Yorkshire, newly promoted and not yet hardened to their challenge, surrendered five wickets to him and will have to meet him with more acumen second time around if they are to recover a first-innings deficit of 60. They came into Division One with a long unbeaten run behind them, but they are struggling to up their game.

While Onions rests, Durham privately wonder whether they have the capacity to maintain their first division status. When they throw him the ball, they feel like world beaters. Drizzle prevented play until after 4pm but, when Onions was finally allowed on the prowl, two England players, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, succumbed to his 10-over spell, as did another batsman increasingly attracting glowing reports, Gary Ballance. Add his two wickets overnight, and he had five of the first six Yorkshire wickets to fall.

Onions had an inactive time with England in the winter, when the wickets were deemed too unresponsive to suit him. He might have anticipated as much in India, as the Test series was contested on turning decks, but to arrive in New Zealand in the New Year to find the pitches unusually moribund was deeply frustrating. He never made England's final XI; en entire winter spent waiting and watching. Nobody took more wickets in Division One last season - 64 at only 14.98 - and he looks bent upon retribution.

Root suffered for sluggish footwork, half forward at best and bowled off stump. Until then, his 49 had been made with good tempo, which was good to see after his travails of the winter when spinning pitches in India, followed by turgid surfaces in New Zealand, allied to England's need to show defensive intent and his own limitations, all contributed to dogged Test innings of near-strokelessness.

Bairstow's dismissal was a soft one. Onions stopped at the end of his run and waved his two fielders on the hook 10 yards finer. He banged in the bouncer wide of off-stump, Bairstow tried to paddle it to the leg side and plopped it into the hands of Mark Stoneman at deep square leg. It has to be said that with a shot like that Bairstow did not look as if he had been chiselled from any sort of landscape at all. Ballance then edged to the wicketkeeper.

With Onions spent, Yorkshire might have imagined that the threat had subsided, but four overs later Ben Stokes had Adil Rashid lbw and, in the following over, Tim Bresnan slashed at Chris Rushworth and Paul Collingwood clung on in the slips. Under blue evening skies, Liam Plunkett, remained undefeated against his former county but two more wickets for Stokes brought Durham a useful first-innings lead.

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Adams' ton helps Hampshire dominate

Hampshire 367 for 6 (Adams 151*, Carberry 62, Vince 52) v Worcestershire
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At this level, on this pitch and against this Worcestershire attack, Jimmy Adams will score runs. Just about every time he goes out to bat. The 17th first-class century of his career, and fourth since becoming captain of Hampshire, was made with characteristic application, concentration and an unerring ability to dispatch the loose ball.

There was little discernible difference in Adams' approach to this innings at the start of the day, after he had won the toss, and in the final session, when he was well into three figures. John Woodcock once wrote an appreciation of another accumulative left-hand opener, John Edrich, noting that after falling asleep and waking to find a century had been reached, he had no need to ask how the runs had been scored.

So it is with Adams. He is not as good as Edrich was, but he plays to similar strengths. An innings progresses at a certain pace. It is for the likes of Michael Carberry and James Vince to play the more expansive shots, as indeed they did on Wednesday. Already, Hampshire have a substantial first-innings total.

Carberry added 113 with his captain, making 64 with 11 fours before Moeen Ali had him leg before, the front pad relatively far forward. This was the first of three wickets taken by Moeen, a talented batsman who looks as if he will be given more bowling this season than his record would suggest he might have. George Bailey, who will not be a part of Australia's Ashes party this summer, was caught at slip aiming to drive and Vince rather casually lofted a drive to wide mid-on.

Before that, Liam Dawson was caught at point aiming to turn to leg. Adams reached his century with his 12th four, driven through mid-off. His innings moved by reader on the ESPNcricinfo blog to describe his technique as akin to "a crab attempting to line dance" but this shot belonged to the textbook of nuggety left-handers. Meanwhile, Vince was batting about as well as he did in his century against Leicestershire in the first match of the season, even if the manner of his dismissal was unnecessary. His 52 included six fours.

There was scant help for any of Worcestershire's bowlers, fast or slow. Chris Russell, who once played lamp-post cricket on the Isle of Wight with his schoolboy friend, Hampshire's Danny Briggs, had an extended bowl in the morning, his flowing action more impressive than his direction, although he did pick up two wickets later on. Had David Griffiths been playing for Hampshire, there would have been three representatives from the island, to which the club would like to return. There is talk of county cricket being played on the Isle of Wight, at the New Close ground, for the first time since 1962.

That Russell was not playing for Hampshire owed to his manager having introduced him to clubs in the west Midlands; this was the first time he had played on this ground. Doubtless he will be able to learn from Alan Richardson, who just keeps on bowling. He took a wicket late in the day when Sean Ervine and Adam Wheater, again preferred to Michael Bates, came and went.

