Tridents squeak by to keep Hawksbills winless

Barbados Tridents 130 for 9 (Carter 35, Brathwaite 2-17) beat Antigua Hawksbills 129 for 8 (Samuels 66, Rampaul 4-15) by one wicket
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Antigua Hawksbills' luckless 2014 Caribbean Premier League campaign continued with a one-wicket defeat at the hands of Barbados Tridents Friday night at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Akeal Hosein shook off a kamikaze run-out - which consumed his partner Rayad Emrit, the ninth Tridents wicket - on the third ball of the final over by calmly flicking a two through midwicket with the field spread to scamper to a win with two balls to spare.

The loss keeps Hawksbills winless from five games and only a dramatic turnaround in their final four games will give them a chance at advancing into the CPL playoffs. The Tridents win ensures they keep pace at the top of the CPL table with Tallawahs, Red Steel and Amazon Warriors as all four teams currently sit level on six points.

Tridents captain Kieron Pollard sent the Hawksbills in to bat and Danza Hyatt's runout three balls into the match set the tone for a poor start by the visitors. Ravi Rampaul made further inroads by striking three times before the end of the power play to leave the Hawksbills 24 for 4 at the six over mark.

Marlon Samuels pieced together a responsible 66, including a 51-run fifth-wicket stand with David Hussey in a bid to salvage the innings. Any hopes of a late charge were scuttled when Kieron Pollard fooled Samuels with a slow bouncer on the first ball of the 18th over to send a catch to Ashley Nurse at mid-off to make it 111 for 6. Rampaul claimed Sheldon Cottrell with a yorker in the 19th to cap off a Man-of-the-Match effort with figures of 4 for 15 as Hawksbills finished on 129 for 8.

One match after smashing an unbeaten 110, Dwayne Smith fell without scoring in the first over of the chase after mistiming an attempted pull off Cottrell to midwicket. Tridents recovered to reach the halfway stage of the chase on 70 for 3, needing a run a ball the rest of the way with Jonathan Carter well set on 25.

Even after Kieron Pollard fell for 14 hooking Carlos Brathwaite to deep square leg, Tridents seemed on course for an easy win. But Carter ran himself out for 35 as he attempted a needless second in the 16th over. It sparked a slide as three wickets fell in 10 balls to turn the match in Hawksbills favour.

Hawksbills inched even closer when Nurse went for a reckless heave in the 19th over and skied a catch to point, making it 119 for 8. Tridents entered the final over needing 10 to win with two wickets in hand.

A single on the first ball of the 20th turned to three, thanks to a poor collection by the wicketkeeper that allowed a second run which was then compounded by a sloppy overthrow. Emrit reverse swept the next ball for four before the final frantic two balls produced hope and then more heartbreak for Hawksbills.

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Wright makes record 153 in huge chase

Sussex 226 for 3 (Wright 153*) beat Essex 225 for 3 (Westley 109*, Ryder 75) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Luke Wright produced an incredible innings as he smashed an unbeaten 153 from 66 balls to lead Sussex to a seven-wicket triumph over a shell-shocked Essex side at Chelmsford.

It represented the highest score in English domestic Twenty20 cricket, eclipsing the unbeaten 152 by Graham Napier when the sides met on the same ground six years ago. Wright's astonishing effort contained 12 fours and 11 sixes, the last of which came off Napier to equal his mark, and he followed it up by pushing the allrounder for a single to set a new record.

Sussex looked down and out in the face of a daunting target of 226 when they srrived at the five-over mark with only 48 on the board and two wickets down. They lost another soon afterwards, that of Harry Finch, but then Matt Machan joined Wright in a partnership that yielded 159 runs in 12.1 overs.

Wright had a packed crowd taking evasive action as he repeatedly sent the ball into orbit, with none of Essex's six bowlers able to stem the flow of runs.

Wright's heroics came after Chris Nash was bowled by David Masters without a run on the board and Napier had breached the defences of Craig Cachopa with the total on 14.

Essex must have thought then that they were poised for an easy triumph but the brilliant Wright had other ideas. Machan was content to play the supporting role in the unbroken fourth-wicket stand, although his 41 came from only 26 balls.

It must have all left the table-topping home side wondering what they had to do to finish victorious after Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder had helped post what had appeared a winning score.

Westley struck a competition career-best 109 not out from only 58 balls after arriving when Mark Pettini was run out by Cachopa from short cover with a direct throw in the opening over. Westley was soon making the Sussex attack pay dearly for some wayward bowling as he struck five sixes and 12 fours, reaching his half-century and moving into three figures with strokes that sailed high into the packed crowd.

Earlier this month, he had struck 105 against Kent in the same competition but it was Ryder who set the tone for the onslaught. The New Zealander followed three successive fours in Matt Hobden's opening over with three sixes in the fast bowler's next as he went on to complete his half-century from just 21 deliveries.

Ryder went on to make 75 from just 37 balls which included eight fours and four sixes before he was caught on the long-on boundary off the bowling of Nash. He and Westley had put on 124 in only 11 overs as skipper Nash also used six bowlers in a vain attempt to stop the flow of runs.

Following Ryder's departure and the cheap dismissal of Ravi Bopara for 4, skipper Ryan ten Doeschate came in to smash 30 from 15 balls, 20 of them in boundaries, in an unbroken stand of 75 with Westley from 32 deliveries. That included 52 from the final three overs to set Sussex a daunting task but it was a target that they achieved with some degree of comfort as they eased home with nine balls to spare thanks to Wright's phenomenal innings.

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Hales, Taylor dump Yorkshire out

Nottinghamshire 201 for 4 (Hales 67, Taylor 35*) beat Yorkshire 200 for 5 (Finch 89, Bairstow 60) by six wickets
Scorecard

On a hot Friday evening suitable for a Meatloaf lyric or a William Faulkner novel the hopes of fervid home supporters at Headingley were dashed when Yorkshire lost to Nottinghamshire by six wickets in their final North Group match in the NatWest T20 Blast.

Their defeat means that Andrew Gale's men finish fifth in the group and are knocked out of this year's competition while second-placed Nottinghamshire, whose batsmen mounted a famous run-chase, will entertain Hampshire at Trent Bridge on August 3.

As much as anything the game was a victory for the resourceful top order Nottinghamshire have assembled this summer over the individual power-batting of Aaron Finch and Jonny Bairstow, both of whom made fifties in their side's total of 200 for 5. The defeat was particularly bitter for Finch, who made a 46-ball 89, including seven sixes, in his final innings for the county before he returns home to join a national training camp.

But cricket remains above all a team game and each of Nottinghamshire's six batsmen reached double figures as their side scored at a smidgeon more than ten an over to secure the spoils. Notts were given a good start by Steven Mullaney, who clubbed two sixes off Ryan Sidebottom's second over before he miscued Tim Bresnan to Alex Lees at mid- on.

The momentum was maintained by Riki Wessels, who added 70 in eight overs with Alex Hales before he, too, was caught by Lees, this time at deep midwicket off Azeem Rafiq for 29.

With seven overs of the innings left Nottinghamshire needed 85 and their major hope of victory seemed to have disappeared when man-of-the-match Hales, whose 40-ball 67 included three sixes, holed out to Bresnan, Rafiq taking the catch in front of a jubilant Western Terrace.

But still James Taylor's batsmen were not to be denied; still they managed to keep themselves in with a chance of victory, yet when Samit Patel was taken at long-on by Finch off Richard Pyrah, 39 were needed off 17 balls.

What followed will live long in the minds of Nottinghamshire supporters and may feature in coach Mick Newell's team talks when he reminds his players never to abandon hope. James Frankin and skipper Taylor simply demolished the Yorkshire attack, taking 20 runs off Sidebottom's last over and scoring a remarkable 38 runs off what turned out to be the final 11 deliveries of the game.

Franklin began the fun when he hit Pyrah for two leg side sixes and he finished it when he thrashed Bresnan into the football stand to complete his six-ball innings of 19 not out. In between those blows, Taylor stroked three stylish fours off Sidebottom before hitting the former England seamer right over the Western Terrace.

The change in the game's flow could not have been symbolised more graphically than by that shot. Nottinghamshire's short-form skipper finished with 35 not out off 14 balls; his innings should remain one of the highlights of his career.

