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BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Anderson stars for Lancs, Glamorgan win first game
James Anderson marked his first T20 Blast game for 11 years with a career-best 3-17 and a catch as Lancashire Lightning beat Durham in a thrilling ex-England paceman helped restrict Durham to 150-6, and with the scores level, Jack Blatherwick hit the final ball of the game for a single as the Red Rose reached 151-6 to win by four wickets. Elsewhere in North Group, Northants Steelbacks earned their second win by beating Leicestershire Foxes by five wickets, and Brett D'Oliveira's 79 led Worcestershire to a 60-run win over Yorkshire at New South Group, leg-spinner Mason Crane claimed 4-28 as Glamorgan beat Middlesex by five wickets in their first game, and Somerset also won, beating Essex by eight wickets, but holders Gloucestershire were bowled out for 93 as they lost to Sussex by 80 scorecards North Group - Lightning continue good start All eyes were on Test cricket's leading wicket-taker at the Riverside as Anderson was handed the ball for the opening over of the was a tidy one, yielding just three runs, and he then had Graham Clark caught at mid-off, Alex Lees taken at mid-on, and had Colin Ackermann dropped at mid-wicket by Tom Aspinwall in an opening burst of 2-15 from three who was knighted in April, returned for the 11th over of the innings and picked up the wicket of Ackermann - his spell including 16 dot balls and no boundaries or sixes conceded - before catching Ben Raine at fine Zealander Jimmy Neesham (40 not out off 25 balls) boosted the Durham total and they then picked up a couple of early wickets at the start of Lancashire's visitors struggled to 80-4 in the 12th over but Michael Jones made 55 off 39 balls, including a six through the rear window of a vehicle in the car park, and Josh Bohannon a well-judged was caught and bowled by Neesham from the fifth ball of the final over, but Blatherwick came out to win the game and earn Lancashire their third win out of three. Three-time winners Leicestershire lost two wickets in the first over of their match, bowled by Northants Steelbacks skipper David Willey, and found themselves 39-7 in the eighth over as Ben Sanderson produced a superb spell of looked like the Foxes might fail to reach their lowest T20 score of 89 all out against Derbyshire in 2022, but Logan van Beek's 42 enabled them to bat out the full 20 overs for 122 all were 75-4 in the 14th over of their reply - but Ravi Bopara's unbeaten 46 off 40 balls took them home by five wickets on 123-5 with four balls to New Road, Worcestershire Rapids skipper Brett D'Oliveira made the highest T20 score of his career, hitting four sixes in his 79 off 48 balls against Yorkshire after being dropped early in his innings by Dom Bess.D'Oliveira put on 117 with Adam Hose, who contributed 54 off 37, before holing out off Australian Will Sutherland in their captain Dawid Malan, by contrast, was bowled second ball for a duck by Jacob Duffy (2-30) and wickets continued to fall regularly with Adam Finch (2-19) running out James Wharton by kicking the ball on to the made 41 not out off 37 balls but Yorkshire were well short of their target on 135-8 when rain ended play with three balls left and they lost by 60 runs via the DLS method. South Group - Crane puts Middlesex in spin Glamorgan made a winning entry into this summer's competition as figures of 4-28 by leg-spinner Mason Crane set up a five-wicket victory over Middlesex at Merchant Taylors' home side went into decline following an opening stand of 45 between Stevie Eskinazi and Kane Williamson, the latter run out for 25 by Hayden Kerr's direct hit at the bowler's proved to be the best score in a disappointing Middlesex total of 124-9, but their bowlers made Glamorgan work for the win, reducing them to 64-5 before an unbroken stand of 64 between Asa Tribe (40 not out) and Daniel Douthwaite (31) saw them home on 128-5 after 15.3 overs."It is a bit of a mystery when you come to an out-ground in terms of knowing what you are going to get, but there was a little bit there so I was pretty happy with that," Crane Smeed played arguably the innings of the day for last year's runners-up Somerset, hitting a six and 11 fours in his 81 not out off 54 balls as they cruised to an eight-wicket win over Essex at coming together when a brilliant one-handed boundary catch by Thomas Rew removed Paul Walter, Dean Elgar (50) and Matt Critchley (54) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 83 for the home side, but from 119-3, they lost seven wickets for 29 runs to be all out for opening partnership of 96 in nine overs between Smeed and Tom Lammonby (36) put Somerset on course for victory and they reached 149-2 from the penultimate ball of the 16th over. Holders Gloucestershire suffered their second defeat as their batting let them down against Sussex Sharks at Payne, the top wicket-taker in the 2024 Blast, and Matt Taylor claimed three victims each as Sussex were bowled out for 173 despite Tom Alsop (58 off 35 balls) and James Coles (43 off 27) putting on 105 Ollie Robinson bowled Cameron Bancroft for seven with a beautiful leg-cutter early in Gloucestershire's reply and the visitors lost their way as Tymal Mills took 3-13 and were dismissed in the 14th over. Tuesday's fixture Cardiff: Glamorgan v Surrey (start 18:30 BST) Wednesday's fixtures Old Trafford: Lancashire Lightning v Leicestershire Foxes (18:30 BST)Derby: Derbyshire Falcons v Northants Steelbacks (19:00 BST)
