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A dazzling century by Simon Katich helped power promotion-chasing Lancashire to the brink of a first-innings lead against Worcestershire

23-Aug-2013
ScorecardSimon Katich went past 1,000 Championship runs in the season•PA Photos

A dazzling century by Simon Katich helped power promotion-chasing Lancashire to the brink of a first-innings lead against Worcestershire. Katich, who celebrated his 38th birthday on Wednesday, smacked an undefeated 104 off 89 balls.He was in deadly form and plundered his century between lunch and tea, on his way to completing 1,000 Championship runs in a season in which he has now notched four Division Two tons. He narrowly missed out on three figures in Lancashire’s opening match of the campaign, when he hit 84 off the Worcestershire attack in a rain-hit draw at Old Trafford.This time he made certain of reaching the milestone before play was called off for the day eight balls after tea because of poor light and drizzle.Lancashire lost nightwatchman Glen Chapple, who played out one scoreless over before stumps yesterday, to the fourth ball of the morning when he fell victim to a leg-side catch by wicketkeeper Ben Cox off paceman Graeme Cessford.Chapple’s quick-fire dismissal set the scene for a 77-run partnership in 21 overs between Reece and Paul Horton, who took 21 balls to get off the mark. He went on to make 30 before being well caught low down by diving Alan Richardson at backward-square leg off spinner Moeen Ali’s final delivery of his first over.Reece, joined by Prince, completed his half century off 84 balls with 10 fours before Lancashire went in for lunch at 110 for 2 off 33 overs. But Reece, the 23 year-old left-hander, departed in the first over after the interval when paceman Alan Richardson had him caught in the slips by Moeen for 59 – his third half-century in his last three Championship innings.His removal left Prince and Katich with the task of building Lancashire’s total, which they successfully achieved with a partnership that quickly gathered momentum. Prince reached his 50 with eight fours off 85 balls while the next delivery by Moeen was hammered for six by Katich to bring up his 50 off 55 balls. It was his second maximum to go with eight fours.Their combined efforts blossomed into a stand worth 92 in 20 overs before they were broken up by Cessford, who had Prince smartly caught at short cover by Thilan Samaraweera for 52.Katich, who smashed 24 off one Joe Leach over, had piled up four sixes and 14 fours by the time Lancashire, who lost Andrea Agathangelou to Richardson for 14, went in to tea on 268 for 5 off 64.4 overs.

Shamsur Rahman has chosen the biggest stage in Bangladesh’s domestic cricket to re-launch his bid for a place in the senior side

