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Supporting fifties from Middleton, Weatherley and Organ defy Notts push to enforce follow-on

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Jul-2025Hampshire 367 for 6 (Varma 112, Organ 71*, Weatherley 52, Middleton 52) trail Nottinghamshire 578 for 8 dec (James 203*, Haynes 103, McCann 79, Hutton 71) by 211 runsTilak Varma once again proved his enormous talent with his second century in three matches as Hampshire fought hard to keep title-challenging Nottinghamshire at bay at Utilita Bowl.India prodigy Varma added 112 to take his average in his Hampshire stint to just under 79. He put on 42 with Nick Gubbins, 58 with Ben Brown, and most substantially 126 with Felix Organ to bite into Nottinghamshire’s large 578 first-innings score.Organ ended the day unbeaten on 71 with 61 runs still needed to avoid the follow-on – in doing so Hampshire should be safe from defeat on the final day.Fletcha Middleton and Joe Weatherley had hunkered down for 32 overs of hard graft the previous evening. They got their rewards by collecting half-centuries in the morning. Neither showed any flashiness, just survival-style opening batting – putting on 94 together.That was unsurprising for Weatherley who was playing his first red ball match for two years, having lost favour in the Championship and fallen behind Middleton, Toby Albert, Felix Organ, Mark Stoneman, Ali Orr, Ian Holland in recent years.He reached 52 but was bounced out by Mo Abbas – caught on the hook. Middleton also scored 52 and fell on Nelson when he edged Abbas behind.It suddenly felt like an inevitable Abbas day. The Pakistan international had spearheaded the Hampshire attack for four seasons, taking 180 wickets at an average below 20. The Weatherley scalp was his 100th at Utilita Bowl.He was back in his familiar surroundings, not least because the keys to ‘his’ Hilton Hotel suite on the ground had been handed back to him for this week – famously having blocked Manchester City Pep Guardiola from taking the room a few years ago.But despite his mid-morning burst, the Kookaburra ball softened and fast bowling was a game of patience, while the pitch didn’t offer regular turn for the spinners. Not that it stopped Liam Patterson-White ripping one to pin Nick Gubbins lbw playing not shot, before Tom Prest loosely hoicked to mid-on.Brown looked like the man to stick with Varma, but after a 58-run alliance, the Hampshire captain was leg-before to Lyndon James.Josh Tongue had been released by England for the last two days of the match. He replaced Brett Hutton at the beginning of the day but went wicketless in his 18 overs. Notts’ bowlers otherwise toiled for little reward – and will have taken pleasure at the rate never reaching three runs an over.In a low red-ball period for Hampshire, Varma has been a giant. His arrival, which came thanks to Indian owners GMR Group’s influence, has brought a calmness to the middle-order, with plenty of runs to match.He opened with a century against Essex, before 56 and 47 versus Worcestershire and then this century – during those innings he has barely looked like being dislodged. Varma’s judgement of line and length is a superpower, with the ability to boundaries when the right parameters are met for risk.He already has 29 international caps, they will surely only surge in a short amount of time. The left-hander’s century came in 203 deliveries, although he was outdone for patience by Organ, who took zero risks, with large spells of no scoring.Organ’s second fifty of the season came in 138 balls, and even with Varma strangled down the leg side, Hampshire will feel almost safe.

He will go in at the top for the first time in his career against West Indies in Adelaide

Andrew McGlashan13-Jan-2024Steven Smith has laid out his rationale behind pushing for a move to open in Test cricket, and it’s pretty simple: he doesn’t want to wait.Smith had been the only incumbent player to publicly state he wanted to shift up the order to replace David Warner and the selectors ended up taking the option, which has also allowed them to bring Cameron Green back in at No. 4.The new-look batting order will have its first outing in the opening Test against West Indies, in Adelaide, which starts on January 17.Related