Yet while the visitors' batsmen were applauded as they left the field the result will have come as a savage disappointment to many of the 8662 spectators at Headingley, many of whom arrived hoping to salute a victory and make their arrangements for the quarter-final.

No one will have been more crestfallen than Finch, whose innings took his team towards their season's best short form score. "Yawksher! Yawksher! Yawksher!" bayed the zealots on the Western Terrace and Finch responded with even greater style than he displayed in making 88 against Lancashire in June. Many of his sixes travelled many rows back into the crowd and were a triumph of timing as well as force.

His onslaught on Taylor's bowlers began with the seventh delivery of the game when Finch dispatched the former Yorkshire seamer Ajmal Shahzad over wide mid-off. The crowd yelled its delight, suggesting that whatever the Book of Luke suggests about prodigal sons, they get short shrift in Cleckheaton.

In company with Jonny Bairstow, Finch added 81 for the third wicket in eight overs on an evening when few bowlers on either side managed to avoid punishment. When Finch fell to a brilliant leg side diving catch by Chris Read off Franklin, Bairstow continued the onslaught, making 60 off 34 balls.

Jake Ball was the most successful Nottinghamshire bowler but even he may have doubted that his 3 for 38 was enough to help his side prevail. As Yorkshire continued to pile on the runs, three drummers looking for all the world like extras from Fritz Lang's Metropolis exhorted the crowd to yet more celebrations. They had reckoned without Nottinghamshire's batsmen. James Taylor and his men will certainly be a match for Hampshire in the quarter-finals, and a match for anyone on Finals Day, should they get there.

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Dungarpur a guiding force - Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar acknowledged the "instrumental role" Raj Singh Dungarpur had played "in making me the cricketer I am" by terming the former cricketer-turned-administrator as a guiding force.

Tendulkar was speaking at the release of the the book Raj Singh Dungarpur - A Tribute, compiled and edited by Samar Singh and Harsh Vardhan, at the Cricket Club of India, Dungarpur's home in Mumbai ever since he came to Mumbai from his province in Rajasthan as a teenager.

"From a chairman of selectors to the manager of Indian team, I have had a relationship with Raj bhai at different levels," Tendulkar said. "First, he was encouraging me as a youngster and making sure that I got all the possible facilities. Then, picking me for a team and then travelling with me and guiding me."

"I remember, whenever we sat with him, he would have amazing stories of the past and share those wonderful anecdotes with us. All the players would be glued to him because we wanted to understand how the cricket was played in the past, different different eras. Not just that but when he was with the team, he was more of a father figure. Everyone looked up to him, everyone respected him, everyone wanted to be around him."

In an evening that turned out be a prolonged celebration of Dungarpur's life, especially since Tendulkar's arrival was delayed due to a technical snag in an inbound flight from Hyderabad, some of Dungarpur's closest friends revived the persona of the former Rajasthan captain who served Indian cricket in various capacities. Besides being the manager of the Indian team on various critical tours, including the 1984 trip to Pakistan when prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated midway through the tour, Dungarpur was also the chairman of the selectors. He later served as the BCCI president from 1996 to 1999.

It was Dungarpur who after being impressed with Tendulkar's heroics on the school circuit forced one of his protégés Kailash Gattani to take the teenager along on a schoolboys' tour to United Kingdom in the summer of 1988. While Gattani recalled how Dungarpur forced him to include Tendulkar in the touring party despite his apprehensions of "how a 14-year-old could cope with the UK culture where you have to carry your own kitbag, cook your own food and wash your clothes", Tendulkar recalled how Dungarpur organised sponsors for him.

"Kailash Gattani is also here with us, it was when you came to me and asked me if I would like to be a part of Star Cricket Club, which would be touring UK in the month of May. But I didn't have deep pockets," Tendulkar said.

"Raj bhai again was instrumental in finding a sponsor for me and making sure that I left on that plane. I clearly remember I met him here at the club and he said in his own style: "Tumhi cricket khelaayche, baakiche kaam maazyawarti sodaayche (you play cricket, leave the rest to me)". With that kind of support and encouragement, all you want to do is go out and score as many runs as possible because that is something which made him happy. If someone is taking so much effort to make sure that all the facilities are provided for you to go out and express yourself in the middle, it gave me tremendous joy to score in the final of the Harris Shield. I scored a triple hundred and I could see that Raj bhai was in his chair and various cricketers would join and have a chat with him. But while batting, he was already there and watching me bat, which was a big thing."

Tendulkar also recalled how Dungarpur helped him focus on the task at hand rather than thinking too much about selection issues. When Tendulkar had made a sensational first-class debut for Mumbai in 1988-89, he was expected to be included in India's squad for the tour to the West Indies. But it was Dungrapur, the chairman of selectors, who put an end to the speculation.

"We were playing Ranji Trophy semi-final at Wankhede. I was warming up early morning and there I saw Raj bhai walking next to the net and he called me outside the net and said, 'see, I want you to focus on Ranji Trophy right now. I know there have been a lot of talks on whether you should be part of the Indian team now or not. Let me tell now that you are not going to the West Indies'," Tendulkar said. "He was then the chairman of the selection committee. He said after you are finished with the Ranji Trophy, make sure you appear for your SSC exams."

While the gathering waited for Tendulkar, former India captain Ajit Wadekar recalled how he along with his Bombay teammates ensured Dungarpur's dream of Rajasthan beating Bombay and winning the Ranji Trophy title remained unfulfilled. In the 1960s, Rajasthan lost to Bombay in seven successive Ranji finals.

"That was Raj's lone dream. He even tried importing players from Mumbai to get the better of us and made greats like Vijay Manjrekar and Subhash Gupte play for Rajasthan as professionals. But by then, Manjrekar and Gupte were a bit over the hill and we in the Mumbai dressing room wondered who would field for them," Wadekar quipped.

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Cook's lonely battle to survive

West End, a village to the north-east of Southampton and home to the Ageas Bowl, is a bit of a ghost town nowadays. Southampton is a university town, full of students. The students have all gone back home for the summer break. For those left behind it has simply been too hot to venture out. It has not been raining yet, it has been humid because of the proximity to the sea, and temperatures have been touching early 30s over the last week or so. You will struggle to find people outside in the afternoon.

No matter how sleepy the environs might be, those interested in England cricket can feel the importance of the coming weekend for one man and his team. It hangs there like the humidity.

England are one match down in a series of five. The captain Alastair Cook, the basket in which England cricket chose to put all its eggs, has hardly scored a run. The seniors have been letting down the newcomers. Some have called Cook's refusal to give up captaincy defiance and even a cry for help - "I am not going until I feel a tap on my shoulder"; some call it denial and possibly arrogance. If England lose the series, Cook will most likely have to go. There are other careers hanging in the balance, too.

It was mildly surprising then that three days before the Test India were the only team training. It can sometimes pay to go away from the cricket and come back refreshed, but three days away from it would have been a bit much. Around the time India were leaving, at around 4.30pm, in came Alastair Cook, wearing shorts that seemed too loose, falling off his waist. There are bigger things he needs to get a grip on right now.

Cook went up to the England dressing room, and soon coach Peter Moores followed. By now it was only Cook, Moores and a few groundsmen in the ground. Minutes later they asked Nigel Gray, the head groundsman, to join them. A chat was had after which Gray proceeded to water the pitch, which looks green but not as green as the one at Lord's, and the captain-coach duo went to a net at the edge of the square.

A lady of Indian origin, who had been there for India nets and had seemed pretty pleased with how England had been beaten at Lord's, said "good luck Alastair" as Cook walked towards the ground, now dressed in England training kit, with helmet and pads on. "Thanks," said Cook. "I feel sad for him," she said after Cook had left. That glee of having seen England lose had gone. Further endorsement to the belief that Cook is a decent allround bloke.

The next week, though, is not about being decent. It is one of the most important weeks of Cook's career. And he is not taking it lightly. Much like they were on the Lord's balcony about three hours after the defeat, Cook and Moores were working at things again. Cook at least has thousands of runs to go by, Moores might not have a leg to stand on should they lose here and concede an unassailable lead. The two went out, did not take a look at the pitch, and headed straight to the net. A few gentle throwdowns from 15 yards were followed by proper ones from the Sidearm from a full pitch length.