Mohammad Isam 23-Sep-2013Shamsur Rahman has chosen the biggest stage in Bangladesh’s domestic cricket to re-launch his bid for a place in the senior side. His unbeaten century in the Dhaka derby tilted the result towards Mohammedan Sporting Club who beat Abahani by two wickets. The innings came at a time when the national selectors are looking at more top-order options ahead of a crucial series against New Zealand next month, and for the remainder of the 2013-14 home season.After the match-winning innings which also helped Mohammedan become the only side in the league to complete three wins out of three, Shamsur remained cautious of his chances ahead. He emphasised on his better fitness, which has been questioned lately.”Definitely the innings is one of the best in my career,” Shamsur said. “But I am not looking very far, as far as the national team is concerned. There are many matches for the national team ahead and I am sure that I will get my opportunity.”I think I am extremely fit because of the fitness training camp for the national members. The hard work is surely paying off. But along with that I also worked with my batting as I failed to capitalise the fifties into big score.”It was also comeback innings of sorts for Shamsur, who had run into poor form in the last few months. After a productive BPL 2013 where he averaged 42.10, scored six fifties and was second-highest Bangladeshi scorer, Shamsur’s tour with Bangladesh A wasn’t up to the mark. He batted at 27.71 in seven matches, with two fifties.Bangladesh will go into the New Zealand series with empty spots in the top-order, particularly No 3, after Mohammad Ashraful’s suspension. Shamsur has however opened the innings in the three Twenty20s he has played for the country so far. Jahurul Islam and Anamul Haque are incumbents in the job but Shamsur’s claim has become stronger after Sunday’s knock.Anamul missed the Zimbabwe tour in May, Bangladesh’s last assignment, due to college exams, but the young batsman is expected to take up the position against New Zealand in the limited overs matches. Jahurul looked compact in Sri Lanka, but he made only 91 runs in four innings in Zimbabwe. He is also without a Test half-century and will be under pressure to keep his place in the upcoming Test series. Shahriar Nafees and Junaid Siddique have played both as an opener and No 3, and batting positions are likely to give the selectors some headache.What would help Shamsur is his matured approach in this high-pressure contest, at least locally, where the battle of prestige takes precedence over everything else. He was batting at No 4, a position he is not too familiar with in any form of the game. And despite being overshadowed by Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mohammad Nabi during partnerships, it was his cool exterior that held Abahani at bay.”It was extremely pleasing to score runs in the biggest match of the competition. In the first half, the ball was coming a bit slowly but the wicket became flat in the second innings. I believed that if only I could bat till the end we would come as victorious,” he said.Mohammedan captain Mashrafe Mortaza praised Shamsur, particularly mentioning the two crucial partnerships after they lost two early wickets. “It was an unbelievable innings from [Shamsur Rahman] Shuvo. It was very important that he finishes the game while at the crease. He was supported by Dilshan and Nabi, who made up for a top-order failure. I thought it was a good chase,” he said.Shamsur is likely to feature in the three-day practice match against New Zealand early next month, and despite his caution, it will be a spot in the Bangladesh team that he will keep his eye on later this season.

Azhar Ali, the Pakistan captain, has said his team lost grip of the third and final ODI when he and Haris Sohail got out during the batting Powerplay

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur22-Apr-2015Azhar Ali, the Pakistan captain, has said his team lost grip of the third and final ODI when he and Haris Sohail got out during the batting Powerplay. But he conceded that Bangladesh played the better cricket blank out Pakistan in the three-match series.”We were going quite nicely till the 40th over when Sohail got out,” Azhar said. “We lost the momentum of the innings which I think was the turning point. We should have scored nearly 300 or more. I think the last 12 overs were very disappointing. We didn’t make runs, and lost eight wickets.””Before the series started, we knew Bangladesh were an improved side. They did well in the World Cup. They were doing very well in their home soil, gave tough time to the opposition. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. As Pakistan team, we didn’t play enough good cricket.”Azhar had reached his maiden ODI century in the 38th over, becoming the first Pakistan captain since Shahid Afridi in 2010 to score a hundred. In the next over, however, he got out trying to cut Shakib Al Hasan. This broke a 98-run third-wicket partnership, a stand that had given the visitors a chance to make their first big score of the series. But soon after Azhar got out, Sohail hoicked across the line and was easily caught by Mushfiqur Rahim. He made 52 off 58 balls with a four and two sixes, but his exit opened the gate for Bangladesh.Azhar, who was made captain in place of Misbah-ul-Haq after the latter had exited following a four-year stint as captain, said that he didn’t feel much joy getting to the hundred as they ultimately lost the game. He took the responsibility for the loss, saying that the coaching staff can only tell them what to do.”Personal performance is not that much enjoyable when you don’t win, ” he said. “I am really disappointed that my innings couldn’t make my team win. As a captain I feel responsible for not performing. You would be told how to play but you have to apply it in the middle. We will have to take responsibilities for the performance.”Azhar defended Mohammad Hafeez, who made eight runs in the three matches, before adding that Sarfraz Ahmed and Saeed Ajmal were not dropped but rested. “Hafeez couldn’t perform as a batsman. He didn’t make runs. He has been playing well in the last few years. Everyone can have a bad series, it was just one of those series,” he said.”They (Sarfraz and Ajmal) were rested, not dropped,” he said. “We had already lost the series. We went to the field to win. Sarfraz is the vice-captain but we decided together that we should give Sami Aslam a chance. He played quite well. Saeed was also rested. It had nothing to do with his performance.”Once again, he asked for time for the team to gel together and perform as a unit. “This is a totally new combination from the one that played at the World Cup,” Azhar said. “They played together for a few years. After every World Cup there are few changes. It is difficult but we have to keep our heads up. We have to put everything in the right place. We know we got the talent, but we need to get things together.”

