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Chris Tremlett has been rewarded for his role in England’s victorious Ashes campaign, with the ECB choosing to offer him an incremental contract for the remainder of the 2011 season

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2011Chris Tremlett has been rewarded for his role in England’s victorious Ashes campaign, with the ECB offering him an incremental contract for the remainder of the 2011 season.Though Tremlett missed out on selection for the forthcoming World Cup, he has played in each of England’s first three ODIs in Australia, having starred with the ball in the final three Tests of the Ashes at Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.He claimed 17 wickets at 23.35 in those matches having come into the team as a replacement for Stuart Broad, and after announcing himself with 5 for 87 in the first innings at Perth, it was he who claimed the honour of the series-sealing wicket, when he bowled Michael Beer off the inside-edge at Sydney.”The selectors are delighted with the contribution Chris has made in both forms of the game this winter,” said the national selector, Geoff Miller. “His return of 17 wickets from three Test matches in Australia was an outstanding effort and he can be very proud of the role he played in helping the team retain the Ashes.”Tremlett came into the series with a reputation for flakiness, but having impressed for Surrey following his move from Hampshire the previous winter, he was picked on the recommendation of England’s bowling coach, David Saker, who reckoned that his 6’8″ frame and economical action bore all the hallmarks of an international-standard bowler.Non-contracted players can earn an England increment contract via a points system. Five points are awarded for a Test appearance and two for a T20 or ODI appearance, with an increment contract being awarded automatically once the player reaches 20 points during the 12-month contract period.”I’m really pleased but I have to say it’s no great surprise,” said Chris Adams, Surrey’s director of cricket. “He has looked a class act in an England shirt, and he was a class act for Surrey last summer. He came to Surrey with the ambition of contributing at international level. It was a fresh start and a fresh approach, and he’s driven forward with it.”

Zimbabwe’s coach Alan Butcher thinks this World Cup had probably come four years too early for this group of players

Osman Samiuddin in Pallekele14-Mar-2011Alan Butcher gave an assessment of his side the day before the game against Pakistan. The English coach of Zimbabwe – a nice symmetry to that, with England’s coach being from Zimbabwe – appears to have an intensely straight-talking side to him. He thought this World Cup had probably come four years too early for this group of players.He was asked today, after a seven-wicket loss to Pakistan, his side’s fourth in five group games, whether his side had given a good account of themselves in this tournament. Slowly, deliberately, he came to the stark conclusion that they hadn’t. The honesty should do Zimbabwe more good than harm. The humour will be needed as well. Asked how embarrassing his side’s collapse of ten for 72 against Sri Lanka was, he replied, “Embarrassing, but not as embarrassing as 9-29.”There is something to Butcher’s assessment that this is one World Cup too soon. Clearly there is workable material within the Zimbabwe side. They may not, as he also acknowledged, become world-beaters on the level of Australia or South Africa. But they can become a side that will come to be taken with some seriousness by the opposition.The batting is a problem currently. In four out of five matches, their top has toppled to such an extent that the game has been all but over in the first 15 overs. Against Pakistan they were down to 43 for 4 within 13 overs. Batting long does not come naturally yet. “We fielded well and bowled superbly, but that can’t be said about our batting,” Elton Chigumbura, the captain whose birthday it was, said. “We have to work on it because that has been the big problem through the tournament. Besides the batting part, we’ve put up a big fight. My biggest concern is on the batting in the first 15 overs, especially against stronger teams. We have to really work on that when we get home.”The decision to bat first itself seemed a strange one. Zimbabwe have talked up their bowling through the tournament though its lack of wicket-taking incisiveness would suggest otherwise. They went nearly 80 overs against New Zealand and Sri Lanka without taking a wicket.Here, under heavy cloud with showers around, and a nervy Pakistan batting line-up susceptible to precisely such circumstances, here was a sliver of a chance. Chigumbura chose instead to make first use of the surface because, he said, it seemed a good pitch and other sides had batted first on it and flourished.Stoppages for rain didn’t help Zimbabwe, especially the one that ultimately curtailed their innings just when the last Powerplay had begun. “We lost momentum with the rain stopping and playing again,” Chigumbura said. “The way we approached the innings was to go out in our last four overs but we didn’t get that. That’s cricket.”But ultimately, the batting just wasn’t good enough. “Unfortunately [the story is] pretty much the same as the game before and the game before that,” Butcher conceded. “Everybody in the dressing room, particularly the batters, are very unhappy about the way things are. None of our players are trying to give their wickets away, they are all working hard and trying to improve but things are not going their way going well for 80% of our batting unit.”That happens sometimes in any team, the only thing we can do is to keep practicing, try identifying areas players need to improve and devise ways for that to happen. There’s no magic formula. We have to keep going. You can tell by the way we fielded and the way spinners battled against the conditions, gripping the ball, there is no lack of spirit in the side. We just have to keep working.”The focus may now switch to Chigumbura’s captaincy. He doesn’t believe it has particularly affected his form, but he’s only made 58 runs in five games in the tournament. “I haven’t performed the way I wanted, but maybe it’s one of those times when you just go out of form. Unfortunately it came when I was the captain but obviously I am working hard to get into form but at the end of the day it is not my decision, it’ the board’s.”

