Sussex complete Nottinghamshire's demise

Sussex 391 (Nash 178) and 406 for 6 dec (Joyce 149, Nash 85, Wells 79) beat Nottinghamshire 413 (Taylor 126, Libby 108, Hales 57, Magoffin 4-72, Hatchett 4-99) and 193 (Taylor 46, Magoffin 4-51) by 191
Scorecard

Sussex picked up their sixth win of the LV= County Championship season with a 191-run triumph over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Chasing a victory target of 385 from a minimum of 75 overs, the home side were bowled out for 193 in 60.3 overs. Steve Magoffin claimed 4 for 51, to take eight wickets in the match, with three wickets apiece to Chris Jordan and Ashar Zaidi.

Earlier, as Sussex batted on until 20 minutes before lunch, Ed Joyce, who had been undefeated on 115 overnight, fell for 149 after sharing a stand of 60 with Luke Wells, who scored 79. Luke Fletcher, on his 26th birthday, was the pick of the Nottinghamshire attack, taking 3 for 66, to add his first-innings haul of 3 for 67.

Alex Hales and Jake Libby negotiated a tricky three-over spell before lunch as Nottinghamshire embarked on their pursuit, but both fell soon afterwards. Hales was snapped up at slip by Jordan, off Magoffin, who then had Libby caught one-handed by Chris Nash at short leg.

Michael Lumb was also caught by Jordan - a stunning reflex effort, at the second attempt, from Zaidi's second ball of the innings. Riki Wessels was yorked by Jordan, who then had James Taylor caught down the leg side for 46, eight runs away from reaching 1,000 in the Championship this year.

Samit Patel scored seven from 40 deliveries before becoming Magoffin's third victim, aided by another Jordan catch in the slips.

Zaidi, bowling a 20-over spell which was broken only by the tea interval, turned a ball sharply to knock back Chris Read's off stump and then trapped Luke Wood lbw. Jordan finished the match off by bowling Harry Gurney, to seal the win with 9.3 overs to spare.

Sussex had added a further 162 runs during the morning session, declaring just before lunch. Luke Wright showed his intentions by pulling Gurney into the midwicket seats before driving Fletcher straight to mid-on.

Joyce was caught at deep midwicket from the bowling of Gary Keedy, having faced 159 balls, hitting 17 fours and three sixes. Wells, who faced 13 deliveries before getting off the mark, then went up a gear, playing shots all around the wicket as he galloped to his 50 from 48 balls and had hit three sixes and 13 fours by the time he hit Patel to Fletcher at long-off. Ben Brown also cleared the ropes and was unbeaten on 38 at the time of the declaration.

Nottinghamshire's season comes to an end with them occupying third place on 206 points - but they could be overtaken by Durham, Somerset and Sussex, who all have a game in hand on the Trent Bridge side.

Read More..

Smith resists as Hampshire stumble to draw

Kent 507 (Bell-Drummond 153, Northeast 128, Billings 92, Coles 4-84) drew with Hampshire 351 (Ervine 121, Vince 70, Tredwell 4-102) and 248 for 9 (Smith 142*, Riley 4-36, Tredwell 4-110)
Scorecard

Hampshire are safely over the penultimate fence but dragged their hind legs through it. They just about avoided disaster against Kent via Will Smith's splendid rearguard century and now take a 10-point cushion into the final week over the fast-finishing Essex.

Hampshire were striding to promotion like Crisp to the 1973 Grand National with thumping victories over Kent at Canterbury and Leicestershire last week. But they were outplayed here and Essex are coming with another late surge, whittling down a 44-point deficit at the start of the month, and are looking to get up near the line like Red Rum in '73.

Hampshire's task remains straightforward. Any kind of victory at Glamorgan next week will see them promoted. But if Hampshire only draw, Essex will be guaranteed to pip them if they take 23 points against Worcestershire. If Essex draw at Chelmsford, Hampshire will need four points at Cardiff to guarantee promotion.

The margin for error at Glamorgan would have been far less without Sean Ervine, whose day three century produced three batting points that were wholly unexpected, and Will Smith batting through the final day to secure a draw.

"Over the last couple of days you've seen two of the best hundreds you're likely to see in the county game," Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams said. "The five points could be crucial, they might not matter, but in terms of the team showing resilience we've shown to be a tough team to beat this year. It's nice going into the last game with something riding on it."

