Arthur sacking 'inevitable' - Moody

Tom Moody, the former Australia cricketer and Sri Lanka coach, has described Australia's decision to sack Mickey Arthur as "inevitable" and suggested that the "respect was being lost" between the players and the coach in the weeks before his removal.

Moody, who played alongside the new coach, Darren Lehmann, in the Australia World Cup winning side of 1999, suggested Arthur was doomed from the moment that four members of the Test squad were sent home from the tour of India for disciplinary reasons.

He believed that the new appointment of Lehmann will help the side rediscover their enjoyment of the game and return to playing fearless cricket.

"It was clear during the Champions Trophy that the team were unsettled," Moody said. "They were walking on eggshells. They were uncertain of their own futures, they were uncertain of the team dynamic and they were uncertain how the team was going to perform.

"I said at the time that it was a dramatic decision to send players home from India. From that moment, it was going to very hard for the management to stay in control of that side.

"He had lost the trust and one of the most important things in the relationship between a coach and a player is trust.

"It's a dramatic thing to send players home because of an accumulation of misdemeanours and to me you've got to look at why guys are turning up five minutes late or wearing the wrong shirt. All those things do matter in a team environment, but it shouldn't result in losing a Test cap.

"The reasons are that maybe, slowly, respect was being lost between player and management and those bad habits were creeping in because of that. So it was inevitable the unfortunate situation with Mickey Arthur. I do feel for him because he is a good man and he's been a good coach over time but he had clearly lost control and Cricket Australia clearly sensed that."

Moody, who spent time with the team during their Investec Ashes warm-up game against Somerset at Taunton, said that the change in the environment once Lehmann was appointed was instant and positive. While he accepted the current Australian squad was more modestly talented than some of its predecessors, he felt that Lehmann's promotion would at least help create an environment where players could fulfil their ability.

"I spent some time with the side in Somerset and it was such a contrast to a week earlier," Moody said. "Where there had been a fragile side, there was a side that was suddenly enjoying playing cricket, which is the way I remember playing in any Australia team. It was an environment that was good fun and where everyone enjoyed each others' company. There was an underlying confidence in that atmosphere.

"Australia still have a lot of work to do. They haven't just inherited a Don Bradman with the bat or a Dennis Lillee with the ball. But the appointment of Lehmann means they have secured a mentor or coach who will create an environment where players will feel free to enjoy themselves within limitations and, more importantly, to express themselves under pressure on the field of play without fearing for the consequences if it doesn't go their way."


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20,000 watch Malan tame Tait

Middlesex 174 for 3 (Malan 86, Denly 52*) beat Essex 170 for 8 (Rutherford 38) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Dawid Malan tamed Essex's Australian pace ace Shaun Tait at Lord's as his 55-ball 86 helped to propel Middlesex to a seven-wicket victory in a Friends Life t20 South Group game played before a crowd of almost 20,000.

Tait conceded 17 runs from his third over as Malan's assault, including one remarkable six over extra cover, led a thrilling chase after Essex had posted a challenging 170 for 8 from their 20 overs.

In the end, with Joe Denly unbeaten on 52 from 35 balls, Middlesex got home with two balls to spare after Adam Voges had been run out for 17 attempting a second to win the game from the second ball of the last over, bowled by Ravi Bopara.

Adam Rossington then came in to flick the second ball he faced to the long-leg boundary to complete a fine Middlesex performance, in which a 93-run stand in nine overs between Malan and Denly ultimately made the difference.

Malan dominated an opening stand of 37 in five overs with Paul Stirling, who had made only 5 when he lifted a Graham Napier full toss straight to deep square leg, and Denly was soon into his stride when he slog-swept Greg Smith for six.

Seventeen runs from the 11th over, bowled by Reece Topley, and then 11 off Bopara in the next prompted Essex captain James Foster to bring back Tait. But three of his first four balls were wides and then Malan hit him for his memorable six and a flicked four behind square leg.

He hit three sixes and 10 fours overall before holing out off left-arm spinner Tim Phillips at the start of the 15th over. Denly, however, slog-sweeping Smith for another six, made sure Middlesex's victory surge did not run out of steam and, with Voges also chipping in, only 10 runs were needed from the last two overs.

Earlier, the Essex innings had been launched in spectacular style by Hamish Rutherford and Mark Pettini, who put on 59 with a barrage of big hits before Rutherford, the New Zealand left-hander, was leg-before to Toby Roland-Jones from the last ball of the fifth over.

