DRS set to dominate ICC meet

The decision review system (DRS), along with the playing conditions at the 2015 World Cup, is set to dominate the proceedings at the two-day ICC chief executives' committee (CEC) meeting in Dubai on September 16 and 17. Although the ICC has discontinued to publish the agenda and the results of the CEC from this year, it is understood that the meet will see a divided house with England and Australia joining hands to take on the other front led by India with support from the sub-continental neighbours - Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh - especially on the topic of the referral system.

England and Australia both had reasons to feel aggrieved about the DRS during the recently completed Ashes series. Jonathan Trott was given out lbw on review at Trent Bridge despite an apparent edge, while Usman Khawaja's caught behind dismissal in Manchester during the third Test was upheld even though replays showed daylight between bat and ball. Hot Spot's inability to detect fine edges also created confusion, and towards the end of the series, its evidence was routinely ignored by the third umpire. Geoff Allardice, the ICC operations chief, met with the two sides before the fourth match in Durham to address some of their concerns.

It is understood that the pair of David Collier, the ECB chief executive, and his Cricket Australia counterpart James Sutherland is expected to put forward a series of proposals at the CEC to make the DRS more consistent.

According to an official privy to the ECB-CA plan, both members want to continue utilising the DRS in bilateral series despite its shortcomings. During the latest Ashes, one visible hindrance to the DRS was the amount of umpiring errors. To remedy that, both England and Australia want the ICC to enhance the clarity in the communication between the third umpire and the on-field umpires.

"Based on evidence during the Ashes some conversations between the match officials were unintelligible because of language barriers and the ECB and CA want the ICC to create a mechanism where the match officials can communicate between themselves and the broadcaster without creating much confusion," the official said.

Another proposal is to make the role of the television umpire a specialist role. During the Ashes, the ICC had conducted trials allowing the third umpire instant access to TV replays which could help him overrule mistakes committed by the on-field official. During the Old Trafford Test, England umpire Nigel Llong sat in the back of the TV truck, where he received a direct feed of pictures to help him improve the quality of decision making using instant technology.

Dave Richardson, the ICC's chief executive, had said that the exercise would help avoid incidents like the Stuart Broad one during the Trent Bridge Test, when the England allrounder edged Ashton Agar but stood his ground. Aleem Dar, the on-field umpire, failed to detect the edge and Australia, having exhausted their reviews, were left frustrated and annoyed.

The other suggestion England and Australia want to discuss is if the DRS is just there to clear up a howler then a team should not lose a review when it becomes an umpire's call. "Because the margin of error is so minimal between an out and not and an umpire's call," the official said.

However, England and Australia feel not all umpires can adapt quickly to the challenges of being a television umpire. Collier and Sutherland are expected to discuss the issue with Simon Taufel, ICC's umpires training and performance manager.

However constructive their suggestions sound, England and Australia still need India, the staunchest critic of the DRS, on their side. What might make their defence of the DRS weak is the admission of Warren Brennan, the Hot Spot inventor, who stated that tests carried out recently on various modern bats revealed protective coatings across the edges of bats unquestionably diminished the thermal signatures.

Such a reasoning can only enhance India's doubts over the DRS being far from 100% foolproof, a condition they have set in order to accept the referral system. It is understood that N Srinivasan, the BCCI president, had a separate meeting with the representatives of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the sidelines of the Asian Cricket Council held in Chennai on Saturday, to garner support.

The other contentious topic the sub-continental teams have become wary about is the use of two new balls in ODIs. The rule came into force from last October after the ICC Cricket Committee recommended it. However, all four Asian countries believe such a rule has proved to be deterrent to their slow bowlers, who play an integral part in the team structure. Not just India, a team like Sri Lanka is heavily reliant on its slow bowlers and is opposed to the two-ball rule only because the hard ball does not allow the spinner to grip the seam properly.

Bad light is another topic member countries are concerned about and there is supposed to be unilateral appeal to the ICC to change the playing conditions to make use of the floodlights at grounds wherever available.

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Kapp makes Bangladesh crumble under pressure

South Africa 109 for 4 (Du Preez 52, Khatun 2-7) beat Bangladesh 106 for 4 (Rahman 42, Ahmed 40, Kapp 2-20) by 3 runs
Scorecard

Bangladesh women crumbled under pressure with two run-outs and gave two more wickets to Marizanne Kapp in the last three overs to concede the third T20 from a comfortable position as South Africa whitewashed the series 3-0.

