Tag: beetles

County Championship Round Six

A look at developments in the three county championship matches that made it to a final day, including a strong recommendation for a points deduction for Warwickshire. Also a points deduction.

Three of the matches in the current round of the county championship made it to day four, today. I will mention all three. The game I am listening to is Sussex against Worcestershire at Hove, but I am going to start with another match that commanded my attention earlier in the round.

THE STALEST OF STALEMATES

Points deductions are sometimes made for badly prepared pitches. This usually happens when a result has happened very early, by design of the host county. It happened once after a drawn game, when even though that result saw them crowned champions Essex moaned about a Taunton pitch taking spin. The pitch at Edgbaston is IMO far more worthy of a points deduction than any of these ‘result’ surfaces. There has been so little for bowlers that a draw is now almost certain. We are well into the penultimate session of the match, and a mere 14 wickets have fallen to date. Warwickshire, put in by Surrey (a decision that even Rory Burns who made it probably now recognizes as a terrible one), amassed 665-5 declared with career bests for Ed Barnard and Zen Malik (a maiden first class ton for the latter). Surrey have just lost their 10th wicket after 178.2 overs with their score on 504, a deficit of 161, which means that Warwickshire can enforce the follow-on (and to do anything else in this situation should ensure that the current captain never has that role again). Ben Foakes became the third player to notch a career best on this surface, amassing 174 not out, and equally damning of this pitch, Surrey number 11 Matthew Fisher lasted 145 balls for 40 before finally being last out. I therefore have no hesitation in saying that Warwickshire should be hit with a 25 point deduction for having prepared a surface that offered no chance of a result in four days (I will eat my hat if Warwickshire do manage to bowl Surrey out a second time). The Warwickshire captain has done the right thing and enforced the follow-on. It is unlikely to change the result, but for Warwickshire to go in again would have absolutely killed any prospect of anything other than a draw.

A POTENTIAL NAIL BITER

Although this game held out the most hope of any at the start of the day, which is why I chose to tune into it, my expectations were not high – Sussex definitely appeared to have the upper hand. However a great innings by Jake Libby and some stubborn resistance from Brett D’Oliveira (an innings of 29 that lasted a long time) have made it a very intriguing position. Set 361 to win Worcestershire are now 281-6, having lost only two wickets on the day. Sussex’s best bowler so far has been the Johannesburg born Greek seamer Aristides Karvelas. Oliver Edward Robinson has been economical but not terribly threatening. From being heavily in Sussex’s favour with Worcestershire four down fairly cheaply overnight it has become almost a 50/50 proposition. My earlier comment about Karvelas was prescient – he has just claimed the wicket of Matthew Waite, caught by James Coles at third slip for 14 to make it 286-7, with Libby 167 not out. Fynn Hudson-Prentice may just have settled it for Sussex – he has just had Libby caught by Clark at second slip for 167 to make it 286-8.

ESSEX v YORKSHIRE

This one looked all over bar the shouting overnight – set an outlandish 520 to win Essex were 64-4 overnight. However, Matt Critchley and Michael Pepper have resisted stoutly, and have yet to parted. Essex are now 195-4 and have a decent chance of securing the draw.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

James and Sons April Auction

A look back at James and Sons’ April Auction, a brief mention of County Championship action and a photo gallery.

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week James and Sons had its April auction, 1,000 stamp and postal history lots across the two days. On day one I was at work, one floor above where the auction was taking place, but had left bids on two lots, the fate of which would decide my approach to day two where I would be following from home.

