A round-up of the first day’s action from the ninth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

Cricinfo staff04-Dec-2009

Group B

Tahir Maqsood’s five-wicket haul gave Multan the upper hand over Peshawar as the visitors were bowled out for a below-par 217 at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Maqsood took his first two wickets for consecutive balls to reduce Peshawar to 5 for 2. The innings’ top-scorer Fawad Ali (71) and Sajjad Ahmed (30) then added 85 and Azam Jan chipped in with 48. However the lower order failed to contribute at all. Maqsood took the last three wickets with only 16 added to the score. Rizwan Haider and Zulfiqar Babar took two wickets each.Half-centuries by the top three Faisalabad batsmen took their side to 259 for 5 on the first day of their match against Rawalpindi at the Iqbal Stadium. Imran Ali and Usama Shahroon added 98 for the first wicket before Shaharoon was run out for 54. Zeeshan Asif then partnered Ali in a 48-run stand in which he scored 71 off 126 balls. Nineteen-year-old right-arm fast bowler Mohammad Rameez dismissed both Asif and Ali while Sadaf Hussain and Rashid Latif took one apiece.Karachi Blues did better than Faisalabad reaching 299 for 2 through unbeaten centuries by Asad Shafiq and Wajihuddin against Hyderabad in Mirpur Khas. Karachi lost their first wicket for 14 when Shahzaib Hasan was caught off Mir Ali for 2. Khalid Latif scored 39 before being caught of Pir Zulfiqar with the score at 69. After that Shafiq and Wajihuddin took Karachi to a dominant position. Wajihuddin’s 108 included 15 fours while Shafiq’s 125 contained 13 fours.Mohammad Irshad’s three wickets kept Abbottabad to 236 for 5 against Lahore Ravi in Muridke. Irshad took two of the first three wickets to reduce Abbottabad to 78 for 3. Ghulam Mohammad (72) and Adnan Raees (64) then led a recovery, adding 93 for the fourth wicket. However the two fell in quick succession – Ghulam edged a catch to the keeper off Irshad and Raees was trapped leg before by Aamer Hayat – to leave Lahore an uphill task to achieve a sizeable total.Ashar Zaidi’s unbeaten 145 gave Islamabad hope of reaching a dominant total after they lost the first five wickets for 80 against Sialkot at the Jinnah Stadium. Islamabad lost three wickets for nine runs before Zaidi was joined by Naeem Anjum (62*) and the pair went on to ruin Sialkot’s early efforts by adding 211 for the fifth wicket. Sialkot used eight bowlers in a futile attempt to break the stand. Zaidi’s 145 came of just 163 balls and included 21 fours while Anjum’s 62 came of 137 balls with seven fours.

Group A

Habib Bank Limited‘s Irfan Fazil and Abdur Rahman took seven wickets between them as Pakistan Customs were bowled out for 238 in Islamabad. Only a 126-run stand between Rameez Aziz and Yasir Hussain prevented Customs from folding for much less. Aziz came to the crease with Customs at 50 for 3 and lost two partners with only 14 added to the total. Then he rebuilt the innings with Hussain before Fazil bowled him for a 90-ball 61. Hussain was bowled by Rahman soon after for a 136-ball 74.Rao Iftikhar Anjum took 5 for 44 as Karachi Whites were bowled out for 232 against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited in Karachi. Murtaza Majeed and Afsar Nawaz scored half-centuries but no other batsman managed to score more than 36. The last five wickets fell for 50 runs. Mohammad Khalil took two wickets while Azhar Attari, Rehan Riaz and Zohaib Khan took one each. At stumps ZTBL trailed by 212 runs with ten wickets in hand.No such collapse at the Gaddafi Stadium where Khan Research Laboratories racked up 328 for 3 against Lahore Shalimar on the back of centuries by Saeed Anwar jnr and Mohammad Wasim. Anwar scored 44 of the 55 runs added for the first wicket with Azhar Ali. He then added 124 with Wasim. Anwar’s 126 included 21 fours while Wasim’s unbeaten 110 included 17 fours. Wasim and Bazid Khan will look to score the second century-stand of the innings – they need 15 – when they resume batting on day two.Mohammad Hafeez and Ali Waqas scored half-centuries but Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited slipped to 227 for 6 against Pakistan International Airlines in Gujranwala. Hafeez and Hamza Mubeen added 67 for the first wicket before Aizaz Cheema had Mubeen caught for 17. Hafeez fell soon after becoming the first of Anwar Ali’s three wickets. SNGPL fell to 127 for 6 before Waqas (80*) and Adnan Akmal (40*) added 90 unbeaten runs to take them to a reasonable score at stumps.Sui Southern Gas Corporation fared just a little better, reaching 237 for 4 against Water and Power Development at the Sheikhupura Stadium. Wajid Ali (66) and Saeed Bin Nasir (73*) made half-centuries but the rest of the SSGC top-order batsmen made no significant contributions to the total.