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Smith has never opened in Test or first-class before in a career spanning 16 years, but is no stranger to facing an almost new ball, particularly when he was batting at No. 3. However, he cited the 2019 Ashes, where he was No. 4, as an example of when he was frequently been tested early in an innings – in those four Tests (he missed one with concussion) the highest total, and longest wait, he entered at was 60 for 2 in the 23rd over at Lord’s.”Since I guess Marnus [Labuschagne] has been playing at No. 3, I’ve been waiting to bat for quite a long period of time and I don’t really like waiting to bat,” he told while playing for Sydney Sixers on Friday night. “So I thought, why don’t I put my hand up and have a crack up top and that way you can get Cameron Green in and you’re playing your six best batters so hopefully it works out.”I am [excited]. I like facing the newer ball. I think if you look back to the 2019 Ashes I was in pretty early most of the time there where I was facing the new ball. I batted No. 3 for a number of years as well and was in early and did pretty well against the new ball so it’s nothing new or foreign to me. You know I enjoy getting in there and getting amongst it and yeah, I’m looking forward to that challenge.”Steven Smith has faced a lot of short bowling in recent times•Getty Images

Warner, who retired from Test cricket after facing Pakistan in Sydney, believes one of the advantages for Smith is that he will likely face more conventional bowling and tactics early in his innings which may allow him to score more freely.In recent years, oppositions have come up with a variety of plans to Smith – including bouncers from round the wicket and stacked leg-side fields – which, while not often dismissing him quickly, have stemmed his scoring rate.”He likes to walk cross and get onto the legside and get it away there,” Warner said. “People have been bowling short to him when he first gets in. But he finds a way. Early on, they’re going to try and swing the ball and pitch the ball up. And he’s going to be allowed to get into his game and his game plan. Get into the rhythm of how he wants to bat and he can dictate. So I’m actually looking forward to seeing how he goes.”Warner added that he thought Smith and Usman Khawaja both had “another year or two” in them in Test cricket, which could take them up to the 2025-26 Ashes in Australia after next season’s series against India. Matt Renshaw has now been earmarked as the next batter in line, but Warner backed the move to get Green back in the side.”It’s a good taste for Greeny…24 years of age,” he said. “They’re going to have to look for two new guys up the top [of] the order. But to get that No. 4 replacement as well, that’s your foundation at three and four. So if they can knuckle that down, they’ve got a base in the middle. Then they just have a look for some more openers.”

Maddy Green took charge of the chase before the visitors suffered a late wobble

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2022New Zealand secured their first ODI series win in West Indies with a two-wicket victory in Antigua where Eden Carson claimed three wickets on debut then Maddy Green anchored the chase.It became tighter than it should have done for New Zealand as they lost 4 for 3 late in the chase, but Hayley Jensen struck the winning boundary after Carson survived two balls from Karishma Ramharack who had taken three of those wickets.Carson, an offspinner, had a terrific debut as she claimed the key wicket of West Indies’ top-scorer Hayley Matthews as her first scalp – lbw on the back foot – followed by Chinelle Henry and Shakera Selman. She, Fran Jonas and Amelia Kerr combined to cause plenty of problems and their combined figures read: 28-3-65-5. Kerr and Jonas conceded just 17 each from their 10 overs.West Indies had slipped to 29 for 3 in the 11th over and were in further trouble when Lea Tahuhu had Stafanie Taylor well caught by Isabella Gaze and Kerr had Kyshona Knight taken in the covers off a leading edge.Matthews and Henry built a stand of 47 for the sixth wicket before Carson made her impact and the lower order was left trying to see out the 50 overs.West Indies fought back with the ball early in the chase as New Zealand’s slipped to 51 for 3 but their run rate was good which meant little scoreboard pressure. Green and Lauren Down added 66 for the fourth wicket to break the back of the target, then Green and Brooke Halliday got them with six runs before the late stutter that did not prove costly.

