Beaton's final over leaves Tridents stunned

Guyana Amazon Warriors 173 for 5 (Simmons 64, Guptill 55*) beat BarbadosTridents 166 for 4 (Smith 104*) by seven runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

A CPL record 148-run second-wicket partnership between Dwayne Smith and Shoaib Malik was trumped by Ronsford Beaton's spectacular final over to give the Guyana Amazon Warriors a seven-run win over the Barbados Tridents at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The Tridents seemed certain to overhaul a target of 174 thanks to Smith's second century in three matches and entered the final over needing 11 to win with Smith on strike on 101 having already hit eight fours and six sixes. Beaton was the same man who conceded a last ball six to Darren Bravo two nights earlier in a heartbreaking loss to the Red Steel, but Guyana captain Denesh Ramdin kept faith in the 21-year-old Beaton to defend those 11 runs and he did it with room to spare.

Fortune appeared to be shining on Smith and the Tridents after Smith tried to slog a yorker only for the ball to deflect off his pads and knock into leg stump without dislodging the bails. Beaton speared in three more yorkers to Smith that resulted in a two, a dot and a single to put Jonathan Carter on strike needing eight off the final two to win. Beaton fired in a wide yorker to combat Carter's premeditated scoop shot resulting in another dot ball to effectively seal the match with one ball remaining. Another dot off the final ball served as the icing on the cake.

Despite plenty of wickets in hand for the Tridents, the foundation for the tight finish was laid in the 17th when the 148-run second-wicket partnership was broken after Malik was caught short trying to steal a single for Smith. Lendl Simmons circled around and connected with a direct hit from backward point to send Malik on his way for 50.

Five balls later, Beaton struck with a full inswinger to bowl Kieron Pollard for a duck and then finished the 18th by running out Jeevan Mendis off his own bowling. Smith dug out a yorker and tried to scamper a single but Beaton charged down the pitch in his follow through and underhanded into the striker's end stumps to leave 16 needed off 12 with six wickets in hand. Krishmar Santokie conceded five singles in the 19th before Beaton's final over sealed it for the Amazon Warriors as the Tridents ended on 166 for 4.

Earlier in the day, Simmons and Martin Guptill provided contrasting half-centuries from the top of the order for the Amazon Warriors after being sent in to bat. The pair produced a record stand of their own by adding 103, the best first-wicket partnership in the CPL and sixth best for any wicket. Simmons fell on the final ball of the 12th over for 64, caught on the boundary attempting to slog Mendis' legspin for his fifth six. Guptill dropped anchor afterward and let his fresh partners slog away around him.

Mohammad Hafeez was particularly effective, smacking two fours and three sixes to make 30 off 10 balls before he was dismissed by Pollard two balls into the 20th. Guptill wound up carrying his bat as Guyana finished on 173 for 5 with Guptill unbeaten on 55 off 51 balls and his patience was vindicated by the end of the day. The Amazon Warriors now sit on eight points alongside the Red Steel at the top of the CPL table while the Tridents fall back in a tie for third with the Tallawahs on six points.

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Red Steel hand Tallawahs first loss

Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel 183 for 5 (Lewis 72, Russell 2-23) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 170 for 6 (Gayle 60, O'Brien 4-22) by 13 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Opening batsman Evin Lewis' belligerent assault paved the way for a 13-run win for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel over the Jamaica Tallawahs at a vibrant Queen's Park Oval on Saturday. Lewis' 72 off 43 balls left the Tallawahs stunned in the field and resulted in their first loss on the season while the Red Steel moved past the Tallawahs on the CPL points table with their fourth win of CPL 2014.

After Chris Gayle won the toss and elected to field first, Kevin O'Brien got the Red Steel innings off to a brisk start with three fours and two sixes to bring the Red Steel to 40 for 0 after four overs. Andre Russell pulled things back in the field for the Tallawahs with a double-strike in the sixth over, cleaning up O'Brien for 32 with a yorker before dismissing Ross Taylor first ball courtesy of a well-timed leaping effort by Rusty Theron at mid-off that resulted in a one-handed catch to make it 45 for 2.

