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At Kimberley Griqualand West took a 173-run lead into day two after first scoring 242 for 9 dec, before bowling Easterns out for 118. At the close Griquas had taken their second innings score to 49 for 2 to finish the day in a healthy position. Batting first it was Alan Doherty who lead the way scoring 92, after Griquas had struggled to 76 for 5 with David Wiese (4 for 61) and R Mutch (4 for 57), on debut, putting Easterns in a good position. The advantage was squandered as Griquas retaliated with 4 for 48 from Jandre Coetzee as the Easterns batting collapsed.At East London, Border made the most of a excellent batting surface to reach 352 for 5 declared, thanks to a 102 from Steven Pope and a 92 from Bevan Bennett, who sacrificed his wicket for the extra bonus points. Eastern Province made a solid start to end on 59 without loss off the final 10 overs of the day.An impressive 72 from Jimmy Kgamadi allowed North West to take a slight advantage into the second day, at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom, against Northerns. Sent in to bat, North West declared their innings closed at 186 for 9 after Neil Wagner, on debut, took 4 for 39 for Northerns. In reply they struggled to 95 for 5 at the close with Heino Kuhn scoring 48 and James Mokonyama making 34.

The Bangalore Royal Challengers have sunk to the bottom of the points table in the Indian Premier League after their fourth loss out of five matches, against the Delhi Daredevils on Wednesday. However, Rahul Dravid, the Bangalore captain, brushed away suggestions that his team was unsuited to the Twenty20 format.”Twenty20 fates are decided in an over or two. Luck and the rub of the green are factors here,” Dravid told reporters after the loss in Delhi. “And it’s not that our team does not have youngsters. If there is any missing link, I think we lack that x-factor.”That x-factor could be Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq, who has been benched despite his outstanding batting in the World Twenty20 because of the cap on the number of overseas players in the XI. Bangalore’s four overseas players against Delhi were Jacques Kallis, Ross Taylor, Mark Boucher and Dale Steyn.”It was difficult fielding all the foreigners,” Dravid said. “We needed an allrounder because our bowling was not strong, so Kallis played. Ross Taylor will leave now and Misbah will definitely get his chance.”The 10-run defeat against Delhi was Bangalore’s third loss in a row and the second close one, after the 13-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 28. Dravid said McGrath’s four-wicket haul was the key to Delhi’s victory and also singled out Daniel Vettori’s economical spell of 1 for 19.”I think the difference [between the sides] was McGrath’s wickets, both upfront and in the later stage,” Dravid said. “Vettori gave next to nothing in his four overs, Yomahesh bowled tight too. Twenty20 matches are decided in one-two overs and we needed two big overs, which we just didn’t get. Chasing 10 per over, we were right on track but could not eventually make it.”Bangalore opened with Praveen Kumar, their fifth opener in five games, to try and boost the run-rate while chasing a target of 192 but the ploy did not work. Praveen was dismissed by McGrath in the first over.”Chasing 10 runs per over, we had to send our stroke-players upfront,” said Dravid. “Praveen was sent up with this idea. If he could score 15-20 quick runs, things could have changed. There was nothing wrong with the strategy.”Bangalore’s next match is a home game against the Deccan Chargers on May 3 and Dravid hoped that Anil Kumble, who missed the last two games because of injury, would be able to return. “I hope things would improve when Anil returns,” he said. “Our fifth bowlers are conceding 50-odd runs. If Anil concedes little less, it would help the side.”