Sri Lanka Women added Udeshika Prabodhani and Hasini Perera in their 14-member squad for the Twenty20 series against West Indies Women

ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-2015Sri Lanka Women added Udeshika Prabodhani and Hasini Perera in their 14-member squad for the Twenty20 series against West Indies Women. The two replaced Prasadani Weerakkody and Sanduni Abeywickrema from the squad that lost the ODI series against West Indies.Chamari Atapattu, who was ruled out of the first two ODIs due to a hand injury, will continue to lead the team for the three-match series beginning on May 23.Atapattu returned to lead the one-day team in the final two ODIs – after injuring her right hand during a gym session which required
16 stitches – both of which West Indies won. She scored 27 runs in two innings.Sri Lanka lost the ODI series 1-3, their only success coming in the second ODI which they won by six wickets.Squad: Chamari Attapattu (capt), Yasoda Mendis, Dilani Manodara, Shashikala Siriwardene, Eshani Lokusuriyage (vc), Sripali Weerakkody, Nipuni Hansika, Ama Kanchana, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Hasini Perera, Maduri Samuddhika, Chathurani Gunawardene

Half-centuries from Irfan Karim, Rakep Patel and Shem Ngoche, followed by a five-wicket haul from the offspinner James Ngoche powered Kenya to a 65-run victory against UAE at the Rose Bowl

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Rakep Patel slammed five fours and two sixes during his unbeaten 39-ball 59•ICC

Half-centuries from Irfan Karim, Rakep Patel and Shem Ngoche, followed by a five-wicket haul from the offspinner James Ngoche powered Kenya to a 65-run victory against UAE at the Rose Bowl.Kenya, after being inserted, lost three wickets inside 15 overs, but Karim and Nelson Odhiambo steadied the innings with a 70-run stand for the fourth wicket. Karim eventually fell for 67 in the 38th over, but Parthiv and Shem counterattacked, sharing an unbroken 121-run partnership off just 67 deliveries. Rakep hit five fours and two sixes during his 39-ball 59, while Shem’s 36-ball 56 featured four fours and sixes each, helping the team to a competitive 270 for 4.UAE never really got going in their chase, as early blows from Lucas Oluoch, Nelson and Shem had them tottering at 83 for 5. Shaiman Anwar was the only top-order batsman to put up a fight, stroking a 45-ball 43, and his dismissal in the 29th over once again deflated UAE. Mohammad Tauqir, UAE’s captain and No.9, launched a few late hits, including 18 off an over from Elijah Otieno, but his 54-run blitz only served to reduce the margin of defeat. James collected 5 for 26 to run through the middle and lower order, as Kenya bundled UAE out for 205 inside 45 overs.

Former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones has announced that he will retire from all cricket at the end of the English summer and has stood down as Gloucestershire captain with immediate effect.

