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It's a Washout - LVCC Week Four round-up
by Phil Gradwell
The rain reigned supreme over this round of LV= County Championship matches as cricket was soundly beaten by Mother Nature.
It was so relentless, so unremittingly grim that when asked which end they wanted, bowlers must have felt like replying: 'The shallow end please, Skip'.
Not one match was completed, and as Warwickshire all-rounder Neil Carter (who, at 37, has pretty much seen all the game has to offer) tweeted: 'Out of a possible 32 innings, only 6 completed this week. Worst week of rain ever!'
The games between Surrey and Durham at The Oval and Gloucestershire against Glamorgan at Bristol were abandoned without a ball bowled. This is the first time there has been not a ball bowled in a Championship match since September 2008.
But elsewhere, believe it or not, there was some play. Ian Bell's struggles continued at Hove for Warwickshire against Sussex as he was bowled by James Anyon (not Joe Anyon as some fool put in Friday's Quick Delivery in Sportsmail… OK, it was me) for a seven-ball duck. How he must have looked on enviously from the hutch as his England team-mate Jonathan Trott compiled 178 from 314 balls. Warwickshire opener Varun Chopra also weighed in with 105. They then reduced Sussex to 80-5 before the rain brought a premature end to the game.
Making the running: Trott scored 178 for Warwickshire against Sussex
After a couple of pretty shoddy displays with the bat, champions Lancashire finally made a score in their match against Somerset at Taunton. Steven Croft, the man who hit the winning runs in September on that ground to secure the title for the Red Rose, had a good time again, scoring 113. South African Ashwell Prince weighed in with 96 as Lancashire made 400. Prince's compatriot Vernon Philander took his standard five-for, finishing with 5-71. Somerset then made 86-3 before the deluge began and it ended a draw.
At New Road, Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire actually got in two completed innings. Notts struggled to 243 all out in their first innings, with the home bowlers sharing around the wickets. Wannabe hack Richard Jones was the pick, taking 4-76. Unfortunately for them, Worcester's batsmen put in a pretty feeble display. Andre Adams took 5-62 and Harry Gurney took his first Notts wicket, following it up with three more as he finished with 4-40. The visitors made 88-2 in their truncated second innings before, you guessed it, the rain came. However, that could have awful ramifications, as there is talk New Road could be flooded again. Seeing how it took them so long to recover from the last big flood in 2007, it could be disastrous.
Stormy times: Worcestershire are praying their New Road ground does not flood again
For what it's worth, the Division One table is here.
In Division Two it was much of the same. At the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire restricted Leicestershire to 234 with slow left-armer Liam Dawson doing the damage, taking 5-29, his maiden Championship five-for. The home side then got to have a bat and Michael Carberry celebrated his call-up to the England Lions squad with an unbeaten 84, despite being slightly troubled by injury. Whether he would have gone on to make a century we will never know, as the rain came.
Lion roars: Carberry scored an unbeaten 84 for Hampshire
It is said to be grim up north, but Yorkshire found it pretty tough going at Canterbury against Kent. The visitors made 247 in their first innings as loads of batsmen made starts but nobody could make more than 38. England Lion Matt Coles took 4-70. Then Brendan Nash showed everyone how it's done. Never one for a flashy shot, Nash methodically made his way to an unbeaten 132 from 214 balls, which contained 14 fours. The weather conditions were summed up in a tweet from Tim Bresnan: 'It has rained all the way down to Kent. Most of the time there and all the way back home. I'm beginning to think this bus is a rain magnet.' Suffice to say, the game was a rain-affected draw.
They waited a day and a half to play any cricket at Chelmsford, and the Essex top six will be wishing they hadn't bothered. Reduced to 16-4 by Northamptonshire the home side struggled to 54-6. At least Northants bowler Jack Brooks had a good time, taking 4-22. That was all the play there was though. Can you guess why?
The Division Two table is here.
Let's hope the start of the CB40 on Friday brings us sunshine.
Follow Phil on Twitter: @gradersbwfc
April 30, 2012 Comments (0) | Permalink
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Michael Vaughan: I looked at Strauss's schedule and thought: 'Why are you playing?'
by Ben Winstanley
It's that time of year when England players, back from tour, head to the county game looking for wickets and runs ahead of the Test summer. But is it always such a good idea? Around the Wicket spoke to former England captain Michael Vaughan (below) at the launch of the Natwest Locals v Legends T20 series…
It hasn't been a great month to be a batsman in the LV= County Championship. Mark Ramprakash, penalised by the ECB for abusing umpires, yesterday described conditions as the worst he has known in 25 years of first-class cricket, and there has been a distinct paucity of batting bonus points won all round the country.
The lack of runs has meant deserved attention for outstanding efforts from batsmen such as Somerset's Nick Compton who, on 449 after five innings, has a chance of being the first man to score 1,000 before the end of May since Graeme Hick in 1988. But there's no denying England in April is going to serve up less-than-ideal conditions for Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara to come in and look for big scores.
Michael Atherton wrote in The Times last week about the difficulties of batting so early in the season in conditions suited to fast bowlers, and that was before Strauss was bowled for 0 and six by Durham's Graham Onions. Bell fared a little better against Lancashire, but failed to get past 18 in Warwickshire's victory. Essex's Bopara, on the other hand, had more to prove to the selectors and took his chance with 117 not out against Yorkshire.
Unbeaten: Bopara made good on his return to the county game
But Strauss, understandably, attracted the most attention. With three Championship games until the first Test at Lord's on May 17, he will have been looking to return to his home ground and score some runs; last year he came back to the four-day game after the India Test series and hit a career-best 241 not out for Middlesex. That, though, was in August against Leicestershire, who hadn't won in the Championship since the opening game and didn't win another all season - not in April against a high-class bowler looking to force his way back into the Test picture.
So, is there a danger that returning to the county game in such conditions can do more harm than good? Certainly in the England captain's case, thinks Vaughan.
'I looked at Strauss's schedule the other day - I went to Lord's to watch - and I was just sat in the stands thinking that May 17 is still a few weeks off,' said Vaughan. 'I just thought, "Why are you playing?" I wouldn't have played.
'It's a hard one because you feel you should play, because you might get criticism if you don't but I really think at his age now - I know how tough he is mentally - he'd have been better off chilling out, relaxing, coming back in two weeks' time.
'I don't look into those two low scores, I used to get loads of low scores in the county game! He got plenty of runs in the build-up to the Sri Lanka series and didn't get that many runs (in the Tests), got plenty of runs going into the Pakistan series, didn't get that many runs. With Andrew Strauss now it's just how he arrives on Test match morning.'
It is clear, though, that Strauss needs scores after a testing winter for the whole side against Pakistan and, to an extent, against Sri Lanka. But the 35-year-old still averages 41 over a 94-Test career, and Vaughan believes it is just a case of waiting for him to come good again, as it has been for other batsmen over the last few years.
Waiting game: Vaughan says Strauss will kick on after his next big score
'He's not out of form, he's just not getting loads of runs,' said Vaughan. 'His feet are going well. You do lose confidence when you don't get the big scores, particularly the hundreds. As a batsman you judge yourself on getting hundreds. Everyone can get out for nought or six, particularly in conditions like this but when you get in, and Strauss has got in so many times in the last year, he'll be sitting there having wondering, "How haven't I turned a couple of those into big scores?", and he should have done.
'I honestly think he's one score away from being away and flying. That first game at Lord's is ideal because his record there is good, home ground, he'll be desperate for the sun to shine because at Lord's we've seen that if there's cloud around it swings, it nips around a bit.'
Perhaps another reason not to look too much into last week's low scores is that Strauss only faced 27 balls. Next week Middlesex take on Worcestershire at Lord's - though facing Alan Richardson might not be the ideal recipe for runs - and then travel to Trent Bridge, hardly a batsman's paradise. Weather permitting, Jonathan Trott and Matt Prior also return to the county scene today, with three weeks to go until the first Test against West Indies.
'You might go to a ground and the pitch is great,' said Vaughan. 'You might go to a ground more often and the pitch is poor, it's going all over the place and if you get 20 it's a good score. You look at the psychology of it, Ravi Bopara's desperate to get back into the England team and scores, Strauss is probably thinking in the back of his mind, still four weeks away from the Test match, "What am I really doing here?", doesn't score, Ian Bell's probably thinking exactly the same, doesn't score. So it's kind of a mental thing, you've got to get yourself up for that challenge of batting, in particular in conditions that are challenging. If you're not up for the challenge and you're not really desperate to get runs in these conditions you'll be out and that's all batting is, it's a mental game.'
Back in the game: Ian Bell is in Warwickshire's team at Sussex this week, as is Jonathan Trott
Graeme Swann put sections of the national media on the defensive this month following Strauss's 61 in the first innings in Colombo, when he claimed there had been a 'witch-hunt' against the captain. As someone who has moved from the England setup to the Test Match Special commentary box, Vaughan is well placed to put the coverage into perspective.
'What surprises me is that the England side say they don't read the media, so how would they know there's a witch-hunt? They clearly read everything, and one hundred in 50 innings as an opening batsman is not a great return. Witch hunt? I don't think there has been, I think the media are very, very fair with Andrew Strauss. I'm now a part of it and you've got to say he needs runs and he does, he knows that himself.
'I honestly think the media respect him, they like him. They like him so much that they are desperate for him to do well. If not they'd be a lot harsher than they're being at the minute. He's got plenty of credit but in his own mind he wants runs, no question. You can't continue averaging 25, 26 and feel great about yourself, so he'll want a big, big summer.'
Michael Vaughan supports the NatWest Locals vs Legends T20 Series, a nationwide campaign giving NatWest CricketForce Fundraiser registered clubs the chance to raise club funds and take on Michael Vaughan's NatWest Legends XI this August. Bring the game to your club by visiting natwest.com/cricket
A bat out of hell for Strauss and Bell but Bopara has tons of fun - LVCC Week Three round-up
By Phil Gradwell and Ben Winstanley
AFTER a difficult winter in Asia, the plan was for the England captain to head back to the LV= County Championship and score a stackful of runs.
Ah well. Andrew Strauss returned for Middlesex against Durham at Lord's in Division One but lasted all of two balls in the first innings, being bowled by Graham Onions. Onions' figures (10-73) and the fact he also castled Strauss for six in the second innings should give the England selectors a nudge.
England in April probably isn't the ideal time and place for a struggling batsman to regain form and Strauss will have plenty of other opportunities for a knock. Neil Dexter was the only Middlesex batsman to pass 50 in the match, making 65 in his first innings since relinquishing the captaincy as the home side made 188 in the first innings and 179 in the second.
Not looking good: Strauss scored just six runs in Middlesex's match against Durham
The weather put paid to any chance of a result, however, as Durham, who made 238 in the first innings, were left on 82 for six in their second innings, just 48 short of their target.
Another England batsman who had a hard time of it was Warwickshire's Ian Bell. He played for his county in their win against champions Lancashire at Liverpool but could only make false starts. He followed his 18 in the first innings (when he departed caught behind) by making 16 in the second. Fortunately for him two of his team-mates piled on the runs.
After dismissing Lancashire for 250 in their first innings, Warwickshire were 81 for seven when Rikki Clarke joined Darren Maddy at the crease. The pair both hit hundreds and put on 224 for the eighth wicket, with Clarke hitting 140 and Maddy 112 as Warwickshire reached 329.
Lancashire then collapsed abjectly in their second innings, with Keith Barker (5-54) and Jeetan Patel (5-52) taking all the wickets as the hosts made just 148. Warwickshire then knocked off the runs to win by five wickets. It is the first time Lancashire have lost their opening two Championship matches since 1965.
False starts: Bell scored 18 and 16 in Warwickshire's win over Lancashire
How Bell and Strauss must have envied Nick Compton. The Somerset batsman made an unbeaten 204 in a rain-affected game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. His effort made a mockery of Notts' first innings total of 162, with 104 of those runs coming from Chris Read. Peter Trego took 5-53.
Compton was aided by hundreds from Arul Suppiah (124) and James Hildreth (102 not out) as Somerset declared on 445 for two. However, the weather prevented them from going on to win, with Notts closing their second innings on 169 for four and the match was drawn.