Both this total and their first innings against Leicestershire a fortnight ago were higher than anything Hampshire managed at home last year, so it has been a good start to the season. Having been foiled by the weather in their opening fixture - the final day's play was abandoned - they need to make the most of this.

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Calm Namibia seal title win

Namibia 188 for 5 (Ya France 54, Williams 42) beat Kenya 187 for 5 (Mishra 68, Obanda 30) by five wickets
Scorecard

Namibia won the T20 Quadrangular title, beating Kenya by five wickets in a last-ball finish.

Set a target of 188 to chase, Namibia raced to 68 in the eighth over, before a couple of quick wickets pegged them back. Opener Pikky Ya France guided the chase and once he departed, Craig Williams and captain Sarel Burger stepped up. With 15 runs needed in the last over, Burger hit a crucial six and took a few crucial runs with Nicolaas Schotlz as Namibia scored the winning runs off the last ball.

Earlier, Kenya, who were put in to bat, had a strong start as the openers, Alex Obanda and Tanmay Mishra put on 73 in 8.3 overs. Mishra fell in the 16th over for a 53-ball 68 but a couple of quick knocks from Morris Ouma, Collins Obuya and Rakep Patel took Kenya to a strong 187 for 5.

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Westfield endures third day of evidence

Mervyn Westfield has endured a third day in the witness box as Danish Kaneria's appeal against a lifetime ban from the game continues.

Westfield, a hostile witness forced to attend the hearing after the ECB obtained a High Court summons, spent much of Monday giving evidence and was then cross-examined by Kaneria's legal team on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Westfield's testimony was key when Kaneria was banned for life and charged £100,000 in costs by an ECB disciplinary panel in June 2012 for his part in the spot-fixing case involving. Kaneria had been found guilty of inducing Westfield, his former Essex team-mate, to underperform in a limited-overs game in 2009 and of bringing the game into disrepute. Westfield was jailed for his role in the case.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Tony Palladino, a former Essex team-mate of Kaneria and Westfield, has been one of the other witnesses before appearing in the current round of Championship games. It was Palladino, now with Derbyshire, who provided the crucial evidence that led to the conviction and imprisonment of Westfield.

The verdict of the appeal is expected late on Thursday or on Friday.

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Jordan Clark hits six sixes in an over

Jordan Clark, a 22-year-old Lancashire batsman who has yet to make his first-class debut, earned himself a place in cricket history by hitting Yorkshire left-arm spinner Gurman Randhawa for six sixes in an over during a 2nd XI match in Scarborough.

The feat came on the second day of the contest as Clark latched onto Randhawa's 13th over and struck all his blows over the midwicket area. His modest response to the achievement was to say that he thought the time had come "to step it up a little." Until the point of the 36-run over, Randhawa had figures of 2 for 15 in 12 overs.

Although Clark's striking did not come in a top-level match it had him being mentioned in the same breath as Garry Sobers, Ravi Shastri, Yuvraj Singh and Herschelle Gibbs who have achieved the rare full house of sixes in first-class, List A or Twenty20 cricket.

"I hit the first few pretty well, had a chat to my team-mate, and I just carried on really," he told BBC Sport. "I just remember feeling a bit of pressure on the last ball and thinking 'I have got to have a crack'."

Clark, who was part of Lancashire's 2nd XI Trophy-winning team last year, has so far been restricted to one-day and Twenty20 appearances for the first team having joined the club's academy in 2008.

He was not the only fringe county batsman to launch a barrage of sixes on Wednesday as Middlesex's Adam Rossington, playing against Cambridge MCCU, hit five consecutive sixes in an over against Akbar Ansari although Rossington was never in with a chance of matching Clark as the over had begun with a dot ball. He did, however, strike the next ball he faced from Ansari in the following over for another six.

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Butt ready to begin rehabilitation process

Salman Butt, the former Pakistan captain, has indicated his availability to the PCB to take part in an anti-corruption rehabilitation program, ESPNcricinfo has learned. Butt met with Pakistan board officials hours after Dave Richardson, the ICC's chief executive, urged him and Mohammad Asif to cooperate with the authorities over their involvement in spot-fixing.

The PCB chairman, Zaka Ashraf, had already hinted at a route back for the banned trio - Butt, Asif and Mohammad Amir - after they have served their bans. Butt met with PCB officials at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday and offered to complete the anti-corruption education programme, which he is required to participate in to avoid a further five-year suspended sentence becoming active.

Ashraf has given a clear indication that the players are free to try and rebuild their careers in the Pakistan domestic game - once their suspensions have been served - but warned against further transgressions.