Chasing 110, Bangladesh were cruising at 79 for no loss at the end of 14 overs after a solid start, from Rumana Ahmed and Ayasha Rahman, and needed another 31 at less than run-a-ball. But run-outs of Ahmed and No. 3 Lata Mondal triggered a top-order collapse and made them succumb under pressure. They needed 18 from 18 and Kapp conceded only two runs in the 18th over and got Salma Khatun stumped for 1 on the last ball of the over. Shabnim Ismail added to the pressure from the other end by giving four runs, leaving the visitors requiring 12 from the last over.

Kapp came back and was hit for four on the first ball by Fargana Hoque. After a single and a dot ball, she got rid of the other opener, Rahman, for 42 and out of the remaining seven required, Bangladesh only managed three from the last two balls.

Earlier, South Africa chose to bat but lost both openers for low scores - Trisha Chetty for a duck and Lizelle Lee for 11. Captain Mignon du Preez steered them to safety with her third T20 fifty. Kapp accompanied her with a 55-run stand before du Preez fell for 52. Alexis le Breton's two fours and Kapp's unbeaten 24 took them to 109. Khatun particularly troubled the South Africa batsmen at the beginning and end both as she took wickets in her first and last overs and conceded only seven runs in four overs.

South Africa coach, Hilton Moreeng, was very pleased with the team's performance. "If we knew that the result would be 3-0 at the start of the series we would have taken it," he said. "We are building as a team and it was important for us to start this home series well, especially by playing good cricket and learning from every game that we play."

Even though Bangladesh kept the pressure on South Africa while bowling, they couldn't handle it while batting in the end.

"I must give credit to Bangladesh," Moreeng said. "They put us under pressure very early; the first two overs were maidens and we were a wicket down. The partnership between Kapp and the captain put us back where we wanted to be and we had to settle for 109, which required us to go out there and bowl well."

The two sides will now play three ODIs starting September 20 in Benoni.

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Uncapped Devcich in New Zealand squad

The opening batsman Anton Devcich has been named in New Zealand's limited-overs squad to tour Bangladesh next month. Devcich, 27, is the only uncapped player in the 15-man group for the three one-day internationals and one-off Twenty20 and is expected to open with Hamish Rutherford after Martin Guptill was ruled out due to a broken finger.

Fast bowler Adam Milne and allrounder Jimmy Neesham earned recalls but there was no room for wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, nor allrounder James Franklin, both of whom have been dropped from the Champions Trophy squad. Daniel Vettori was not considered for the tour due to an Achilles tendon injury, while Tim Southee was named in the limited-overs party after being left out of the Test squad following ankle surgery.

Devcich, a Northern Districts batsman, scored his maiden first-class century during the New Zealand A tour of India earlier this month and followed that with 48, 1 and 66 in the one-day games against India A. Bruce Edgar, the general manager of national selection, said Devcich had been an impressive one-day performer for some time.

"Anton showed very good signs against England last season for New Zealand A and has transitioned from a middle order batsman to an aggressive top order player," Edgar said. "He is also an outstanding fielder with the ability to contribute as a left arm spin bowling option which will be useful in the sub-continent.

"Adam [Milne] returns to the team after a number of injury concerns and he offers the squad genuine pace. We've been impressed with his rhythm and pace on the New Zealand A tour of India."

The New Zealand coach, Mike Hesson, said injuries to men like Guptill and Vettori would allow opportunities for others like Neesham, 22, who played three ODIs and three T20s in South Africa last summer. Neesham offers another bowling option but has also displayed his power with the bat, scoring 104 not out from 40 balls for Otago during a Champions League warm-up overnight. "James is another left-handed batsman who is a powerful striker of the ball at any stage of the innings and like Anton and Adam, he's in good form in India," Hesson said.

Squad Brendon McCullum (capt), Corey Anderson, Anton Devcich, Grant Elliott, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson.

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Bowling coach among Zimbabwe's top priorities

Acquiring the services of a bowling coach will be one of Zimbabwe's top priorities as they look to build for future international series. The squad has had to do without a specialist in that department since April, when Heath Streak's contract was not renewed because of financial concerns, and new coach Andy Waller is keen to fill the gap as soon as resources allow for it.