Holly Colvin could miss England’s tour of Australia and New Zealand for the sake of her education. Colvin, the slow left-armer, said she would be prepared to miss the trip Down Under in February and March if her chances of getting into Cambridge University would be compromised.”If it came to the crunch I would put my education first and stay at home,” Colvin told newspaper. “Women’s cricket is not yet professional and I have to think of my future career.”The tour runs at the same time as some of her final-year A Level studies, including a one-off Test for the Ashes. She said there could be room for compromise in that she may consider playing the Australian part of the trip.”It would be heart-breaking to miss the tour,” said Colvin, who earned her England call-up on the eve of the last Ashes, in 2005. “I love my cricket and would relish the opportunity to help defend the Ashes. I might try and play in the Australian leg, even though that could mean missing a couple of weeks of school.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

A full house at Bristol were handed an explosive match, India levelling the one-day series with a nine-run victory at Bristol as 649 runs flowed in ideal conditions. The win was set-up by the batsmen, as Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid produced flamboyant 90s, and then India ‘s spinners took vital wickets. Piyush Chawla, enhancing his growing reputation with three key wickets, and Ramesh Powar removed England’s four middle-order big-guns, but Dimitri Mascarenhas, with a 36-ball maiden ODI fifty, and Stuart Broad kept India working until the end.Getting so close showed how vital India’s overs of spin were. The teams went in opposite directions with their selections, England dropping Monty Panesar and India strengthening their bowling attack with Powar.With his second ball Chawla beat Kevin Pietersen’s forward prod with a straight ball and later removed Paul Collingwood with his googly, a delivery which has been good enough for Tendulkar in the past. Each wicket meant England had to rebuild and with an asking rate constantly over six-an-over they were always under pressure. Andrew Flintoff, seven balls into his first international innings since the World Cup, felt the need to target the stands and picked out deep midwicket off Powar.England began their pursuit of what would have been a record chase in positive style. Whereas at the Rose Bowl Alastair Cook and Matt Prior took their time, with 330 facing them they knew making the most of the fielding restrictions was vital. Prior was dropped at slip by Sourav Ganguly on eight – the first of India’s many lapses – but in fairness to Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni feigned to go for the catch and put off his slip fielder. Prior then showed his true ability with a series of strong cover drives.Ajit Agarkar received most of the punishment, his first four overs costing 41 as his gentle outswing was easily dispatched. Prior was offered another life, top-edging a Patel no-ball to midwicket, but fell shortly afterwards when a manufactured swipe went steepling to Dravid. There was time for the batsmen to cross and next ball Cook edged a good offcutter low to Dhoni. In two balls India had control again, but, as often in the past, did their best to let it go.