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
T20 Blast begins with wins for Lancs and Sussex
This year's T20 Blast got under way with opening night victories for troubled Lancashire Lightning and last season's semi-finalists Sussex Sharks. A day after the departure of head coach Dale Benkenstein after a bad start to the season, Lancashire secured a tense seven-run victory over Worcestershire Rapids at Emirates Old Keaton Jennings led from the front in their North Group encounter as his side posted 176-8 with no Worcestershire batter going past 39 as they only made 169-7. In the South Group, Sussex began with a 16-run win at Lord's over Middlesex aided by a fine 77 not out from James Coles in their 51 from Ben Geddes and some lusty hitting from Ryan Higgins, the home side never looked in contention as they ended on 186-7. Morale booster for Lancs It has been a dreadful start to the season in the County Championship for Lancashire, who named former T20-winning captain Steven Croft as interim head coach, with no wins from their seven had already resigned as red-ball captain and the club apologised to its members before Benkenstein's in charge for the T20 Blast, Jennings brought up his 50 off 30 balls and put on 79 for the first wicket with Luke a brilliant catch in the deep from Ethan Brookes removed Jennings and halted Lancashire's progress, and the hosts lost five wickets for 22 runs to keep the target to under nine runs an Kashif Ali smashed 39 off 21 balls, the Rapids were well over the required rate and on course for an away the loss of captain Brett D'Oliveira (30) and Adam Hose (13) to reduce Worcestershire to 93-4 after 10.1 overs changed the complexion of the there, Lancashire turned the screw and with the visitors needing 15 runs off the last over, Tom Aspinwall conceded just seven to deliver a morale-boosting first win of the season in any competition. Sharks start strongly Middlesex have been perennial strugglers in the South Group, unable to reach the quarter-finals for six years and without a Finals Day appearance since they won the competition in winning the toss, they chipped away at Sussex's top order, helped by Tom Helm running out Daniel Hughes at the non-striker's end when the Australian was well set on Coles' best T20 score from 44 balls held the innings together as he put on an unbroken 88 with Tom Clark (26 not out) to take the score past Zealand star Kane Williamson, on his Middlesex debut, was spectacularly caught for 14 at deep point by a diving Harrison Ward, who almost lost his trousers in the process. However, they were soon behind the required rate and at 136-5 early in the 17th over, the game looked hit 44 off just 16 balls to give them a glimmer of hope until he was bowled by Ollie Robinson in the last over as the England bowler finished with an impressive 3-27. Friday's fixtures (18:30 BST unless stated) North Group:Leicester: Leicestershire Foxes v Derbyshire FalconsTrent Bridge: Nottinghamshire Outlaws v Birmingham BearsHeadingley: Yorkshire v Northamptonshire Steelbacks South Group:Taunton: Somerset v SurreyBristol: Gloucestershire v Kent (19:00)Utilita Bowl: Hampshire Hawks v Essex Eagles (19:00)
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Lancs make operating profit of £4.7m during 2024
Lancashire made an operating profit of £4.7m for the year 2024 - a club record for a non-Ashes addition to the profit - down from £5.3 in 2023 - the County Championship club also reported a turnover of £34.1 million, compared with £36.5m the year match receipts dropped by nearly £3m from £8.3m in 2023 to £5.4m in 2023, Old Trafford hosted two sell-out England men's internationals - an Ashes Test and a T20 match against New Zealand - but have had a men's T20 match against Australia and a Roses T20 international rained off over the past 12 club's chief financial officer Angela Lowes said: "The weather disruptions to the Men's IT20 and Roses T20 significantly affected our cricket income." Old Trafford was set to host the third T20 international between England and Australia in September but it was rained off without a ball being rain also affected Lancashire Lightning's T20 Blast match against Yorkshire Vikings, which was also abandoned with no play for the second year on-site hotel recorded revenues of £8.6m, a 31% increase from the previous year, while the conference and events business had a slight increase to £ figures do not include Lancashire's deal to sell part of its share in Manchester Originals to IPL side Lucknow Super Giants. Lowes added that the deal will allow the club "to reduce debt to a sustainable level and invest further into the cricket department, member facilities, and infrastructure projects".The venue also hosted three concerts last summer, with US rock bands Green Day and Foo Fighters attracting a total of 150,000 music fans to Old Trafford.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Revamped T20 Blast ready to ignite