The weather also affected Surrey's game with Gloucestershire at The Oval. The home side were skittled for just 140 in their first innings with Alan Richardson, one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year, taking 6-47. However, the visitors did even worse in their first innings, as Stuart Meaker's 6-39 restricted them to just 119.
A knock of 76 from captain Rory Hamilton-Brown got Surrey to 224 in their second innings, with Richardson taking another four wickets for 10 in the match. Gloucestershire then got to 94 for one and were looking good on the final day before the rain came and forced a draw.
For the Division One table click here.
In Division Two, one England batsman did fare rather well on his return to the county circuit: Ravi Bopara, who made 117 not out in Essex's first innings against Yorkshire and was unbeaten on five when rain called an early halt to the match yesterday. Phil Jaques made 126 in Yorkshire's first-innings total of 246, before Bopara hit his 117 in Essex's response of 199 all out.
Andrew Gale should be commended for an attacking – and selfless – declaration, calling an end to Yorkshire's second innings when he was two runs away from a half-century, but the weather put paid to any hope of forcing a victory following two early Ajmal Shahzad strikes.
Pointing the way: Bopara scored a first-innings ton for Essex and was not out in their match
Another declaration of note occurred in Cardiff, when Glamorgan's Mark Wallace put Hampshire in to bat with his side 103-9 late on a rain-affected Thursday. It seemed sensible – look for a couple of early strikes before day two – and they did take one wicket. Before that David Balcombe had continued his impressive start to the season, an eight-wicket haul last week followed by 5-33 in the hosts' miserable first-innings effort.
Huw 'Muddy' Waters took 7-53 to limit the damage, Hampshire all out for 156, and Glamorgan made a better fist of it second time around, No 5 Ben Wright contributing 104 to their total of 256.
Hampshire, chasing 204, were two for three and had Sean Ervine (75) to thank for sealing the victory. It went down to the penultimate ball though, Hamza Riazuddin hitting the winning run after taking 5-61 in Glamorgan's second innings.
It may be too much to hope for out-of-favour West Indies veteran Ramnaresh Sarwan to return to the ultimate form of the game and face England next month. But he hit 105 against Derbyshire, ably assisted by 21-year-old Josh Cobb, who made the same score in Leicestershire's first-innings 326 in another rain-affected match.
Both sides remain unbeaten after the draw, but it would have been interesting to see how the game turned out had the full quota of overs been possible: Derbyshire were bowled out for 180, former Derby man Wayne White taking five wickets, before Leics declared at four down to leave them needing 314 to win. As forecast, the rain didn't allow enough play for a result, and at 5pm, with no wickets taken and New Zealander Martin Guptill unbeaten on 69 from 75, they called it a day.
Gloucestershire set Kent an unlikely 363 to win off a minimum of 73 overs at Canterbury and the sides predictably shared the spoils. Mark Davies and Matt Coles continued their good starts to the season with four wickets apiece in Gloucester's first-innings 255, before Will Gidman's five-for helped the visitors to a lead of more than 100. Brother Alex hit 70 and overseas signing Hamish Marshall 74 as they then moved to 257 for seven before declaring, but a result was always unlikely and they shook hands at 4.30pm, Gloucester claiming two more bonus points.
For the Division Two table, click here.
Follow Ben on Twitter: @Ben_Winstanley
20 April 2012 11:10 AM
Michael Carberry's First XI
In the second of our series, Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry (below) talks cakes at Worcestershire, a streaker at Kent, and facing Glen Chapple all over the place...
1. Who is the best player you've played with and why?
I would say Mark Ramprakash. He is probably the best player I've played with, just because of his dedication. He is the ultimate professional. He's just got a real hunger for runs even at the age he is now. He's still out there hitting balls first thing in the morning and still has that passion to go out and do it everyday. Added to that, he's technically one of the best batsmen I've seen and I think it will be a long time before anyone surpasses his 100 hundreds.
2. And the best player played against?
Glen Chapple of Lancashire. I think he is the best bowler I've faced throughout my career, playing against him for Surrey, Kent and Hampshire. Batting wise, it's a tough one. I'd say [Kevin] Pietersen would probably be up there. When he was playing for Notts, he scored a brilliant hundred against Muralitharan who was playing for Kent at the time; it was just unbelievable and took the game completely away from us.
Tough customer: Lancashire's Glen Chapple
3. What is your favourite memory in cricket?
Getting capped at Hampshire was probably my favourite memory and obviously getting my Test cap for England. I think it was a floodlit game against Worcestershire I got capped and, of course, the Test cap was against Bangladesh.
4. Any regrets so far?
My regret is that I only played one Test, I didn't do badly but when I look back it just felt like I'd like to have played a few more. Other than that, I don't have any regrets.
'The ultimate pro': Surrey's Mark Ramprakash
5. Favourite away ground and why?
I've got more than one! I'd say obviously Surrey because that's where I started my career. But I would say Edgbaston because I've generally done quite well and it's a nice place to play, good wicket, fast outfield.
6. If you could have one player from another county in your side, who do you pick?
I will go with Ramps I think.
7. What is the funniest thing you've seen at a match?
Probably when a streaker came across the pitch in a one-day game while I was at Kent.
8. What would you be doing if you weren't a cricketer?
An electrician! I've just qualified.
9. Best tweeter in cricket?
Broady is on there quite a lot, as is KP, but Swanny is usually quite funny!
10. Which county does the best tea?
Worcester - some of the best cakes you have ever seen in your life!
Top cakes: Worcestershire's New Road
11. Do county players play too much, not enough, or about the right amount of cricket?
Speaking as an old pro now, I think it's probably a little too much. You are chopping and changing from one format to another. But, that being said, it's a balance between that and getting revenue.
This summer keep up to date with the LV County Championship on Twitter by following @LV_Cricket and catch the new monthly magazine show, Goughie's LV County Catch-Up on www.ecb.co.uk/lvcc
Final-day drama and ball dominating bat - LVCC Week Two round-up
If it's exciting finishes you're after - and it is, isn't it? - the LV= County Championship once again looks like the place to be this season. Here's what happened across the country in Week Two...
Strike bowler: Tim Murtagh
Last year's promoted clubs had contrasting starts, Surrey beating Sussex at The Oval and Middlesex losing to Somerset at Taunton. They met at Lord's this week, where ball dominated bat and, on a thrilling morning yesterday, Middlesex emerged victorious. Put in to bat, Middlesex made 256, Dawid Malan hitting 88. And after a good start to the visitors' reply (Surrey were 147-2) they dismissed them for 222. Steven Davies, at the top of the order after returning from England duty, top scored with 62 and fellow opener Jacques Rudolph hit 42 (Chris Jordan, who opened against Sussex, moved down to No 7). Middlesex, though, failed to capitalise on such a useful advantage and were dismissed for just 106 inside 35 overs, nine of the eleven batsmen failing to make it into double figures and Jon Lewis continuing his impressive start back in Division One with 5-41. Going into the last day, Surrey, at 95-4 were well on their way to victory chasing 141. But Tim Murtagh (4-41) and Toby Roland-Jones (4-25) took advantage of a pitch Surrey coach Chris Adams described as the worst he'd seen at Lord's to win by three runs, Jade Dernbach the last man to fall, to Murtagh, leaving Lewis stranded.
Somerset and Warwickshire served up another gripping finale at Edgbaston yesterday, with Warwickshire edging home by two wickets to start their season with a win. That they didn't win far earlier was testament to the recovery of Somerset after a poor start, all out for 147 and needing Vernon Philander's 38 to make even that. Warwickshire predictably took a lead into the second innings, Varun Chopra, Darren Maddy and Keith Barker all out in the 40s as they reached 243. Then came the fightback. Nick Compton followed his 99 against Middlesex with 133 and Jos Buttler hit 93 as Somerset atoned for their first-innings effort by making 354 and setting the hosts 259 to win. At 207-8 it looked like the visitors would make it two wins from two, Peter Trego having given them a great chance with 4-37, but Jeetan Patel's 43 from 36 (including four fours and three sixes) proved enough.
Overseas star: Steve Magoffin, centre, took 7-34 against Lancashire
No such late drama in Liverpool, where the game was up within three days. Last year, Lancashire were like subcontinental England in the sense that if the batsmen failed – however badly – you'd back the bowlers to make a decent fist of getting them out of trouble. But on Thursday and Friday the batsmen made such a hash of beginning their title defence that they gave Glen Chapple's attack little chance.
A combination of loose shots and excellent bowling from James Anyon (5-36, his second five-for in as many matches) and overseas debutant Steve Magoffin ensured Sussex bowled the champions out for 124 before tea. Luke Procter played the worst shot - attempting to swipe Monty Panesar over the long boundary after seeing Steven Croft hit a 6 over the short one earlier in the over, and being caught with the ball nowhere near the rope – but much of the damage was done in the morning session, with Magoffin bowling Steven Moore and Anyon getting his reward with the wicket of Paul Horton after seeing two chances go down in the slips. Lancashire were 12-2, and that became 16-3 when Ashwell Prince was caught behind. Glen Chapple and Croft (the last man to go, on 50) launched something of a recovery but Lancashire were well short.
It didn't look that way when they had Sussex 4-2 and 15-3, but a 164-run partnership from Michael Yardy (110) and Ed Joyce (64) took the game away from Lancashire. They were all out for 300 on Friday afternoon and had Lancs four down, still more than 90 behind, by the close. They were forced to bat again, Ashwell Prince hitting 58 as Magoffin took 7-34, but they needed just one run. Joyce did it with a boundary.
Man of the century: Nottinghamshire's Michael Lumb
Nottinghamshire recovered from a first-innings skittling to beat Worcestershire at Trent Bridge in their opening match and managed similar again to make it two wins from two with an excellent 114-run win at Durham. They missed out on batting bonus points for a second week after making just 161, Graham Onions taking 4-42 for the hosts, but began their second innings ahead. Durham stumbled to 129, Ben Stokes top scoring with 33 and Ben Phillips, Andy Carter and Andre Adams sharing the wickets. Michael Lumb, signed from Hampshire in the winter, hit 131 and Alex Hales 57 as they made a much better fist of the second innings, leaving Durham needing 368 to win. Going into yesterday, the hosts were nine down on 203, and, despite some last-day resistance from Mitchell Claydon (55 from 60 balls), they lost their final wicket on 253.
That leaves Notts top, the only side to have won two from two in the top flight so far. For the Division One table click here.
Last week Yorkshire's promotion push got off to an underwhelming start but this week fellow relegated county Hampshire got off to a worse one, falling to a 33-run home defeat by Gloucestershire. They failed to win a Championship game at the Rose Bowl last season, and the change of name (it is now the Ageas Bowl) and division doesn't seem to have helped so far. Chris Dent's 114 lifted the visitors to 314 in their first innings, despite 8-71 from David Balcombe. Will Gidman then took five wickets as Hampshire narrowly missed out on a batting bonus point, all out for 199. Simon Katich hit 74. The hosts had a chance when they bowled Gloucestershire out for 174 inside 55 overs in the second innings but at 72-6 in the fourth innings the game looked up; they had Michael Bates' 87 to thank for getting anywhere near the 290 they needed. He was out with the score on 246 and, with two wickets left to take, Gidman (4-66) and David Payne (3-56) polished the game off.
Eleventh heaven: Jon Clare took 11-57 over the two innings
Derbyshire followed up their 202-run over Northants with a 130-run trouncing of Glamorgan at the Swalec Stadium – a fine achievement considering they failed to make 200 in either innings. Hats off to the bowlers again, then: after David Wainwright's match-winning six-for last week, Jon Clare took 5-17 and 6-40 as the hosts were bowled out for 95 and 102. Few would have predicted such a convincing victory after Graham Wagg's 6-44 on the opening day went a long way to restricting Derbyshire to 130, but then 25-year-old Clare took control. Coming on after Tony Palladino and Mark Footitt had reduced Glamorgan to 22-3, he needed just eight overs to rip through the middle order before Wainwright had Robert Croft caught to end the innings.
Derbyshire were then 37-5, but two good partnerships – 60 between Ross Whiteley (39) and Wainwright (51 not out) and then 58 between Wainwright and Clare (43) - helped them to 197. Given previous events, 233 was always likely to be enough and so it proved: after a stubborn opening partnership of 59, wickets tumbled and Derbyshire were top of the table by Saturday evening.
Cloud nine: Matt Coles took 9-83 in Kent's win over Northants
Kent are another side who have made a very good start; after a creditable draw at Headingley, they this week had plenty of time to ram home another substantial first-innings advantage and force an innings and 120-run win. Northants made just 132 and 116 as they avoid repeating the superb start of last season that led to such disappointment when they missed out on promotion by a point. Matt Coles, Charlie Shreck and Mark Davies shared nine wickets as no batsman passed 33, before Michael Powell hit 128 and Geraint Jones 53 as Kent claimed four of a possible five bonus points – a rare thing across the country so far this season – in making 368 not out. Matt Coles then took 6-51 to finish with match figures of 9-83 as Northants stumbled to 116 chasing 237 just to make Kent bat again.