Ian Bell, on one, was dropped by Powar at third man – who hardly raises the standard of India ‘s fielding – then a manic couple of moments included two chances against Pietersen in one Ganguly over. Firstly, Dhoni couldn’t pouch a thin edge and two balls later Ganguly himself couldn’t hold on to a return chance as Pietersen punched off the back foot. Chawla, not afraid to flight the ball, turned the game back India’s way with the scalps of Pietersen and Collingwood before adding Bell, who had played well for 64, as a third wicket.England continued to fight but eventually the lower order had been left with too much to do, although Mascarenhas’s five sixes of varying distance hinted at a miraculous turnaround. He came in with 110 needed off 12.1 overs, but added 59 in seven overs with Broad. Even when RP Singh had him caught at midwicket, England kept swinging hard with Broad taking 20 off the last over.India’s total could have been higher if Flintoff hadn’t collected a career-best 5 for 56, despite suffering pain behind his right knee after crashing into an advertising board. Dravid’s innings was faultless as he continually picked the gaps, taking 63 balls to reach 92, his highest score against England in ODIs, while India added 93 in the final 10 overs. Following the criticism he received for pedestrian batting at other stages of the tour it was a strong response from the Indian captain.After playing with great restraint during the Test series – and being tied down in the first ODI at The Rose Bowl – Tendulkar allowed himself more freedom. His fifty came off 56 balls and he twice swept Mascarenhas to the boundary before dispatching the struggling Chris Tremlett high over long-off for six. He offered one tough chance, on 57, when Tremlett failed to hold a drive a mid-off.But a bout of cramp in his hand halted his momentum and Collingwood reacted swiftly by recalling Flintoff. The move paid off as Tendulkar fended at a rapid bouncer. However, replays showed the ball took arm-guard rather than glove as a century continued to elude him. It was the second 99 Tendulkar has made in ODIs on tour, following the near-miss against South Africa, at Stormont, in July. There is one key difference, though. That day India lost, this time they have come out on top and the series is all square heading to Birmingham with the promise of more thrills to come.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
The first-round match between South Africa and Australia threatened to be a repeat of the epic at the Wanderers, but St Kitts’ Warner Park is no Wanderers, and history steadfastly refused to repeat itself. Australia comfortably defended their 377 for 6, which was set up by Matthew Hayden’s fastest World Cup century, and South Africa finished 83 runs adrift.Adam Gilchrist and Hayden put on a century opening stand in less than 15 overs, setting up a launching pad from which the middle-order could wade into the bowling. South Africa’s innings started in a similar same way and it was AB de Villiers who ignited the run chase of 378. He stated his intentions emphatically in the first over by crashing a boundary and then following it with an audacious short-arm jab that sailed over midwicket for six.Ricky Ponting began with Nathan Bracken and Shaun Tait, and the first five overs yielded a dangerously high 40 runs. Glenn McGrath then replaced Tait, and even the miserly metronome didn’t know what hit him, being welcomed into the attack with a hat-trick of crisply struck fours. After ten overs South Africa were still well on course, having scored 73 and still not lost a wicket. Thoughts of Johannesburg last year, when Australia failed to defend 434, started to emerge.While de Villiers was blitzing in exciting and attractive fashion, Graeme Smith was matching him, in efficacy if not in style. Belligerent as ever, Smith reached his half-century off only 41 balls. By the 20th over, the run-scoring pattern was still loaded in South Africa’s favour, with 154 on the board and nothing in the wickets column.As is so often the case in situations like this, when a batsman is on fire, it took a run out to force the breakthrough. de Villiers flicked Andrew Symonds to long leg, wide of Shane Watson, who sprinted around, half slid and fielded. Recovering quickly, Watson fired the throw in at the striker’s end, where de Villiers was diving desperately to regain his crease, and the direct hit left him well stranded. de Villiers’ electrifying 92 had come off only 70 balls, and included 14 fours and two sixes.If the de Villiers dismissal was unusual and somewhat uncalled for, it was again a non-standard sequence that did for Smith. Having reached 72, Smith was cramping up so badly that he had to receive on-field treatment from Shane Jabbar, the physio. But even then he could not go on, leaving Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs in charge of proceedings.Kallis, as ever, batted as though in a bubble, impervious to what was happening around him and the ever-increasing demands of the mounting required run rate. Gibbs, fresh from pasting Daan van Bunge for six sixes in an over, got to 17 at almost a run-a-ball, but was deceived by a beautiful piece of bowling. Gibbs was drawn forward by a loopy wrong ‘un from Brad Hogg, and as he shaped to drive, the ball spun past the bat and thudded into Gilchrist’s gloves, and the stumping was effected.Matthew Hayden hit the fastest World Cup century off 66 balls•Hamish Blair/Getty Images

Mark Boucher biffed a few, and by the time he was cleaned up by a Tait yorker, in the 39th over, the game was slipping away from South Africa. Kemp was similarly nailed, albeit lbw, by Tait for only 1, and this brought Smith back out. However, the pressure to score quickly got to Smith (74), and an attempted slog sweep speared off the top edge to Gilchrist.The game was well and truly buried soon after when Kallis gave Hogg the charge, only for the bowler to adjust his length. The batsman could not do the same with his stroke and the ball went straight down long-on’s throat. Kallis had made 48 off 59 balls in an innings where South Africa needed to score at 7.56 overall. From then on it was only a matter of tying up the loose ends, and Australia did that, bowling South Africa out for 294.The power hitting capability and the depth of the South African batting line-up kept the game alive for as long as it did, but, in all fairness, Australia had done more than their fair share towards winning this game when they were put in to bat. Even after Gilchrist was dismissed for a run-a-ball 42 Hayden continued in his typically bullyboy way.He muscled the bowling around the park for 101 off just 68 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes, to record the tournament’s quickest hundred. Hayden reached three figures off only 66 deliveries, beating the mark of 67 set by John Davison of Canada against West Indies in 2003. His forceful strokes back down the pitch were enough for the bowlers to adjust their line and length, but when the ball was short or a bit wide it was merrily biffed through point.Throughout the innings it rained fours and sixes and the South Africa attack became a tad predictable. Gilchrist and Hayden gave way to Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, and a second pair of Australians dismantled the bowling.The third-wicket partnership, which came in good time, was worth 161, and by the time it was broken Ponting had helped himself to 91. Clarke would fall 19 runs later for an energetic 92, which included four sixes. South Africa were unable to match the hitting for the full fifty overs and Australia succeeded in the battle of the heavyweights.

