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Arthur Morris has described his former team-mate Sam Loxton as a great competitor and a marvellous team man who was great fun off the field. Loxton died in Queensland overnight at the age of 90, leaving Morris and Neil Harvey as the only remaining members of Don Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles, and Morris, 89, as Australia’s oldest living Test cricketer.The three men had enjoyed a trip to Darwin together last year, 62 years after they had toured England in a legendary squad that did not lose any of their 34 matches. Harvey and Loxton were especially close friends, having first met as state team-mates when Loxton was the room-mate of the teenage Harvey.Morris said Harvey had flown to the Gold Coast on Saturday on a pre-planned holiday during which he had intended to see his long-time friend.”He was hoping to see Sam,” Morris said. “He was going on holidays up there and would have seen him. Neil would be very upset.”Harvey and Loxton combined for a memorable 105-run partnership during the Leeds Test on the 1948 tour, in a match that was famous for Morris and Bradman leading a record chase of 404. In the first innings, Loxton struck five sixes in his 93, a typically aggressive display, and Morris recalled the way Loxton kept attacking even as a maiden century seemed to be approaching.”When he was 93 at Leeds he went up the wicket and I think he tried to hit a seven!” Morris said. “He missed and was bowled, but that’s the way he played the game.”He was very aggressive on the field as a bowler. He was a brilliant fieldsman. I remember a couple of times he would run people out at the other end of the pitch, running a leisurely single. Sam would knock over the stumps. I remember saying to him once ‘that’s the second time you’ve done that’, and he said ‘you’d think they’d learn, wouldn’t you?'”He was a great competitor. He was a fine bowler and a very good batsman, a great fieldsman and a marvellous team man.”Colin McDonald played several seasons for Victoria with Loxton, who went on to serve as the team manager on the 1959-60 tour of the subcontinent. It was on that trip that Loxton, in his no-nonsense manner, told the president of Pakistan, the general Ayub Khan, that his country could not expect to progress as a cricket nation until they stopped playing on matting pitches.”Ayub Khan listened to this with a great deal of interest and he issued instructions, and instructions from Ayub Khan in those days were not broken,” McDonald said. “Pakistan didn’t play any more Test matches on matting. Sam Loxton had a fair bit to do with that. He was a man who was listened to. He was very intelligent.”He was a great manager. He knew a tremendous amount about cricket and he didn’t suffer fools gladly. He had such a good knowledge of cricket himself, so he understood us and our thinking.”Loxton went on to serve in the Victorian parliament for 24 years, and was the party whip in Henry Bolte’s government.”I think that was a very good place for him in the party, because he rounded up the ones who were lagging,” said McDonald, who himself considered a career in politics. “He would keep them in line.”Also an excellent Australian rules footballer who played for St Kilda in the VFL, Loxton’s wholehearted approach and all-round skills led the commentator John Arlott to write that “eleven Loxtons would defeat the world – at anything.”Even in his later years, after he had moved to Queensland from Melbourne, Loxton retained a strong interest in the game. The Cricket Victoria chairman Geoff Tamblyn said Loxton always made time for young players.”He was a legend around Victorian cricket for many years,” Tamblyn said. “He has been living in Queensland for a few years and always made an effort to speak to the young Victorian players when they were up there playing. He was a tremendous person.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Kumar Sangakkara made Test century No. 27•AFP

On a painful day for Pakistan off the field with three of their players getting jail terms for their involvement in spot-fixing, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan made it a tough day for them on the field as well as Sri Lanka reached 245 for 2. On a track where the bowlers had little help, Sri Lanka turned in the sort of performance they needed to stand a chance of leveling this series.The two batsmen who starred were in contrasting form coming into this match: Dilshan had only one half-century in his previous five Tests, while Sangakkara had three half-centuries and a 211 in seven previous innings. Dilshan’s career took off when he became an opener a few years ago, and he rediscovered his touch today on returning to the top of the order after a brief, fruitless dalliance in the middle order.It didn’t seem like such a dominant day was on the cards for Sri Lanka after the first over of the day from Umar Gul. He got the ball to swerve around early on, beating Tharanga Paranavitana with his first delivery, before the batsman was reprieved three balls later at short leg. That didn’t hurt Pakistan, though, as Gul got the next delivery to bend sharply away from Paranavitana, who could only nick it to second slip. Two overs later, Sangakkara was nearly run out after a miscommunication with Dilshan.After those initial jitters though, the Sri Lankan batsmen started to take charge. Sangakkara opened out with a typically graceful cover drive in the fourth over before Dilshan got going with a couple of cracking drives for four when Gul pitched it up in the seventh over.With only two quick bowlers in the side, Pakistan had to resort to long spells of spin, and the slow bowlers had only a little assistance on the first day track. Saeed Ajmal was lofted over his head by Sangakkara in his only over before lunch, while Abdur Rehman was punched in front of point for a boundary by Dilshan.Sangakkara reached the milestone of 9000 Test runs in the morning, and had little trouble during another easy-on-the-eye innings. He had a life when on 68, when he was tricked by Saeed Ajmal after the batsman charged down the track; there was a thick edge which was very difficult for wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal to collect.

