Two balls remaining, 10 runs to get. This was Chennai Super Kings’ equation, on Saturday night at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, to get into the IPL 2024 playoffs by keeping their net run rate above that of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Ten off two had been CSK’s equation during last year’s final too, and Ravindra Jadeja had pulled it off to lead them to their fifth IPL title. Jadeja was on…
CSK knocked out as RCB win six in a row to make playoffs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 218 for 5 (Du Plessis 54, Kohli 47, Patidar 41, Green 38, Thakur 2-61) beat Chennai Super Kings 191 for 7 (Ravindra 61, Jadeja 42*, Dayal 4-42) by 27 runs Virat Kohli looked nearly in tears. Faf du Plessis could not contain his joy. MS Dhoni was nowhere to be seen after the game. All of it summed up the crazy night in Bengaluru, as Royal Challengers…
Brief Stokes vs Lyon bout follows formula
Lancashire 357 (Jennings 115, Bruce 46, Raine 3-67, Stokes 2-70) and 91 for 2 (Jennings 38*, Raine 1-10) lead Durham 236 (Bedingham 101, Aspinwall 5-41, Lyon 4-59) by 212 runs Make no mistake, Saturday’s heavyweight clash underwhelmed. And though you did not have to pay £24.99 to watch it, the neutrals would be right to feel short-changed by just 10 minutes of Ben Stokes versus Nathan Lyon. The eight balls…
Tom Alsop fights for Sussex but Yorkshire have the edge
Sussex 150 (Hill 4-22) and 194 for 7 (Alsop 77*) lead Yorkshire 195 (Root 67, Hunt 4-64) by 149 runs Second division championship favourites Yorkshire are within sight of their first win of the season after having marginally the better of the second day of their match against Sussex at Hove. After 17 wickets had fallen on the first day, matters were a little less frenetic in a tightly fought…
'New Jofra Archer' makes stunning impact on first-class debut
Warwickshire 397 (Barnard 165, Burgess 108) and 43 for 5 (Yates 28, Porter 2-17) lead Essex 162 (Cox 47, Simmons 3-12, Yates 3-27) by 278 runs Che Simmons made a stunning impact on his first-class debut by blasting a gaping hole in the Essex batting with three wickets in 15 balls as Warwickshire gained a stranglehold on the Vitality County Championship match at Chelmsford. The 20-year-old Barbadian-born, British passport-holder, dubbed…
Jack Leach strikes on comeback as Somerset cement control
Kent 108 for 5 (Compton 43, Leach 2-22, Overton 2-23) trail Somerset 554 (Banton 133, Rew 114, Gregory 77, Lammonby 69) by 446 runs England left-arm spinner Jack Leach claimed two wickets on his return to Somerset’s team after a long injury lay-off as they dominated a rain-affected second day of the Vitality County Championship First Division match with Kent at Taunton. The home side added 114 to their overnight…
Olly Stone makes his England bid as Notts stay in contention
Nottinghamshire 235 (James 106*, Abbas 4-49) and 33 for 1 trail Hampshire 276 (Dawson 95, Barker 74, Stone 4-62, Pennington 3-70) by eight runs Olly Stone pushed his claims for an England recall with his best Championship bowling figures in four years as Nottinghamshire and Hampshire reached the halfway stage of their Vitality County Championship match almost on level terms. Stone took four for 62 with new-ball partner Dillon Pennington…
Stoneman century puts Middlesex in command
Middlesex 303 for 6 (Stoneman 129, Higgins 53*) lead Glamorgan 183 (Helm 4-44) by 120 runs A brilliant hundred from Mark Stoneman put Middlesex in command of their Vitality County Championship fixture against Glamorgan in Cardiff. Having resumed on 62 without loss, Middlesex reached 303 for 6 at the close, 120 runs in front of Glamorgan on first innings. Stoneman’s 129 backed up the excellent bowling effort from Middlesex as…
Gloucestershire's record 706 for 6 leaves Leicestershire staring down the barrel
Leicestershire 133 for 5 (Middleton 2-31) trail Gloucestershire 706 for 6 dec (Bancroft 160, Charlesworth 126, van Buuren 103, Bracey 92) by 573 runs Gloucestershire registered the highest score in their 154-year first-class history before making substantial inroads into the Leicestershire reply on the second day of the Vitality Division Two championship match at the UptonSteel County Ground. Captain Graeme Van Buuren hit a century at better than a run…
Surrey batters turn the screw after Dan Worrall six-for floors Worcestershire
Surrey 213 (Lawrence 84, Pope 63, Waite 3-19, Leach 3-62) and 342 for 5 (Lawrence 86*, Smith 72, Burns 70, Clark 69) lead Worcestershire 128 (Worrall 6-22) by 427 runs Leaders Surrey are in a strong position to claim their fourth win of the season in the Vitality County Championship after dominating the second day against Worcestershire at the Kia Oval. Dan Worrall wrapped up Worcestershire’s first innings by claiming…