Russell heroics cap dramatic Tallawahs win

Jamaica Tallawahs 138 for 4 (Russell 58*, Hafeez 2-13) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 137 for 9 (Neesham 35, Taylor 3-14) by six wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Andre Russell's fiery late charge cemented a dramatic six-wicket win for the Jamaica Tallawahs over the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Saturday afternoon in Kingston. With 10 needed to win off the final two balls, Russell lofted a full toss for four to extra cover and followed it with a six over cow corner off Jimmy Neesham to whip the Sabina Park crowd into a frenzy as he finished unbeaten on 58 off 24 balls.

Russell entered in the 14th over after the fall of Adam Voges with the score on 62 for 4 and the Tallawahs needing another 76 off 40 balls to chase down Guyana's 137 for 9 on a slow batting wicket. His magical knock was almost nipped in the bud on his very first delivery playing across the line to the offspin of Steven Jacobs, triggering a strong shout for lbw which was denied by umpire Peter Nero. Russell responded by slamming the next ball he faced from left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul over midwicket for six, setting the tone for another five sixes that would follow.

The run rate continued to climb into the 17th over with 55 needed off 24 but Russell carted Ronsford Beaton for six, six and four off the first three balls to keep the Tallawahs in the hunt for an unlikely win. They still needed 24 off nine balls when Russell struck a four and six off Krishmar Santokie to set up the final over theatrics.

Beaton, who had bowled a superb final over against the Barbados Tridents last week to clinch a seven-run win, was passed over this time around by Guyana captain Denesh Ramdin and instead Neesham was tasked with defending 13 off the last six balls. Only one run was conceded off the first three balls, but a bouncer to Owais Shah on the fourth ball was out of the batsman's reach and crucially signaled a wide. Shah then took a single off the fourth legal delivery to set up Russell's heroic ending.

Russell appeared to be batting on a different pitch from all of his teammates as the next closest strike rate to his 241 was Chris Gayle's 95, achieved from 22 off 23 balls. The Amazon Warriors didn't fare much better earlier in the day, with only four players making it into double-figures after being sent in to bat first.

Neesham top-scored with 35 off 26 for the Amazon Warriors before getting out in the final over while Lendl Simmons anchored the top of the innings with a run-a-ball 34 until he was removed courtesy of a circus catch from Russell off the bowling of Nikita Miller. Russell took two other catches on the day, both for Jerome Taylor who finished with 3 for 14. Russell also finished with 1 for 10 in two overs on a day where he was never far from the action.

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Clark's triple-wicket maiden inspires Lancashire

Lancashire137 for 8 (Khawaja 67, Wagg 3-28, Hogan 3-33) beat Glamorgan 136 for 7 (Rudolph 67*, Clark 4-22) by one run
Scorecard

Clark produced a remarkable piece of cricket

On a weekend when a T20 fixture designed to be played within three hours eventually sprawled over a day's deliberations and drama, Lancashire secured a place at Finals Day in circumstances which rivalled the county's glory years of the 1970s.

At the start of their 16th over in a rain-wracked game, Glamorgan were 100 for 3 and seemingly well placed to score the 138 runs they needed to reach English cricket's short-form showcase for the second time in their history.

Six balls later, after Jordan Clark had bowled Chris Cooke and Stewart Walters, and had David Lloyd caught at slip by Tom Smith, the visitors were 100 for 6 and behind on Duckworth-Lewis. Then it began to rain and play was held up for 45 minutes

When the game resumed Jacques Rudolph tried to make good the damage but the job was just beyond the South African. He ended unbeaten on 67 as Clark conceded 13 runs off the last over to finish with figures of 4 for 22. Since Glamorgan had required 15 off those last six balls, it barely mattered.

Before this quarter-final Clark had only taken four wickets in his 23-match Twenty20 career. Since he had also bowled Murray Goodwin, his match-changing triple-wicket maiden left him with figures of 2-1-4-4, hardly a conventional analysis for the Twenty20 game.

Home spectators who had watched quietly as Lancashire had been on the wrong end of most of the match, leapt to their feet as if galvanised by sheer joy. Suddenly the 23-year-old Clark had joined a gallery of popular memories which already included David Hughes' famous 24 runs off an over bowled by the late John Mortimore, Clive Lloyd's century at Lord's and Jack Bond's catch off Asif Iqbal.

It is some company; but then it was some over.