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2015Former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones has announced that he will retire from cricket at the end of the English summer and has stood down as Gloucestershire captain with immediate effect.The 38-year-old, who played 34 Tests for England and was part of the side that won the 2005 Ashes, will remain available for his county in all formats for the remainder of the season but was not named in the squad to face Northamptonshire in the Championship at Cheltenham from Wednesday.”It’s been something I’ve been thinking about quite strongly in the last few weeks,” Jones said, “and I’ve come to the decision that this season will be my last as a cricket player. But it’s on a positive note that I’ve made the decision. Yes the family side has been a big consideration but ultimately it’s about what’s best for Gloucestershire cricket and this squad.”Over the last few weeks I felt there were guys who needed an opportunity and my place in the team was potentially that opportunity. I still want to play a big role in helping the team on and off the field but now is a chance for them to start to formulate the best way forward for this group of players and for Gloucestershire cricket.”Jones made his final Test match appearance for England on the Ashes tour of 2006-07 but has represented Papua New Guinea, the country of his birth, in recent years.Jones signed a two-year deal in October 2014 when joining Gloucestershire from his county of 13 years, Kent. He was named captain of the four-day side, with Michael Klinger absent for the start of the season, and has led in every Championship fixture so far, scoring 400 runs at an average of 26.67.He has also has kept wicket in place of Gareth Roderick in recent weeks. Jones said Roderick’s return from injury was a motivating factor in stepping down from the captaincy.”With him coming back into the side it would have meant someone like Ian Cockbain missing out,” Jones said. “He’s been in and out of the side over the last few years and what was nagging away was that given the security of his place what could he be capable of? We all know what a good player he is in one-day cricket. It also gives the coaches a chance to work out where best to bat these guys and start planning for the future.”Gloucestershire head coach, Richard Dawson, said: “I respect Geraint’s decision and the reasons behind it. He has had a fantastic career and still has a big role to play in the development of the team going forward.”

Alviro Petersen and Ashwell Prince took huge advantage of another pitch at Colwyn Bay to drive bowlers to distraction

Paul Edwards at Colwyn Bay19-Jul-2015
ScorecardAlviro Petersen shared a 321 stand with fellow South African Ashwell Prince•Getty Images

One rather doubts that the songs of George Formby feature prominently in Lancashire’s post-match victory celebrations; judging from what can be heard near the dressing room: a strident beat recognisable from rugby league matches and the repetition of the county’s name does the job perfectly well. Still, there were times on the first afternoon of this game when it seemed that Alviro Petersen and Ashwell Prince could play Glamorgan’s bowling with “little sticks of Colwyn rock”.By the close, Petersen and Prince’s unbroken third-wicket stand of 321 had steered Lancashire to 425 for 2, a score which already puts the Division Two leaders in a virtually impregnable position. They had inflicted suffering on the grand scale, destructive almost as soon as they began their partnership and they wreaked progressively more havoc as the afternoon drifted into the evening. In the final session 192 runs were scored off 32 overs.The Port Elizabethan pair’s demolition of Glamorgan’s seven-man attack was appreciated by all the 2200 spectators and it gave partisan pleasure to at least half the crowd. While this may be Glamorgan’s home game, the delightful Penrhyn Avenue ground is only an hour and a half’s drive from Formby’s birthplace in Wigan; it is far easier to get to for most local Lancashire supporters than it is for the Glamorgan followers living in the valleys, where some rather different singing goes on.The red rose was, therefore, as well represented as the daffodil in the throngs enjoying their burgers and pints on the popular side. There were plenty of Lancastrians, too, on the attractively-tiered green slope. Indeed, some might argue that this outground is the envy of millions of people in the Western economies at the moment: they have a bank which is conveniently situated and it makes them money.They may have applauded even more loudly had their team been steered to prosperity by two batsmen whose development had taken place in Lancashire but they are also aware that they lead Glamorgan by 47 points, albeit having played a game more. Should Lancashire win here, promotion will soon be a matter of quite simple arithmetic.The truth, however, is that neither side should lose this game, for it is being played on a wicket as flat as the most avaricious batsman could desire. Add to that, short boundaries and a fast outfield and you have the sort of conditions ripe for plunder and record-breaking.Neither Petersen nor Prince passed up the opportunity to boost their already healthy averages. One therefore had to be careful not to be sucked into a swamp of statistics by the sort of cricket that sends Opta men into numbers nirvana; much better, surely, to select the most significant records that were broken.Let it be noted, therefore that when Prince and Petersen returned to a standing ovation from the members in the pavilion at close of play, their stand was already a third-wicket record for matches between these sides. The pair had set a comparable record when they put on 258 against Derbyshire at Southport in May but their partnership is also now the second highest third-wicket stand in Lancashire’s history. Only Michael Atherton and Neil Fairbrother’s 364-run partnership against Surrey in 1990 lies ahead of them.The stroke-making of both players was close to faultless. They performed with the confidence of batsmen who had absolute trust in the surface on which they were playing. One lost count of the times Prince crunched the ball through midwicket or the occasions on which Petersen drove relatively blameless bowlers through the covers. Boundaries, rather than wickets, came in clumps but by the end of the day, the pair were not sated. There could have few more ominous sights for Glamorgan’s bowlers than seeing Petersen pat back Dean Cosker’s final over.Petersen will resume tomorrow on 205 which is only five short of his career-best first-class score; he has already hit 27 fours and a straight six off Cosker which landed in the gardens of one of Penrhyn Avenue’s russet-roofed houses. Three Lancashire players were sent to look for the ball for there was little prospect of them having anything else to do.By contrast, Paul Horton’s part in the day was long completed by the time Petersen and Prince came together. The Lancashire opener was trapped leg before in the seventh over by a ball from Michael Hogan which perhaps kept a little low. Horton took his leave with a reproachful glance at the pitch although he had probably changed his opinion by the end of the day.The rest of the morning was taken up with Karl Brown batting as felicitously as anyone to make his sixth fifty in seven Championship innings. Timing the new ball with seemingly little effort, Brown batted with grace and style but then frustrated his supporters when he was bowled when playing across a straight ball from David Lloyd. Some thought that a Brown century was going to be the main course at Colwyn Bay; instead it was merely the amuse bouche.As for Glamorgan’s bowlers, they did their best on a surface they must have come to loathe. In the 85th over Hogan was driven three times in succession to the extra-cover boundary by Preince; a few minutes later Petersen hit Lloyd for six fours in seven balls.”Come on Glammy, give us a wicket!” some yelled but it was a voice crying in the wilderness. By that stage Jacques Rudolph’s bowlers could have been forgiven for reckoning that they would have been better employed following George Formby’s example and cleaning a few windows instead of playing this wretched game.