Smith's century, his second in the Championship this season, capped a fine week where he also passed 1000 runs in a season for the first time and signed a new three-year contract with Hampshire. Crucially, he delivered five extra points for his side to give them a buffer for next week.

"I was due an innings like that," Smith said. "It was very very tricky. But over the years I've developed a method where I think I'm okay at staying in and gradually I've found a way to score as well. Given the situation, concentration wise and knowing what it means to the club to get those extra points it's got to be right up there as my best hundred."

Much credit is also due to No. 11 James Tomlinson, who held out gamely for Ervine in the first innings and Smith on the fourth evening. In total he ate up 69 deliveries in the match. Hampshire were also helped by the morning session on the final day being washed out in an electrical blaze.

Saving the game looked as straightforward as building a hotel on an empty piece of land with no planning restrictions with Hampshire only three down with 36 overs left in the day. But just as the collapse of the contractors stalled the hotel project at the Ageas Bowl, six wickets falling in 10.1 overs, including three in 13 balls straight after tea, held up Hampshire's promotion push.

Kent's two offspinners, Adam Riley and James Tredwell, shared eight scalps as the wicket began to crumble. When James Vince had slashed Calum Haggett to first slip - third man out, brilliantly caught by Darren Stevens - there was no hint of a problem. But the wicket began to turn.

Tom Alsop became the first of four lbw victims playing back to Riley, who then twice turned deliveries past the outside edge of Sean Ervine as signs of concern grew. In the first over after tea, Riley beat Ervine's inside edge to earn another lbw. There was no second rescue act. Matt Coles also got a good stride down the wicket but that still did not deter Nigel Cowley giving him out lbw.

Imran Tahir blasted Tredwell over long-on for six but, next delivery, Tredwell turned one past Tahir's forward grope and bowled him. Over 20 overs remained but once again Tomlinson held firm and Smith extended the lead to a safe distance. Kent captain Rob Key offered his hand with 10 overs left in the day.

Smith had little trouble against the spinners, getting well forward - particularly to Riley who bowls a little quicker than Tredwell - and right back to ride the turn. Unbeaten on 66 overnight after steadily seeing Hampshire through a potentially tricky third evening, he tucked and nudged his way to what he described as up there with his best centuries.

From early on in this match it was apparent Hampshire's final home match of the season would feature no promotion party - chairman Rod Bransgrove was away on business anyway - but the Ageas Bowl season still ended with an exciting day.

There is much about Hampshire on the field that can be likened to the hotel still being built at the Northern End of the Ageas Bowl. Eastleigh Borough Council have not quite had to step in to pay Jimmy Adams' wages or Imran Tahir's business class flight but like the hotel, the date of when Hampshire's Championship side are going to be back competing with the best in the country continues to be pushed back.

Both could be next spring, the latest completion date for the hotel and when Hampshire will begin their first campaign in Division One since 2011 should they gain the required points next week.

Read More..

Rogers lifts Middlesex from the brink

Somerset 523 for 9 dec (Hildreth 182, Trego 91, Kieswetter 69, Overton 63, Abell 50) drew with Middlesex 223 (Morgan 82, Roland-Jones 77) and 328 for 4 dec (Rogers 203*, Denly 60)
Scorecard

If Middlesex do avoid relegation - and they really should now - they will owe it largely to Chris Rogers.

It was Rogers who contributed a double-century at Lord's in April to help his side chase down 472 to beat Yorkshire. It was Rogers who hit a century in the win over Northamptonshire. And it was Rogers who batted for seven-and-a-half hours here to register a second double-century this season and salvage his side a draw that all but ensures Middlesex of safety this season.

We should probably no longer be surprised when Rogers plays innings like this. A career that started at the WACA in 1998 - he made his debut in a tour match for Western Australia against England - has now brought 70 first-class centuries (the same amount as Shivnarine Chanderpaul) and 11 double-centuries. This innings also took his career average above 50. Only Murray Goodwin, with 71, has more centuries of those still playing and he has announced his retirement.

Most impressively, Rogers seems to deliver most, for Middlesex at least, when his side require it most. Here, had he failed, Middlesex's unpredictable middle-order would have been exposed and they faced going into the last match of the season with a fragile lead over Lancashire. As it is, they have a cushion of 19 points. They are all but safe.

