Cricket

Somerset's Tom Abell led a spirited response on day two of the Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. Abell's century and partnerships with Tom Lammonby and James Rew helped Somerset reach 293 for 4, trailing Nottinghamshire's 360 by 67 runs.Abell, who relinquished the Somerset captaincy last year, scored his first hundred since then. He shared a 157-run partnership with Lammonby (87) and an unbroken 67-run stand with Rew.Nottinghamshire had extended their first innings by nine overs, picking up a third batting point before Somerset's bowlers dismissed the last two wickets. Migael Pretorious and Kasey Aldridge finished with four and five wickets, respectively.Olly Stone, who played a key role in Nottinghamshire's recovery on day one, fell for 83. Aldridge completed his five-for when Dane Paterson was caught on the extra cover boundary.Somerset's reply began with an early wicket as Andy Umeed departed in the sixth over. Tom Kohler-Cadmore made 38 before falling to a superb catch by Tom Moores.Lammonby and Abell then built a solid partnership, adding 105 runs in the afternoon session. Lammonby reached his half-century from 104 balls, while Abell completed his from 101 balls.Lammonby was eventually dismissed leg before by Paterson, breaking the partnership after 48 overs. Tom Banton was caught behind soon after, but Abell remained unbeaten on 105, hitting 12 fours in his 202-ball innings.The second new ball raised Nottinghamshire's hopes, but Abell turned the pace to his advantage, hitting two boundaries to complete his century.

Nottinghamshire's resilience was on full display at Trent Bridge as they rallied from a precarious position to post a competitive 326 for 8 on day one of their Vitality County Championship clash against Somerset.Fast bowler Olly Stone, who has emerged as an unlikely batting force, led the charge with an unbeaten 74. His eighth-wicket partnership of 112 with Calvin Harrison (35) transformed the innings after Nottinghamshire had slumped to 190 for 7.Earlier, Joe Clarke (51) and Jack Haynes (55) had provided a solid foundation with a 108-run stand for the fourth wicket. However, Somerset's seamers, led by Kasey Aldridge (4-90), struck back to claim four wickets for 11 runs.Aldridge, returning to the Somerset side after an injury, made an immediate impact, dismissing Haseeb Hameed with an inswinger. He also accounted for Will Young and Tom Moores, while South African seamer Migael Pretorius took three for 73.Despite the setbacks, Stone and Harrison refused to be deterred. Stone, who had scored 90 against Lancashire last month, showcased his batting prowess once again. He struck eight fours and a six, guiding Nottinghamshire towards a respectable total.The Somerset attack, which had initially looked threatening, lost their way after lunch. Overton and Jake Ball offered width, allowing Clarke and Haynes to score freely. However, Aldridge's double strike and Pretorius' dismissal of Haynes swung the momentum back in Somerset's favor.Stone's resilience and Harrison's support ensured that Nottinghamshire ended the day on a positive note. They will resume on day two with a solid platform to build upon, while Somerset will need to find a way to break through the Stone-Harrison partnership.

Torrential rain has forced the abandonment of the North Group clash between Nottinghamshire Outlaws and Durham at Trent Bridge, with only five overs possible.The scheduled 2.30pm start was delayed due to wet weather, with the match eventually getting underway at 4pm with a reduced 17-over format. Outlaws skipper Joe Clarke opted to bowl first, and Durham openers Alex Lees and Graham Clark made a flying start, putting on 58 runs in just five overs.Clark was particularly aggressive, hitting two boundaries in Olly Stone's opening over and another two in his second, before pulling a huge six into the Fox Round stand. New Zealand left-armer Ben Lister completed the fifth over of the Durham innings, but rain returned with a vengeance, accompanied by thunder and lightning.The storm was short-lived, but it deposited so much water on the playing area that umpires Paul Baldwin and James Middlebrook had no option but to call the game off. The Outlaws, who had broken their duck for the season against Worcestershire on Friday night, take another point for a no-result.Bottom of the table with only three points at the halfway stage, the Outlaws' chances of qualifying for the knock-out stages appear slim. However, in an open group where no team apart from leaders Lancashire Lightning has more than six points, a string of wins in the second half of the season could still see them go through.The same applies to Durham, third from bottom but on five points, only one behind second-placed Yorkshire Vikings.

