Cricket

Lancashire's T20 debutant Tom Aspinwall made a remarkable impact, claiming 4 for 18 as the Red Rose annihilated Durham by nine wickets in their Vitality Blast opener at Emirates Old Trafford.Aspinwall's impressive performance was complemented by Jack Blatherwick's 3 for 14, as Steven Croft's side put their Championship struggles behind them to chase down Durham's paltry 75 in just eight overs.Durham's batting woes began early, losing four top-order batters within the first six overs. Alex Lees, Ollie Robinson, and Graham Clark fell cheaply, while Ben Raine's 12 runs came solely from boundaries before he was caught and bowled by Blatherwick.Aspinwall then removed Ashton Turner and Michael Jones in quick succession, leaving Durham reeling on 31 for six. Ackermann's dismissal to Aspinwall and Potts' catch to Croft further depleted Durham's innings.Blatherwick claimed the eighth and ninth wickets, with Green taking the final catch to end Nathan Sowter's resistance. Ben Dwarshuis and Callum Parkinson added some respectability with a 19-run last-wicket stand, but Wood ended their innings with Dwarshuis' dismissal.In contrast to Durham's struggles, Lancashire's batters dominated from the outset. Luke Wells smashed three sixes in his 49 not out, while George Bell contributed an elegant 22 not out.The game concluded in just 90 minutes, marking a memorable evening for Croft, who played his 239th T20 match in his 19th season as a professional.

Yorkshire's star-studded batting lineup made light work of Worcestershire's meager total of 101, securing an emphatic eight-wicket victory at Headingley to kick off their Vitality Blast campaign with a bang.Left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty, making his Yorkshire T20 debut, played a pivotal role in the Vikings' triumph, claiming a career-best 4 for 25. His incisive bowling put the skids under the Rapids, who were bowled out for a paltry 101 in just 15.4 overs.Ethan Brookes, with a middle-order knock of 42 off 32 balls, was the only visiting batter to offer any resistance. However, Yorkshire's top five, featuring international stars Donavan Ferreira, Dawid Malan, Shan Masood, and Joe Root, proved too strong for the Rapids' bowling attack.Former England Test opener Adam Lyth led the charge with an unbeaten 55 off 33 balls, while Root remained not out on 13 as Yorkshire chased down the target in just 12 overs.Moriarty's impressive performance was a testament to his determination to make an impact at Yorkshire. After limited opportunities at Surrey last season, he has seized his chance with both hands, proving to be a valuable asset to the Vikings' bowling attack.Yorkshire's victory was a welcome boost after a disappointing start to their 2024 campaign in all cricket. The win, witnessed by a crowd of 8,231, will provide the team with much-needed confidence as they look to challenge for the Vitality Blast title.

Ashton Agar, the Australian all-rounder, has signed a short-term deal with Northamptonshire to play in the Vitality Blast T20 tournament. Agar will join the squad after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup, replacing Zimbabwe's Sikander Raza, who will depart for national duty.Agar, 30, is a key member of Australia's T20 team and was part of their victorious squad in the 2021 T20 World Cup. He has also won the Big Bash League with Perth Scorchers.The left-arm spinner has taken 48 wickets in 47 T20Is for Australia, including a career-best 6 for 30 against New Zealand in 2021. He is known for his ability to bowl economical spells and take crucial wickets.Northamptonshire head coach John Sadler expressed his delight at signing Agar, saying, "Ashton is a remarkable player with a real ability to change and win matches. He's got a winning mindset, has played at the highest level, and we're delighted to get someone of his caliber to the club."Agar is expected to make his debut for Northamptonshire on July 5 and will play four matches before Raza returns for the final two group fixtures."We've got a real like-for-like replacement in Ashton, which is great," said Sadler. "We're pleased with the business we've done. Obviously, the Zimbabwe series was announced after we signed Sikandar, which is a shame, but we've still got him for eight games at the start, then for the last two games, and we're very excited about that."Agar's signing is a significant boost for Northamptonshire, who are currently in contention for a place in the Vitality Blast knockout stages. His experience and skill will be invaluable as they look to challenge for the title.

