Kushal Perera slams triple for Colts

Kushal Janith Perera's brutal 336 from 275 deliveries for Colts Cricket Club was the highlight of round seven in the Premier League tournament, after which Panadura Cricket Club and Tamil Union remained atop the group tables. The round produced one draw and five innings victories, and the leading clubs have now pulled firmly away from those that will fight to remain in the league in the two remaining rounds. Each group presently has ten teams in it, and the bottom three teams in each group will be relegated to an emerging tournament next year, which will not have first-class status.

Perera's blitz came against Saracens Sports Club at the Colts' home ground. Coming in at 46 for 2 after the Colts had been asked to bat, Perera put on a 224-run partnership with Nisal Randika, who made 93, before combining with Thisara Perera for the sixth wicket for 137 from 110 balls. Perera's 336 featured 29 fours and 14 sixes, and Colts' innings was eventually declared when he was out on the second morning with the total at 611 for 8. Colts' bowlers then ripped through Saracens twice, dismissing them for 184 and 140. Ishan Jayaratne took five wickets in the second innings, while Akila Dananjaya and Sajeewa Weerakoon grabbed useful hauls. Only Rajkumar Rathika was able to cross fifty for Saracens, who are bottom of Group A after the innings and 287-run loss.

Tamil Union remained the only unbeaten team in the competition, despite its four best bowlers being away on Test duty, as they defeated Chilaw Marians by four wickets in a low-scorer at the P Sara Stadium. Marians batted first and made 209, thanks to an aggressive fifty from Sachith Pathirana who earned a call-up to the ODI side after his 75 runs and 7 for 124 in this match. His five-wicket haul in the first innings helped secure a 53-run lead over the Marians, but totaling just 155 in the second innings, as TN Sampath took five wickets for Tamil Union, allowed the opposition back into the match. In the end 58 from Sachith Pathirana in the final innings, as well as contributions from Pulina Tharanga and Denuwan Rajakaruna, helped Tami Union score the 209 runs required for victory.

Panadura Sports Club defeated Air Force Sports Club by 254 runs at Riffle Green, thanks largely to a ten-wicket haul to left-arm spinner Gayan Sirisoma and a strong first-innings total, built largely by the lower-middle order. Chamara Silva and Chandana Aravinda hit fifties for Panadura in the first innings, with Chathura Peiris, Dilruwan Perera and Sudesh Umangaya also helping propel their side to 309. Sirisoma then helped his side secure a big lead with 5 for 72, as Air Force slumped to 173. Dilruwan Perera then made from 60 balls in the second innings, after Chamara Silva had notched up another fifty, and Dilruwan Perera returned with the ball, to remove four batsmen for 60 runs as Air Force chased an unlikely 440.

Sohan Boralessa's seven-wicket haul and Farveez Maharoof's 116 highlighted Nondescript Cricket Club's five-wicket win over Navy Sports Club. Navy were dismissed for 180 in the first innings, before NCC hit 354, with Maharoof top-scoring. Boralessa then reaped 7 for 96, as Navy put up better resistance, with Duleeka Thissakuttige's unbeaten 100 from No. 3 being the backbone for the team's 278. NCC lost five wickets in their fourth innings, but chased 105 comfortably. Angelo Perera and Niroshan Dickwella also hit half-centuries in the match.

Sinhalese Sports Club, who remained ahead of NCC at second on the Group B table, scored an innings and 70-run victory over Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club. Sachithra Senanayake took nine wickets in the match in the same week he earned an ODI recall, and he is now second on the league's wicket-takers list, with 49. Kaushal Silva provided the anchor for SSC's 448, with 148, with support from Kaushal Lokuarachhi, who made 85 and then took four wickets in the second innings.

A 153 from 181 from Shehan Jayasuriya and a five-wicket haul for Malindu Pushpakumara could not prevent Moors Sports Club from succumbing to Army Sports Club, after Army made 365 in the first innings, with Manjula de Zoysa hitting 142. Army's offspinner Roshan Jayatissa took six wickets in the final innings to help dismiss Moors 265 runs short of an unlikely target.

Elsewhere, Bloomfield Cricket Club's left-arm slow bowler Upul Indrasiri took ten wickets in their innings victory over Ragama Cricket, while another left-arm spinner, Colombo Cricket Club's Dinuka Hettiarachchi became the league's top wicket-taker, when he took 11 Galle Cricket Club scalps, in his side's innings win.