After eight overs, Lewis had yet to hit a boundary and sat on 8 off 20 balls but erupted in the ninth, targeting Gayle's offspin for two fours and a six. Gayle remained in the crosshairs to start the 11th when Lewis launched him for back-to-back sixes over long-off. The captain replaced himself with Vettori to start the 13th for some left-arm spin but the result wasn't much different with Lewis tonking three sixes in the over, two playing with the turn over midwicket followed by another back over Vettori's head.

Theron eventually claimed Lewis in the 15th but not before he had hit eight of the Red Steel's 15 sixes. Three more came in the final over from Dwayne Bravo and Jason Scantlebury-Searles to boost Red Steel's total to 183 for 5.

The Tallawahs got off to a methodical start in the chase with Gayle's half-century anchoring the innings. They comfortably reached the halfway mark at 82 for 1 but a few overs later O'Brien's spell turned the match back in the Red Steel's favor. He struck four balls after his arrival in the 12th over, inducing a skied chance to cover to remove Jermaine Blackwood for 28.

After Gayle smashed O'Brien over extra cover for six two balls into the 15th, he tried repeating the shot but a miscued drive was claimed by Taylor a yard inside the boundary. Adam Voges crossed to get on strike for the following delivery but quickly joined Gayle in the pavilion when he produced a leading edge back to O'Brien to leave the score 121 for 4 after 15. O'Brien pushed Lewis out of the way for the Man-of-the-Match award by trapping Owais Shah on the back foot with an offcutter at the start of the 17th and finished with figures of 4 for 22 in three overs.

The Tallawahs entered the final over needing 33 to win and Carlton Baugh was run out trying to steal a bye off the first ball to mathematically clinch the win for the Red Steel. Russell smacked sixes off the final three balls of the match to make the result appear more flattering for the Tallawahs but the day was dominated by the Red Steel behind Lewis and O'Brien's impressive performances.

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Six Canadians in Americas U19 squad

Canada allrounder Nikhil Dutta has been named as part of a 14-man ICC Americas U19 squad that will take part in the West Indies Cricket Board Regional U19 50-over competition which takes place in Guyana from August 4-15. This will be the third time an ICC Americas composite team featuring players from Canada, Bermuda and the USA will be taking part in the WICB U19 tournament.

Dutta was part of the ICC Americas U19 team in 2012 but was omitted in 2013, despite sweeping honors for Best Batsman, Best Bowler and Tournament MVP of the 2013 ICC Americas U19 championship, in order to be available for selection for the Canada senior team's WCL Championship and Intercontinental Cup contests last August. He made his ODI debut in March 2013 against Kenya in the UAE. Dutta is one of six Canada players in the ICC Americas squad, including three others who return from the 2013 ICC Americas team: Abraash Khan, Farhan Malik and Armaan Kapoor.

Bermuda's Tre Manders and Delray Rawlins are also returning to the ICC Americas U19 team from last year and are two of four players chosen from the island. Manders and Rawlins have been promising prospects for the last several years. Manders made his senior team debut as an 18-year-old for Bermuda at the ICC Americas Division One T20 championship in Florida in March 2013. He scored 64 at number three in his 50-over debut in a win over Italy two months later at ICC WCL Division Three in Bermuda and opened the batting in November at the 2013 World T20 Qualifier in the UAE.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Rawlins played against USA in a series of warm-up matches in March 2013 before making his official senior team debut that May at age 15 against USA at ICC WCL Division Three in Bermuda. He took 1 for 39 in a solid performance that was part of a five-wicket win, Bermuda's first over USA in a live contest since 2005.

Like Bermuda, USA also have four representatives in the squad. Among them is Keifer Phill, the 2014 Wingate Award winner as the most outstanding senior in the New York PSAL (Public Schools Athletic League) high school cricket competition. The selection is a homecoming of sorts for Phill and fellow USA player Trevis Ross. Both are originally from Guyana and developed much of their cricket there before migrating to New York City.