James Sutherland, the chief executive of Cricket Australia, has plans to create a window for the domestic Big Bash Twenty20 tournament, so that it does not clash with the international home season.

Cricinfo staff31-Dec-2009James Sutherland, the chief executive of Cricket Australia, is set to accommodate the wishes of his state associations by creating a window for the domestic Big Bash Twenty20 tournament. The Big Bash currently overlaps with Australia’s home international season, meaning the country’s leading players are largely unavailable to represent their state sides.”Our long term planning has a way to go but I could see the time come when the Big Bash has its own summer-time window so that we can bolster it even further by having our Test and ODI players available for inter-state Twenty20 duties,” Sutherland said. “The inclusion of overseas stars such as Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Shahid Afridi is making this season’s contest a Bigger Bash, so to speak, and performances by increasingly high profile state players such as Dave Warner, Stephen Smith and Tim Paine this week are also helping the turnstiles click faster”.The first week of the 2009-10 edition saw television ratings jump 37% over the corresponding period last year. Sutherland said the ratings figures, coupled with strong attendance figures, demonstrated the strength of the tournament, given it coincided with the Boxing Day Test.

David Dwyer, Pakistan’s fitness trainer, has decided to part ways with the team after two and a half years with the side because of personal reasons

Osman Samiuddin01-Feb-2010David Dwyer, Pakistan’s fitness trainer, has decided to part ways with the team after two and a half years with the side because of personal reasons.Dwyer, who is from Sydney, has been a popular member of Pakistan’s support staff and has become very close to most of the players in the side. “I have simply decided to move back to Sydney after two and half great years with the team purely for personal reasons,” Dwyer told Cricinfo.”It was a very difficult decision to make because I can see that we have made very good physical improvements in all of the players over the course of my time with the team,” Dwyer said. “Most importantly the friendships that I made with the coaches, players and all of those involved with the team.”Dwyer’s contribution is widely hailed within Pakistan’s set-up; a number of players have spoken of the benefits he brought to them and former captain Younis Khan, in particular, has benefitted in terms of his fitness and diet.Dwyer came to the Pakistan set-up with former coach Geoff Lawson in 2007 on a two-year contract and stayed on for over a year after Lawson was removed late in 2008. It was believed at the time that Younis and other members of the side were key in having him stay on. Dwyer’s background is in rugby – he played club rugby and his uncle Bob has coached the Australian rugby team.Though Dwyer was set to leave at the end of Pakistan’s current tour to Australia – there remains a Twenty20 in Melbourne on February 5 – it is believed that he is considering a request from the PCB to stay on and work with the side in preparing them for the World Twenty20, due to be held in the West Indies in April.

A round-up of the sixth round of games from the Stanbic Bank Twenty20 tournament in Zimbabwe