Text of letter from the West Indies touring squad to Dinanath Ramnarine, the CEO of the West Indies Players’ Association

Dear Mr. Ramnarine,We would like to bring to your attention in your capacity as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Players Association our astonishment, disappointment and displeasure at remarks made by the Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board, Mr. Bruce Aanensen with regard to us players on the West Indies team. We, however, felt that it would more appropriate to bring up this matter at the end of the England Tour rather than during when the comments of Mr. Aanensen were actually made.We are highly offended that Mr. Aanensen saw it fit to have publicly labeled us the players as ‘incompetent’. We register this with you and ask you to bring it to the attention of the Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board as well as to the Chairman of the Cricket Committee Mr. Clive Lloyd. Please implore the directors and Mr. Lloyd that we the players wish for this matter to be seriously addressed and appropriate action taken.We are also disturbed to learn that Mr. Aanensen made an issue of your meeting with us just prior to our departure for the tour to England. Although we question his claim that he was well within his rights to do so, we, nevertheless, find it incredulous that he should contemplate a position to debar the constitutional representative of the players from meeting them in his official capacity.We are now left with the rather difficult situation of determining whether as players we would be able to continue working with Mr. Aanensen. Unfortunately, given the unfair and frankly thoughtless nature of his comments we would not be keen in having any further interaction at a professional level with Mr. Aanensen.From Mr. Aanensen’s comments, for which, significantly, he has made no withdrawals or apologies, we would find it virtually impossible to engage him in any meaningful manner.Sincerely, Members of the West Indies Team in England & Ireland

Text of letter from Ramnarine to Ken Gordon, the West Indies Cricket Board president

Dear Mr. GordonIt is no secret that since Mr. Bruce Aanensen assumed the position of CEO of the WICB on April 16, 2007, his modus operandi has not been viewed favourably by WIPA. The attached letter dated July 07, 2007 received from the West Indies team in England adds further fuel to the matter. Even admitting that no one is perfect or 100 per cent correct, we continue to find it increasingly difficult to work with Mr. Aanensen in the interest of West Indies cricket. Mr. Aanensen’s management style is unfortunate and surprising for a CEO who has only recently assumed his position and should therefore be trying to build bridges for the future.Recent examples of such negative management style are as follows:1. Indicating to the public that the Board had submitted all relevant documents to the Arbitration Panel re the Future Tour Programme when, indeed, it had not done so.2. Issuing misleading statements regarding Caricom’s official position on the Zimbabwe tour.3. Displaying little tact as a CEO in publicly criticizing the players as “incompetent” while they were in the middle of a tour.4. Causing much embarrassment in not ensuring that replacement players arrived in time for the commencement of the ODI series in England.5. Flouting the MOU regarding the need for prior consultation and agreement with WIPA with respect to the tour to Zimbabwe and the proposed dates for the upcoming first class regional tournament. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, WIPA had to learn about both these scheduling arrangements in the media.6. Failure to consult and agree with WIPA in determining ‘Team Policy” which the WICB is required to do under the terms of our agreement.7. Seemingly insufficient understanding of the Agreements signed and the issues involved, resulting in the recent lengthy and costly arbitration exercise.8. Leaks to the media by Board sources which I have discussed with you previously, that caused embarrassment to WIPA and the players (e.g. captaincy issue re Ganga/Gayle)9. Making uncomplimentary remarks to the media about me as President and CEO of WIPA.10. Apparent reluctance to meet with me as President and CEO of WIPA in spite of at least three requests made by me. We have met only once through my initiative, and this was prior to his assumption of duty as CEO.11. On the only occasion I spoke to Mr. Aanensen on the telephone, he hung up the phone on me and when I called him back he ended up again hanging up on me. I regarded this as the height of discourtesy, and12. We continue to receive feedback from talk show hosts throughout the region, regarding public opinion about Mr. Aanansen’s negative management style.Naturally we recognize the right of WICB to employ anyone they choose but at the same time they should make every effort to select the right person for each job, especially if the position is a public, high-profile post where credibility and transparency are so important in the eyes of other relevant parties. With deep respect and in the view of the Executive of WIPA and the players, Mr. Aanensen has not started off on the right foot.Given the above comments, we feel strongly that in the interest of W.I. Cricket, Mr. Aanensen should be asked to resign with immediate effect so that the incoming Board can start with a clean slate.Respectfully yours, Dinanath Ramnarine