The coaching staff will be led by ICC Americas High Performance Consultant Tom Evans. An Australian native, Evans joined the ICC Americas Office last year after spending three years as the ICC East Asia-Pacific Regional Development Officer and has previous experience with Cricket Victoria. One coach each from the three countries will also be part of the coaching staff: Canada's Errol Barrow, Bermuda's Allan Douglas and USA's Linden Fraser.

"This is very much a coach development initiative as it is a player one," Evans told ESPNcricinfo. The squad will arrive in Georgetown on August 1 before attending WICB development seminars on August 2 and a training session on August 3 before the team's first match against Trinidad & Tobago U19 at Demerara Cricket Club on August 4. ICC Americas will play a total of six group games. Last year's ICC Americas U19 squad had a respectable showing in the WICB U19 tournament, defeating Leeward Islands by three wickets and scoring 209 in a chase against Windward Islands that ended in a tie.

ICC Americas U19 squad: Nikhil Dutta, Aniket Joshi, Armaan Kapoor, Abraash Khan, Farham Malik, Arjun Parikh (Canada); Onias Bascome, Tre Manders, Delray Rawlins, Micah Simons (Bermuda); Vibhav Altekar, Arsh Buch, Keifer Phill, Trevis Ross (USA).

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India irate at England's testimony

Though Ravindra Jadeja was found guilty of an offence lesser than the one he was charged with - Level 1 instead of Level 2 - India are adamant their allrounder did no wrong and should not have been fined 50% of his match fee. ESPNcricinfo understands that at the hearing England witnesses, Ben Stokes and Matt Prior, suggested to match referee David Boon that Jadeja had turned threateningly towards James Anderson, and the England fast bowler had acted in self defence. Anderson's case - a hearing into a Level 3 charge - will be heard on August 1.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that Prior contended Jadeja's bat was raised dangerously when he turned towards Anderson, and Stokes suggested Jadeja had pushed Anderson first. India claim Jadeja neither touched nor swore at anyone.

The incident happened on day two of the Trent Bridge Test. Anderson had a caught-behind appeal against Jadeja turned down in the last over before lunch, and as the players walked off, past the field and the narrow staircase between the pavilion and the field, more words were believed to have been exchanged.

There is another narrow passage inside the pavilion, which both teams have to take before parting ways to their dressing rooms, and the incident happened there as opposed to the popular view that it happened in the staircase.

Sources claim England's case at the hearing centred on Jadeja allegedly instigating Anderson by turning around. India claimed Jadeja only turned around after he was allegedly sworn at once again. Dhoni specifically said in the press conference before the third Test that Jadeja's bat had stayed tucked under his arm all through. The stewards present claim not to have seen the push and India were unhappy about the security cameras not working on that day.

India's unmoving stand in this case is fascinating because it could possibly threaten the newly formed alliance between the BCCI and ECB. This tour has been amicable on the administrative front - the ECB has not, for example, mentioned DRS even once. The team sees this incident in isolation.

India see a minor victory in Jadeja's hearing, in that England in effect agreed that Anderson did push Jadeja. On the eve of the third Test, Dhoni called Boon's verdict hurtful and negligent. In his verdict, Boon had said he was "not comfortably satisfied" that Jadeja's role amounted to a Level 2 charge, and punished him for a Level 1 offence. The allrounder was found guilty of "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game."

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Tridents squeak by to keep Hawksbills winless

Barbados Tridents 130 for 9 (Carter 35, Brathwaite 2-17) beat Antigua Hawksbills 129 for 8 (Samuels 66, Rampaul 4-15) by one wicket
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Antigua Hawksbills' luckless 2014 Caribbean Premier League campaign continued with a one-wicket defeat at the hands of Barbados Tridents Friday night at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Akeal Hosein shook off a kamikaze run-out - which consumed his partner Rayad Emrit, the ninth Tridents wicket - on the third ball of the final over by calmly flicking a two through midwicket with the field spread to scamper to a win with two balls to spare.