There was a moment of concern in the first few minutes of the session. Moores walked towards Cook, and they both looked at his finger for what seemed like two minutes. Cook then strapped the glove back on, and went into a long session.

The lady who wished Cook luck left soon. The groundsmen followed not much after. Two men fighting to save their careers continued preparing alone in a desolate ground in a desolate town. Two men who are supposed to have preferred fit-in culture to misfit match-winners.

One of those misfits, a possible match-winner, Michael Carberry, was here earlier in the day, practising with his Hampshire team-mates, after which he did a photoshoot in whites. Those were not the England slightly-blue whites, though. Times are desperate for England, but it is difficult to see how Carberry will get another chance.

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Khawaja makes immediate impact

Lancashire 164 for 8 (Khawaja 44, Prince 43, Breese 3-19) beat Durham 137 for 7 (Mustard 49, Ali 3-19) by 27 runs
Scorecard

Lancashire sealed top spot in the NatWest T20 Blast North Division with a routine victory by 27 runs over out of contention Durham at Old Trafford.

The home side won their sixth match in succession and their 10th of out of 14 in all as they completed their group campaign in comprehensive fashion thanks mainly to impressive performances from Usman Khawaja and Kyle Jarvis, both playing for the first time in Twenty20 this season.

Khawaja, playing in place of the rested Tom Smith, top scored with 44 off 25 balls in a competitive 164 for 8, although the hosts should have posted more on a typically abrasive Old Trafford surface.

Durham's reply never got going as they ended their involvement in the competition with a whimper, despite an impressive comeback with the ball after Khawaja and Ashwell Prince had got Lancashire off to a flyer with an opening stand of 84 in 7.1 overs, their best of the season.

Jarvis led a much-changed Lancashire bowling attack, minus Junaid Khan and Andrew Flintoff, with 2 for 25 from four overs as Durham finished with 137 for 7. Phil Mustard top-scored with 49.

Khawaja and Prince took advantage of some poor leg-side bowling before Durham, led by their experienced West Indian offspinner Gareth Breese, improved with some effect to restrict Lancashire to a total within reach.

The wicket of Prince, bowled by Breese with the first ball of the eighth over, was the first of five to fall for 23 runs in 32 balls as the Lightning slipped to 107 for 5 in the 13th. Breese took 3 for 19 in four overs while his partner in crime Paul Collingwood finished with 2 for 21.

Khawaja was strong playing to leg before he holed out to deep midwicket off Breese in the 10th, having hit seven boundaries. Steven Croft's 31 off 28, including the only six of the innings, helped to get Lancashire moving again but three late wickets, including two for the medium pace of Keaton Jennings, ensured there was not too much damage done.

Durham's reply got off to a slow start at eleven without loss after three as Croft, Kabir Ali and Jarvis all bowled tight overs. That pressure paid off in the fourth over when Scott Borthwick chipped Wayne White to mid-off with the score on 12.

Jarvis struck in the next when Callum MacLeod found mid-on as Durham fell to 25 for 2 on their way to a Powerplay score of 27 for 2, a score in stark contrast to Lancashire at the same stage.

Michael Richardson was caught behind off Croft in the eighth over before Durham reached halfway at 49 for three with another 116 still needed.

Collingwood miscued and skied Jarvis to point as Durham fell to 66 for 4 in the 13th before Mustard holed out to deep backward square leg against Ali with the last ball of the 17th.

Durham, at 108 for 5, needed 57 off the last three and Ali struck twice in the last as he comfortably defended 35 and finished with three for 19 himself.

Khawaja said afterwards: "It was my first T20 and it was a lot of fun. It was a bit touch-and-go there after we batted but the boys bowled really well.

"I've watched every single game here and we haven't looked like losing. Some of the games we've been getting 200 easily and that's why I was a bit surprised we only got 160. It was a bit odd.

"There's a really good vibe in the changing room, especially when the T20s come around. We've finished first in the table, we've beaten the best sides and we're very confident."

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Last-ball finish for record crowd

Surrey 138 for 8 beat Middlesex 137 for 8 (Morgan 43, Meaker 4-30) by two wickets
Scorecard

Highlights: Surrey prevail in last-ball finish at Lord's

When the ECB's top table formulated their plans for the recast T20 Blast, it was doubtlessly evenings such as this that headed their blueprint. A crowd of 28,500 was expected and although pockets of seats suggested it was a little less it was still likely that a new record for domestic Twenty20 cricket in this country had been set. While many were simply content to revel in the searing sun at HQ, they were treated to a game that befitted the occasion.

If truth be told, it should have been plain sailing for Surrey but their neighbours were in no mood to bestow handouts. In the end Zafar Ansari and Stuart Meaker desperately scurried a single off the last ball to edge them closer to a home quarter-final. Indeed, the result - a two-wicket Surrey win - will prompt the competition's head honchos to lick their lips in anticipation of a similar bonanza across the river in the knockout stages.

Surrey have encountered a couple of hiccups in recent weeks and so nearly fell at the penultimate hurdle here. In restricting the home side to 137 for 8, on a pitch that although topped with green rewarded a positive approach, they did much of the legwork but stumbled before crossing the line.

Kevin Pietersen scored a brisk, if not convincing, 28 and cameos from Rory Burns and Azhar Mahmood - the latter brilliantly caught, away to his right, by John Simpson - twice looked to have set the result in stone but this was a game that exhibited everything good about a competition that can often be ridiculed.

Harry Podmore gave Middlesex a beacon of hope by taking wickets in the 17th and 19th overs before Dan Christian increased the noise levels inside Lord's by having Gareth Batty caught in the deep. Requiring five to win off the final over, Batty holed out to Joe Denly before Ansari and Man of the Match Meaker managed to scramble home.

It has been quite a week for Meaker. A combination of injury and the strength of fast-bowling resources at Surrey's disposal left him downcast and discarded but a period in the shadows has provided a healthy dose of sustenance. In taking a career-best 4 for 30 he derailed Middlesex and unearthed the batting demons that have riddled their forgettable campaign. An unprecedented doubleheader in late May underlined the club's desire to experiment but a six game winless run ended their interest in the competition long ago. Still, it has barely impacted on their gate receipts.

Eoin Morgan had the crowd purring with an array of masterful strokes that have become part of his limited-overs repertoire. A powerful slash off Mahmood set his innings in motion and despite both Denly and Dawid Malan falling when they looked set, Morgan had little hesitation in getting on top of the bowlers - an inside out cover drive off Batty that sailed over the rope was a particular highlight.

But much like his side, Meaker found his straps after a slow start. Denly, who had been the beneficiary of a rare blunder from Batty at first slip, greeted the fast bowler with consecutive boundaries towards a crammed Mound Stand as he leaked 15 runs from his opening over. But Meaker looks a fitter, hungrier beast since his return and regularly clocked high speeds although breached Morgan's defences with a perfectly executed slower-ball. It was a delivery that changed the dynamic of the game: Middlesex proceeded to loose 6 for 26 in the final six overs of their innings.

Yet, Surrey will know they have work to do if they are to harbour any hopes of going one better than last year. On this occasion they had luck on their side. Jason Roy was dropped twice in quick succession as Ollie Rayner and then Ryan Higgins shelled steepling chances and then Morgan was unable to complete the run-out off the final ball that would have resulted in a tie.

Little has deterred Roy during a season that has seen him dish out severe punishment to all that have crossed his path but not many bowlers send it down with quite the pace and bounce of Steven Finn. Roy was eventually stumped off Ravi Patel, whose left-arm spin was impressive on the day he was called up by England Lions.

Finn, meanwhile, provided further evidence that he has returned stronger with a lively burst that accounted for Tillakaratne Dilshan in the first over with one that lifted steeply. He also removed Robin Peterson as Middlesex just about kept themselves in the match during the closing stages, but ultimately a campaign that has been woeful for them for all the effort it was another defeat. The crowd, however, had been entertained.

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Nicol, Broom and Nethula switch teams

Former New Zealand internationals Rob Nicol, Neil Broom, Dean Brownlie and Tarun Nethula have all switched domestic teams for next summer, while spinner Bruce Martin has missed out on a first-round contract for 2014-15. The six major associations have named their initial contract lists for next summer, although further contracts can be awarded in the second round on August 8.