In Badureliya Sports Club's match against Ports Authority cricket club, a 165-run second-innings partnership between Badureliya's No. 7 Malinga Bandara and No. 9 Saliya Saman, rescued the side from defeat, and set Ports Authority a target of 91, which they could not achieve in the nine overs remaining to them in the match.

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Lahore Lions hold off Sialkot to reach final

Lahore Lions 232 all out (Siddiq 59, Nasim 55*, Bhatti 3-40, Abbas 3-38) beat Sialkot Stallions 192 all out (Yousaf 40, Ashraf 4-33) by 46 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Lahore Lions beat Sialkot Stallions by 46 runs in a rain-affected match to secure a spot in the Faysal Bank One-Day Cup final, which will be at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on March 23. Saad Nasim's late unbeaten half-century proved the difference as Lahore Lions posted a fighting total.

An overcast day led Sialkot to opt to field first. Lahore Lions were reduced to 31 for 2, losing their captain, Azhar Ali, and Raza Ali Dar, for ducks. Umar Saddiq (59) and Usman Salahuddin (44) held their nerve though, stringing together a 62-run partnership for the third wicket. However, rain intervened during the innings to reduce the overs to 44 a side.

Salahuddin anchored another 60-run stand, for the fourth wicket, with Fahad-ul-Haq (32) to keep things on track before Lahore Lions' middle order slumped, losing five wickets for 30 runs.

Nasim fought hard as he waged a lone battle to keep Lahore Lions in the game. He smacked eight boundaries including four sixes in his unbeaten 55 off 44 balls, muscling his side to a respectable 232. Bilawal Bhatti and Nayyer Abbas took three wickets each.

Requiring 5.2 runs per over, Sialkot replied confidently, with Mukhtar Ahmed clubbing two back-to-back boundaries in the very first over. But Sialkot began to stall as they were reduced to 117 for 6 inside of 29 overs. Shahid Yousuf (40) along with Ali Khan (36) resisted for a while, but the required rate was getting out of hand.

Abbas (20) and Ali battled for a 42-run cameo stand for the seventh wicket, but were pinned down by Lahore Lions' disciplined bowling. They eventually were dismissed for 192, with Ashraf being the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 33.

Karachi Zebras and Karachi Dolphins will go head to head tomorrow at the same venue to decide who Lahore Lions will face on Saturday.

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My honesty helped earn Tendulkar's captaincy recommendation - Dhoni

MS Dhoni believes his forthrightness helped him earn a captaincy recommendation from Sachin Tendulkar. He said he received Tendulkar's backing in the matter, which was a "huge thing".

"On the field, I always give my honest inputs about team strategy," Dhoni said at the launch of Sachin - The Cricketer of the Century, a book that celebrates his stellar innings. "Tendulkar and I used to discuss team strategy on the field. If I was convinced [about something], I would even disagree with him and it happened quite often.

"I think my honesty has paid dividends when he recommended me for captaincy. He might [have been] thinking that I had learnt in quick time [about] different aspects of the game and team strategy. Even if I was not made the captain, it was a huge thing that Tendulkar had recommended my name for captaincy."

Dhoni, who debuted for India in 2004, took over the limited-overs captaincy from Rahul Dravid after India's tour of England in 2007. He had a smashing start to his captaincy, leading India to victory in the World Twenty20 2007 in his first series in charge. Soon after, he lost his maiden ODI series as captain, at home to Australia, but followed up with victory in the tri-series in Australia that also included Sri Lanka. He took over the Test captaincy full-time from Anil Kumble in November 2008 in the Nagpur Test against Australia, and has now become India's most successful Test captain with 23 wins from 46 Tests.

Dhoni, who labelled Tendulkar his "sporting hero", also spoke about the first time he met him. "I think that was in a Duleep Trophy match in Pune in 2000-01 or 2001-02 season. I was in East Zone squad and was carrying drinks. Tendulkar made 199 in that match and he was batting when I went onto the field to serve drinks to my team-mates in the drinks break.

"Suddenly, he asked me, 'Can I have a drink also?' That was my first meeting with Tendulkar, my idol. I did not speak a word to him and ended up serving a drink to him."

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Deadlocked sides target final flourish

Match facts

Friday, March 22, Eden Park, Auckland
Start time 1030 (2130 GMT previous day)

Big Picture

There is a Test series up for grabs in New Zealand, but England's thoughts are never far away from the important summer that lies in wait. Their hosting of the Champions Trophy offers them a chance to break their duck in a 50-over ICC tournament and then there is the little matter of back-to-back Ashes series. There is no point pretending otherwise - it is on everybody's mind.