Text of letter from Gordon to Ramnarine

Dear Mr. Ramnarine,This will acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 12th re the management style of our CEO.Having discussed with Mr. Aanensen the alleged examples of “negative management style” about which you complain, and heard his explanations, I am satisfied that there is no justification to your charges.Nonetheless, it is desirable that I convey my own response to your complaint. It is of the utmost importance that organizations like WIPA and WICB should work closely together. That was one of my principal objectives when I assumed the Presidency and as I think you are aware, I invested a considerable amount of time in attempting to build a relationship. I have not succeeded and perhaps there is something more that I might have done which I did not do… if so I continue to ponder what that might have been.On the other hand I have heard your bitter complaints about the WICB and all it’s officials: The Board is totally incompetent; the former President was inaccessible; the former CEO could not be trusted; the CFO is inefficient; the Corporate Secretary is dishonest and you refuse to communicate with him even on official business, causing complications in the communication flow between our organizations for which you blame everyone but yourself. You have been frequently abusive to Deryck Murray and his team at negotiations and I have had to inform you that such behaviour is unacceptable. You have stated at meetings with one of our Board members and two executives of WICB present, that I am a liar. You have since denied saying so, while everyone present heard your comment. I even understand that you have informed both Barry Thomas and Tony Deyal that you would have them fired.In addition, you publicly denigrate the WICB Board, its Officers and Executive at every opportunity and remain constantly critical in the media.Now you state that Mr. Aanensen should be asked to resign because of his “negative style”.Permit me to suggest that self analysis of your own style is long over due. I have urged you on more than one occasion to do so. You have done much on behalf of the players and I personally commend you for that. But you appear incapable of rising to the level of maturity now required if the relationship between WIPA and WICB is to contribute to the development of West Indies Cricket.I sincerely hope you will accept the foregoing in the spirit in which it is written, bearing in mind that whatever differences may exist, civility is at the core of all healthy relationships. When people feel abused, many hit back and then everything goes downhill.It is not too late to attempt a new beginning and if you are disposed to doing so, I would be pleased to arrange a three cornered meeting before I demit office between Mr. Aanensen and us both.With kind regards(not signed when sent electronically)K. Gordon

