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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Bracewell, Gillespie in New Zealand's A team for subcontinent

Test cricketers Doug Bracewell, Mark Gillespie and Neil Broom are among 18 players in New Zealand's A team tour to India and Sri Lanka starting late August. The team is scheduled to play one three-day match, one four-day match and three one-dayers against India A before travelling to Sri Lanka for two four-day matches and three one-dayers.

"It's a very strong New Zealand A squad with a lot of experience on the international scene," Kim Littlejohn, the general manager of national selection, said. "The likes of Doug Bracewell, Neil Broom and Mark Gillespie have all played at Test level and will benefit from further time facing international teams."

However, three players - Broom, Derek de Boorder and James Neesham - will only be available for the two longer-form matches against India A, before being released for the Champions League. They will be replaced by Anton Devcich, Andrew Ellis and Scott Kuggeleijn.

"Players like Daryl Mitchell, Ish Sodhi and Matthew Henry are all exciting prospects for the future, and this offers them an opportunity to continue their development and understand the demands of cricket at a higher level," Littlejohn said.


"The experience of playing in subcontinent conditions will be of immense value for all these players and we're confident they'll grasp this opportunity with both hands."

New Zealand A squad: Corey Anderson (Northern Knights), Todd Astle (Canterbury Wizards), Derek de Boorder (Otago Volts), Doug Bracewell (Central Districts), Neil Broom (Otago Volts), Carl Cachopa (Central Districts), Mark Gillespie (Wellington Firebirds), Matthew Henry (Canterbury Wizards), Tom Latham (Canterbury Wizards), James Neesham (Otago Volts), Adam Milne (Central Districts), Daryl Mitchell (Northern Knights), Colin Munro (Auckland Aces), Luke Ronchi (Wellington Firebirds), Ish Sodhi (Northern Knights)

Players out after first two matches in India: Neil Broom, Derek de Boorder and James Neesham

Players in after first two matches in India: Anton Devcich (Northern Knights), Andrew Ellis (Canterbury Wizards), Scott Kuggeleijn (Northern Knights)

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Chris Martin retires from all forms

Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket at the age of 38. Martin will leave the game with 233 Test wickets at 33.81, making him New Zealand's third-highest Test wicket taker, behind only Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori.

Martin played 71 Tests, 20 ODIs and six Twenty20s for his country in an international career that began in November 2000 when he made his Test debut against South Africa in Bloemfontein. It was also in South Africa that Martin played his final Test, at Newlands in January this year, when he finished with 3 for 63, the best figures from the New Zealand attack in an innings defeat.

Although Martin has had ups and downs over the course of his career and has been in and out of the side - he has missed 32 of the Tests New Zealand have played since his debut - he had picked up 23 wickets at 27.86 over the past 18 months. However, he leaves at a time when New Zealand have found some talented young fast bowlers, with Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell all having made their mark over the past couple of years.

"It feels like the right time to step down," Martin said. "I have loved every second and given it everything when playing for the Black Caps, but after 15 years of professional cricket, it's time to pursue a new challenge. Representing the Black Caps has been a massive privilege, and playing with a group of guys who're so passionate about doing well for their country has been very special. I wish [captain] Brendon [McCullum] and the team all the best for the future."

Although Martin was rarely the centre of attention in the New Zealand side, he was a reliable performer who in swinging conditions could become a major threat. When Martin passed 200 Test wickets in late 2011, he was described by Vettori as "an under-rated bowler" who "deserves to be regarded as one of New Zealand's best-ever Test bowlers".

Twice he was Man of the Match in Tests, first with a tally of 11 for 180 in New Zealand's nine-wicket win over South Africa in Auckland in 2003-04, and then eight years later in Napier, where he collected match figures of 8 for 31 in a crushing innings victory over Zimbabwe. Martin picked up five-wicket hauls on ten occasions in Tests and he saved his best work for South Africa, against whom he claimed 55 wickets at 26.72.

The batsmen he dismissed most often in Test cricket tell of his talent: he removed Graeme Smith eight times and Jacques Kallis on six occasions. No bowler from any country has dismissed Smith as often in Tests as Martin. New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said that Martin was one of the most respected players in the New Zealand dressing room and his experience would be missed.

"The way Chris goes about his business both on and off the field has made him one of the most respected players in the changing room," Hesson said. "He's been a great role model for younger team mates and will be sorely missed. We wish him all the best for the future."

David White, the New Zealand Cricket chief executive, also paid tribute to Martin, saying his work ethic helped him become one of New Zealand's most successful bowlers in Tests.