The loss keeps Hawksbills winless from five games and only a dramatic turnaround in their final four games will give them a chance at advancing into the CPL playoffs. The Tridents win ensures they keep pace at the top of the CPL table with Tallawahs, Red Steel and Amazon Warriors as all four teams currently sit level on six points.

Tridents captain Kieron Pollard sent the Hawksbills in to bat and Danza Hyatt's runout three balls into the match set the tone for a poor start by the visitors. Ravi Rampaul made further inroads by striking three times before the end of the power play to leave the Hawksbills 24 for 4 at the six over mark.

Marlon Samuels pieced together a responsible 66, including a 51-run fifth-wicket stand with David Hussey in a bid to salvage the innings. Any hopes of a late charge were scuttled when Kieron Pollard fooled Samuels with a slow bouncer on the first ball of the 18th over to send a catch to Ashley Nurse at mid-off to make it 111 for 6. Rampaul claimed Sheldon Cottrell with a yorker in the 19th to cap off a Man-of-the-Match effort with figures of 4 for 15 as Hawksbills finished on 129 for 8.

One match after smashing an unbeaten 110, Dwayne Smith fell without scoring in the first over of the chase after mistiming an attempted pull off Cottrell to midwicket. Tridents recovered to reach the halfway stage of the chase on 70 for 3, needing a run a ball the rest of the way with Jonathan Carter well set on 25.

Even after Kieron Pollard fell for 14 hooking Carlos Brathwaite to deep square leg, Tridents seemed on course for an easy win. But Carter ran himself out for 35 as he attempted a needless second in the 16th over. It sparked a slide as three wickets fell in 10 balls to turn the match in Hawksbills favour.

Hawksbills inched even closer when Nurse went for a reckless heave in the 19th over and skied a catch to point, making it 119 for 8. Tridents entered the final over needing 10 to win with two wickets in hand.

A single on the first ball of the 20th turned to three, thanks to a poor collection by the wicketkeeper that allowed a second run which was then compounded by a sloppy overthrow. Emrit reverse swept the next ball for four before the final frantic two balls produced hope and then more heartbreak for Hawksbills.

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Wright makes record 153 in huge chase

Sussex 226 for 3 (Wright 153*) beat Essex 225 for 3 (Westley 109*, Ryder 75) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Luke Wright produced an incredible innings as he smashed an unbeaten 153 from 66 balls to lead Sussex to a seven-wicket triumph over a shell-shocked Essex side at Chelmsford.

It represented the highest score in English domestic Twenty20 cricket, eclipsing the unbeaten 152 by Graham Napier when the sides met on the same ground six years ago. Wright's astonishing effort contained 12 fours and 11 sixes, the last of which came off Napier to equal his mark, and he followed it up by pushing the allrounder for a single to set a new record.

Sussex looked down and out in the face of a daunting target of 226 when they srrived at the five-over mark with only 48 on the board and two wickets down. They lost another soon afterwards, that of Harry Finch, but then Matt Machan joined Wright in a partnership that yielded 159 runs in 12.1 overs.

Wright had a packed crowd taking evasive action as he repeatedly sent the ball into orbit, with none of Essex's six bowlers able to stem the flow of runs.

Wright's heroics came after Chris Nash was bowled by David Masters without a run on the board and Napier had breached the defences of Craig Cachopa with the total on 14.

Essex must have thought then that they were poised for an easy triumph but the brilliant Wright had other ideas. Machan was content to play the supporting role in the unbroken fourth-wicket stand, although his 41 came from only 26 balls.

It must have all left the table-topping home side wondering what they had to do to finish victorious after Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder had helped post what had appeared a winning score.

Westley struck a competition career-best 109 not out from only 58 balls after arriving when Mark Pettini was run out by Cachopa from short cover with a direct throw in the opening over. Westley was soon making the Sussex attack pay dearly for some wayward bowling as he struck five sixes and 12 fours, reaching his half-century and moving into three figures with strokes that sailed high into the packed crowd.