A MODESTLY SUCCESSFUL AUCTION

The opening day of the auction went well overall for the company, and well for me personally – I got both lots I had left bids on, and both sufficiently cheaply that I was still in a position to bid on more items on day two. Lot 193 was the first of my lots:

Lot 398 was five pages of Russian steam locomotive stamps:

DAY TWO

This could have been a very quiet day, but fortunately it wasn’t completely so. The biggest success of the day was lot 762, which went for £140. My first bid of the day was on lot 701, and I was successful:

Lot 728 was my next success…

Lots 785 and 840 also went to me…

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Another round of County Championship fixtures got underway today. Due to a meeting this morning I missed the first session of play, and I will be missing most of tomorrow as it is the West Norfolk Autism Group’s annual outing to Pensthorpe. However I have got to enjoy Somerset having superb afternoon and evening against Essex at Taunton. Essex were 115-2 at the high water mark of their innings, but since then it has been one-way traffic – they are now 180-9 with Noah Thain having just gone for 41, caught Rew bowled Pretorius. I am not entirely sure about Kasun Rajitha;s batting credentials, though the fact that he is below Sam Cook, sometimes adhesive (as indeed he was today) but unquestionably a tail ender, tells one something, but Jamie Porter is an absolutely blown in the glass genuine number 11.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

These coasters (seven images in total) are an early birthday present from my boss.
The Trevithick/ Pen-y-Darren £2

Lancashire v Hampshire

A look back at today’s Women’s One Day cup match between Lancashire and Hampshire and a photo gallery.

Today Lancashire have been playing Hampshire in the Women’s One Day Cup. I missed the Lancashire innings due to the James and Sons April auction, but I did catch the whole of the chase.

MAGNIFICENT MCCAUGHAN

The match took place at Southport, a small ground (in 1982 Geoff Humpage hit 13 sixes in an innings there, in a match that his side ended up losing by 10 wickets – Warwickshire 523-4 declared (Humpage 254, Kallicharran 230*) and 111 (McFarlane 6-59), Lancashire 414-6 declared (Fowler 128) and 226-0 (Fowler 126 not out, D Lloyd 88 not out). Lancashire scored 292-6 in this 50 overs a side match, Eve Jones scoring 107 and Emma Lamb 86. They fell away a little after a very strong start, something noted by the radio commentators, and were probably a little short in the end. Hampshire’s openers, Bouchier and McCaughan started strongly. It was Bouchier who initially forced the pace, scoring 77 off 69 balls before being stumped by Threlkeld off Morris to make it 138-1. McCaughan then moved up a gear as senior partner, and found good support from Charli Knott. Knott had reached 47 without ever looking in any trouble, but then Emma Lamb pinned her LBW and it was 259-2, McCaughan having by then passed three figures. The target was now only 34 runs away, and 8.3 overs remained to be bowled. Neither McCaughan, who finished with 133 nor out, nor new batter and Hampshire skipper Georgia Adams (20 not out off 18 including a four and six) had any difficulty with a task that had by then become very straightforward. The winning hit came off the last ball of the 47th over, with eight wickets standing. A scorecard can be viewed here.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

A Collapse

A look at developments so far in the Hundred (women’s) match between Welsh Fire and Southern Brave, and a very large photo gallery.

Today the Hundred sees Welsh Fire taking on Southern Brave. The Women’s game is in progress as I type though it may well not be by the time I finish. This post looks at what has happened so far.

PRELIMINARIES

Welsh Fire came into this match looking to consolidate their position at the top of the group while Southern Brave were looking for their first win of this edition, in their fifth match. Fire won the toss and decided to bowl first.

A TALE OF WOE

The first ball of the match, bowled by Freya Davies, took the edge of Smriti Mandhana’s bat and went through to Sarah Bryce who took the catch. That set the stage for a procession to and from the Brave dug out. Danni Wyatt and skipper Georgia Adams added 28 together for the third wicket, but otherwise there was little hint of resistance. Adams’ 17 finished up being the top score of the innings. Wyatt managed 14, and Freya Kemp with 11 produced the only other double figure score of the innings. Highly unusually for a side batting first in this competition Brave actually failed even to bat for their 100 balls, being all out to the 92nd ball of their innings, for 84. The wickets were shared around, with only Georgia Elwiss of the six Fire bowlers used not getting at least one. West Indian ace Hayley Matthews had the best figures, with 3-16, while Davies and left arm spinner Jess Jonassen each had two wickets, Jonassen’s second being the tenth, that of fellow left arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman. Beth Langston had 1-8 from ten balls, and Georgia Davis was the only bowler to concede more than a run a ball, taking 1-22 from her 20.