England seamer Graham Onions, out of action since January last year with a serious back injury, celebrated his return to first class cricket with 5 for 53 as Yorkshire were dispatched for 147 by Durham

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-2011Stumps
Scorecard
Graham Onions took 5 for 53 to give Durham control on his comeback from injury•PA Photos

England seamer Graham Onions, out of action since January last year with a serious back injury, celebrated his return to first class cricket with 5 for 53 as Yorkshire were dispatched for 147 by Durham on the second day of their County Championship clash at Headingley Carnegie.Yorkshire trailed by 178 after the first innings, but the visitors declined to enforce the follow-on after tea and were 64 for 3 with an overall lead of 242 when bad light ended play. It was the first time that Onions has taken five or more wickets in an innings since his 7 for 38 against Warwickshire in June 2009, and the fourth occasion on which he has bagged five or more against Yorkshire.Onions was also well supported by his opening partner, Callum Thorp, who claimed three for 33, while Ian Blackwell got plenty of turn from the pitch and gave away just 12 runs in 18 overs during which he dismissed Adil Rashid with a classic left-armer’s delivery.Yorkshire lost their last eight wickets for 49 runs in 31 overs and only 20-year-old opener, Joe Root, in his first home Championship appearance, showed any sort of form, making 45 off 103 balls with five boundaries before being fifth out at 113.Resuming on 326 for 9, Durham had added only a single by the time last man, Onions, holed out to Andrew Gale at mid-off to give Ryan Sidebottom 4 for 72 and leave Liam Plunkett unbeaten on 66 from 123 deliveries with eight fours.Yorkshire could hardly have made a worse start to their reply as Adam Lyth pulled Onions’ second-ball loosener straight into the hands of Ben Stokes at square leg and Root and Anthony McGrath were given a difficult time by Onions and Thorp, despite Onions sending down several no-balls before dropping into the right rhythm.Just when the pair appeared to be getting on top, McGrath shouldered arms to Thorp and was lbw for 15, but Root and skipper Gale prevented any further early damage to take Yorkshire in to lunch on 93 for 2.Soon after the interval, however, Gale attempted to blast Onions over long-on and top-edged a simple catch to Blackwell. From that moment on, Yorkshire were completely outplayed and there was never any sign of a recovery, with Gerard Brophy, coming in at No. 6 and surviving 74 balls for 19 with just one boundary before being left high and dry.Jonny Bairstow fell lbw to Onions without scoring and the bowler made it three wickets for six runs in 11 deliveries by having Root splendidly caught one-handed by wicketkeeper Michael Richardson flinging himself to his right.The carnage continued as Rashid edged Blackwell to Michael Di Venuto at slip to be followed back in the next over by Richard Pyrah who was lbw to Thorp off the first ball he had faced. Sidebottom was bowled by Thorp and Steve Patterson could not avoid gloving a snorter from Onions to Richardson, with last man Moin Ashraf then holding out gamely until playing Scott Borthwick off bat and pad into the hands of Stokes.There was slight consolation for Yorkshire when Durham lost both openers in consecutive overs, Di Venuto edging Sidebottom to first slip where Pyrah plucked up a neat catch and Will Smith falling lbw to Ashraf. In worsening light, Stokes edged Patterson into his stumps to make it 57 for 3, but seven runs later the light became too bad to continue and the day’s last 10.1 overs were lost.

