Tag: Photography

Middlesex v Surrey

A look back at last night’s Middlesex v Surrey T20 Vitality Blast match, with special mention of a potentially important bowling performance from 23 year old Middlesex leg spinner Luke Hollman. Also a large photo gallery.

This post looks at the Vitality Blast T20 fixture between Middlesex and Surrey last night.

THE SURREY INNINGS

Surrey found themselves batting first. They batted very well overall, with Tom Curran hitting 48 off 28, Laurie Evans 41 off 20 and Dan Lawrence 32 off 29. The only reason their total ended up short of 200 (185-9 to be exact) was because of an outstanding performance from leg spinning all rounder Luke Hollman who ended with 4-0-16-5.

THE MIDDLESEX REPLY

Stevie Eskinazi and Martin Andersson scored 32 for the first Middlesex wicket, but once the opening stand was broken wickets began to tumble. At one stage Middlesex were 41-4. Jack Davies, initially supported by Ryan Higgins showed some fight, as did Tom Helm further down the order, but Middlesex were close to being on terms, and in the end Surrey won by 56 runs. Veteran Aussie seamer Sean Abbott matched Hollman’s five-for with one of his own, conceding only two runs more than the Middlesex leg spinner. Scorecard here.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HOLLMAN’S EFFORT

England’s current white ball leg spinner, and a crucial component of the squad currently contesting the T20 World Cup (they are in action as I type, against South Africa) is Adil Rashid, but he is in the veteran stage of his career and unlikely to be around for many more tournaments. Thus in producing such a fine performance on a big occasion (yes, whatever the context, in English men’s cricket terms Middlesex v Surrey is a big occasion) Hollman (23 years old) may also have presented England with an answer to the question of where they go for a leg spin option when Rashid’s playing days are done.

PHOTOGRAPHS

I have an excellent photo gallery (periodic reminder – if you want see pictures at a larger size just click on one), boosted by this morning being ideal for a long walk, to share with you…

Possibly a ruddy darter, certainly a dragonfly of some description (two pics).
Todays pictures start here.
New artwork outside the train station (three images)

Northern Diamonds Finish On a High

A little look back at Northern Diamonds v Thunder and a huge photo gallery.

The last group games in this year’s Charlotte Edwards Cup, the domestic T20 competition for women in England were played today. There was live commentary on the radio of the game between Northern Diamonds and Thunder, which had no bearing on the competition as a whole as both teams were already eliminated.

THE THUNDER INNINGS

Rachel Slater and Lizzie Scott opened the bowling for Diamonds, and they were outstanding. Slater bowled her four overs straight through, taking 3-12, while Scott at the other end bowled three overs before a change was deemed necessary, claiming 2-12. With Ellie Threlkeld being run out along the way Thunder found themselves 24-6 after 6.3 overs. Thunder’s numbers 7,8 and 9, Liberty Heap, Kate Cross and Tara Norris all reached double figures, but Norris’ 13 was the top score of the innings, Thunder being all out for 61.

THE DIAMONDS CHASE

The Thunder bowlers did their best but they simply did not have enough to defend. Hollie Armitage, surely destined to be an England cricketer sooner rather than later, made 15 opening the batting (not quite like her previous innings in this competition, a thunderous 97 off 64), bringing her aggregate for this year’s edition to 323 in 10 innings. Sterre Kalis reached double figures, and Rebecca Duckworth saw her side to a five wicket victory with 6.2 overs to spare, finishing on 21 not out. Kate Cross, England’s current seam/ swing bowling spearhead, produced an impeccable spell, taking 2-14 from here four overs. Full scorecard here.

PHOTOGRAPHS

I have a substantial photo gallery to share…

A cranefly looking resplendent.
I am not sure of the species that this giant belongs to, but it was an impressive sight.
A damselfy on a nettle leaf (see also next image, a close up).

Looking Ahead to the Super Eights

A brief look ahead to the Super Eights stage of the world T20 Cup and a large photo gallery.

This post looks at the next stage of the T20 World Cup. Although some group games remain to be played the eight qualifiers for the next stage are already known and they have been put into two groups of four.