"There is no talk of getting a bowling coach at the moment but we need one. When we are able to, we will try and get someone who can run specialist clinics," Waller said after Zimbabwe's historic series-levelling win against Pakistan. The victory was largely credited to the pace pack, who defended 264 on a pitch that, against expectations, became easier to bat on in the final two days. 

Waller admitted he was pleasantly surprised by the seam bowlers in particular, who he had "concerns" about before the series began. His worry was that without attacking bowlers like Kyle Jarvis and Graeme Cremer, they would struggle to take wickets. But the foursome of Tinashe Panyangara, Tendai Chatara, Shingi Masakadza and Brian Vitori showed they were up to the task despite, as Brendan Taylor pointed out after the match, the absence of a bowling coach. 

Chatara, who impressed on debut in West Indies, showed considerable progress as he led the attack. "He has recognised that he was the senior bowler and he played like one," Waller said. 

Panyangara was, according to Hamilton Masakadza who led in the first Test, an unexpected workhorse whose consistency and economy rate were stellar while Vitori came back to the longest format looking more determined than he had before. "Leaving him out of the first Test gave Vits a little kick and it was good for him. He came back looking like he wanted to get wickets," Waller said.

Given that Shingi Masakadza, who made way for Vitori, also put in a good performance in the first Test, the level of competition among the bowlers has left with much to work with. "We've got a good crop of fast bowlers and we're in a good place right now," Taylor said. 

How Zimbabwe will continue mentoring that group is the next challenge because the current crop was all nurtured by Streak. Without him, they've had to rely on the advice of other players and some old-fashioned DIY, as Chatara confirmed. "I've just been trying to work myself into international cricket and in that way I got more experience," he said. "Playing Bangladesh earlier in the year helped a lot as well because they are on the same level as us and it helped prepare for this series." 

Former national player Gary Brent has been helping the young bowlers in the national academy, who also train at the Harare Sports Club. Chris Mpofu, who is recovering from injury, has also sought Brent's advice as he looks to make his comeback. Mpofu himself has been meting out mentorship to the likes of Chatara and Vitori, who are eager to learn from his experiences. 

But Zimbabwe cannot continue to rely on the generosity of former players and Waller seemed to indicate a more permanent appointment needs to be made soon. For that, they will need to be able to afford one. Funding was the primary reason behind Streak no longer being involved. 

He is still in the country but has recently started coaching at Falcon Colleague, one of the best-known cricketing schools in Zimbabwe and has plans to start his own academy. If offered a financially secure deal, he could be lured back. Zimbabwe's bowlers would not doubt welcome any attempt to re-involve him, especially as many of them credit Streak's coaching style and attention to detail with the progress they've made so far. 

Zimbabwe are also without a fitness coach, another casualty of the austerity measures Zimbabwe Cricket has been forced to put in place. Waller would like to see someone come in to take care of strength and conditioning but for now, he and fitness-obsessed batting coach Grant Flower are doing the job themselves. "They've got us fit and we are working pretty hard," Taylor said. "And we'll keep doing that."

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Sreesanth ban 'against principles of natural justice'

	'They let the big fish get away' - Sreesanth's lawyer

Sreesanth's legal counsel has called the life ban imposed by the BCCI "bizarre", against the principles of natural justice and unlikely to stand legal scrutiny, and said the player would challenge the ban in court once he received a copy of the order. A day after Sreesanth was handed the ban by the BCCI's disciplinary committee, his counsel Rebecca John said the biggest flaw was the report drew heavily on the police findings in the criminal case, which itself is yet to reach a verdict.

The sanctions were based on the report compiled by the board's anti-corruption commissioner Ravi Sawani.

"The [BCCI] order is completely against the principles of natural justice," John told ESPNcricinfo. If Sawani had relied so heavily on the findings of Delhi Police, she said, then the least he and the BCCI should have done was wait for the final verdict by the Patiala House Court in Delhi, which is hearing the case.

