Warwickshire were given the fright of their lives, as Bedfordshire pushedthem every step of the way at Luton
Andrew Miller07-May-2003Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy: Round 3Bedfordshire v Warwickshire, Luton
ScorecardWarwickshire were given the fright of their lives, as Bedfordshire pushedthem every step of the way at Luton. Despite winning the toss and battingfirst, Warwickshire’s innings was little more than a compilation of cameos,as Will Sneath (4 for 38) nipped out vital wickets at key moments. In atotal of 233 for 8, nobody scored more than Tony Frost’s 47. Bedfordshireresponded in kind, and at 200 for 6, they were within sight of a famousvictory. But Mark Wagh grabbed three quick wickets to leave Bedfordshirewith too much to do.Berkshire v Durham, Reading
ScorecardVince Wells gave a fleeting reminder of the form that earned him anallrounder’s slot in England’s 1999 World Cup squad, as Durham romped to aneight-wicket victory over Berkshire at Reading. Wells, who was sacked asLeicestershire’s captain last winter, started his day with 6 for 20 in nineovers, and finished it with a 61-ball 63, with seven fours and a six. Thefirst of Wells’s victims was the former West Indian captain, Jimmy Adams,now a Sky TV summariser, who was dismissed for 8. Berkshire slumped to 58for 8, but recovered to reach 110.Buckinghamshire v Gloucestershire, Wing
ScorecardGloucestershire flailed Buckinghamshire for a massive 401 for 7 at Wing, thefifth-highest in C&G Trophy history (the top two scores came in thatastonishing match between Surrey and Glamorgan at The Oval last year). Thestar of the show was Tim Hancock, who continued his prolific one-day formwith a buccaneering 135. Two days ago, against Leicestershire, Hancockclumped a 57-ball 82. Buckinghamshire, unsurprisingly, had lost theirappetite for the fight long before the halfway mark – and crumbled to 77 allout in 25.1 overs – James Averis taking 6 for 23.Cambridgeshire v Yorkshire, March
ScorecardMichael Vaughan was dismissed for a lowly 10 – taking his tally for theseason to 16 runs in three innings – as Cambridgeshire shook Yorkshire’sfragile confidence with two quick wickets at March. But Matthew Wood (118*)and Michael Lumb (82) prevented a repeat of Monday’s 54-all-out collapsewith a 127-run stand for the third wicket, and Yorkshire’s total of 299 for5 was never in threat. But Cambridgeshire refused to give up, and theirapproach was epitomised by their captain, Ajaz Akhtar, who grabbed threewickets with the new ball, and followed up with a lusty 46 from 51deliveries.Cornwall v Kent, Truro
ScorecardBen Trott and James Hewitt made light work of Cornwall’s batsmen, as Kenteased to a five-wicket victory at Truro. Trott and Hewitt took three wicketseach, and Peter Trego wrapped up a stubborn tail, before Kent took thescenic route to victory with five batsmen scoring between 17 and 30. The winwould have been all the more comprehensive, but for some sticky resistancefrom Cornwall’s last three batsmen, who lifted the total from a ropey 62 for8 to a passable 140. James Tredwell was then trapped lbw fourth ball toraise fleeting hopes of an upset, but the target was never enough.Devon v Lancashire, Exmouth
ScorecardDevon’s Australian-born allrounder, Neil Hancock, provided Lancashire withtheir only genuine opposition of the day. Hancock’s rapid 73* from No. 7rescued Devon from a precarious 85 for 7, but their eventual total of 180was still easy pickings for Lancashire’s batsmen, who knocked off the runsin 40.4 overs, Ian Sutcliffe finishing on 89*. Andrew Flintoff continued hisexcellent early-season form with three wickets – albeit a touch expensive asHancock chanced his arm – but John Wood was the pick of the bowlers with 4for 33.Durham CB v Glamorgan, Darlington
ScorecardMatthew Maynard’s peroxide barnet and goatee may be an attempt to disguisethe ravages of time, but there is nothing remotely decrepit about his formthis season. Maynard’s 115 – his third and easiest century of 2003 – carriedGlamorgan to an 86-run win over an experienced Durham Cricket Board XI at Darlington. Maynard added 135 for the third wicket with Ian Thomas (93), and despite a spirited reply from Allan Worthy (59), Glamorgan’s 312 for 9 was always out of reach.Essex CB v Essex, Chelmsford
ScorecardWill Jefferson (132) and Darren Robinson (70) wrapped up Essex’s internalstruggle inside the first hour of the match, with a rapid 170-run openingpartnership at Chelmsford. When they were finally separated, Nasser Hussaincontinued his recent trend of modest domestic scores, making just 6, butRonnie Irani supported Jefferson until four wickets fell for 34 runs in alate collapse. The Cricket Board XI was never likely to catch a total of 315for 6, but they gave it their best shot. Mohammed Akhtar (71) and AdnanAkram (61) launched the chase in fine style, but three wickets apiece forScott Brant and Graham Napier kept the remainder of the batsmen under wraps.Hampshire v Sussex, Southampton