GROUP ONE

This group contains Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh and India – all three remaining Asian sides (Pakistan and Sri Lanka having failed to qualify) plus the only side from Oceania to have reached this stage of the competition. The expectation would be that the two titans, Australia and India, would progress to the semi-finals, at which stage the tournament becomes pure knock out. However Afghanistan have a 100% record to date, and will play their final group game against West Indies in the small hours of tomorrow, and I reckon they are certainly capable of springing a surprise. Afghanistan have batted as well as anyone on pitches that have generally been tricky, and they have a varied array of a fine bowlers. Bangladesh I suspect will be bringing up the rear in this group – they were less than convincing in their last group game against Nepal.

GROUP TWO

This group comprises England, South Africa, The USA and West Indies. The USA have been the surprise package of this tournament. I would not be surprised were they to add to their scalp bag, and maybe even making the semis – as will be seen there is reason to doubt two of the four sides in this group. The West Indies have been impressive this tournament, and as hosts they know the conditions better than anyone else. South Africa dominated their group, but they have never yet reached a semi-final of a men’s world cup in either ODIs or T20Is. I will believe in their ability to lay this particular ghost when I see it and not before. That leaves England who were definitely somewhat fortunate to make it through – they destroyed Oman and were impressive against Namibia, but Australia beat them with ease, and in the rain ruined match against Scotland the latter were 90-0 after 10 overs when it was abandoned, and this has been a low scoring tournament. Further, Scotland were a lot more impressive against Australia than their southern neighbours – Australia’s winning hit against them came from the penultimate ball of the match.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

We Finally Have A Game On At Lauderhill!

A look at the action so far from Lauderhill, Florida, where after two abandonments in as many days we finally have a game running according to schedule. Also a huge photo gallery.

Both on Friday and yesterday there were supposed to matches at Lauderhill, Florida. Both were abandoned without a ball bowled, rain on Friday and poor drainage yesterday leaving the ground unplayable. Today we finally have a game and it looks like it will be played without interruption.

AN UNEXPECTED FINALE

When the schedulers arranged Ireland v Pakistan they would have been envisaging it being to decide which of this teams qualified for the Super Eights alongside India. India have indeed won the group, but remarkably the other two full member nations in this group are battling not for qualification but to avoid last place in the group, each having suffered losses to lower ranked opposition – Pakistan losing to the USA (see here) and Ireland being beaten by Canada. There are three possible outcomes: an Ireland win sees them fourth and Pakistan fifth (net run rate is not a factor here, since third place Canada had definite results against both teams, and they beat Ireland so would finish above Ireland if they had equal points). A washout or a win for Pakistan would see them third, the washout on a split-tie with Canada who they beat, a win for Pakistan would mean undisputed third place.

THE MATCH SO FAR

Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first. The match started explosively with Shaheen Shah Afridi taking two wickets in the opening over (and being sufficiently close to a third that Pakistan burned a review attempting to get the not out decision overturned). Mohammad Amir made thar three wickets in the first two overs, and the fourth was not long delayed either. Pakistan kept these two bowlers going for the whole Power Play, and Ireland were 28-5 when it ended. That soon became 32-6. Finally Ireland had a partnership, Delany and Adair taking the score into the 70s. Imad Wasim got both them quickly , and when McCarthy’s wild shot against the same bowler resulted in his stumps being rattled it was 80-9. Ireland’s last pair, Josh Little and Ben White showed a degree of fight sadly missing from most of their supposed betters with the bat, and the 20 overs ended with the score 109-9, Little 22 not out. The Pakistan innings is just underway, with the score 6-0 after two overs, a straight driven four by Mohammad Rizwan the only highlight to date.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Yesterday’s Florida Quadrangular

A look back at the non-events in Florida yesterday and a thankfully eventful Vitality Blast game between Surrey and Gloucestershire. Also a large photo gallery.

In this post I look back at events of yesterday (as well the Florida situation I will be mentioning a domestic T20 that most definitely did see some action).