Butt, 28, appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a reduction in his five-year (plus five suspended) ban but the plea was dismissed after the panel wasn't persuaded that the sanction imposed by the ICC's independent tribunal was disproportionate. Butt, however, is optimistic about his future in the game and believes he can make a return to professional cricket after serving the remaining two years and four months of his ban. He will be 30 when the suspension is complete in August 2015.

The independent anti-corruption tribunal, chaired by Michael Beloff QC, found Butt, Asif and Amir guilty of charges relating to spot-fixing at the Lord's Test match between England and Pakistan in August 2010. In addition, Butt was also found guilty of breaching the ICC's anti-corruption code by failing to report an approach made to him by Mazhar Majeed to engage in corrupt activity during The Oval Test match earlier in the same month.

All three were suspended in February 2011 and later given custodial sentences after being tried in the English courts. Butt served seven months of a 30-month prison sentence, Asif was released from prison after serving half of a year-long sentence, while Amir spent three months in a young offenders' institution after admitting his charge at a pre-trial hearing.

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Franchises need better support from IPL - KKR chief

"The financial viability of the franchises has to be uppermost on the mind of the league," says Venky Mysore, the Kolkata Knight Riders CEO

The IPL could carry out important changes next year with its auction conducted in rupees instead of dollars and for the first time including, in some manner, uncapped Indian players. These would be welcome changes, according to Venky Mysore, the Kolkata Knight Riders CEO, but he has voiced strong concerns about the conduct of the IPL and said the league's administrators need to be more open and responsive to the franchises and work hard closely with them.

Asked on ESPNcricinfo's daily video show The Huddle a wish he would like the IPL to fulfill, Mysore said it would be to make the franchises more profitable and help them stand on their legs. "The financial viability of the franchises has to be uppermost on the mind of the league. Sorry to be a bit blunt, but at times I have felt that is not necessarily the case," Mysore said. "The reason is stakeholders come into various businesses for passion. They have a vision and it fits into that, but you do not want them waking up one day and wondering what am I doing in this business. And that would happen if they are bleeding."

With player contracts expiring end of this season, franchises are getting ready for an overhaul with majority of the players - both capped and uncapped, including domestic Indian players - going to the auction. Mysore said the IPL would need to be transparent about the auction rules, especially on the point of retention. In 2011, the IPL had allowed every franchise to retain a maximum of four players with the rest returning to the auction. "Auction issue is big. While we really did not retain anyone in 2011, now we have an opportunity and we are certainly keen depending on what the rules are going to be. We are campaigning for saying retention is a must. If there is a precedence that says four, we are even happy to support more than four," he said.

With the salary cap increasing every year, Mysore warned the IPL needed to be more disciplined while deciding on the purse amount. At this year's auction, held in February, every franchise had a $12.5 million purse. Mysore also recommended the IPL to have the player salaries converted into Indian rupees instead of the prevalent dollar. "The reason for that is over the last two-and-a-half years the currency has depreciated almost 25-30%. So when you convert $12.5 million into rupees the salary cap has grown 500% (sic). No business can survive on that basis," Mysore said. According to him, the IPL has told him that 2014 auction would be rupee-based.

Another deterrent to an open auction has been the perception that the IPL rules are not set in stone and are flexible while favouring certain powerful franchises. Why then would they not operate as one while voicing their concerns? "That perception (of certain franchises taking advantage) does exist and as the saying goes, over a period of time perceptions do become reality. But there can be a spirit of co-operation. We are not a large league. We are nine teams. And everyone pretty much gets along with everybody from what I've seen. The recommendations that we make are certainly for the benefit of the entire league if not only the franchises. But somehow there is a certain sense of concern of quality or security on the part of the IPL," he said.

As an example, Mysore cited the case of asking the IPL permission to allow the franchise to play exhibition games overseas last year. "They got off the block a little bit and said yes, but what they also said was we go and play an Associate country," Mysore said. But according to him, playing in Ireland, Scotland, Canada was not economically feasible. As a solution he suggested to allow two franchises to play against each other in an Associate country, but the IPL showed reluctance once again. Mysore is still not losing hope. "I can see there is more openness, although not enough for our liking, but it is slowly coming in."

A grey area franchises have exploited in the past is signing an uncapped Indian domestic player, who has never been part of the auction unlike his overseas counterpart. Uncapped Indian players are paid a maximum of Rs 30 lakh ($55,300 approx) with the IPL reasoning that inflating the salary would corrupt the youngsters. However, according to Mysore it is another way of bending the rules. "There are ways in which you can control the value that is "thrown" at a player. Whenever you do price control, people always find ways to get around it and we are a very creative bunch," Mysore said.