ScorecardChris Adams cracked Wasim Akram for 20 runs in the penultimate over, tosnatch an unlikely three-ball victory for Sussex at the Rose Bowl. Chasing214 for victory, Sussex had been down and out at 160 for 6 with six oversremaining. But Mark Davis (21*) picked up four vital fours to ease therun-rate, before Adams’s onslaught. The backbone of Hampshire’s total hadbeen provided by their Aussie import, Simon Katich, who made an unbeaten 82,but three run-outs slowed their progress.Kent CB v Derbyshire, Canterbury
ScorecardChris Bassano’s 101 was the backbone of a strong Derbyshire showing, asKent’s Cricket Board XI were put in their place at Canterbury. Bassanoneeded just 111 balls for his century, and received good support fromDominic’s Hewson (69) and Cork (59). Chasing an unlikely 300 runs to win,not one of Kent’s top six reached double figures as they slumped to 38 for6, with Kevin Dean taking 3 for 6 in six overs. But Leo Morgan and HugoLoudon provided a measure of resistance with a 37-run partnership forseventh wicket, and Kent eventually succumbed in the 46th over.Lincolnshire v Nottinghamshire, Lincoln
ScorecardPaul Franks rescued Nottinghamshire from a humiliating defeat, asLincolnshire played out of their skins before fading in the final overs.Franks, who came in at No. 7 with Nottinghamshire reeling at 125 for 5,slammed a superb unbeaten 84 from 70 balls to overhaul Lincolnshire’sexcellent total of 279 for 7 with 11 balls to spare. He was ably supportedby Usman Afzaal (71) who clung on as Jonathan Davies ripped throughNottinghamshire’s top order with 3 for 40, and Gareth Clough, whose 16-ball27 was a vital factor in the turnaround. Earlier, Lincolnshire’s captain(and former Notts batsman) Mark Fell had anchored the innings with aresolute 77, although the oomph had been applied, later in the innings, byJames Clarke and Rob Chapman, with a pair of rapid fifties.Northamptonshire v Middlesex, Northampton
ScorecardMiddlesex’s prize for finishing bottom of last year’s Norwich Union leaguewas an away fixture against their fellow first-class underachievers,Northants. And in a low-scoring contest, it was Middlesex who came out ontop, thanks to a brace of half-centuries from Ed Joyce and Andy Strauss, andfour wickets for their alice-banded David Beckham lookalike, Chad Keegan.Chasing 215, Northants made a dreadful start, slipping to 29 for 4, and ahalf-century for Jeff Cook couldn’t quite lift them back into contention.Northumberland v Leicestershire, Jesmond
ScorecardLeicestershire were given something of a run-around by the minnows ofNorthumberland, but their greater experience told in the end, with acomfortable 90-run victory at Jesmond. Phil DeFreitas won the toss and choseto bat first, but Leicestershire’s innings stalled once Virender Sehwag hadbeen run out for 16. Mike Pollard then followed up with the wicket of DarrenStevens, en route to the exemplary figures of 1 for 18 in ten overs.Leicestershire required a nuggetty half-century from Paul Nixon to reachrespectability, but a target of 183 proved too tantalising forNorthumberland, who juddered to 92 all out. David Masters picked up fourwickets in 5.4 overs.Scotland v Somerset, Edinburgh
ScorecardMarcus Trescothick brought Scotland back down to earth after their defeat ofDurham in the NUL, by thumping an unbeaten 103 from 70 balls to carrySomerset to a ten-wicket victory at Edinburgh. It was easy pickings forTrescothick, who applied the finishing touch to a match that never lived upto expectations. Scotland batted first and were bundled out for 138 inexactly 50 overs. Douglas Lockhart opened up with 51, and the captain, CraigWright added 45, but no-one else reached double figures as Keith Parsonsmowed through the middle order.Staffordshire v Surrey, Stone
ScorecardSurrey were pushed rather closer to the wire than they had bargained for,but Staffordshire emerged with nothing but credit for their efforts as theyfell nine runs short at Stone. A close finish didn’t look particularlylikely while Ian Ward was at the crease – his 87-ball 108 included no fewerthan seven sixes. But he received little support, and Surrey were bowled outfor 273 with three balls remaining. That didn’t matter too much as Staffsdawdled to 137 for 3, but when Surrey turned to their second-string bowlers,Graeme Archer and Paul Shaw let rip with four sixes apiece. Their captain,Richard Harvey, added another two in four balls, but it was just too late toaffect the result.Worcestershire CB v Worcestershire, Worcester
ScorecardVikram Solanki was guilty of fratricide at New Road, as his superb 164*helped Worcestershire to demolish their own Cricket Board XI by 170 runs.Solanki smashed 20 fours and three sixes in 170 balls, and Worcestershire’shuge total of 311 for 4 was never remotely challenged. The Cricket Board XIcould only manage 141 for 9 in reply, a total that was boosted by cameosfrom a pair of former first-team players, Abdul Hafeez (28) and StuartLampitt (26*).