INSPECTION AFTER INSPECTION

Lauderhill, Florida was hit by rain in the run up to the USA v Ireland match that was due to take place yesterday. By the time the match should have started the rain had stopped, but the outfield was thoroughly soaked, and the question was whether a match would take place at all. The players had to be on the field by 2:16PM local time (7:16PM UK time) for there to be time for a five overs per side match to take place. The situation around this match was that USA needed either a win or a wash out to secure qualification for the next stage of the competition and in the process eliminate both Ireland and Pakistan. A series of inspections, first at half hourly intervals and then with a gap of an hour took place with the outfield simply not dry enough for play to happed. Finally an inspection was called for 6:15PM UK time, which was going to be ‘do or die’. The umpires were in prolonged discussion as to whether they could get the match on after all when more rain came, and that ended any possibility of proceedings starting. Thus the USA are in the Super Eights, Ireland and Pakistan are out, and in qualifying for the Super Eights the USA have also ensured that they will be at the next T20 world cup as of right, which also means their region will have an extra slot, which is big news for Bermuda. Do either Ireland or Pakistan have any cause for grievance? Not for my money – USA beat Pakistan, having already beaten Canada, and acquitted themselves honourably against India, and there was to put mildly no certainty that Ireland would have won the match had it taken place – they had already lost to Canada, and had contributed very little to the tournament. Today India and Canada are supposed to be playing at the same venue, and although things are looking more hopeful than yesterday there has as yet been no sign of play. At 6PM UK time an important match gets underway – England v Namibia at North Sound, where the sun is shining, with England needing to win and then needing Australia to beat Scotland (that one starts at 1:30AM tomorrow UK time). Official confirmation that today’s game at Lauderhill has gone down the plughole without a ball bowled.

HONOURS EVEN IN LONDON

At 6:30PM yesterday Vitality Blast match between Surrey and Gloucestershire got underway. This match did go over the full course. Gloucestershire started superbly, then lost wickets, then got away again in the closing stages. They scored 170-6 from their 20 overs, a respectable but by no means invincible total.

Surrey also started well with the bat. At various stages each side looked favourites. The final over started with Surrey needing seven to win, which made them favourites. David Payne, Gloucestershire’s best bowler, had the ball for that crucial over. He bowled a very fine over, and although Surrey levelled the scores off the penultimate ball, the final delivery was excellent, and Jordan Clark could only hit straight back at Payne, resulting in a run out. Surrey ended on 170-9, and since unlike some T20 competitions the Vitality Blast allows ties in group matches the points were shared.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

I received an item of post with some old stamps used, and decided that a couple were worth keeping including this one.
A well chosen birthday card, which I have decided to preserve.
An egret in Bawsey drain – photographed today.
Larvae (three images)
Another larva of something else, which I managed to get closer to than the others.

The World T20 Cup Latest

A look at developments in the T20 World Cup, including the eliminations of Sri Lanka and new Zealand, a revival in England’s fortunes and the situation currently unfolding in Florida. Also a large photo gallery.

This post looks at recent developments in the men’s T20 World Cup. I am typing it while waiting on developments in Florida (of which more later).

SRI LANKA AND NEW ZEALAND ELIMINATED

Sri Lanka became the first full member nation to be eliminated from the tournament, after a washed out match left them too far adrift to qualify. New Zealand’s elimination was confirmed in the small hours of this morning UK time when Afghanistan beat Papua New Guinea comfortably, a result which left Afghanistan and the West Indies both with three wins out of three, making the match between Afghanistan and West Indies a contest for who wins the group outright, with both sides certain of qualification.