Twenty runs had already come from the over, with Rutherford picking up two of his three sixes with legside blows as he sped to 38 from just 17 balls. He had earlier swung his compatriot Kyle Mills high over the wide long-on boundary and also hit four fours in an excellent cameo.

Pettini, who needed a runner after being hit painfully on the inner thigh by a ball from Roland-Jones, still managed a 26-ball 37 with three sixes and three fours before being bowled by Ravi Patel, the 21-year-old slow left-arm spinner making an impressive Twenty20 debut.

Patel conceded just 17 runs from his four-over allocation, found good spin and looks a fine prospect. With Voges, the Australian, also picking up 2 for 21 from his four overs of left-arm spin, the Essex innings was reined in somewhat during the middle overs.

But Napier - coming in mysteriously low at number nine and ridiculously late with just two overs remaining - blasted two sixes and two fours in an eight-ball 24 to boost the total to defendable proportions.

Bopara, meanwhile, batted sensibly to reach 32 not out from 28 balls, slog-sweeping Stirling for successive fours in an 18th over that cost 14 runs. Essex, thanks to Napier and Bopara, plundered 44 from the last three overs after Middlesex had previously pegged back an innings racing along at 63 for 1 after the initial six-over Powerplay to 126 for 6 after 17.

Owais Shah was unluckily run out for 11, backing up, when Smith's straight drive was deflected on to the bowler's stumps by Patel, but Smith, Ryan ten Doeschate and Foster all fell cheaply to spin - Foster hitting an awful long hop from the first ball of Malan's leg spin straight to short extra cover.


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Clarke's pressure valve released

Michael Clarke's century in Worcester was an indication of a clear mind.

It is no coincidence that Michael Clarke's carefree century against Worcestershire seemed to indicate that a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. In the early days of Darren Lehmann's reign as coach, Clarke has been deliberately given as little to do as possible, maximising his time to strengthen his back and groove his batting for the Ashes battles ahead.

Not since the day Lehmann was appointed has Clarke been required to speak publicly, nor has he been required to participate fully in every training session. Clarke's only statements have been delivered via his bat, with spectators at Taunton and New Road witness to a promisingly ascending score trend of 45, 26, 62 and 124 against Somerset and Worcestershire.

Clarke's off-field leadership had been questioned in the aftermath of the sacking of Lehmann's predecessor Mickey Arthur, flowing on as it did from unsavoury events in India and then England in the early, Champions Trophy-preoccupied weeks of the tour. Lehmann said the best way he could improve Clarke as a captain was to ensure he did not have too much to worry about.

"Take some pressure off him, I reckon that's the biggest way," Lehmann said. "Our role as support staff and people around him is to make sure he gets back to captaining and playing the game and not worrying about the stuff he doesn't really need to worry about, and that's where we come into it, making sure the players are best prepared and can go and play, and have a game plan that suited to the way we want to play. Then he can just go and captain.

"I just hope I take pressure off all the players to be perfectly honest. We've got to let them play the game of cricket, it's a tough enough game at the best of times, so my role is to make sure they're enjoying themselves on and off the field, learning about the game and all those things, and making sure we play a positive brand of cricket."

In this, Lehmann echoed his former South Australia team-mate and Arthur's coaching forebear Tim Nielsen. Interviewed by ESPNcricinfo in 2011 after his exit from the job, Nielsen said Clarke's greatest challenge as captain would be to devote enough time to maintaining his own batting and fitness when so many other issues demanded his attention.

"His biggest challenge will be to make sure he keeps his mind on his batting as well," Nielsen had said. "There's so much going on with the team at the moment, so many distractions, and as a first-time captain of the Australian team full-time, he's going to have so much to do around the place. I just hope he can continue to bat as well as he is at the moment and not let those distractions get in the way.

"If he's playing well, a lot of the stuff looks after itself. I know myself, when I was coaching in that Indian summer [in 2008], you have the attitude of 'stuff keeps happening but I'll keep at it, nothing's too hard', but after a while it can wear you down. So Michael needs to be aware that it can wear him down."

Clarke has already saved himself a good deal of time and worry by divesting himself of selection duty. Lehmann said Clarke would more often than not still have his selection preferences followed, but without the distraction of constant involvement in phone hook-ups and dialogue about matters other than winning the next game.