Alastair Cook has revealed that he had considered whether to give up the captaincy after the Ashes but said England’s victory at Trent Bridge, which saw them regain the urn, helped make up his mind to continue

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Aug-20151:07

‘Young players want to play under Cook’ – Collingwood

Alastair Cook has revealed that he had considered whether to give up the captaincy after the Ashes but said England’s victory at Trent Bridge, which saw them regain the urn, helped make up his mind to continue.Cook took charge of the Test side in 2012 and has had to weather regular criticism in the role. That intensified after England were whitewashed in Australia in 2013-14, a defeat that led to the break up of the side, and Cook came close to quitting last summer only for his wife, Alice, to persuade him not to.He was removed from the captaincy of the one-day team ahead of the World Cup but, amid several changes to the England management, Cook has emerged from a difficult period with his position as Test leader, in charge of a young side, strengthened.”I pretty much decided last Sunday,” Cook said in an interview with the . “I woke up and immediately started thinking about trying to win the Ashes 4-1 and then about what we will have to do to win against Pakistan. It came quickly to me to start planning ahead and that told me that I probably wanted to carry on a bit longer.”It absolutely has been on my mind. At the start of this summer I didn’t know what was going to happen and I wasn’t sure if I would continue beyond the Ashes. But while you’ve still got the opportunity to be England captain and you’ve still got more to give, which I now feel I have, then you need to carry on and give it your all.”After Ashes defeat in Australia and the sacking of Kevin Pietersen – an episode which Cook said had “dragged English cricket through some bad periods” – England were beaten at home by Sri Lanka but then came from behind to win the Test series with India 3-1. Although draws in the West Indies and at home to New Zealand followed, Cook has been able to savour victory over Australia, achieved with a Test to spare despite the tourists arriving as heavy favourites.His partnership with new head coach Trevor Bayliss has begun on a positive footing and Cook is unlikely to be short of support from Andrew Strauss, England’s director of cricket and his former opening partner. He is now looking ahead to challenges in the UAE against Pakistan and a tour of South Africa, currently ranked the No. 1 side in Tests.”It’s such an honour to lead England and the moment you know you haven’t got any more to give is the moment to stop doing it,” Cook said. “That usually comes at a tough time when you think, ‘I can’t force myself to go through this again’. I’d love to go out on a high but I kind of knew pretty quickly after the end of the game at Trent Bridge that I still have that drive to take this team forward.”I haven’t spoken to Andrew Strauss yet and I don’t want to look too far ahead, the one-day stuff has taught me that, but as long as they still want me, and as long as Trevor Bayliss doesn’t have other ideas, I’ll carry on.”