ENGLAND THROW THEMSELVES A LIFELINE

Last night England played Oman in a match which they not only had to win, they had to win it by a very big margin due to net run rate being a factor. Had England been permitted to invent a result for this game to suit themselves they would not have dared to come up with what actually happened – they bowled Oman out for 48, Rashid taking 4-11 and Mark Wood and Jofra Archer each snaring three victims, and then blasted their way to the target in a preposterous 3.1 overs. This means that net run rate is effectively no longer a factor – if England beat Namibia and Australia beat Scotland then England will qualify for the super eights,

AN ODD QUADRANGULAR IN FLORIDA

I call this one a quadrangular because there are four factors, three present at the Lauderhill ground (unlike the pop-up stadium at Nassau County, New York this is an authentic cricket ground) and one watching nervously on the outcome. The Lauderhill ground is situated close enough to Fort Lauderdale railway station for the railway to be useful for visiting journalists. The three participants who are present are respectively The USA cricket team, the Ireland cricket team and some decidedly grim local weather. The fourth participant in the drama, watching from afar, and desperately hoping that the weather will allow some cricket as a washout would mean elimination for them are the Pakistan cricket team. It hosed down in Florida earlier today, though Lauderhill was less badly hit than some parts of the state. At the moment it is dry, and the sun has even been spotted, but the ground is not yet dry enough for play to proceed, although there is an inspection due in 22 minutes time if the weather hold. Ireland need a match to happen, as like Pakistan they hanging on by their fingernails, while a washout would guarantee the USA qualification, so they will be the least bothered of the three teams waiting on developments.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

An interesting bug that I spotted today.

A Tactical Possibility for Australia

A look at an interesting tactical situation facing Australia in the T20 World Cup, and also a note on the state of play in today’s match between the USA and India, and a huge photo gallery.

In the small hours of this morning UK time Australia hammered Namibia at the T20 World Cup, a victory that ensures their progress to the next stage of the competition. England have Oman and Namibia to play and need to win both games, while Australia’s match against Scotland could decide which of England and Scotland qualify if England manage that. This post looks at the possibilities in more detail.

THE NET RUN RATE SITUATION

If England and Scotland both end on five points the fact that the match between the two was a washout means that it if Australia as would be expected beat Scotland (I would NEVER advocate that a side actually seek to lose a match – Brian Rose as Somerset skipper in the late 1970s was quite rightly hammered for doing exactly that to exploit a badly thought through qualifying system) it will be a matter of the margin by which they do so. While deliberately losing would clearly be wrong, if Australia find themselves chasing and know that completing the chase within a certain number of overs means England get through rather than Scotland then they would be perfectly justified in ensuring they take long enough over the chase to let Scotland qualify – I would expect England to do the same if they had Australia’s fate in their own hands. Also I would say that no one could object to Australia choosing to rest some of their big names for this match. Deliberately setting out to lose the match would be unacceptable, but deciding that one does not need to strain every nerve and sinew when one has already qualified is another matter entirely.

USA v INDIA SO FAR

Today’s match is between the United States of America and India. The USA need a win from either this match or their final match against Ireland to be sure of qualifying. USA were restricted to 110-8 from their 20 overs, with Arshdeep Singh recording figures of 4-0-9-4 for India. However, Saurabh Netravalkar, himself born in India before moving to the USA, has shaken things up early in the Indian innings – he got Virat Kohli for a golden duck, and has just added the wicket of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. As I type this India are 13-2 in the fourth over, and have work to do.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

inter-species ci0operation – the magpie is performing cleaning services for the muntjac (on the grassland outside my front window)
A cranefly meeting point.

Men’s T20 World Cup in Full Swing

A look at developments in the ongoing men’s T20 world cup and a large photo gallery.

Things have moved on at the men’s T20 world cup since the USA’s great victory over Pakistan. There have been several more upsets since then, and more than one of the big name teams is in danger of falling at the first hurdle. In this post I look at some of the more significant developments.

IRELAND v CANADA

The day after the USA downed Pakistan in a match that went to a super over full member nation Ireland took on associate member nation Canada. Canada not only won the match, they did so without the need for a super over, and indeed without any result other than a win for Canada ever looking very likely.