Hampshire are bottom after their first game, but Northants and Glamorgan have both lost two from two. For the Division Two table click here.
The big question: Can Lancashire do it for the first time since 1928?
Glen Chapple was there, happily doing interview after interview. His team-mates were all there, too, posing for picture after picture in various kits. Peter Moores and Mike Watkinson, head coach and director of cricket, were also there, chatting about their vision for the coming months.
But something was missing at Lancashire's pre-season press day.
The Question.
Six words that, since records began (or thereabouts), have been asked of Lancashire players at the start of each summer: 'Will this finally be your year?'
That this subject was not raised was due to something else being there in newly-built conference centre The Point: the LV= County Championship trophy, won dramatically by Lancashire on a September day at Taunton after 77 years without an outright title victory.
Answering the question: Chapple with the Championship trophy
And the players seem extremely pleased that that particular elephant has been forced to trudge out of the room, especially captain Chapple, 38, who will have been asked the question for the best part of 20 years. 'We're answering different questions now,' he said with a broad smile.
Well, if we were being cheeky, we could ask about Lancashire banishing an even longer title hoodoo – they have not won back-to-back Championships since 1928. And, as we are cheeky, we did. Saj Mahmood took it in good spirits and conceded that coming top of Division One was the aim for this season, saying: 'For the focus to be changed to, "Can you retain the title?" is a much better question. Hopefully we can retain it. We've trained really hard and I don't see why we can't retain it.'
The defence begins today against Sussex at Liverpool Cricket Club's Aigburth, a splendid out-ground that was used for six matches last season. Four of those were followed by the sound of Lancashire's victory song being sung in the home dressing-room - and when you talk to the players, you get the sense that the team spirit is fantastic. Indeed as Mahmood said: 'We're all best mates'.
Proud of the team spirit: Sajid Mahmood
Now, a cynic might point to former Tottenham striker Steve Archibald's assertion that team spirit is 'an illusion only glimpsed in the aftermath of victory' but the Red Rose won so many tight games on their way to the pennant last year that their togetherness cannot be questioned, in my opinion. This was reinforced by yet another hard-fought win last month, this time over MCC in Abu Dhabi.
Their great spirit is partly due to them having a generation of players maturing into first-teamers together. Paul Horton, Karl Brown, Kyle Hogg, Steven Croft and Simon Kerrigan all registered on the cricket fans' consciousness last year. Theoretically at least, they should all be even better this season and it will help that Chapple, the Ryan Giggs of the proper Old Trafford (minus the off-field shenanigans, naturally) shows no signs of ageing; and his displays have led to him being named one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year in the new edition of the Almanack.
However, as Croft warns, the younger players may have lost the element of surprise. 'It will be harder this year,' he said. 'People probably know what we're about. A lot of people tend to do quite well in their first year but then have to find their feet a bit. We might be a bit wary of that.'
New challenge: Steven Croft won the title aged 26...now to do it again
Something else they should be wary of is inconsistency in the top order – there were a fair few collapses last season - but the arrival of Ashwell Prince for a third spell as overseas player will help with that. Lancashire also registered the biggest loss ever recorded by a county for last season: nearly £4million.
But what they do have in their favour is that, having sampled that winning feeling, they want it again. Croft, a Blackpool boy, will never lose the memory of the surge of elation after he hit the runs that won the title in Somerset. He freely admits to reliving that moment lots and catching it on TV at every available opportunity – then rewinding it and watching it again. He wants more memories like that.
Lancashire will, however, be up against some very good sides. Moores identified many threats to his team's reign, including Durham (contrary to Darren Gough's prediction in our preview last week), Warwickshire, Notts and Middlesex. It would also be a surprise if Somerset were not around the top end of the table and Surrey could have momentum.
So, Lancashire face many obstacles in their bid to win back-to-back titles for the first time in 84 years.
But, after last season, it's certainly not out of the question.
Paul Franks' First XI
To kick off our new series, 33-year-old Nottinghamshire all-rounder Paul Franks (below) - who hit an unbeaten 50 in the win over Worcestershire at Trent Bridge last week - answers eleven questions about life on the county circuit. He discusses winning the LV= County Championship title at Old Trafford, why Jos Buttler is one to watch, and how out-grounds often do a cracking tea...
1. Who is the best player you've played with and why?
That would have to be Stephen Fleming. Despite the fact that he probably didn't score as many runs for us as the likes of David Hussey he was just a fantastic player for us. He was an inspirational leader and galvanised us to our Championship win – my first Championship win – back in 2005.
Shane Warne – just simply for the aura that he carried around. Quite often you got into a contest with him and you weren't playing against the ball but he was very special and it was an honour to play against him.
Being on the field for our Championship win at Old Trafford in 2010. That was an unbelievable day – an unbelievable four days in fact. It was an emotional rollercoaster, if you like because from being nowhere near and not having a chance to then being champions was very special. My one appearance for England (an ODI against West Indies in 2000) was also a special time for me but the Championship is played over the course of six months. From a personal point of view to get an England cap was great but collectively it would have to be Old Trafford.
Party time: Notts celebrate winning the 2010 title at Old Trafford
I would have loved to have played more for England but I guess that's not really a regret. No, I think I've entered every day whole-heartedly and given everything I've got. Performances come and go from time to time but I'll hang my boots up safe in the knowledge that I've done everything I can to be as good as I can be.
It would have to be Lord's – the history of the place hits you every time you go there, plus I've always done pretty well there.
Crikey, that's a tricky one but someone like Trescothick or Ramprakash would be high on most people's list. If I was looking for some value I'd look at a younger player like... (there followed several minutes of entertaining chat amongst the Notts squad about up and coming talent that would meet the criteria) ...Jos Buttler, I like Jos Buttler. I think he's very dynamic, always bats in a tricky position in the middle order and always seems to have the wood over us so it would be quite nice not to have to bowl at him any more.
Impressive: Somerset's Jos Buttler
I wasn't involved but the funniest thing I've ever seen was the Test match between England the West Indies when Flintoff was chipping away at Tino Best from slip: 'Mind the windows Tino...' and all that, then Best charged down and was stumped by miles.
Absolutely no idea but would hope that I'd be involved in the game in some capacity, maybe in coaching which I really care about. I'd be able to answer that one a little better in about five years' time, I guess.
9. Who is the best tweeter in cricket?
I'm tempted to say Alex Hales but he's blatantly not (Hales was sat next to Paul during this interview). There are one or two entertainers, Swanny's quite good and I quite like Steven Finn, they get some good banter going between them. I'm not massively into the 'twitterati' if I'm honest but I do follow Swanny because it's about the only time I get to hear him these days and he's always good value. I'm on there somewhere – @thegeneral8 – but I'll apologise now for not being on it very often.
As good as Graeme Swann on Twitter? Alex Hales
The majority of the out-grounds are quite good. We went to Sir John Paul Getty's ground last year to face the Unicorns and we had a fantastic spread, it was very, very special there. As my years have gone on there seems to be a few more protein shakes than scones knocking around which is always a little bit disappointing, so anywhere that they do a nice piece of cake you won't find any complaints from me.
I think we are probably about right at the amount we play. The 2012 schedule looks pretty good to me. I'm pleased that the Morgan Review has been taken into account but I'm pleased they've not jumped into making a big decision on that and hope this season plays out as well as it could do and we look for something similar in future years with 16 Championship matches being retained.
Surrey triumph on top-flight return - LVCC Week One round-up
Mixed fortunes for the promoted clubs, wickets falling everywhere but Headingley on the opening day, and a home win at Grace Road - here's what happened in the first week of the 2012 LV= County Championship season...
Rory Hamilton-Brown last week declared 1,000 Division One runs the minimum requirement for him this season, and he made 107 in his first match as Surrey got off to a winning start. They took less than an hour to take the final two Sussex wickets yesterday morning.
The match at the Oval began with the visitors on top under floodlights, as Naved Arif and Amjad Khan dismissed Jacques Rudolph and Chris Jordan respectively with 11 runs on the board. But Zander de Bruyn and Tom Maynard helped the hosts to a competitive 264, Maynard running out of partners on 86.
On the attack: Maynard was excellent in the first innings
Surrey appear to have an impressive array of fast bowlers and they didn't let the side down, dismissing Sussex for 196 on day two after taking the first five wickets the day before. They then hit 270, Hamilton-Brown's 89 the top score.
Surrey always looked to have enough on the board but as they were closing in on victory, Luke Wells hit a century and was singled out for high praise from Mark Ramprakash, who took to Twitter on Saturday evening to say: 'Luke Wells looks a v good young player. V similar to Cook but possibly better technically.'
Surrey's veteran also had a view on the floodlights being used: '1st time I've played cricket 1st class cricket under floodlights with red ball. ECB need to clarify rules re shadows/when is it to dark…Mayb we should b playing with pink ball in those circumstances. Easier to see for fielders & spectators'.
A draw was probably the best bet ahead of the final day's play at Taunton, but that was before Somerset's 19-year-old George Dockrell rattled through Middlesex, taking 6-27. The feat is even more impressive when taking into account that the slow left-armer was bowling in only his second Championship match, having previously been behind Murali Kartik – now with Surrey – in the pecking order. Middlesex were all out for 175 and Somerset knocked off the 72 required to win by six wickets. In the first innings, Vernon Philander picked up where he left off with South Africa, taking a wicket with his third ball and ending with 5-43.
Daryl Mitchell (102) and Mooen Ali (94) gave Worcestershire a chance of victory at Trent Bridge but the target of 392 was always likely to be too high, and so it proved as Nottinghamshire won by 92 runs yesterday. That the game lasted as long as it did was a surprise after the first day, in which 20 wickets fell. Notts were dismissed for 118, largely thanks to a haul of 6-32 from sport journalism student Richard Jones, but restricted Worcs to a 12-run lead. They then compiled 403, Riki Wessels scoring a century, to leave Worcs with too much to do despite a very respectable fourth-innings effort.
Derbyshire's decision to sign David Wainwright from Yorkshire is already looking a good one: the 27-year-old left-arm spinner took six Northants scalps for 33 runs – a career best - after what proved a judicious declaration from Wayne Madsen, giving the hosts more than 70 overs to take the ten wickets needed yesterday. A defeat always looked unlikely; in the end they won comfortably, by 202 runs. On day one Dan Redfern (110) scored the first Championship century of the summer (or spring), and Martin Guptill added another for Derbyshire in the second innings with 137.
Match-winner: David Wainwright
Ramnaresh Sarwan must have wondered what he had let himself in for as his new Leicestershire colleagues lost two wickets in the first two balls and were soon 1 for 3 on Thursday morning. But they battled back well after the onslaught from Glamorgan's Huw 'Muddy' Waters to reach 249, Sarwan contributing 41 on his debut innings and Claude Henderson top scoring with 57. It proved more than enough. Their early toils were made to look slightly more impressive when they reduced the visitors to 34-7; Graham Wagg played the Henderson role down the order, but his 42 was not enough to prevent conceding a first-innings lead of 125 as Robbie Joseph, with six wickets, enjoyed his debut at Grace Road.
The batting travails continued as Leicestershire were all out for 110, but Joseph took another six wickets in the second innings as Glamorgan fell for 183. Leicester were docked five points for a slow over rate, Glamorgan one – some achievement in a match that was over so early.
Essex inflicted an innings defeat on Gloucestershire at Chelmsford, Billy Godleman hitting 130 in their 364 before the visitors struggled to 180. The follow on was enforced and, inspired by Graham Napier's 5-58, Essex bowled their opponents out for 146 second time around. David Masters finished with a very economical 6-69 over both innings.
Yorkshire's attempt to get back into the top flight at the first time of asking got off to a bad start when they toiled for the first day to take just five Kent wickets. Rob Key hit 97 before running himself out and declared well into the second day on 534-9 after Dan Coles had hit 103 not out from No 9. New boys Charlie Shreck (4-90) and Mark Davies (3-48) helped make the hosts follow on – Jonny Bairstow's 107 by far the pick in Yorkshire's 364 all out – but a result always looked unlikely and they called it a draw with Yorkshire 146-4 in their second innings yesterday.