Jason Roy, fresh from putting pen to paper on a three-year deal, marked Surrey’s second division title with 77 from 35 balls

Vithushan Ehantharajah at the Kia Oval25-Sep-2015
ScorecardSam and Tom Curran pose with the Division Two trophy•Getty Images

Eight overs into Surrey’s second innings, with the score on 58 for 3, the home side chasing 215 from 33 overs, Essex and Lancashire shook hands on a draw at Chelmsford. At that moment, Surrey became Division Two champions. Jason Roy, fresh from putting pen to paper on a three-year deal, marked the occasion with three towering sixes from the next six balls.It was left to Roy to see things off in style. Entry into the Kia Oval was free from 2pm and many had taken the opportunity to come through the gates. Bring the champers – Roy’s got the fireworks covered.He would fall for 77 off 35 balls which housed 12 boundaries – eight of them sixes. Two went into the Pavilion, three went towards the die-hards at midwicket in the Peter May Stand, three into the off-side and one over cover which will stay in the mind until age and nature take its course. Handshakes came in the 16th over and the celebrations began. Surrey were back in Division One.Those in the stands flocked onto the outfield to get the best places for the trophy presentation. Some of the members went to higher ground when that crowd became five deep. All cheered when corks were popped, then mobbed when the formalities went out of the window. Kumar Sangakkara obliged every selfie – Gary Wilson wore every “congrats Wils” pat on the back. Even Arun Harinath, who featured in only eight matches this season, had his name sung as the season neared its conclusion. That he was one of eight batsmen to register centuries this season spoke of an inclusiveness and a sharing of duty that has lacked from that Surrey dressing room in the past. On Freddie van den Bergh, an impressive left-arm spinner who has played no part in the Championship this season, skipper Gareth Batty identified him as the player that would finish his career.”Every single person in that room can be really proud of themselves,” he said, soaked in champagne while nursing a beer. “For the next six months they can look at themselves in the mirror and say, ‘I did what I had to do last summer’.””That was something that we set out for at the start. Modern sport is not just about 11 blokes, particularly cricket. Even if you’re not in the team or the squad the whole time, you have an equal share how we carry ourselves, how we move forward. To a man, every single one of them has grabbed hold of that. Every single person up there can be really proud of themselves.”For a young-ish group, we’ve started off in the right manner. The longevity is there – these guys can be here for a long period of time. We might need to get a few more trophy cabinets built in the coming years.””It’s a long season and it gives me great pleasure that we sit on the top of the pile in Divison Two. The group is moving forward and moving forward quickly. And they’ll fight in Division One. I know that.”He went on to praise Surrey’s management structure with Alec Stewart in the director of cricket seat and Graham Ford – “the best coach in the world” in Batty’s view – as head coach. When dishing out the praise to everyone but himself – Batty even named the dressing-room attendant and dinner lady as two of many who deserve a slice of the pie – he spoke of his desire for those presently at the club and those who wish to be a part of it to invest it all in the Brown Cap of Surrey.He’s certainly done so since returning to the club in 2009 after some time away. Ever since, he has taken the time to pick the brains of former captains such as Adam Hollioake on how best to lead in a 16-match campaign and, importantly, how to “grow that feel of the brown hat of Surrey”. “With some it’s ingrained,” Batty says of his current crop. “Or, you’ll get it stamped on your forehead tonight.” He gets it.This final day felt very end-of-term. Stuart Meaker, a bowler who could walk into most county attacks, manned an afternoon jumble sale for the Tom Maynard Trust, flogging 2015 used kit ranging from Surrey cream jumpers to Rory Burns’ signed jockstrap (that fetched £50). Meaker, who put a fleece he was wearing on the back of a chair, returned at the end to find that it had been sold off, too.Members of the crowd were walking out of The Montpellier Club lounge with arm-fulls of stash, asking one another about events at Chelmsford. On the field, Adam Rossington and David Murphy brought up noteworthy centuries, as Surrey’s bowlers toiled.Tom Curran ends a superb 2015 summer just one wicket shy of taking the most wickets in a Championship season since Waqar Younis hauled 113 in 1991: the senior Curran removed both Ben Duckett and Alex Wakely in a morning collapse that saw three wickets fall for a run in the space of two overs. Younger brother Sam dismissed Rob Keogh, leading to thoughts that the two might repeat their feat of day three and take all ten again. That was dashed when Batty dismissed Josh Cobb to reduce Northants, who were following on, to 279 for 5, still 21 behind Surrey’s first-innings score.But a fine partnership of 162 between Rossington and Murphy took Northants away from an innings defeat and into a sizeable lead after they posted 514 all out – their highest total of the season. Rossington’s first Championship ton of the campaign came off 88 deliveries, having edged Tom Curran between second and third slip while on nought. It was Murphy, however, whose reprieve on 37, when Roy dropped him atsecond slip, again off the bowling of Tom, which would have wide-reaching consequences.Murphy would go on to register his maiden first-class hundred off 123 balls. He is out of contract at the end of the summer and, given that Northants have Rossington and Duckett who can both keep wicket, there were thoughts that this could be Murphy’s last knock for the county. However, ESPNcricinfo understands that he will be offered a new, reduced deal as Rossington is unable to commit physically to keeping full-time and Murphy could also fill a gap opening the innings in four-day cricket – a problem area for Northants. Whatever the state of negotiations, this knock will have earned Murphy a few extra bargaining chips.He nearly did not make it to three figures, as Matt Dunn tore through the lower order to take four wickets in the space of 10 balls. But a six, a four and then a scampered two got Murphy from 88 to 100, with Rory Kleinveldt coming out to bat with a runner as the last man. Even the Surrey players, who have dished out an earful to all who dared hinder their push for promotion, took stock to applaud.Though they might not admit it, these two years in Division Two have bruised Surrey’s ego. Now, they are back where they feel they should be. And no one who has seen them this summer can say they do not deserve to be.