Rogers is not an especially attractive player. He does not empty bars or thrill spectators. Balls are, generally, steered or pushed or nudged or punished. They are rarely ramped or thrashed.

But, aged 37 and with a career's worth of experience behind him, he knows his limitations, he revels in the contest and he has a concentration span that could out stare the moon. His main skill - survival and occupation of the crease - remains an essential part of the longer-forms of the game and, as he explains it, he has made a virtue of his limitations.

"I'm not as fluent or as talented as other players in many respects," Rogers admitted. "So I have to rely on other things.

"Decision making is one of those things and probably intelligence is another. And just the willingness to fight: I probably play my best innings when up against it. I was coming off three bad scores here and was starting to feel the heat a little bit.

"This was an important result for us. The thing we have always prided ourselves on is being hard to beat, but we've almost lost that a little bit. If we hadn't got anything out of this game, we would have gone to Manchester with everything wide open. We couldn't afford a loss. This changes things a bit.

"We almost hit rock bottom on day two. There was a lot of criticism flying around and, as a captain, I was throwing some of it at the players. But to do that, you have to stand up yourself. So that's something I can be proud for us.

"It was great to be the guy who once again stands up for Middlesex. I'm very proud to play for this club. I love playing for Middlesex and it would be nice to play at least one more season for them."

With such skills, and such knowledge of English conditions, you would have thought him an almost certain selection in Australia's Ashes squad in 2015. But there is much cricket to be played before then and Rogers' age - he is 37 - may count against him.

Nor are Middlesex guaranteed to wait for him. "I know Middlesex are under pressure to look for a player," he said. "As those available are few and far between. It will be interesting to see what happens."

Rogers highlighted the loss of allrounder Gareth Berg - who has missed most of the season due to a career- threatening injury - as a key factor in Middlesex's struggles this season and also credited the first-innings partnership between Eoin Morgan and Toby Roland-Jones as the turning point of this match. "Without their stand, Somerset would have been fresh to attack us in the second innings," he said. "Things could have been very different."

Rogers was assisted by a pitch that, by the end, had lost whatever life and pace it ever had. With Somerset's bowlers obliged to remain in the field for more than 200 overs in succession, it was not surprising that the attack lost its string.

Perhaps, if Jack Leach were able to find a bit more pace on his spin, perhaps if Alfonso Thomas had made better use of the second new ball, perhaps if Peter Trego had enjoyed just a bit of luck - he beat the edge several times - things might have been different. In truth, though, this was a painfully slow wicket by the end and Rogers, in such circumstances, presents a significant challenge.

It was heartening, though, to see Craig Overton produce a small but wonderful spell in mid-afternoon that briefly threatened to bring the match to life. After winning a fortuitous leg before appeal against Joe Denly, who may well count himself unfortunate having justified his return to the team with just his third half-century of the season, he unleashed a fearsome bouncer that appeared to disconcert Morgan and, a few balls later, he left a straight one that hit his off stump.

It all means that Somerset will finish mid-table. While that represents a slight improvement on last season, it has also brought a sinking realisation that the club's best chance of winning that elusive maiden Championship title has probably gone for now. They had their best chance between 2009 and 2012.

Those were golden years for the club. While they did not win the trophies their performances warranted, they went close often, they entertained regularly and they produced a couple of players who may play big role in the future of the England side. Next season will see them start a new phase. They will certainly have a new director of cricket and quite possibly other changes in the club's hierarchy.

The old pavilion will also have gone. The likes of Sammy Woods, WG Grace, Don Bradman, Viv Richards and Ian Botham all emerged from the wooden building that has looked over this ground since 1882. And it offered the finest view of cricket in England, too.

But the new Somerset has, quite rightly, ambitions. It wants on-field success - something of a rarity through much of Somerset's history - and it wants to host international cricket. A rather charming ceremony after the close of play saw present and former players share their memories of the building and explain the need for the redevelopment. It was, perhaps, rather strange that there was no mention of the departing director of cricket, Dave Nosworthy.

The new man faces a tough challenge. He has some good young players, but he also has a level of expectation that will take time to satisfy.

Not everything will change, though. Marcus Trescothick insists he is "enjoying it all as much as I did when I was 21" and promises to be around "for another few years yet." He has become as recognisable as part of this club as the tower of St James' Church and the view of the Quantocks. And while some may suggest that, aged 38, his time is coming to an end, he remains, by a distance, his side's leading run-scorer in the Championship season.