"It has based its findings on personal interactions with members of Delhi Police as well as taken material from the chargesheet that has been filed by the police before a sessions court. If that is so then they should have waited for the court to determine whether or not any of this holds up in legal proceedings. They just picked up conversations they had with members of Delhi Police where they said Sreesanth and other members of the cricketing community confessed before them. It is a very, very loose report with little or no substance in it," John, who was hired by Sreesanth as soon as Delhi Police arrested him on corruption charges during the IPL in May, said.

She pointed out that the evidence produced by Delhi Police against all the Rajasthan Royal players was found to be insufficient to keep them in custody - the sessions court has granted bail to all of them, including Sreesanth. "The fact is that the sessions court has released players on bail and said none of this adds up as a case. [The court said] it is very, very tenuous - the link between whatever bookie you are saying had a role to play and the players, particularly Sreesanth, and granted him bail. And then this BCCI's one-man committee says that Sreesanth is guilty of spot-fixing and hands over a life sentence to him. Not only is it is excessive, it is completely contrary to all principles of natural justice."

John said that from what she had read of his report on the internet, Sawani's findings, especially on Sreesanth, never added up to a case. "How does he come to a conclusion? By having personal conversations with police officials. And you are basing your findings on these?"

In his report Sawani had noted that he listened to and read the transcripts of audio tapes in possession of Delhi Police of conversations between Sreesanth and the alleged bookie. "If you want to read these audio tapes, which are part of the Delhi Police [evidence] in a criminal trial, the link is so tenuous. You will believe it only because the Special Cell of Delhi Police is saying you will have to believe it in a particular way. In any case these are allegations which have to be assessed, processed and a finding has to be determined by a court of law," John said.

According to John Sreesanth is on bail only because "prima facie" Delhi Police had not managed to press a foolproof case against him. "The only reason the life ban was imposed - Mr Srinivasan was very keen to tell the public and the people of India he was treating [the issue] with a heavy hand and some people had to be made scapegoats," John said.

"What is more annoying form the point of the view of the players is that they have let the big fish get away. What happens to Mr Srinivasan. He is owner of Chennai Super Kings and there is a case of conflict of interest pending in the Supreme Court against him. The Bombay High Court recently had called the two-member committee illegal after it cleared Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra [part of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals] from corruption charges.

"Now when the BCCI, of which Srinivasan is the de facto or de jure head, conducts itself in this kind of fashion and then it hands over these sentences to players, who are soft targets, it is a little bizarre," John said.

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Essex ready if Northants slip - Grayson

Kent 107 (Masters 6-41) and 215 for 7 (Northeast 70, Stevens 67, Panesar 4-49) drew with Essex 276 (Shah 84, Foakes 58, Davies 4-67)
Scorecard

In the end, the two hours that Mother Nature afforded Essex were not enough for them to secure the victory they deserved, one that would have put them just eight points behind second-placed Northamptonshire. That deficit could have been further reduced in the penultimate round of Division Two matches next week to set up a thrilling finale to a season already spoiling us for twists and turns.

Instead, the difference is 21, although Kent, the team saved by the weather, could still make things interesting if they were to achieve an improbable win at Wantage Road next week.

Essex's coach, Paul Grayson, was understandably disappointed that rain limited the window available for his side to finish off their good work. He called for his team to maintain focus ahead of hosting Glamorgan next week. "If Northants do slip up, we'll be in the right place to make the most of it," he said.

Watchful with the bat and superior with the ball throughout, the visitors displayed a ruthlessness that few have matched in either division this season. The three pace bowlers, David Masters, Reece Topley and Graham Napier, along with Monty Panesar - who Grayson would like to bring to Chelmsford on a full-time basis - have the look of a top-tier attack. Quite rightly, Grayson was keen to extend that tag to the entire XI that started at Canterbury, championing an experienced and dynamic batting line-up.

Since the ignominy of their collapse for 20 against Lancashire at Chelmsford in early June, Essex have rallied impressively to put together a six-match unbeaten run, featuring wins against Leicestershire (twice) and Worcestershire. All this, while making FLt20 Finals Day and finishing second in the strongest competitive YB40 group - missing out on the semi-finals by a solitary point.

"By that period, we had our lads back from the IPL, so we get that nice group of players back together," Grayson said. "We know we've got the quality and eventually found a nice rhythm to our game.