John Ward17-Feb-2010Mountaineers surged to the top of the points table with an easy 22-run victory over Desert Vipers in the sixth round of Twenty20 games at Harare Sports Club. Chasing 173 to win, Vipers were well on target until a middle-order slump ruined their chances, with victory for Mountaineers virtually certain after Timycen Maruma and Natsai Mushangwe ripped through the Vipers line-up.Vipers made a flying start to their innings despite Gerrit Rudolph’s early exit, with Raymond van Schoor slashing riskily at everything near off stump – but with a mammoth total to chase down it was a necessary policy. Mountaineers’ bowling and fielding were not up to their usual standard and Vipers raced to 52 for 1 in the first five overs.Van Schoor unluckily played on to Greg Smith for 33, but Craig Williams and Dwaine Pretorius kept the momentum going with a brief but productive stand of 37. But then Mushangwe, the legspinner, and Maruma, the googly bowler, were brought on and three quick wickets fell, reducing Vipers to 97 for 5 in the 13th over. They rallied briefly, but a fine catch by Donald Tiripano to remove Tobias Verwey for 11 was the deathblow to Vipers’ hopes.Christi Viljoen hit some lusty blows in his unbeaten 19 as Vipers eventually reached 150 for 9, but Mountaineers’ total was never in any real danger. Despite the ease of their victory, Mountaineers’ performance was not flawless, however, and they will have to get back to their usual standard in order to maintain their position at the top of the log.One thing Mountaineers will be happy with is the continued good form of Hamilton Masakadza, who is the tournament’s leading scorer with 237 runs, including a century against Southern Rocks, at a strike rate of 151.92. He overcame difficult conditions early on to record another half-century in this game, eventually falling for 52.The weather at the start of the day was overcast and uncertain, and the outfield damp after early-morning rain, but Mountaineers decided to bat anyway. For once there was a little movement for the bowlers off the pitch and in the air, and the opening bowlers Louis Klazinga and Christi Viljoen used up their four-over allocations right at the start. Mountaineers’ openers, Masakadza and Bernard Mlambo, were unable to start as quickly as usual, but they survived and kept the score moving with quick running to bring up the 50 in the eighth over.Masakadza then unleashed some savage strokes against the second-string bowlers. He hit four sixes – two of them, over square leg and long on, were massive blows by any standard – and by the time Mlambo was dismissed for 24 the score was 81 for 1 in the tenth over. Masakadza was bowled hitting across the line at Williams, but Maruma and Stuart Matsikenyeri ensured Mountaineers were able to set a match-winning target.In the second match of the day, Southern Rocks proved that they do not need their openers to carry their batting for them, but neither do they have the bowlers to defend scores and win matches. Once again they posted a highly respectable total, 177 for 4, only to find themselves unable to defend it against Mid West Rhinos. Outstanding innings by Craig Ervine and Alester Maregwede were topped by a brilliant unbeaten 86 from Riki Wessels, who took Rhinos to victory with ten balls to spare.Rhinos won the toss and decided to field, opening the bowling with Darren Stevens’ medium pace. It was a successful tactic as taking the pace off the ball and pitching it up was enough to throw the renowned Rocks opening pair off their game. Stevens removed Chamu Chibhabha in his second over for 7, hitting across the line, while at the other end Sikandar Raza hit the faster Mike Chinouya for two successive fours and was then bowled for 14.With the openers gone cheaply for a change, it seemed the crucial partnership was now that between Steve Tikolo and Sean Ervine. But yet another confused run out did for Tikolo, while Ervine played some superb flowing strokes but then threw his wicket away, lofting Ollie Rayner straight into the hands of wide long on to depart for 23 off 13 balls.Then came a magnificent unbroken partnership of 113 between the younger Ervine – Craig – and Maregwede, who both played their best innings of the tournament, although a couple of difficult dropped chances helped them. Both faced 36 balls, with Maregwede reaching 48 and Ervine 62, while they hit six sixes between them to take Rocks to a total that had not seemed possible after their poor start.In reply, Rhinos lost Vusi Sibanda in the first over for 4, but Wessels swiftly stepped into the breach, pulling, cutting and driving with power and certainty. Brendan Taylor gave him good support, and Wessels continued to profit after being dropped on the midwicket boundary just after reaching his half-century.Taylor chipped Chibhabha to Blessing Mahwire to depart for 28, and after Bothwell Chapungu’s brief cameo was ended by Raza, Wessels was joined by Stevens. He cracked an unbeaten 43 from only 20 balls to seal the game and send Rhinos into the top three on the points table.

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, believes South Africa-born players should not be allowed to play for England