Farhan Ahmed, the prodigious offspinner and younger sibling of England Test debutant Rehan Ahmed, has inked a three-and-a-half-year contract with Nottinghamshire, marking his first professional deal with the county.At just 16 years of age, Farhan has emerged as a rising star in the English cricket landscape. He has been a standout performer for Nottinghamshire's Second XI, showcasing his exceptional skills and maturity beyond his years."Farhan is an incredibly talented player with immense potential," said Peter Moores, Nottinghamshire's head coach. "He possesses a natural ability and a strong work ethic, which will serve him well as he embarks on his professional journey."Farhan's signing follows in the footsteps of his elder brother, Rehan, who made history as England's youngest Test debutant in December 2022. Like Rehan, Farhan has already represented England at the Under-19 level, participating in the World Cup campaign in South Africa earlier this year."I'm thrilled to have signed this contract with Nottinghamshire," said Farhan. "It's a dream come true to represent my home county and be part of such a prestigious club. I'm eager to learn from the experienced players and contribute to the team's success."Farhan's journey to professional cricket began at Nottinghamshire's academy in 2022. His impressive performances for the county's Under-18s, where he claimed 86 wickets in 57 games, caught the attention of the club's coaching staff."Farhan has been a standout talent in our academy for several years," said Matt Wood, the Elite Pathway Manager. "He's a highly intelligent bowler with a mature approach to the game. We're confident that he has the potential to make a significant impact at the professional level."Farhan's signing is a testament to Nottinghamshire's commitment to developing young talent. The club has a proven track record of nurturing promising players and providing them with the platform to succeed.As Farhan embarks on his professional career, he will undoubtedly face challenges and setbacks. However, with his talent, determination, and the support of Nottinghamshire, he has the potential to become a future star of English cricket.

Pakistani fast bowler Hasan Ali, known for his energetic "generator" celebration, has suffered a rib injury while performing his signature move during a T20 Blast 2024 match for Warwickshire against Nottinghamshire. This is not the first time Ali's celebration has led to an injury, as he previously sprained his shoulder in 2018 while celebrating a wicket against Zimbabwe.Ali, 29, has been struggling with injuries and form, which contributed to his exclusion from Pakistan's 15-man squad for the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. He has been participating in the T20 Blast 2024 for Warwickshire in an attempt to regain his place in the national T20 side.In the match against Nottinghamshire, Ali claimed two wickets, playing a key role in Warwickshire's victory. However, he injured himself while celebrating the dismissal of Olly Stones. A video on social media shows Ali grimacing in pain as he completes his celebration.The extent of Ali's rib injury is still unknown, but Warwickshire expects him to recover in time for their third T20 Blast match against Lancashire on June 7.Ali's injury is a setback for both Warwickshire and Pakistan. Warwickshire will be hoping to have him back in action soon, while Pakistan will be hoping he can regain his form and fitness ahead of the T20 World Cup.Pakistan, having lost the England series 0-2, will be hoping for a positive result when they take on the co-hosts USA to kick off their T20 World Cup campaign on Thursday.

Nottinghamshire's hopes of securing a victory in their Vitality County Championship match against Worcestershire were dashed by persistent rain, resulting in a draw at Visit Worcestershire New Road. Despite the washout of two of the first three days, Nottinghamshire held a commanding position, entering Monday with a 154-run lead. However, heavy overnight rain and continuous morning showers prevented any play on the final day.Umpires Nigel Llong and Suri Shanmugam conducted multiple inspections throughout the day, but the conditions remained unsuitable for play. Nottinghamshire's frustration was palpable, having outplayed Worcestershire on Saturday, the only day of play possible.While Worcestershire avoided any embarrassment on the final day, it was a disappointing end to the first block of County Championship matches. The return to New Road was supposed to be a welcome one after eight floods over the winter forced the club to relocate their first two home games to Kidderminster.Worcestershire's chief executive, Ashley Giles, has expressed concerns about the ground's susceptibility to bad weather, suggesting the possibility of moving the club to a new permanent home. "It's costing us a lot of money," Giles said. "We're going to lose virtually two months of a six-month season."New Road is scheduled to host a Vitality Blast match against Lancashire Lightning on Friday. While the ground staff has worked tirelessly over the past four days, further inclement weather could affect preparations for that fixture. The Blast is a significant source of matchday revenue for the club, as New Road is not a Test venue.Worcestershire head coach Alan Richardson expressed disappointment over the weather-affected match. "It's lovely to be back, but four days that we probably don't want to remember for too long," he said.Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores echoed Richardson's frustrations, while praising his team's performance. Luke Fletcher was the standout performer with the ball, taking three wickets, while a disciplined attack dismissed Worcestershire for a mere 80 runs. Skipper Haseeb Hameed then scored a century to extend Nottinghamshire's advantage, with former Worcestershire batter Joe Clarke contributing an unbeaten 73."We played brilliantly in the game so credit to the lads," Moores said. "To bowl them out in a session was a fantastic effort, not just the quality of the bowling but the catching that went with it."