"We took a bit of criticism at the start of the season, and rightly so because we didn't play well enough. But we've stuck together as a group and we've played some very good four-day cricket of late; the bowlers have been exceptional and the younger players like Jaik Mickleburgh and Ben Foakes have come to the fore to support the more experienced players, too."

There was some cause for regret here, as Grayson saw his side drop Darren Stevens twice on his way to a half-century that put Kent into the lead and took valuable overs out of the game. "It's a really important area we've got to work on - we're very aware of that," Grayson said. "It doesn't help that we don't have a settled slip cordon, but throughout the season we've put down a couple of vital chances that could have changed things for us."

Essex needed just six wickets, and maybe a few second-innings runs, to wrap up victory but a fine-yet-steady downpour throughout the morning meant the only cricket played before 3.30pm was in the respective changing rooms. Play was due to be called off at 1.30pm but, just minutes before the umpires took to the field to read the game its last rites, the rain stopped.

After Napier completed the over he started on Friday, he was immediately replaced at the Nackington Road End by Topley. Two balls in, he had Sam Northeast lbw for 70, two days after he opened the second innings.

He then had a second, by the same mode, five overs later when Geraint Jones was trapped in his crease for the second time in this match. But between Topley's brace, Ryan ten Doeschate gave Stevens his first reprieve off the bowling of Masters.

By the time Stevens' had received his second - again off Masters - he had passed 1000 first class runs for the season, given Kent the lead and crossed fifty. A regular tormenter of Essex - he has five hundreds against them - he revelled in his role as wet blanket, picking off runs past the infield, as Foster pulled his men up to coax a wicket.

However, it was an error from Stevens that let Essex back in, when he hit Panesar straight to Owais Shah at extra cover, at which point Kent had a lead of 26. A handful of half-chances came and went but at 5.12 pm, with 25 minutes of official play left, hands were shaken.

Ravi Bopara will return to the Essex side for the final two fixtures, against Glamorgan and away to Hampshire. Grayson is also due for talks with ten Doeschate and the Essex management over the allrounder's participation in the Champions League Twenty20 with New Zealand side Otago. It was originally agreed that he would go to the competition when it was mathematically impossible for Essex to catch Northamptonshire. There will be no return for Alastair Cook, however, with Grayson stating that the ECB have him on prescribed R&R ahead of the winter's Ashes commitments.

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England feel vindicated in victory

England's new-look one-day side, without five first-choice players, has come in for some harsh dissection in recent weeks. Does it devalue the game? Is the balance right? Are the selections consistent, or verging on stubborn? After victory in Cardiff to level the series, albeit just a single win in the bigger picture, Eoin Morgan was fully justified in his satisfaction at not just the win but the way it came about.

The insistence on a deep batting order enabled England to overcome the shock of a third-over hat-trick and another middle-order wobble to win by three wickets, through a crucial stand by their Nos. 7 and 8 batsmen. Another specialist bowler could well have enabled them to keep Australia to fewer than 227, but the chase will allow Morgan and Ashley Giles, England's coach, to feel some vindication.

"It's hugely satisfying, obviously, our backs were against the wall," Morgan said. "The guys can take a lot of confidence from this game, particularly the young guys coming through."

While the performances of Stokes (with bat and ball), Boyd Rankin and Michael Carberry will help their fledgling England careers, it was no surprise to see Jos Buttler as the central figure in the closing overs. His reputation precedes him on the county circuit when it comes to such skilful finishes and now he is bringing that into the international arena, having been given a run as England's limited-overs wicketkeeper by Giles.

"We were always confident, as long as we were there at the end and took the game deep," Buttler said. "The run rate wasn't too out of hand, and I knew if I was there at the end we wouldn't be very far away. I've played enough cricket now to know when it's getting out of hand. It's just 'pick your bowlers, pick your moments' and hope it comes off in your favour."

Buttler and Stokes, like every young England player these days, have come through the Lions set-up and this stand was another example of the value of that system, as they were familiar with each other - although Buttler acknowledged it wasn't perfect.

"We could have improved on our calling," he said. "We had a few near run-outs. But I think we were quite calm. I've played quite a bit of cricket with Ben, growing up."

Buttler, however, did have his heart in his mouth when he called for a review having been given lbw to Shane Watson on 8. He was not convinced the system would save him, but after chatting to Ravi Bopara decided it was worth a chance, with the match so finely balanced. "I wasn't sure ... It was obviously a big moment, and luckily the review system saved me."