THE FIRE REPLY

Sophia Dunkley became the second opener to record a golden duck, being bowled by Lauren Cheatle. However, although she struggled horribly to score Matthews followed her good bowling by lasting 16 balls, while Tammy Beaumont was going well at the other end. When Matthews was second out at 28, Bryce came in to join Beaumont and that pair are still together as I type. Beaumont is on 27, Bryce 6, and the score is 48-2 – 37 needed off 42 balls. While I have been preparing this for publication Tammy Beaumont has been dismissed, bowled by Cheatle for 34. The score is now 63-3, 22 needed of 28 balls to win.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My gallery is well varied, though there is a huge preponderance of caterpillars – there are two stretches of Bawsey Drain, separated by the width of Columbia Way, where the caterpillars can be found in spectacular abundance.

A peacock butterfly enjoying the Buddleia near Eastgate Bridge.
There are a few caterpillars near this ladybird…
…and this is the last image to feature caterpillars.

Ups and Downs at Birmingham

A look at developments son far in the third test match between England and the West Indies at Edgbaston

Yesterday morning the third test match of the three match series between England and the West Indies got underway at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

THE PRELIMINARIES

England named an unchanged XI, logical but a little disappointing – one would have like to see Potts and/ or Pennington in action. West Indies showed one change – Motie who had missed the second match due to injury returning in place of Sinclair, who had stood in for him. West Indies won the toss and chose to bat first. Putting England in on a surface like the one at Edgbaston would have reeked of fear, so this was a positive sign.

DAY ONE

West Indies began well, with the opening stand yielding 76. However one wicket produced a clatter, and at 115-5 West Indies looked in deep trouble. Jason Holder and Joshua da Silva then had an excellent partnership for the sixth wicket. The lower order also contributed a little, and in the end West Indies posted 282 all out. Kraigg Brathwaite scored 61 opening the batting, Holder 59 in the middle of the order, and Gus Atkinson had the best bowling figures with 4-67, giving him 20 wickets one innings in to his third test match. England had a mini-session to negotiate before the close, and made rather a hash of doing so, losing both openers and nightwatcher Mark Wood to end the day on a precarious 38-3.

DAY TWO (SO FAR)

The day started as the previous one had ended, with England losing wickets rapidly – first Pope and then Brook departed cheaply, at which point it was 54-5. Root and Stokes began the recovery, putting on 115 together before Stokeshit a short ball from Alzarri Joseph straight to Kraigg Brathwaite at forward short leg. Root and Jamie Smith continued the good work before Motie trapped Root LBW 13 short of a century. In the course of this innings Root passed Lara’s career aggregate of test runs, took his own tally past 12,000 and in the process assured himself of ending the innings with his average above 50 – the sixth time in his career that he has moved his average above 50. That was 231-7, with Woakes joining Smith. Smith completed his second test fifty, and when the tea interval arrived England were 274-7, just 8 runs short of first innings parity. A rain delay has extended the tea interval but they are now back underway. While I have been preparing this for publication England have moved into a first innings lead, with Smith and Woakes still together.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

The Second Test Match Between England and West Indies

A look back at the test match at Trent Bridge between England and West indies. and a fine photo gallery.

I did not actually get to follow a great deal of the match that unfolded at Trent Bridge between Thursday and Sunday (scheduled for five days, but four proved enough). Thursday was a work day, so I got only the closing stages of England’s 416, and as documented in my previous two tests I was busy over the weekend.