Offering a solution, Mysore felt a good way out was to put the Indian uncapped domestic players as a group at the back-end of the auction. "Everyone who left the auction in 2011 had roughly between $400,000-500,000 (of the purse money) left to sign up Indian uncapped boys. Pretty much the same thing could happen next year. In the process there might be one or two players who might command a high fee. So be it. At least the market forces will be at work rather than the circuitous routes taken in 2011 (by franchises). There were allegations like someone paying someone's brother-in-law a car or a mother-in-law a house to overcome the rules. That is silly."

He remained confident though, having been assured by the IPL about plugging that loophole. "I am told that in the next auction Indian uncapped boys will also come into the auction."

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'Everything went right for me today' - Gayle

Chris Gayle's 175 that demolished Pune Warriors took only 66 deliveries, and included 17 sixes. While that may seem like the very definition of sustained hitting, and makes it hard to imagine a period where the batsman took it easy, Gayle spoke about how he paced his innings.

"I didn't want to just get the hundred and continue blasting and blasting and get out, you know how quickly this game can change," Gayle said after delivering a 130-run victory for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He reached his hundred off 30 deliveries in the ninth over, before taking it slightly easy for the next few overs.

"I wanted to stay there till the end, make sure I bat at least 18 overs, if not all, which I did, I look on that as a point of view, where I try and bat as many overs as possible, get the hundred, and then actually let Dilly [Tillakaratne Dilshan] take charge while I get a break and pick it up back in the end."

Having broken the record for the fastest T20 hundred, the highest individual score in T20 and the most sixes in an innings, Gayle said it was too soon for him to gauge the magnitude of his achievement. "Words can't explain how I feel, I think later on tonight when I am by myself I can look back and reflect on what I've done today," he said. "I'm grateful, overall from a team point of view, I'm really happy with the win, that put us on top of the table, just one of those innings, one of these days when you come out and things go according to how you want it to."

Aaron Finch, the Warriors captain, watched helplessly as his bowlers, and his own bowling, was ruthlessly taken apart by Gayle. There were no qualifiers in his praise for Gayle. "That was simply the best innings I've ever seen," Finch said. He later joked: "Maybe we should ban him from the game. Maybe he's too good, he hits it too far."

It wasn't just with the bat that Gayle did damage. Asked to bowl the final over of the match - his first chance with the ball this IPL season - he picked up two wickets, before celebrating with his famous Gangnam Style dance. "It was really good to finish off in that particular way, " he said. "Some people keep on asking, 'they have seen me do Gangnam Style in international cricket, why not in IPL?' I thought that was the perfect time to do it, you get a wicket, everything just worked for Chris Gayle today … I'm an entertainer, I try to entertain as much as possible."

With Warriors conceding a record 263 runs - the most in the history of Twenty20s - Gayle was asked whether he felt sorry for the bowler s. "Sometimes I get knocked over first ball, I would love to ask the bowler as well 'Do you feel sorry for me'. We're paid to be competitive out there, serious event the IPL, lot of money being spent, you want to put on your best performance at all times."

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Rogers and Faulkner in Ashes squad

Brad Haddin has been confirmed as Australia's vice-captain for the Ashes tour, while the veteran opener Chris Rogers has rocketed back into Test contention five years after his only match in the baggy green. Rogers has been named in the 16-man squad along with the Tasmanian fast-bowling allrounder James Faulkner, who was preferred ahead of the teenage spinner Ashton Agar for the final bowling position, leaving Nathan Lyon as the sole specialist spinner in the touring party.

Usman Khawaja has retained his place as a backup batsman ahead of Steven Smith, while Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Doherty and Moises Henriques have also been left out from the squad that toured India. Jackson Bird has returned to the group after leaving the Indian tour due to injury and Ryan Harris is also back having missed most of the Australian home summer due to injury.

The incumbent Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade was named in the squad but the national selector, John Inverarity, said the intention was for the new vice-captain, Haddin, to be the first-choice gloveman.

"In regards to the vice-captaincy, we feel it's important to have a senior, seasoned player support Michael at this time," Inverarity said. "When Shane Watson advised of his decision to stand down, the NSP viewed Brad as the exceptional candidate to step into this leadership void.

"Matthew Wade is a very good cricketer and remains central to our plans for the future. New members to the group include Chris Rogers and James Faulkner, while Ryan Harris returns from a long absence from international cricket.

"Chris Rogers is a hardened first-class cricketer and has been given a deserved opportunity on the back of sustained run-scoring in both Australia and England over many seasons. He has vast experience in the UK and has performed outstandingly well over there; during the past four seasons in England, between 2009 and 2012, he has scored more than 5000 first-class runs at an average of 52.30, including 17 centuries and 21 fifties.