The sides not involved in the first round of matches were taking on university teams over the last few days. There was some online discussion about whether these games - valuable as they are - warrant the first-class status they hold; this scorecard, even allowing for Durham's fine fast-bowling attack, doesn't give much support to the argument that they do. It's only one match of course, but...18 all out?
April 9, 2012 Comments (0) | Permalink
05 April 2012 9:30 AM
Hamilton-Brown: I need to hit 1,000 runs again...and play for England
by Joe Ridge
Both Surrey and their skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown sacrificed short-term benefit in favour of long-term gain back in 2010. After a miserable 2009 in which the side finished just one point off the foot of Division Two of the LV= County Championship, the county, under the guidance of manager Chris Adams, opted to invest in youth, promoting several academy stars to their first-team and naming Hamilton-Brown, then just 22, as captain.
Following an underwhelming first season with their rookie captain Surrey exploded into life in the second half of last summer, winning the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition and earning promotion from Division Two after a run of four straight wins to end the season. For Surrey and Hamilton-Brown the double achievement was a vindication of their investment in a long-term project.
'As far as when we were in the second division was concerned we wanted to develop our players and give them experience, because they're the people who are going to make our club successful over a long period of time,' said Hamilton-Brown. 'It's absolutely what we base our side on, from when Chris Adams came in. He wants to build a side for the future, he wants to build a side that can be at the top of the game for a very long time, with guys that are going to be there potentially for 10 years. A lot of us have grown up playing together, and we do have a really tight-knit group.'
Stepping up: Hamilton-Brown in Division Two action
Hamilton-Brown's enthusiasm reflects the feel-good atmosphere around The Oval. 'It's like being with a bunch of best mates,' he said. 'I'm enjoying being a part of what's happening and it's a place I'd love to stay at for a very long time.' Having committed himself to a long-term project as Surrey captain at such a young age - recently signing a new two-year deal - you would be forgiven for thinking that Hamilton-Brown does not harbour hopes of an international career. But the 24-year-old, whose ability to score runs quickly at the top of the order has seen him tipped for a call-up to England's one-day side, insists he still dreams of representing his country.
'My ambition is to play for England as soon as possible,' he said. 'It's something I have a burning ambition to do. I think now, going into my third year in my job, I'm hoping that the captaincy is something that will help that rather than hinder my chances. I knew when I took the job it possibly might hinder me for a year or so, but I think now people will look upon it as a positive - if I'm performing well and the team's performing.'
While Surrey's success last season was based around the youthful exuberance of players such as batsmen Jason Roy and Tom Maynard, keeper Steven Davies and quick bowlers Stuart Meaker and Jade Dernbach - all of whom are 26 or under - they have recruited wisely ahead of their return to Division One. South African top order batsman Jacques Rudolph and former England one-day seamer Jon Lewis add top-flight know-how to the side, while former India spinner Murali Kartik will join for the second half of the season when Rudolph departs.
'Stepping up to the first division, which many regard as one of the strongest divisions in the world, you're going to need your senior players that day-in, day-out have done it for years and years,' said Hamilton-Brown. 'They've switched the balance to give us a really nice gel.'
Party time: the captain (centre) leads the celebrations after last season's CB40 triumph
Prior to the run of wins that propelled them to promotion last season, Surrey had gained a reputation as one-day specialists - victims of their own success in the 40-over game. And while Hamilton-Brown accepts that label - his side lost just one CB40 game in 2011 - he hopes that the end to last season can serve as a platform for future success in the four-day game. 'I think you gain your reputation on performance and I think we probably had performed better in one-day cricket previously,' he said. 'With a young side a lot of our players had been brought up playing one-day cricket and hadn't played as much four-day cricket, so I think that was a fair assumption on us as a side.
'But with that I think we have developed as a four-day side. I think we deserved to go up. We've always been able to win a game in two days and play outstanding crickbet, but we hadn't necessarily been able to put a run together until the second half of last summer. I think now - especially with the signings we've made - we've not got so much of a young side but a really nicely balanced side, and that I think will aid our consistency.'
Hamilton-Brown has quickly forged a reputation as one of the most aggressive and innovative captains on the county circuit, with his constant rotation of bowlers never allowing opposition batsmen to settle. But, like any good captain, he insists it is the bowlers who deserve the praise for allowing him to experiment. 'I've got a bowling attack that anyone would want and it allows me to be slightly more aggressive and try a few more things out,' he said. 'I suppose my style of captaincy is that I will try and think outside the box when we've earned the right to. But I'd put most of my praise on to the bowlers, I'm not there delivering the ball. They're the ones delivering it and if they deliver it to a high level, then I'm able to change it up and think a little bit more outside the box.'
Surrey's progression, and Hamilton-Brown's as a batsman and captain, is about to undergo its sternest test yet. But the former Sussex man is confident of a successful season in all forms of the game, both personally and as the leader of a collective. 'For me I'd like to continue my one-day form at the top of the order and I'd like to build on my 1,000 runs last year. The minimum requirement for me individually would be to score another thousand Championship runs,' he said.
Room for improvement: Hamilton-Brown is yet to lead Surrey to a Twenty20 quarter-final
'For the team, I'd like us to qualify in both one-day competitions, because if you get to the knockout stages you give yourself a chance. Our 20-over cricket we need to improve and that's a big must for us because we haven't qualified [from the group] for the last two years which has been very disappointing. With the four-day cricket we're slightly jumping into the unknown for this side, but I'd like to just think we'll approach the game right, fight really hard, and I don't see any reason why we can't finish in the top half of the table at least.'
Surrey welcome rivals Sussex to The Oval in their first Division One match of the season today, in a game which is sure to be a baptism of fire for Hamilton-Brown's young side, given the close proximity of the two counties and the history that their skipper and coach - Adams left his role as captain of Sussex in 2008 to take over at Surrey - have with their opposition. 'I'm expecting a real battle,' Hamilton-Brown said. 'It fantastic for our first game to be at The Oval and for me it's an ideal start to play Sussex. They're a fantastic side, in modern times they've been one of the strongest sides in the country, so it'll be a challenging first game but it'll give us a mark of where we are.'
For now, Surrey are just enjoying being back in the big time, and it is a place Hamilton-Brown believes his side belong: 'We as a club, the members, the committee, everyone, believe that Surrey is a big club and that the first division is where we should be playing our cricket.'
Follow Joe on Twitter: @JoeRidge87
LV= County Championship Division One preview
Yesterday we previewed Division Two of the LV= County Championship; now it's the turn of Division One, which begins tomorrow with six teams in action. Former England, Yorkshire and Essex bowler Darren Gough again provides the expert verdict after the team-by-team guides.
Despite falling away somewhat after their Championship successes of 2008 and 2009, Durham look to have one of the strongest teams in the country. A host of classy batsmen - Dale Benkenstein (averaging 61 last year) and Michael di Venuto (39) in particular - usually make plenty for their artillery of fast bowlers to defend and in Ian Blackwell, they have an excellent spinning all-rounder who made 900 runs and took 36 wickets.
Top man: Dale Benkenstein hit more than 1,300 Championship runs last season
Last season they missed out narrowly, like Lancashire and Warwickshire above them losing only four - but they comfortably beat both of those sides twice. They have kept largely the same side - Ben Harmison and Mark Davies have left for Kent, and it remains to be seen whether that will impact upon their chances of taking 20 wickets each match. Graham Onions, Callum Thorp and Mitchell Claydon should prove competitive with the ball again, and ideally Steve Harmison will be available for more games than last time. All-rounder Ben Stokes and spinner Scott Borthwick are tipped for big things.
The defending champions have stuck with a winning formula, with only batsman Mark Chilton of last year's regulars departing. In any case, he found himself out of the side as the Red Rose's march towards the title gathered pace, and South African Ashwell Prince makes a welcome return to slot into a team which again should mostly be made up of Lancastrians. Their success last year was a surprise to many, with young players such as wicketkeeper Gareth Cross and batsman Karl Brown seizing their chance alongside old heads Glen Chapple and Gary Keedy.
Lancashire rarely had problems taking wickets - Keedy, Chapple and Kyle Hogg all took 50 wickets or more, Chapple and Hogg at under 20 - though there remain doubts about the depth of their batting despite openers Steven Moore (averaging 40) and Paul Horton (38), among others, enjoying good seasons last time.
Promising start: Lancashire's young spinner, Simon Kerrigan, will be looking to make an impact again in his third season
Much - perhaps too much, given Lancs won five matches away from home too - was made of their first success since 1934 coming away from Old Trafford, with all eight Championship home games played at outgrounds. This time, with redevelopment under way, they return to play four four-day matches. Whether the re-aligned square will produce the results pitches enjoyed at Liverpool and Blackpool remains to be seen, though in Keedy, Simon Kerrigan and one-day specialist Stephen Parry they have the men to take advantage if the pitches prove as conducive to spin as in the past. It won't, of course, be easy – especially given another year of massive financial losses - but after one in 77, they'll expect to have a good chance of making it two in two.
In Tim Murtagh and Corey Collymore Middlesex have two fast bowlers who should trouble plenty of batsmen in the top division, where the county return for the first time since relegation in 2006. Though they won Division Two last year, consolidating their top-flight status is the first task.
That said, they lost only twice last season and picked up an impressive 50 batting points, more than any other county in either division. Chris Rogers was the only man to pass 1,000 runs, but he did so comfortably with an average of 58 and returns for the coming season.
Captain Neil Dexter will want to improve on his average of 26 but they have signed Joe Denly from Kent to bolster the batting. International call-ups may be significant: if Eoin Morgan fails to get back into the England team the county may reap the rewards - even if he will be missing at the IPL extravaganza for the start of the campaign – and they may also see the benefit if Steven Finn is not picked for the summer Tests. Andrew Strauss may not be in the best form but it would still be a surprise to see him play many games…
Nottinghamshire started last season like Usain Bolt but ended it like Inzamam-ul-Haq on the second run. The defence of their 2010 title began well enough with three straight wins, yet they won just two more matches. Their early-season form was always likely to be enough to safeguard them against a relegation battle but finishing sixth was a fair reflection of their campaign. Batsmen Ali Brown and Mark Wagh have retired after disappointing farewell seasons, but coming in to compensate are Michael Lumb (from Hampshire) and James Taylor (Leicestershire).
Taylor, 22, a prolific Division Two run-maker and the captain of England Lions, will attract most attention as he looks to prove he can make the step up at Trent Bridge. His average, over 63 first-class games, falls just below 50. Alex Hales, easily the pick of the batsmen last season with over 1,000 runs in just 12 matches, should have more support this time. Australian batsman Adam Voges returns again, and though he misses April and much of May, should have plenty of time to make an impact. As for the bowling, Andre Adams will be important as usual - and it may be to the county's advantage if Samit Patel's return to the international scene doesn't go as well as planned.
Stars in his eyes: Somerset captain Marcus Trescothick
Bridesmaids was one of the hit comedy films of 2011, but for Marcus Trescothick being bridesmaids is no laughing matter. Somerset have finished second in seven of the last nine competitions they have played in: runners-up in the 40-over and 20-over tournaments in each of the last three years and a Championship second place in 2010. They faltered in the final quarter of last season, losing two and drawing one before Lancashire beat them on the final day to ensure the Championship trophy has been lifted at Taunton.
It is no surprise they are usually in the mix for trophies and in captain Trescothick they have the best opener - probably the best batsman - in the country. Their poor end to the season coincided with him missing their final three games with injury, having scored more 1,600 runs in the 13 matches beforehand.