A HISTORIC MATCH

England amassed 416 on the opening day, but had, as opening batter Ben Duckett admitted, “left a few runs out there”. The West Indies response was led by two batters from the tiny island of Dominica (also birthplace of pace bowlers Norbert Philip of the West indies and Phillip DeFreitas of England) Alick Athenaze (82) and Kavem Hodge (120, the first test century by a Dominican), and at the end of day two they were 351-5 in response to that 416 by England. In the end, assisted by England trying to be too clever against the tailenders, West Indies led by 41. During the bit of listening I got in on the Saturday in between concerts Brook and Root batted beautifully after Pope had completed a 50 and then got out. Both players would get hundreds, but for the second time in the match England didn’t maximise their opportunity, suffering a collapse late on. They did however pass 400 for the second time in the match, the first England team to do so (though it has been done against them at least once – Headingley 1948, England 496 and 365-8 declared, Australia 458 and 404-3 to win by seven wickets). Part of the reason that occurrences are rare (there have been 12 in all of test history) is that sides putting up big totals used to expect only to bat once – declining to enforce the follow-on was much rarer than it has recently become. Also scoring rates were less rapid in test cricket in days gone by, which mean that topping 400 twice would almost certainly not have led to victory (the extraordinary Headingley 1948 match aside). West Indies thus need 385 to win – fewer than had been scored in any of the first three innings of the match. By the time I got to catch up on the action on Sunday after Norton Hill the West Indies second innings was already underway, and it did not initially look promising for England. However, with 61 on the board Woakes had Mikyle Louis caught behind and a dramatic collapse set in, including off spinner Shoaib Bashir entering the record books by taking wickets in each of his first three overs – before this only one spinner had taken wickets in each of their first two overs in a test innings at Trent Bridge – Shane Warne, when he almost bowled Australia to victory in 2005 with England needing only 129 to win. When Wood dismissed Sinclair courtesy of a catch by Crawley West Indies had tumbled to 93-6. They were still six down when I left for my evening engagement, but England, with the aid of the extra half hour got the job done that evening. West Indies were all out for 143 in the end, Bashir 5-41, including the final wicket, Shamar Joseph clean bowled for 8. Pope was named Player of the Match for his scores of 121 and 51. England had underachieved with the bat in the first innings on their own admission, had arguably done the same in the second, and had still emerged victorious by the huge margin of 241 runs.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

A Red Admiral looking rather the worse for wear.
In contrast this Comma looked in perfect health.

England Women’s Perfect Summer

A look back at England Women’s last home match of the summer and a photo gallery.

As I write this post the England and West Indies men’s teams are locked in a test match battle at Trent Bridge. England Women played their last home match of the summer (they have a series in Ireland to come before heading over to Bangladesh for the T20 world cup) on Wednesday evening.

SETTING THE SCENE

England Women had won every match against Sri Lanka in the first part of their home season, and went into Wednesday night’s fixture having won all three ODIs and the first four T20Is against New Zealand. England had never previously won as many as 13 matches in a home season, which is what they were looking to achieve. They found themselves batting first…

THE ENGLAND INNINGS

England started badly, and at 87-6 they looked in big trouble. Heather Knight and Charlie Dean put on 54 together for the seventh wicket to dig England out of this hole, and a couple of good blows by Sophie Ecclestone at the end boosted the final total to 155-7. This was enough to require New Zealand to score their highest total of the series to win.

THE NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE

New Zealand were in the game for good while, and even kept Sophie Ecclestone wicketless, ending a run of 34 international innings in which she had claimed at least one scalp. However England never really looked in danger during this innings, and some good death bowling meant that the final margin in their favour was 20 runs.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Broad beans – a little too large for comfort but…
…the inside of the pods were fluffy which suggested that they weren’t beyond hope – and indeed they were fine.
This is some breed of diving duck that I have not been able to identify as yet.
Another shot of the diving duck, as it came up from another dive.
birds and a ‘bird man’

The England Side to Face West Indies on Thursday

A look at England’s selections for the upcoming second test match of the three test match series against the West Indies and a huge photo gallery.

England announced their playing XI for the test match starting on Thursday yesterday afternoon. I have now had time to process my thoughts, which are actually pretty straightforward.