Three back-to-back Tests in New Zealand are bound to leave England a little queasy. Every time James Anderson frowned in his run up in the second Test in Wellington, awful visions appeared of him missing an entire summer with an as yet undiagnosed injury. But Anderson came through 37 grueling overs, largely into the wind, with nothing more than a few back and heel niggles and with the help of the rain that washed out the final day confirmed he felt okay again. The slightest concern about his fitness, though, could tempt England to play safe and rest their most prized bowling asset; Graham Onions was one of only three players who had optional nets on Tuesday.

And what of Monty? He was outbowled by Bruce Martin at the Basin Reserve and before this series few people in England had even heard of Bruce Martin. As Graeme Swann's sidekick in India, Panesar shared in one of the finest spin-bowling feats in England's Test history. As a lone spinner in New Zealand, his ability to block up an end allowed England to rotate their fast bowlers (and, no mean feat, probably helped to keep them fit in the process).

Accusations that New Zealand have been intent solely on a nil-all draw are somewhat unfair. If the pitch in Dunedin was a drudge, Wellington provided a decent Test surface. New Zealand have been competitive, not remotely the pushovers that some imagined as they have battled back from the mess of the Ross Taylor ousting; they can take pride in that. Indeed, their professionalism has been so exemplary it invites the New Zealand public to consider whether the replacement of Taylor with Brendon McCullum was actually more logical than it has so far cared to admit. Now there's a debate to pass the time while watching Test cricket in the mind-numbing surroundings of a rugby ground - isn't it about time New Zealand's capital city provided a venue fit for Test cricket?

Form guide

New Zealand DDLLW
England DDDWW

Players to watch ...

Brendon McCullum has led from the front for New Zealand throughout this tour. His counter-attacking half-century in Wellington (are his innings ever anything else?) was his fifth in consecutive innings. However, his form is too good for him not to convert into a hundred. If the surface at Eden Park does have more pace and bounce as suggested McCullum is one of the New Zealand batsmen best equipped to deal with it. Beating England after all that has happened - what an achievement that would be.

Jonny Bairstow has played one first-class innings in seven months and now he is set to be pitched into a deciding Test. No surprise, then, that while most of the squad had a day off on Wednesday he was working in the nets with Graham Gooch. It has been a difficult for months for Bairstow - form and family issues impacted his tours - but this is a chance, albeit an unexpected one, to play a key role for England.

Team news

Kevin Pietersen will not only miss the final Test in Auckland but the whole of the IPL because of a knee injury which has been ruled out of all cricket for up to eight weeks. Instead of the adulation which he laps up on every visit to India, he faces a lengthy rehabilitation with a view to regaining match fitness in time for the Champions Trophy and the Ashes series which follows. Bairstow is expected to deputise although Chris Woakes remains an outside chance. For New Zealand, a third Test in quick succession will tempt them to shuffle their pace attack with the possibility that Doug Bracewell may get an outing instead of Trent Boult.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Peter Fulton, 2 Hamish Rutherford, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross taylor, 5 Dean Brownlie, 6 Brendon McCullum, 7 BJ Watling, 8 Doug Bracewell, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Bruce Martin, 11 Neil Wagner

England (probable): 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Nick Compton, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Joe Root, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Steve Finn, 10 James Anderson, 11 Monty Panesar.

Pitch and conditions

Drop-in Test pitches are regarded with such suspicion - somewhere between an artificial surface and the real thing - that discussing their likely behaviour still seems a little unreal. A couple of days to help the seamers before the pitch flattens out was one analysis. As for the weather, temperatures at the end of the summer have slipped a tad, but a maximum of 23C and a good deal of sunshine is the forecast.

Stats and trivia

• Eden Park has staged 47 matches since 1930 and many suspect this may be its last. Its straight boundaries fall well short of the 70m minimum distance from the centre of the pitch, but ICC regulations allow any ground approved for international cricket before 2007 cricket to be exempt. So that's alright then.
• New Zealand have beaten England only once in 15 attempts at Eden Park (10 have been drawn). Daryl Tuffey was the star of their win in 2002 with nine wickets in the match and his 6 for 54 in the first innings was a Test-best analysis.
• England have won deciders on this tour over both 50 and 20 overs.
• England have never won a 50-over ICC trophy; if they tell you they have not even given the Champions Trophy, to be played in England in June, a second thought, greet it with suspicion.