"James Faulkner has also been given an opportunity after impressing in recent months as an all-rounder. His performance in last month's Sheffield Shield final was compelling and he has now produced three consistently good seasons with the ball at Shield level for Tasmania. He is a player who is seldom out of the game for long. He takes wickets, forms partnerships and makes valuable runs.

"Ryan Harris has regained fitness and it is great to have such a very highly regarded and well-performed pace bowler back in the mix. Nathan Lyon is the only spin bowler selected but we will be keeping a close eye on others in case another spinner is required. We'll have approximately 30 players in England at the start of the northern summer and the NSP can add to the Ashes squad at any stage if the need arises."

The selectors also announced an Australia A squad to play in England ahead of the Ashes and including several of the team's frontline bowlers with the aim of giving them as much time as possible to adjust to the English conditions. Haddin will captain the A team, which includes Agar and Lyon as two spinners. Inverarity said the legspinner Fawad Ahmed, who is unlikely to be eligible to play for Australia until near the end of the Ashes series, was likely to be part of an Australia A tour in July.

"The bulk of our Ashes bowling attack - James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Jackson Bird and Nathan Lyon - will use the 'A' matches as important preparation for the Ashes," Inverarity said. "Brad Haddin will also get some valuable preparation for the Ashes in his leadership role captaining the side.

"In relation to Fawad Ahmed, we have selected only two spinners in the Australia A squad. Including three spinners would have upset team balance. We are planning a further Australia A tour to South Africa in mid-July and it is our intention to include Fawad in that squad."

Full report to follow

Ashes squad Michael Clarke (capt), Brad Haddin (vice-capt, wk), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja, Chris Rogers, Matthew Wade (wk), James Faulkner, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird.

Australia A squad Brad Haddin (capt), Steven Smith (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Alex Doolan, Ryan Harris, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Nic Maddinson, James Pattinson, Chadd Sayers, Peter Siddle, Jordan Silk.

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Who will captain Pune Warriors?

Match facts

Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)

Big Picture

Five of the nine franchises are captained by foreign players, leading to the debate about whether foreign captains are a liability when they don't perform well. Seven games into this tournament, Pune Warriors have already had three captains - Angelo Mathews, Ross Taylor and Aaron Finch (all foreigners). One was an enforced change, with Mathews forced to sit out a game in Chennai, leaving Taylor to lead. However, Mathews' poor form (5 matches, 52 runs, 1 wicket) has upset the team's plans and hence he was left out of Warriors' last game against Kings XI Punjab, handing the captaincy to the inexperienced Aaron Finch.

The leadership crisis hasn't helped Warriors as they stay at No.8 in the points table, above Delhi Daredevils. If Warriors decide to go with an Indian captain, the only logical option is Yuvraj Singh, who returned after missing two games to injury. Ross Taylor didn't feature against Kings XI, in order to accommodate Luke Wright. The questions remain - if not Mathews, who will walk out for the toss in Bangalore? Will they settle on an Indian captain once and for all?

They've been dogged by inconsistency all season. In Mohali, they had the upper hand at the start of the final over with 15 to defend, but Wright's horrid over handed the game to Kings XI. Warriors had positives to draw from the defeat, but against Royal Challengers Bangalore, their bowlers will have to step up.

Royal Challengers are the team with the best home record this season, having not conceded a single game at Chinnaswamy. Their match against Warriors will be their last at home before they embark on a six-matches tour. Their next home fixture is on May 14. Against Rajasthan Royals, their seamers did well to keep the total to an underwhelming 117. The chase was measured, with Chris Gayle scoring a patient 49. It may not have been the most entertaining chase, but Royal Challengers were determined to keep wickets in hand and not choke.

Form guide

(most recent first)

Pune Warriors LLWLW
Royal Challengers Bangalore WWLWW

Players to watch

Saurabh Tiwary was a regular in the Royal Challengers' line-up in 2012 but was missing at the start of this season due to injury. In his first game, against Royals, he scored an unbeaten 25 to steer the side home with Gayle. Gayle was unusually cautious towards the end, but Tiwary's flurry of boundaries hastened Royal Challengers' march. Tiwary could command a regular place going forward. When these teams met at Chinnaswamy last year, Warriors needed to defend 21 off the last over and yet managed to botch it, with Tiwary hitting the final ball for six with three needed.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is Warriors' leading wicket-taker with eight wickets at an economy rate of 6.29, only behind Rahul Sharma (6.03). Against Kings XI, he was the best of the lot, with figures of 4-0-31-1. With Ashok Dinda proving expensive, the burden on Bhuvneshwar to contain the opposition batsmen has only increased. His inswing to the right-handers has been a revelation.