Only those gifted with uncanny powers could really have predicted the transformation in this game. Glamorgan's progress towards their target had seemed relatively trouble free as Jim Allenby's 38 had helped Rudolph make very satisfactory progress towards their goal.

Goodwin had then helped Rudolph add a further 28 in four overs before Clark bowled him for 17. Thus began an extraordinary few overs in what will surely come to be known as Clark's match.

"It was a case of sticking in there for as long as possible," said the hero of the evening. "The ball was tailing slightly with a little bit of damp around and it was case of going back to basics and hit the top of off stump. Keeping them to five an over wasn't going to win us the game and I was trying to make sure that if they missed I hit."

For Glamorgan supporters Lancashire's innings had been a delightfully low-key affair, significantly devoid of the big overs or bursts of acceleration that characterise substantial T20 totals.

Watched by a crowd of around 1500 spectators, which was perhaps eight thousand fewer than officials had been expecting had the game gone ahead on Friday evening, the home side's batting lacked the big-hitting gusto that had marked their previous short-form efforts this season.

Much of the credit for that should go to a disciplined visiting attack which knew its job and was backed up by some fine fielding. Left-arm seamer Graham Wagg removed openers Ashwell Prince and Tom Smith for single-figure scores to limit Lancashire's ability to exploit the Powerplay; off the last ball of the eighth over Salter induced Karl Brown to walk past a quicker delivery and be stumped by Mark Wallace for 15.

That wicket left Lancashire on 59 for 3 but the most spectacular dismissals were yet to come. On the day when he became the oldest cricketer to play in the English domestic T20, 41-year-old Goodwin dived athletically at backward point to remove Lancashire skipper Paul Horton for 3; eight overs later 36-year-old Dean Cosker's smart catch off Usman Khawaja's ferocious square drive was equally impressive.

Khawaja's 67, made off 54 balls and spanning nearly 15 overs, had anchored his team's effort. But at no point did the Australian dominate a Glamorgan attack which had offered few loose deliveries to batsman clearly frustrated by constraints.

Glamorgan's spinners bowled nine of the 20 overs with offspinner Salter conceding just 19 off his allocation and 14 of the 35 runs Dean Cosker yielded coming off one over in which Khawaja hit Lancashire's only six. A late clatter of wickets saw Wagg claim his third wicket and Hogan's successes in his final over left him with 3 for 33.

Few pundits reckoned that Lancashire total of 137 represented prosperity. It was, however, just enough.

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Chopra and Clarke end Warwickshire's wait

Warwickshire 197 for 2 (Chopra 86*, Clarke 70*) beat Essex 178 for 5 (ten Doeschate 61, Rankin 3-34) by 19 runs
Scorecard

Highlights: Chopra and Clarke fifties put Warwickshire into Finals Day

Varun Chopra's superb form dragged Warwickshire into the knockout stage of the NatWest T20 Blast and he found his touch again to cause an upset at Chelmsford and send his side to their first Finals Day since the inaugural edition in 2003.

Since then, Warwickshire have lost in six quarter-finals but they broke their duck with a fine victory over Essex who had breezed through qualification. Chopra made his highest T20 score and Rikki Clarke almost doubled his season's T20 tally before Warwickshire prevented Essex making a successful chase for the first time this season.

Jeetan Patel has probably been the best bowler in the competition and four overs for only 23 was too great a strangle for a chase of almost 10-an-over. He was well supported by Boyd Rankin, who knocked out Tom Westley and Mark Pettini in his first over and had James Foster caught at deep midwicket in his last.

Ryan ten Doeschate has pulled irons out of T20 fires all around the world but this was too great a task for even him. Even with the chances Warwickshire gave him; both Clarke and Laurie Evans dropped straightforward catches that would have killed the chase.

Two very poor dismissals undermined Essex's pursuit. The Barmy Army used to sing "Why, why why Jesse Ryder" and Essex's fans were clearing their throats for a revival number after Ryder, having flicked two sixes over long leg, slapped a full toss to midwicket. It was the first of two full tosses that produced wickets for Recordo Gordon, who also had Ravi Bopara caught at deep square-leg. It could have been quite a different night for Gordon, playing just his sixth T20, who conceded 38 in three overs.

