Cricket

Gloucestershire's bowlers, led by Marchant de Lange's three wickets, secured a resounding 256-run victory over Northamptonshire in the Vitality County Championship at Wantage Road.Resuming on 144 for 2, Northamptonshire needed 414 runs to win or bat out the day for a draw. Karun Nair and George Bartlett initially frustrated Gloucestershire with an 83-run stand, but the introduction of the second new ball proved decisive.Josh Shaw and de Lange removed both set batters, with de Lange bowling Nair for 61 and Bartlett for 74. Ajeet Singh Dale then mopped up the tail, taking three wickets as Northamptonshire's final five wickets fell for just 35 runs.Northamptonshire had started the day brightly, adding 81 runs in the morning session. However, Shaw dismissed George Scrimshaw and Tom Price caught Luke Procter to leave the visitors on 225 for 4.Bartlett and Nair played some fluent strokes before lunch, but Gloucestershire's decision to take the new ball paid dividends. Shaw broke the partnership by dismissing Bartlett, and de Lange then removed Nair and Saif Zaib in quick succession.Liam Patterson-White and Siddharth Kaul offered some resistance, but Singh Dale and Zafar Gohar wrapped up the innings, with Bracey taking four catches behind the stumps.Gloucestershire's victory ended a run of seven matches without a win in the County Championship. It was their first victory since September 2022 and moved them up to fifth in Division Two.

Nottinghamshire's relentless dominance culminated in a resounding 72-run victory over Lancashire in the Vitality County Championship match at Trent Bridge. The triumph marked Nottinghamshire's first win of the season and propelled them up the Division One standings.Lancashire's hopes of salvaging a draw rested on the shoulders of wicketkeeper Matthew Hurst, who defied Nottinghamshire's bowling attack with a maiden first-class century. Hurst's valiant 104, studded with 10 fours and four sixes, provided a glimmer of resistance for the visitors.However, Nottinghamshire's bowling prowess proved too formidable, with Dillon Pennington leading the charge with figures of 4 for 61. The home side's relentless pressure eventually forced Lancashire to succumb for 252, leaving Nottinghamshire with a modest target of 81 to secure victory.Despite losing opener Ben Slater early, Nottinghamshire's batting lineup proved too strong for Lancashire's depleted bowling attack. Captain Haseeb Hameed, who had anchored Nottinghamshire's first innings with an unbeaten 247, remained unbeaten on 24 not out to guide his team to victory.The win was a testament to Nottinghamshire's resilience and determination. After being dismissed for 61 for 6 on the third evening, they fought back admirably to secure a comprehensive victory. Lancashire, on the other hand, remain rooted to the bottom of Division One after suffering their third defeat in five matches.

Hampshire and Durham played out a tame draw in their Vitality County Championship clash, with the match ending in a stalemate on day four. Hampshire, who had posted a mammoth 503 in their first innings, were set a target of 204 to win but managed only 62 for 2 before bad light and rain intervened.Durham's hopes of an unlikely victory were raised when Matthew Potts removed Hampshire's openers Ali Orr and Fletcha Middleton cheaply. However, Felix Organ and James Vince steadied the ship with a risk-free partnership of 53, ensuring that Hampshire would not lose the match.Earlier, Durham had been bowled out for 432 in their first innings, with Alex Bedingham scoring a century and Ben Raine contributing a half-century. Liam Dawson and Organ were the pick of the Hampshire bowlers, taking five and four wickets respectively.The match had been heading for a draw since Friday, with the pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers. The rain and bad light on day four only served to confirm the inevitable outcome.Hampshire remain winless after five matches in 2024, but they picked up 13 points from this draw. Durham, meanwhile, remain undefeated since their return to Division One, having earned 11 points.