THE PROBLEMS WITH THE XI

The top seven is precisely as expected, and I don’t see many changes there at present. Of the remaining four Atkinson of course had to retain his place after that stellar debut, and the selectors appear to have decided that Bashir is the first choice spinner, so again it makes sense that he retains his slot. However the remaining two places are the cause for concern – Woakes having done precious little at his favourite venue retains the number eight slot, and Mark Wood, in his mid-thirties and injury prone, has been given the slot freed up by the enforced retirement of James Anderson. I do not believe that either of these players should be playing, and I think Matthew Potts and Dillon Pennington, in the squad, and Sam Cook, now recovered from the injury that cost him a place in the squad for the first two tests, are all entitled to feel aggrieved. Anderson’s retirement was enforced allegedly because the selectors wanted to look to the future, and Wood hardly represents the future, and Woakes is also at the veteran stage of his career and has the additional strike against him that he has never had any test success overseas.

I also don’t buy the notion that Woakes provides ballast at number eight for two reasons:

  1. against this opposition England should not require ballast at number eight.
  2. If England are genuinely concerned in this regard then rather than select a veteran who is an unlikely tourist they could drop Bashir and play either Rehan Ahmed or Matthew Critchley at number eight as the spin option, with Atkinson and two out of Cook, Potts and Pennington rounding out the order.

I understand the stated reasons for forcing Anderson’s retirement but I regard naming Wood as his replacement as an act of rankest hypocrisy, out of keeping with looking to the future as it is. I consider this selection as utterly senseless.

PHOTOGRAPHS

I have a massive gallery for you…

Surrey Secure Home Quarter Final in T20 Blast

A look back at Essex v Surrey in the T20 Blast yesterday and a bumper photo gallery.

Yesterday afternoon there were various fixtures in the T20 Blast competition, and the one that I opted to follow was between Essex and Surrey. This post looks at that match and its wider context within the competition as a whole.

THE SITUATION GOING INTO THIS ROUND

The T20 Blast competition features two groups of nine teams, divided on geographical lines into a North group and a South group. The top four sides from each group progress to the quarter finals, with the top two in each group being rewarded for their extra success by getting to host their quarter final. The semi-finals and final are all played on one day to end the competition. Sussex were not in action this round, though their win in their previous match had put them second in the group. Gloucestershire were in action playing against Glamorgan, and that was the match most likely to impact on this one. Surrey knew that a win of any sort would guarantee them a home qualification, while Essex knew that at least a share of the points would ensure that they qualified. Surrey were not at full strength for various reasons but their line up still looked formidable. Essex did have a full strength side. In spite of the fact that there was other sporting action on the ground at Chelmsford was full.

THE SURREY INNINGS

Surrey batted first. Will Jacks played a superb innings, and was supported by various others along the way. Even so, with three balls to go Surrey had 178 on the board and Essex were reasonably hopeful. Cameron Steel ensured that those last three balls went for 11 runs and Surrey thus had 189 to defend. Jacks had scored 86 off 46 balls, and the best bowler for Essex was leg spinning all rounder Matthew Critchley, whose 4-0-22-2 was especially outstanding given the way the other Essex bowlers were treated. Critchley has been doing well in all formats lately, and if he continues to do so he may be a candidate for the next Ashes tour as English off spinners do not fare well down under, and there aren’t a lot of left arm spinning options.

THE ESSEX INNINGS

Dean Elgar, for many years a South Africa test cricketer, went cheaply, for just 9, but a successful chase looked possible while Adam Rossington and Michael Pepper, the latter fresh off a match winning 120* in Essex’s last outing were together. However, Pepper’s dismissal to the first ball of the tenth over, for 27, triggered something of a collapse, as 87-1 became 104-4 and then 124-5. At 148, with the required run rate getting out of hand, Essex’s last hope vanished when Rossington was caught by Jamie Overton off Sam Curran for 78 (46). That left Essex needing 42 off 15 balls with no front line batters left. They fought bravely, with news coming through that Gloucestershire had trounced Glamorgan, but the ask was just too much, and Surrey ran out winners by 13 runs, ensuring that they will play their quarter-final match at home. Gloucestershire’s big win moved them up to fifth and gives them a better net RR than Essex, which means that if they win their last group game and Essex lose theirs Essex will go out. Sussex and Somerset are fighting over which of them will end up in the top two and secure a home quarter final. In the other group the Birmingham Bears are qualified, but everyone else down to Derbyshire in seventh has some sort of chance of also doing so.