Rogers, Trescothick and the old pavilion at Taunton... they don't build them like that anymore.

Read More..

Petition filed on behalf of 75 Rajasthan players

A writ petition on behalf of 75 players representing the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has been filed in the Rajasthan High Court in Jaipur on Tuesday. The appeal, the latest development in the administrative standoff between the BCCI and the RCA which has resulted in Rajasthan teams being omitted from this season's domestic programme, indicated that the players were suffering "only for one reason, which is the grudge between BCCI and RCA". It stated that the players were not being allowed to participate in any of the national tournaments being organised by the BCCI, and basically asked that the players be allowed to play.

The appeal was signed by players from various teams (Under-19, Under-23, Ranji players and women cricketers). It was filed on behalf of "Nikhil Doru and others" by Jaipur-based advocate Sachin Mehta, and argued by senior advocate Sudhir Gupta. Doru, 35, is a wicketkeeper-batsman who last played for Rajasthan in 2009 Ranji Trophy.

Justice MN Bhandari, hearing the matter, issued notices to the BCCI and the RCA, seeking responses from both within a week.

Incidentally, even if Mehta claimed that he independently approached the court on behalf of the players, indirectly he was representing the RCA based on recent events. Last week, the players were told to report to the RCA office in Jaipur even as many of them were playing the Colvin Shield inter-district tournament. About 50 players, including Ranji cricketers and various age-group ones, gathered at the RCA office. It is understood that senior RCA officials addressed the gathering and read out a draft petition that they said would be filed and submitted in the court.

It is understood that the RCA officials told the players they would be appealing to the court on behalf of the players, that they should be kept out of the issue as it was between RCA and the BCCI. The draft appeal was read out by a RCA official without being handed to the players.

Although it was not made obligatory for them to sign the document, the players said they were confused. Some signed, but it is understood that four senior players - Vineet Saxena, Pankaj Singh, Dishant Yagnik and Ashok Menaria - opted out along with a few others.

Various players whom ESPNcricinfo spoke with expressed helplessness and being caught in this muddle. An unnamed player said that he was reluctant to sign because he was not "sure of the consequences". He said the players were not accustomed to legal issues. He also pointed that being the "sole bread winner" of his family, he did not want to take an unknown route, which he feared could prove fatal in the long run. "I did not think it would be wise of me to fall into this," the player said.

Another Ranji player said he decided to sign because "we are just cricketers", who could not say no. According to him, he and his team-mates did not have a choice but "stick to the RCA". He said that the RCA did not force them, but they had "no choice". "Or do we?" he asked.

That is a pertinent question. The players find themselves in a tight corner, where they have to just trust the RCA. The only other party that can help, the BCCI, has only reacted form a distance. The BCCI's ad-hoc committee, appointed to oversee the game in the disputed states, has not addressed the players. Sanjay Patel, the BCCI secretary, had said that an umbrella team comprising teams from two disputed states (Bihar and Uttarakhand) could feature in the domestic season, but he pointed that that was only an option.

Such vague responses do not help the Rajasthan players, who are anxious and verging on desperate. "We are totally stressed out mentally, because we do not know what our future will be. We don't know what to do - whether to look for another state to play for as a professional or to just stay put," a player said.

As far as on-field activities are concerned, the RCA had carried out the process of organising trials and tournaments preceding the domestic season, as is routine. Now, the players are playing the Colvin Shield, which started September 10 and will go on till September 30.

The saga dates back to Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman who was banned by the BCCI for "committing acts of serious misconduct and indiscipline", being declared the RCA president in May. Minutes after he was declared president, the BCCI suspended the RCA for allowing a banned individual to be a part of its affairs. Later, the BCCI omitted RCA from its domestic programme for the upcoming season.

With inputs from Amol Karhadkar

Read More..

Never term coaches as Indian or overseas - Bangar

Sanjay Bangar, the India assistant coach, has said that it is unfair to categorise the coach as Indian or overseas, and that what matters instead is the competence of the man in the job.

"It should never be termed as an Indian or an overseas coach," Bangar told ESPNcricinfo in an interview to be published on Thursday. "We need to get over such things. You need to be competent enough. You need to be challenging your own benchmark on a regular basis. Cricket is evolving and any person in that capacity (coach) needs to constantly evolve, try and improve and bring fresh ideas."