"He'll still have input, the captain's got to be really comfortable with the side he puts out each and every time I think," Lehmann said. "We speak every day about it, as do Rod [Marsh] and all the selectors. You'd be mad if you didn't use your captain's opinion, I wouldn't want to put a percentage on it, but he'll get pretty much what he wants within reason all the time."

Phillip Hughes, who was at the other end for most of Clarke's Worcester century, reckoned the innings showed a useful window into Clarke's state of mind and body. No longer the harried and immobile figure of the tour's early weeks, he is now looking ready to take the fight to England at Trent Bridge.

"It's a really good statement," Hughes said. "He'd been out of the game for around three months, and to play last week and play well, and today to go on with that three figures was outstanding and pushed the game forward. He's moving really well and not even complaining about it [his back] one bit, and that's a real pleasing thing for himself and all of us as a unit."


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Vettori turns down NZC contract

Daniel Vettori's playing future is unclear after he decided not to take up a New Zealand Cricket contract this year due to uncertainty over his recovery from injury. Vettori said he intended to work hard to return to playing over the next six months, following surgery on his Achilles tendon, but the doubt about when he would regain full fitness led him to take himself out of the mix for either an NZC contract or a deal with Northern Districts.

Vettori, 34, had surgery following the recent Champions Trophy, at which he made his comeback to one-day internationals for the first time in nearly two and a half years. He has not played Test cricket for nearly a year, since the series in the West Indies last July, and although he hopes to add to his 112 Test appearances and 360 wickets, his playing future will only be determined after his recovery from surgery is complete.

"I am very focused on my recovery from my recent surgery and will be working hard to get back onto the playing field over the next six-month period," Vettori said. "However, I feel that with my present injury situation it would be wrong for me to take a retainer contract.

"Given the time I'll need to spend out of the game with my recovery, and the level of uncertainty about when I may play again, it doesn't feel right that I take up a retainer contract this year. I will now focus on my rehabilitation in the coming months, with the overall goal of making a return to the cricket field during the summer months. Hopefully it goes well."

David White, the NZC chief executive, said: "In the ICC Champions Trophy Dan showed the immense value that he still brings to the Black Caps side. Unfortunately Dan has indicated he's in a position where he feels uncomfortable taking a contract this season, as he builds towards making a return to the cricket field.

"As always, Dan has made his decision in the best interests of New Zealand Cricket and we appreciate his honesty and up-front approach. There's no doubting Dan's hunger to continue competing, and we hope to see him back playing for the Black Caps again when the time is right."


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Compton's fight can't ease his pain

After the shock of being told he would not open in the Ashes series, Nick Compton has responded with runs against the Australians but it won't change anything

Worcester became the setting for Nick Compton's last stand and it was a redoubtable last stand, too, as he tamed the Australians for the second time in a week. But he knew in his heart of hearts that it was futile resistance. He has already been formally told that England's Ashes plans lie elsewhere.

It would have taken a big hundred to leave England feeling slightly sheepish; it would have probably taken a triple hundred, batting blindfold, while reciting Corinthians backwards, to make them change their mind. Instead he made 79 in orderly fashion, upright of stance and upright in intentions, before he hauled a short ball from Jackson Bird to midwicket.

He dragged himself off the field slowly, not wanting to be out in a match in which, deep down, he had not particularly wanted to play. It was an inconsistent innings, with phases where he struggled for timing, but in what has become his personal mini Ashes series, he has taken the Australians for 194 in three goes.

He has seen off three new balls and worn down every Australian fast bowler in turn. He has responded to the pressure England have put him under with conviction. He could not have done much more. But England are determinedly looking elsewhere.

James Whitaker, the England selector, was on hand to keep up appearances, surely aware like everybody else that he was largely ticking boxes. Joe Root, England's new kid on the block will open the batting with Alastair Cook; Jonny Bairstow will be expected to add some dash at No 6, even though England's warm-up at Chelmford illustrated the blindingly obvious: he has barely had a bat in his hand for the past nine months.

For Compton, Root's emergence as an England star in the making was a ticking time bomb. The question, though, is whether this bomb has exploded before its time.

At Worcester, they know a bit about Test trials; Graeme Hick used to go through them pretty much on an annual basis. Twenty years ago, when the ground was still regarded as the most idyllic in England, rather than the unsatisfying but necessary ground in transition of today, Hick confirmed his England place by stroking the Australians all around New Road, treating a young, blond legspinner with particular disdain. Then Shane Warne went to Old Trafford and bowled the Ball of the Century to Mike Gatting and things felt the same again.

