June 2010 Archives

Second XI Championship: Yorkshire 367, Warwickshire 431 for eight. Barker 170 (220 balls, 28 fours), Piolet 85, Ord 36. Barker can hardly have done more to press his claim to replace the injured Miller for the championship match against Yorkshire next week.

Miller will have an MRI scan on Friday but it's almost certainly a stress fracture and 6 to 8 weeks out.

Warwickshire will not be able to recruit a batsman in time for Friday's slogfest against Durham but aim to do so ASAP.

A blackbird has just soared across The Riverside like a black bullet.

When Radio WM's Richard Wilford and I spoke to Ashley Giles after play this evening the director of cricket appeared rather jealous of my swanky new Noel Coward-like jacket.

It only cost a fiver but I'm used to getting by. I came from a poor family. One year things were so tight my parents gave me an empty box for Christmas and told me it was an action-man deserter.

Warwickshire 75 for 3 (27 overs). Troughton 13, Javid 20.

Very interesting to watch Javid. Well-organised and confident, playing freely, perhaps a bit too freely for his team-mates' comfort and it's fair to say Durham's four slips are alerted, but an abundant talent.

11 overs left tonight.

Warwickshire 50 for 3 (19 overs). Troughton 4, Javid 4.

Maddy, having scored six from 48 balls, shuffles miles across to Claydon, missing an attempt to leg-glance and falls lbw.

Javid pulls his first ball to the mid-wicket boundary with considerable aplomb.

Warwickshire 42 for 2 (16 overs), Maddy 5, Troughton 3.

Botha, having executed some handsome drives and looked a competent number three, gets a brute of a lifter from Claydon and nicks to Mustard. A superb delivery.

A police helicopter has been hovering over the ground for ten minutes.

Warwickshire 18 for 1 (9 overs), Maddy 1, Botha 17.

Harmison generating plenty of lift but Botha has just driven and pulled him for boundaries.

Maddy dropping deep anchor.

"I have a memory like an elephant," said Noel Coward. "In fact, elephants often consult me."

Warwickshire 0 for 1 (1 over), Mady 0, Botha 0.

Westwood jabs away from his body at his third ball from Harmison and is caught at third slip.

TEA: Durham 289 all out. Harmison 1 not out.

Claydon slogs Imran and Botha, not wearied by overbowling, takes an excellent catch diving forward at long-on.

354 to win.

38 overs left tonight.

Durham lost ten wickets for 131. Imran 6 for 69. 45 championship wickets in season.

Warwickshire victory probability ratio: 2.76%. (D/L; 84.82%).

Durham 287 for 9 (77 overs). Claydon 19, Harmison 0.

Mustard, on 25, misses a pull and is bowled by Imran who then has Rushworth lbw to complete a five-for.

Claydon is having a mow.

Talking of which, the outfield was mown during the lunch interval. Haven't seen that before.

Durham 243 for 7 (66 overs). Mustard 10, Claydon 0.

Thorpe drives at Carter and edges to Maddy to first slip. Seven wickets for 84 runs.

The lead is 307.

If Warwickshire's batting form was slightly different you'd say they were giving themselves a sliver of a chance here.

"Wit," said Noel Coward, "ought to be a glorious treat like caviar; never spread it about like marmalade"

Durham 231 for 6 (60 overs). Mustard 1, Thorp 4.

Blackwell, on 36, is beaten in the flight by Imran and bowled. Three wickets and an amazing catch now for Imran.

Rankin still bowling well.

Botha is having another quiet day with the ball.