Cricket

Derbyshire's hopes of securing an elusive County Championship victory at Derby received a major boost on the opening day of their Division Two match against Glamorgan, thanks to a devastating bowling performance from Zak Chappell.Chappell, who has now taken over 50 wickets in all formats this season, wreaked havoc on Glamorgan's top order, claiming 6 for 47. The visitors were bowled out for a paltry 168, with only Timm van der Gugten (46*) offering any resistance.Derbyshire's decision to bowl first on a grassy pitch paid immediate dividends, with Chappell and Luis Reece reducing Glamorgan to 9 for 3 within the first five overs. Ben Kellaway, Billy Root, and Sam Northeast all fell cheaply, leaving the visitors in disarray.Dan Douthwaite and van der Gugten led a mini-recovery, adding 55 runs for the seventh wicket. However, Chappell returned to remove Douthwaite, and Mason Crane and Fraser Sheat also departed cheaply.Ned Leonard helped van der Gugten take Glamorgan past 150, but the visitors were eventually bowled out for 168.In reply, Derbyshire closed on 119 for 2, with Harry Came not out on 58. Wayne Madsen contributed an unbeaten 41, and the hosts are well-placed to push for their first Championship victory at the County Ground since August 2019.

Durham's batting prowess was on full display on day one of their Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire, as Ben McKinney and Alex Lees powered the hosts to a commanding 393 for 5.McKinney, making his second County Championship appearance, showcased his exceptional talent with a maiden first-class century. The 19-year-old left-hander dominated the Notts bowling attack, smashing boundaries with ease and laying a solid foundation for Durham.Lees, the experienced opener, provided stability and anchored the innings, reaching his third century of the season. The pair put on an impressive 189-run opening partnership, the highest for Durham this season.Nottinghamshire fought back with three wickets, but Lees combined with Ashton Turner for a 122-run partnership to keep the hosts in control. Turner, making his first-class debut for Durham, played a crucial role in accumulating runs and keeping the scoreboard ticking.McKinney's innings was a testament to his aggressive approach and shot-making ability. He reached his fifty with a cover drive and brought up his century with a beautiful cover drive. However, his knock ended on 121 when he chipped a delivery to midwicket.Lees, on the other hand, played a more patient innings, reaching his century from 223 balls with just seven boundaries. His innings was a display of resilience and determination.Despite Notts' efforts, Durham remained in a dominant position at the close of play. Turner remained unbeaten on 62, while Graham Clark contributed 7. The visitors face an uphill battle to contain Durham's batting lineup and prevent them from posting a mammoth total.

Cheteshwar Pujara Departs Sussex for Daniel Hughes' ReturnIndian Test stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara will not be returning to Sussex for the 2023 County Championship season. The English club has opted to retain Australian Daniel Hughes, who will be available for all Championship and T20 Vitality Blast matches next year.Pujara, a renowned Test specialist, had rejoined Sussex for a third stint in 2024. He featured in the first seven Championship matches before Hughes' arrival. However, the club has decided to prioritize Hughes' availability for the entire season.Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace praised Hughes' contributions, stating, "Taking over from Cheteshwar is not an easy task, but Dan has fitted in brilliantly and we are all delighted he will be back for the whole of next season."Hughes emerged as Sussex's leading run-scorer in the group stages of this year's Blast, amassing 560 runs at an average of 43.07. He notched up five half-centuries and a career-best 96 not out. His heroics helped Sussex reach the quarterfinals after defeating Lancashire Lightning at home on September 4.Farbrace further lauded Hughes' impact, saying, "Dan has been top class for us on and off the field. He has brought a wealth of experience to the dressing room and has seriously helped some of our young batters with the development of their games."In addition to his role in the Blast, Hughes will also feature in Sussex's final five Championship matches of the current campaign.