Smart stats

• Kumar Sangakkara became the 11th batsman overall and the second Sri Lankan after Mahela Jayawardene to reach the 9000-run mark in Tests.

• Sangakkara reached the 9000-run mark in his 103rd Test making him the second-fastest to the mark in terms of matches after Brian Lara, who reached it in 101 Tests. However, Sangakkara reached the mark in just 172 innings, which is the fastest in terms of innings played.

• The 173-run stand between Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan is the third-highest second-wicket stand for Sri Lanka against Pakistan in Tests. All four century stands for the second wicket have come in matches outside Sri Lanka.

• Dilshan’s 92 is his second-highest score against Pakistan in Tests. It is also the second time that he has been dismissed in the nineties.

• Sangakkara scored his 27th century in Tests taking him past Garry Sobers and level with Allan Border on the list of batsmen with the most Test centuries. His current average of 57.13 is sixth on the list of batsmen with 5000-plus runs.

Akmal did hang on to a similarly difficult chance in the final over before lunch but that too did not result in a wicket as the umpire Shavir Tarapore didn’t realise that the Gul bouncer had flown off Dilshan’s gloves.Both batsmen were more aggressive in the second session. A combination of poor bowling and aggressive intent resulted in a bunch of boundaries soon after the break, the highlight of which was Sangakkara’s slog-swept six off Rehman. Dilshan showed how confident he was by pulling Junaid Khan for six midway through the session, taking on the man at deep square leg.Sitting at a strong 170 for 1 at tea, with 36 more overs remaining in the day and the pitch proving harmless, Sri Lanka were expected to step the run rate up even more in the final session, but the Pakistan spinners choked off the runs allowing only seven runs in six overs. That slowed down Dilshan’s advance towards his first century since his broken-finger epic at Lord’s, and the wait for a triple-figure score was extended as an Ajmal doosra ended up as a catch to first slip.That brought together Sri Lanka’s two greatest run accumulators but even Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene couldn’t force the pace, with an early spell yielding only 11 off nine overs. That stranglehold was ended stylishly as Sangakkara eased three boundaries in a Junaid Khan over to race to 98. The 27th Test century came up soon after as Sangakkara launched Rehman over deep midwicket for a massive six.Jayawardene then survived a close call for lbw off Ajmal – the ball might have gone over the stumps – before Pakistan tested the batsmen with the second new ball, getting it to jag around. Sri Lanka survived those overs, though, which means their most experienced pair will be looking to heap more pain on Pakistan on Friday.

Match Facts

October 15, Harare
Start time 1400 (1200 GMT)Zimbabwe will hope Charles Coventry puts his career T20I strike rate of 193.33 to good effect•Getty Images