It was far from a textbook defence but Warwickshire earned their win in the first innings. Plenty of runs were needed to be competitive at a tight Chelmsford where over 450 runs were scored in the previous T20. Warwickshire gave themselves every chance with their highest score of the season; 134 of them added by Chopra and Clarke - Warwickshire's highest T20 partnership for any wicket.

Chopra scored nearly half his runs with a thigh injury after a collision with Reece Topley that required a runner but by then he was well set and again led his side's innings following 72 and 74 in two of Warwickshire's last three qualifying matches which were all won to steal fourth place in the North Division.

By contrast, Clarke has failed to contribute to Warwickshire's progress with only 83 runs in eight innings in qualifying. He picked his night for a return to form and played what his captain, Chopra, described as his best innings for Warwickshire with a display of both power and a gentle touch with 70 in only 37 balls.

He began by paddling and steering Graham Napier for two boundaries in the 13th over. That got him going. Another pull followed, shuffling across his stumps to hit backward of square, before slapping a flat six over wide long-on off Topley and lifting Tim Phillips into the pavilion.

Chopra's excellent recent form has also included a Royal London Cup century and he found his timing in the fifth over of the Powerplay with a crashing cover drive to a Graham Napier length ball. He added another, a better piece of timing, off Topley past extra-cover and launched Bopara over the Hayes Close End for the innings' first six.

Having gone to his fifth half-century of the competition in 37 balls, Chopra then called for a runner. That encouraged him to open his shoulders and he smeared Phillips over long-on before pulling Bopara wide of midwicket.

Bopara had stymied Warwickshire's solid start after a Powerplay which yielded 49 for 0. Two slower deliveries in four balls, out of the back of the hand, cleaned up Will Porterfield and Jonathan Webb. But having conceded only four from his first over, Bopara leaked 38 from his next three as Warwickshire accelerated perfectly.

The last eight overs brought 102 runs including 17 from the final set with consecutive sixes from Chopra, swinging David Masters over square leg and pasting a full toss over long-on. Masters' four overs conceded 40.

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Red Steel down Zouks to remain in first

Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel 119 for 2 (Lewis 59, Taylor 35*) beat St Lucia Zouks 117 (Gabriel 3-20, Cooper 3-26, Bravo 3-33) by eight wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Evin Lewis' third consecutive fifty anchored a facile chase for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, who eased to an eight-wicket win over the St Lucia Zouks on Saturday in Gros Islet. Lewis hit three fours and five sixes in his 59 off 39 as the Red Steel reeled in Zouks' 117 with 31 balls to spare.

The loss has officially eliminated Zouks from playoff contention. Red Steel, Tridents, Amazon Warriors and Tallawahs have secured the four playoff spots meaning the final eight games of the CPL 2014 regular season will decide seeding for the semifinals which don't begin until August 13.

Red Steel won the toss and elected to field first, with Shannon Gabriel putting the Zouks under pressure early by removing both openers inside the first three overs to leave the home side 5 for 2. Later on he dismissed Keddy Lesporis for 22 with a fantastic one-handed return catch and was eventually named Man of the Match after finishing with 3 for 20.

Dwayne Bravo and Kevon Cooper did just as much damage as Gabriel, claiming 3 for 33 and 3 for 26 respectively. Lesporis and Andre Fletcher (24) were the only two of the top six in the Zouks lineup to make double-figures as they struggled to bat 20 overs. Ray Jordan was last man out in the 20th, bowled by a Cooper yorker for 9, with one ball left in the innings.

Ross Taylor starred in the field, taking four catches including a one-handed screamer over his head at slip in the first over to give Red Steel an early lift. Later on he teamed up with Lewis for an 89-run second-wicket partnership to eliminate any hopes for a Zouks upset. Taylor eventually finished 35 not out at the non-striker's end as Nicolas Pooran hit a six over long-off to finish the match.

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Bell's advice helped Moeen - Moores

Chappell: Moeen bowled with the right pace

Peter Moores, the England coach, has praised Ian Bell for his contribution to the improvement of Moeen Ali's offspin.

Moeen claimed eight wickets in the victory over India at the Ageas Bowl, including 6 for 67 in the second innings, leading Alastair Cook to remark that he had never known a bowler improve so quickly. They were sentiments with which Moores agreed.

"Moeen keeps getting better," Moores said. "And he's getting better quickly. To get people like Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli out - they are high-class players of spin - is a very good sign for Mo for the future.