For Compton, though, this was not a Test trial, it was simply a trial. Worcestershire were grateful to be bolstered by a batsman of his talent, but there was little purpose in it. He announced himself against the fourth ball he faced with an emphatic cover drive against Bird; there were later periods when he struggled for timing. It was an innings which communicated that his desire to play for England remains as strong as ever, but he accepted afterwards that it would change nothing.

One sensed the Worcester crowd knew as much. New Road was packed to the gunnels, so much so that the PA announcer asked the crowd, in a formal, somewhat old-fashioned way, if they would not mind sitting a little closer together, but as Compton played what must have felt like the loneliest innings of his life there was no sense of gathering tension.

England are nothing if not meticulous. They successfully lobbied for Compton to guest for Worcestershire, only a week after he had encountered them for Somerset, not because they are having second thoughts, but because stuff happens: somebody could break a finger in a training mishap or have a seedy encounter with a Nottingham curry.

It is nine days now since the ECB released a statement from Geoff Miller, the national selector, that jarred in its finality. "We believe that Joe Root is currently the best opening partner for Alastair Cook and he will open the batting against Essex," it read. Essex = England = the first Investec Test. Perhaps the entire series. Perhaps the next ten years.

Minutes before the release was made, Compton's half-century had been invaluable as Somerset squeezed their first Championship win of the season on a treacherous surface at Derby. He had no inkling of what was to follow. He was deeply upset when Miller informed him he would not be opening at Trent Bridge and his hurt still ran deep when Andy Flower, England's team director, rang him the following day.

It must have felt surreal the following day when Compton fulfilled a long-standing obligation for a photo shoot with England's captain, Alastair Cook. It had been envisaged as promotional material involving England's Ashes opening pair. It had become a stray entry in the diary that could not be scrubbed out. But it doubtless gave Compton more opportunity to discuss why England's view had changed.

England's mood about Compton shifted irreversibly after the last of his four failures against New Zealand, a tortuous 7 from 45 balls at Headingley, one which left his batting average at 32 after nine Tests.

Flower was in tetchy mood after the Test as he was pressed about England's desultory scoring rate on the Saturday evening, more careful than ever to ask the media to explain its questions. The concentration was on Jonathan Trott, but England's thoughts were already centred upon Compton, as if oblivious to the back-to-back hundreds he had made against New Zealand

The decision to omit Compton is one of the most clinical of Flower's reign. Marcus Trescothick, Somerset's captain, spoke for many when he called it unfair. But Flower had been taken by the verve shown by the Yorkshire pair, Root and Bairstow, in front of their home crowd. Michael Vaughan, an Ashes-winning England captain and Root's mentor, lobbied hard for him to open the batting, insisting that Ashes series had to be won with aggressive cricket.

Nobody has reflected, until now, that Compton had batted stoutly, and uncomplainingly, against New Zealand with a bruised rib and a fractured finger: the finger was broken before the Lord's Test against New Zealand when he fell victim to the dog-thrower utilised by the batting coach, Graham Gooch; the rib injury followed in the Headingley before a rained-out first day. Neither was enough to put him out of the match; both were enough to put him out of sorts.

Against New Zealand, he was out of form. Somehow, from that simple fact, the idea has been allowed to take hold that his batting had become careworn and that, if he became psychologically tight against New Zealand, he could be even more affected during the pressure of an Ashes series. Compton, becalmed, it was felt, could place additional pressure on Cook, and that was a risk that England were not prepared to take.

That image is accentuated by his short forward stride - his batting signature, the most obvious technique that sets him apart. It transformed his career by making bowlers bowl in his favoured areas, but it can make him look static. When he returned to work with those who know his game best, such as Neil Burns and the unsung Somerset coach, Pete Sanderson, they reaffirmed that he should keep faith in it. On a slow Worcester pitch, that front foot movement looked solid.

Perhaps Compton has never quite answered the label that in essence he remains a county cricketer. It is a damaging reputation to have in these days of academies and forward planning.

They used to say the same about Hick (while giving him countless more Tests) and there is a deeper Hick comparison here, too, because last season he failed by a day to become the first player to make 1,000 first-class runs in an English season by the end of May, a feat last achieved by Hick, another southern African, in 1988.