The Big Picture

The last time a full New Zealand outfit toured Zimbabwe, the trial of Saddam Hussein had yet to begin, the Live 8 concerts had just taken place and Stuart Carlisle was still an international batsman. Carlisle is now long gone, but Iraq is still war-torn. Much has changed in Zimbabwe since New Zealand’s last visit, but plenty has stayed the same too, and though New Zealand will start their tour as favourites their opponents are now much better equipped to provide a challenge.Or are they? Twenty20 cricket remains, largely, a domestic game but the format’s unique skill set has filtered through to international level for many national teams. Zimbabwe isn’t one of them. Pakistan have played 48 Twenty20 Internationals, Australia 44. New Zealand are just behind them, with 43. Zimbabwe have only played 16, winning three of those, and, such is the pace at which the game is moving on these days, they’re in danger of being left behind.Zimbabwe’s domestic T20 tournament, with its international imports and glossy marketing, has, no doubt, helped, but they will not develop as a T20 team playing two weeks of the stuff a year. Indeed, in the previous 12 months they’ve only played four T20Is, and their results have reflected their lack of experience. They showed considerable pluck in pushing South Africa close in an eight-run loss in Kimberley this time last year, but were shown up horribly by Pakistan in the first game of their two-match T20I series before losing the second in hugely anti-climactic circumstances.Zimbabwe’s naivety in the format will not have escaped the attention of a team as street-smart and cunning as New Zealand. The pugnacious visitors have become hardened over the years by the blows dished out by the big boys – particularly their neighbours across the Tasman Sea. They have, in Ross Taylor, a captain raised in the era of T20 cricket, with a bruising batting technique to match and plenty to prove. Though New Zealand haven’t played any international cricket since the World Cup, several members of their squad have plied their trade around the world in the interim. New Zealand will want to show, as Pakistan did last month, that they are a cut above the Zimbabweans,The focus of this tour will, of course, be the one-off Test match but the opening pair of T20Is will provide a handy opportunity for each team to analyse the character of the other. New Zealand’s shambolic performance in Bangladesh this time last year will give the Zimbabweans hope, but the visitors will expect nothing less than two outright wins.

Form guide

(most recent first)
Zimbabwe LLLLL
New Zealand LWWLW

Watch out for…

Charles Coventry remains an enigma. In possession of a repertoire of shots that allows him to match any young shot-maker in the game, he remains strangely vulnerable and inconsistent. But boring, he most certainly isn’t, and Zimbabwe will be hoping he sticks around long enough to put his career T20I strike rate of 193.33 to good effect.With 1,638 runs and 43 wickets to his name in T20s, James Franklin adds a weight of experience to New Zealand’s line-up with his all-round skills. Franklin, who is approaching his 31st birthday, has gone through a couple of incarnations in his stop-start international career, and the latest version is very well suited to the demands of the game’s shortest format.

Pitch and conditions

Zimbabwe is usually baking hot and dry in October, but it’s been a strangely cool, damp couple of weeks and it remains to be seen what effect this might have had on the preparation of the pitch at Harare Sports Club. No domestic cricket has been played at the ground since the season began in late September, but the recent matches against Pakistan provided a balanced battle between bat and ball. There is still some rain about but Saturday should be sunny and dry.

Team news

Zimbabwe have suggested they’ll play an extra batsman in these matches, but they won’t want to weaken their bowling resources too much and Prosper Utseya could be the man to miss out on a pitch that should have more in it for the seamers than the spinners.Zimbabwe (probable) 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Charles Coventry, 7 Malcolm Waller, 8 Keegan Meth, 9 Ray Price, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Chris MpofuNew Zealand have several quality allrounders that will give them options with both bat and ball, while a top order that includes Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum and Taylor will be hard to keep quiet. Jacob Oram and Nathan McCullum will provide the batting firepower down the order, while Kyle Mills and Andy McKay will probably share the new ball.New Zealand (probable) 1 Jesse Ryder, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Ross Taylor (capt), 6 James Franklin, 7 Jacob Oram, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Luke Woodcock, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Andy McKay

Stats and trivia

• Brendon McCullum is New Zealand’s leading runscorer in T20Is, with 1,100 runs. His brother Nathan is their second-highest wicket taker, with 26 scalps.
• The teams have only met once before in a T20I, New Zealand winning a damp washout of a game at the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean last year by seven runs on Duckworth/Lewis.
• Hamilton Masakadza and Elton Chigumbura are the only two players to have taken part in all 16 of Zimbabwe’s T20Is, and Masakadza is their leading run-scorer with 426 runs to his name.
• Zimbabwe have not won a T20I since their match against West Indies at Port of Spain in February 2010.

Quotes

“The big difference between the two teams is experience; New Zealand are an experienced group that has been playing together for a long time, yet our team is only just starting to play together and emerging.”

