Cricket

Lancashire's Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Southport was marred by rain, with the entire second day washed out. The abandonment was a setback for James Anderson's preparations for his farewell Test at Lord's next week.Despite early showers, umpires initially planned for Lancashire to resume their first innings at 12.30pm. However, prolonged rain forced them to abandon the day's play at 4.05pm.The cancellation was particularly disappointing for spectators who had hoped to see Anderson bowl in his first game of the season. Anderson is set to play his final Test match against West Indies at Lord's, starting on July 10.England's director of cricket, Rob Key, confirmed on Monday that Anderson will stay on with the England team after the Lord's Test as a fast-bowling mentor.Should play be possible on Tuesday, Lancashire will resume on 344 for eight with skipper Keaton Jennings on 188 not out.In the nine games played at Southport since first-class cricket returned to the ground in 2011, this is only the second time in 31 days that play has been completely abandoned.

Western Storm and Thunder's Charlotte Edwards Cup Hopes Drenched by RainHeavy rainfall in Cardiff has extinguished the hopes of Western Storm and Thunder in the Charlotte Edwards Cup. The two teams, both in need of victories to advance in the tournament, were left frustrated as their match at Sophia Gardens was abandoned without a single ball being bowled.The persistent downpour made it impossible to remove the covers, forcing umpires Anna Harris and Ant Harris to call off the game at 3:25 pm. With Glamorgan and Hampshire Hawks scheduled to play a Vitality Blast South Group fixture at 6:30 pm, there was no window of opportunity for the women's match to resume.Thunder, currently in fifth place, remain behind Southern Vipers and Central Sparks, who have a game in hand. Western Storm, languishing at the bottom of the table, are effectively out of contention for the knockout stages.Thunder will look to improve their fortunes when they face Central Sparks at Edgbaston on Saturday. Western Storm, meanwhile, will aim to secure their second win of the campaign against Northern Diamonds at Headingley on Sunday.The abandonment of the match highlights the challenges faced by outdoor sports in the face of inclement weather. With the Charlotte Edwards Cup reaching its crucial stages, teams will be hoping for more favorable conditions in the remaining fixtures.

The T20 World Cup match between England and Scotland in Bridgetown, Barbados, was abandoned due to persistent rain on Tuesday, resulting in both teams sharing a point each. The game was initially reduced to 10 overs per side, with Scotland reaching an impressive 90 for no loss in their innings. England's revised target, according to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, was set at 109 runs off 10 overs.The Scottish openers, Michael Jones and George Munsey, showcased an attractive array of strokes, keeping the English bowlers under pressure throughout their innings. Jones remained unbeaten on 45 off 30 balls, hitting two sixes and four fours, while Munsey scored an unbeaten 41 off 31 deliveries, also striking four boundaries. Munsey had a stroke of luck when Mark Wood overstepped the crease after seemingly dismissing him, with skipper Jos Buttler taking a fine catch running behind.The match experienced several rain interruptions, starting with a delay in the commencement of the game due to a wet spot on the pitch caused by a passing shower. The longest break occurred right after the powerplay, with Scotland in a commanding position at 51 for no loss in 6.2 overs. The lengthy interruption prompted officials to reduce the game by 10 overs each in the two innings.England's bowling attack, particularly Chris Jordan (0/24) and Adil Rashid (0/26), struggled to maintain control and failed to trouble the Scottish opening pair in their first outing of the tournament. Scotland will now focus on their upcoming match against Namibia at the Kensington Oval on Friday, while England will prepare to face their arch-rivals Australia at the same venue on Saturday.