He was told after Headingley to go back to Somerset and make runs. He has done just that, averaging 50-plus and taming England's best day-in, day-out county bowler, Graham Onions, by taking 166 off Durham at Taunton. He is right to think that he has done all that England requested.

In his three innings against the Australians, Compton has surely scotched the theory that he becomes tight when the pressure is on. He batted blissfully against them at Taunton - out to a brilliant catch and a debatable lbw decision - and at Worcester, if not quite as serene, life for the Australians became much simpler the moment he was out.

The question still nags: are Australia happy not be facing Compton at Trent Bridge? The indications still suggest that they are.


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England stroll but Broad a doubt

England 413 for 9 dec (Bresnan 105*, Swann 94, Craddock 5-69) and 279 for 4 dec (Cook 82, Trott 79) beat Essex 278 (Mickleburgh 90, Root 4-72) and 186 for 9 (Mickleburgh 58, Swann 5-68, Onions 4-43) by 228 runs
Scorecard

Graeme Swann proved his fitness for the Ashes with a five-wicket haul to help England to victory over Essex in Chelmsford, but concerns linger over the availability of Stuart Broad.

Swann, who missed all but one of England's games in the Champions Trophy through back and calf injuries, bowled only nine deliveries in the first innings here after sustaining a blow to his right forearm while batting against Tymal Mills, which Andy Flower admitted caused "great concern". But, defying a painfully slow pitch and a draining lack of intensity in a downgraded match, Swann worked his way through the Essex batting line-up until it capitulated and looked in decent rhythm going into the Test series.

Essex lost their last six wickets for 32 runs in nine overs with Graham Onions, as nagging as ever, claiming 4 for 43 including a spell of three wickets without conceding a run in 11 balls. It meant England won by 228 runs.

A doubt remains over the fitness of Broad, however. Broad injured his right shoulder diving to regain his ground while batting in the Champions Trophy final and has had a cortisone injection to reduce the inflammation. Flower expressed himself "pleasantly surprised" by Broad's first attempt at bowling since the injury, during the tea interval on the final day here, and said "we anticipate him being fit. He could not have played this game, but he should be OK."

"We thought Swann might have cracked his ulna," Flower said. "For a couple of hours we thought he might have been missing [from the first Test], which would have been a serious blow. When he came in after batting I was surprised by how swollen it was.

"I was also surprised by how well he played the fast bowler after getting hit that badly. He fought out there and didn't come off and get it seen to. It's a good example of his resilience. Because he's a jokey sort of guy we forget he is a tough competitor as well."

This was an admirably professional performance from England. Despite a pitch that was too slow for purpose and the lack of atmosphere over the last couple of days, they retained their discipline with bat and ball and made the best of the imperfect situation with which they were confronted. With the Champions Trophy finishing only days earlier, there has been no opportunity for the sort of warm-up period from which they benefited in Australia in 2010-11 - they placed great store in performing well in their three first-class warm-up games - but they have at least come together as a squad and played some red-ball cricket.

A couple of areas of concern remain. Several chances were squandered in the field - Swann missed Ravi Bopara in the slips off Steven Finn on the final day, while Kevin Pietersen missed two chances in the first innings - and Jonny Bairstow, who has hardly batted since the Leeds Test against New Zealand and was bowled in both innings here - still looks in need of time at the crease. Pietersen, too, has hardly batted but Flower expressed confidence in his form and no concern about any need for further time at the crease before the Tests.

"There were a few chances that went down," Flower admitted. "And taking chances will be very important in this series. But we're working hard and we're hoping that hard work will pay off.

"We felt Bairstow needed more time in the middle because he has gone three or four weeks without cricket during the Champions Trophy. He's had what he's had; there's nothing more we can do."

Performances in this game - or the game in progress at New Road - are most unlikely to affect selection for the first Test. Flower suggested the identity of the XI that will play at Trent Bridge has been known for some time and this game was more about gaining rhythm and testing potential replacements. In that case Boyd Rankin, who bowled with hostility in spite of the surface, will have done himself no harm, though Nick Compton's place in the selectors' thoughts seems to rely upon injury befalling one of the top three. Joe Root will open for the foreseeable future, however; Flower is not the fickle type.

