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BBC News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Glos take control as they eye long-awaited home win
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (day three)Kent 424: Stewart 182; Singh Dale 7-110; & 135-4: Compton 35Gloucestershire 516: Green 128, Bracey 127, T Price 76; Ball 3-132; Gilchrist 3-141Kent (6 pts) lead Glos (8 pts) by 43 runsMatch scorecard Gloucestershire called the shots on day three of the County Championship match against Kent at the Seat Unique Stadium to raise the prospect of a first home win in three home side posted 516 to establish a useful first-innings lead of 92 courtesy of hundreds from Cameron Green and James Bracey, who scored 128 and 127 respectively and staged a fifth wicket stand of 222 in 54 overs. Nathan Gilchrist took 3-141 and Jake Ball 3-132 as Kent fought to stay in the game, but Tom Price hit 76 to give Gloucestershire a potentially crucial to show resilience in the face of pressure, Kent were undone by seam on a batter-friendly track, losing openers Harry Finch and Ben Compton, captain Daniel Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye as they subsided to 98-4 in the late-afternoon Bristol sunshine. Jack Leaning and Chris Benjamin dug in to advance the score to 135-4 by the close, but the visitors are just 43 runs ahead and face an uphill task if they are to save the game on the final failed to win any of their last 15 home matches since defeating Warwickshire at Bristol in September 2022, Gloucestershire will feel they have a genuine opportunity to register their first win of the hopes of establishing a first-innings lead were dependent upon the new ball, which was taken in the second over of the day. Charged with the task of taking early wickets, Gilchrist and Ball failed to take advantage, sending down too many four balls and enabling Gloucestershire's fifth wicket pair to come flying out of the Gilchrist fell short of a length, Green punished him, carving two consecutive deliveries through the covers for four, while Ball suffered a similar fate when allowing the Australian width outside off stump. Not to be outdone, Bracey twice drove Ball handsomely through the covers, pulled Gilchrist for another four in the next over and then crunched the same bowler backward of square to raise the 200 partnership in exactly 50 guided a ball from Gilchrist to the third man boundary to secure a third batting bonus point for Gloucestershire, who added 54 in the first eight overs of a high-octane morning session. But the Australian succumbed to Gilchrist when feathering a catch behind and departing for a brilliant 128, much to the relief of the visiting team. The 25-year-old Australia Test star had faced 184 balls, struck 17 fours and a six and propelled the hosts into a strong Stewart then removed Graeme van Buuren lbw without scoring as Kent made further inroads, but there was no stopping the indefatigable Bracey, who went to his fifteenth career first-class hundred and his second of the season from 176 deliveries, flicking Kashir Ali off his legs for a single before raising his bat in the rate of scoring slowed following Green's departure, Bracey and Tom Price still raised a 50 partnership from 86 balls, accelerating at the right time in their pursuit of maximum bonus points. The seventh wicket pair had wiped out the arrears and were in credit by the time Bracey skied a catch to mid-on off the bowling of Ball and departed for 127, his superb innings spanning 192 balls and including 17 fours and a six. Zaman Akhter hit Gilchrist straight to mid-off, but Price was on 35 not out, his highest score of the season, when lunch was taken with the home side 438-8, a slender lead of 14 Shaw pulled Gilchrist to deep mid-wicket and ran two as Gloucestershire secured a fifth batting bonus point by the skin of their teeth off the final ball of the 110th over, while Price raised his first half century of the season from 88 balls with his seventh four as the home side looked to forge a meaningful lead. As the pitch flattened out even more and the ball softened, so Price began to force the issue, raising a notable 76 from 120 deliveries with 11 fours before falling lbw to Kashif. Ajeet Singh Dale fell in identical fashion to the Pakistan international, leaving Shaw unbeaten on 34 made from 45 openers Finch and Compton set their sights on seeing off the new ball and reaching tea with their wickets intact, and they almost succeeded. Gloucestershire required a breakthrough if they were to exert real pressure and Singh Dale obliged, producing late swing to pin Finch lbw in his crease for 23 in the final over before the interval with the score on by 55 runs at the