Cricinfo staff05-Mar-2010Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, believes South Africa-born players should not be allowed to play for England. Vaughan was critical of the number of players being imported “for many, many years” and said he had “a bit of a problem” with South Africans changing nationalities to further their sporting careers.”It’s a very tricky one. Someone like Kevin Pietersen made the decision very early to come over to England and he learnt a lot of his cricket here,” said Vaughan in comments reported in the . “[But] I do have a problem when the likes of Jonathan Trott [play for England], and [Craig] Kieswetter, who’s played for the South African Under-19s. I think in Trott’s case even played for the South African A team. Now that is where I have a problem, that we have almost got a ‘ship-in’ system of looking at talent, and a lot of them come over for the money.”It’s very, very difficult to stop them. I would like to see, in an ideal world, 11 complete Englishmen in the team but I don’t think that’s ever going to be the case.”Kieswetter’s rapid promotion to the England one-day side has again thrown the spotlight on the number of South Africans in the set-up and, despite suggestions from national selector Geoff Miller that it is an issue they are watching, he is unlikely to be the last.”It’s something that I’m going to have to put up with for my whole career, but I was born with a British passport, I’ve done my four years, I am British, and I don’t see it as an issue,” said Kieswetter after he scored 107 in the final ODI against Bangladesh. “Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but for me it’s about putting performances in on the park and helping England win.”In his autobiography, , Vaughan had accused the Cape Town-born Trott of celebrating with South Africa’s players after England lost at Edgbaston in 2008.Ian Botham, however, said he was fine with the number of imports. “These guys have made their home here to play for England and I don’t have a problem with that. The biggest problem for me in England is Kolpak, and that’s down to European law. What the Europeans have got to do with it, I don’t know. They don’t like cricket.”

A series of factors have contributed to their dominance. Cricinfo looks at some of the features of their success

Siddhartha Talya24-Mar-2010.Anil Kumble’s leadership has been inspiring•AFP

Clinical bowling

Bangalore have gone unchanged in the last four games, and a stable attack has won them three of those. Bounce, swing, turn, pace, each variation has played its part. Dale Steyn – he played just three games last season – has led the attack, consistently clocking 150 kmph and ruffling the batsmen with fiery pace and unsettling bounce. Praveen Kumar, at the other end, has been economical and thrived on movement while R Vinay Kumar has backed them up with frequent breakthroughs once the restrictions have been lifted. Anil Kumble, though, has been the best of the lot, conceding just 5.09 an over for his five wickets.The seamers, in Bangalore especially, have been aided by sporting tracks, a deviation from the trend in the inaugural IPL. The carry to the keeper has been excellent, the bounce competitive and the swing and movement encouraging. In a format conceived for the big shots, the sight of ball beating bat more often than in the past has been a welcome development.Last year, the quartet bagged 33 wickets at 34.57; this year they’ve already grabbed 23 at 21.21. There has been an element of ruthlessness in the way Bangalore have gone about their previous two victories, skittling out Rajasthan for 92 and choking Chennai in their chase.Kumble’s captaincy

Bangalore’s most successful bowler last year has been the most aggressive captain in this edition. His strategy to get his fast bowlers to dig in bouncers at Indian batsmen has worked wonders; even Vinay Kumar rapped Yusuf Pathan on the helmet in his team’s rout of Rajasthan Royals. He’s often started out with two slips, set attacking fields and – like against Chennai Super Kings with Hayden still batting – not hesitated to bring himself on in the first six overs. His leadership has been inspiring, and the team has not let him down.A full and fit squad

While most IPL teams have been hit by injury – Rajasthan and Chennai have been particularly badly hit – Bangalore have all their key players fit and in form. Their overseas players are also fit, in form and on their way: Kevin Pietersen, among the runs in Bangladesh, and Cameron White, who made 89 and led Victoria to a win in the Sheffield Shield final. Ross Taylor will join the squad upon the conclusion of the New Zealand-Australia series.Solid batting

Jacques Kallis had a disappointing first IPL, averaging 18.09, followed it up with three half-centuries in the second and now has repeated the feat in just five games. His dismissal against Chennai on Tuesday was his first in the tournament, and his solidity at the top has allowed the rest of the batsmen to fulfill their roles. Manish Pandey, who hit the limelight with a blazing century last year, has continued in similar vein, supporting his partner in three 50-plus stands.Building on the efforts of the pair has been Robin Uthappa, who had a miserable second season, where he averaged 15.90 with repeated failures while opening. With an approach to batting ideally suited to Twenty20 cricket, Uthappa has altered the course of two Bangalore games this season in the matter of an over. Sreesanth was smashed for 25, which propelled Bangalore ahead in their big chase against Punjab, and blasted 24 off L Balaji to help set a target which proved too much for Chennai.Home comforts

Bangalore’s success has led them to being one of the best-followed teams in the tournament, and the upswing in fortunes has had an effect on fans in their home city. The Chennai fixture was a near-sellout, and all the games played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium have seen good fan moments. The effect has been to lift the team – and they must hope the momentum remains now that Bangalore hit the road for a few days.