Bangar, along with B Arun and R Sridhar, was rushed to England by the BCCI in August to assist Duncan Fletcher for the ODI leg of India's tour after the 1-3 Test series loss. Despite the abruptness of the BCCI call, Bangar, the 41-year old former India opener, said he was far from being "overwhelmed" at the job. "I just look at the job as one level ahead, as a responsibility. It is again about trying build relationships, trying to earn respect, trying to earn the trust of the people you work with. It takes time."

Bangar, who retired from first-class cricket in January 2013, was handpicked by Ravi Shastri, the team director during the England ODI series, because he felt that an Indian could serve the team better. "It all boils down to individuals," Bangar said. "How badly one wants to make a mark that probably drives the kind of work he eventually does."

When he received a call from the board, Bangar was putting in place plans for Kings XI Punjab's campaign in the Champions League T20 as only the second Indian head coach of an IPL franchise after Lalchant Rajput at Mumbai Indians in 2008. Discarded as not fit for T20 as a player as recently as 2009, Bangar excelled as coach when his tactics and open approach helped Kings XI to make their maiden IPL final, where they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders, the same franchise that had sent Bangar back home five years ago.

Bangar spoke in the interview about how he relied on the experience of Virender Sehwag, who he said was instrumental in keeping the Kings XI dressing room competitive. Sehwag, 35, has been out of the India side for more than a year, but according to Bangar, he still carried the same imposing presence as a batsman with which he had built his career. "His overall personality and the way he conducted himself without any sort of inflated self-importance had a tremendous impact on the entire group. Not just the uncapped Indian players, but even among the overseas players."

Bangar was optimistic about Sehwag still being able to make an international comeback. "By the way he has played his cricket (in the IPL) he has made a case for himself. The hundred he got in the qualifier (122 off 58 balls against Chennai Super Kings) was a special innings and everybody would agree to it."

Read More..

India support staff set for longer run

Sanjay Bangar, B Arun and R Sridhar are expected to remain part of India's coaching staff until the World Cup. The trio were part of a rejig of the backroom personnel after the 3-1 loss to England in the Tests. A decision regarding Ravi Shastri's role of team director and Duncan Fletcher's as head coach will be made at the BCCI's working committee meeting on September 26. The popular opinion among the BCCI top brass though is that it would be too risky to change the coach with barely four months left for the World Cup.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Bangar, Arun and Sridhar have been hinted that they were in line to continue as assistant coaches and fielding coach upon their return from England. As a result, the Andhra Cricket Association, which had appointed Sridhar as their head coach for the coming domestic season, have made alternate arrangements for their team's support staff. A formal call will be made during the working committee meeting, which will also discuss Shastri's report.

The three of them were praised by Shastri after India ended their tour of England with a 3-1 series win in the ODIs. "All three of them have done an excellent job in the short period they have been given," Shastri had told ESPNcricinfo.

This could mean that Trevor Penney and Joe Dawes, who were given a break as fielding and bowling coach respectively, might no longer stay part of the coaching staff. Their contracts, though, run until the end of the world cup and a decision to terminate them or use them in other roles would also be taken at the meeting. One of the options being considered is to use Dawes and Penney as coaches at the National Cricket Academy at Bangalore.

The BCCI top brass are keen to retain Shastri as team director for the world cup, however Shastri himself is undecided over whether he wants to enjoy the tournament from the dressing room or commentator's box.

Read More..

Bravo fined for verbally offending Bangladesh batsmen

Darren Bravo, the West Indies batsman, has been found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for verbally offending the opposition batsmen during the fourth and final day's play in the second Test against Bangladesh in St Lucia.

Bravo was found to have breached Article 2.1.8 of the code, which relates to "…Where the facts of the alleged incident are not adequately or clearly covered by any of the above offences, conduct that either : (a) is contrary to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into disrepute."

An ICC release stated that Bravo had been warned on several occasions not to approach and verbally offend the opposition batsmen and repeatedly failed to heed the umpires' instructions.

Bravo disputed the offence and a formal hearing was then conducted by match referee Roshan Mahanama, with the charge having initially been brought by on-field umpires Steve Davis, Richard Illingworth, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth umpire Peter Nero. Mahanama found Bravo guilty and issued a fine of 30% of his match fee.