“Winning or losing today is not important. There’s no point bringing a good coach if this is their shot-selection”

Mohammad Isam23-May-2021Nazmul Hassan, the BCB president, has called into question Bangladesh’s shot-selection in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, their preparation ahead of this series, and the merit of using Liton Das as an opener in this format.Hassan made his comments at a press briefing during the innings break after Bangladesh had made 257 for 6 on a tricky surface in Dhaka, an unusually prompt response from the board chief, who usually waits till the end of a match before offering his reactions.”The BCB is trying to find out what’s happening, and why it is happening,” Hassan said. “Winning and losing today is not important. How many good balls or brilliant fielding got us out? Was our shot selection right? There’s no point bringing a good coach if this is their shot selection. We will talk about the coach later. First, we have to sit with the players to find out their mentality. Some of the outs [dismissals] were very ugly. There was no need to play those shots in that situation.”Hassan acknowledged that some of the Bangladesh batters were going through a lean patch, and said that “in his opinion” Das, who bats at No. 7 in Tests, would be better suited down the order in ODIs as well. Das and Mohammad Mithun both fell for ducks, with Das flaying outside offstump and Mithun trapped lbw while playing a paddle sweep.”Liton Das, Soumya [Sarkar] and [Mohammad] Mithun are capable players. People go through bad times. We will have to talk to the players and coaches. I can’t just take a sweeping decision from the top. It will become negative.”[Liton] can open in T20s, but my personal opinion is that he is better at No. 5 or 6. We have to sit with them. I don’t want to force anything on them. I don’t do that anymore. I think we will have a solution.”While Hassan said head coach Russell Domingo would have his contract renewed this year, he stressed on the need to ask questions and “find out the problem”.”If we don’t renew his contract, we would be needing someone as a back-up. We don’t have any such thoughts in this Covid situation with a World Cup coming up. This is the reality.”We haven’t had the chance to test them. If we ask him [Domingo] why they batted badly, he will point towards their shot-selection. What will be my reply? We first have to find out the problem. I can’t even sit with the players due to Covid. They don’t even allow me into the bio-bubble. What can I do?”Related

• Sri Lanka look to arrest slide as Bangladesh eye series win

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• Domingo wants Bangladesh 'to stick to basics, not try anything fancy'

While Bangladesh could theoretically top the World Cup Super League table if they win this series, their form across all formats has been erratic. The team has lost nine out of the last ten international matches. In fact, since the 2019 World Cup, Bangladesh have won only one international game against a higher-ranked side – the first T20I versus India in Delhi in November 2019.Besides a 3-0 ODI win against West Indies at the start of the year, Bangladesh have lost every other series they have played in 2021, including six consecutive defeats in New Zealand across formats.Hassan was displeased with Bangladesh’s preparation ahead of the Sri Lanka series.”Is this any type of preparation? We played ODIs and T20s in New Zealand after playing Tests. Then we played Tests in Sri Lanka. We are not having our usual procedure of preparation.”How much did they practice after coming back [from Sri Lanka]? They couldn’t practice one day due to rain. Then another day was missing due to permission. The bond of a training camp, where everyone is around, is missing. It is a difficult environment for us – continuously playing and being in repeated quarantines.”We are going to Zimbabwe, and then Australia, New Zealand and England are coming here. We have to abide by Covid protocols in every series. It is a problem for everyone but there are some countries who are continuously playing.”

According to laws, West Indies were in the right with their appeal even though it left Virat Kohli fuming

