Latest news with #Northants
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Unlucky Weatherall hopes to avoid future injuries
Raphy Weatherall (second from left) took eight wickets in two County Championship games this season before his injury [Getty Images] Northamptonshire fast bowler Raphy Weatherall is planning to hone his technique to avoid future injuries after suffering a stress fracture in his back for the second season in a row. The 20-year-old was out of action from mid-August last summer and has been unable to play since April this season. Advertisement Weatherall, who has also just completed a second year of studies at the University of Exeter, has played for England at Under-19 level and is the county's most promising young pace bowler. "I've had a bit of a rest and I've now got three months of rehabbing and working back to fitness for the start of next year," he told BBC Radio Northampton's The Cricket Show. "That's the focus for me, just getting as strong as possible and working on my technique a lot during the season. "I spoke to (bowling coach) Rory (Kleinveldt) and he said I'm almost there but there's a few things I need to work on and bring them into games rather than just doing it in practice which will stand me in good stead in trying to avoid this injury in future." Advertisement Weatherall has played 20 games in all formats for Northants since making his first-team debut in a County Championship game against Middlesex in April 2024. Having recovered from last year's injury, he made a bright start to the current campaign by taking three wickets in each innings against Kent, but has been ruled out since the following week's trip to Emirates Old Trafford to play Lancashire. "I started well and I felt good - I felt fit and in good rhythm for those first two games, so to then start to feel this injury is quite frustrating, especially with all the work I'd done over the winter," he added. "I thought this could potentially be quite a big year for me and it's frustrating for it to be cut so short. (But) based on the experience I had last year, I now know what sort of recovery I need to focus on and the methods to achieve that." Advertisement Weatherall has been advised by head coach Darren Lehmann to distract himself with other interests, including his education. But he is intent on spending as much time around the team as possible and was at Worcester last Friday to see Ben Sanderson produce remarkable T20 Blast figures of 6-8, including a hat-trick. "I was with some of my friends and it was starting to get a little bit nerve-wracking and then Sando comes on and takes four in an over, it was unbelievable to watch," Weatherall added. "His experience, his ability to win games for us, is huge and I really need to learn from his craft."
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Unlucky Weatherall hopes to avoid future injuries
Northamptonshire fast bowler Raphy Weatherall is planning to hone his technique to avoid future injuries after suffering a stress fracture in his back for the second season in a 20-year-old was out of action from mid-August last summer and has been unable to play since April this who has also just completed a second year of studies at the University of Exeter, has played for England at Under-19 level and is the county's most promising young pace bowler."I've had a bit of a rest and I've now got three months of rehabbing and working back to fitness for the start of next year," he told BBC Radio Northampton's The Cricket Show."That's the focus for me, just getting as strong as possible and working on my technique a lot during the season."I spoke to (bowling coach) Rory (Kleinveldt) and he said I'm almost there but there's a few things I need to work on and bring them into games rather than just doing it in practice which will stand me in good stead in trying to avoid this injury in future." Weatherall has played 20 games in all formats for Northants since making his first-team debut in a County Championship game against Middlesex in April recovered from last year's injury, he made a bright start to the current campaign by taking three wickets in each innings against Kent, but has been ruled out since the following week's trip to Emirates Old Trafford to play Lancashire. "I started well and I felt good - I felt fit and in good rhythm for those first two games, so to then start to feel this injury is quite frustrating, especially with all the work I'd done over the winter," he added."I thought this could potentially be quite a big year for me and it's frustrating for it to be cut so short. (But) based on the experience I had last year, I now know what sort of recovery I need to focus on and the methods to achieve that."Weatherall has been advised by head coach Darren Lehmann to distract himself with other interests, including his he is intent on spending as much time around the team as possible and was at Worcester last Friday to see Ben Sanderson produce remarkable T20 Blast figures of 6-8, including a hat-trick. "I was with some of my friends and it was starting to get a little bit nerve-wracking and then Sando comes on and takes four in an over, it was unbelievable to watch," Weatherall added. "His experience, his ability to win games for us, is huge and I really need to learn from his craft."
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
McGrath hopes T20 Blast can boost Yorkshire fortunes
Anthony McGrath admits Yorkshire's red-ball efforts have been well below par so far this season but called on supporters to keep the faith as they switch to white-ball action on sit just one place off the Division One basement, with only one win from seven matches in the County Championship ahead of the mid-season while McGrath concedes fans are right to be critical, he is hoping the start of the T20 Blast, with Northants first up at Headingley on Friday, can bring a change of fortune."We've only got a few days' turnaround [from the defeat against Nottinghamshire] but I think that's a good thing," he told BBC Radio Leeds. "Players want to get out there again and we can't feel sorry for ourselves. "It's a new competition and it is about starting well. 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."McGrath admits Yorkshire's return to the top flight following promotion from Division Two last season has been underwhelming so far."Right here, right now we have got to look in ourselves, not just the players but all the coaches as well and we've got to find some answers," he added."Our members, supporters or people who follow us are not interested in ifs and buts. People should be critical and we have no problem with that. The table doesn't look great but that is not going to change."But this is no time to feel sorry for ourselves though. It's about understanding what it is to be a Yorkshire player and the levels we need to get to."On the face of it, the T20 Blast might appear unlikely to offer obvious comfort as Yorkshire remain one of only four counties - alongside Derbyshire, Durham and Glamorgan - who are yet to win a competition which is in its 23rd year."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."