Jonny Bairstow, the explosive English batsman, is set to make his long-awaited return to Yorkshire's County Championship side this week. After a six-week break, the competition resumes with Bairstow eager to prove his worth and regain his place in the England team.Bairstow has only played two first-class matches for Yorkshire since the end of the 2020 season, due to his commitments with England and the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has yet to feature for his home county in any format this season, having taken a break after the T20 World Cup and the Hundred.However, Bairstow will be back in action on Thursday against Sussex at Scarborough. Yorkshire currently sit just outside the promotion places in Division Two, four points behind second-placed Middlesex. They have a chance to close the 27-point gap on leaders Sussex this week.Bairstow's return is a major boost for Yorkshire, who have struggled for consistency in his absence. The 32-year-old is a proven match-winner and his experience will be invaluable in the final five games of the season.Bairstow lost his place in England's Test team after a disappointing tour of India earlier this year. He is unlikely to feature in the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Australia in September. However, he remains determined to regain his place in the national side."All I want to do is play for England," Bairstow said at the start of the Hundred. "I'm not going to give up on that."Yorkshire head coach Ottis Gibson believes Bairstow can rediscover his best form at the county level."Jonny still has ambitions of getting back into the England team," Gibson said. "We can help him get into a position where he puts good performances in, and everybody benefits from that."Yorkshire confirmed on Monday that Bairstow is available to play at Scarborough after recovering from a shoulder niggle. However, his availability for the final four games of the season has not yet been confirmed.

Yuzvendra Chahal, the renowned Indian leg-spinner, has joined Northamptonshire for the remainder of their Royal London One-Day Cup and County Championship campaigns. Chahal's arrival bolsters Northamptonshire's bowling attack, adding experience and wicket-taking prowess to their squad.Chahal, 34, has a distinguished record in international cricket, having played a pivotal role in India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. Despite not featuring in the tournament, he remains a valuable asset for the Indian team, particularly in the shortest format.Northamptonshire head coach John Sadler expressed his excitement about Chahal's addition to the team. "Yuzvendra is a high-profile overseas player who brings a wealth of experience and incredible skills," Sadler said. "His wicket-taking ability will add strength to our attack."Chahal's arrival comes at a crucial time for Northamptonshire, who are currently struggling in the One-Day Cup Group A table. With just one win from seven matches, they are one place off the bottom. Chahal's experience and skill could prove invaluable in helping the team improve their fortunes.In addition to the One-Day Cup, Chahal will also feature in the remaining five County Championship fixtures for Northamptonshire. This will provide him with an opportunity to showcase his red-ball skills and stay match-fit ahead of potential international commitments.Chahal's signing is a significant boost for Northamptonshire, who will be hoping to climb the standings in both competitions. His experience and wicket-taking ability could make a significant difference in their quest for success.

Gloucestershire's Ollie Price and Matt Taylor led their team to a thrilling 36-run victory over Yorkshire at York, successfully defending a target of 252.Price anchored Gloucestershire's innings with a watchful 98 off 118 balls, while Miles Hammond contributed 54. However, the visitors struggled in the final 15 overs, losing seven wickets for just 85 runs.Yorkshire's response on a challenging pitch was led by Shan Masood (76) and James Wharton (56), who put on a 113-run partnership for the third wicket. However, the Vikings collapsed from 137 for 2 to 215 all out within 48 overs.Left-arm quick Matt Taylor was the star of the show for Gloucestershire, claiming 3 for 35 off 10 overs. Ben Coad (2 for 27) and Ajeet Singh Dale (2 for 36) also chipped in with crucial wickets.Gloucestershire's innings began cautiously, with Cameron Bancroft dismissed early. Price and Hammond then steadied the ship, rotating the strike and capitalizing on the extra bounce in the pitch. Price's sweeping and reverse-sweeping against spin was particularly effective.However, Gloucestershire's momentum was halted by a flurry of wickets in the middle overs. Ben Cliff struck twice in the 36th over, while Coad and Moriarty also picked up wickets. Tom Smith's 27 helped Gloucestershire reach a respectable total.Yorkshire's reply started poorly, with Fin Bean and Will Luxton dismissed cheaply. Masood and Wharton rebuilt the innings, but their partnership was broken by Matt Taylor. Harry Duke and Wharton fell in quick succession, leaving Yorkshire in trouble.Dom Bess and Matthew Revis offered some resistance, but Gloucestershire's bowlers maintained their discipline and eventually secured the victory.