Torrential rain has washed out the Bank Holiday Monday clash between South East Stars and Western Storm at Beckenham, leaving both sides with two points.Only six overs were possible in the match, with Western Storm reaching 38 for 3 before the heavens opened, drenching the outfield and leaving pools of water on the bowlers' run-ups.Umpires James Tredwell and Fiona Richards gave the ground every chance to recover, calling for a 4.45pm inspection, but a further shower left them no alternative but to abandon the game.The result means that South East Stars remain unbeaten in the competition, while Western Storm are yet to win.In the little play before the rain, there was a lovely moment for Tilly Corteen-Coleman and a dazzling piece of fielding from Stars' all-rounder Paige Scholfield.England U19 slow left-arm spinner Corteen-Coleman, currently on a pay as you play contract with Stars, gave the hosts the perfect start, bowling Alex Griffiths with the first ball of the game.Shortly afterwards, Tash Farrant removed Emma Corney, the batter's attempted pull shot coming off the toe end of the bat for Phoebe Franklin to take a good catch falling forward at mid-wicket.Then just before the rain arrived, Niamh Holland, who'd struck some fine boundaries square of the wicket, chanced her arm on a short single to Scholfield and paid the price, the South African pulling off a direct hit despite only having one stump to aim at.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season witnessed a dramatic turn of events as the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT) was washed out due to incessant rain in Hyderabad on Thursday. This unexpected outcome propelled SRH to the third position in the standings, securing their qualification for the playoffs.For GT, this was the second match in the same week to be abandoned due to rain. Earlier, their encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders was called off due to relentless downpour in Ahmedabad. Despite winning the title in 2022 and finishing as runners-up in 2023, GT's hopes of reaching the playoffs were dashed this season.Despite the match being canceled, a lighthearted moment between GT skipper Shubman Gill and SRH skipper Pat Cummins went viral on social media. In a video circulating online, match officials informed Gill and Cummins of the match's abandonment. The duo then engaged in a playful game of rock-paper-scissors to determine the match winner.Gill emerged victorious in the rock-paper-scissors game, eliciting laughter from Cummins and others. With SRH's qualification, only one spot remains for the playoffs, which will be contested between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).Both RCB and CSK will face off in their final league stage match of IPL 2024 on Saturday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, the threat of rain looms over this fixture as well. RCB's margin of victory needs to be substantial, and if rain reduces the match's length, the scenario will become even more complex.In the event of a full 20-over contest, RCB must win by 18 runs or more, assuming they score 200 runs while batting first. In the case of a 5-over contest, RCB must restrict CSK to a maximum of 62 runs if they score 80 while batting first.

Nottinghamshire's Vitality County Championship match against Worcestershire ended in a draw due to persistent rain and strong winds on the final day. The match, played at Trent Bridge, was poised for an exciting finish after Nottinghamshire collapsed from 125 for 1 to 144 for 7 on Sunday.Nottinghamshire had gained a first-innings lead of 44 runs, thanks to centuries from Ben Slater (70), Haseeb Hameed (105), and Liam James (96). However, Worcestershire fought back with a strong bowling performance, led by Kiwi Nathan Smith, who claimed four wickets in seven balls.With Nottinghamshire's lead reduced to 195 runs and only three wickets remaining, Worcestershire sensed an opportunity for victory. However, the weather intervened, and play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on the final day.Nottinghamshire took 14 points from the draw, while Worcestershire earned 13. The result leaves Nottinghamshire in fifth place in the Division One standings, while Worcestershire remains in eighth.The match was one of three in the East Midlands to be abandoned due to rain on the final day. Leicestershire's match against Glamorgan and Derbyshire's match against Northamptonshire also ended in draws.The weather has played a significant role in the Vitality County Championship season so far, with several matches being affected by rain and wind. This has led to a number of draws, which has made it difficult for teams to gain momentum and move up the standings.

Queensland's Rain-Soaked Resistance Thwarts New South Wales' Sheffield Shield HopesBrisbane's relentless rain has cast a shadow over New South Wales' already slim chances of reaching the Sheffield Shield final. The fourth-placed Blues, in order to secure a spot in next week's decider, must convincingly defeat Queensland and accumulate bonus points. However, the inclement weather at Allan Border Field has severely hampered their progress.On Monday, only 12 overs were possible, dealing a significant blow to NSW's hopes of forcing a result. Quick bowler Chris Tremain emerged as the standout performer for the visitors, claiming two early wickets to reduce Queensland to 3 for 2. Opener Angus Lovell was caught in the slips, while Jack Clayton was adjudged leg before wicket, both without scoring.The rain then took hold, forcing a lengthy delay of over six hours. Play resumed briefly for less than two overs before another downpour halted proceedings. The persistent rain has left NSW with an uphill battle to achieve their target.To qualify for the final, NSW must not only defeat Queensland but also rely on Western Australia to draw their match against Victoria in Melbourne. Additionally, they need Victoria to limit their bonus point accumulation.Queensland, currently languishing at the bottom of the ladder, has shown resilience in the face of adversity. Despite their struggles throughout the season, they have put up a spirited fight against NSW, making the most of the rain-affected conditions.As the weather forecast remains uncertain, the fate of the Sheffield Shield final hangs in the balance. NSW's hopes are fading with each passing hour, while Queensland's chances of causing an upset are growing.