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BBC News
an hour ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Hurst hits ton to steady Lancashire against Gloucs
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Cheltenham (day one)Lancashire 290-6: Hurst 105*, Bohannon 39; Akhter 4-64Gloucestershire: Yet to batGlos 2pts, Lancs 1ptMatch scorecard Matty Hurst registered a career-best innings of 105 not out to keep Lancashire afloat on the opening day of their Division Two match against Gloucestershire at a day when a majority of the recognised batsmen played themselves in but failed to go on, the 21-year-old right-hander from Billinge proved the exception to that rule, facing 165 balls, striking 10 fours and two sixes and sharing in an unbeaten stand of 81 with Chris Green for the seventh wicket as Lancashire reached stumps on 290-6. Hurst surpassed his previous highest score of 104 made against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in May 2024, while Green offered staunch support, reaching the close on 28 not Gloucestershire deployed spinners for 43 of the 91 overs possible on a rain-affected day, it was pace bowler Zaman Akhter who enjoyed most success, the England A international claiming 4-64 as the home side took wickets at regular intervals to maintain pressure on their opponents. Making his first appearance at the Cheltenham Festival, Australian Test spinner Todd Murphy also caught the eye in returning figures of 1-53 from 25 with the unenviable task of creating wicket-taking opportunities with the Kookaburra ball, Gloucestershire's bowlers were further inconvenienced by the tight hamstring that forced pace fulcrum Merchant de Lange out of the attack after just two overs. His replacement at the Chapel End, Akhter extracted sufficient movement to locate the thinnest of edges and have Luke Wells caught behind for 18 as an opening spell characterised by much playing and missing culminated in Lancashire losing their first wicket with 28 on the the ball already softening and becoming less responsive, Gloucestershire captain Cameron Bancroft called upon Murphy's off-breaks in the 14th over, the advent of spin serving to slow the rate of scoring as Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon both treated the Australian Test bowler with the utmost caution. Murphy eventually lured Jennings into a front-foot indiscretion, Miles Hammond taking a superb diving catch at slip to remove the former England opener with the score 75-2 shortly before stage then appeared set for a period of uninterrupted accumulation as Bohannon produced the shot of the day so far, pulling de Lange through mid-wicket for a thunderous boundary to raise three figures. He and Marcus Harris advanced the score to 105-2 without incident and it seemed that only rain could impede their enough, a prolonged shower forced the players off and, having finally lost de Lange to injury following a further three tentative overs from the Chapel End, Gloucestershire were glad of an opportunity to regroup. Certainly, the home side profited from a 45-minute break in play, which caused the loss of five overs, striking a crucial blow immediately following the resumption. Without having added to his score of 39, Bohannon succumbed to a loss of concentration, giving Graeme van Buuren's slow left arm the charge and being comprehensively stumped by James Bracey as Lancashire slipped to continued to be their own worst enemies thereafter, Hurst surviving a run-out chance to Joe Phillips, whose throw from extra cover narrowly missed, following a moment of confusion with Harris. The incident may well have been playing on Harris's mind when he attempted to pull the next ball, only to top-edge a return catch to Akhter and depart for 29 with the score at his first Championship appearance since September 2023, Phil Salt announced himself with a brace of off-driven fours at the expense of Akhter to suggest a change in tempo. But his stay proved short-lived, the England T20 international pursuing an Akhter delivery outside off stump and falling to a brilliant one-handed diving catch from Bracey as Lancashire further declined to 160-5. Overcoming the loss of his fast bowling spearhead, Bancroft marshalled his resources with no little skill as Gloucestershire took the session. Lancashire only had themselves to in need of a partnership of substance, Lancashire were indebted to Hurst and Balderson, who applied themselves diligently to the task of redressing the balance after tea. Balderson lifted van Buuren over the long-on boundary rope to serve notice of intention, while Hurst went to a workmanlike half century from 96 balls, with six fours and a six as the partnership began to blossom, aided and abetted by an old ball and tiring Akhter, returning at the Chapel End, located Balderson's outside edge and the dependable Bracey held onto another catch behind, it felt as though Gloucestershire had accrued a bonus. Balderson contributed 26 in a stand of 49, the biggest of the innings so far. With the new ball due in another nine overs and Lancashire occupying uncertain territory at 209-6, the home side again had a spring in their and Ajeet Singh Dale strained every sinew to make further inroads with the new ball, only to be met by obdurate resistance from Hurst and Green, these two posting a 50 partnership from 91 balls for the seventh wicket and securing a batting bonus point into the was just time remaining for Hurst to go to his hundred via 162 balls, hitting Ollie Price through long-on for four to bring an appreciative festival audience of more than 2,000 to their supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
BBC News
5 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Dog rescued after living in Cotswold countryside for months
A lurcher dog that had been living as a stray for several months, has been caught by an animal rescue Ark Rescue worked with staff at O'Neill Racing to trap the female lurcher after it began to be regularly spotted in the grounds of the horse racing training yard in Temple Guiting, near is thought the dog had been hunting wild animals to survive but nearby farmers had become concerned that it may disturb sheep as they were preparing to lamb."They know how to survive. They live on rabbits, hares, everything - they don't want to come near people," said Jen Coles, founder of Noah's Ark Rescue. Staff at the race horse training centre, owned by successful trainer Jonjo O'Neill, had been feeding the dog to gain its trust and lure it closer into the dog was caught in a modified pen, with a laser beam to trigger the cage to close when an animal trap has recently been used to catch two other dogs, including another lurcher in Nailsworth that had survived alone for two weeks. 'The right home' Ms Coles said the dog will "get a new home," after being assessed and quarantined with a dog warden."They'll figure a bit more out about her and see how her temperament is and then its a case of finding the right home," she said."Running in the wild is all adrenaline fuelled - they're sort of in a panic mode but as soon as she was in the van she just slept."Lurchers are a greyhound cross so they're built for speed and can cover miles in minutes - they know how to hunt but she was obviously hungry that night because she took the food," Ms Coles added. Ms Cole said she had been trapping dogs alongside her partner for about 20 rescue service works with a drone company to locate lost and stray District Council said that anyone who encounters a lost or stray dog should check the area for an owner before reporting the dog to them. They also reminded dog owners to ensure their pet is microchipped, which is a legal requirement.