"The umpires felt that the player's behaviour brought the game into disrepute and he was reminded of his responsibilities to extend respect at all times to both his opponent and to match officials," Mahanama said.

Read More..

Gale charged with racist abuse after 'Kolpak' outburst

Yorkshire's captain Andrew Gale has become the first county cricketer to be accused of a racism offence after he was charged on Wednesday by the ECB for a confrontation with Ashwell Prince in the Roses match which included a rejoinder to return to his own country, followed by a disparaging use of the term "Kolpak".

ESPNcricinfo revealed that the Kolpak term was part of the issue under investigation by the ECB hours after Gale was barred from collecting the Championship trophy on Yorkshire's behalf following their clinching of the title with victory against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Now the Daily Telegraph has confirmed that the ECB intends to press ahead with the charge in defiance of Yorkshire's fury that their captain's reputation has been tainted.

The ECB's charge will be that Gale used abusive language with racist connotations when the case the governing body laid itself is heard by its own disciplinary committee.

Yorkshire are assembling a legal team to contest the charge, which has left relationships between the county and the ECB - historically, often shaky - at their lowest levels for years and soured celebrations of their first Championship title for 13 years

The hearing could take place next week with Gale anticipating a Level 3 charge.

Gale's outburst came against Prince, Lancashire's South African batsman, who qualifies to play domestic cricket by virtue of the Kolpak rule, on the third evening of the Roses match on September 3.

Gale had become increasingly incensed at OId Trafford by Prince's sledging and timewasting as Yorkshire pushed for victory. As tempers flared, Prince told Gale to get back to his fielding position, Gale's rejoinder to Prince was that he should get back to his own country and included a reference to Prince's Kolpak status. There was a dose of bad language on both sides.

The umpires brought a Level 2 charge and Gale was suspended for two matches but the ECB was not satisfied that the affair had been sternly enough dealt with.

Prince's immediate on-field gesticulations indicated that he viewed the outburst as having racist overtones, and as a Cape Coloured South African immersed in South Africa's apartheid history, his response was perhaps not altogether surprising.

Yorkshire will contend that there is no country, nor racial origin for Kolpaks - it is simply a descriptive term for those from many countries who are playing in county cricket because of reciprocal EU trade agreements.

The ECB itself has lobbied hard against Kolpak registrations, with some success, and some senior officials have not always referred to their presence in county cricket in a decorous manner. They, though, are not on trial.

The ECB, led by the chairman Giles Clarke, is adamant that its task is to uphold behavioural standards in the game and no right-thinking person would question that removing the scourge of racism from cricket is a noble aim. Whether Gale's outburst can be fairly regarded in that vein, and whether this is an appropriate occasion on which to make a stand on such a sensitive and important issue, will now be fought out by the lawyers.

Read More..

Libby emulates Taylor with debut ton

Nottinghamshire 310 for 3 (Libby 108, Taylor 101*, Hales 57) trail Sussex 391 by 81 runs
Scorecard

Centuries from Jake Libby and James Taylor helped Nottinghamshire close on 310 for 3 on the second day of their Championship match against Sussex at Trent Bridge. On his county debut Libby scored 108 from 262 balls, hitting 16 fours and sharing in a stand of 181 in 48 overs with Taylor, who ended the day on 101 not out.

Earlier, Sussex had come within nine runs of maximum batting points before being bowled out for 391. Resuming on 358 for 9, Ashar Zaidi had frustrated Nottinghamshire's bowlers during the first half hour of the day as he and Lewis Hatchett added a further 33 runs to the score. Zaidi was put down in the slips by Samit Patel, denying Luke Fletcher what would have been his 200th first-class wicket but then perished in the next over to Harry Gurney.

In reply, Libby opened the innings with Alex Hales and the two right-handers were both reprieved by Ed Joyce: Hales put down from the bowling of Chris Jordan and Libby, on 25, dropped off Steve Magoffin.

From then on chances were few and far between as Hales passed 1000 first class runs for the season, although 78 of them had come during his one-match loan to Worcestershire earlier in the campaign. Hales advanced to 57 but was then beaten by a Magoffin delivery that nipped back and clipped his off stump. Michael Lumb followed swiftly, edging behind without scoring.