Riley Meredith, the Australian fast bowler, has joined Somerset for their Vitality Blast campaign and will remain with the club until at least the quarter-final stage of the competition. The 27-year-old will also be available to play in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup group stages and a "managed number" of Vitality County Championship matches.Meredith has expressed his excitement about playing in English conditions and is eager to contribute to Somerset's success. "Somerset are the current Vitality Blast champions and I'll be doing everything I can to help them retain the title," he said.To date, Meredith has represented Australia in five T20Is, claiming eight wickets at an average of 23.50. He also played a one-off ODI against West Indies in 2021.Throughout his T20 career, Meredith has amassed 114 wickets in 91 matches, with an average of 25.42. His best performance came for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, where he took 4 for 21. He has also represented Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings in the IPL.Somerset Director of Cricket, Andy Hurry, praised Meredith's abilities and experience. "He bowls with real pace and skill and will add further experience and a different dimension to our bowling attack," Hurry said.Meredith is determined to achieve further international recognition and is eager to play a key role for Somerset this summer. "Somerset are one of the biggest names in the English domestic game and I'm excited to be able to play a part in their journey this year," he added.

Hampshire County Cricket Club has bolstered its bowling attack for the second half of the Vitality Blast campaign by signing South African seamer Ottniel Baartman. The 31-year-old replaces Afghanistan's Naveen-ul-Haq, who withdrew due to personal reasons.Baartman, who has yet to earn an international cap, was named in South Africa's T20 World Cup squad and could make his debut in the upcoming series against the West Indies. He has a strong domestic record, having played under Hampshire head coach Adi Birrell for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20, where he was a teammate of Liam Dawson."I'm excited to join Hampshire Hawks for my first experience of county cricket," said Baartman. "It's great to reunite with Adi Birrell and Liam Dawson, who I know well from the SA20. I've heard great things about the atmosphere at Utilita Bowl and I can't wait to play in front of the Hawks fans."Baartman will take over from Michael Neser, who has signed for the first eight Blast group games. He will be available for six fixtures in July, including the trip to Middlesex, and the knockout stages in September if Hampshire qualifies.Hampshire's director of cricket, Giles White, expressed his delight at Baartman's signing. "It's a great boost to the squad that Ottniel is available and keen to join us after the World Cup," said White. "He fits the role perfectly and comes off the back of an outstanding domestic summer in South Africa."Baartman's addition to the Hampshire squad adds depth and experience to their bowling attack. His ability to swing the ball and generate pace will be a valuable asset in the Vitality Blast's fast-paced environment.

Kent's resilience was on full display at Taunton as they fought back valiantly against Somerset in the Vitality County Championship First Division match. After being bowled out for 178 in their first innings, Kent's openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Compton, put together a formidable partnership of 194 runs in the second innings.Crawley, who had struggled for form this season, returned to his best with a magnificent double century. The England opener faced 267 balls, hitting 31 fours and four sixes in his 238-run knock. Compton also played a crucial role, scoring 65 runs before being dismissed by Matt Renshaw.Kent's skipper, Daniel Bell-Drummond, contributed 62 runs, while Marcus O'Riordan and Nathan Gilchrist remained unbeaten at the crease. Despite losing Crawley and Bell-Drummond in the final session, Kent managed to extend their lead to 33 runs at stumps, giving them a glimmer of hope for a draw.Somerset's bowlers, led by Craig Overton and Migael Pretorius, had a productive first innings, claiming three wickets each. However, they were unable to maintain the same intensity in the second innings as Crawley and Compton dominated the proceedings.The match is poised for an exciting finish on day four, with Kent needing to bat out the day to secure a draw. Somerset, on the other hand, will be looking to take early wickets and force a result.