Adam Gilchrist
“No bowling attack was good enough when he was in the zone. He was a loyal friend who was never totally comfortable with the glare of the public. He simply wanted to be an entertainer.”Andrew Symonds
“I’m just stunned at the news. I think his contribution to Australian cricket in the past ten years has been enormous and his record will stand for itself in the years to come. He should be seen as a legend.”Dennis Lillee
“I think everyone knows when the time is right and he obviously feels that. He has made that decision and we respect him for that and everyone else should. In his time he was in the best top four or five batsmen in the world.”Ian Chappell
“I hope he is remembered fondly. At times he’s been a damn good player and I hope that is how Australian cricket remembers him – a damn good player who was easy on the eye.”Ricky Ponting
“He is one of the world’s most unsung players in both forms of the game and I don’t think it is really understood how good a player he actually is.”Michael Slater
“It just seems that this media scrutiny that he was starting to come under, it was the final blow for him. He wasn’t prepared to go through it. It was obviously going to wear him down. It’s now time to celebrate his 67 Test matches and the immaculate one-day career.”Wayne Clark
“It is a surprising decision, but a very courageous decision on his part. He has been under a fair bit of pressure to hold his position, his private life is as good as it has been and he’s satisfied with where he is at.”James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive
“Damien’s decision has come as a surprise to us. He has been a wonderful servant to Australian cricket for many years and has played an integral part in Australia being the number one Test and ODI team in the world.”

As Canada prepare to face Bermuda and Zimbabwe in the ICC’s tri-nation tournament in Trinidad, the president of the Canadian Cricket Association has admitted to being rather jealous of the cash-rich Bermudans. And Ben Sennik has set out his vision for Canada being a Test-playing nation within a decade.Bermuda have been given $11 million by their government to pump into the game, and Sennik admitted that he was more than a little jealous. “We were gasping when we heard that,” he told the Mid-Ocean News. “I wish we could have just a little bit of that.”It’s a lot of money. Our budget is a lot less. We have applied to the Canadian Federal Government for funding and we are eligible. In fact we should have applied years ago. Hopefully some help will be coming but no way close to what you have been given. That is a huge sum of money.”Canada, who will be in the 2007 World Cup, are aiming high, and Sennik said that he was looking at being a Test-playing nation “in eight to ten years”. To do that, he realises that all the players must become professionals. “I don’t see any other way. We have to go up progressively. Our bread earners on the team are neither amateurs or professionals. We are looking at the (pro) possibility as soon as a financial base has been established. We have to get salaried players. To get to the objectives we want we have to have professional players. The first thing we have to do is set up a strong financial base.”Sennik went on to explain that cricket was the fastest growing sport in Canada.”Actually cricket was originally the national sport in Canada in the 1800s. The game has a great history in Canada. It had its low period over the years but in the last five years we have seen a huge upsurge in popularity. It is being played in the schools.” This boom has coincided with the influx of immigrants, especially from the subcontinent and the Caribbean.He then said that appointment of Andy Pick, on a one-year sabbatical from the English board to help Canada prepare for the World Cup, had been a big boost. “I am very impressed with him. He took over about two weeks ago and the changes he is bringing about are amazing. We believe he will be a great mentor to our players, especially the younger ones, he will earn respect very quickly, he has a great technical understanding of the game and he believes in a disciplined approach.”He has a wealth of playing and coaching experience and that will be a critical factor in lifting Canada’s performance as they head towards their second appearance at a World Cup.”

Scorecard

Hyderabad Heroes were powered to a seven-wicket victory over the Chennai Superstars by their South African recruits Nicky Boje (61*) and Justin Kemp (66*).In the first match of the ICL to be held in Hyderabad, the Heroes went against the trend in this edition of the tournament at the toss and instead chose to field. Their decision seemed to have backfired as Ian Harvey and G Vignesh gave the Superstars a breezy start with 41 coming off the first six overs.Boje was then introduced into the attack and he struck immediately, dismissing Vignesh for 19, and sent down a miserly three-over spell, giving away only seven runs. Harvey, though, continued to plunder runs off the other bowlers before being trapped lbw by left-arm spinner IS Reddy for a 36-ball 49. Hemang Badani then carted three sixes and two boundaries in an express 33 to lift the Superstars to a respectable 152.The Heroes’ reply got off to a dreadful start as Jimmy Maher and Anirudh Singh were both dismissed in the first over. The runs didn’t flow until Thiru Kumaran’s first over; 17 runs came off it. Boje then picked off three consecutive boundaries off Harvey as he and Ambati Rayudu put on 50 runs in quick time.Rayudu’s dismissal left the Heroes at a shaky 53 for 3 and brought Kemp to the crease. By the end of the 12th over, the asking-rate had climbed to 9 before Kemp showcased his ability to muscle the ball out of the park. Four sixes and six fours flowed off his bat as he clobbered his way to the tournament’s highest score. Boje also completed a superb half-century as the two put on 103 to take the Heroes to victory.The result leaves the Superstars at the bottom of the table having lost both their matches while the Heroes now have one win and one loss so far.