start of the final session, the visitors had work to do. Compton and Daniel Bell-Drummond staged a defiant stand of 48 in 13.3 overs, saw off the dangerous Singh Dale and looked to have done the hard work, only for the former to edge a fullish delivery from Shaw to Cameron Bancroft at second slip and fall for 35. When Bell-Drummond offered Tom Price a return catch in the act of driving in the very next over, Kent were 89-3, still three runs were a mere six runs to the good when Akhter angled a delivery into Muyeye, who was given out lbw, at which point the visitors had surrendered three wickets in five overs. Thereafter, Leaning and Benjamin safely negotiated 14 overs of seam to reach the close unbeaten on 15 and 17 behalf of ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Green century rescues day for Glos against Kent
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (day two)Kent 424: Stewart 182, Benjamin 93; Singh Dale 7-110Gloucestershire 307-4: Green 102*, Bracey 69*; Ball 2-67Glos 5 pts, Kent 5 ptsMatch scorecard Cameron Green demonstrated true grit in scoring a much-needed hundred to extricate Gloucestershire from a spot of bother on day two against to 139-4 in reply to Kent's first-innings 424, Gloucestershire were indebted to their overseas hired hand, who registered a battling 102 not out from 150 balls with 12 fours and a shared in a revitalising unbroken fifth wicket stand of 168 with James Bracey to steer the home side to the relative safety of 307-4 by the close, just 117 runs behind. Bracey finished unbeaten on 69 from 134 balls and Gloucestershire are already two batting bonus points to the Ball took 2-67 and Nathan Gilchrist and Grant Stewart claimed a wicket apiece as Kent applied themselves diligently in the field. But the visitors will have to make the new ball count in the morning if they are to shift pressure back onto their opponents in a contest which looks increasingly likely to end in a their first innings on 386-6, Kent had earlier lost their last four wickets for the addition of 38 runs, Ajeet Singh Dale returning career-best figures of 7-110 from 26 overs. He accounted for Stewart and Chris Benjamin, who scored 182 and 93 respectively in staging a partnership of 264 - a record seventh wicket stand in all matches for Kent, who were dismissed in 110.4 may have still been some shine left on the relatively new ball, but it was back to business as usual for Stewart and Benjamin, Kent's seventh wicket pair requiring four overs to bank a fourth batting bonus point. For their part, the home side desperately needed wickets and skipper Cameron Bancroft threw the ball to Singh Dale, Gloucestershire's most incisive bowler on day claimed his first five-wicket haul of the season in his third over from the Ashley Down Road end, inducing Stewart to play a tired shot and edge to second slip. Having advanced his career-best first-class score to 182 from 189 balls, hit 20 fours and five sixes, the Italy international walked off to a standing ovation with the scoreboard on partner in runs departed soon afterwards, Benjamin attempting to drive Singh Dale and nicking off to wicketkeeper James Bracey, who took a straightforward catch to see Benjamin go for 93 from 244 deliveries. The patient Benjamin had defied Gloucestershire for five-and-a-half hours, transforming an innings that had been deep in trouble on 137-6 on the first with an opportunity to improve upon the career-best 6-41 he took against Worcestershire at New Road in April 2023, Singh Dale ran in hard, located Ball's outside edge and raised his arm in celebration before even Bracey had pouched the catch that further reduced the visitors to 414-9. He was denied an eighth victim when Zaman Akhter had Kashif Ali held at deep backward square to bring the innings to a close shortly after top order batsmen scratched a mere eight runs from 10 overs against a new ball that nipped off the seam on the first day, but Gloucestershire openers Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth encountered few problems on an essentially flat surface as they safely negotiated 12 overs to reach lunch on 48 without there was just enough assistance from the pitch to keep the Kent seamers interested and Stewart effected a breakthrough early in the second session, Bancroft prodding defensively outside off stump and nicking to slip. Gloucestershire's skipper had scored 26 from 36 deliveries and staged an opening stand of 54 with Charlesworth inside 13 overs to at least afford the innings a decent and Stewart mustered sufficient movement off the pitch to trouble the batters, but left-handers Charlesworth and Ollie Price played steadfastly, punished the bad ball when it came along and gradually