Nicol has returned to Auckland, where he began his career in 2001-02, after spending the past five seasons with Canterbury, and he will be joined by legspinner Nethula, who will also return to his first team, Auckland, having spent four years with Central Districts. In another case of a player returning home, Broom will head back to Canterbury having played for Otago since 2005-06.

It had already been announced that Brownlie, who was dropped from New Zealand's central contract list earlier this month, had shifted from Canterbury to Northern Districts. Other departures from Canterbury include Brad Cachopa to Auckland and George Worker to Central Districts.

Auckland gained not only Brad Cachopa but also his brother Carl, from Central Districts, although the third brother Craig has left Auckland to play in Sussex. Auckland's first round of offers did not feature veteran opener Tim McIntosh, nor spinner Martin, who was part of New Zealand's Test team less than a year ago but struggled in the Plunket Shield and took 23 wickets at 53.73.

Tipene Friday has moved from Auckland to Otago, while Otago have also handed a contract to fast bowler Bradley Scott. Canterbury have gained young wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher from Northern Districts, while they have also offered a deal to Brendon Diamanti.

The six teams can offer nine to 14 contracts in the first round and then complete their squads in the second round on August 8. The domestic contracts commence on October 1.

Auckland Dean Bartlett, Michael Bates, Brad Cachopa, Carl Cachopa, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Donovan Grobbelaar, Anaru Kitchen, Tarun Nethula, Rob Nicol, Robert O'Donnell, Matt Quinn, Jeet Raval.

Canterbury Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Neil Broom, Brendon Diamanti, Andrew Ellis, Cam Fletcher, Peter Fulton, Roneel Hira, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Johnston, Ryan McCone, Henry Nicholls, Ed Nuttall, Logan van Beek.

Central Districts Doug Bracewell, Greg Hay, Jamie How, Marty Kain, Andrew Mathieson, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Bevan Small, Ben Smith, Kruger van Wyk, Ben Wheeler, George Worker, Will Young.

Northern Districts Graeme Aldridge, James Baker, Jono Boult, Dean Brownlie, Joseph Carter, Anton Devcich, Daniel Flynn, Jono Hickey, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Bharat Popli, Mitchell Santner, Anurag Verma, Brad Wilson.

Otago Nick Beard, Michael Bracewell, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Ryan Duffy, Tipene Friday, James McMillan, Aaron Redmond, Iain Robertson, Brad Rodden, Hamish Rutherford Jesse Ryder, Bradley Scott, Sam Wells.

Wellington Brent Arnel, Tom Blundell, Grant Elliott, James Franklin, Mark Gillespie, Dane Hutchinson, Andy McKay, Stephen Murdoch, Michael Papps, Jeetan Patel, Michael Pollard, Ili Tugaga, Henry Walsh, Luke Woodcock.

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Chopra, Trott keep contest even

Warwickshire 163 for 3 (Chopra 81, Trott 62*) trail Sussex 413 by 250 runs
Scorecard

With pitches such a talking point over the last two weeks, it is only right to commend the one here at Horsham. Offering bounce for the seamers and turn for the spinners, while also rewarding patience from the batsmen, the surface puts those of some full-time county grounds to shame.

After a flurry of wickets on the first evening, credit, too, to Ben Brown and James Tredwell this morning for applying themselves to the tune of 71 runs for the eighth Sussex wicket. Had they folded early, with Keith Barker testing both with movement through the air, then Warwickshire would have ended day two in a far stronger position. As it is, Sussex were able to add 97 runs in the morning session to take them past 400 before the 110th over, giving them a fourth batting point.

After lunch, Boyd Rankin cleaned up the last two wickets, trapping Brown lbw and dismantling Lewis Hatchett's stumps. Some joy for him after being smarted earlier on for three consecutive fours by Tredwell. It summed up the balance nicely.

And yet, Horsham came close to not being able to put on this match because of a lack of a lead sponsor. However, an anonymous backer came in - it is not known whether he is even a Sussex member - to ensure this week went ahead.

"Come on the mystery benefactor," was the cry from Chris Nash to Steve Magoffin, the ball after the Australian seamer had sent Ian Westwood on his way for the first Warwickshire wicket. The talk in the Sussex dressing room leading up to the game was that Magoffin dipped into his own pocket to ensure this Horsham fixture went ahead; after all, it was he who benefited most from last year's fixture, with match figures of 12 for 31 as Somerset were skittled out twice in less than two days.

However, his first wicket here - a ball that Westwood could only prod through to Chris Jordan at first slip - was one of few deliveries from him that went to hand after finding the batsman's edge. In the first over, those in the cordon were hopping around as the ball fizzed off Varun Chopra's bat and a foot short of their ankles.

It was one part of a far-from-convincing start from the Warwickshire captain, who manage to tough it out to score his first Championship half-century in 14 innings. In the fourth over, he was subject to a vociferous lbw appeal, led by Jordan. This time, the edge of his bat saved him. Later on, it would take him past 50 as he nudged aerially - and not too deliberately - through a vacant third slip for four.

He was almost sold down the river on 23, when Jonathan Trott pushed to Luke Wells at backward point and set off for a single concocted by his own desperation. Chopra had given up the run only for Wells to throw wide of the stumps.

Trott himself took time to settle into his natural groove, starting with streaky edges past third slip. In truth, he was lucky to have been allowed the chance to bat into the evening session. On 21, he edged former team-mate Steffan Piolet through to the keeper. However, as Sussex's appeal turned into jubilation, Trott, along with Alex Wharf's finger, were unmoved. Naturally, the following delivery went for four.

From then on, Trott was less tetchy, allowing the ball to come on to the bat nicely, most notably when using his feet to hit Tredwell through the covers. His shot to reach his fifty - an exquisite on-drive off Magoffin - was arguably the best of the day.

However, Sussex did well to reel in the visitors thanks to a fine partnership with the ball between Hatchett and Tredwell. While the offspinner tied down an end, varying his length and loop, Hatchett attacked the channel outside off stump and was eventually rewarded with the wicket of Chopra, who was beginning to drive imperiously.

Tredwell also should have had two wickets to show for his work, but had Trott dropped by Brown and Sam Hain by Ed Joyce at leg slip, on 58 and 3 respectively. As it is, the game is nicely poised, with positive results for either side still a real possibility.

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Red Steel franchise name issue resolved

The issue regarding the name of the Caribbean Premier League franchise Red Steel has been resolved and the team will once again be called "Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel", the CPL has said.

The CPL had earlier agreed to omit the words "Trinidad & Tobago" from the name, based on a request from the Minister of Sport Anil Roberts. According to Roberts, the use of the country name infringed "on the protocols surrounding the use of the name and the sovereignty of the nation".

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SLC, South Africa raise funds for Sri Lanka visually impaired team

Sri Lanka's visually impaired cricket team has had its bid to attend the World Cup for the Blind in South Africa bolstered, thanks to funds raised by Sri Lanka Cricket and the visiting South Africa team. SLC and Standard Chartered had organised three fundraisers for the Sri Lanka Visually Handicapped XI. Angelo Mathews presented the Sri Lanka Visually Handicapped XI a cheque for the 925,000 Sri Lankan rupees (USD $7300 approx.), on Tuesday.

The money had been raised via tickets for a meet-and-greet with both teams, a coaching camp for kids, and an online auction for the chance to meet the players at the ground and receive an autographed ball.

"This is an additional dimension to international cricket tours and a chance for us all to support our national visually handicapped team," SLC cricket operations manager Carlton Bernadus said. "They recently trounced the touring Australian Visually Handicapped XI 4-0 in a 40-over series. The team has high hopes for the World Cup in South Africa."

The World Cup for the Blind will be held in November.

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Gloucestershire wilt after Mitchell exhibition

Gloucestershire 156 (Leach 2-17, McClenaghan 2-21) and 10 for 1 trail Worcestershire 395 (Mitchell 167, Miles 5-90, Smith 4-77) by 229 runs
Scorecard

"Have we reversed the batting order?" It is one of the most scornful questions a side's top order can hear. Yet as Craig Miles and Tom Smith added 54 runs for Gloucestershire's ninth wicket in relatively untroubled fashion after tea on the second day of this game, one might conclude that the barbed enquiry had validity.