Match facts

Kolkata Knight Riders v Somerset, September 21
Start time 20.00 (14.30 GMT)Jacques Kallis will hope to lead Kolkata into the main draw•Associated Press

Big Picture

Remember West Germany-Austria in the 1982 football World Cup? FIFA changed its rules after that match, scheduling the last round of group matches simultaneously to avoid a team having the advantage of knowing exactly what to do to at the very least to qualify. It isn’t so in the Champions League Twenty20. Kolkata Knight Riders and Somerset have a clear advantage playing the final game of the qualifiers. Depending on what happens in the Leicestershire-Ruhuna match, both teams could qualify via a close contest that ensures the loser’s net run-rate does not dip too low. Neither will want to risk anything of the sort, though, and knowing a victory guarantees qualification is enough incentive to ensure aggression from both sides.For Kolkata, elimination is unthinkable. They have the tournament sponsors’ logo splashed across their t-shirts and their superstar owner will arrive in Hyderabad for the match. Even without Gautam Gambhir and Eoin Morgan, they still have more players with international experience than Somerset, and will want to win in a more convincing fashion than they did in the first game. Their high-profile batsmen let them down against Auckland and Kolkata may think about rejigging the batting order.Somerset arrived in Hyderabad only a day before their first game, but a last-ball win is just the tonic you need to shake off the jet-lag. Kolkata will be a tougher test though: Somerset’s slow bowlers, who stifled Auckland, may not have as much success against Yusuf Pathan, and Steve Snell may not deal as easily with Brett Lee’s yorkers as he did with Kyle Mills’ length balls.

Team news

Jacques Kallis averages 34.78 in Twenty20 cricket, but scores of 33 off 35 balls are not quick enough at the top of the order. He may drop down with Manoj Tiwary moving up. Jaidev Unadkat’s one over against Auckland went for 14 runs, so L Balaji may replace him.Somerset are missing several players due to their international commitments and are struggling to put out an XI, never mind having reserves. They are likely to go in with the same side that beat Auckland.

Watch out for …

Rajat Bhatia conceded only 14 runs off four overs in Kolkata’s first match. Somerset won’t have seen him before and may find his slow cutters a challenge.Somerset’s middle order got them through their first game but they will be hoping for more from the top order. Roelof van der Merwe, who has a strike-rate of 133.39 in Twenty20s, could be the key to a swift start.

Key contest

Every time Murali Kartik bowls in a high-profile tournament in India, there is talk about him having a point to prove. If he can get rid of Yusuf Pathan, it will add further validity to the claim he should have played more for India.

Stats and trivia

Jacques Kallis is third on the list of players with most half-centuries in Twenty20 matches. His 21 is behind only Brad Hodge’s 26 and David Hussey’s 23.

Quotes

“We tried too hard and got into trouble. So there were some lessons to take there.”
“Expectations were low from outside the team. However, the side themselves were always confident they could win.”