ENGLAND IN JEOPARDY

England started their world cup with a match against neighbours Scotland. This match was ruined by rain, but England cannot claim to have been robbed of the points since in the ten overs that were possible Scotland amassed 90-0, and this in a tournament in which big scores have been very much the exception rather than the rule. In England’s second match of the tournament they faced Australia, and at no stage of that match did any result other than a comfortable Australian victory look likely. That result duly eventuated. Scotland, having had a potential big day out ruined by rain now faced Oman, and although Oman fared respectably with the bat, scoring 150 in their 20 overs, Scotland left no doubt as to their intentions in the run chase. George Munsey gave them a flying start with 41 off 21 balls, Brandon McMullen continued the good work with 61 not out in 31 balls and Matthew Cross weighed win 15 not out off 8 balls to see Scotland to an eight wicket victory with 6.5 overs to spare, which gave them a massive net run rate boost. England cannot now do more than equal Scotland’s points tally, which since the two countries would in that event have identical win/ loss records would mean that it comes down to net run rate. My own opinion based on what England have done in the tournament so far is that they do not deserve to qualify for the next stage of the competition. If cricketing justice is done and England do indeed fall at the first hurdle that should see the end of Matthew Mott as white ball coach and of Jos Buttler as white ball captain.

PAKISTAN IN TROUBLE

In many ways it would have been typical of Pakistan to come off the back of a loss to the USA and beat India a few days later, and when India could do no better than 119 from their 20 overs it looked on. However Pakistan messed up the run chase appallingly, and India won by 12 runs, meaning that Pakistan are looking at an early exit.

NEW ZEALAND THRASHED

I cannot say much about this match as I missed it due to the fact that it happened between 1:30AM and 4:30AM my time. However, Afghanistan won it comfortably, and New Zealand at least for the present must be a trifle worried.

SOUTH AFRICA TOP ORDER WOES

South Africa are not in danger of failing to qualify, but they have not been entirely convincing either – they took 17 overs to chase 77 in their first match, almost the full 20 to chase 103 in their second – at one stage of that pursuit they were 12-4 before David Miller rescued them. They are currently in action against Bangladesh, batting first this time, and they are 23-4 in the fifth over, having just lost the fourth wicket as I was typing this – a third successive top order collapse.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Comrie 2024 – Wrap Up

Concluding my account of my Scottish holiday with the return journey.

This will be the final post in my series about my Scottish holiday (28-31 May inclusive. I will briefly mention the birthday festivities which took place a day early – the day itself (May 31) was to be a day of travelling home, before covering the return journey.

THE BIRTHDAY MEAL

One of the shops Comrie possesses is a butcher, and the centrepiece of the meal was three large rib eye steaks purchased from that establishment. We also had Jersey Royals and locally grown asparagus, while there were locally grown raspberries for pudding. There was sparkling wine before the meal, and still wine with it.

THE RETURN JOURNEY

I was due to leave Perth at 11:15AM on May 31st, a time which was tailored to the fact that we had to be out of the building in Comrie by 10 at the latest – it was late enough not hurry our departure and early enough that the wait at Perth station would not be too long. This train was running a Perth to Edinburgh route and stopped at a number of places. There were some fine views, although I had put myself on the less good side of the train. I was worrying at one point as it ran late, and indeed I had only eight minutes to make the connection at Edinburgh, but I was never actually in any danger of missing that connection. The train from Edinburgh to Peterborough ran smoothly, though my reserved seat was on the less good side of the train for photography. At Peterborough I had a wait of about 20 minutes for the bus to King’s Lynn. This part of the journey also ran smoothly, and I arrived at the bus station a little before 6:40PM, and was home just before 7PM.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Here are my photographs from the return journey..,

The train for the Perth-Edinburgh leg of the journey.

Comrie 2024 – Crieff

Continuing my account of my Scottish holiday with a look at Crieff.

This is the penultimate post in my series about my recent holiday in Scotland. After Cultybraggan Camp and Ardoch Roman Fort we headed for Crieff. There is an excellent visitor centre, with a small museum about the cattle drovers who back in the day travelled from the far west of Scotland to Stirling with their cattle, with Crieff being an important staging post on the route. In the 19th century some of these people migrated to the US and Canada in search of better lives, and this was also covered in the museum. Crieff is home to some very fine buildings but time constraints limited our exploration of the town itself.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Here are my photos relating to Crieff…

Here is a waterfall video…