"I've been very impressed with Rankin," Flower said, "and thought he bowled especially well. He is very impressive physically and he has the pace and bounce which can trouble international batsmen. He's quite an exciting prospect.

"It's nice to see and a good reaction from Compton. It's a really good reaction that he has scored runs consistently and it shows he's a good tough fighter. Of course, he's still in the picture. But he is an opening batsman and if there were an injury to someone batting at six it doesn't necessarily mean that he would be the next cab off the rank. But his best reaction was to score heavy runs and that's what he's doing. That's great."

There were some impressive performances from the Essex players in this game, too. Jaik Mickleburgh, who demonstrated a compact technique and astute shot selection in both innings, belied his lowly average and looked a fine prospect, while Mills' pace and improving control made a large impression on the England management. "His rate of progress is really exciting for Essex," Flower said. " His control has improved and he's really impressive physically. If he continues he might play for England."

Perhaps Onions might feel a little aggrieved. He scarcely bowled a poor ball in this match but, despite finishing with seven wickets and remaining the most consistent bowler in county cricket over the last couple of seasons, it seems he will remain on the periphery of the side.

While the likes of Finn, who bowled better than his figures suggests, and now Rankin and Chris Tremlett are preferred for their height, pace and bounce, Onions may be reliant on injury or rotation to Broad or James Anderson to win a further opportunity. In the current England set-up, his qualities - accuracy and consistency - are considered worthy, but less valuable than those offered by his rivals.

In some ways this game did not present an overly flattering demonstration of Essex cricket. The pitch was poor and the sight of a 15-year-old substitute fielder - talented though Aaron Beard looks - lent a faint air of ramshackle amateurishness to proceedings. By the time the game ended, they had drafted in three players to replace injured members of their starting XI - Greg Smith replaced the injured Tom Westley on Wednesday - though David Masters made a bizarre reappearance as a batsman on day four despite a hopeless match situation and a pronounced limp that could have been exacerbated by running between the wickets.

To their immense credit though, Essex is a club that continues to produce talented young players and, in Mills, Mickleburgh, Reece Topley, Ben Foakes et al, they have several cricketers who could follow the path of Alastair Cook into the England team. And that, after all, is their primary role.


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McCullum pips Patel in NZ battle

Glamorgan 121 for 6 (North 37) beat Warwickshire 118 (Clarke 42, Wagg 3-24) by four wickets
Scorecard

New Zealand allrounder Nathan McCullum was the hero as Glamorgan celebrated a final-over victory over Warwickshire in their Friends Life t20 clash at the Swalec Stadium.

In a low scoring game on a slow pitch, McCullum smashed 18 from five balls, striking two sixes and a four as Glamorgan chased down 119 to claim a four-wicket win with five balls to spare. The victory kept up Glamorgan's 100% record and put them top of the Midlands, Wales and West Group after they beat Worcestershire last week.

Glamorgan, who were without allrounder Jim Allenby with a stomach problem, put Warwickshire into bat and restricted them to 118 all out, with Rikki Clarke top-scoring with 42 from 41 balls. Graham Wagg finished with 3 for 24.

But it was always going to be a difficult chase for Glamorgan and so it proved. The hosts made a poor start to their innings with Mark Wallace going for a first-ball duck and Murray Goodwin holing out to backward square.

Chris Cooke and Marcus North looked settled until Cooke was stumped well out of his crease off Jeetan Patel. Runs continued to be hard to come by as Ben Wright was caught attempting a reverse sweep, leaving Glamorgan 67 for 4 in the 13th over.

As the pressure mounted the home side lost Nick James to a run out and then North, with 37 from 47 balls, was bowled by Patel. With 17 required from the final two overs McCullum kept his cool to strike fellow New Zealander Patel for a four and a six.

And from the first ball of the final over McCullum hit his second six off Chris Wright to take his side to 121 for six and seal victory.

Earlier, Warwickshire had been in desperate trouble within six overs, having been reduced to 32 for 4. The collapse began when Will Porterfield was well caught by Wagg at mid-on off Michael Hogan, who then caught Laurie Evans off James.

Warwickshire then went from 17 for 2 to 28 for 3 as Varun Chopra, captaining in the absence of the injured Jim Troughton, also perished to backward square off Alex Jones. Chris Woakes went for a second ball duck, stumped by Wallace off McCullum .