Scorecard
Alfonso Thomas was outstanding with the ball for Somerset•Getty Images

The period in the late 70s and early 80s is generally referred to as the ‘glory days’ of Somerset cricket. But perhaps that theory will have to be reviewed. For while the current Somerset side has yet to clinch the trophy their domestic dominance deserves, there has never been a period in the club’s history when the team has challenged so consistently across so many competitions. A good case could be made to suggest that this is the golden age of Somerset cricket.Despite the absence of several leading players – Marcus Trescothick and Nick Compton are injured; Craig Kieswetter is on England duty – Somerset brushed aside a strong Durham side to reach their fifth successive domestic final. While they’ve lost the previous four (three Twenty20s – against Sussex in 2009, Hampshire in 2010 and Leicestershire in 2011 and one CB40 – against Warwickshire in 2010), the remarkable consistency they have shown in continually reaching finals is admirable. Remember, they missed out on the Championship title by the smallest possible margin last year, too. They are surely doing far more right than wrong.There’s no reason Somerset should not continue to thrive, either. In the short-term, Kieswetter will be released by England to play in the final and Trescothick has an outside chance of recovering from his ankle problem. In the longer-term, the fact that five of this side were aged 20 or under bodes extremely well for the future. Both on and off the pitch, Somerset are setting high standards in how to run a cricket club.Several of those young players made important contributions in this game. Chris Jones, 20 years old and making just his second List A appearance, ensured a bright start to their run-chase with a fluent innings that seemed to dis-spirit Durham and also fielded superbly. His run-out of Mark Stoneman – a direct hit from mid off – set the tone for the game.It is, however, the blend of youth and experience that make this Somerset side such a potent force. Alfonso Thomas, who may just be the best limited-overs seamer in the world at present, was typically frugal (conceding under four an over on this ground is exceptional), while Steve Kirby dismissed the dangerous Gordon Muchall with one that nipped back and then bowled too fast and too full for the tail to stage any revival. 28-year-old Arul Suppiah, with 57 from 44 balls, made sure of the result with an innings studded with sweetly timed strokes.It was Peter Trego who deservedly won the Man of the Match award. The 30-year-old allrounder bowled intelligently to his field, picking up the wickets of Phil Mustard and Paul Collingwood, before producing a calm and unbeaten innings of 40 to ensure his side did not squander their strong position.Durham, however, will reflect that they failed to do themselves justice in this game. Their wayward bowling at the start of the Somerset innings was particularly disappointing, but their batsmen also failed to adjust to a slower than expected pitch and, by attempting to set an unrealistic total, perished for a score that was probably at least 20 short of par. Durham’s fielding, carrying the bulky Ian Blackwell, also paled in comparison with Somerset’s.Only when Blackwell and Benkenstein were together did Durham threaten to set a completive total. The pair added 85 in 14 overs, with both men enjoying the short boundaries and threatening a revival. Blackwell mis-hit a slog-sweep to midwicket, however, and Benkenstein, called through for an unlikely second run by Scott Borthwick, was run-out after Lewis Gregory – another of those promising young Somerset players – produced a superb throw.Had Somerset taken all their chances, however – Blackwell could have been run-out before he scored and was dropped on one and Benkenstein was dropped by Murali Kartik at slip off Craig Meschede before he had scored – this would have been a rout.Perhaps the manner of victory left something to be desired. Heavy rain forced the players off with Somerset still requiring another 55 runs to win and forcing Duckworth-Lewis to decide the result. Some would have preferred the reserve day to be utilised. Few, however, would dispute that the best side had progressed.

Paul Nixon is aiming for a career finale in India after confirming that he will be available for the Champions League should Leicestershire qualify, by winning their Friends Life t20 semi-final against Lancashire on Saturday.Nixon will end his 23-year professional career this season, but Finals Day at Edgbaston will not be his last appearance for Leicestershire if they reach the final. The winners of each semi-final will head to Hyderabad in September for the qualifying phase of the Champions League to try to earn a place in the full competition.”I would definitely go, I would love to play in the Champions League and reach the final,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s what the fairytale is all about. You’ve got to think, why can’t it happen?”Leicestershire earned their place at Finals Day with a memorable run-chase against Kent where Nixon played the match-winning hand with 31 off 17 balls in his last appearance at Grace Road. He was then hoisted onto the shoulders of jubilant supporters and carried around the outfield as he drank a pint in celebration and is aiming for similar scenes at Edgbaston.”It’s all about a mindset and a belief and we have that at Grace Road at the moment,” he said. “We’ve started planning for the day and we are using all of our experience. Abdul Razzaq is with us now, so along with myself and Claude Henderson we have all won big tournaments before. I think we have a better balance this year especially in terms of our batsmen who can clear the ropes.”Nixon was one of the first players to scotch the notion that Twenty20 was a young man’s game and was part of the Leicestershire team that led the way in the format by reaching the first four Final Days, winning the title in 2004 and 2006. “I love the game and Twenty20 is a new facet you have to adapt to,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed and embraced the format and maybe it’s helped my game as well.”Even if Nixon’s dream finish doesn’t materialise at Edgbaston and in India he isn’t short of memories from a long career. He has also played for Kent and, at the age of 36, earned England recognition when he was called up for the CB Series in Australia following the 2006-07 Ashes whitewash and helped the team win the tournament.”Winning any trophy is a pinnacle,” he said. “Winning the first Championship title [in 1996] was amazing and very special. But getting picked for England is a dream and getting my cap off Michael Vaughan was probably the real high of my life.”Nixon lives for cricket so it is no surprise that he will remain heavily involved as a batting coach for Leicestershire – in the last couple of years he has already worked with the county’s youngsters including James Taylor – and has ambitions to further his coaching career in the future.”I’d love a role with England, but you have to grow into that,” he said. “I’ve been very lucky to be around some world-class coaches and players. I started under Bobby Simpson who was immense and have also had Jack Birkenshaw, Tim Boon and John Wright. I’ve had some world-class knowledge, I just wish I’d put that to use earlier in my career.”