They have plenty of firepower elsewhere too, and will boast the most exciting overseas player in the top division this season. The decision to sign South African fast bowler Vernon Philander just a month into his Test career looks judicious – he has now taken 51 wickets in his first seven matches, making him the second quickest man to 50 Test scalps.
Philander will only be at Taunton for the first two months of the season – helpfully getting used to conditions before rejoining Dale Steyn and Co to attack England in the three-Test series beginning in July – but with the season starting earlier than ever, this may prove long enough to make a substantial contribution to their title bid. Somerset play seven full Championship games before the end of May. And if Trescothick gets going, it is conceivable that we may see the first man since Graeme Hick in 1988 to score 1,000 Championship runs by the time that month is out.
Assuming England play one spinner in the home series against West Indies and South Africa this summer - and assuming that spinner is Graeme Swann - Sussex will have their best bowler available for most of the coming season. Monty Panesar may have worked his way back into the international setup and performed well there (with the ball anyway, the less said about his fielding the better) but toppling Swann as England's No 1 will be difficult.
Give it a spin: Monty Panesar should be available for much of the season
Panesar took 69 wickets at an average of 27 as Sussex stayed in Division One following promotion in 2010 and, though the year marked the county's first in six without a trophy, it was undoubtedly a decent return. Joe Anyon and Amjad Khan took plenty of wickets too, slightly more expensively, but Panesar was the standout with the ball and on that front they look fine. With the bat, Murray Goodwin hit 1,372 runs at 53, Ed Joyce 1,269 at 45 and captain Michael Yardy should play more games this season. Their best hope may be the shorter forms in which they have been so proficient over the last few years.
As the saying goes, if they're good enough, they're old enough, and putting faith in youth paid off for Surrey in Rory Hamilton-Brown's second season as captain. They won the CB40, their first trophy in eight years, and more importantly edged past Northamptonshire by a point to ensure they will play Division One cricket for the first time since 2008.
Hamilton-Brown, now 24, hit more than 1,000 runs at 37 after a modest 2010. He was ably supported by Zander De Bruyn (1,383 at 55), Tom Maynard (1,022 at 40) and sometime England keeper-batsman Steven Davies (1,035 at 39).
Danger man: Tom Maynard hit more than 1,000 runs last year
Usually having four batsmen make 1,000 runs tells its own story, though in this case Surrey owed much to the arrival of Indian left armer Pragyan Ojha, who turned up for the final four games of the season and took 24 wickets, including one 10-wicket haul and two five-fors. Those four games were won; they won just four of the previous 12.
That is not to ignore Tim Linley, easily top wicket taker with 73 and who more than proved his worth in the run-in and Stuart Meaker, another exciting paceman. There is no Ojha this time and they have lost Chris Schofield, but have brought in Murali Kartik from Somerset, and Jon Lewis (never knowingly underbowled) from Gloucestershire.
They have plenty of exciting young players – such as batsmen Hamilton-Brown, Maynard (23 years old) and Jason Roy (21), plus quickie Meaker (23) – and in Mark Ramprakash an outstanding veteran. He made a modest (by his standards) 700 in 13 matches last season after 1,350 and 1,595 in 2009 and 2010, but he may well prove key to their chances of success in the top flight.
Going into the final day of last year's Championship, they looked to have their first title since 2004 sewn up a year after avoiding relegation. With already-relegated Hampshire three wickets down in their second innings and well over 100 runs behind, it seemed certain the Championship would be Warwickshire's by tea at the latest. Then Neil McKenzie and Michael Carberry batted most of the day out, and an unpredictable season ended with a late twist as Lancashire rattled their way to victory at Somerset.
They remain a very good outfit, with depth in the bowling through Chris Woakes (56 wickets last season, but he will miss the start of this one with an ankle injury), Boyd Rankin (55) and Rikki Clarke (46). They also have spinner Jeetan Patel, from New Zealand, for the whole season and have signed 26-year-old fast bowler Chris Wright permanently. His loan from Essex for the final four games of last season yielded 22 wickets.
They may prove light on batting, relying on Varun Chopra last time, his 1,178 at 45 by far the best effort with the exception of West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose predictably excellent contribution of 539 runs in seven innings helped the cause. They have just signed 32-year-old Australian bowler Steve Magoffin for the early part of the season; he should arrive in time for the second game of the campaign, against Lancashire.
Rarely can the vast points difference between winning and drawing have proved so crucial. Worcestershire stayed in the top division despite losing 11 of their 16 matches; with 16 points for a win and just three for a draw, their four wins to Hampshire and Yorkshire's three meant they survived. That they also won more bowling bonus points, largely thanks to 36-year-old Alan Richardson's 73 wickets, was also important.
Having a ball: Alan Richardson
Whether winning one game and losing four should be worth more than drawing five (ignoring the impact on surrounding teams, of course) is another matter, but it certainly worked in their favour - both relegated counties lost five fewer matches.
This time there is the arrival of England's spinning nemesis Saeed Ajmal to look forward to in the Twenty20s, but before then they will be looking to Vikram Solanki (1,148 runs last time), Moeen Ali (930) and Alexei Kervezee (800) - and Australian Michael Klinger, standing in for countryman Phillip Hughes, whose arrival has been delayed due to international commitments - to make runs which will help the county improve on last year's return.
Goughie's verdict on Division One
I went to watch Surrey in pre-season versus Essex and I was very impressed by their bowling attack. There's Tremlett to come back from injury at some point but they've got Meaker, Lewis from Gloucestershire who's a fantastic signing, Linley as well and I think their bowling attack when Batty comes back will be very very strong. They're an athletic side; fielding-wise they'll be right up there. They've got everything.
I think Lancashire will once again prove strong. They've got a lot of local players, a a mix of experience and youth, a good coach in Peter Moores and they've started well, beating a good MCC side. They've got a good signing in Ashwell Prince and I think he sums up what Lancashire are about - he's hard working, determined, he's a winner and I think that's the sort of player who fits into a Peter Moores side.
Local boys in the photograph: Lancashire celebrate winning the title at Taunton
Warwickshire under Ashley Giles are another strong team. Obviously they miss Bell and Trott for most of the season though if England keep losing Bell might end up playing a bit so that'll be interesting. Durham won it back-to-back and last year came third but I just think they've had their day now, they may be also-rans for a few years. They are still strong, they'll stay in Division One but at this moment I don't think the bowling attack is as strong as it has been. They've lost Mark Davies, who bowls wicket-to-wicket and suits Durham conditions. Steve Harmison is not young anymore so I just think they've lost a bit from their bowling attack, and I think that was always their strength.
I think Somerset's biggest problem is getting results at home. They tried leaving grass on the pitch last year but I think it's still a problem getting wickets. Kirby was a good signing for them but I think they'll be another team who won't lose many but struggle to get the wins required. Philander is a good bowler; you've got to be impressed with the way he releases the ball, seam always going down straight. He is fantastic so it'll be interesting to see how he bowls but I can think of better places to bowl than Taunton.
Sussex are a hardworking team, athletic, young, good in the field but I think again they'll struggle in the seam department. Nottinghamshire have been strong for years but it was a poor season for them last year really. They've strengthened in the batting but they miss Broad and Swann, two quality players. If they were available most of the season you'd have them down as Championship winners.
I've seen Middlesex pre-season as my boy [Liam Gough] is on the Young Cricketers, and a slight worry for me is they've let Newman go off on loan [to Kent]. I think he's a fantastic player and I was surprised he went. I've bowled at him, I think he's a very dangerous player and he and Denly would have been interesting. Dexter is a young captain, a very intelligent boy with a good cricket brain but I don't really see them challenging for the Championship, I think they'll struggle this year.
Worcestershire are a fighting side but I don't think they'll trouble the top three. They could finish anywhere from fourth to going down. But people find it hard to go to New Road and play - the pitches do a little bit but they're slow and low. It is a hard place for bowlers and batsmen alike and they keep picking up the wins required to stay in the division.
This season, Darren Gough will be hosting a monthly magazine show called 'Goughie's LV= County Catch-Up'. Click here to watch the first show, where Goughie visits last season's champions Lancashire and one of his former counties, Division Two hopefuls Essex.
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Question: When will the Ban Amendment enter into force?
Answer: The Ban Amendment will enter into force when the required number of Parties has expressed their consent to be bound by it. The Depositary to the Basel Convention confirmed that 87 States were Parties to the Convention at the time of the adoption of the Ban Amendment (22 September 1995). In accordance with decision BC-10/3 adopted by the Conference of the Parties with respect to the interpretation of paragraph 5 of article 17 of the Convention on amendments, it follows that 66 States out of the 87 listed in the depositary's letter are required for the Amendment to enter into force.
Question: If a State wishes to ratify the Ban Amendment, what needs to be done?
Answer:Similarly to becoming a Party to the Convention, a state or political / economic integration organization must express its consent to be bound by the Ban Amendment. The Convention specifies the requirements and instruments for expressing consent to be bound by an amendment to the Convention (Article 17).
Please refer to the Procedures section of the website for information on the procedures for becoming a Party, which are similar to those to express consent to be bound by the Ban Amendment.
In addition, a State or political and/or economic integration organization may wish to take certain preliminary steps before depositing, with the Depositary, the instrument expressing its consent to be bound by the Amendment. These could include preparing analyses or collecting documentation for example.
Further advice and assistance is also available from the Secretariat (Email: yvonne.ewang@brsmeas.org).
Question: Is there a specific format to use to ratify or accept the Ban Amendment?
such a position for the time being or with full powers for that purpose issued by one of these authorities.
You may also wish to consult the models of instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession prepared by the Depositary, which are available in the Treaty Handbook.
Please note that an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or formal confirmation becomes effective only when it is deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The date of deposit is normally recorded as that on which the instrument is received. Please deliver any such instrument(s) to the Treaty Section of the OLA directly, to ensure the action is promptly processed.
Question: How can I find out whether the export /transit/ import of specific wastes is not allowed from / through / to my country?
Answer:: You should contact the relevant Competent Authority. A competent authority is a governmental authority designated by a Party to the Basel Convention, within the geographical areas as the Party thinks fit, to receive notifications of transboundary movements of hazardous or other wastes, and any information related to it, and for responding to such notifications as provided for in Article 6. The Secretariat maintains a database under the Countries section of the Basel Convention website with contact details for designated country contacts transmitted by Parties, including Competent Authorities.
Question: What kind of assistance can my government receive to support the implementation of the Basel Convention and the Ban Amendment?
Answer: The Secretariat of the Basel Convention is available to provide support upon request to Parties experiencing difficulties with the ratification of the Ban Amendment, as well as with implementation of the Amendment and/or the Basel Convention itself.
This may be in various forms: provision of information and documents to stakeholders and decision makers; undertaking electronic and face to face activities (e.g. workshops and webinars) to support Parties in their efforts to facilitate the entry into force of the Ban Amendment; provision of legal and practical advice in relation to the process of ratification, approval, formal confirmation or acceptance of amendments; facilitating exchange of information and experiences between Parties; assessment methodology; support to develop a national hazardous waste plan or inventory etc.
Depending on the type of assistance necessary and the availability of funding, the Secretariat and/or Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres may be able to offer assistance tailored to specific needs of the requesting Party. The Secretariat will also make efforts to identify or provide advice about possible funding opportunities for the activities.
For further information, or to request advice and assistance, please contact the Secretariat (Email: yvonne.ewang@brsmeas.org / tatiana.terekhova@brsmeas.org ).