"Moeen is in the side as a batter and a very rapidly emerging spin bowler. He does two things that are essential for a top-flight spinner: he attacks both edges. He gets great drift and he turns the ball. He spins the ball hard. Without those two things, it is very difficult. If you only attack one edge of the bat, people can work you out quite fast. But because Mo creates drift, there is a challenge for all batters. He can nick people off. It is not a doosra, it is a heavily-spun off-break and it drifts away."

Part of Moeen improvement is, Moores believes, thanks to some advice imparted by Bell during net sessions. Bell recommended that Moeen bowl a little quicker and a with a tighter off-stump line.

"At Lord's, you saw somebody who had improved quite a lot and had started to bowl tighter," Moore said. "His run-rate came down and he created some pressure. Today resulted in some wickets. Ian Bell was quite important in that. You can get feedback about the pace and lines that are difficult for batsmen to play. Mo has adjusted and grown really quickly.

"Bell was batting in the nets and talked to Moeen about the paces and lines that he would find challenging," Moores said. "Belly is a fantastic player of spin so feeding back to one of his team-mates, 'Well, actually, I find that really difficult or that pace is quite nice for me,' is what good teams should do. It is still up to Mo what he decides to do, but you improve because you talk and work with people.

"The quality of his bowling has improved. Test cricket is about how rapidly people grow in it and he's grown very quickly as a bowler. Hopefully, that carries on. He's a very sensible lad, he knows he's got to keep doing a lot of work."

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Rickleton, Roelofsen fifties power South Africa

South Africa Under-19s 268 for 4 (Roelofsen 96*, Rickleton 76) v England Under-19s
Scorecard

Ryan Rickleton and Grant Roelofsen struck fifties to power a solid batting effort from South Africa Under-19s and lift them to 268 for 4 on the first day of the first youth Test against England Under-19s in Cambridge.

After winning the toss, South Africa got off to a shaky start as their opener Mathew Christensen was caught behind by Joe Clarke off seamer Matthew Fisher for 7 in the ninth over. Marcus Ackerman did not last long either and was trapped lbw by Josh Shaw as the visitors fell to 36 for 2.

South Africa, however, recovered through three big partnerships. Rickleton first added 65 for the third wicket with Johannes Malan (31) to take the team past 100, after which he and Roelofsen had an 87-run stand.

Rickleton was the first to pass fifty, bringing up the landmark with a four off Will Rhodes, and eventually scored 76. He was caught behind in the 76th over, but Roelofsen carried on and made 96 not out, with 15 fours and a six. South Africa's captain Bongumusa Makhanya was unbeaten on 37 at the other end at stumps.

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India dismay at Anderson verdict

'Anderson must question his behaviour'

India are shocked that James Anderson has been found not guilty in the Trent Bridge incident involving Ravindra Jadeja, but the case boiled down to one team's word against the other when it became clear crucial video evidence was not available.

The alleged pushing incident took place in the only small corridor that was not monitored by the ICC's Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) cameras, a fact the BCCI is now likely to raise with the ICC. There was no video evidence presented by the ICC, who was prosecuting Anderson in this case, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Anderson had pushed Jadeja without provocation. However, once the BCCI had laid the charge, the ICC had no option but to take up the case against Anderson.

Anderson has admitted to pushing Jadeja - by the fact that the ECB did not contest that element of Jadeja's initial hearing - but his case rested on his version that he acted in self-defence after Jadeja allegedly turned around aggressively towards him. The BCCI lawyers were present at the hearing, but they were allowed to cross-examine the witnesses only in the appeal against the guilty verdict for Jadeja, which they got overturned successfully.

England added Stuart Broad to the witnesses that appeared in the Jadeja hearing: Matt Prior and Ben Stokes. India had their physiotherapist, Evan Speechly, present at the case in addition to Gautam Gambhir and R Ashwin. The hearing went on for over six hours, but some of the time went into sorting technical glitches with the judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis sitting in on the hearing via video link from Australia.

The incident happened as the players were walking off for lunch on the second day of the Trent Bridge Test. In the last over before lunch, Jadeja had survived an appeal for a catch at the wicket off the bowling of Anderson, after which the bowler was seen having a word with Jadeja. The chirping continued on the way back to the pavilion. The players walked up the stairs through the crowd, then into a narrow corridor - where the incident is said to have happened - and then through a staircase into the individual changing rooms.