Stats and trivia

• Aaron Finch has three fifties so far which, along with Michael Hussey, is the most by any foreigner.
• Virat Kohli needs 39 more for 2000 IPL runs.

Quotes

"All the four fast bowlers are doing well and Zaheer Khan is still not playing. When he comes back, it will be a plus."
Royal Challengers fast bowler and Purple Cap holder Vinay Kumar

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Pitch questions for back-to-back Tests

Others may have taken it as a rest day but neither Zimbabwe nor Bangladesh opted to put their feet up on what would have been the fifth day of the first Test with both camps were back at work on Sunday.

Grant Flower held a net with his players who had not featured in the Test while Bangladesh were engaged in a full session after they crushing 335-run defeat. But they were not the only ones getting ready. The Harare Sports Club groundstaff were also out in full force, grateful for the extra day to prepare for back-to-back Tests.

This is only the 13th occasion in Test history that the same venue is being used for two Tests in the space of eight days but it is the first time in 11 years that is happening. Sharjah was the most recent case, where Australia and Pakistan played in 2002 and Harare has hosted consecutive Tests once before, in 1999 against Sri Lanka.

While it is an advantage to the teams, who have already played once at the ground and will have had some time to get used to it, it is a scramble for the organisers; this time even more so because drizzle is dominating the build-up.

There was rain in the city on Sunday afternoon and early on Monday morning. After a few hours of sunshine, it came down again and more rain is forecast for both Tuesday and Wednesday, with clear skies for the start of the second Test on Thursday.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Zimbabwe would like to leave a similar amount of grass on the surface as was present for the first Test. Brendan Taylor was pleased with both the assistance it offered to the home quicks and that it "took the Bangladesh spinners, which we know is their strength, out of the equation."

The reverse applied too. Bangladesh's seamers, Robiul Islam in particular, also enjoyed the conditions and Zimbabwe's top-order battled. In the hope they will not face a similar early wobble, Zimbabwe have to be careful not to leave too much grass on it.

Their efforts in getting the balance right could all be washed away if wet weather persists for long enough to cause the surface to be underprepared. Batting could be even more difficult, which will not come as good news to either side.

An obvious question would be why the second Test is not played at Zimbabwe's other main venue, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo? Conspiracy theorists have brought up the history - Zimbabwe have only won one Test there compared to seven in Harare while Bangladesh have never won here and drew once in Bulawayo - and the idea that the hosts may not want to play on a slower surface that may take some turn, but the real reason lies in the finances.

The costs of travel for both teams to Bulawayo for a Test, back up to Harare for ODIs, and then to Bulawayo again for more limited-overs games was steeper than simply staying in one centre for an extended period. Money has also limited the number of television cameras at the matches.

The broadcasters, SuperSport, are using the same number they would use to cover a domestic game in South Africa, nine, which is significantly fewer than the 24 they use for an international, and there is no DRS.

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BCCI defers decision on playoff venue

The IPL governing council deferred the decision of shifting the two playoff games that were scheduled to be played in Chennai on May 21 and 22, respectively.

Following political pressure before the tournament, the BCCI asked franchises to refrain from fielding their Sri Lankan players in games played in Chennai. With Sri Lankans featuring in many teams, the franchises have been asking for the playoff games - the first qualifier and the eliminator - to be moved out of Chennai.

However, the IPL governing council, which met in Chennai on Monday, decided to adopt a wait-and-watch approach. "If the political issue in Tamil Nadu subsides, the question of shifting the games won't arise," said a BCCI insider, who attended the meeting. "The playoffs are still a month away, so there is no need to rush into any decision."

If the political turmoil is not resolved, the games might be played in Bangalore or Mumbai. Sri Lankan cricketers have been an integral part of the IPL since its inception in 2008. In the current season, three teams - Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pune Warriors and Delhi Daredevils - are led by Sri Lankans. Though Sunrisers and Warriors have benched Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews, respectively, in a bid to improve their team balance, they remain key members of the side.

Thisara Perera, the Sri Lankan all-rounder, has emerged as the leading performer for Sunrisers, who have won five of their seven games so far. As the tournament moves towards the half-way mark, Sunrisers are among the favourites to make it to the top four, along with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have Muttiah Muralitharan and Tillakaratne Dilshan in their ranks.

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Super Kings batting might trumps Watson ton

Chennai Super Kings 186 for 5 (Hussey 88, Raina 51, Faulkner 3-20) beat Rajasthan Royals 185 for 4 (Watson 101, Binny 36*, Ashwin 2-20) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Chennai Super Kings have more match-turning batsmen than any other side in the tournament, and that was on display yet again as they hunted down 186 against Rajasthan Royals. Michael Hussey, who made the slowest 40-plus score in the IPL in the previous match, showed off his versatility with a boundary-filled 88, the out-of-form Suresh Raina powered his way to a half-century, MS Dhoni narrowed the gap to the target though he couldn't close out the game this time. It was left to Dwayne Bravo to pound a final-over six and deliver victory, before breaking out into a joyous chukka chukka dance.