With experienced pair Darren Maddy, who announced he is to retire at the end of the season, and Clarke attempting a recovery, Warwickshire reached 57 for four at the halfway stage. They put on 60 for the fifth wicket until Maddy was caught on the square leg boundary for 30.

Clarke hit two consecutive fours before Wagg had him caught behind from a slow ball bouncer. Warwickshire's cause was not helped as they lost their final four wickets for only nine runs in the final 11 balls and the late collapse proved decisive.


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Dernbach helps keep Surrey rolling

Surrey 139 for 6 (Wilson 44*) beat Sussex 136 for 8 (Styris 46) by three runs
Scorecard

It is one of the general maxims of Twenty20 that the team which hits the most sixes tends to win. When Scott Styris struck a ball from Azhar Mahmood that described a perfect parabola out towards long leg, Sussex had their third maximum of the night and their noses in front, 14 runs required from the final 12 balls.

The next delivery Styris faced was from Jade Dernbach and uprooted two of his stumps. Dernbach's over went for just two runs - and completed match-turning figures of 4-0-18-2 - as Sussex were left with too much to scramble off the last six balls. On the opening night of the tournament, Surrey had failed to defend exactly the same score of 139 for 6 against Hampshire; they have now won three games in a row and sit atop the South Group.

This format has caused much angst for Surrey in recent times. They were one of the prime movers in next year's shaking up of the T20 competition, their chief executive, Richard Gould, calling publically for a spread-out tournament on regular nights of the week. This was Surrey's first home fixture of the 2013 FLt20 and, coupled with the first appearance of Ricky Ponting at The Oval - as Surrey player rather than pantomime villain - a decent crowd of 11,984 grazed happily throughout.

Creating atmosphere in Test grounds, where the unfilled seats can be hard to disguise and the hubbub evaporates away rather than wrapping itself around the players, is one of the challenges for domestic T20 in England. Surrey do as good a job as any, though - The Oval is a half-full, rather than half-empty, kind of ground - and one fan became the first lucky recipient of £1000 for taking a 'Kia catch', when Dwayne Smith clubbed Zander de Bruyn into the stands.

That over cost 22 but, Styris' efforts apart, the Surrey bowlers succeeded in stifling Sussex in pursuit of a middling target for the second time in a week. On that evidence alone, it might be difficult to tell which of these two teams has been to Finals Day three times in the last six years and which has not got past the group stage since 2006.

It is easy to spot a weakness in Surrey's set-up, however. Steven Davies is the only batsman to score a half-century in four matches and their innings had an enervated, midweek feel to it; Thursday may be the new Friday in London but Wednesday is still the hump. Three of the top six picked out fielders on the fence with iron shots when a driver was needed and it wasn't until the 15th over that Gary Wilson hit their first six, driving Will Beer emphatically over long-on.

Wilson provided the vim Surrey needed, with reverse-sweeps, hard running and the odd Thor-like hammer blow, including another six off the final ball of the innings. Jason Roy was the only other Surrey player to get more than 13 and he flourished initially with several punishing cross-bat shots, as well as one thumping drive that knocked over the umpire, Trevor Jesty, who was hit on the shoulder. Jesty may be 65 but he waved away the stretcher before ambling to square leg for the next over and Surrey, in the end, weren't left to rue the boundary that might have been.

Of course, making a success of T20 financially is a lot easier if you're making a success of it on the field. This match was really the appetiser for the London derby against Middlesex on Friday, when Surrey are hopeful of attracting a full house. Another last-ball finish - and another victory - will also be on the wish list.


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Watson likens Rogers to Katich

Only one innings into his Ashes opening partnership with Chris Rogers, Shane Watson has likened it to the union with Simon Katich that represented the most productive phase of his career. Punishing in power and unimpeachably correct in technique, Watson felt so assured in his strokeplay with Rogers at the other end that he coshed a century before lunch against Worcestershire, ultimately finishing with 109.

Watson also said that Rogers had proved a valuable ally in the middle, offering advice on English climes and also gee-ups whenever he felt the allrounder might have been flagging in concentration. Having never batted with Rogers before, it was not difficult to imagine Watson wondering why it had taken so long. Whatever the reasons, both can now make up for lost time in the Investec Ashes.

"It's great to be able to bat with Chris, it was my first experience of batting with him and we had a good start." Watson said. "He's certainly a very experienced and knowledgable cricketer and to be able to bat with him he certainly kept me going and just through how he's able to sum up conditions and continue to provide his knowledge while we're out batting.

