OneDay

One-Day Cup round-up: Middlesex and Worcestershire extend 100% winning starts

Worcestershire appeared to be cruising towards victory when Hampshire, chasing 308, needed 48 runs to win with 21 balls remaining and one wicket in hand.

Some big hitting from Andrew Neal took Hampshire to the brink of an astonishing success but, requiring five more off the final three balls, he edged spinner Fateh Singh behind to fall for 48 off 22 balls.

The late drama at New Road was in sharp contrast to events earlier in the day at Radlett, where Middlesex made short work of Glamorgan’s batting line-up.

Naavya Sharma (4-29), Toby Roland-Jones (3-35) and Noah Cornwell (3-1) were the only three bowlers used as Glamorgan, who were 44-1, lost their final nine wickets for 22 runs.

Josh de Caires hit 10 fours in his 45 not out as the hosts completed victory within three hours of the match starting.

At Hove, an early rain shower meant a slightly reduced match of 48 overs per side.

Opener Will Luxton made 117 in Yorkshire’s 325-7 and Coad’s four wickets with the new ball left Sussex on 21-5 as they chased a revised target of 325.

Coad ended with 5-12 from seven overs as Sussex were bowled out for 140 to lose by 184 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) method.

Essex beat Derbyshire by nine runs at Chelmsford in the other match in Group B, with both captains leading their sides’ respective batting causes.

Westley, making his 500th career appearance in all formats, scored 102 off 97 balls in the hosts’ 257-7.

Harry Came (97) shared an opening stand of 113 with Martin Andersson but the match looked in the balance when Derbyshire needed 100 more with five wickets in hand.

Charlie Bennett (3-32) broke a seventh-wicket partnership worth 45 between Ross Whiteley and Nick Potts, which proved crucial.

Source link

Ben Stokes set to make return for Durham in One-Day Cup on Tuesday

Ben Stokes is set to play for the first time since retiring from international cricket by appearing for Durham at Derbyshire on Tuesday.

The former England captain will be part of the opening round of matches in the One-Day Cup – the day The Hundred begins.

Stokes announced an abrupt retirement from international cricket during England’s third Test against New Zealand last month.

Before that match, 35-year-old Stokes missed the second Test during an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub.

In his period away from the England team, the all-rounder played in Durham’s County Championship match against Northamptonshire.

Although Stokes said he had developed “negative feelings” around playing for England, he said his time back in county cricket rekindled his love for the game.

“Being back at Durham, when I wasn’t playing in the second Test, I found a new lease of life for the game, but unfortunately I just couldn’t get that feeling back,” said Stokes.

“I’m very excited about the next part of what I get to do. Going back to playing for my boyhood club Durham, I’m comparing this week to that week – right now I am buzzing.

“But there have been moments this week that have been really tough and it just adds to everything and it makes it clear that I’ve made the right decision.”

After playing in the One-Day Cup, Stokes could feature again in the Championship before the end of the season.

The timing of his return means a clash with the launch of the revamped version of The Hundred.

This season is the first since stakes in the eight franchises were sold to investors for about £520m, resulting in some new team names, branding and players earning more money.

Stokes did not enter the auction and was scheduled to play for Durham in the One-Day Cup before he announced his retirement.

Depending on the extent of his involvement, Stokes, perhaps the most high-profile cricketer in the country, could find himself playing at some intimate venues.

Durham have home games scheduled at South Northumberland Cricket Club in Gosforth and Darlington CC. Their away trip to Yorkshire is at York CC.

Stokes has not played any 50-over cricket since the 2023 World Cup, which was also his last limited-overs game for England.

The game at Derby will mark the first time Stokes has played a domestic one-day fixture for Durham in 12 years.

His most recent 50-over game for Durham was their victory over Warwickshire in the 2014 One-Day Cup final. Then aged 23, he made 164 in the semi-final win over Nottinghamshire.

Stokes’ last domestic 50-over cricket anywhere was a stint playing for Canterbury in New Zealand in 2017, during the period when he missed England’s Ashes tour of Australia following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub.

Since Stokes’ retirement from international cricket, Brendon McCullum has been sacked as England Test coach.

McCullum said he had received “nice messages” from Stokes since the announcement.

Source link