The pair had come together with their team's score on 68 for 8, replying to Worcestershire's 395 and their unflustered response to the chaos placed the efforts of senior colleagues in a harsh light. And when Smith and Liam Norwell added a further 34 for the last wicket before Norwell skied Joe Leach to long leg Charlie Morris, the last two wickets had more than doubled their side's score. Smith was unbeaten on 41 and may have been wondering whether No. 9 was his rightful position.

If so, he soon had the chance to find out what life was like at No. 3. Gloucestershire's late resistance had not come close to saving the follow-on and the home side lost captain Michael Klinger for the second time in four hours when he nicked the distinctly rapid Morris to Ben Cox. Smith and Will Tavaré survived to close of play but the day still ended with the batsmen surrounded by a choir of slips, their full-throated evensong of appeals echoing in the still air.

Indeed, to focus exclusively on Gloucestershire's limitations would deny the excellence of Daryl Mitchell's attack as it began the post-Ajmal period of the season by claiming full bowling bonus points for the 24th match in succession. In particular, it would ignore the very different cutting edge supplied by the recruitment of the New Zealand fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan, who removed both openers, either side of lunch, and led the Worcestershire line with ferocious gusto.

Bowling with pentecostal fire from the Chapel End, McClenaghan produced a savage lifter to Klinger which the opener edged high to first slip's right, only for wicketkeeper Cox to leap across a take a stunning catch in one gauntlet. After the break, the fast bowler brought one back off the seam to burst through Tavaré's defences.

The following over, Alex Gidman played all across a full-length ball from Morris and Ian Cockbain drove the next delivery firmly back to the bowler, who deflected it on to the stumps, thus running out Hamish Marshall for nought without facing a ball. That left Gloucestershire on 15 for 4 in the tenth over; the wheels were rapidly coming off their innings.

An hour or so later the back axle and the gear box had gone too: Cockbain and Will Gidman added 38 before Gidman obligingly turned Jack Shantry to Tom Fell at leg slip; then Cockbain, having batted soundly for 94 minutes and 25 runs, nicked Joe Leach to second slip. Cox's stumping of Benny Howell off Shaaiq Choudhry, and Adam Rouse's lbw to Morris completed the afternoon rout.

All of which made it a grim day to be a Gloucestershire supporter and the decision to hold a members' forum with the county's hierarchy immediately after stumps seemed a particularly bad piece of scheduling. One rather expected the close of play public address announcement about the event to be accompanied with a reminder that the construction of gibbets was forbidden on the College Ground and that flammable materials could not be taken into the meeting.

Yet this game has already provided plenty of evidence why Worcestershire deserve to lead Division Two and the morning session offered another example of Mitchell's remarkable ability to bat precisely according to his side's needs. Undefeated on 102 overnight, his runs earned over six hours and 228 balls, Mitchell added 65 to his score in a shade over 90 minutes early on the second day, taking three fours off a Will Gidman over and lifting the ball sublimely and safely into the vacant expanse on the leg side.

Norwell and Miles suffered, too, the latter being hit for a six over square leg which scattered the refined crowd in front of the pavilion and maybe prompted the rapid abandonment of a few pre-lunch sharpeners. Invigorated by their captain's example, the other Worcestershire batsmen offered stout support, no one more so than McClenaghan who helped him put on 61 for the ninth wicket. After the New Zealander had been stumped off Smith, Morris made an obdurate duck, batting for half an hour while Mitchell made a little hay at the other end.

When Mitchell returned to the pavilion with 167 not out against his name, spectators in every stand, marquee and corporate junket stood to applaud. This was Mitchell's third century on the College Ground, where his average is 115. His 167 not out makes him highest run-scorer in the country.

Those who decry his achievement because his runs have been scored against second-tier attacks might do Mitchell the courtesy of watching him bat; they would see one of the most accomplished and well-organised batsmen in the country in the best form of his career. It really is not unknown for such cricketers to play in Test matches.

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Ageless Sidebottom warms to his task

Yorkshire 253 (Lyth 117, Finn 4-81) and 29 for 1 lead Middlesex 232 (Simpson 110, Malan 78, Sidebottom 7-44) by 50 runs
Scorecard

Ryan Sidebottom may be 36 and by the end of a steamy second day at North Marine Road he was feeling all of those years after bowling 17 overs in strength-sapping conditions, but he had also demonstrated his enduring class with a masterful display of left-arm swing bowling that ultimately regained the initiative for Yorkshire on a day of oscillating fortunes.

He finished with 7 for 44, his best figures since he took a career-best 7 for 37 against Somerset at Headingley in 2011. The holiday crowd of around 2,800 were willing him to claim an eighth and were baffled as Andrew Gale, the Yorkshire captain, took him off after Tim Murtagh had become his fourth victim in the space of 30 deliveries in a superb third spell of the day.

By then, well into the final session, the temperature was probably higher than it had been all day and Sidebottom looked visibly shattered as he wandered down to fine leg. In the words of Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire's director of cricket, he was, quite simply, "shot".

What he had done to leave himself craving an ice bath perhaps as never before had been invaluable, ensuring that the partnership between John Simpson and Dawid Malan that rescued Middlesex from a calamitous start did not become the basis for a first-innings advantage in a match Yorkshire dearly want to win in order that the hiatus in the Championship programme that follows this week's games ends with them in front, rather than Nottinghamshire.

In reply to Yorkshire's 253, Simpson and Malan added 168 for the fifth wicket, transforming their side's position after an awful start that saw them in disarray at 11 for 4 and fortunate not to be 11 for 5, Malan getting a life on 7.

This was largely down to Sidebottom, whose willingness to push himself seems never to diminish, particularly when there is something in the conditions that he can exploit. That had been clear enough when Middlesex took the second new ball five overs into the morning session, delayed by 30 minutes because of overnight rain. It prompted the last four Yorkshire wickets to fall in the space of six overs, two of them taken by Steven Finn, who finished with 4 for 81 for a season's tally of 44.

Let loose on the Middlesex top order for three overs before lunch, Sidebottom delivered the first instalment in his masterclass with a classic dismissal of the left-handed Chris Rogers, caught behind without scoring as the ball, bowled full, drew the batsman to defend but swung away to take the edge, Jonny Bairstow taking the catch.

Steve Patterson, interestingly introduced for one over before lunch after Jack Brooks had begun with two overs bowled largely short at the Trafalgar Square End, struck the second blow when Nick Gubbins was leg before.

Two down for four at the interval, Sidebottom took up where he had left off as the afternoon began by dismissing Eoin Morgan, who also failed to score, in almost identical fashion to Rogers. Seven for 3 became 11 for 4 as Paul Stirling became victim number three for the maestro, deflecting a catch to third slip, where Kane Williamson took it well low down.

But it should have been 11 for 4 the over before, which contained the moment that would have changed the course of the day had it gone in Yorkshire's favour, rather than against. Brooks, back on at the Trafalgar Square End, had Malan nibbling outside off stump and was about to set off on his looping celebratory run as Bairstow moved to his right to take the catch. But it was grounded.

Had it stuck, then maybe Stirling's dismissal would have made it 11 for 5, a position, you would have thought, that might have been beyond Middlesex's redemption.

As it was, some of Yorkshire's momentum disappeared as the afternoon unfolded, and Malan, with Simpson settling after almost playing on with an inside edge off Brooks that went for four, began to play in the manner that had brought him centuries in each of his last two Championship matches.

It took Yorkshire another 43 overs, into the evening session, to take another wicket, although when it came it marked the start of another brilliant spell from Sidebottom, who at last had Malan caught at second slip for 78.

In the space of 30 more deliveries he had taken three more, trapping Ollie Rayner leg before with an inswinger, and having Toby Roland-Jones and Tim Murtagh caught by Lyth again at second slip - the latter parried first by third slip - either side of a splendid throw from Adil Rashid at cover to enable Bairstow to run out Simpson, whose fine innings contained 17 fours and a six and was as important to Middlesex as Lyth's had been for Yorkshire.

Yorkshire did not benefit from Lyth's 117 as much as they might have, losing their last seven wickets for 49 runs. Lyth perished for only 9 second time around, but Yorkshire have a lead they can build on.