The DRS worked in England's favour a short while later, too, when Stokes gloved a hook shot but was given not out. Australia had wasted their review on a speculative caught-behind appeal against Morgan.

Michael Clarke just shrugged his shoulders - it is not the first time DRS has featured on this tour - and it was clear to him where Australia had fallen short. "We lost five for 18 at the end of our innings, so we needed to make some more runs," he said. "When you only make that many runs, you know you have to bowl the opposition out. We knew we had to take 10 wickets to win the game, and unfortunately we didn't do that."

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Notts ease drop fears with draw

Middlesex 96 for 0 (Rogers 67*) trail Nottinghamshire 430 for 7 dec. (Mullaney 125, Adams 80, Hussey 67) by 334 runs
Scorecard

Nottinghamshire eased their relegation worries by picking up two valuable bowling bonus points at Lord's before their Championship Division One game against Middlesex ended in a weather-ravaged draw.

Chris Rogers took his overnight 67 to 108, the fourth first-class hundred of a memorable summer for Australia's Ashes opener, but then became the first of four scalps for Andre Adams as Middlesex, who resumed on 96 for 0, reached 353 for 7 declared.

Somerset's win against bottom club Surrey pushed Nottinghamshire down into seventh place in the Division One table, but on 132 points they are 12 ahead of Derbyshire, who crashed to defeat against Durham.

After the final day's first session was ruled out to more bad weather it was just a case for both teams of playing for bonus points after a resumption at 1.10pm following an early lunch. Rogers was in aggressive mood, flashing Adams between third slip and gully for one of his eventual 12 fours and then uppercutting a short ball from Harry Gurney to square third man for six.

A superbly timed back-foot force to the ropes through point off Luke Fletcher took Rogers to his century but the left-hander fell just five runs short of completing 1000 Championship runs for the season - in only his 11th appearance for Middlesex. Going for another pull, this time against Adams, the Middlesex captain skied to Fletcher at mid-on after batting for 155 balls and dominating an opening stand of 151 with Sam Robson, who edged behind on 41 in Adams's next over.

Dawid Malan had helped Joe Denly to add 49 for the third wicket when, to Samit Patel's second ball of the day, he aimed a drive and was bowled for 15 by the left-arm spinner. Denly, 42 not out at tea, went on to reach 63 from 76 balls before being bowled by Gurney, with the left-arm paceman squaring him up with a fine delivery from around the wicket.

Neil Dexter then thick-edged Gurney to Michael Lumb in the gully as, on 9, he pushed hard at another ball angled in but straightening a little off the pitch, while Gareth Berg fell for 26 to the second new ball when he gave Adams a return catch.

John Simpson's punchy 51 not out, though, from 74 balls and with six fours, guided Middlesex past 350 and a fourth batting point, despite Ollie Rayner falling lbw to Adams.

Nottinghamshire's David Hussey suffered a finger injury while fielding that caused a cut, but he should be fine for next Saturday's Yorkshire Bank 40 final against Glamorgan. Director of cricket Mick Newell said: "It's not dislocated and it's not broken so it shouldn't be any problem with regard to next week's final."

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Vince profits after Moeen miss

Hampshire 197 for 3 (Vince 106*, Dawson 70) v Worcestershire
Scorecard

James Vince's third LV= County Championship century of the season saw Hampshire put themselves in a promising position on a rain-shortened first day New Road.

Vince and Liam Dawson were both dropped at first slip by Moeen Ali as their partnership of 158 took Hampshire to 197 for 3 when play ended with 43 overs lost because of bad light and rain.

Vince had made only four when he was given a crucial let-off and the cost mounted as he played with increasing conviction for an unbeaten 106 packed with 18 fours and a six from 148 balls.

On a gloomy morning, Worcestershire were clearly expecting helpful bowling conditions when Daryl Mitchell won the toss and they were rewarded straightaway when Jimmy Adams was caught behind off Alan Richardson's third ball. Adams was dismissed for his seventh duck in 21 championship innings in an all-or-nothing season in which he scored 219 not out when Worcestershire were beaten at the Ageas Rose Bowl in April.