text:
Carnegie hosts Mercury crater-naming contest
Carnegie Institution for Science Press Release
16 December 2014 Astronomy Now
MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) is a NASA-sponsored scientific investigation of the planet Mercury and the first space mission designed to orbit the planet closest to the Sun. Launched on 3rd August 2004, it entered orbit about Mercury on 18th March 2011. MESSENGER's second extended mission is scheduled to conclude in late March or April 2015. Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
The MESSENGER Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Team is launching a competition this week to name five impact craters on Mercury. The contest is open to all Earthlings, except for members of the mission's EPO team. The contest runs from 15th December 2014 to 15th January 2015.
NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has been in orbit about Mercury since March 2011. The mission's EPO team is led by Julie Edmonds of the Carnegie Institution for Science.
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) — the governing body of planetary and satellite nomenclature since 1919 — all new craters on Mercury must be named after an artist, composer, or writer who was famous for more than 50 years and has been dead for more than three years. See the current list of named Mercury craters.
This GIF animation (each frame lasts 15 seconds, click the graphic to view and read at leisure) shows the five craters on planet Mercury that will immortalise five famous artists, composers or writers at the end of the contest hosted by the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC. Image credit: CIfS
The EPO team's contest allows the public to immortalise an important person in the arts and humanities from anywhere in the world. Submissions will be accepted beginning midnight (00:00 UTC) on 15th December 2014, until 15th January 2015 (23:59 UTC). Fifteen finalist names for craters will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for selection of the five winners. Winning submissions will be announced by the IAU to coincide with the end of MESSENGER's orbital operations in late March or April 2015. IAU decisions will be final.
The MESSENGER spacecraft has far surpassed expectations both in the duration of the mission and in the quality and quantity of data. The mission will end this spring as the tiny craft succumbs to gravity and impacts on Mercury. The EPO team organised the competition to celebrate the mission's achievements.
Edmonds advises participants to first research the artist, composer, or writer under consideration before filling out the contest entry. "Once online, registrants will be asked to submit a short description of their chosen individual's contributions to their field, as well as an authoritative source for background information," she said.
The name cannot have any political, religious, or military significance. Nor can other features in the Solar System have the same name. For example, Ansel Adams is not eligible because there is a feature on the Moon with the name Adams (even though it was not named for Ansel). Participants can check their ideas against the list of named Solar System features and enter the name in the "Search by Feature Name" box in the upper right corner.
"This brave little craft, not much bigger than a Volkswagen Beetle, has travelled more than 8 billion miles since 2004 — getting to the planet and then in orbit," Edmonds said. "We would like to draw international attention to the achievements of the mission and the guiding engineers and scientists on Earth who have made the MESSENGER mission so outstandingly successful."
The goal of MESSENGER was to take 2,500 images of the planet, but is has returned more than 250,000 images. "We now have a detailed, high-resolution map of the entire planet," Edmonds noted. "As scientists study the incredible data returned by MESSENGER, it becomes important to give names to surface features that are of special scientific interest. Having names for landforms such as mountains, craters, and cliffs makes it easier for scientists and others to communicate."
Enter the contest online at http://namecraters.carnegiescience.edu/
Carnegie Institution for Science
Education and Public Outreach
International Astronomical Union
Julie Edmonds
Asteroid Bennu surprises with rocky surface and activity
The OSIRIS-REx sample-return spacecraft is finding one surprise after another orbiting asteroid Bennu, including unexpected "ejection events."
Microlensing study suggests most common outer planets likely Neptune-mass
A new statistical study of planets found by a technique called gravitational microlensing suggests that Neptune-mass worlds are likely the most common type of planet to form in the icy outer realms of planetary systems.
Watch NASA announce confirmation water flows on present-day Mars
29 September 2015 Astronomy Now
New findings from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provide the strongest evidence yet that liquid water flows intermittently on present-day Mars. Watch the entire NASA news conference held on September 28, 2015.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Description: A sensational celebration of the life and music of the greatest female soul vocalist of all time. RESPECT features the awesome vocal talents of international Soul Diva Janine Johnson whose previous collaborations include George Michael, Take That and Paloma Faith. Musical Director Malcolm Maddock (James Brown, Elton John, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, George Benson) heads a band of the worlds most accomplished soul musicians. Share Aretha's Legacy -pay respect and say a little prayer for THE QUEEN OF SOUL. Please let us know you saw us on What's On in Dorset!