Gautam Gambhir has said he stands by the comments that earned him a reprimand from the IPL following his team’s victory against Rajasthan in Delhi

Cricinfo staff03-Apr-2010Gautam Gambhir, the Delhi Daredevils captain, has said he stands by the comments that earned him a reprimand from the IPL following his team’s victory against Rajasthan Royals in Delhi.”I’m going to say a few things here that might not make people happy, but I think they need to be said,” Gambhir wrote in his column for . “Just because the people who are reportedly upset with something I’ve said about a cricketing performance are starry doesn’t mean I take it all back. I said what I said and I stand by it.” Gambhir did plead guilty to a “level 1 offence”, though.Gambhir wrote he couldn’t understand what the over-reaction was about. “For instance, people said we [Delhi] gave an ordinary performance against Mumbai and we did. But we didn’t over-react or fuss about what anyone said. We picked ourselves up and raised the bar.”I don’t believe in saying things I don’t mean. If you’re looking for platitudes or banal gestures, I don’t think you’ll get that from me. I don’t mean to sound arrogant, I’m not, but I also can’t be a hypocrite. More pertinently, I can’t be expected to get all worked up about comments made by people who have never picked up a cricket bat in their lives. If I listen to opinions seriously, it is from people who have played the game.”Gambhir had said at the post-match presentation that besides Yusuf Pathan, the rest of the Rajasthan batsmen were “ordinary “. He was later reported by IPL chairman Lalit Modi, but escaped a fine, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 50% of the match fee.

The Pune IPL franchise has announced its team will be called the Sahara Pune Warriors

Cricinfo staff24-Apr-2010The Pune IPL franchise has announced its team will be called the Sahara Pune Warriors. The team name and logo were unveiled by Subrata Roy, chairman of the Sahara group, which bought the franchise for US$370m last month.”It is a moment of great pleasure for us to present the identity of the Pune IPL team for the people of the city and cricket enthusiasts across the world,” Roy said.”We have just started the journey and in the short span the support and affection received from the people here is very heartening and makes me feel that Pune is my second home.”The Pune team will make its IPL debut in 2011, and will play its home matches at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium being built 25 km outside the city.

The Pakistan selectors have, possibly by accident, stumbled upon a well-balanced one-day outfit, but Sri Lanka will take some beating given the class and form of their players

The Preview by Nitin Sundar14-Jun-2010

Match Facts

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Start time 1430 (0900 GMT)
The return of Shoaib Akhtar and Shoaib Malik could add to the interest surrounding the opening game•AFP

The Big Picture

Pakistan cricket is in the spotlight, once again. Having endured a period of internal upheaval, they have zeroed in on a squad full of surprises. One former captain retired, while two others appealed successfully against their bans. One of those two – Shoaib Malik – returned to the side and will be playing under a new leader, Shahid Afridi, who not very long ago accused Malik of back-biting. Out of nowhere, the once spectacular Shoaib Akhtar was recalled. Even faithful fans struggle to keep track of the changes, while critics question the madness surrounding the method. But one thing everyone will acknowledge is that the selectors have hit upon a reasonably balanced ODI outfit.Pakistan have traditionally under-performed at the Asia Cup, winning just one tournament, and their recent one-day record is miserable, but they have managed to lift their game in recent multi-team events. Admittedly, three of those four have been in the Twenty20 format, and there-in lies the danger Pakistan poses – both to their opponents and to themselves. They have the ability to go all the way with short and sharp bursts of inspiration, but are just as likely to combust.Sri Lanka’s selectors, on the other hand, have shown creativity and foresight, while their core group for the 2011 World Cup is set in stone. Sanath Jayasuriya and Ajantha Mendis were the heroes of their 2008 Asia Cup triumph, but both of them miss out this time, for differing reasons. Jayasuriya’s form has finally taken precedence over reputation, while Mendis’ exclusion is to enhance his biggest weapon – his mystery. Tillakaratne Dilshan, who could not buy a run in the World Twenty20, was sent to Zimbabwe to regain touch, which he accomplished in style. Farveez Maharoof has been included in the squad for his past exploits on the seaming Dambulla wicket. There are several names such as Thilina Kandamby, Thilan Samaraweera and Chamara Kapugedera competing for middle-order slots. Add the pedigree of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan to the mix and Sri Lanka will take some beating.