Division One

Luke Sutton hit his first century for Lancashire as the Roses clash with Yorkshire at Old Trafford remained a tight battle. The home side lost early wickets in reply to Yorkshire’s, but they were settled by another fine century from Mal Loye, who followed his match-saving 148 against Sussex with an even hundred. However, Loye fell shortly after tea to Darren Lehmann with Lancashire nearly 100 adrift. Sutton had already passed fifty and took charge of the innings with some support from Glen Chapple and Kyle Hogg as Lancashire edged into the lead. Deon Kruis was the pick of the Yorkshire attack but the young supporting cast struggled to make an impression.Michael Carberry led Hampshire‘s fightback against Middlesex at Lord’s with an unbeaten 103 after they had conceded 422. Paul Weekes and Ben Scott claimed full batting points for Middlesex and then Chris Silverwood claimed the early wicket of James Adams with the new ball. John Crawley, though, continued his fine form and added 134 for the second wicket with Carberry but Middlesex hit back with three wickets for 18 runs. Carberry remained firm and reached his second century of the season shortly before stumps.Alex Loudon claimed 5 for 49, his best figures of the season, to give Warwickshire completed command over Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston. Warwickshire extended their first innings to 381 and the visitors were decently placed on 131 for 2 when Loudon made his impact. David Alleyne and Stephen Fleming had both passed fifty before falling to Loudon’s offspin and David Hussey was run out first ball. In the end Nottinghamshire could only squeeze a single batting point but Warwickshire didn’t enforce the follow-on, conscious of not wanting to bat last. They wobbled slightly, losing three late wickets, but are still well placed with a lead of 229.

Division Two

Chris Rogers struck a magnificent 319 as Northamptonshire piled up an imposed 628 against Gloucestershire Northampton. He already had 242 overnight and continued on his merry way until Chris Taylor finally prized him from the crease. Still, Northants didn’t stop scoring as the tail flung the bat merrily. Lance Klusener and Steven Crook cracked rapid 40s before Steve Kirby wrapped up the innings with a hardworking five-wicket haul. Gloucestershire lost two early wickets in reply but Craig Spearman steadied their innings with a swashbuckling century.Surrey, and especially Mark Ramprakash, just can’t stop scoring runs. Following his triple century last week, Ramprakash became the first batsman to pass 2000 runs for the season as Worcestershire were put to the sword at New Road. He became the first English batsman to pass the milestone since he himself did it back in 1995 before falling for 196 to the last ball of the day. Through Ramprakash’s effort, Jon Batty’s 104 – a second for the season – and a crunching, unbeaten 110 from Ally Brown, Surrey raced into the lead in familiar fashion. Only Mark Butcher missed out as he fell for a duck.Somerset capitulated on the second day against Derbyshire as they slumped to 151 all out at Derby. Steffan Jones took four wickets and Ian Hunter three as the batting showed precious little resistance. Only Neil Edwards, with 75, put up any fight until he was eighth out but Cameron White decided not to enforce the follow on. Michael di Venuto then took the bowlers to the cleaners with a rapid century at more than a run-a-ball as Derbyshire sped into a huge lead. Simon Francis went for 32 off two overs.