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Farbrace defends senior players

Have to show the fight of Headingley - Farbrace

Paul Farbrace insisted England's senior players could not be praised highly enough despite recent results at the close of play on the fourth day of the second Investec Test at Lord's.

Farbrace, the England assistant coach, pledged full support for beleaguered captain, Alastair Cook, and said the "contribution" of other senior players had been "fantastic."

Farbrace has only been in the job a few months so it would be understandable if he felt he was not in a position to criticise his players. But his comments are sure to raise eye-brows after another disappointing day saw England facing a fight to avoid defeat against India.

Of particular surprise will be Farbrace's suggestion that the coaching team "can't praise the senior players highly enough" despite evidence that suggests they are the cause of the team's difficulties.

For while Cook has not scored a Test century for 27 innings and Ian Bell not for 17 innings, Matt Prior has conceded the equal most byes by an England keeper in a home Test since 1934. Stuart Broad looks far from fit while James Anderson has not taken a five-wicket haul since the Trent Bridge Test of 2013 and, in the 13 games since, has taken his wickets at an average of 35.59.

But Farbrace remains supportive and believes that the worth of such players cannot be rated by their on-field contributions.

"The great thing with all of our senior players is that their contribution in and around the dressing room, in and around practice, has been fantastic," Farbrace said. "It's been massive. We can't praise them highly enough.

"They're helping young players that we're trying to develop and we are trying to develop a squad and a team and trying to take it forward. Yes, we want to win games, but we're also trying to develop players at the same time as winning games of cricket."

While that does raise the question of the role of the coaches - you might think it was their role to help with the development of younger players - Farbrace did accept that the bowlers had failed to maintain the requisite lengths in India second innings and that Cook needed to produce more runs.

"They're not machines," Farbrace said. "They are trying hard to get the ball in the right places and sometimes it doesn't work.

"Absolutely, Alastair is aware that he needs to score some runs. He wants to do well for the team. He wants to score runs for them.

"He doesn't need telling. He's well aware of what he needs to do, and his commitment to the team is fantastic."

In truth, Farbrace's comments probably illustrate the absurdity of the post-play media conferences more than they do anything else. While he expressed his resolute support for Cook as captain, there really was nothing else he could be expected to say in the circumstances. The fourth day of a Test is hardly the time to suggest it is time for a change of captaincy.

"Nothing has changed whatsoever," Farbrace said. "Absolutely nothing has changed. We all want him to score runs and I think you saw today that everybody in the ground wanted him to score runs. We're all very much behind him. Everyone in the team is.

"He's feeling that a score is close, and you saw today that he fought and scrapped and worked as hard as he possibly could. There is absolutely no question that he is our leader. He's a very unflappable character and he's working very hard. His thoughts are very much on the team and the team doing well."

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O'Brien, Red Steel pile on to Hawksbills misery

Red Steel 152 for 1 (O'Brien 90*, Taylor 51*) beat Antigua Hawksbills 151 for 8 (Thomas 38, Cooper 3-34)) by nine wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Irishman Kevin O'Brien became the latest batsman to mete out a healthy dose of punishment to the Antigua Hawksbills as his unbeaten 90 off 49 balls ensured a thumping nine-wicket win for the Red Steel at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday in Antigua. O'Brien teamed with Ross Taylor (51 not out) to produce the highest partnership in Caribbean Premier League history, an unbroken 145-run stand for the second-wicket to comfortably break the previous record set by Raymon Reifer and Shoaib Malik in 2013 when they added 102 in tandem for the Barbados Tridents against Jamaica Tallawahs.

O'Brien and Taylor came together in the second over with the score 7 for 1 chasing the Hawksbills' 151 for 8 after Kennar Lewis yanked the gentle offspin of Rahkeem Cornwall to Ben Laughlin at deep midwicket for 2. It was the last bit of joy for the Hawksbills on the day as Taylor joined O'Brien at the crease and the pair spent the rest of the hot afternoon forcing the Antigua fielders to chase leather.

No one was spared from the onslaught but spinners bore the brunt of it from O'Brien. The Red Steel batsman had Bradd Hogg in his crosshairs from Hogg's first delivery when O'Brien stepped out of his crease to smash a six over extra cover to start the eighth over. O'Brien clubbed the gentle seam of Laughlin for a four and six to the same region in the 12th before bringing up his 50 off 29 balls with a single to square leg.

With the seamers not making any impact, Hawksbills captain Marlon Samuels tried going back to his tweakers but it made no difference to O'Brien. He continued using his feet to the slow bowlers, skipping down the track to launch Cornwell over the bowler's head for back-to-back sixes in the 14th. He came down the track once more to crunch Hogg over midwicket in the 16th for his seventh six before showing finesse to go with his power by executing a delicate cut past point off Hogg for his fifth four.

Taylor faced just three fewer deliveries than his partner, but unselfishly focused most of his innings turning the strike back over to the red hot O'Brien. He brought up his half-century in 44 balls by gliding a single to third man in the 17th and an O'Brien two through cover leveled the scores by the end of the over. Antigua's uninspiring performance in the field came to a conclusion when a sharp turning delivery from Hogg beat the keeper Devon Thomas to produce a bye for the winning run with 17 balls to spare.

The easygoing chase was set up by a solid performance in the field after Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo won the toss and sent the Hawksbills in to bat. With the exception of a 66-run stand for the fourth wicket between Thomas and David Hussey, the Hawksbills struggled to piece together solid partnerships. Neither batsman made the most of their respective starts with Hussey slogging Sulieman Benn to O'Brien at long off for 30 before Thomas backed away to Kevon Cooper and edged an attempted drive to Pooran for 38 two balls into the 18th to make it 119 for 5.

The loss of both set batsmen robbed the Hawksbills of their best chance for a strong finishing kick. Bravo kept the pressure on by taking two wickets in the 19th over, getting Carlos Brathwaite to top edge a slower ball to fine leg before Sheldon Cottrell was out in front of another slower ball and ballooned a chance that Bravo claimed for himself. The Hawksbills troubles with change of pace deliveries continued through the end of the innings when a Cooper slower ball fooled Cornwall to give Cooper match-best figures of 3 for 34 and set up a target that was well within reach of Taylor and O'Brien.

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Scars of the old era haunt England

It will take something remarkable for England to chase down their target and the more evidence that is displayed suggests more fresh faces need to brought into the team in place of mentally scarred seniors

Chappell: Bell has a few things to sort out

The new era is only four Tests old, but already it is fighting for its life.

To see Alastair Cook trudging back to the pavilion after that old weakness, the tentative prod outside off stump, had been exposed once again, was to see a much loved but sickly family pet being taken to the vet for a one way visit. Really, it might be kinder to let him go now.

It was Cook upon whom this new look England team was founded. It was Cook who was supposed to supply the runs to empower that team; Cook who was supposed to grow into the role of captain and lead this side for the next four or five years.

But, after a run of form so grim that it should be hidden from the young, the pregnant and those with heart conditions, it is becoming increasingly hard to avoid the conclusion that it is not going to happen.

Nobody doubts Cook's good intentions or his determination. But he is now averaging 14.33 this year. He has now gone nine innings since reaching 30 and 27 innings since reaching 100. Since the start of the 2013 Ashes, he averages 23.62. This cannot go on.

For every sign of improvement in his captaincy - and there were a few at Trent Bridge - there is a counter sign that reinforces concerns. Some of England's tactics here - the six men on the boundary for a No. 10 batsmen; the barrage of short balls on a green wicket - have been baffling.

While he has certainly been let down by his senior players, one wonders how effectively Cook is leading them. Would James Anderson, whose on-pitch snarling does nothing to improve his bowling, have found himself in a position where he could be charged with a Level 3 offence under a stronger captain; a captain who might have nipped the argument with Ravindra Jadeja in the bud; a captain who might have told Anderson to stop the posturing and allow his bowling to do the talking?

And might a stronger captain have taken his leading seamers to one side after lunch on the fourth day when their awful bowling was allowing India to build a definitive lead? Might a stronger captain have either take them out of the attack or make it clear that they had to pitch the ball fuller? Instead Cook retained faith in them. Faith that has, of late, been largely misplaced. Blind, even.