Earlier this month, he had struck 105 against Kent in the same competition but it was Ryder who set the tone for the onslaught. The New Zealander followed three successive fours in Matt Hobden's opening over with three sixes in the fast bowler's next as he went on to complete his half-century from just 21 deliveries.

Ryder went on to make 75 from just 37 balls which included eight fours and four sixes before he was caught on the long-on boundary off the bowling of Nash. He and Westley had put on 124 in only 11 overs as skipper Nash also used six bowlers in a vain attempt to stop the flow of runs.

Following Ryder's departure and the cheap dismissal of Ravi Bopara for 4, skipper Ryan ten Doeschate came in to smash 30 from 15 balls, 20 of them in boundaries, in an unbroken stand of 75 with Westley from 32 deliveries. That included 52 from the final three overs to set Sussex a daunting task but it was a target that they achieved with some degree of comfort as they eased home with nine balls to spare thanks to Wright's phenomenal innings.

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Hales, Taylor dump Yorkshire out

Nottinghamshire 201 for 4 (Hales 67, Taylor 35*) beat Yorkshire 200 for 5 (Finch 89, Bairstow 60) by six wickets
Scorecard

On a hot Friday evening suitable for a Meatloaf lyric or a William Faulkner novel the hopes of fervid home supporters at Headingley were dashed when Yorkshire lost to Nottinghamshire by six wickets in their final North Group match in the NatWest T20 Blast.

Their defeat means that Andrew Gale's men finish fifth in the group and are knocked out of this year's competition while second-placed Nottinghamshire, whose batsmen mounted a famous run-chase, will entertain Hampshire at Trent Bridge on August 3.

As much as anything the game was a victory for the resourceful top order Nottinghamshire have assembled this summer over the individual power-batting of Aaron Finch and Jonny Bairstow, both of whom made fifties in their side's total of 200 for 5. The defeat was particularly bitter for Finch, who made a 46-ball 89, including seven sixes, in his final innings for the county before he returns home to join a national training camp.

But cricket remains above all a team game and each of Nottinghamshire's six batsmen reached double figures as their side scored at a smidgeon more than ten an over to secure the spoils. Notts were given a good start by Steven Mullaney, who clubbed two sixes off Ryan Sidebottom's second over before he miscued Tim Bresnan to Alex Lees at mid- on.

The momentum was maintained by Riki Wessels, who added 70 in eight overs with Alex Hales before he, too, was caught by Lees, this time at deep midwicket off Azeem Rafiq for 29.

With seven overs of the innings left Nottinghamshire needed 85 and their major hope of victory seemed to have disappeared when man-of-the-match Hales, whose 40-ball 67 included three sixes, holed out to Bresnan, Rafiq taking the catch in front of a jubilant Western Terrace.

But still James Taylor's batsmen were not to be denied; still they managed to keep themselves in with a chance of victory, yet when Samit Patel was taken at long-on by Finch off Richard Pyrah, 39 were needed off 17 balls.

What followed will live long in the minds of Nottinghamshire supporters and may feature in coach Mick Newell's team talks when he reminds his players never to abandon hope. James Frankin and skipper Taylor simply demolished the Yorkshire attack, taking 20 runs off Sidebottom's last over and scoring a remarkable 38 runs off what turned out to be the final 11 deliveries of the game.

Franklin began the fun when he hit Pyrah for two leg side sixes and he finished it when he thrashed Bresnan into the football stand to complete his six-ball innings of 19 not out. In between those blows, Taylor stroked three stylish fours off Sidebottom before hitting the former England seamer right over the Western Terrace.

The change in the game's flow could not have been symbolised more graphically than by that shot. Nottinghamshire's short-form skipper finished with 35 not out off 14 balls; his innings should remain one of the highlights of his career.

Yet while the visitors' batsmen were applauded as they left the field the result will have come as a savage disappointment to many of the 8662 spectators at Headingley, many of whom arrived hoping to salute a victory and make their arrangements for the quarter-final.