Quotes

"The confidence within the group is building nicely but there's also a realism that we will have to perform outstandingly well for five days. England stepped up in those previous two deciders and we went missing so this will be a good challenge to see if we've progressed as a team."
Brendon McCullum

"In an ideal world a pitch with more pace and bounce would make for a more exciting wicket. But whichever pitch we get in Auckland we'll try to find the best way to win the game."
Alastair Cook, England's captain, vows to keep going.

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Mishra, Patel build Kenya reply

Kenya 202 for 3 (Patel 59*, Mishra 57*) trail Canada 358 by 156 runs
Scorecard

A century partnership between Tanmay Mishra and Rakep Patel saw Kenya fightback against Canada on the second day in Dubai. At 95 for 3 Kenya were facing a sizable deficit but Mishra and Patel got together to put their side in a strong position.

Both players made half-centuries with Patel's the livelier, coming in just 54 balls with seven fours and a six. Mishra was more sedate and had faced 119 balls by the close for his 57 not out. Together, the pair had got Kenya back into the game.

They had made a poor start in reply to Canada's solid total, losing openers Irfan Karim and Duncan Allan after both had made starts. Captain Collins Obuya also settled with six fours but he fell top-edging Nikhil Dutta's off spin to leave his side struggling.

At that stage Canada were right on top having added 112 to their overnight total with useful contributions from the tail, the pick of which, 32 from No. 11 Henry Osinde, included three fours and two sixes. The tenth wicket added 57 as Canada took control of the game before the response from Mishra and Patel.

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Concerns over SL players' IPL 2013 stint

The participation of Sri Lanka players in the 2013 IPL, which begins on April 3, has been thrown into some doubt following political tensions in India over the treatment of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Players' Association has raised strong concerns about the safety of Sri Lanka cricketers who will play in Chennai, the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, and officials from a couple of franchises admitted that the IPL has "verbally communicated" the same concerns to them.

The political fallout of the issue has led to the DMK, a Tamil Nadu-based party, pulling its ministers out of the federal coalition government in New Delhi and threatening its future. There have been at least two reported attacks on Sri Lankan tourists in Tamil Nadu in the past few days and Sri Lanka's foreign ministry has asked its nationals visiting Tamil Nadu to exercise caution. The fear is that the controversy will snowball and put players at risk.

Twelve Sri Lanka players are contracted to IPL teams in 2013, with fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara and offspinner Akila Dananjaya part of the Chennai Super Kings franchise. Ten matches will be played in Chennai.

In Sri Lanka, the players' association said it was currently consulting with its parent organisation, the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, to determine a course of action that will ensure cricketers' safety. "We have sent a letter to FICA outlining the situation, which they are not aware of at the moment," SLPA general secretary Ken de Alwis said. "They will talk to their security consultants and get back to us about what needs to be in place." Alwis said, however, that the cricketers who are set to play in the tournament have expressed confidence in existing security arrangements. "The players aren't worried at all. In fact, I spoke to a few of them and they said, 'No, security will be tight, and we're not too concerned right now.'" In India, where the issue was given a dramatic twist on Tuesday with the DMK's withdrawal from the government, franchise officials now say the IPL is concerned at events. "They [IPL] have told us that the federal government might impose certain restrictions with regard to Sri Lankan nationals travelling to Chennai. If that happens, [we have been asked to] be prepared to play those games without the Lankan players," a franchise official said on condition of anonymity.

Most of the franchises contacted by ESPNcricinfo said they were not really concerned about the league stage, where they could ask teams not to field their Sri Lankan players for the Chennai matches. The "real concern" for them is the Eliminator, scheduled to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on May 22. "If the situation doesn't improve by then and either or both teams have to do without one or two key players, the match could be seriously affected," another franchise official said.

While for seven teams, it will mean being without the services of one or two players for a game, the biggest impact will be for the Chennai Super Kings, the host team, who might have to do without Kulasekara and Dananjaya for all eight home games.

The first IPL game in Chennai will be between the hosts and Mumbai Indians, for whom Lasith Malinga is a key player, on April 6.

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Dhawan out, Raina in for Delhi Test

Suresh Raina has been called up to the India squad for the fourth Test against Australia as replacement for the injured Shikhar Dhawan, who has been ruled out for six weeks with a fractured left hand. Gautam Gambhir, who had been dropped in favour of Dhawan for the Australia Tests, was also added to the squad initially, before a blood test showed he was down with jaundice, a BCCI release said.