The ICC's ACSU camera captured the players walking up the stairs through the crowd, and Speechly coming down the staircase from the dressing room with Dhoni at the edge of the steps. The said video was played at the hearing. However, there is no footage from the corridor that connects the two staircases. Witnesses present at the hearing confirmed that the incident took place in that corridor. The BCCI is going to take up with the ICC the issue of this area not being covered by the ACSU, but ESPNcricinfo could not independently verify if this corridor indeed is a Players and Match Officials (PMO) area, which has to be monitored by the ICC.

There was a camera in place there, but it is not clear if the camera was the ICC's or Nottinghamshire's or the host broadcaster's. At times in the past, during cricket in England, Sky TV has shown players walking out from just outside their dressing room all the way through the long room and corridors and onto the field. The commissioner heard that the said camera was not working that day. The BCCI is likely to pursue this issue.

At the current moment, the fact remains that there is no video evidence of what happened in the corridor. That being the case, it all came down to one team's word against the other. India remained adamant that Jadeja was not at fault, and that he did not turn around aggressively, and was only reacting to abuse from Anderson. That was the reason why they appealed the earlier guilty verdict against Jadeja, and got it overturned.

Anderson admitted to having had an altercation with Jadeja, but contended he did so in self-defence. The witnesses put up by England were consistent in their response. They were called in to testify separately, and ESPNcricinfo understands their versions were almost identical.

A detailed judgement is yet to be delivered, and the BCCI refused to comment until it had seen the detailed verdict. However, it has no right to appeal because it was the ICC's case once the charge was laid. The only man who has the right to appeal now is Dave Richardson, the ICC CEO.

If he does appeal, the ICC's legal head will appoint an Appeal Panel comprising three members from the ICC's Code of Conduct commission. However, Lewis' decision will remain in effect while under appeal, unless the Appeal Panel orders otherwise.

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Bowl-out threat looms in Old Trafford quarter-final

Lancashire v Glamorgan - No play; match to take place Saturday

What did Steven Cheetham do on July 29, 2009 which Mark Chilton, Stephen Parry and VVS Laxman could not quite manage?

It is a question which might provoke a few bizarre responses yet the correct answer remains a source of pain for Old Trafford zealots. The prosaic truth is that Cheetham was the only man to hit the stumps five years ago when Lancashire's T20 quarter-final against Somerset had to be settled by a bowl-out in the indoor school. Somerset won 5-1.

Memories of the gang that couldn't shoot straight were revived on Friday evening as Manchester's two-week heatwave ended with a vengeance and the Old Trafford outfield was covered with large puddles which removed any prospect of play in the first NatWest T20 Blast quarter-final.

The plan now is to try again on Saturday with a scheduled start time of 2pm although as large a window as possible has been set aside and a five-over game could even begin under floodlights as late as 8.57. However, there seems only the remotest possibility of playing the game at Old Trafford on Sunday even if the grim weather forecast for the reserve day proves to be accurate.

"We're doing everything we can to get the game played on Saturday," said Lancashire's director of cricket Mike Watkinson. "We have as big a chance as possible of getting the game through then. We have a Test starting on Thursday and the quality of the playing surface is crucial for us. We think we have a good pitch out there and we are mindful of wanting to protect it. It would be fantastic if we can avoid playing on Sunday and we've tried to shut it off as an option."

"Strictly speaking you shouldn't use the ground nine days before a Test Match, so we're already into that period," said Watkinson. "There was also the great left field idea that we could move grounds but I don't think there'd be anywhere in the county with a surface good enough that had avoided the weather. So what do you do? Ring Trent Bridge and say: can we play a double header?"

It also seems that umpires Jeff Evans and Peter Hartley may be prepared to try and fit a game into any window strongly suggested by the weather radar rather than start a 20-over game only for it to be curtailed by the weather and be left with as a bowl-out as their only option.

If a bowl out is held, any registered player from either county can participate in it. This raises the possibility that Lancashire's four-day captain Glen Chapple could send down two of the ten deliveries. There is even the highly remote chance that Andrew Flintoff, who is currently recovering from a calf strain, would be called up to bowl off a couple of paces.

The possibility of a bowl-out may not depress Glamorgan's players too much. Their only experience of cricket's version of a penalty shoot-out goes back to the Tilcon Trophy at Harrogate in 1987, when Worcestershire were beaten in one ten-ball showdown but Gloucestershire emerged victorious in a second, one of the successful bowlers being the unlikely figure of one RC "Jack" Russell.