No one will have been more crestfallen than Finch, whose innings took his team towards their season's best short form score. "Yawksher! Yawksher! Yawksher!" bayed the zealots on the Western Terrace and Finch responded with even greater style than he displayed in making 88 against Lancashire in June. Many of his sixes travelled many rows back into the crowd and were a triumph of timing as well as force.

His onslaught on Taylor's bowlers began with the seventh delivery of the game when Finch dispatched the former Yorkshire seamer Ajmal Shahzad over wide mid-off. The crowd yelled its delight, suggesting that whatever the Book of Luke suggests about prodigal sons, they get short shrift in Cleckheaton.

In company with Jonny Bairstow, Finch added 81 for the third wicket in eight overs on an evening when few bowlers on either side managed to avoid punishment. When Finch fell to a brilliant leg side diving catch by Chris Read off Franklin, Bairstow continued the onslaught, making 60 off 34 balls.

Jake Ball was the most successful Nottinghamshire bowler but even he may have doubted that his 3 for 38 was enough to help his side prevail. As Yorkshire continued to pile on the runs, three drummers looking for all the world like extras from Fritz Lang's Metropolis exhorted the crowd to yet more celebrations. They had reckoned without Nottinghamshire's batsmen. James Taylor and his men will certainly be a match for Hampshire in the quarter-finals, and a match for anyone on Finals Day, should they get there.

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Dungarpur a guiding force - Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar acknowledged the "instrumental role" Raj Singh Dungarpur had played "in making me the cricketer I am" by terming the former cricketer-turned-administrator as a guiding force.

Tendulkar was speaking at the release of the the book Raj Singh Dungarpur - A Tribute, compiled and edited by Samar Singh and Harsh Vardhan, at the Cricket Club of India, Dungarpur's home in Mumbai ever since he came to Mumbai from his province in Rajasthan as a teenager.

"From a chairman of selectors to the manager of Indian team, I have had a relationship with Raj bhai at different levels," Tendulkar said. "First, he was encouraging me as a youngster and making sure that I got all the possible facilities. Then, picking me for a team and then travelling with me and guiding me."

"I remember, whenever we sat with him, he would have amazing stories of the past and share those wonderful anecdotes with us. All the players would be glued to him because we wanted to understand how the cricket was played in the past, different different eras. Not just that but when he was with the team, he was more of a father figure. Everyone looked up to him, everyone respected him, everyone wanted to be around him."

In an evening that turned out be a prolonged celebration of Dungarpur's life, especially since Tendulkar's arrival was delayed due to a technical snag in an inbound flight from Hyderabad, some of Dungarpur's closest friends revived the persona of the former Rajasthan captain who served Indian cricket in various capacities. Besides being the manager of the Indian team on various critical tours, including the 1984 trip to Pakistan when prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated midway through the tour, Dungarpur was also the chairman of the selectors. He later served as the BCCI president from 1996 to 1999.

It was Dungarpur who after being impressed with Tendulkar's heroics on the school circuit forced one of his protégés Kailash Gattani to take the teenager along on a schoolboys' tour to United Kingdom in the summer of 1988. While Gattani recalled how Dungarpur forced him to include Tendulkar in the touring party despite his apprehensions of "how a 14-year-old could cope with the UK culture where you have to carry your own kitbag, cook your own food and wash your clothes", Tendulkar recalled how Dungarpur organised sponsors for him.

"Kailash Gattani is also here with us, it was when you came to me and asked me if I would like to be a part of Star Cricket Club, which would be touring UK in the month of May. But I didn't have deep pockets," Tendulkar said.

"Raj bhai again was instrumental in finding a sponsor for me and making sure that I left on that plane. I clearly remember I met him here at the club and he said in his own style: "Tumhi cricket khelaayche, baakiche kaam maazyawarti sodaayche (you play cricket, leave the rest to me)". With that kind of support and encouragement, all you want to do is go out and score as many runs as possible because that is something which made him happy. If someone is taking so much effort to make sure that all the facilities are provided for you to go out and express yourself in the middle, it gave me tremendous joy to score in the final of the Harris Shield. I scored a triple hundred and I could see that Raj bhai was in his chair and various cricketers would join and have a chat with him. But while batting, he was already there and watching me bat, which was a big thing."