As all good veges do, the idea grew.
How about we showcase the homegrown well known guys, the little guys and the emerging guys? How about we get restaurants to take these awesome ingredients and make them sing? How about we inspire you to try something new at home (not fancy just fresh and yummy)? How about we get awesome beverages to wash the great food down? Let's get you talking to the experts in our area so you can ask questions, see what's on your doorstep and hopefully support the local economy.
The idea grew some more – think Jack and the Beanstalk proportions….
Lets add live music, kids entertainment, some good looking chefs from TV, include international flavours, set up stalls so you can buy great stuff then and there….. throw in a bar and some port a loos and we have a party!
So come, hang out with your friends, family and neighbours, eat food (nom nom nom), drink (responsibly), enjoy some tunes and basically have a great day celebrating our community and all the yumminess we produce.


Trained in musical theatre, I find my home base these days in standards and folk/traditional music. I'm equally at home with cabaret, a cappella harmonies, sight singing, and jazz. Back in the States, I toured and recorded with Celtic-Pagan-Gypsy-pirate band Odd's Bodkin and all-female folk band the Merry Wives of Windsor, soloed with the New World Cabaret in Los Angeles, and gigged with Christmas Matters Holiday Carolers around Southern California.
I also play flute, tin whistle, and bodhran, because of course.