Dhawan had injured his hand while trying to stop a Phillip Hughes square drive during Australia's second innings on the fourth day of the Mohali Test. He did not field for the rest of the day and also did not bat during India's chase after having made 187 in his debut innings. ESPNcricinfo understands the selectors had discussed that the need for naming a replacement for Dhawan would arise only if the team management asked for it.

Dhawan's fracture, Gambhir's illness and Virender Sehwag's axing after the Hyderabad Test leave M Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane as the only openers in the squad. Vijay is the only India opener to have played in all three Tests so far, with hundreds in Hyderabad and Mohali. Rahane is yet to play a Test but looks most likely to partner Vijay in Delhi.

However, with Raina's inclusion as a back-up batsman, it won't be surprising if Cheteshwar Pujara opens, like he did in the second innings in Mohali, and Raina bats in the middle order, leaving no place for Rahane.

The last of Raina's 17 Tests came against New Zealand in Bangalore in September 2012. He wasn't part of the squad for the four Tests against England and the first three Tests against Australia. He had an underwhelming Ranji season, with 304 runs in six games at an average of 33.77, although he did make 134 and 71 in the Irani Cup game against Mumbai last month.

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'Didn't want to break down in front of Yuvraj' - Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has said he was scared of breaking down in front of Yuvraj Singh when he met the latter in London after his treatment in the United States for a rare germ cell cancer. Tendulkar was speaking in Delhi at the release of Yuvraj's book The Test of My Life: From Cricket to Cancer and Back, published by Random House India.

"When I went to meet him in London, I was telling my wife that I don't want to break down when I see him," Tendulkar said. "I met him and gave him a tight hug. We enjoyed a meal and from the way he ate, I was convinced that he was back on track.

"When I saw my wife discussing medical terms with Yuvraj, I realised what he had been going through," Tendulkar said. "He is like my younger brother and I would ask God why it (the illness) had to happen to Yuvraj."

Yuvraj recollected his first meeting with Tendulkar. "My first conversation was when I was looking at him in awe at the dressing room when suddenly he said 'please pass on the biscuits'," Yuvraj said. To this Tendulkar replied, "I have not got those biscuits till now."

Apart from Tendulkar, India captain MS Dhoni also spoke about Yuvraj's fight with cancer. Dhoni said he knew about Yuvraj's situation even before the latter told him about it. "When his test reports came, someone told me he has cancer," Dhoni said. "I just said 'are you sure?' The person repeated that Yuvraj has cancer. I was shocked."

Following his return from the United States after his treatment for mediastinal seminoma, Yuvraj has set up a cancer charity called Youwecan which focuses on spreading cancer awareness, and early detection.

Several players who spoke at the event in a three way conversation along with Yuvraj and Harsha Bhogle said they had seen Yuvraj cough and throw up repeatedly in the 2011 ICC World Cup but assumed they were throat or stomach problems. Yuvraj was named Player of the Tournament for the World Cup and described the moment after Dhoni hit a six to win the final for India. "I was running towards Mahi to hug him and he was running towards the stumps." Later then when he asked Dhoni what he had been doing, Dhoni had said he'd made a run for the stumps because otherwise the rest of the players would make a grab for them.

During his stay in Indianapolis for his cancer treatment, Yuvraj said he had followed the team's matches in Australia and admitted to feeling "sad" at not being involved with the cricket. "I would watch videos of my batting until one day, Anil Kumble came to visit me and shut my laptop. He said I should forget about the cricket and concentrate on my recovery." The only time he found himself "jumping" with excitement and joy during two difficult months of chemotherapy in the United States was on hearing about Virat Kohli's century in Adelaide.

The India team and support staff were called onto stage for photographs but as the players went on, Virender Sehwag stayed seated at his spot. Yuvraj called out to him and said, "Veeru, main bhi team main nahin noon, tum bhi team main nahin ho - chal aa jaa [I'm also not in the (Test) team, you're also not in the team - come on up]." Sehwag did with a smile on his face.

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Sangakkara expects tough finish

Kumar Sangakkara has said Sri Lanka have tough work ahead of them on day four if they are to avoid an embarrassing score line on a Premadasa pitch that is becoming difficult to bat on. Bangladesh finished the third day 52 runs ahead with six wickets in hand, as the surface grew handier for the slow bowlers with each session.

Sri Lanka had two opportunities to have the visitors at least five down at stumps, but shelled two catches late in the day to help keep Bangladesh in the match. Nuwan Kulasekara grassed a chance at mid-on when he parried an aerial stroke from Mominul Haque, before Angelo Mathews dropped a low catch off Mushfiqur Rahim at slip soon after. Both chances came off the bowling of Rangana Herath, who took three of the four wickets in the innings.