"During his career Chris has formed a reputation as one of the most consistent performers in world cricket, something which can be put down to his relentless work ethic," White said. "He's shown all the qualities required to perform on the international scene - fight, determination and a huge passion for the game. It's his attitude which has led Chris to becoming one of New Zealand's most successful Test bowlers."

However, as impressive as his bowling was over 13 years in international cricket, Martin became as well known for his comical batting exploits at No.11, which endeared him to cricket fans the world over. In 104 Test innings, Martin managed only 123 runs at an average of 2.36, and the only time he reached double-figures was with 12 not out against Bangladesh in Dunedin in 2007-08.

Only Courtney Walsh (43) made more ducks in Test cricket than Martin's 36, although he can comfortably claim the record for the most Test pairs. On seven occasions, Martin was dismissed for 0 in both innings of a Test - Walsh, Mervyn Dillon, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Muttiah Muralitharan and Marvan Atapattu are all equal second with four pairs each.

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Ireland fold for 332 after Anderson ton

Ireland 332 (Anderson 127, Mooney 63, Doram 5-82) v Netherlands
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Opening batsman John Anderson's maiden first-class century gave Ireland an ideal opening on the first day of their ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Netherlands in Deventer, but a five-wicket haul on debut by 15-year-old spinner Daniel Doram helped the home team wrap up Ireland's innings on 332.

Ireland, after electing to bat, made slow progress in the first session in which 40 overs were bowled, going past 100 for the loss of two wickets. They lost their third wicket, Andrew White, at the start of the second session, but Anderson and Kevin O'Brien scored 89 runs for the fourth wicket to take Ireland into a position of strength. O'Brien, however, missed out on his half-century, after he was caught Peter Borren off Doram.

Although Ireland lost Stuart Poynter soon after, Anderson found an able ally in John Mooney, and the two added 67 runs for the sixth wicket. Anderson got past the three-figure mark during the course of the partnership, his 100 coming off 246 deliveries. But Anderson's dismissal in the 100th over of the day exposed the tail and Doram dismissed three of the remaining four batsmen to pick up his first five-wicket haul. Mooney was the last batsman to be dismissed after he scored a valuable 63

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Edwards, Gunn secure big win

England 227 for 7 (Edwards 83, Brindle 55) beat Pakistan 116 (Gunn 5-22) by 111 runs
Scorecard

England overwhelmed Pakistan in the first of two ODIs, with Jenny Gunn's career-best 5 for 22 backing up half-centuries from Charlotte Edwards and Arran Brindle in a 111-run win. Edwards and Brindle put on a century opening stand and although England's total wasn't intimidating, Pakistan slid from a promising 101 for 2 to 116 all out in ten painful overs.

The key wicket was that of Javeria Khan, whose composed 39 had anchored Pakistan's chase. Javeria and Nahida Khan opened with a 58-run partnership and she added another 37 for the third wicket with Bismah Maroof before becoming the first of Gunn's victims. Wicketless in her opening spell, Gunn returned to take 5 for 4 in 21 balls and torpedo Pakistan's chances.

"I was really pleased today, I think we set the tone and personally it felt good to bowl," Gunn said. "We were confident of defending our total but knew we had to bowl to our plans and we broke through at the right time to slow them down."

There were wickets for four other bowlers, including the debutante Natalie Sciver, as eight of Pakistan's batsmen failed to get into double figures.

England's innings also tailed away slightly, after Edwards' departure with the score on 140 for 1. Lydia Greenway hustled an unbeaten 38 from 29 balls to lift England to a solid 227 for 7, while Sadia Yousef was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers, picking up 3 for 33.

England take a 1-0 lead, with the second match to be played on Wednesday. They will be without Georgia Elwiss, who will also miss the two T20s scheduled for this week. Elwiss has sustained a back injury and was replaced in the squad on Monday morning by the uncapped Essex seam bowler Beth Langston.

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BCB elections date likely in a month - Hassan

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan is confident of declaring a date for the board elections within a month after the ICC confirms they have assessed the BCB constitution amendment. Hassan has been occupied with concerns over the World Twenty20 venues and the impending ACSU report on corruption in the BPL of late, but his inability to hold elections within 90 days of taking office, as the ad-hoc committee had promised, has also been a long-running issue.

BCB's amended constitution has been held up after the High Court in Bangladesh deemed the process of amending the draft as "illegal". Hassan had warned last month that the ICC would cancel Bangladesh's membership if they did not hold elections soon, but the meeting with the ICC has given him hope.

"The ICC hasn't given any timeframe for the elections, but I feel that we will declare the elections in one month's time," Hassan said. "We have discussed the two constitutions with the ICC. The one on which the 2008 elections were held, is no longer approved by the ICC. They don't have a problem with the 2012 NSC-approved constitution. We will get an official letter from the ICC with their comments very soon."