text:
local Class = require 'lib.hump.class'
local InputEvent = getClass 'wyx.event.InputEvent'

local string_char = string.char

-- KeyboardEvent
--
local KeyboardEvent = Class{name='KeyboardEvent',
	inherits=InputEvent,
	function(self, key, unicode, modifiers)
		InputEvent.construct(self, 'Keyboard Event', modifiers)
		self._key = key
		self._unicode = unicode
	end
}

-- destructor
function KeyboardEvent:destroy()
	self._key = nil
	self._unicode = nil
	InputEvent.destroy(self)
end

-- get the key pressed
function KeyboardEvent:getKey() return self._key end

-- get the unicode value of the key pressed
function KeyboardEvent:getUnicodeValue() return self._unicode end

-- get the unicode value of the key pressed as a string
function KeyboardEvent:getUnicode()
	local c = nil
	if self._unicode and self._unicode ~= 0 and self._unicode < 1000 then
		c = string_char(self._unicode)
	end
	return c
end

function KeyboardEvent:__tostring()
	local modstr = self:_getModString()
	local unicode = tostring(self:getUnicode())
	return self:_msg('k: %s, u: %s, v: %s, m: {%s}',
		tostring(self._key), unicode, tostring(self._unicode), modstr)
end

-- the class
return KeyboardEvent

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Het Koeloenda-hoofdkanaal (Russisch: Кулундинский магистральный канал; Koeloendinski magistralny kanal) is een irrigatiekanaal in de Russische kraj Altaj van de rivier de Ob naar de Koeloendasteppe.

Loop
Het kanaal start bij de Obrivier bij de stad Kamen aan de Ob, waar twee pompstations het water met 25 kubieke meter per seconde overpompen van de Ob (op 113 meter boven zeeniveau) naar het kanaal (op 140 meter boven zeeniveau). Het kanaal vervoert het water vandaar uit over 182 kilometer; eerst een klein stukje naar het zuidoosten en vervolgens de rest van haar loop naar het zuidwesten.

Het kanaal is tussen de 20 en 30 meter breed en 2 tot 3 meter diep en loopt door meerdere landbouwgebieden van de kraj binnen de districten district Kamenski, Tjoementsevski, Bajevski, Blagovesjtsjenski en Rodinski.

Over verschillende kanaalbruggen worden diverse lopen overspannen, waarvan de grootste de rivier de Koeloenda is. Een (geasfalteerde) weg volgt het kanaal over een groot deel van haar lengte.

Geschiedenis
Het Koeloenda-hoofdkanaal werd ontworpen in de jaren 70 van de 20e eeuw voor de irrigatie van de akkerbouwgebieden in het westen van de kraj in de buurt van de grens met de Kazachse SSR, die te kampen hadden met droogte. Deze te irrigeren vlakten, gelegen rond Novotroitsk (district Rodinski) en Zlatopol (district Koeloendinski), zouden 20.000 hectare moeten gaan omvatten met daarnaast 18.500 hectare akkerbouw- en 45.000 hectare weidegebied in de oostelijker van het kanaal gelegen gebieden. De aanleg startte in augustus 1973 en in 1977 werd het eerste deel in gebruik genomen, nadat het belangrijkste pompstation bij de Ob was voltooid. In november 1983 werd het district Rodinski bereikt, waarop de plannen werden bijgesteld: De overige 120 kilometer naar Zlatopol zouden niet meer worden aangelegd. Het kanaal loopt nu tot aan de Koetsjoekrivier.

Tot op heden is het aantal hectares dat wordt bevloeid veel kleiner dan de geplande omvang. Daarnaast is het kanaal door achterstallig onderhoud bezig dicht te slibben, moerassig te worden en door gebrekkige afdichting veroorzaakt het kanaal op plaatsen een stijging van het grondwater, waardoor sommige plaatsen zelfs te kampen hebben met overstromingen. Momenteel zijn er plannen om het kanaal te renoveren.

Externe link
  Altajskaja Pravda: Artikel over het Koeloenda-Magistraalkanaal

Kanaal in Rusland
Geografie van de kraj Altaj

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I cannot believe it is the beginning of April, and we have ice all over the trees. The weather has been so crazy here in the northeast. We recently took a trip up to Binghamton, and it was downright nasty out. Coming home we found ourselves dealing with freezing rain. Thankfully, we made it home safe! One of the best things about that night, was having dinner at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.
As soon as we crossed the threshold into the country store, we stepped back in time. It was as if we were teleported back in time to an old-fashioned general store.
Glancing around we saw classic toys, old-fashioned candies, apparel, home and garden accessories on our way toward the dining room, which is adorned with oak tables and chairs. We can count on Cracker Barrel to have a warm fire burning which warmed our bodies and souls. We were fortunate to be seated at a table in front of the large hearth and fireplace. There are mind teaser puzzles on the table, as well as, all kinds of nostalgic items hanging on the dining room walls.
Cracker Barrel has an extensive menu including all day breakfast, with so many great southern favorites, it is hard to choose. We had a friendly server who did not mind allowing us some extra time to look over the menu.
My husband ordered the Country Fried Shrimp which consists of a half pound of buttermilk-battered shrimp and Cracker Barrel's signature hush puppies served with tangy cocktail sauce. He was able to pick three country sides to go with his dinner. My husband chose a side salad (counts as 2 sides) and pinto beans.
One of our sons and I each ordered the 10 oz. Rib Eye Steak cooked medium with three sides, He picked fries, macaroni and cheese and apple slices and I choose a baked potato and green beans.
Our youngest son had the Chicken Tenderloins which can be ordered marinated and grilled or crispy friend with BBQ or Honey Mustard sauce. He wanted them crispy fried and with BBQ sauce. For his sides he had corn, fries and macaroni and cheese. A large plate of their made from scratch Buttermilk Biscuits and Corn Muffins was brought for all of us.
The kids had homestyle lemonade and raspberry lemonade, I had coffee which our waitress refilled promptly and my husband had sweet tea.
After dinner myself, my husband and one of our sons ordered one of the Frozen Mug Sundaes with Roasted Almonds. Our other son had the Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake which is served warm with rich, creamy vanilla ice cream. I had a bite and it was delicious! My husband and I each had one of their new hand crafted mocha lattes which are served with chocolate syrup drizzled whipped cream.
Needless to say, we were warm and stuffed with good, old-fashioned southern cooking when we left. One nice thing about taking a road trip is that you can usually find a Cracker Barrel along the way. They are usually located in areas that make it easy to get off and on the highway. I love that they have so many locations, over 600 stores in over 40 states. It is nice that even when traveling to new places, I can count on Cracker Barrel to make us feel right at home.
So, let me know if you love Cracker Barrel as much as I do. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
A big plate of their made from scratch Buttermilk Biscuits and Corn Muffins was brought for all of us.
This post was sponsored by Cracker Barrel who provided us with gift certificates for dinner. As always, my words and views are 100% my own.


Browse 1,094 acronyms and abbreviations related to the Festivals terminology and jargon.
Know a good shorthand in the Festivals jargon that we miss? Don't keep it to yourself!
"Festivals." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2019. Web. 22 Apr. 2019. <https://www.abbreviations.com/acronyms/FESTIVALS>.


Integration build 6 has been released to int, and with it comes a few small features.
This leaves tasks in a usable state, i'll be loading int with tasks and moving on to plans.
the team glu integration environment contains a recent snapshot of the team glu code base.


It looks like things are really getting serious between actors Baron Geisler and Kiko Matos after the former stepped things up and decided to make things official.
In a Facebook post, the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) announced that Geisler has just accepted their invitation to face Matos in their Fight Night event this June.
The two were involved in a viral video over the weekend where they were initially shown making peace through a handshake.
However, Matos suddenly punched Geisler, and said in a succeeding interview that he did it to teach him a lesson.
Both actors have challenged each other to a real fight after the incident.
The URCC earlier reported that Matos had gotten in touch with them, agreeing to the fight promotion's proposal to settle the score with Geisler in the cage. This came after the independent film actor challenged Geisler to "face him."


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