Half-centuries from both Guyana openers ensured a draw against the Pakistanis

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2011
ScorecardHalf-centuries from Trevon Griffith and Shemroy Barrington, and solid contributions from Narsingh Deonarine and Shivnarine Chanderpaul ensured Guyana’s two-day game against the Pakistanis in Georgetown petered out into a draw. Openers Griffith and Barrington made sure the Pakistani bowlers would have to earn their stripes as they added 77 together. Barrington, who eventually fell leg-before to Saeed Ajmal, was the top scorer with 58, while Griffith made 55.Chanderpaul, who was named in the squad for the first Test, and Deonarine backed up the openers with 44 and 40 respectively. Five bowlers picked up wickets, with only Umar Gul missing out. Ajmal was the most successful, with figures of 2 for 41 from 15 overs.

Glamorgan Dragons opened their Friends Life t20 campaign with a comprehensive victory over Middlesex Panthers in Cardiff

03-Jun-2011
ScorecardGlamorgan Dragons opened their Friends Life t20 campaign with a comprehensive victory over Middlesex Panthers in Cardiff but not before the match was thrown into disarray by floodlight failure.The Dragons won the toss and proceeded to score 199 for 4 – their highest ever t20 score at the ground – with skipper Alviro Petersen leading the way with 72 from 48 balls. In reply the Panthers made a good start but lost wickets at regular intervals to reach 121 for 6 after 14.5 overs when three of the four floodlights went out.After a delay of nearly 40 minutes, the players and umpires – Nigel Cowley and John Steele – appeared to have shaken hands. But the floodlights came back on and play resumed at 10.40pm with the Panthers requiring another 62 for victory from 3.1 overs.They only managed 16 of them as they were bowled out for 137 handing Glamorgan the victory by 45 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis Method.The Dragons got off to a solid start in front of a crowd of around 5,000 as opening pair Mark Cosgrove and Alviro Petersen putting on 63 for the opening wicket in 7.1 overs. The Panthers hit back when offspinner Paul Stirling had Cosgrove stumped from his first ball.But despite the loss of Cosgrove, Petersen and Jim Allenby kept the scoring rate up. Petersen struck his first T20 half-century for Glamorgan from 37 balls and with Allenby put on 82 from 55 balls before the latter holed out to long-off.Petersen also holed out to cover in the next over, but the big hitting continued apace with Chris Cooke, a 25-year-old debutant, striking three straight sixes off Steven Crook as 23 came off the penultimate over.Glamorgan then gambled by giving offspinner Robert Croft the opening over, but it failed to come off as the veteran was struck for 16 – Stirling plundering 15 of them. But Stirling went for one big shot too many and was caught at mid-on by Allenby attempting to clear the rope.The Panthers continued to keep up with the asking rate and had reached 60-0 after six overs, but the Dragons hit back with a brilliant one-handed catch by Croft removing Scott Newman (23).That set the tone for Glamorgan as the home side took wickets at regular intervals and Middlesex slipped from 87 for 3 to 116 for 6. The sixth wicket saw Graham Wagg take a brilliant catch at long-on to send Glamorgan towards the win before the floodlights went out.On their return from the light failure, Wagg and Alex Jones took two wickets each to complete a comprehensive win.

South Africa seamer Charl Langeveldt has been signed up by Kent County Cricket Club (KCCC) for the Friends Life t20 tournament that begins on June 1

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-2011South Africa seamer Charl Langeveldt has been signed up by Kent County Cricket Club for the Friends Life t20 tournament that gets underway on June 1. Langeveldt is expected to arrive in time for Kent’s opening game against Somerset at Tunbridge Wells on June 3.He has been on the fringes of the strong South African seam attack since his debut in 2001, and has played 72 ODIs and six Tests, in addition to nine Twenty20 internationals. He has had recent Twenty20 experience, having played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise that reached the final of IPL 2011. Langeveldt got to play only three matches in the IPL, and picked up five wickets.”I am delighted that Charl will be playing for Kent,” Paul Farbrace, Kent’s director of cricket said. “His considerable experience in Twenty20 will give us a boost, and we look forward to welcoming him into the team.”Langeveldt said he was looking forward to his time with Kent, and the opportunity to play in the tournament.