PHOTOGRAPHS

This gallery only contains about half of the new photos that I have ready to share, and there are more still on my camera…

A pill bug (so called because its defence mechanism is to roll itself up presenting that armoured exoskeleton to potential attackers.
A heron surveying the scene where the Nar flows into the Great Ouse.
While I was there it moved to the other side of the Great Ouse.

West Indies Under the Pump

A look at developments so far on day one of the England v West Indies test match, dominated by an extraordinary debut performance from Gus Atkinson. Also a photo gallery.

Today is day one of the opening test match of the series between England and West Indies, which is happening at Lord’s. This post looks at the action so far.

THE PRELIMINARIES

Both playing XIs were known in advance, England’s on Monday, West Indies’ yesterday. England had gone for batting depth, with Woakes at number eight, while the West Indies had opted for extra bowling strength, and both Holder at number six and da Silva at number seven looked to be a place too high in their order for comfort. England won the toss and elected to field first.

THE MORNING SESSION

James Anderson in his final test match took the new ball in partnership with Woakes. West Indies got through 10 overs without losing a wicket, at which point Gus Atkinson came on for his first bowl in test cricket. Atkinson immediately showed the extra pace that had been the reason for his selection, and struck with his second ball, Kraigg Brathwaite dragging it on to his stumps. West Indies got through the rest of the over, but Atkinson avoided conceding any runs. Atkinson’s second over was also a maiden, and in his third he struck again, having Kirk McKenzie caught by Crawley. By the end of this over his figures were 3-3-0-2. Harry Brook held a sensational catch off Ben Stokes to get debutant opener Mikyle Louis, the first ever test cricketer to hail from St Kitts, although its sister island of Nevis has produced a few, for 27. That was 44-3, and Alick Athenaze and Kavem Hodge saw things through to lunch, with the score 61-3.

POST LUNCH

After the interval this pair advanced the score to 88 before Atkinson’s already impressive debut became a truly great one. He got Athenaze and Holder in successive deliveries, and although da Silva prevented the hat trick he was out second ball to make it three in four for Atkinson and a five-for in test debut. In the next over Kavem Hodge donated his wicket to an umimpressive Woakes, basically giving Pope catching practice, and that was 88-7 with four wickets having gone at the same score. Alzarri Joseph had a bit of fun before trying one aggressive shot too many and holing out to Woakes off Atkinson for the debutant’s sixth scalp. That was 106-8, and it was soon 106-9 as Shamar Joseph played the worst shot of the innings to give Pope his second catch. Atkinson at this point had 7-36 and was on for setting a record for the best bowling figures by an England debutant, but a combination of Gudakesh Motie scoring runs off him with a mix of luck and skill and James Anderson pinning Seales LBW to end the innings at 121 left him with 7-45, second best behind Dominic Cork’s 7-43 in 1995 (also against West Indies). However Cork’s effort had come in West Indies second innings, so Atkinson did have the best ever first innings figures by an England debutant. Ben Duckett has fallen cheaply, playing a loose shot at Seales and edging to keeper da Silva. However Crawley and Pope are going well together at the moment, with the score currently 58-1. While I have been preparing this for publication England have moved on to 71. An appeal for LBW against Pope has just been upheld, but has gone for review. However the replay shows the ball missing the wicket. England 71-1, already within 50 of first innings parity.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

I wasn’t sure about the highlight of this gallery until while I was out walking during the lunch interval I saw this hedgehog near Kettlewell Lane.
I got closer, while taking care not to cause stress.