Ben Dwarshuis, the Australian left-arm fast bowler, has joined Durham for the upcoming Vitality Blast tournament. The 31-year-old replaces Scott Boland, who was ruled out for the season due to plantar fasciitis.Dwarshuis comes to Durham after a successful Big Bash League campaign with the Sydney Sixers, where he was the leading bowler and player of the season. He claimed 17 wickets, including a match-winning 5 for 21 against the Brisbane Heat. Dwarshuis also played a key role in the Sixers' back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021, taking 24 wickets in the latter campaign.At the international level, Dwarshuis has represented Australia in three T20Is, claiming five wickets at an average of 22.40. He has also featured for Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League and Worcestershire in the Vitality Blast."I am very much looking forward to joining Durham Cricket for the upcoming 2024 Vitality Blast season," said Dwarshuis. "It will also be a great opportunity to play in front of the passionate Durham fans at the Seat Unique Riverside."Durham's Director of Cricket, Marcus North, expressed his excitement about Dwarshuis' signing. "We are thrilled to have recruited Ben for our T20 Blast season," said North. "With the loss of Scott Boland and the T20 World Cup being played through the tournament, it was important we found the right cricketer who can play a key role for us this season.""Ben has a terrific record with the Sydney Sixers and is constantly up there as one of the top wicket takers in the BBL," added North. "His white-ball cricket skills are very good, and we are pleased to have him on board."Dwarshuis' left-arm option adds variety to Durham's already strong bowling attack. He is also a capable batsman, which gives the team additional depth.

Surrey County Cricket Club has bolstered its Vitality Blast squad with the signing of Australian fast bowler Spencer Johnson for the first eight matches of the tournament. Johnson, a left-armer, is a familiar face at The Oval, having represented Oval Invincibles in the 2023 campaign.During his stint with Invincibles, Johnson showcased his exceptional skills, claiming five wickets, including a remarkable 3 for 1 off 20 deliveries against Manchester Originals. His impressive performance played a crucial role in Invincibles' successful title run.Johnson's acquisition comes at an opportune time for Surrey, who will be without four key players due to their involvement in the T20 World Cup. Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, and Reece Topley have all been selected by England for the global event.The Australian pacer will join Sean Abbott as Surrey's overseas options for the Blast. The club is permitted to field a maximum of three overseas players in its squad and two in its playing XI."I'm thrilled to join Surrey and have some fantastic memories from playing at the Kia Oval last year," Johnson said. "Surrey has a great squad, and I'm eager to contribute with the ball in front of the passionate crowds in south London."Alec Stewart, Surrey's director of men's cricket, expressed his delight at Johnson's signing. "Spencer is a highly talented cricketer who has proven his abilities in white-ball cricket at the highest levels," Stewart said. "He will strengthen our bowling unit during the early stages of the group stages when we have four players away at the World Cup with England."Despite missing out on Australia's T20 World Cup squad, Johnson remains a highly sought-after player in the T20 circuit. He secured a lucrative deal worth AU$1.78 million (USD1.175 million) with Gujarat Titans in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).Following the Vitality Blast, Johnson will represent LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket before returning to The Oval for his Hundred stint with Invincibles. He could potentially add to his six international caps at the end of the English summer when Australia tours for three T20Is and five ODIs.

Xavier Bartlett, the Australian fast bowler, will join Kent for the Vitality Blast after Cricket Australia (CA) initially blocked him from playing for the county in the County Championship. Bartlett was originally signed for Kent's first five Championship games, but CA denied him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) on the eve of the season, despite handing him a central contract a week earlier.Bartlett's absence was a blow to Kent, who swiftly replaced him with South African bowling allrounder Beyers Swanepoel on an all-format deal. However, Kent remained hopeful that Bartlett would be able to fulfill the white-ball element of his initial deal, which amounted to at least eight Blast games. That has now been confirmed.CA's caution with Bartlett's workload is understandable, particularly in first-class cricket. He played just three Sheffield Shield matches for Queensland after returning from a back stress fracture sustained during the previous English summer. He is also likely to land a deal in Major League Cricket, which begins on July 4.While Bartlett is unlikely to make Australia's T20 World Cup squad, he is firmly in the frame for their limited-overs tour of England in September. He will join Swanepoel and fellow Australian seamer Wes Agar as three overseas options for Kent's Blast campaign, which begins on May 31 against Middlesex at Chelmsford. Only two of them are permitted in any given playing XI.Kent's director of cricket, Simon Cook, expressed his delight at securing Bartlett's services for the Blast: "We've been working extremely hard with Cricket Australia to ensure that Xavier can join us in some capacity this season, and we're really pleased to have secured his services for eight matches of our T20 campaign.""He is hot property at the moment and fully deserves his new central contract with Australia. I know that Spitfires supporters around the world will be extremely excited that the BBL's top wicket-taker this Winter will be pulling on a Kent shirt this June."