Australia edged home off the last ball to complete a nail-biting three-wicket win against India in Chesterfield

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2011
ScorecardShelley Nitschke anchored Australia’s successful chase with 78 from 100 balls•Getty Images

Australia Women edged home off the last ball to complete a nail-biting three-wicket win against India Women in Chesterfield. The victory was crafted on two fine all-round performances from Shelley Nitschke and Sarah Coyte, who helped Australia overcome a tenacious India side.Set 216 for victory, Australia were given an excellent platform from Nitschke who made 78 from 100 balls. All the top order contributed, though, with Meg Lanning adding 23 before she was run out, Leah Poulton 34 and Alex Blackwell 23.While coasting on 121 for 1 the game looked set to be an easy win for Australia, but four wickets fell for 47 runs to drag India back into contention. When Gouher Sultana had Lisa Sthalekar trapped in front for 6 Australia were 168 for 5 and wobbling. But a calm 11 from 22 balls from captain Jodie Fields steadied things, before Coyte helped Australia over the line with an unbeaten 17 from 19 balls.It meant no reward for India who would have been frustrated to end up all out for 215, having been 163 for 3 at one stage. Poonam Raut made a stodgy 60 from 106 balls, sharing a 75-run partnership with Mithali Raj, who made a brisk 49 from 61 deliveries. The only other sizeable contribution came from Harmanpreet Kaur, who made 31.Coyte and Nitschke took three wickets each, with fast-bowler Clea Smith also chipping in with 2 for 32 from her 10 overs.

Derbyshire edged the second day of their County Championship match against
Northamptonshire at Wantage Road despite Rob Newton falling just short of a
century

George Dobell at Wantage Road21-Jul-2011
ScorecardRob Newton could have been forgiven for feeling some frustration of late. After capping an impressive first season with a maiden Championship century against Leicestershire in the final game of last year, he might well have expected a prolonged run in the side at the start of this campaign.Instead he has had to wait until now for his opportunity. The 21-year-old has been forced to bide his time as Northants have put their trust in the experienced middle-order trio of Mal Loye, David Sales and Rob White. Indeed, had Sales or Alex Wakely been fit for this match, Newton may well have missed out once again.As it is, however, Newton has seized his chance with both hands. Demonstrating a naturally positive approach, he dominated the Derbyshire attack with some style and fell just six short of what would have been a second century in successive Championship games.It was an impressive innings. Newton thumped 18 fours – that’s 72 of his 94 runs – as he took full toll of some loose Derbyshire bowling. His cutting was especially impressive, but he also drove and pulled with proficiency. He’ll prove hard to leave out now.Stephen Peters was the only other Northants batsman to look comfortable for any period of time. Though he adopted a more watchful approach than Newton, Peters leaned into some typically elegant drives and helped his partner add 139 in 34.3 overs for the third-wicket.For much of the afternoon session, Derbyshire’s bowlers lacked the discipline to apply the requisite pressure. Though the immaculate Tony Palladino produced a fine ball for White, well caught by Luke Sutton as he edged one he had to play, and Ben Howgego steered obligingly to the keeper – a shot that left the batsman with his head in his hands – there was too much loose bowling to trouble Newton or Peters.Jon Clare stuggled with his length, Ross Whiteley was wild and Mark Turner, in his early spell, was all over the place allowing Newton, in particular, to put the poor balls away with ease. On a pitch that provides just a hint of uneven bounce, Derbyshire may yet come to rue their profligacy.They still hold the upper hand, however. Peters fell, very well caught at short-leg, as he tried to turn an off-break behind square, before Newton’s fine innings ended when he edged a full ball that may have left him slightly.More importantly, Derbyshire produced a much improved performance after tea. Turner emerged almost unrecognisable, bowling not just with pace but with excellent control and consistency, too. Those are words that may surprise followers of Durham or Somerset, Turner’s previous two clubs, but he showed in his post-tea spell why he has always been seen as a bowler of some potential.Loye, who looked horribly out of touch as he laboured over 50 balls for his six runs, was put out of his misery as Turner induced a tentative edge to the slips, before Andrew Hall missed a straight one and was leg before.Earlier Palladino and Groenewald extended their overnight partnership to 78; a Derbyshire record in first-class matches against Northants. Palladino, launching into a series of crunching straight drives, recorded the third half-century of his first-class career and his first for his new club but, more importantly, the pair helped their side to a fourth batting bonus point and a strong platform in a game that could go a long way towards earning them promotion. Derbyshire’s final total – 364 – represented a fine recovery from the depths of 39 for 5 the previous morning.