Leicestershire have continued the processing of strengthening for the 2016 season by confirming the returns of Umar Akmal and Kevin O’Brien

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2015Leicestershire have continued the processing of strengthening for the 2016 season by confirming the returns of Umar Akmal and Kevin O’Brien. Both will feature in the NatWest T20 Blast while O’Brien will play in the Royal London Cup as well.Akmal and O’Brien enjoyed successful T20 spells at Grace Road this season. Akmal, signed as short-term cover for Grant Elliott, topped the club’s averages by scoring 133 runs in three innings for once out, while O’Brien made 160 runs at a strike rate of 139.13 to go with five wickets in his seven appearances.The signings follow news that experienced batsmen Paul Horton and Neil Dexter will join from Lancashire and Middlesex respectively. Allrounder Wayne White has also returned to the club.Leicestershire’s chief executive Wasim Khan said: “We saw the positive influence that Umar and Kevin had during their time at the club this year. They are exciting cricketers to watch, have experience at the highest level, and are both matchwinners with their clean, powerful striking of the ball.”They showed their ability by both having an immediate impact with Kevin batting beautifully in his first game at Lancashire and Umar playing our best innings of the tournament at Nottinghamshire on debut. I know our members and supporters enjoyed watching them play and we are excited to welcome both players back to Grace Road.”Leicestershire, in their first season under a new management team of Khan, coach Andrew McDonald and captain Mark Cosgrove, started the Blast season well, winning four of their first eight matches, before tailing off to finish seventh in the North Group.