But perhaps it is not the new era that is struggling. Perhaps the problem is that fragments of England's old era remain and continue to impede the fresh team that is attempting to break through. Perhaps this era is not new enough.

The new, or recalled, players - the likes of Gary Ballance, Joe Root, Moeen Ali and Liam Plunkett - are actually performing pretty well. It is the players of the old era who are failing. An old era that continues to decay.

	England won the toss in a situation where that should have provided a match-defining advantage. They are playing against an India team who have not won a Test away from home since June 2011; a team of which only two had played a Test in England before this series; a team which has only won one Test at Lord's; a modest team in a rebuilding phase of its own

Anderson's bowling after lunch on the fourth day here was wretched. Petulant, immature and self-defeating, it was inspired more by bravado and anger than professionalism. Despite overwhelming evidence that it is the fuller delivery that is causing batsmen trouble on this pitch, 83% of the spell was short as Anderson, desperate to avenge what he sees as the injustice Jadeja has done to his reputation, seemed to allow his temper to get the better of him. Jadeja feasted upon it and played the innings that might well settle the game.

Matt Prior, meanwhile, looks a broken man. It is not simply that he has missed several chances, it is that, in no home Test since 1934, has an England keeper conceded more than the 36 byes Prior has conceded here. In the four Tests this summer, he has conceded 77 byes in all. There are, as ever, extenuating circumstances, but England are deluding themselves if they conclude anything other than the time has come to move on.

Even Ian Bell, who might be considered an option as captain if his own form was better, is struggling. Since his wonderful Ashes series last year, he has played nine Tests, batted 17 times and averaged 25.87 without a century. To be fair to him, he received a brute of a delivery that kept horribly low in the second innings here. But this side require more from their senior players and Bell is currently struggling to deliver.

What does all this tell us? Might it tell us that it is the England environment that is partially at fault? That those players scarred by events in Australia, wearied by the relentless schedule and jaded by exposure to the England coaching regime are no longer able to perform at their optimum? Might it tell us that the answer lies in new recruits? In a truly new age?

Some context is required. England won the toss in a situation where that should have provided a match-defining advantage. They are playing against an India team who have not won a Test away from home since June 2011; a team of which only two had played a Test in England before this series; a team which has only won one Test at Lord's; a modest team in a rebuilding phase of its own. If England cannot win in such circumstances, it is hard to envisage any in which they can.

There are parallels between this match and the Mumbai Test of November 2012. Then, just as now, the home team won the toss in conditions ideal for them but were defeated. In Mumbai it was England's spinners who out-bowled their counterparts; here the India seamers have out-bowled England's. Worryingly for England, they were out-bowled by Sri Lanka's for part of the previous series, too.

It should not matter if England pull-off a miracle run-chase on the final. It would simply mask problems that have become too obvious to ignore. The old order has failed; a new one must be ushered in.

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Younis plays down ODI return

Pakistan batsman Younis Khan has played down talks of him scoring plenty of runs in the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

"Yes, it is true Sri Lanka has been a good team for me. I scored a hundred against them on my Test debut and also a triple-hundred," he said. "But this is a new series and this is going to be a much tougher series as they have been doing well in recent times.

"I will just try to give my best but yes, when you resume playing in any form of the game after a break, it takes a while to find your rhythm and timing."

Pakistan tour Sri Lanka in August to play two Tests and three ODIs. It will be their first Test in seven months after their home series against the same opponents in UAE in January.

Younis was also all praise for the new head coach Waqar Younis who has begun a second stint with the national team.

"I have worked with Waqar before when he was head coach and during his time, the team showed very good progress and won consistently. I am confident we will resume our winning ways and improve from where we left off last time."

Pakistan are scheduled to play at least 15 ODIs before the World Cup, against Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand.

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India encouraged by variable bounce

'We need at least 300' - Pujara

Since India lost at Cape Town in 2006-07 by five wickets, India have batted first 14 times in Tests outside Asia; this is the 15th. They have lost five of those, either by an innings or by 10 wickets. Others have either been drawn or won.

This has been a young trend, but if India compete in these challenging Tests, they do not end up losing. India have competed on level terms for three days, and are effectively 145 for 4 with three and a half batsmen to follow. There is cause for optimism, but Cheteshwar Pujara is looking at a score of at least 300 to feel comfortable while defending.

"We are looking at 350 if we can," Pujara said. "First thing's first, the first target is 300. If we can bat well and get somewhere around 350, it will be a very good total to defend.

"We can't think of what target we want. What we can focus on is to bat well. Vijay and MS [Dhoni] are batting really well at the moment. If they can carry on, with Binny and Jadeja to come, if they can score some runs - and we can't forget Bhuvneshwar Kumar's batting in this series - so we have a few batsmen who can bat well and score runs for us. Focus is to score as many runs as possible and then think about it."

The pitch seems to have eased out from the first two days, but there is still enough seam movement to be had to keep the bowlers interested. Added to it is the variable bounce now making an appearance.

"There isn't much grass on the wicket now, but the bounce is variable now," Pujara said. "When I was batting a couple of balls stayed really low, and a couple of balls kicked, which weren't bouncers but they just kicked off the wicket. So yeah, there is variable bounce."

Like Pujara, Liam Plunkett thinks the game is in the balance. If India have confidence to draw from having defended well, England also know the Lord's pitch can flatten out towards the end. Plunkett was part of the Yorkshire side that earlier this summer failed to defend 472 against Middlesex.

"I was here when we got 'Chris Rogered' earlier in the season, on a wicket that did a little bit early on - a bit like this one," Plunkett said.

He would not say what sort of target will make them uncomfortable, but felt confident of his side's chances batting last on this pitch. "It's a good wicket, and I think the sun's just going to make it a bit flatter. The match is bit even at the minute. But if we come out in the morning and get one or two, it quickly changes in our favour."

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Bhuvneshwar - Meerut's scissors

The small town in Uttar Pradesh is known for its assembly line of scissors and now, swing bowlers. While Praveen Kumar has fallen off the radar, the relatively humble Bhuvneshwar Kumar is made of sturdier metal

Highlights: Bhuvneshwar claims career-best 6 for 82

Things Meerut is known for -

• SG cricket balls and other sports-goods manufacturing. Generation after generation of workers are handed down the skill to make SG balls, the only hand-stitched ball used in international cricket.
  
• Revdi - the sweet with sesame seeds and lots of sugar.
  
• Crime rate, much higher than India's average.
  
• The closest thing to Tarantino in India - filmmaker and musician Vishal Bhardwaj, who also does a lot of Shakespeare adaptations, grew up playing with guns and musical instruments alike.
  

And the scissors. The famous Meerut Ki Kainchi, which has now got itself a Geographical Indicator tag to protect it from poor imitation. They are sharp, smooth, deft of movement, crisp with the 'kich-khach' sound tailors love. Saadat Hasan Manto, the great writer known for his short stories, wrote about this temptress in the 1940s Bollywood whom he didn't name. The book was called Meerut Ki Kainchi.

The two 'scissors' Meerut (a town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh) has given Indian cricket of late can swing the SG and Duke ball sharp. We might as well give the 'Kumar Scissors' a Geographical Indicator. Praveen Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are pretty deft, modest to the outside world, not willing to discuss their craft openly, and with their pace around 130kmph or 80mph and a drivable length they tempt batsmen fatally. Praveen is currently Indian cricket's big loss, due to a combination of fitness and attitude issues and poor luck, but this new pair seems to be built of sturdier metal.

A lot of nurture and care has gone into Bhuvneshwar. His family moved to Meerut from a village. His father was a cop and his mother didn't know the Meerut ways, although Meerut itself is a small town. Bhuvneshwar's sister was at times a friend, at times a parent to him. She would go to the parent-teachers meet at school, and make sure the parents didn't get a wind of all school complaints against him. Bhuvneshwar wasn't the brightest student, but he was pretty clever with the ball.