"It would have been brilliant to have them five down," Sangakkara said. "We had the opportunities, though a close decision also didn't go our way towards the end. We've got ourselves to blame. One was quite an easy chance, and one not so easy. It's important, because we want to go into a fourth or fifth day in the last innings with as little to chase as possible. Rangana Herath did a great job again, and the fast bowlers held their own - especially with the slightly older ball. I think they bowled quite good, but a lot of work [still needs] to be done, and chances to be held, if we want to really get on top tomorrow.

"The pitch is not too bad for batting at the moment, but there's a bit of inconsistent bounce and the wicket's a bit two-paced, with the outfield quite sluggish. All of that makes run-scoring a bit difficult. Maybe the bowlers will fancy themselves a chance of tying a batsman down, and then building pressure to try and get him out."

Sangakkara said Sri Lanka's spinners would be the key to knocking over the final six wickets cheaply, and singled out Herath as the man most likely to inflict damage. Bangladesh have one more recognised batsman in Nasir Hossain, who is yet to take guard, but Sohag Gazi at no. 8 and Abul Hasan at no. 9 are also capable of playing significant innings.

"If there's more turn tomorrow, I think both Dilshan and Rangana will be important for us," he said. "You saw that even in the first innings when the wicket was supposed to be seaming around, it really wasn't. It was Rangana that got us those five important wickets, so he's always going to be an important bowler."

Sangakkara also gave credit to Sri Lanka's fast bowlers, although they have taken only five wickets in the match among the three of them. On day three, the pace attack was largely disciplined, with only Shaminda Eranga threatening to take a wicket.

"The fast bowlers I thought bowled well in partnerships, and as they keep playing - they're quite an inexperienced attack - they'll get a lot better. It's about bowling in partnerships on this track. It's not a wicket that you can come in and blast the opposition out. You have to bowl tight lines, set tight fields, and stop the batsman scoring."

Sangakkara was dismissed, somewhat controversially, in the morning, having made his third consecutive hundred in the series. The third-umpire referral took almost six minutes, as officials attempted to determine whether Sangakkara had edged a ball from Abul Hasan, before eventually giving him out. Sangakkara was philosophical about his demise, but said he was satisfied with his 139.

"It was a strange five minutes, from the delivery to the referral, to [then] being given out. But that's the way cricket goes. Some go your way, some don't.

"Every hundred I score is equally special. I really don't judge if this was better or that was better. Whatever the situation the team is in, you [have to] go out there to score some runs. That's the way to get the team out of a bad situation. My thinking pattern was just to go out there and bat. It was not a wicket or an outfield when you can go out there and play your strokes. All I thought was that I'm just going to wait and make sure the bowlers get tired, and that I'm still hanging around when they do."

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Notts take pre-season title

Success on pre-season tours has been the precursor to good performances during the season for many counties in previous years, so Nottinghamshire can take heart from winning the Barbados T20 cup.

Six counties took up the opportunity of some warm-weather practise ahead of the new season and Notts thrashed Derbyshire in the final at Kensington Oval to add this trophy to the T20 competition won in Dubai prior to the 2011 season.

They were only chasing 115 after Derbyshire's top order failed with the bat. Early wickets left them 57 for 6 on a pitch that had been used for the Zimbabwe Test match earlier in the week. Tony Palladino and Richard Johnson rescued the innings into double figures.

But it was a paltry target as Michael Lumb and Alex Hales took 54 from the Powerplay - 18 from Mark Footitt's first over. Lumb holed out in the deep for 35 and Hales fell caught at midwicket for 33. James Taylor launched three sixes in his 32 before Steven Mullaney applied the coup de grace, hitting the winning runs into the pavilion.

Notts had overcome Yorkshire in the semi-final while Derbyshire had squeezed past Warwickshire by two runs. Hampshire beat Northamptonshire in the plate final.

But Notts can take most from the tour and Mick Newell, their director of cricket, said they had achieved a lot from the trip. "Sam Wood and Graeme White have had a couple of excellent days, in conditions suited to spin bowling," he told nottsccc.co.uk. "Steven Mullaney's chipped in with the bat but over the course of the two days everybody's contributed.

"We haven't given a lot of runs away in any of the three matches, the wickets have been conducive to spin but we have also batted nicely when up against quicker bowling.

"We have Samit Patel and David Hussey to come into our T20 side as well and we'll need lots of different players over the ten qualifying matches but certainly Sam Wood has shown what he can do here."

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