Nagraj Gollapudi16-Dec-2019On Sunday, Indian captain Virat Kohli said he was miffed at the Ravindra Jadeja run-out being referred to the third umpire. He felt the on-field umpire Shaun George changed his original not out decision only after West Indies players, prompted by “people outside” appealed to him to review the incident. It now turns out that George was also prompted by the third umpire Rod Tucker to refer the decision “upstairs”.ESPNcricinfo understands that immediately after George had turned down the initial run-out appeal by the fielder Roston Chase, Tucker asked his colleague, via the radio that wires all the match officials, to refer it “upstairs” as the decision was “tight”. All this happened at the same time as replays of the incident were broadcast on TV. As soon as he had seen the replays, Tucker decided to intervene.George, who is from South Africa, then signaled he was referring the run-out to the third umpire, Tucker, who then relayed to George that Jadeja was indeed short of his crease.The incident took place on the fourth delivery of the 48th over of the Indian innings. Having dug out a yorker-length delivery from Keemo Paul, Jadeja set out for a single. Chase, rushing in from cover, broke the stumps in a brilliant piece of pick-and-throw fielding.George, who had witnessed the throw from the side-on angle, felt Jadeja had made his ground and ruled not out when Chase inquired if it was out. But the decision was soon overturned, something that Kohli disputed instantly by walking up to the fourth umpire who was standing outside the ropes.During the post-match presentation, Kohli told commentator Harsha Bhogle that “dismissal ends there” once George had told Chase it was not out. Kohli suspected George only referred the decision after the West Indies players, prompted by “people sitting outside”, who had seen the replays. “People sitting outside can’t dictate what happens on the field and I think that’s exactly what happened then,” Kohli said.The ball was not deadAnother key question asked on air immediately, but one that went unanswered, was whether it was valid for West Indies to raise an appeal after replays were already shown around the ground. The simple answer is yes. The MCC’s Laws of Cricket says a team has time until the next ball to make an appeal.Law 31.3, which deals with ‘Timing of the Appeals’ says “for an appeal to be valid, it must be made before the bowler begins his/her run-up or, if there is no run-up, his/her bowling action to deliver the next ball, and before Time has been called.”

New Zealand were 211 for 5 but the India attack was unable to capitalise on the situation and the hosts declared on 458

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2018Associated Press

The New Zealand A lower order and tail piled on plenty of runs against an India A attack that features only two frontline bowlers with international experience under their belt. Soon after losing overnight centurion Hamish Rutherford for 114, New Zealand were reduced to 211 for 5 but the India attack was unable to capitalise on the situation and the hosts declared on 458, only nine behind India’s total.Visiting openers Prithvi Shaw and M Vijay were unbeaten in a quick stand of 35 in eight overs, with the Mumbai batsman scoring 33 off 26 with seven fours.Resuming on 176 for 1, New Zealand lost their early wickets to the pace bowlers when Tim Seifert drove to edge one behind off Mohammed Siraj and Rutherford chopped on against Deepak Chahar. Chahar soon had Rachin Ravindra hole out behind square with a bouncer, and when Glenn Phillips was trapped lbw by Navdeep Saini, India looked set to take a healthy lead with the hosts five down and 256 behind.However, Dane Cleaver (53) stitched crucial stands with Doug Bracewell (48) and Kyle Jamieson (30) to take them towards 350. When Cleaver holed out against Saini off a short ball on the off side, they were 346 for 8, but Seth Rance and Blair Tickner frustrated India further with an unbeaten stand of 83 for the last wicket. Rance was unbeaten on 69 off 57 with four fours and as many sixes, and Tickner was on 30* when they declared. K Gowtham chipped in with three wickets but conceded 107 runs in his 42 overs.

The former captain suffered a grade one tear to his calf muscle during training

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2017Sri Lanka allrounder Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi later this month with a calf strain. He had sustained the injury during training on Tuesday, before undergoing scans on Wednesday.SLC cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha confirmed Mathews’ unavailability.This is the latest in a long history of leg injuries for Mathews – the last 12 months having been particularly problematic. He had suffered a torn hamstring during Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa in January, and did not play international cricket again until June. He had also missed a tri-series in Zimbabwe late last year due to “multiple injuries” in his legs.Given the recurrence of these injuries, Mathews’ workload has been closely managed over the last few months. In fact, he was only required to deliver a few overs per game in the ODIs against India, and did not bowl at all in the Tests. Nevertheless, he finds himself unable to play again, just as Sri Lanka attempt to put the torrid series against India behind them. Mathews had been excellent during Sri Lanka’s last Test series the UAE, in 2013-14, hitting 412 runs at an average of 103.Sri Lanka’s two-Test series against Pakistan begins on September 28 in Abu Dhabi. The second match will be a day-night Test, in Dubai.

