National League, April 27

National Cricket League roundup -27 April 2003

Division 1

Gloucestershire v Worcestershire, Bristol

A half-century by Graham Hick at almost a run a ball was the highlight of a rain-interrupted affair at Bristol as Worvestershire comfortably defeated the home side by 8 wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis rule. Earlier, a return of 4-35 by Matt Mason helped to reduce Gloucestershire to 143 all out in the 44th over.

Worcestershire 98-2 (Hick 52*) beat Gloucestershire 143 (Windows 38, Mason 4-35, K Ali 2-22) by 8 wickets.


Kent v Leicestershire, Canterbury.

Kent enjoyed a comprehensive victory over Leicestershire at Canterbury. Leicestershire won the toss and asked the home side to bat, a decision they would regret almost immediately as Mark Ealham blasted his way to 41 in just 26 deliveries before he became the first of two victims for forrmer England all-rounder Phil DeFreitas. Despite the loss of two wickets with the score on 87, all the Kent batsmen made significant contributions, especially Matthew Walker who ended undefeated on 82 and featured in a century partnership for the fourth wicket with Greg Blewitt.

Chasing 255 to win, Leicestershire were in trouble from the outset as Ben Trott struck early, removing Maddy and Stevens inside the first 6 overs. A half-century partnership between Sadler and Nixon gave the visitors some hope, but this was rapidly extinguished as debutant Peter Trego bagged 4-39 as Leicestershire faded. Kent wicket keeper Geraint Jones will look back on the game with much personal satisfaction as he equalled the competition record of six catches.

Kent 254-4 (Walker 82*, Blewitt 46, Ealham 41) beat Leicestershire 200 (Ward 45, Nixon 41, Trego 4-39, Ealham 2-16) by 54 runs.


Essex v Surrey, Chelmsford

Essex won the toss and inserted the visitors, and must have thought that they were well on the way to victory as Surrey sank to 82-6. They reckoned without Azhar Mahmood and Adam Hollioake, though who added 154 for the seventh wicket in little more than an hour. When Hollioake finally went for 77, an innings which included four sixes, Mahmood continued his onslaught before being bowled by Dakin just two short of his century.

Surrey responded well with opener Jefferson hitting a rapid 47 before he became the first of three victims for Alex Tudor, but it was Saqlain Mushtaq who tipped matters the way of the visitors with 3-27, putting the brakes on the middle of the Essex innings. Ronnie Irani made a typical run-a-ball half century, but when Graham Napier was last man out, the home side were still 16 runs short of victory.

Surrey 268-8 (Mahmood 98, Hollioake 77, Napier 3-50, Dakin 3-51) beat Essex 253 (Irani 64, Jefferson 47, Foster 41, Saqlain 3-27, Tudor 3-57) by 15 runs


Warwickshire v Yorkshire, Edgbaston

Yorkshire enjoyed a comfortable victory over Warwickshire, despite the best efforts of England spinner Ashley Giles. Giles was the only home batsman to offer more than token resistance in the face of the visitors' seam attack, hitting a six and eight boundaries in his undefeated 61. Darren Gough continued his comeback after a series of knee operations, picking up two late wickets in a game reduced to 42 overs per side.

Making light of the victory target of 159, Yorkshire progressed serenely to victory with seven overs to spare courtesy of 61 from opening batsman Michael Lumb, despite the best efforts of Giles who bowled his off-breaks effectively, finishing with 2-29 from his nine over allocation.

Yorkshire 160-4 (Lumb 61, McGrath 41, Giles 2-29) beat Warwickshire 158-9 (Giles 61*, Sidebottom 2-27, Silverwood 2-27, Gough 2-31)


Division 2

Middlesex v Derbyshire, Lord's

Derbyshire were asked to bat by Middlesex, a decision which threatened to rebound on the home side as Michael di Venuto and Chris Bassano pounded half-centuries in a partnership which at one stage had the visitors nicely placed on 129-2. Enter Simon Cook and Paul Weekes, exit Derbyshire batsmen in a procession which saw the last eight wickets fall for 74 runs.

An opening partnership of 96 between Weekes and Andy Strauss gave the hosts the best possible start, and when Owais Shah chipped in with 48 before becoming the second of Tom Lungley's three victims, victory for Middlesex was a formality.

Middlesex 205-5 (Weekes 76, Shah 48, Lungley 3-47) beat Derbyshire 203 (di Venuto 61, Bassano 52, Cook 4-30, Weekes 3-45) by 5 wickets


Lancashire v Northamptonshire, Old Trafford

A showery Manchester was the venue as the Midland side comprehensively defeated the Red Rose county, but for a time the game, reduced to 37 overs a side by the inclement weather, was certainly in the balance. Northants won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision which was justified by a second-wicket partnership of 152 between Mike Hussey who finished undefeated on 84 and Phil Jacques, run out for 65 off the last ball of the innings.

Chasing 197 to win, the home side made steady progress with all the early batsmen getting in and making noteworthy contributions, but the departure of Andrew Flintoff, needlessly run out with the total on 117 signalled the pressing of the self-destruct button for Lancashire. A series of rash strokes enabled Andre Nel and Graeme Swann to whip out the last four batsmen for just 13 runs as the visitors ran out comfortable winners by a margin of 45 runs.

Northamptonshire 196-2 (Hussey 84, Jacques 65) beat Lancashire 151 (Chilton 35, Swann 3-15, Cook 2-26, Nel 2-29) by 45 runs.


Somerset v Durham, Taunton

A whirlwind century by Gary Pratt, ably supported by opener Nicky Peng as they added 164 for the third wicket helped the visitors cruise to victory in a rain-reduced game at Taunton.

Earlier, an excellent return of 4-31 by Dewald Pretorius helped to reduce Somerset to 233-9 despite the best efforts of England opener Marcus Trescothick who contributed 74 before falling to the part-time seam of Vince Wells.

Durham 215-3 (Pratt 101*, Peng 92, Andrew 2-43) beat Somerset 233-9 (Trescothick 74, Dutch 39, Pretorius 4-31, Wells 2-24) by 7 wickets.






Posted by Eddie