Kemar Roach, the veteran West Indies fast bowler, has hailed James Anderson as "one of the greatest" in history as the English legend prepares for his final Test match at Lord's this summer. However, Roach has also issued a challenge to his West Indies teammates to "ruin" Anderson's farewell by defeating England in the series.Roach's comments come after a strong start to the County Championship season, where he took 6 for 46 in Surrey's win over Warwickshire. His international teammates, Jayden Seales and Jason Holder, have also found form playing for Sussex and Worcestershire, respectively.With Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph also in the squad, West Indies will have one of their strongest seam attacks in years when they face England in three Tests from July 10-30. Roach believes that a series win is achievable, despite the potential distraction of Anderson's farewell."It's a very highly talented and skillful group," Roach said. "We've not had the best of times over here in England, so it's more about focusing on us - not what they're going to do for him. He's going to get what he deserves. But it's all about us working hard to get what we deserve, which is a series win over here in England."Roach and Anderson have played against each other in 12 Tests dating back to 2012. "He's a great fast bowler, probably one of the greatest," Roach said. "It's sad to see him go, but we all know you can't play forever. He's done fantastically for England and he deserves whatever he gets."Anderson confirmed on Saturday that the Lord's Test will be his last. "First Test match against us… hopefully, we ruin it," Roach said, laughing. "He's highly respected. He's always given me great advice as well. He will go down as one of the greatest to ever do it. I wish him all the best after that Test match, and hopefully he enjoys whatever comes next."Roach believes that West Indies' seam attack is among the best he has played in. "With Shamar and Jayden Seales now - Alzarri as well - they have added a lot of X-factor to the bowling unit. On any given day, they can have a great spell and be devastating. That is what you want. You just want it as consistently as possible, to have those great days.""To have three guys like that in the team, a captain to have that to select, for any given day or any given surface [is great]. As a group, we are pretty confident. England is always our biggest series… We want to put up a good fight, put on a good show. We haven't won a Test series in England for quite a while so it is good to come with some confidence, and hopefully we can do it this time."Roach turns 36 next month, but his devastating spell for Surrey on Sunday evening proved that he remains a potent wicket-taking threat. He has spent the past two weeks working hard on his "balance at the crease" with bowling coach Jade Dernbach, and found prodigious reverse-swing to dismantle Warwickshire's batting line-up."I felt good," he said. "It's been a tough couple of weeks for me, trying to work on some things, but it's always good to get rewards for some hard work. As a fast bowler, you always want to see the stumps flying around. I'm building with Surrey. [I want to] get myself in good physical shape, the right mental space, and then when it gets to the West Indies tour, I will build on that.""I have no retirement time in sight. I think I can go as long as I want, but obviously it's all on performances. The older you get, you need to have performances to stay in the team. I've been doing well, but I just want to keep helping the youngsters so they're in a good space, mentally and physically. I'll be happy to see those guys going after me and breaking those records if they have to."Roach has two more games remaining in his fourth stint at Surrey, at home to Worcestershire and away at Hampshire, and has helped them secure an early lead at the top of the table in their bid for a third successive Championship title. "To get that win, moving us further up the top of the table, is a fantastic feeling," he said. "Let's continue the hard work, finish off and hopefully go for that trophy."

Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has advocated for the reinstatement of Virat Kohli as the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the upcoming seasons. Harbhajan believes that Kohli's leadership qualities, coupled with his exceptional performance on the field, make him the ideal candidate to lead the team forward.Kohli, who is currently the leading run-scorer in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), has amassed 661 runs from 13 innings at an impressive strike rate of 155.16. Despite RCB's fifth position in the table with 12 points, they remain in contention for the playoffs.Harbhajan's endorsement of Kohli's leadership stems from his belief that Kohli possesses the perfect blend of intent, commitment, and aggression to lead the team. He also highlighted Kohli's ability to inspire his teammates and create a positive team environment."If they don't qualify, they should look to get some Indian guy. Why not bring Virat Kohli back as captain. As Dhoni has a lot of impact in Chennai, Virat Kohli is a big leader, he knows the kind of cricket they need to play," Harbhajan said in the latest episode of the Star Sports' Press Room.Harbhajan also expressed his concern over the recent outburst of Lucknow Super Giants team owner Sajeev Goenka towards skipper KL Rahul following the team's 10-wicket defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He believes that such incidents can be detrimental to the team environment and disrupt team morale."There can be differences between captain and the management but the talks should be behind doors which is better for everyone. The talks should have been inside the dressing room. Whatever talks are going on, it is not good for the team's atmosphere," he said.Harbhajan cited the example of Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan, who he praised for his hands-off approach to cricket matters. He believes that Khan's approach has created a secure and positive dressing room environment, which has contributed to the team's success.Harbhajan also commented on the change of captaincy in Mumbai Indians, which he believes did not augur well for the team. He highlighted the importance of collective performance and expressed his belief that the team did not play well as a unit under Hardik Pandya's captaincy."Cricket is a team game, we win together we lose together, not a single individual can win you a tournament. You have to do well collectively and that didn't happen. Of course, there were a lot of issues with captaincy change, we heard people were not willing to accept Hardik Pandya as captain," he said.Harbhajan also praised leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal's performance in the ongoing IPL, highlighting his ability to spin the ball, control flight, and use variations effectively. He also emphasized the significance of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the Chennai Super Kings side, citing his ability to deliver when it matters most.

Sri Lanka's women's cricket team emerged victorious in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024, defeating Scotland by a commanding 68 runs in the summit clash. The triumph secured their spot in the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 in Bangladesh.Batting first, Sri Lanka posted a formidable total of 169/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu led the charge with a scintillating century, smashing 102 runs off just 63 deliveries. Her innings was a masterclass in power-hitting, peppered with boundaries and sixes.Scotland's bowlers struggled to contain Athapaththu's onslaught, with only Abtaha Maqsood managing to pick up a wicket. However, fortune smiled upon Athapaththu in the 17th over when she survived a close call. An inside edge saw the ball touch the stumps, but the bails remained intact, much to the dismay of Scotland's wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce.Chasing a challenging target of 170, Scotland's openers Saskia Horley and Megan McColl started brightly, but their momentum was halted by the early dismissals of Horley and McColl. Skipper Bryce also fell cheaply, leaving Scotland in disarray at 23/4.Priyanaz Chatterji attempted to revive Scotland's chase with a brisk 30, but her efforts were in vain as Sri Lanka's bowlers maintained a tight grip on the game. Udeshika Prabodhani emerged as the pick of the bowlers, claiming three wickets, including the crucial scalp of Chatterji.In the end, Scotland were restricted to 101/7, falling well short of Sri Lanka's total. The victory not only secured Sri Lanka's place in the Women's T20 World Cup but also earned them a spot in Group A alongside Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan.