	Before his UP U-17 trials, Bhuvneshwar didn't even have a proper pair of boots. His sister used to work in Delhi. She rushed to the posh Khan Market, spent a fortune on them and reached home at 6.15pm. His train was to leave at 7pm

When the young Bhuvneshwar told his parents he wanted to join a cricket club, they just gawked. They knew cricket existed, they knew who Sachin Tendulkar was, but they didn't really know what cricket was. They still put together enough to get him in. He had to lug his kit bag one kilometre to the nearest auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk) stand for his 2pm games in those merciless north-Indian summers. When he returned by 7pm, his mother would be waiting there, and she would carry the kit bag on the way back.

Before his Uttar Pradesh Under-17 trials, Bhuvneshwar didn't even have a proper pair of boots. His sister used to work in Delhi. She rushed to the posh Khan Market, spent a fortune on them and reached home at 6.15pm. His train was to leave at 7pm.

Bhuvneshwar made it to the Uttar Pradesh Ranji team, a highly competitive and politicised environment, but also conducive for swing bowlers. Three of India's last four proper swing bowlers have come from there, RP Singh being the other. They were mentored by Ashish Winston Zaidi, a similarly wily swing bowler who knew how to take wickets on dead pitches and who ended four wickets short of being the most successful paceman in the Ranji Trophy. Bhuvneshwar's first big match involved Praveen, RP and Zaidi, and the only cricketer his parents had heard of.

Tendulkar played the 2008-09 Ranji Trophy final against UP. On the first morning, on a flat pitch, he bowled 13 dot balls to Tendulkar, setting him up with full outswingers before bowling an inswinger with the short midwicket taking a bat-pad catch. That was Tendulkar's first duck in domestic first-class cricket. In a TV show answering kids' questions, a modest Bhuvneshwar recently said he still doesn't know how he got the wicket. He was setting up the great batsman all along. Bhuvneshwar still talks similarly of international wickets today.

"I got sleep that night," Bhuvneshwar spoke of the day he got Tendulkar out, "but a little late."

Wonder what kind of sleep he will get tonight. He has followed RP and Praveen to the Lord's honours board. There is a nice symmetry to that, all three swing bowlers hailing from the badlands of UP, living in sports hostels, making their own decisions, learning by themselves as they go along (though Bhuvneshwar isn't a product of the hostels). Bhuvneshwar will likely tell you how he just bowled in the right areas to fetch six wickets at Lord's, but there was a proper method to his wickets.

Michael Holding on Sky Sports noted how he bowled in the old-fashioned manner of looking over his front arm just before letting the ball go, in the process putting a lot of stress on his back but getting enough action on the ball. With that thin frame, he needs all the action his technique can generate. Most bowlers nowadays go easy on their backs and look under their front arm. The ball danced to Bhunveshwar's tune. If he wanted outswing he drew outswing, if he wanted inswing he generated inswing. He got balls to go against the slope, waited patiently before pulling out the variation, but gave away no free runs and few easy leaves.

Alastair Cook got into a poker game with Bhuvneshwar. From the Nursery End Bhuvneshwar bowled a whole over moving the ball up the hill and away from him. Cook was mindful of the one that would eventually come back in, but Bhuvneshwar was prepared to wait. Cook jumped the gun on this one, and played at what he had been leaving alone. Bhuvneshwar showed more patience against Sam Robson, who was dropped once and who edged one through the cordon in the first 10 overs. Bhuvneshwar kept pegging away with no free runs again, and Robson eventually ran out of discipline, patience and played that loose shot. That was in Bhuvneshwar's eighth over on the bounce, but he was prepared to bowl more.

Bhuvneshwar was in his 15th over when India began the 32nd. The wicket of Ian Bell might look like a trick of the pitch, but Bell has shown a bit of edginess, a lack of certainty, a conflict between a dab and a leave when the ball has been short of a length and just around off. This one just nipped back and bounced at him, and Bhuvneshwar had three. The wickets had dried up, but runs didn't flow off Bhuvneshwar either. However, statistics were against him.

Before this series Bhuvneshwar had taken only one wicket after having bowled 20 overs in an innings. It was a cause of concern as England headed towards a lead after Gary Balance's century. At this point, Bhuvneshwar would be justified if he said he didn't know how he got the wicket, as he claimed Ballance against the run of play, caught down the leg side.

On the third morning, once he got another left-hand batsman, Ben Stokes, he was back to his patient prowl. On a length, around that off stump, taking one away, bringing another in. Did Stokes have more patience than Cook? No he didn't. Seven dots in a row and he went for a big drive on the eighth. The scissors were in the business again. The ball dipped a little, swung back in, would have had him lbw, but ricocheted onto the stumps anyway.

It seemed like someone reminded Bhuvneshwar he had got five, and he belatedly and shyly raised the ball the Aussie way, holding it in his left hand. He led India off the field, having kept the first-innings deficit down to 24. This Meerut Ki Kainchi will get sleep tonight, but it might be a bit later than usual.

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Could England nab Lyth too?

Yorkshire 211 for 6 (Lyth 117) v Middlesex
Scorecard

In the interests of their title challenge, the last thing Yorkshire want is to have the England selectors asking too many questions about Adam Lyth but it may be difficult to keep them off the scent given his consistent excellence this season.

Five first-class hundreds, four in the Championship; 1,134 first-class runs, 1,004 in the Championship (the first to do so in Division One): the numbers are impressive, as is the way in which he is making them, with an enhanced sense of care and responsibility.

Already deprived of three players - Joe Root, Gary Ballance and Liam Plunkett - even with Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan out of favour, you would imagine Andrew Gale might want to play down the credentials of another but the Yorkshire captain is inclined to do the opposite. After Lyth's 230 against Northamptonshire at the beginning of June, he boldly claimed that "compared with all the Yorkshire lads who have played for England recently, he has the most ability."

The selectors do not appear yet to be quite so keen. Since his 1,500 runs in the 2010 season earned him a trip to the Caribbean with an England Lions side managed by the recently appointed England selector Mick Newell he has not had a look-on. This is his best year subsequently - it may turn out even better - and there is no doubt he has moved to a different level.

He has scored 50 runs or more in more than half of his 17 Championship innings so far, the consistent theme of which has been his willingness, when the situation demands it, to be a patient accumulator. He remains a lovely batsman to watch, particularly when driving on the off, but he has become much more willing to bide his time, less inclined to follow his attacking instincts and nick off early. He has worked hard to eliminate vulnerabilities in his game and it is paying off handsomely.

As Yorkshire transferred operations to Scarborough, just along the coast from Lyth's home town of Whitby, he demonstrated again that he has acquired an ability to stick around even in difficult conditions, making a grafted 117 that acquired even more value as Middlesex fought back late in the day.

There were a few streaky moments, although nothing that constituted a chance until he had made 75, when he skewed a ball from Toby Roland-Jones that Eoin Morgan should have taken at gully. Lyth took in his moment of good fortune but then stomped away on to the adjoining pitch, swishing his bat angrily. He values his wicket highly now. He completed his hundred, too, with not his best shot, edging a ball from Steven Finn to the third man boundary for four.

There was plenty in this pitch, which had bounce and carry and a good covering of grass and the atmosphere remained humid after overnight rain. Had Middlesex bowled a little fuller in the morning session, the day might have unfolded differently.

As it was, their only success before lunch came when Roland-Jones produced a fine ball to remove Alex Lees, one that was pitched up and moved away late to take the edge as the batsman tried to defend.

Rain hastened an early interval, after which Finn, unlucky against Lees earlier, gained his reward when Kane Williamson, back with Yorkshire to resume in Aaron Finch's place as overseas player, was bowled by one that swung back.

It was after a second, longer stoppage in the afternoon, setting up a final session that would have extended to almost 45 overs but for bad light, that Middlesex began to gain rewards for deciding to bowl first, encouraging them to think that, notwithstanding Lyth's runs, they had done rather well.

Finn claimed a second success - his 42nd of the season - when Gale cut straight to Rogers at point for 30, then 20-year-old Tom Helm, preferred to James Harris as fourth seamer with the latter going back to Glamorgan on loan, ended a torrid 42-ball innings from Bairstow by bowling the deposed England wicketkeeper for 5.

With the ball doing plenty and batsmen perhaps struggling in the fading light, Roland-Jones bowled Jack Leaning with another full length ball before Helm made one bounce to end Lyth's wonderful knock - his first Championship hundred on the ground of his cricket upbringing - via a catch off the shoulder of the bat, taken at second slip.

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