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England, India set for Anderson hearing

The Southampton Test has ended but the tussle between the two sides will continue into a sixth day with the hearing into the Trent Bridge incident between James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja scheduled on Friday, with massive implications on the series.

India charged Anderson with a Level 3 offence before the second Test, at Lord's, following an alleged altercation in the first. India contend that Anderson pushed Jadeja when the players were walking back for lunch on day two of the Trent Bridge Test. If found guilty, he could face a ban of up to four Tests.

The hearing will take place in India's team hotel, with the judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis listening in via Skype from Australia. Jadeja and Anderson will be mandatory presences. Apart from their legal team, India are likely to be have captain MS Dhoni, coach Duncan Fletcher and physiotherapist Evan Speechly in attendance. An ICC ethics and regulatory lawyer will be present.

The hearing will be almost like a court case, with oral witnesses, legal submissions, cross examinations and video evidence if it exists. If the video evidence doesn't exist, it is, like Sydney 2008, one team's word against the other. England's response during Jadeja's hearing was that the India allrounder had turned around aggressively, and that Anderson had acted in self-defence.

The onus will be on India, as in any court case, to provide evidence. Principles of natural justice will take effect: India's legal team will have to prove Anderson's guilt beyond reasonable doubt to get their desired result, a sentence under Level 3. Jadeja, who was found guilty under Level 1 (after being charged at Level 2) by match referee David Boon in the same case, has earned the right to appeal his verdict. His case will also come up for hearing during the same meeting.

Lewis will have 48 hours to deliver his verdict. If Anderson is found guilty under Level 3, there is a provision for an appeal against it. Only the player found guilty or the ICC CEO can appeal, within seven days of having received the verdict. The ICC's Head of Legal would then appoint an Appeals Panel, comprising three members from ICC Code of Conduct commission. However, Lewis' decision will remain in effect while under appeal, unless any properly convened Appeal Panel orders otherwise. India have no right of appeal if Anderson is not found guilty under Level 3.

Anderson's hearing will follow the day after he was adjudged Man of the Match in the Ageas Bowl Test. "I don't know what's going to happen," Anderson said. "I want to be playing at Old Trafford, my home Test, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.

"We've done brilliantly, the ECB have done a great job of keeping everything separate. So once we get to the ground it was all about the cricket and how we would win the Test match - and that's exactly what we did this week. Everyone did it brilliantly. Once we got on the field the only thoughts we had were winning."

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Munro, de Grandhomme power big NZ A win

New Zealand A 424 for 7 (Munro 151, de Grandhomme 151) beat Northamptonshire 184 for 2 (Coetzer 60, Peters 54) by 70 runs by D/L method
Scorecard

Colin Munro and Colin de Grandhomme both struck rapid centuries to help New Zealand A sink Northamptonshire by 70 runs via the D/L method in a rain-affected clash at the County Ground.

New Zealand A, choosing to bat, got off to a rocky start and lost three wickets inside 10 overs. However, a handy 45 from the opener Anton Devcich took the visitors over the 100-run mark, and from there, Munro and de Grandhomme took center stage.

The pair added 199 in less than 20 overs as New Zealand crossed 300 in just over 41 overs. All Northamptonshire bowlers ended with expensive figures, but Gemaal Hussain came in for special treatment, leaking 101 from his 10 overs, including 18 off an over to Munro.

With boundaries regularly being hit, Munro was the first to three figures, reaching the landmark off 76 balls in the 34th over. He did not stop there though, and collected a further 18 runs off an over from Michael Leask. Munro eventually fell for 151, having blasted 15 fours and six sixes, but de Grandhomme carried on and reached his own century, from 66 balls, with a six off Saif Zaib.

More misery would await Northamptonshire as BJ Watling, coming in at No.7, smashed a 22-ball 44 to lift New Zealand A to 424 for 7. De Grandhomme was dismissed in the final over of the innings for an 81-ball 151, having hit 16 fours and eight sixes.

Northamptonshire began solidly, but couldn't quite get the required acceleration to chase down such a daunting total. The openers Stephen Peters and Kyle Coetzer both raised fifties in a 105-run stand, but Northamptonshire's task was made even harder by a rain delay which increased their asking rate.

The hosts were 184 for 2 when a second bout of rain forced a premature end to the game, with the hosts 70 runs short according to D/L.

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