Nottinghamshire's dominance over Worcestershire continued on day one of their Vitality County Championship encounter at Visit Worcestershire New Road. The visitors, led by century-maker Haseeb Hameed, established a commanding lead of 154 runs after bowling out Worcestershire for a paltry 80.Hameed, a self-proclaimed Manchester United fan, enjoyed a memorable day both on and off the field. He anchored Nottinghamshire's innings with a patient and composed century, reaching three figures shortly before the close. His knock, which included nine boundaries, was a testament to his resilience and determination.Worcestershire's batting woes began early on as Luke Fletcher and Dillon Pennington wreaked havoc with the new ball. Fletcher, in particular, was in devastating form, claiming three wickets in his opening spell. The home side's innings never recovered, with only Adam Finch offering any resistance with a defiant six.Nottinghamshire's bowlers shared the spoils, with Fletcher, Pennington, Lyndon James, and Dane Paterson all contributing to the dismissal of Worcestershire's batsmen. The visitors' fielding was also sharp, with Calvin Harrison taking two stunning catches at slip.In response, Nottinghamshire openers Hameed and Ben Slater made a solid start, putting on 50 runs before Slater fell to Nathan Smith. Will Young followed soon after, but Joe Clarke joined Hameed at the crease and the pair put on a century partnership to extend Nottinghamshire's lead.Clarke remained unbeaten on 73 at the close, while Hameed was dismissed for 100 by Matthew Waite. Despite the loss of Hameed, Nottinghamshire will be confident of extending their advantage on day two and securing a valuable victory.

Worcestershire's eagerly anticipated return to their home ground, Visit Worcestershire New Road, for the Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire ended in disappointment as the first day was washed out due to a persistent damp patch on the bowlers' run-up at the New Road End.Despite the club's efforts to switch their opening two home games to Kidderminster due to eight floods that engulfed the ground during the winter, the persistent rain on Wednesday left a section of the ground saturated.Groundstaff worked tirelessly to dry out the affected area, even digging out blocks of turf and cooking them on a diesel heater in the groundsman's shed. However, the umpires, Nigel Llong and Surendiran Shanmugam, decided at 1.30pm to abandon play for the day, citing the outfield as "way too wet."The washout has raised concerns about the future of New Road as a suitable venue for cricket. Ashley Giles, Worcestershire's chief executive, had previously admitted that the club was exploring the possibility of a permanent move to a new home."I don't think we can carry on like this," Giles told BBC Hereford and Worcester in April. "It's costing us a lot of money. The ground is here to stage cricket, to be a venue for entertainment and hospitality. But conditions are seemingly getting worse."The club's financial situation is also a factor, with the constant flooding and the need for repairs putting a strain on resources. The washout has further deepened the uncertainty surrounding New Road's future, leaving the club and its supporters facing an uncertain future.

Hampshire's quest for their maiden victory of the season hangs in the balance after a pulsating third day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.Chasing a modest 169 to secure victory, Hampshire stumbled to 84 for 5 at stumps, still 85 runs adrift of their target. The visitors' hopes were dealt a blow when Tom Prest, who had been forced off the field with a shoulder injury on day one, was deemed unfit to bat.Nottinghamshire had earlier been dismissed for 209 in their second innings, with veteran quick Kyle Abbott and off-spinner Felix Organ claiming three wickets apiece. Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes had earlier notched half-centuries for the hosts.Hampshire's pursuit of victory began inauspiciously as they lost two wickets for 15 runs inside the first 10 overs. Ali Orr was caught at mid-on by Haseeb Hameed, while Organ was dismissed by a stunning catch from Calvin Harrison.Skipper James Vince, who had been expected to lead Hampshire's charge, fell for 6, leg before to Dane Paterson. Liam Dawson and Ben Brown also departed cheaply, leaving Hampshire in a precarious position at 44 for 5.Fletcha Middleton and James Fuller steadied the ship for Hampshire, seeing out the final overs to keep their team's hopes alive. However, the visitors will need to bat with greater resilience on the final day if they are to secure their first win of the campaign.