History will be made in the 2025 T20 Blast as women's teams have officially become "fully aligned" with the men's game for the first season will include 52 double bills of men's and women's matches played back-to-back, of which all 18 first-class counties will host at least one and nearly 30 venues in total will see 20-over Off weekend will kick off the new-look competition, beginning on Thursday in Manchester, where 2015 winners Lancashire Lightning host 2018 winners Worcestershire Rapids, and Lord's, where Middlesex and Sussex Sharks meet in a double men's champions Gloucestershire begin with a home game against Kent at Bristol on women's side will continue to play as The Blaze, having beaten South East Stars to win the Charlotte Edwards Cup final last June before the women's domestic game changed for this also start on Friday against the Bears, who have dropped Birmingham from their name, as part of a double header at Trent Oval will stage the first Women's Finals Day on Sunday, 27 July, while Men's Finals Day will be on Saturday, 13 September - again at Edgbaston, for the 17th time in the 23 years of T20 and the 13th straight year. How the teams are divided Blast Men's Competition:North Group: Bears, Derbyshire Falcons, Durham, Lancashire Lightning, Leicestershire Foxes, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Notts Outlaws, Worcestershire Rapids, Yorkshire Group: Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire Hawks, Kent Spitfires, Middlesex, Somerset, Sussex Sharks, Women's Competition:Bears, Durham, Essex, Hampshire Hawks, Lancashire Thunder, Somerset, Surrey, The Women's League 2:North Group: Derbyshire Falcons, Leicestershire Foxes, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Worcestershire Rapids, Group: Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Middlesex, Sussex here for the full fixture list What happened in 2024? Gloucestershire won their maiden T20 Blast title in glorious style last September as they beat holders Somerset, comprehensively outplaying their West Country rivals to claim their first trophy in nine Cameron Bancroft, up against his former county, and Miles Hammond both hit half-centuries at Edgbaston as they won by eight wickets with 31 balls to winning just one of their opening five matches, Gloucestershire came from nowhere to squeeze through in fourth in the Southern Group and then followed it up by beating North Group winners Birmingham Bears in the quarter-final, the third straight season the Bears had fallen in the last eight, on their way to claiming their first knockout trophy since beating Surrey in the One-Day Cup at Lord's in became the 14th side to win the T20 - leaving Yorkshire, Durham, Derbyshire and Glamorgan as the only four sides not to have done so in its 22 coach Anthony McGrath hopes the start of this year's T20 Blast, with Northants first up at Headingley on Friday, can bring a change of fortune after a torrid start to their campaign in Division One of the County Championship."It's a new competition, and it is about starting well," he told BBC Radio Leeds. "We have done a lot of planning, but again, that counts for nothing; it is the performances. I'm looking forward to seeing how we react on Friday evening."This group is dying to do well, but you need more than that. At the highest levels of sport, it is not about skill; it is about what's in your head."It is a competition we know we have to get better at, but it is about us going out there and getting momentum and improving." Ashes reunions in women's competition A number of international stars are set to line up in the women's batter Laura Harris will play for Bears, who have lost Amy Jones to The Blaze and Eve Jones to Thunder this season, but the spin of captain Georgia Davis might again prove crucial to their have signed New Zealand international Suzie Bates to complement a line-up featuring England players Mady Villiers, skipper Hollie Armitage, Lauren Filer and Bess have brought in Australian all-rounder Maddie Penna and evergreen keeper Lauren Winfield-Hill from Yorkshire for the Blast and can rely upon captain Grace Scrivens but will miss strike-bowler Sophie Munro through Hawks have seen a number of players depart this season, but skipper Georgia Adams has Australia international Charli Knott and England's Maia Bouchier at her disposal, while Ellyse Perry is set to arrive in July for the final six games of the campaign and Finals Day, should the Hawks get Thunder became the first winners of the new Vitality T20 Women's County Cup with a 32-run victory over Surrey in the final at Taunton on Sunday, with England's Sophie Ecclestone claiming 4-12 to smother the Surrey Ellie Threlkeld has brought in batter Eve Jones, quick bowler Grace Potts and spinner Darcey Carter to bolster her ranks, while Australian batter Katie Mack will play the first three games of the campaign before being replaced by compatriot, superstar leg-spinner Alana King, for the remainder of the Luff bolstered her Somerset line-up with the addition of England all-rounder Charlie Dean before the season, and Australian leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington is also back, having played last season under their old Western Storm identity, boosting a squad which already boasts former England skipper Heather Smith might have seen her Surrey side – formerly South East Stars – fall short in the County Cup final, but with England's Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley and Alice Davidson-Richards in her squad and Australian bat Grace Harris arriving in June, hopes will be high of challenging for a fourth final in five years in this year's Charlotte Edwards Cup winners, The Blaze, might just be the team to beat, with skipper Kirstie Gordon able to call upon Maddy Green of New Zealand in the opening four matches before Australia's Heather Graham arrives for the final 10, with Gordon's Scotland team-mates, sisters Kathryn and Sarah Bryce, back for another tilt at silverware. Global stars jet in for Blast A host of global white-ball talent will be jetting over to take part in the men's GroupBears were dealt a blow on the eve of the tournament as Beau Webster will now miss out after being called up by Australia for the World Test Championship, while Hasan Ali will be unavailable for the first three games after being given a central contract by have signed Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope after countryman Ashton Agar was ruled out through injury. Pope was named in the team of the tournament in the Big Bash earlier this year, while South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke is also have signed New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham. The left-hander is a veteran of 83 T20 internationals and 76 ODI games for the Black who also bowls right-arm seam, will play for his sixth county after previous stints with Derbyshire, Essex, Kent, Leicestershire and have also signed New Zealand seamer Zak Foulkes, who was with Bears last summer, for the group stages, still have South Africans David Bedingham and Codi Yusuf around and taken Somerset bowling all-rounder Kasey Aldridge on loan for a paceman Ben Dwarshuis has returned to Worcestershire Rapids, having taken 15 wickets in 2021, and will be joined by Kiwi seamer Jacob Duffy for the first eight games, while Leicestershire can call on Dutch all-rounder Logan van Beek and will welcome Pakistan's Shan Masood, formerly of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, for the have signed Australian all-rounder Ashton Turner, previously of Durham, to join compatriot Chris Green, while Notts Outlaws have brought in their compatriot Daniel Sams, who has spent the last three domestic seasons with Essex, scoring more than 2,000 runs and taking 214 wickets in T20 cricket, and veteran Aussie all-rounder Moises Henriques, who has previously played for Surrey and batter Alex Hales will not, however, feature this 36-year-old is the club's all-time T20 run-scorer with 4,285, and he has won five titles across different formats, having made his debut in the format 17 years will instead represent the Knight Riders franchise in both Major League Cricket and the Caribbean Premier have signed New Zealand quick Will O'Rourke and Australian all-rounder Will Sutherland for the group stage while Derbyshire can call on Australian batter Caleb Jewell and teenage Afghan spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, while Kiwi quick Blair Tickner is also around for the group GroupAustralia batter D'Arcy Short has joined defending champions left-hander, who can also bowl spin, has played for his country in both white-ball formats and has twice been named 'Player of the Tournament' in Australia's Big Bash. Short joins fellow countryman Cameron Bancroft with The have brought back Australian seamer Riley Meredith, who took 14 wickets at an average of 22.78 as Somerset reached the final last season, and welcome back New Zealand's Matt Henry, who was the leading wicket-taker in the 2023 Blast with 31 and was player of the match in the final as Somerset went on to win the have re-signed Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Amir. The 33-year-old, who previously played for the club from 2017 to 2019, has taken 371 wickets in 322 T20 games around the world and will join South African Simon Harmer in the Essex Hawks have young South African batters Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis to call on, along with the return of James Vince to look forward have signed Kiwi white-ball skipper Mitchell Santner for the campaign, where he will link up with fellow New Zealander Nathan Smith, while neighbours Middlesex can boast Kane Williamson in their ranks for 10 group stage games and also have Ireland quick Josh Little to call have signed Australian all-rounder Hayden Kerr, who played for Derbyshire in 2022, until the end of July and can call upon the evergreen South African Colin Ingram, while Sussex Sharks have Australians Daniel Hughes and Nathan McAndrew among their ranks and might also opt to utilise their compatriot seamer Gurinder Sandhu, who will remain with the club for red-ball cricket after the paceman Wes Agar and bowling all-rounder Tom Rogers are back with Kent Spitfires after impressive turns in 2024, while Sam Billings will skipper the side and Fred Klaassen is also available.