Gareth Batty’s first Championship hundred for Surrey plus another by Ben Foakes, a wicketkeeper who England have half an eye on, ensured another tough day for bottom-of-the-table Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl

Vithushan Ehantharajah18-Jul-2016
ScorecardGareth Batty made his first century for Surrey•Getty Images

“Is that all from one innings?” asked a member of the catering staff. You didn’t need to know the game to empathise with Hampshire’s toil. Surrey declared but it may as well have been a mercy ruling that ended their first innings on 637 for 7. Six hundred and thirty seven.All pros know the pain of relentless grind in the dirt. It will take more than a shower and a night’s sleep to shake off these 163 overs.A record eighth wicket partnership for Surrey, against any opposition, saw Ben Foakes and Gareth Batty put on 222 and take a gargantuan lead in this basement battle at the Ageas Bowl.It was the timing of this partnership that was crucial – just when the early wickets of Steven Davies and Sam Curran looked like threatening Surrey’s good work from day one. So good was the recovery that Foakes and Batty notched centuries in the process.It was something of a tactical union: Foakes, able to play his natural game, accompanied Batty steadily before the Surrey skipper was comfortable enough to swipe boundaries of his own. There was talk of a dash to 400 to take full batting points only for the pair to settle for the four they had, knowing that risky play would not only lead to a wicket and a second Hampshire bowling point, but also rob them of the chance to put on an insurmountable first innings score. The logic was simple: the pitch is very good for batting so even if Hampshire make their way to 350 or 400, the follow-on option would still be available to Surrey.Further scheming came just after tea, when Batty and Foakes came out for 10 minutes, “to piss their batters off”. Taking an extra three overs, in which time Sean Ervine dropped Batty at first slip off Brad Wheal, Surrey declared, giving Hampshire’s openers 10-minutes rather than the 20 at tea to compose themselves. Within 3.2 overs of the hosts’ first innings, they were five for two: Will Smith playing on his first ball and Jimmy Adams flicking to square leg, as Mark Footitt put the new ball to work with the quickest spell of the match.At a time when questions are being asked of Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps and the national side’s general approach to keeping, Foakes’ first hundred of the season could not have been better timed. He had only passed fifty on one previous occasion before finishing up on a career best 141 not out. Naturally, he hopes he kicks on, but this was also the first innings of note he has played at No. 7 – the position he is most likely to occupy if opportunities further up the ladder present themselves.With that position comes the responsibility of batting with the tail – something which he is not used to, having spent most of his time at No. 4 or 5. It is a role Foakes knows he needs to work on.”When you bat at four or five, that sort of area, you’re batting with ‘batters’ for longer, so you just carry on and take what comes your way,” he said at stumps. “But when you have, say, 10 or 11 come in and you have to up the scoring with the field set back, it’s about being smart.””This is the first time I’ve done it. When we have struggled a bit I have found it quite tough. When you are seven, eight down – and it can happen quickly – I have got out trying to change my game when I’ve been on 20. It’s been a bit frustrating but I’ve got to learn to do that better. I’ve got to bat well with the tail and go up a gear.”He outlined improvement in this role as a goal for the rest of the season. To be fair to him, while his first 53 runs took 102 balls, the next 88 came off 79. The freedom that Batty afforded him, too, meant they rattled on together at over five runs an over.”He enjoys batting, even though he won’t tell you,” said Foakes with a wry smile, surprised that this was Batty’s first hundred for Surrey. It was his first in a decade in fact, since a 112 for Worcestershire against Essex in June 2006. To say it was something he had been anticipating for some time would be overselling it a touch.When he reached the milestone, off 132 balls, he simply raised his bat to the away dressing room and went on with his innings. That understated celebration probably came as no surprise to those congregated on the balcony.That Hampshire were able to keep their spirits up in the late afternoon may be as much down to team spirit as a mild form of Stockholm Syndrome. Cheers went up around the field as Mason Crane completed his 50th over. Sean Ervine walked over to him and held his arm aloft, before he indulged and raised his caps to all parts of the ground. That noise was only matched by the applause for him when he left the field for a well earned break.He turned his arm over for 308 times across the five and a bit sessions, conceding just under four an over for the most part, only for some tired deliveries at the end to leave him with an economy rate of 4.11. The wicket of Curran, turning through the left-handers gate, past leg stump and into the gloves of Lewis McManus for a stumping, pretty much summed up his impressive control.A couple of things did fall Hampshire’s way by the close. Ryan Mclaren, promoted to number four, was dropped twice by Aaron Finch (first slip) and Rory Burns (third) before he had made it to 10. McLaren used the life to accompany Tom Alsop through to stumps. Even after today, there is still a lot of graft left in this match.