laid the foundations for a meaningful partnership. Gloucestershire's progress was smooth until Charlesworth fell into a trap set for him, pulling a short-pitched delivery from Ball and holing out to deep backward square for an 87-ball 41. The second wicket pair had added 45 in 13.5 overs and Gloucestershire were last they batted together, Price and Miles Hammond had staged a stand of 203 for the third wicket in a drawn match against Lancashire. Still in good touch following his career-best 253 at Old Trafford, Price played some glorious shots in raising 40 from 51 balls with nine fours, only to be pinned lbw by Gilchrist with the score 119-3. It felt like a big wicket and Kent were positively on a roll when Hammond fell for 18 soon afterwards, playing a back foot defensive shot to a fullish delivery from Ball and offering a catch to Tawanda Muyeye at first slip. Having lost three wickets for 40 runs in 7.4 overs, Gloucestershire were 139-4 and under mounting pressure, still 285 and Bracey ensured the home side reached the tea interval without further mishap on 156-4 and these two continued to build steadily as conditions eased in the final session, going to an assured 50 partnership from 120 balls. Green made a hundred on debut for Gloucestershire at Canterbury last month and clearly enjoys playing against Kent. He went to 50 from 106 balls on this occasion, reaching that landmark with his fourth four, a back foot force through the covers off began to flow and the fifth wicket pair required only 62 balls more to raise the hundred partnership as Kent's bowlers began to tire. Playing the supporting role to perfection, Bracey went to 50 via 101 balls with his tenth four, a cut shot off Kashir Ali. Gloucestershire banked a second batting bonus point and there was still time for Green to move to his hundred from 146 balls, the Western Australian heaving Kashif through mid-wicket for his twelfth four to spark raucous celebrations among those who had stayed on into the early evening sunshine. ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
ABC News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Gone west
And now to the news that some NRL fans had spent almost three decades waiting for: JAMES BRACEY: Well hello and welcome to Nine's very special coverage of the unveiling of the national rugby league's newest franchise, we're coming to you live from HBF Park here … - Nine (Sydney), 8 May, 2025 And that was the Nine Network startling its day-time viewers who last Thursday were enjoying Drive TV's Car of The Year and dragging them willing or not to this announcement from the Western Australian premier Roger Cook: ROGER COOK: … the Perth Bears are about to become part of the national rugby league competition. - Nine (Sydney), 8 May, 2025 After 26 years in the wilderness the North Sydney Bears are back, albeit a five-hour flight away in Perth, and Nine's James Bracey was so beside himself he had to preface his question with a little speech: JAMES BRACEY: … we're broadcasting live on Nine right around the country at the moment, which emphasises the monumental occasion this is for the sport of rugby league, particularly penetrating an AFL state like that is WA, but how important is it to this franchise to be associated with the Bears on the east coast? PETER V'LANDYS: It's extremely important … - Nine (Sydney), 8 May, 2025 Nine even swung a second reporter onto the story who watched the announcement live in the North Sydney bear cave with tearful fans: DAMIAN RYAN: We saw the tears rolling out of your eyes BEARS FAN: We've waited since the 15th of October 1999 for this - Nine (Sydney), 8 May, 2025 As you would expect, our two news channels Sky and the ABC also cut live to Roger Cook's press conference. Seven did not and left unsullied … the delectable pleasures of 'Carrot Cake Murder': ALISON SWEENEY: … no murder investigation for you. But you can have a cookie … - Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, Network Seven, 8 May, 2025 And there were more bakery treats for its WA audience too … CHEF: … set aside a couple of spoonfuls of this to coat the madeleines at the end … - The Morning Show, Network Seven, 8 May, 2025 Delicious … Seven News in Perth did report the story during its news that day. And this was how its stablemate The West Australian had presented the story that morning: THE BAD NEWS BEARS Rugby-mad Roger Cook forces WA taxpayers to pay Sydney's NRL rejects $65m to play in Perth - The West Australian, 8 May, 2025 Oof, rejects from Sydney? The West knows exactly how to rile a sandgroper. And it just so happens, the paper's editor has been happily prosecuting this case for months dedicating acres of space to what he says is an 