Libby advanced to his 50 from 119 balls, with eight fours and showed great temperament throughout. Alert enough to punish a tiring attack, he played his shots all around the wicket and had the ideal partner in Taylor, who could appreciate what was at stake for the youngster.

Libby's hundred came just before the second new ball was due, running Chris Nash to the third man boundary to become only the 11th Nottinghamshire player to score a ton on his debut - and the first since Taylor, who was quick to congratulate his batting partner. A couple of overs later Libby was gone for 108, departing to a standing ovation after being bowled by Hatchett.

Taylor had enough time left in the day to reach his first Championship century of the season, his own hundred coming from 146 balls with 12 fours.

Libby was proud of his century and pleased he could share the occasion with his family. "The whole day has been crazy, it's just been surreal," he said. "I was very nervous in the nineties and obviously to get it away past point for the hundred was a great moment. Both parents were in the crowd and it's obviously a great moment for them. I'm just chuffed with how it has gone."

Sussex opener Nash is hoping his side can get some more wickets on Wednesday. He said: "I always enjoy coming here but it's been a very tough day. You really have to work hard for your wickets out there - it's a very good pitch to bat on."

Read More..

Match swings after Roy resistance

Surrey 181 and 279 (Roy 81, Footitt 3-62, Wainwright 3-62) lead Derbyshire 210 (Madsen 63, Meaker 4-39, Linley 4-79) by 250 runs
Scorecard

Jason Roy hit an aggressive 81 from 86 balls to lead a dramatic Surrey counterattack on the second day of their Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at The Oval.

Roy's thrilling strokeplay either side of tea transformed a contest which seemed to be Derbyshire's for the taking when they had reduced Surrey to 114 for 5 in their second innings after earlier reaching 210 themselves for a 29-run first innings lead. But with Arun Harinath supporting him solidly with 42, in a sixth wicket stand worth 122, Roy quickly took control on a pitch on which 25 wickets had tumbled in a day and a half.

Surrey, bowled out for 279 just before stumps, have set Derbyshire 251 for victory on day three - and that is by no means a straightforward task. Beautiful late summer sunshine, however, seemed to draw some of the sting from a well-grassed surface and Roy swept to a 61-ball fifty to become the sixth Division Two batsman to pass 1000 Championship runs for the season.

When Harinath fell, edging behind off left-arm spinner David Wainwright, it was a 10th catch in the match for 18-year-old debutant Harvey Hosein, equalling a Derbyshire wicketkeeping record held jointly by Bob Taylor, who performed the feat in 1963, and Harry Elliott, in 1935. Hosein then claimed that Derbyshire record all to himself by snapping up Gareth Batty's edge off Mark Footitt.

Harinath's dismissal, in the 65th over, was followed five balls later by that of Roy, who marked the recall of Footitt by pulling the fast bowler's third delivery back straight to Alex Hughes at deep square-leg.

Earlier, Roy had taken 10 runs from the last over before tea, bowled by Footitt, and after the interval two fours in succession through the covers off Hughes signalled his intention to press the accelerator. Ben Cotton's fast-medium and Wes Durston's offspin then felt the full force of Roy's swashbuckling strokeplay and Derbyshire's batsmen will have to play well to reach their win target on a pitch that still has something in it for seamers and spinners alike.

Derbyshire's first innings, which resumed on 164 for 5 in reply to Surrey's initial 181, lasted only another 80 minutes as Wayne Madsen, ninth out for 63, saw his lower order crumble against pace trio Jade Dernbach, Stuart Meaker and Tim Linley.

Hosein, driving with no foot movement, edged behind off Dernbach for four to the fourth ball of the day and Wayne White was bowled by Linley for 6. Wainwright nicked Dernbach to first slip on 1 and after Madsen had reached 1000 first-class runs for the season, he edged Meaker to keeper Gary Wilson. Cotton, after a few lusty blows, was held by Steven Davies at third slip to give Meaker figures of 4 for 39.

By lunch Surrey had lost both Rory Burns,caught at third slip driving loosely and Vikram Solanki, edging behind, to Cotton and - after the interval - Davies, Zafar Ansari and Wilson all got in without being able to go on. Davies, on 22, was bowled by medium-pacer Hughes and Ansari's dogged two-hour 35 ended when Hosein accepted another edge. When Wilson chopped on against Wainwright, for 16, Surrey were at a low ebb, but Roy and Harinath came to the rescue.

Read More..