Scorecard
Andrew McDonald produced a Man-of-the-Match display to steer Leicestershire to an eight-wicket win over Yorkshire and keep them on course for a place in the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals for the first time in five years.The allrounder took 3 for 18 as the visitors were bowled out for 144 at Grace Road and then hit a superb unbeaten 59 to guide the hosts to a crushing win with 22 balls to spare. McDonald and Josh Cobb shared an opening stand of 74 in eight overs and then, following the dismissal of Will Jefferson, James Taylor joined the Australian in an unbroken match-winning third-wicket partnership of 63 off 41 balls.Yorkshire, having been put into bat, made a good start and were 73 for 1 by the ninth over. Captain Andrew Gale led by example with an excellent half-century. But he had little support and his side were unable to maintain the early momentum, losing the last nine wickets for 71 runs in the final 12 overs.Gale was the only batsman to offer any real resistance to the home attack, making 67 off 56 balls with six boundaries before being eighth out when he was caught at deep midwicket off Harry Gurney. The left-arm seamer finished with 3 for 26, claiming all his three wickets in his final over.But it was McDonald who created the biggest problems for Yorkshire, picking up the vital wickets of Adam Lyth, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance. After Gale the next highest scorer for Carnegie was Ajmal Shahzad, who slammed 20 off 11 balls including a massive six off Cobb.On a good pitch Yorkshire’s total never looked enough and Cobb and McDonald gave the Foxes just the start they needed to set up victory. Cobb continued his splendid form at the top of the order, making 46 off 25 balls with six boundaries and two sixes off Shahzad.The Yorkshire paceman went for 43 runs off his three overs and the only successes for the visitors were the two wickets of Cobb and Jefferson – both snared by Richard Pyrah. But McDonald and Taylor ensured victory for the Foxes with a splendid partnership, McDonald finishing unbeaten on 59 off 47 balls while Taylor showed his class with a bright and breezy 33 off 22 balls.It was Leicestershire’s fifth win of the season and they remained second in the north group table.

Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh batsman, will get his first taste of county cricket after signing for Nottinghamshire as a short-term replacement for David Hussey.Hussey has to return to Australia to prepare for the ODI series against Sri Lanka and will play his final Friends Life t20 game for Nottinghamshire against Lancashire on June 26. Tamim will then play six FLt20 fixtures, provided he gets clearance from the Bangladesh Cricket Board.”David Hussey has been excellent for us and he still has a lot to offer to the Australian team,” said Nottinghamshire coach Mick Newell. “His contract with us was always subject to international commitments and I’m pleased that we have been able to secure a quality replacement.”Tamim, 22, has a Test average of 40.13 and scored five fifties in six innings against England including centuries at Lord’s and Old Trafford last summer.”Finding quality overseas players at short notice is always a challenge but we are very pleased to have agreed a deal with a player of Tamim’s quality,” said Newell. “He’s an exciting player who has established himself on the international scene at a young age and he is already assured of a long Test career.”Tamim has made no secret of his desire to play cricket in England and was understandably delighted to be offered the chance. “It has been a dream come true in every sense as I have longed to play county cricket ever since I became a professional cricketer,” he said.”I have enjoyed every moment whenever I have been in the UK in the past and it is a privilege to be part of such a great club like Nottinghamshire, which has an awe-inspiring tradition and character.”I am very excited to take the field and perform and help with Notts’ mission of winning the Friends Life t20. As the second Bangladeshi in county cricket, it is also an honour for me and I hope to live up to the expectations of the club and the fans.”Meanwhile, Adam Voges has been awarded the FLt20 captaincy and will remain with Nottinghamshire at least until the end of the group stage of the competition.