Tendulkar also recalled how Dungarpur helped him focus on the task at hand rather than thinking too much about selection issues. When Tendulkar had made a sensational first-class debut for Mumbai in 1988-89, he was expected to be included in India's squad for the tour to the West Indies. But it was Dungrapur, the chairman of selectors, who put an end to the speculation.

"We were playing Ranji Trophy semi-final at Wankhede. I was warming up early morning and there I saw Raj bhai walking next to the net and he called me outside the net and said, 'see, I want you to focus on Ranji Trophy right now. I know there have been a lot of talks on whether you should be part of the Indian team now or not. Let me tell now that you are not going to the West Indies'," Tendulkar said. "He was then the chairman of the selection committee. He said after you are finished with the Ranji Trophy, make sure you appear for your SSC exams."

While the gathering waited for Tendulkar, former India captain Ajit Wadekar recalled how he along with his Bombay teammates ensured Dungarpur's dream of Rajasthan beating Bombay and winning the Ranji Trophy title remained unfulfilled. In the 1960s, Rajasthan lost to Bombay in seven successive Ranji finals.

"That was Raj's lone dream. He even tried importing players from Mumbai to get the better of us and made greats like Vijay Manjrekar and Subhash Gupte play for Rajasthan as professionals. But by then, Manjrekar and Gupte were a bit over the hill and we in the Mumbai dressing room wondered who would field for them," Wadekar quipped.

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Cook's lonely battle to survive

West End, a village to the north-east of Southampton and home to the Ageas Bowl, is a bit of a ghost town nowadays. Southampton is a university town, full of students. The students have all gone back home for the summer break. For those left behind it has simply been too hot to venture out. It has not been raining yet, it has been humid because of the proximity to the sea, and temperatures have been touching early 30s over the last week or so. You will struggle to find people outside in the afternoon.

No matter how sleepy the environs might be, those interested in England cricket can feel the importance of the coming weekend for one man and his team. It hangs there like the humidity.

England are one match down in a series of five. The captain Alastair Cook, the basket in which England cricket chose to put all its eggs, has hardly scored a run. The seniors have been letting down the newcomers. Some have called Cook's refusal to give up captaincy defiance and even a cry for help - "I am not going until I feel a tap on my shoulder"; some call it denial and possibly arrogance. If England lose the series, Cook will most likely have to go. There are other careers hanging in the balance, too.

It was mildly surprising then that three days before the Test India were the only team training. It can sometimes pay to go away from the cricket and come back refreshed, but three days away from it would have been a bit much. Around the time India were leaving, at around 4.30pm, in came Alastair Cook, wearing shorts that seemed too loose, falling off his waist. There are bigger things he needs to get a grip on right now.

Cook went up to the England dressing room, and soon coach Peter Moores followed. By now it was only Cook, Moores and a few groundsmen in the ground. Minutes later they asked Nigel Gray, the head groundsman, to join them. A chat was had after which Gray proceeded to water the pitch, which looks green but not as green as the one at Lord's, and the captain-coach duo went to a net at the edge of the square.

A lady of Indian origin, who had been there for India nets and had seemed pretty pleased with how England had been beaten at Lord's, said "good luck Alastair" as Cook walked towards the ground, now dressed in England training kit, with helmet and pads on. "Thanks," said Cook. "I feel sad for him," she said after Cook had left. That glee of having seen England lose had gone. Further endorsement to the belief that Cook is a decent allround bloke.

The next week, though, is not about being decent. It is one of the most important weeks of Cook's career. And he is not taking it lightly. Much like they were on the Lord's balcony about three hours after the defeat, Cook and Moores were working at things again. Cook at least has thousands of runs to go by, Moores might not have a leg to stand on should they lose here and concede an unassailable lead. The two went out, did not take a look at the pitch, and headed straight to the net. A few gentle throwdowns from 15 yards were followed by proper ones from the Sidearm from a full pitch length.