Will Rhodes, the former Warwickshire captain who led the team to the County Championship title in 2021, has decided to leave the club at the end of the season. Rhodes, whose contract expires this year, was offered an extension but declined, citing a desire for a new challenge and a more competitive deal. He has since signed a long-term contract with Durham, where he will join an experienced batting lineup.Rhodes' departure was confirmed by Warwickshire on Saturday, while Durham has yet to announce his arrival. "It's not been an easy decision," Rhodes said. "I've spent most of my professional career here at Edgbaston, made life-long friends, and had success on the field. There are memories I will cherish for many, many years.""But I feel the time is right to move on and pick up a fresh challenge. Coming to the club as a 22-year-old, I never thought I'd get such an opportunity to captain a great club like Warwickshire. It's been an unbelievable honour… I'd like to think I've made a positive contribution and helped take the club forward."Rhodes intends to remain with Warwickshire for the rest of the season to help the team avoid relegation, rather than joining Durham on loan early. "It goes without saying that I will be giving my all to the club for the rest of the season," he said. "We've had a brilliant start in the One Day Cup. Who knows, it would be amazing to go out on a high by winning some silverware."After starting his career at Yorkshire, Rhodes has played 86 first-class matches for Warwickshire, averaging 35.85 with the bat and scoring 10 hundreds. He has also featured in 37 T20s and 36 List A games for the club. Rhodes was appointed club captain ahead of the 2020 season and led Warwickshire to their first Championship title since 2012 the following summer. He stepped down at the end of last year to focus on his own form.Mark Robinson, Warwickshire's coach, said: "When you work as a head coach with a captain for a number of years, you form a special bond which will always last. So personally, I would like to thank Will for all the support he has given me, as well as the wider club, both as a leader and a performer on the field."Durham recently announced the signing of New Zealand's Neil Wagner for the Championship run-in and the One-Day Cup.

Jaydev Unadkat, the Indian left-arm pacer, has recently re-signed with Sussex for the final five games of the County Championship season. This move has brought to light a social media controversy surrounding Unadkat's previous stint with the English county.Unadkat's initial stint with Sussex in 2023 saw him play three of the team's final four first-class games, taking 11 wickets at an average of 24.18. However, a recent social media post by a user sparked a misunderstanding that led to Unadkat being trolled.The user claimed that Unadkat was "ONLY given a car & a flat" during his time in England. Unadkat responded by clarifying that the statement was inaccurate, stating that he was "given a flat & a car" while playing in the UK. He also emphasized that cricket remained his priority, regardless of where he played.Unadkat's response was met with support from fans and fellow cricketers, who condemned the trolling and highlighted the importance of understanding the full context before making judgments.Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace praised Unadkat's contributions to the team, describing him as a "fantastic person" who shared his knowledge and helped other players. Unadkat expressed his eagerness to return to Sussex and contribute to their promotion push.Unadkat's re-signing with Sussex is a testament to his talent and dedication. Despite the social media controversy, he remains focused on his cricket and is determined to help Sussex achieve success in the County Championship.

Marnus Labuschagne's Glamorgan stint culminated in a thrilling tied County Championship match against Gloucestershire, where the Welsh side narrowly missed out on a world-record run chase. Set a daunting target of 593, Glamorgan fought valiantly, with Labuschagne and Sam Northeast scoring centuries.As the match entered its final over, Glamorgan needed two runs to win. Mason Crane played out four dot balls before taking a single, leaving No. 11 Jamie McIlroy with the task of scoring the winning run. However, McIlroy's swing at Ajeet Dale was caught by James Bracey, who had removed his glove in anticipation of a bye."It was an incredible game," Labuschagne reflected. "We got close, but we just couldn't get one more."The match marked Labuschagne's final County Championship appearance for Glamorgan this season. He will now return to Australia for Queensland's pre-season before potentially returning to England for the ODI series in September.Labuschagne's Glamorgan stint has been a successful one, with the Australian scoring 468 runs at an average of 58.50 in four first-class matches. He has also made a significant impact in the T20 Blast, showcasing his fielding prowess with a spectacular catch."It's been a good opportunity to review my game and work on some technical things," Labuschagne said. "I'm feeling confident and ready for the challenges ahead."Labuschagne's next assignment could be the Sheffield Shield season for Queensland, depending on how multi-format players are managed around the white-ball series against Pakistan in November. The first Test against India starts in Perth on November 22, a prospect that Labuschagne is eagerly anticipating.