ScorecardA career-best 106 from 109 balls from Surrey’s rookie batsman Jason Roy could not make up for the loss of 71 overs to rain yesterday as a high-scoring County Championship Division Two tussle with Glamorgan ended in stalemate at The Oval.Resuming at the start of the fourth and final day on 46 without loss, Glamorgan lost Will Bragg when he was bowled by Tim Linley, only for Gareth Rees and Mike Powell to canter along at four runs an over through to lunch and extend their side’s lead to 320 runs.Rees posted a 117-ball half-century with a six over long-on off Chris Schofield and nine overs later Powell progressed to his 50 off 75 deliveries, with a dabbed four to third man off Batty. Glamorgan’s batsmen showed even greater intent in the afternoon session but were overly cautious with their declaration.Rees reverse-swept the first ball of the session for four and lifted a delivery from Rory Hamilton-Brown over midwicket for six on his way to a 162-ball hundred. His stand with Powell added 185 in less than 34 overs, a new record for Glamorgan’s second wicket against Surrey, before he holed out to long-on.Roy, primarily a wicketkeeper but deployed as a declaration bowler, then made further breakthroughs with his maiden scalps in first-class cricket. Ben Wright became his first victim when he edged to Rory Burns then two overs later Mark Wallace drilled to Jade Dernbach at mid-off, leaving Powell unbeaten on 67 and Surrey with a target of 395 off a minimum of 50 overs.Roy and Hamilton-Brown evoked memories of great Brown Cap run-chases in raising a century stand in 15 overs as Roy raced to a 38-ball 50 with 10 fours. Hamilton-Brown was slightly more conservative, reaching his half-century in 52 deliveries.Surrey went into the final session requiring 266 off 31 overs but Hamilton-Brown was stumped for 68 having just brought up the 150 stand with a six over long-on off the bowling of Robert Croft.Nine overs later, Roy dispatched Dean Cosker into the pavilion to reach his maiden first-class hundred off 89 balls – but by then Surrey required 11 an over and had resigned themselves to a drawing the match. The hosts finished with 10 points to Glamorgan’s seven.

Scorecard
Sussex thrashed champions Nottinghamshire by nine wickets in three days at Hove to secure their second win of the season in Division One of the County Championship.Openers Chris Nash and Ed Joyce continued their impressive start to the seasonwith their fourth century stand of the season as Sussex cruised to their targetof 184 in just 39.5 overs. The pair added 119 in less than 27 overs, with Nash reaching 50 for the seventhtime this season.However, he has yet to convert one of his half-centuries into a hundred andtrudged off in frustration again when he was stumped, giving Samit Patel thecharge having hit seven boundaries in his 57. New batsman Luke Wells was dropped on nought but managed to avoid a king pair by hitting Graeme Swann for six.Wells and Joyce added an unbeaten 68 for the second wicket with the latter finishing not out on 88 after he hit his 14th four to secure victory with three overs of the third day remaining.Earlier, Nottinghamshire had been bowled out for 342 although opener NeilEdwards was unable to bat after he suffered a broken wrist when he was struck byAmjad Khan.Sussex’s target would have been a lot smaller had it not been for a stand of 80in 12 overs between Adam Voges and Andre Adams. New Zealander Adams was the main aggressor, smashing 64 in 44 balls with four sixes, three of them off Amjad, and seven fours.He was eventually caught on the boundary by Amjad and Voges followed shortlyafterwards for a gritty 58 off 130 balls when he feathered a catch to give JamesAnyon his eighth wicket of the innings.Anyon finished with four wickets for 104 runs and was the pick of a perseveringattack which claimed five scalps before lunch to put Sussex in control. Monty Panesar bowled 27 balls at the start of the day without conceding a run and the pressure told when Patel cut to backward point shortly after reaching his second half-century of the game.Nightwatchman Swann swatted Anyon to fine leg and Amjad took his first wicketof the game when Chris Read top-edged a pull to leave his side 213 for 5. Steven Mullaney, who had suffered a hairline jaw fracture after being struck by Amjad on the second day, showed his bravery by hitting his first ball for six.But he was soon caught off a leading edge and Stuart Broad’s breezy innings of26 ended when he was caught behind off an Anyon delivery which nipped back. When Adams and Voges came together their side led by just 95 but Sussex struggled to contain the former, even when they took the new ball.Adams eventually played one aggressive shot too many, although the umpires onlyconfirmed Amjad had taken a clean catch after referring to the third umpire.