Scott Newman hit 75, his highest score in the County Championship this
season, and Chris Rogers made 67 on a rain-shortened day at Lord’s

11-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Scott Newman hit 75, his highest score in the County Championship this
season, and Chris Rogers made 67 on a rain-shortened day at Lord’s.However, Chaminda Vaas kept Division Two leaders Northamptonshire in the game
against Middlesex – their closest challengers. Newman and Rogers put on 101 runs in 24 overs after Middlesex, who began the game five points behind Northamptonshire with a game in hand, had been put into bat. However Vaas took three wickets in two overs and they closed on 198 for 6.Rain had delayed the start until after lunch and held up play again in the
afternoon but Newman made light of the conditions. The hosts lost Sam Robson early, caught behind down the leg side off Luke Evans – making his first championship appearance of the season in place of the injured Jack Brooks.Newman, who had made only one championship half-century this summer, had made
75 off 115 balls with 11 fours and a six when he called for a sharp single to
extra cover and was run out by Alex Wakeley’s direct hit.It was a breakthrough that Northamptonshire captain Andrew Hall, who saw Newman
dropped at second slip on 61, badly needed and he was a much happier man when
Vaas followed it up with a telling spell.The Sri Lankan, who once played for Middlesex, claimed Dawid Malan leg before
wicket pushing forward and then had Neil Dexter and Jamie Dalrymple caught
behind by wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien off successive balls.The game had been turned on its head and Hall’s decision to field first was
vindicated when Rogers chopped the ball into his stumps trying to cut.

A stubborn, unbeaten four-hour innings of 76 from Derbyshire opener Paul Borrington held up Surrey’s promotion ambitions

13-Sep-2011
Scorecard
A stubborn, unbeaten four-hour innings of 76 from Derbyshire opener Paul Borrington held up Surrey’s promotion ambitions on the second day of their County Championship Division Two match at the Kia Oval.Derbyshire had tumbled to 28 for 4 and then 62 for 5, in reply to Surrey’s big first-innings total of 468, before Borrington led some sort of a revival to 177 for 7 by the close. Surrey, though, were in a strong position to go on to win.It was a fine effort by the 23-year-old against some challenging Surrey bowling, with Tim Linley’s three new-ball wickets taking his season’s tally to 73, Stuart Meaker producing high pace, and the spin pair of Pragyan Ojha and Gareth Batty both extracting significant turn from a dry surface.Derbyshire captain Luke Sutton also played his part in his side’s recovery, with a determined 32 in a partnership of 90 after Ross Whiteley had initially helped Borrington to add 34 for the fifth wicket while swinging Indian slow left-armer Ojha for six and a one-bounce four to the leg-side boundary.Surrey began the day on 400 for 8, and Meaker took his overnight 17 to an unbeaten 55 as he and Linley stretched their ninth-wicket partnership to a more-then-useful 73. Meaker hit 10 fours in a fine innings that ensured the home side would put a potentially match-winning first-innings score on the board.Having achieved the maximum five batting bonus points on the first day, Surrey soon knew from events elsewhere that victory in this game – with their couple of bowling bonus points – would assure them of promotion to Division One.The first bowling bonus point took them less than eight overs to secure, with Derbyshire left tottering at 17 for three at lunch after Linley had removed Matt Lineker and Wayne Madsen and Ojha had turned his third ball to have Wes Durston caught at slip in the final over of the opening session.Dan Redfern was the fourth Derbyshire scalp, leg before to an inswinger from Linley as the Surrey attack looked like it was going to make short work of their opponents. But, after Whiteley was removed by a Meaker thunderbolt, edging to keeper Steve Davies, Surrey were frustrated as Borrington and Sutton first dug in and, slowly, grew in confidence despite being beaten every so often by Ojha’s flight and turn.In the closing overs, however, Surrey tightened their grip on the game again when Sutton edged a drive at Chris Jordan and was caught at the wicket and Jon Clare, after some meaty blows, fell leg-before for 21 to Ojha as he propped forward, to give the bowler late reward for his hard toil.