Adams came into the return fixture on the back of another double century against Northamptonshire last week but it was a different story as Hampshire struggled in a sustained opening spell of 2 for 33 by Richardson, who kept the batsmen under pressure for 14 overs and claimed his 61st championship wicket of the season when Moeen held his first chance of the day from Michael Roberts.

Hampshire would have become for 38 for 3 if Moeen had taken a fairly straightforward edge from Vince. Graeme Cessford was the unlucky bowler and, to stoke up his frustration, he conceded four consecutive boundaries to Vince in his next over.

With momentum quickly shifting in Hampshire's favour, Vince moved to 50 from 77 balls but Moeen also dropped Dawson off Richardson shortly before he reached a half-century, containing only three fours.

Play was held up for 50 minutes after lunch and on the resumption runs flowed at an alarming rate for Worcestershire. Even when they managed to break the partnership it was only in the middle of an onslaught on Cessford.

In an action-paced over, Dawson pulled a six and was then run out by Ross Whiteley from cover. This brought Vince back on strike with 92 to his name and he swept past his hundred with a pull for six and two fours from the next four balls.

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Mullaney graft leads safety quest

Nottinghamshire 161 for 2 (Mullaney 88, Lumb 54) v Middlesex
Scorecard

Nottinghamshire have one of the most attractive batting line-ups in the county game. Seldom can they have been as becalmed as this. A mantra of "safety first" may not be inspiring - it was under this slogan that the Conservatives lost the 1929 election - but there was no denying its effectiveness at Lord's.

Nottinghamshire have already put themselves into a position from which they should not lose this game, especially taking into account the disagreeable weather forecast. Even a draw would put them on the brink of confirming their Division One status.

After Middlesex won the toss and bowled, adhesiveness was needed to withstand a typically probing opening spell from Tim Murtagh. But his visions of inflicting the same damage on Nottinghamshire's top order as he had on England's eight days ago encountered a roadblock named Steven Mullaney.

There is nothing glamorous about Mullaney's batting, but he is assured playing the ball through the offside and leaves the ball well. It is a method that earned him a hundred at The Oval in July - his first game opening the batting for Nottinghamshire - and he needs only 12 more runs to add another London century.

It could have been very different though. To the third ball of the day, Mullaney called a sharp single - and it looked rather too sharp as a direct hit dislodged the stumps. But he was given the benefit of the doubt, the ball went to the boundary and Mullaney was off the mark with a five.

Mullaney was well-supported by Michael Lumb, who provided a reminder that he is capable of attritional batsmanship to go with the pyrotechnics England see in Twenty20s. Lumb had reached 54 until he fell top edging a sweep to Ollie Rayner's offspin. Rayner did not enjoy a pitch offering the assistance of The Oval - when he ravaged Surrey's batting with 15 wickets - but he bowled with impressive control once again. Based on a season's Championship haul of 41 wickets at 21 apiece, Rayner must have a reasonable chance of an England Lions berth.

Shorn of Steven Finn and Toby Roland-Jones - who is out for the rest of the season - Middlesex were a little disappointing in the field. James Harris went for 3.54 an over - expensive in the context of an overall run rate of 2.32 - seemingly trying to bowl too quickly and too short.

Perhaps he looks at the admirable Murtagh, who had to go to Ireland to begin his international career, and senses that the England selectors do not look kindly upon a perceived lack of pace. The risk, of course, is that Harris loses the consistency that meant 11 counties sought his signature when he moved on from Glamorgan a year ago. An average of 40 this season suggests Harris has yet to get the balance quite right.

As the evening descended into farce - the players went off for bad light, returned without discernible improvement and then went off for good 13 deliveries later - it was hard to avoid asking what Alex Hales made of it all. He is the top-ranked Twenty20 batsman in the world but no longer able to make Nottinghamshire's Championship side after a wretched red-ball season: hardly what he would have envisaged when his county prevented him going to the IPL in April.

Hales will soon have to make a decision: does he want to play Test cricket - something not beyond a 24-year-old of his talent, but which would take copious graft on the county circuit? The alternative is to maximise his Twenty20 skill, something that may be in England's immediate interests given his integral role in that format. If Hales pursues the second path - and he is due to have a meeting with Nottinghamshire to discuss the matter after the season - the IPL will certainly have a place for his belligerence.

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