Form guide (most recent first)

Pakistan LLLLL

Sri Lanka WLWWL

Watch out for…

Ever since he began opening during the IPL, Mahela Jayawardene has been in sublime form in the Twenty20 format. He is expected to return to the middle order for ODIs, but for a batsman with his range it should be an easy transition. He is the most prolific run-getter on this ground, followed by his captain Kumar Sangakkara, and their middle-over association could dictate the course of the game.Umar Akmal has quickly grown within the Pakistan establishment and, in the absence of Misbah-ul-Haq, will be expected to play responsibly in the middle order. So far, the biggest threat to Umar’s performance has been his impulsiveness, and it will be interesting to see if he can temper his natural aggression for the team’s cause.

Team news

Pakistan are expected to give 20-year old left-hand batsman Umar Amin a debut. Shahid Afridi will mull the option of playing three quicks, with Shoaib Akhtar returning alongside Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer. It remains to be seen if Shoaib can bowl his full quota of ten overs, and Pakistan have hinted they will use him in short bursts.Pakistan (possible) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Umar Amin, 4 Umar Akmal, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Abdul Razzaq, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Saeed Ajmal, 9 Shoaib Akhtar/Abdur Rehman, 11 Mohammad Asif, 12 Mohammad AamerRangana Herath got a surprise call-up as the third spinner, but he is unlikely to get a look-in given Suraj Randiv’s recent exploits. On form, Nuwan Kulasekara deserves to play, which could delay Maharoof’s comeback unless the selectors decide to leave Lasith Malinga out.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk) 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Thilan Samaraweera, 7 Thilina Kandamby/Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara 9 Farveez Maharoof/Lasith Malinga 10 Suraj Randiv, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan..

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan have played eight games in Dambulla and lost six of them; four of those defeats came in five games against the hosts. Sri Lanka have won 17 of their 24 games at this venue.
• Muttiah Muralitharan relishes bowling here, with 39 wickets in 18 games at an average of 16.87 and an economy rate of 3.73.
  

  Quotes

  “Akhtar is an influential player. The type of effort he’s putting in, hope he’ll prove a point.”
  
  “I think it is a timely and great decision to have someone with that experience on the panel of people that has to decide on the future as well as the present.”

Maurice Chambers returned career-best figures to inspire a fine fightback by Essex against County Championship title-chasing Nottinghamshire at Chelmsford

06-Jul-2010

ScorecardJaik Mickleburgh led Essex’s second innings with 91•Getty Images

Maurice Chambers returned career-best figures to inspire a fine fightback by Essex against County Championship title-chasing Nottinghamshire at Chelmsford.The 22-year-old fast bowler finished with 6 for 68 as the visitors had to settle for a modest first-innings lead of 26 after being bowled out for 180. Then John Maunders, Jaik Mickleburgh and Matt Walker built upon his fine work by scoring half-centuries as Essex reached the close on 265 for four to establish an overall advantage of 239.After Nottinghamshire had resumed on 126 for 5, Chambers was soon adding to his list of victims as he again bowled with plenty of hostility that unsettled the batsmen. In the course of four overs he got rid of Chris Read and Paul Franks – both caught behind by James Foster, before bowling Andre Adams.Danish Kaneria brought the innings to a close by getting rid of Luke Fletcher and Charlie Shreck in the same over, but not before Alistair Brown had taken Nottinghamshire into the lead. When the innings ended Brown was left stranded on 50, an entertaining effort that spanned 64 deliveries and included eight fours.Billy Godleman was caught in the gully off Shreck before Essex cleared the arrears but then came two century partnerships that enabled them to seize the initiative. The first featured Maunders and 20-year-old Mickleburgh, both of whom drove with increasing assurance against bowlers who rarely found the sort of swing they had done on the opening day.Their partnership of 104 was only broken following a poor stroke by Maunders who, after making 70, followed a Shreck delivery down the leg side and glanced an easy catch to wicketkeeper Read. But if Nottinghamshire were hoping that success would signal a change in their fortunes, they were sadly mistaken.The departure of Maunders only heralded the arrival of Walker and he and Mickleburgh were to assert their authority with a stand of 106 in 21 overs. It was broken when Mickleburgh was within sight of the second century of his career. He had reached 91 with the help of 14 fours when he was trapped lbw by spinner Samit Patel.Walker, who at the interval was awarded his county cap, went on to make 70 before he was dismissed just before the close when Alex Hales brought off a fine diving catch in the slips to provide Franks with success. Even so, Essex will enter the third day confident that they can build upon their day’s work to claim only their second championship victory of the campaign.