Hassan also refuted claims made by former president Saber Hossain Chowdhury that the BCB is dawdling on the elections. Chowdhury had said in a TV interview recently that the delay in the Premier Division Cricket League was linked to the elections because each of the Super League teams (those who make it to the second phase of the competition) from the previous season's league had demanded two councillorship positions (effectively voters) per club. This was approved by the National Sports Council, the regulatory body of sports in Bangladesh. Another former BCB director, Mobasher Hossain, has sent an e-mail to ICC CEO Dave Richardson complaining of the delay.

"I haven't heard what he said. If he has said this, it is completely a bogus claim," Hassan said. "There is a specific reason to delay the elections, and I have said it publicly. There is no room for such comments. I am not concerned about who becomes president, it is unimportant to me, but I want to fix cricket in the country."

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Hussey trumps McClenaghan five

Nottinghamshire 159 for 6 (Hussey 52, McClenaghan 5-29) beat Lancashire 155 for 6 (Croft 52) by four wickets
Scorecard

A blistering 52 off 28 balls from captain David Hussey helped Nottinghamshire end their Friends Life t20 hoodoo against Lancashire at Old Trafford. The Outlaws had lost the six previous meetings between the two sides at this venue but they chased down 156 with 14 balls to spare to win by four wickets thanks in the main to their Australian captain.

The 35-year-old is only one of three men to have scored over 5000 Twenty20 runs and he shared a crucial fourth-wicket stand of 78 in just 7.3 overs with opener Alex Hales, who made 49 off 37, to take the visitors within sight of victory.

Nottinghamshire even survived an historic performance from New Zealand fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan, who claimed Lancashire's first ever five-wicket haul in this format. McClenaghan struck with his first ball on his home debut and later had Hussey and Hales caught with successive legitimate deliveries at the start of the 15th over to give them a glimmer of hope.

But it was too little too late as Nottinghamshire made it two from two in the early stages of their North Division campaign.

Lancashire recovered from the early losses of Stephen Moore and Ashwell Prince as they slipped to 22 for 2 in the fourth over after losing the toss. Moore was run out following a mix-up after just six balls and Prince caught in the deep off Ajmal Shahzad in the fourth over.

Steven Croft and Simon Katich, who added 52 and 48 respectively, then shared 93 in 11.2 overs for the third wicket to get their side back on track and up to 115 for two after 15 overs. But they lost four wickets in the last five overs to halt any momentum gained.

Nottinghamshire fielded superbly with five catches in the deep, the best of which came from diving New Zealander Ian Butler at long-off to get rid of Tom Smith at the end of the 18th over off the excellent Harry Gurney, who finished with 1 for 18.

Lancashire had their noses in front with the visitors at 50 for 3 in the seventh over of their chase but Hussey, in particular, and Hales took the game away from them. Having got Michael Lumb and Riki Wessels early, McClenaghan snared Hussey, Hales and Chris Read. The visitors weathered the storm, though.

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Wright blitz leaves Middx behind

Sussex 202 for 3 (Wright 81, Hamilton-Brown 47, Nash 45) beat Middlesex 178 for 8 (Malan 61, Yardy 3-30) by 31 runs
Scorecard

Luke Wright smashed 81 off 49 balls as Sussex posted an impressive 202 for 3 on their way to a 24-run victory over Middlesex in the Friends Life t20 South Group clash at Lord's.

Dawid Malan hit back with 61 in 43 deliveries but even before he fell, heaving across the line in the 14th over, Middlesex had begun to lose their way. Neil Dexter blasted 27 off just 10 balls but it was too little too late for the hosts who finished on 178 for 8 - which included six penalty runs for Sussex's slow over rate - with Michael Yardy taking 3 for 30.

After winning the toss, Chris Nash got the visitors up and running with a swept six off Tim Murtagh in the third over. Murtagh suffered further punishment a couple of overs later when Wright hit four successive boundaries including a straight six.

Sussex were pegged back briefly when Nash, who made 45 off 30 balls, dragged an attempted drive off Adam Voges on to his stumps to make it 84 for 1 in the 10th. But two overs later Rory Hamilton-Brown brought the hundred up for the Sharks with a sweetly timed four through extra cover off Voges.

Wright then posted a 37-ball half-century in almost identical manner, off the bowling of Dexter, before flat-batting Josh Davey back over his head for six. Wright, whose impressive month had already brought him a first-class best 187 against the same opposition here at Lord's, a YB40 century against Kent and a half-century in a Twenty20 international, was eventually caught at long-on off Murtagh for 81 but Hamilton-Brown, supported by Dwayne Smith, ensured there was no let-up.