The endless depth in Super Kings' batting meant that Shane Watson's typically power-packed century, the first hundred of the season, and James Faulkner's pinpoint death bowling was not enough for the perennial underdogs Rajasthan Royals to pull off another upset.

Royals have won all 15 matches in which they have had to defend more than 162, but once the Super Kings chase began, Royals never looked outright favourites. Ajit Chandila continued to have success with his seemingly harmless and variation-less offspin bowling, dismissing M Vijay cheaply, but Hussey began with a barrage of boundaries, including a six over midwicket to ensure Super Kings kept pace. It was a shot he used often and effectively as he shed his usual role of anchor, and turned into an aggressor.

Raina was no slouch either, playing two of his trademark strokes - the slog over midwicket and the inside-out lofted hit over extra cover - as the pair, helped by some erratic bowling, powered Super Kings past 100 in the 10th over.

Faulkner gave Royals some hope by getting Raina lbw, but with Cooper bowling too many wide deliveries that were easily guided by Hussey to behind backward point for four, and the finishing expert, Dhoni, in the middle, Super Kings were still ahead.

A spot-on direct-hit from Dravid to send back Hussey renewed Royals' fight, before Faulkner bowled two superb death overs, getting rid of Ravindra Jadeja for a duck, and then dismissing Dhoni caught at wide long-on. It was down to Bravo to score 11 off the final over, off Watson who has only recently re-started bowling. Watson missed the length on one and was drilled over sweeper cover for six to virtually kill off the contest.

It was a bittersweet match for Watson, who had been in imperious touch earlier. The carnage started in earnest from the third over, as he coolly launched Mohit Sharma's first delivery over the bowler's head for six. Chris Morris was helped over deep backward square leg for six, the giant West Indian fast bowler Jason Holder proved ineffective on debut and by the end of the seventh, Royals had whooshed to 71.

The over which defined the innings was the 17th, bowled by Jadeja. The first ball was a hit-me full toss that was clobbered over long-on for six. Jadeja, already taken for 27 in his first two overs, was flustered by the big hitting, and sprayed the next ball miles outside off stump. It was followed up by another full toss that was deposited for six, and another shocking wide, several metres outside off.

Watson ended that over on 99, and brought up the first hundred of the season with a gentle nudge behind square leg in the next over. With Stuart Binny regularly scything the ball over the off side, Royals ran up what seemed a terrific total of 185. Not against Super Kings.

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Davidson, Geldenhuys lead Namibia to 45-run win

Namibia 147 for 6 (Kotze 26, Rippon 2-24, Cooper 2-7) beat Netherlands 102 (De Grooth 22, Davidson 3-7, Geldenhuys 2-35) by 45 runs
Scorecard

Namibia moved to second place in the T20 Quadrangular lead with a 45-run victory over Netherlands.

Put in to bat, Namibia began well but lost regular wickets, with no batsman reaching a personal score of thirty. They were struggling at 98 for 5 in the 16th over, before a late charge by Sarel Burger and Jaen Kotze took them to 147 for 6.

In reply, Netherlands were in trouble after the fast bowling pair of Hendrik Geldenhuys and Jason Davidson struck to claim five wickets for 12 runs in the space of three overs, leaving Netherlands reeling at 36 for 5. Davidson, who took two wickets in his second over finished with figures of 3 for 7 off four overs. Michael Rippon and Tom de Grooth tried to revive the innings with a 32-run stand but once they were dismissed, Netherlands folded for 102.

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Batsmen guide Kenya to five-wicket win

Kenya 177 for 5 (Mishra 45, R Patel 37) beat South Africa Emerging Players 174 for 6 (Wiese 62*, Vallie 61, Variaya 3-35) by five wickets
Scorecard

Kenya continued their dominance in the T20 Quadrangular tournament, beating South Africa Emerging Players by five wickets on Sunday. The win puts them at the top of the table with two wins in two games.

Kenya, who won the toss, inserted South Africa Emerging Players and backed that decision by dismissing the openers quickly. A 56-run, third-wicket partnership between captain Jean Symes and Yaseen Vallie steadied the innings. Vallie added another 50 runs with David Wiese for the fourth wicket and once Vallie fell for 61, Wiese carried on, guiding the middle order to 174 for 6.

Kenya's top and middle order set up the chase. Opener Tanmay Mishra led the way with a 32-ball 45, before Morris Ouma, Collins Obuya and Rakep Patel struck useful 30s to guide Kenya to a close win, with two balls to spare.