'extravagant' piffle: Roger. Mate. Stop trying to make rugby league happen. - The West Australian editorial, 14 February, 2025 West Australians … won't tolerate extravagant spending on a team no one asked for in the first place. - The West Australian editorial, 12 March, 2025 And describing the Premier as: … a self-confessed rugby league nuffy … … one of a handful of blokes in WA who support rugby league and reckon it's a goer in our State. - The West Australian editorial, 24 March, 2025 The West's subtle opposition did not escape the NRL specialists at News Corporation which, it should be noted, also has a financial interest via streaming rights in both sports: The state's leading newspaper, the West Australian, has been vicious in its coverage of the NRL's expansion push to Perth. - The Sunday-Mail (Qld), 23 March, 2025 And why are the Nine and Seven media empires in opposing corners? … The West Australian is owned by Seven West Media, which has control of the Seven Network, the free-to-air broadcaster which inked a $1.5 billion deal with the AFL in 2022. Billionaire Kerry Stokes is chairman of the Seven West Media empire fanning the flames of NRL expansion discontent. - The Sunday-Mail (Qld), 23 March, 2025 While the West Australian's owner Seven West has free-to-air rights to the AFL, Nine holds the equivalent rights to the NRL, a point not lost on Mr Hot Chips himself Peter V'landys, rugby league's chairman: PETER V'LANDYS: Well I think the media coverage has been a bit biased in the sense that the main newspaper here is owned by Seven West Media that has the AFL rights lets be quite frank, so they don't want us to be here because they realise we're going to be competitive and we're going to take some of their lunch, and we eat a lot ... - Sky News Australia, 8 May, 2025 Never one to shy from a fight, The West's editor Chris Dore bit back the following day. And he told Media Watch: … the idea that somehow our coverage at The West Australian is dictated, or even remotely influenced, by some fanciful proposition that a rugby league team in Perth would diminish the AFL and therefore somehow have a financial impact on the broadcaster is laughable. - Email, Christopher Dore, Editor-in-Chief, West Australian Newspapers and The Nightly, 12 May, 2025 Adding this little dig for the newspaper he used to helm: I know this is hard to grasp from reading the NRL-Las Vegas-loving boys at The Daily Telegraph who inhale every word uttered by their messiah Peter V'landys, but they have taken you for a ride if you believe the spin. - Email, Christopher Dore, Editor-in-Chief, West Australian Newspapers and The Nightly, 12 May, 2025 Of course, the real game here is being played off the field. Peter V'landys with his top-shelf connections has been extending the reach of his NRL empire not only in the West but with a new team in PNG while also trying to cultivate lucrative US betting markets which means more games more fans and more money for the next round of broadcasting rights, negotiations for which are reportedly imminent. These sports TV contracts are so lucrative they are becoming existential for Australia's distressed commercial TV networks, so it really should come as no surprise that impartial interrogations of the politics of footy might be thin on the ground.
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bracey to stay with Gloucestershire until 2028
Wicketkeeper James Bracey has signed a new three-year contract with Gloucestershire to keep him at the club until the end of 2028. The 27-year-old vice captain has made 192 appearances across all formats since his debut for the county in 2024 he enjoyed one of his best campaigns, taking his dismissal total to 37 in T20 cricket to surpass Steve Adshead's Gloucestershire record, as the club secured the Blast title in September. A left-handed batter he also amassed almost 1,100 runs in the County Championship last season including two double centuries and scored a first-class best of 207 not out against Leicestershire in August."[I'm] really happy to sign a long-term deal where I can continue to try and really work on the project we've got going here, and start to bring some success across all formats of the game," Bracey told the club website., externalBracey, who played two Test matches for England in 2021, is due to skipper the team for their County Championship Division Two opener away to Derbyshire when it begins on Friday, with captain Cameron Bancroft not due to join the team until next week. "We are passionate about our cricket here, and James is the epitome of that," said head coach Mark Alleyne."His presence and commitment last year was exceptional, and his reward was a stellar season and a new contract."