The Sun
6 hours ago
- The Sun
‘I knew what I was doing' – Jockey slapped with six-month cocaine ban after ‘utterly stupid' blunder
A CHELTENHAM-winning jockey has been branded 'utterly stupid' - after being hit with a six-month cocaine ban. Amateur rider Sam Lee admitted 'I knew full well what I was doing' as the huge suspension was handed out. 1 Popular Lee warmed to punters as a cheeky chappy in front of the ITV cameras before finishing third on Golan Fortune at Cheltenham in November 2020. Prior to that he won a Listed contest on the same horse at the home of jumps to mark himself out as a jockey to follow. But now his career looks in disarray after he was read the riot act in a no-holds-barred BHA disciplinary hearing. Lee was found to have taken cocaine two days before a ride - on which he finished second - at Warwick in May. But panel chairman James O'Mahony explained how, in Lee's account of events, it was in a way accidental. The jockey accepted he knew what the white powder was when he put it into his mouth. But contact came about 'inadvertently' when the Class A drug was passed around on some banknotes. O'Mahony said: "He did know what it was, or he had a good idea what it was, and he ingested it, took it deliberately. "So it's not accidental in that sense but he didn't procure it deliberately." While BHA barrister Charlotte Davison said: "He accepted he was aware of what the substance was before he put it into his mouth. "He said, 'I knew full well what I was doing' and described himself as being 'a bit of a plonker' for doing what he did." Lee said in a video sent to the hearing that he had suffered indescribable lows since the positive drugs test. He insisted the whole ordeal had given him a 'kick up the a**e' and added: "I want to help you guys to help me get my licence back as quick as I can." O'Mahony pulled no punches, though. He said: "What you did was utterly stupid. It's a Class A drug for goodness sake. "The authorities must come down hard on any question of cocaine being used by the persons involved in racing." took ketamine three days a week contaminated horses.
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Cheltenham e-scooter collision leaves child with head injury
A five-year-old girl required hospital treatment for a head injury after being hit by a man riding an e-scooter "at speed" on a foot Police said she had been walking along the Honeybourne Line, a former railway line in Cheltenham turned into a foot and cycle path, with two adults at about 12.30 BST on Monday when she was man was riding "at speed", the force added, and the the girl was knocked to the ground while the collision also caused the rider to fall off his an "exchange of words" with the adults, the rider left the scene without leaving his details. The force has issued a photo taken by a member of the public as the scooter ride headed in the direction of the train station, and is appealing to him to come who recognises him is asked to contact police.
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Yorkshire v Surrey, Sussex v Essex, and more: county cricket day one
Update: Date: 2025-07-22T09:00:42.000Z Title: The future of the County Championship Content: Part XXXXV…the votes are (starting to come) in: Surrey and Somerset have announced that they want 14 Championship games, with a return to eight teams in Division One and 10 in Division Two; Middlesex also want 14, but with ten teams in the top tier, while Durham and Lancashire support the 12/6 conference idea. The PCA, meanwhile, have put their weight behind the conference plan and a reduction in the number of games to 12, alongside a reduced Blast schedule. 'A change in format of the County Championship to 12 league games is the only reasonable option' said Olly Hannon-Dalby, PCA chair, breathing 'new life' into the competition. Update: Date: 2025-07-22T09:00:42.000Z Title: Gary Naylor's excellent round-up of Content: the Blast, as it goes into hibernation. Update: Date: 2025-07-22T09:00:42.000Z Title: Fixtures Content: DIVISION ONE Southampton: Hampshire v Nottinghamshire Taunton: Somerset v Durham Hove: Sussex v Essex Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Worcestershire Scarborough: Yorkshire v Surrey DIVISION TWO Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Kent Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Lancashire Merchant Taylors' School: Middlesex v Northamptonshire Update: Date: 2025-07-22T09:00:42.000Z Title: Good morning! Content: Torrential rain in Manchester (good luck for the Test …) has turned into thoughtful clouds above Cheltenham, at the start of this two-week late-July dip in the Championship waters. Fortified with porridge from the cafe opposite the station, I will follow the rucksacks to Cheltenham college. Play starts at 11am – do join us to rummage around cricket, the universe and everything.