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Australia ask Hick to teach batting patience

Graeme Hick, one of the greatest batting enigmas in England's history, has been called up to sort out the mindsets of young Australia batsmen increasingly wedded to Twenty20 cricket.

Hick will not have time to influence the Ashes series - Australia, despite being in a state of turmoil, plan to announce their squad on Wednesday, even though the opening Test at Trent Bridge will still be 12 weeks away.

But Australia's decision to call up Hick to teach their batsmen how to play long innings reflects their uncertainty about how to deal with the influence of a T20 format that promises quick rewards and instant fame.

Nobody loved batting more than Hick. He only scored six Test hundreds for England in 65 Tests - none against Australia in 10 attempts and was pilloried by the English media during an international career that was viewed as largely unfulfilled.

But he made 136 hundreds in 25 years at first-class level when his batting often seemed inexorable. It was those qualities which has persuaded Troy Cooley, the head coach at Australia's centre of excellence and Stuart Law, the high performance coach, to summon him to Brisbane from his home nearby on the Gold Coast.

"In the first-class system here there was only one person who had scored two hundreds in Sheffield Shield cricket by mid-January, not including the guys that played in the Test matches," Hick told the Sunday Express. "That's unheard of, and when I spoke to Stuey Law and Troy Cooley (that was something they identified. Having put together some biggish scores in my time, they thought I could pass on some of my methods."

Hick will work with some of the younger players in Australia's set-up from mid-May onwards. "It's a unique system in that players can go from Grade cricket to Test cricket very quickly," he said. "The way the Australia team is at the moment I would think that a lot of these younger guys will feel they have a real chance of making it into the side in the next 18 months or so."

Hick's 405 for Worcestershire against Somerset in 1988 remains one of the most remarkable batting feats in England's first-class history - only exceeded twice in the country - but he has not been used in any capacity since his retirement. Australia are out to prove that his knowledge is worth tapping.

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Underdogs face another tough task

Match facts

Monday, April 22
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

Rajasthan Royals' most recent opening stands are perhaps the most telling statement of how important a good start is for a side that doesn't bat deep. Their openers put on only 10 against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Royals were soundly thrashed; they put on 62 against Mumbai Indians and Royals coasted to a big win. As they take on Chennai Super Kings, a team with the best home record in the history of the IPL, Rahul Dravid would hope his openers can shake off their inconsistency and bat the way they did against Mumbai.

Given the collapse that ensued after Rahul Dravid's dismissal against Royal Challengers, Royals may contemplate bringing in Owais Shah, but dropping a foreign player will create a selection dilemma. Super Kings, meanwhile, will take note of another factor against Royals: they haven't shot down any big chases in IPL 2013, yet. Of their six games, Royals have chased a target only once, a paltry 124 against Kings XI Punjab.

Super Kings' campaign has moved in fits and starts, from thrashing Kings XI to losing to Pune Warriors and almost losing a low-scoring chase against Knight Riders. At the moment, they rely heavily on Michael Hussey, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja for their runs. With M Vijay and Suresh Raina inconsistent, their over-reliance on Hussey and Dhoni can be a shortcoming Royals can exploit.

Super Kings have a better bowling attack with. Albie Morkel, Mohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Chris Morris, Dwayne Bravo and Jadeja doing well for the side. Although they lack a big name, the Royals bowling unit has looked cohesive with the only concern arising from the inconsistency of Sreesanth and Shaun Tait.

Form Guide

Chennai Super Kings WWLWW (most recent first)
Rajasthan Royals LWWLW

Players to watch

In the five games that he's played since missing Super Kings' first game, Chris Morris has settled into the line-up. He's taken nine wickets in five matches so far, the second highest wicket-taker for Super Kings this season after Dwayne Bravo. He's a good batsman, too, and a move up the order might benefit the side.

Before the tournament started, Rahul Dravid stressed on Shane Watson's importance for the side. The Australian allrounder, one of the top Twenty20 cricketers in the world, also bowled for the first time in four months against Royal Challengers, picking up two wickets in two overs. He got Royals off to their best start against Mumbai and the team will bank on him to do the same against Chennai.

Stats and trivia

• Michael Hussey (217) and MS Dhoni (147) have scored 41% of Super Kings' runs so far in this season.
• Siddarth Trivedi is the highest wicket-taker for Rajasthan Royals with 59 wickets from 55 matches.
• Ajinkya Rahane is the first Royals batsman to cross 200 runs in this season.

Quotes

"We still haven't played our best cricket and hopefully we can do that."
Rajasthan Royals' captain Rahul Dravid backs his team's potential to win away matches

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