Aaron Finch was taken to hospital after been hit on the chest by a delivery while playing for Yorkshire’s 2nd XI on Monday

George Dobell22-Jun-20151:45

Finch was playing for Yorkshire’s 2nd XI when he was hit on the chest

Aaron Finch was taken to hospital after been hit on the chest by a delivery while playing for Yorkshire’s 2nd XI on Monday.Finch, the Australia limited-overs opener, was part of the side taking on Worcestershire seconds in Barnt Green, south of Birmingham, when he was hit while attempting a pull shot off the seamer Chris Russell.While Finch walked from the pitch unaided, he was clearly in some pain and, after spitting up blood, was quickly taken to hospital. At hospital he underwent a series of tests and X-rays to ascertain the extent of the injuries, with Yorkshire suggesting that his condition had eased considerably. He was not required to stay in hospital.A club spokesperson later told ESPNcricinfo that he would take no further part in the game. He returned to Leeds on Monday evening and expects the result of the scans on Tuesday.While Finch had been expected to play for the Yorkshire first team in their fixture against Nottinghamshire starting on Monday, the club instead decided he could do with some red-ball cricket before coming into their Championship side.Finch was due to join Yorkshire immediately after a spell in the IPL but suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Mumbai Indians that kept him out for two months.

Ryan Harris’ recovery from shoulder surgery has consumed his BBL campaign, as the highly regarded fast bowler strives to be considered for Australia’s 2013 Test tours

Daniel Brettig10-Dec-2012Ryan Harris’ recovery from shoulder surgery has consumed his BBL campaign for the Brisbane Heat, as the highly regarded fast bowler strives to be considered for Australia’s 2013 Test tours of India and England.Having undergone rotator cuff surgery in August, Harris had originally hoped to be fit in time to take part in Australia’s home Test series against Sri Lanka, starting on Friday in Hobart.But a careful recuperation process has taken longer than first thought, first ruling him out of any cricket before Christmas and now extending into the BBL phase of summer. While Harris has returned to the bowling crease, he is yet to deliver a ball at full pace or off his long run, and it has been decided that he is better off not rushing back for Twenty20 duty.”It’s disappointing because I am pretty close but to push now might not turn out to be the best thing for longer term,” Harris said. “Everyone agrees that I will be best suited to come back with Toombul in club cricket first up in January and then aim to be considered for the first Queensland games after the BBL.”I’ve been feeling pretty good in the nets so far, and while I’m not bowling off the full run-up or at full pace, I’m very positive about getting up to that level soon.”James Hopes, captain of the Bulls and the Heat, was hopeful that Harris’ conservative approach would reap benefits at the international level in the new year.”I pushed myself too hard with a knee injury last year for the first half of the BBL,” Hopes said. “I was fortunate enough to be able to take stock and opt for a less aggressive recovery schedule that got me back fit and well in time for the remaining Shield and one-dayers, and that’s what we’re going to do with Ryano.”He is bowling really well at this stage of his recovery, but it would have been unfair to throw him back into a BBL game and expect him to go full tilt from the outset. This is the best thing for him and will give him plenty of playing time for Queensland and allow him to build a case for the Australian tours to India and England.”I’m firmly convinced that with his bowling skill set, he is comfortably in the ranks of the best Test bowling line-up that Australia can field.”When fit, Harris is greatly valued by Australia’s captain Michael Clarke and the national selectors for his combination of swing, speed and accuracy. His bowling was a key plank of Australia’s series win in Sri Lanka in 2011, utilising a skidding, wicket-to-wicket method that will be suited to India.Beyond that lies the trip to England for the first leg of dual Ashes series.