Glamorgan's dominance continued in the Vitality County Championship as they secured a resounding nine-wicket victory over Sussex, thanks to a stellar bowling performance led by Andy Gorvin.Resuming on 411, Glamorgan's innings ended swiftly with a run-out, setting Sussex a target of 245. However, the Sussex batting lineup crumbled under the pressure of Glamorgan's relentless bowling attack.Mir Hamza initiated the Sussex collapse, claiming three wickets in quick succession. Andy Gorvin then took over, dismissing Cheteshwar Pujara and John Simpson in his first over. Despite a valiant partnership between James Coles and Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Sussex's hopes were dashed by Gorvin's career-best figures of 5-40.Hudson-Prentice's 70 and Coles' 61* provided some resistance, but Glamorgan's bowlers remained relentless. Mason Crane and Gorvin wrapped up the Sussex innings, leaving Glamorgan with a modest target of 56.Billy Root led Glamorgan's chase with an unbeaten 36, guiding his team to victory in just 7.5 overs. The win marked Glamorgan's first County Championship triumph since May 2023, earning them 23 points. Sussex managed only four bonus points in the contest.Gorvin's exceptional performance was the cornerstone of Glamorgan's success. His ability to generate late movement proved too much for the Sussex batters, who struggled to cope with his variations.Glamorgan's victory is a testament to their resilience and determination. After a disappointing start to the season, they have bounced back with two consecutive wins, demonstrating their potential to challenge for the County Championship title.

Piyush Chawla, the veteran Mumbai Indians (MI) spinner, has expressed his desire to continue playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after his impressive performances in the ongoing edition. Despite going unsold in the IPL 2022 auction, Chawla was picked up by MI ahead of IPL 2023 and has made a significant impact.With 10 wickets in as many games this season, Chawla has been one of the few bright spots for MI, who have already been eliminated from the playoffs race. However, it is unlikely that the franchise will retain him for the IPL 2025 mega auction.When asked about his future in the IPL, Chawla responded with a cheeky remark, leaving journalists in splits. "You tell me, if I should be playing with the way I'm bowling? If you have given your permission, of course I will see you somewhere next time," he said during the post-match press conference.Chawla has played 191 IPL matches for four different franchises, including Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, and MI. The 35-year-old surpassed Dwayne Bravo earlier this season to become the second all-time leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 189 wickets. He was part of the KKR team that won the IPL in 2014.In MI's recent match against KKR at the Eden Gardens, Chawla picked up two wickets, but the team ultimately lost in a rain-hit game. Reflecting on the defeat, Chawla acknowledged that MI failed to gain momentum and praised KKR spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine for turning the tide."T20 is about momentum, and we didn't get that momentum right from the beginning. Some days we bowled well, but our batting didn't click, and sometimes our batters did well, but the bowlers ended up leaking runs," he said."As a unit, we have failed in a few games, and we have to accept that as a team. We have a brilliant lineup, but things didn't fall into place. Today also, we started off brilliantly, but that spell of (Sunil) Narine and Varun (Chakravarthy) actually made the difference. You have to give credit to their bowlers," Chawla added.Despite MI's disappointing season, Chawla's performances have been a positive sign for the veteran spinner. He remains hopeful of extending his IPL career and will be looking to make a strong impact in the remaining matches of the season.

Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, opted to field first after winning the toss in the second T20 international against Ireland at Clontarf. This crucial match holds significance for Pakistan, as a victory is essential to force a series decider.Pakistan made a strategic change to their lineup, replacing Shadab Khan with Mohammad Amir. Ireland also implemented a change, with Graham Hume stepping in for Barry McCarthy, who experienced back spasms.The toss was delayed by 45 minutes due to a sudden downpour, followed by intermittent drizzle that further postponed the start of play.Ireland's Batting Lineup:1. Paul Stirling (captain)2. Andrew Balbirnie3. Lorcan Tucker (wicket-keeper)4. Harry Tector5. George Dockrell6. Gareth Delany7. Curtis Campher8. Mark Adair9. Graham Hume10. Craig Young11. Ben WhitePakistan's Batting Lineup:1. Babar Azam (captain)2. Saim Ayub3. Mohammad Rizwan4. Fakhar Zaman5. Azam Khan6. Iftikhar Ahmed7. Imad Wasim8. Shaheen Afridi9. Naseem Shah10. Abbas Afridi11. Mohammad AmirWith the series on the line, both teams will be eager to secure a victory. Pakistan will look to their experienced bowlers, including Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Amir, to restrict Ireland's batting. Ireland, on the other hand, will rely on their top-order batsmen, such as Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie, to provide a solid foundation.