"I thought he gave me a few really good pointers out there, especially early on, with him understanding the English conditions even better than I do. My combination with Simon Katich in the past was maybe along similar sorts of lines so it was really nice to be able to get a good partnership going the first time we got a chance to bat together."

Batting alongside Katich in 15 Tests from mid-2009 to late 2010, Watson compiled his two Test centuries and a host of other sizeable scores, before injury and the start of Michael Clarke's captaincy conspired to bring an end to Katich's international career. Watson opened with Phillip Hughes before shifting down the order, but coveted the position now returned to him by the new coach, Darren Lehmann.

"It brings out the best in my personality … it really does get me up and going," Watson said. "Every time I go out to open the batting I know I'm going out to face a brand new ball and it's always going to be doing something whether it's swing or seam. The bowlers are also at their freshest as well. It certainly gets my blood going and gets my mind switched on immediately as well."

That switching on appeared to happen the moment he walked out to bat first at Taunton last week, a swift 90 followed up by an even more brazen display at New Road. While the preceding six months had been largely barren for Watson as a first-class player, he said the period had helped him develop a few elements of his batting and may now be reaping the benefits.

"I felt like over the past six months, even though in Test cricket especially I haven't been able to score the runs that I've wanted, the things I've been working on with my batting have been coming together," he said. "I just hadn't been able to put them into practice.

"I definitely feel like in my game I've been able to iron out a few of the issues I've had over the previous year or so. You never know, it's not going to guarantee me success, that's for sure, but I feel batting-wise I'm in a really good place."


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Chanderpaul makes it three from three

Derbyshire 154 for 3 (Chanderpaul 87*) beat Lancashire 151 for 8 (Brown 50, Groenewald 4-21) by seven wickets
Scorecard

A superb unbeaten 87 off 70 balls from Shivnarine Chanderpaul took Derbyshire to a thrilling seven-wicket victory in the Friends Life T20 match against Lancashire under the Derby floodlights. The West Indian shared a fourth-wicket stand of 58 off 33 balls with Albie Morkel to take Derbyshire past Lancashire's total of 151 with 3 balls to spare to put the Falcons top of the North Group with three wins.

Tim Groenewald took four for 21, his best figures in the competition, and although Karl Brown scored 50 off 39 balls, a target of 152 was not enough against Chanderpaul who equalled his highest T20 score.

Groenewald put Lancashire under pressure from the start by having Stephen Moore caught behind off the fourth ball and then removed Steven Croft for a duck off a top edged pull in his next over.

When Ashwell Prince dragged a drive at Groenewald to midwicket, Lancashire were 19 for three but former Derbyshire skipper Simon Katich responded by taking 20 from a Mark Footitt over before he played across the line at Jon Clare and was lbw for 28.

At 48 for 4, Derbyshire were on top but Brown and Smith put the Lightning back in the game with astute placement and big hitting with Brown pulling David Wainwright for six and launching Footitt high over long-on for another maximum. The 50 stand came off 41 balls and there was a sense of relief among the home crowd when Smith hoisted Dan Redfern into the hands of long off in the 17th over.

Brown also fell to a catch in the deep in the next over from Durston which cost only three runs but Gareth Cross lifted Lancashire by twice hoisting Redfern onto the roof of a hospitality marquee as the visitors passed 150.

Derbyshire made an even worse start with Chesney Hughes caught at slip off the first ball from Kabir Ali but Chanderpaul and Durston put the Falcons back on track with 50 from 35 balls before Glen Chapple bowled Durston for 20 off 12 balls. But Chanderpaul, who had flicked Kabir over fine leg for six, was looking like holding the key as Derbyshire reached the halfway point needing 80 from 60 balls.

By now, the rain was swirling across the County Ground, bringing Duckworth-Lewis into the equation, and Chanderpaul and Wayne Madsen batted sensibly by working the ball around for singles and two's without putting their wickets at risk.

When the umpires took the players off in the 13th over, Derbyshire were four runs ahead of the rate at 90 for two but when they came back 10 minutes later, Moore took a leaping catch at cover to remove Madsen for 23

With 52 needed off 30 balls, Lancashire were back in it but Chanderpaul swept and pulled Stephen Parry for two fours and a six in the 16th over and finished in style by driving Kabir for two fours as Derbyshire enjoyed their best ever start to a Twenty20 campaign.


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