Hamilton-Brown scored 47 in 29 deliveries, including a straight six off Gareth Berg, before giving a steepling return catch to Kyle Mills in the final over. Smith, who had swatted the 34-year-old New Zealander over square leg for a maximum, finished with an unbeaten 21 off 12 balls to leave Middlesex needing to better the second-highest total at Lord's in domestic Twenty20 cricket.

Paul Stirling got the hosts off to a decent start by cover driving Chris Liddle for six in the third over of the Panthers' reply and the Irishman was given a life on 28, when he was dropped at extra cover off the bowling of Yardy. Yardy had his revenge when Stirling (33) was caught a wide long-on and Joe Gatting then pulled off a superb one-handed catch, low to his right, off Will Beer to account for Joe Denly.

Malan celebrated a 37-ball fifty by lifting Beer over long-on for a maximum but the pressure of needing to score at 10 an over eventually told and he was bowled by Nash for 61 before Voges reverse-swept Yardy to short third man. Adam Rossington fell to another good catch, this time by Chris Jordan running in from the midwicket boundary, though not before Dexter had lifted Yardy for a maximum.

The Middlesex captain followed it up with two successive sixes off Liddle in the 17th over to leave his side needing an improbable 56 off 18 deliveries. The departure of Dexter, caught in the deep off Jordan, ended the Panthers' hopes.

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Gooch refuses to excuse poor batting

Graham Gooch, the England batting coach, made no excuses for an underwhelming performance by England's top-order in the Ashes warm-up match against Essex at Chelmsford.

None of the England top seven were able to register a half-century as three Essex bowlers with only eight wickets between them this season reduced England to 212 for 7. An eighth-wicket stand of 116 between Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann rescued them but Gooch bluntly asserted that England "had to do better" if they were to win the Ashes.

However, he refuted any suggestion that England might be struggling to adapt to long-form, red-ball cricket after several weeks of limited-overs games or that the low-key nature of this match - albeit played in front of a full-house crowd of 6,500 at Chelmsford - might have contributed to any lack of intensity in the performance.

"Modern-day players have to switch between three formats now," Gooch said. "I wouldn't make excuses for that: it is something you have to handle. Players have to make the adjustments. I don't make any excuses for them and I don't think any of our players would want to use that as an excuse. Our guys got in and they got out. They won't be happy with that and next time they get a chance they have got to do a better job.

"It is an important game. The pre-Test games in Australia last time round served us well. They got us into the right frame of mind and the right attitude to win the Ashes. It's not just another game; it's not just a warm-up game: it's the only game that matters. And tomorrow morning, it will be the only game that matters, too.

"We would have liked the top-order to spend more time at the crease and to capitalise on their starts. You want your main batsmen to get into a bit of rhythm and to get their games in order. We're building to peak next week and we would have liked a bit more from some of those guys.

"You have to bat long. There's no secret to it. Once you get in you have to capitalise on that and, come the Test series, we have to put big totals on the board if we get starts. The job of the batters is to build a platform and create an opportunity for the bowlers to win the match. That's their job and they know that it is their job.

"Today wasn't a disaster, but some of the guys would have wanted to spend more time out there."

Gooch did reserve warm praise for Joe Root, however. Root looks set to open in the first Investec Test of the Ashes series after England omitted Nick Compton and, in the eyes of Gooch, there is no reason why Root should not prove a success.

"Joe is a natural opener," Gooch said. "The selectors want to look at Joe and give themselves an option. Personally I don't see any reason why Joe won't make a success if he bats at the top of the order or in the middle-order. He is a consummate player as a young man already. He has things to work on and he has to improve - like every player - but he started out his career opening the batting and he has had a lot of success there this season with Yorkshire.

"I can't see any reason he won't make a success if he is given the opportunity of opening in the first Test at Trent Bridge. It's not a case of making an adjustment; he's an opener anyway."

If few of the England players will look back at the day with fond memories, it was a much better day for Tom Craddock. The 23-year-old legspinner went into the game without a first-class wicket this season and, in his first spell was confronted by Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen on a surface his captain, Ravi Bopara, described as "the best for a few years" at Chelmsford.

But Craddock, who broke into first-class cricket through the MCCU scheme and the Unicorns programme, responded by dismissing both of them and then adding the wicket of Matt Prior.

"When Ravi threw me the ball, Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell were standing there," he said. "I just wanted to land a few and maybe join a few dots together, but taking three is surreal.

"I've watched Kevin for a long time and I know full well he will happily take down spinners. I thought I'd bowl my areas and, if he took me down a couple of times, I'd put the men back accordingly, but happily enough he gave me a caught-and-bowled chance. It's the best day of my career; no doubts."

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