There was a moment of concern in the first few minutes of the session. Moores walked towards Cook, and they both looked at his finger for what seemed like two minutes. Cook then strapped the glove back on, and went into a long session.

The lady who wished Cook luck left soon. The groundsmen followed not much after. Two men fighting to save their careers continued preparing alone in a desolate ground in a desolate town. Two men who are supposed to have preferred fit-in culture to misfit match-winners.

One of those misfits, a possible match-winner, Michael Carberry, was here earlier in the day, practising with his Hampshire team-mates, after which he did a photoshoot in whites. Those were not the England slightly-blue whites, though. Times are desperate for England, but it is difficult to see how Carberry will get another chance.

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Khawaja makes immediate impact

Lancashire 164 for 8 (Khawaja 44, Prince 43, Breese 3-19) beat Durham 137 for 7 (Mustard 49, Ali 3-19) by 27 runs
Scorecard

Lancashire sealed top spot in the NatWest T20 Blast North Division with a routine victory by 27 runs over out of contention Durham at Old Trafford.

The home side won their sixth match in succession and their 10th of out of 14 in all as they completed their group campaign in comprehensive fashion thanks mainly to impressive performances from Usman Khawaja and Kyle Jarvis, both playing for the first time in Twenty20 this season.

Khawaja, playing in place of the rested Tom Smith, top scored with 44 off 25 balls in a competitive 164 for 8, although the hosts should have posted more on a typically abrasive Old Trafford surface.

Durham's reply never got going as they ended their involvement in the competition with a whimper, despite an impressive comeback with the ball after Khawaja and Ashwell Prince had got Lancashire off to a flyer with an opening stand of 84 in 7.1 overs, their best of the season.

Jarvis led a much-changed Lancashire bowling attack, minus Junaid Khan and Andrew Flintoff, with 2 for 25 from four overs as Durham finished with 137 for 7. Phil Mustard top-scored with 49.

Khawaja and Prince took advantage of some poor leg-side bowling before Durham, led by their experienced West Indian offspinner Gareth Breese, improved with some effect to restrict Lancashire to a total within reach.

The wicket of Prince, bowled by Breese with the first ball of the eighth over, was the first of five to fall for 23 runs in 32 balls as the Lightning slipped to 107 for 5 in the 13th. Breese took 3 for 19 in four overs while his partner in crime Paul Collingwood finished with 2 for 21.

Khawaja was strong playing to leg before he holed out to deep midwicket off Breese in the 10th, having hit seven boundaries. Steven Croft's 31 off 28, including the only six of the innings, helped to get Lancashire moving again but three late wickets, including two for the medium pace of Keaton Jennings, ensured there was not too much damage done.

Durham's reply got off to a slow start at eleven without loss after three as Croft, Kabir Ali and Jarvis all bowled tight overs. That pressure paid off in the fourth over when Scott Borthwick chipped Wayne White to mid-off with the score on 12.

Jarvis struck in the next when Callum MacLeod found mid-on as Durham fell to 25 for 2 on their way to a Powerplay score of 27 for 2, a score in stark contrast to Lancashire at the same stage.

Michael Richardson was caught behind off Croft in the eighth over before Durham reached halfway at 49 for three with another 116 still needed.

Collingwood miscued and skied Jarvis to point as Durham fell to 66 for 4 in the 13th before Mustard holed out to deep backward square leg against Ali with the last ball of the 17th.

Durham, at 108 for 5, needed 57 off the last three and Ali struck twice in the last as he comfortably defended 35 and finished with three for 19 himself.

Khawaja said afterwards: "It was my first T20 and it was a lot of fun. It was a bit touch-and-go there after we batted but the boys bowled really well.

"I've watched every single game here and we haven't looked like losing. Some of the games we've been getting 200 easily and that's why I was a bit surprised we only got 160. It was a bit odd.

"There's a really good vibe in the changing room, especially when the T20s come around. We've finished first in the table, we've beaten the best sides and we're very confident."

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