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Triple century, dropped without explanation, comeback after 9 yrs: Karun Nair and England's story is of guns and roses
It was against England that, in Mohali in November 2016, he made his Test debut as a starry-eyed 24-year-old. A gorgeous stroke for four, his first scoring stroke, was followed by a terrible mix-up and a heartbreaking run-out when his captain, Virat Kohli, left him for dead. Three weeks later, in the final game of that same five-match series, Karun Nair produced a stunning riposte, unexpectedly gatecrashing into the elite list of Test triple-centurions with an extraordinary unbeaten 303 in Chennai – he still remains only the second Indian to score 300 in a Test innings, after Virender Sehwag (twice). That ought to have been the start of a glorious run in the five-day game. Instead, the right-hander who was born in Jodhpur and played most of his cricket for Karnataka before moving to Vidarbha two seasons back, figured in just three Tests thereafter, playing himself out of the XI after efforts of 26, 0, 23 and 5 against Australia at home in March 2017. He was still in the reckoning, travelling to England in the summer of 2018 as one of the middle-order hopefuls. There came the unkindest cut of all. Even though he was in the original squad, mid-series reinforcement Hanuma Vihari was handed his debut at The Oval in the final Test, stroking a fluent 56 and cementing his place for the immediate future. As for Karun, he was dropped like a hot potato, with no explanation. Left to his own devices, Karun hit a trough. From being Karnataka's captain, he was left to warm the benches until England – where else? – threw him a lifeline. Drafted in by Northamptonshire for the 2023 county season, he smashed 249 runs in three games at 83 and returned to the same team the following year, when he stacked up 487 runs in 11 matches. Between the two stints with Northants, Karun made a domestic switch, moving to Vidarbha as a professional. That catalysed the turnaround which has compelled the national selectors to bring him back into the Test squad after seven years. Test squad to do battle where? England, of course. There is no doubting the veracity of the vocal claims Karun has been making with the bat over the last couple of seasons. The crowning glory came in the season gone by, when he smashed 863 in the Ranji Trophy in nine matches, four hundreds, average 53.93; in the final against Kerala which Vidarbha won on the basis of their first-innings lead, he weighed in with 86 and 135. This, on the back of an extraordinary 779 runs in eight innings in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy where Vidarbha lost to his original home, Karnataka, in the final meant he didn't just knock on the doors of national selection, he practically broke them down like VVS Laxman had done nearly a quarter of a century ago, after being dropped from the Test side despite slotting in admirably as a makeshift opener. In December 2022, in a plaintive message on Twitter (now X), Karun had pleaded with 'dear cricket' to give him 'one more chance'. His chance is here. He is 33, an age where batters are close to their peak. He has 114 first-class appearances to his name. He has had prolonged recent taste of conditions in England, thanks to his two stints with Northants totalling 10 matches. He is in prime form, striking the ball beautifully, having found a mental balance that had perhaps deserted him in the immediacy of the snub in England in 2018. He is assured, composed, poised, aware of his strengths and mindful of the weaknesses that he is assiduously working on. His takedown of Jasprit Bumrah on his IPL return earlier this season was breathtaking, yes, but also indicative of the surge of confidence that suggests that he is no longer overawed by reputation. As India slip into the post-Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli era under a new, young captain, Karun and his former Karnataka teammate KL Rahul loom as the two most experienced batting hands within the squad that will be expected to supplement and complement the dynamic and youthful leadership duo of Shubman Gill and his deputy, Rishabh Pant. Karun has been a strong and successful captain himself, no longer the shy young man of seven years back whose reticence was conveniently construed as 'attitude' issues. His reintegration with Test cricket hasn't come about by accident; Karun has worked his backside off to get to where he is today. It's now time to cash in, to make up for missed opportunities. And to solidify his Karmic connection with England. Over to you, Karun.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Zaib hits century as Northants recover against Glos
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, County Ground, Northampton (day one) Northamptonshire 327-6: Zaib 141*, Sales 81; Charlesworth 2-41, Bailey 2-61 Gloucestershire: Yet to bat Northants 2 pts, Glos 2 pts Match scorecard Saif Zaib hit a superbly paced unbeaten 141, his highest first-class score and third century of the season, as Northamptonshire staged a sterling fightback on day one of this County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Wantage Road. Zaib combined with James Sales (81) in a fifth-wicket stand worth 148 in 44.2 overs after Northamptonshire's top order slumped to 57-4 before lunch. Gloucestershire's Archie Bailey, 19, bowled with express pace and accounted for two of the first four wickets to fall on his return to the town of his birth. But with little pace or bounce in the wicket to assist a thoroughly disciplined Gloucestershire bowling attack, Sales and Zaib were content to absorb the pressure before pressing the accelerator. Sales played the dominant partner at first before Zaib took over, marching to his ton from 147 balls and going past his previous best of 135 against Sussex in 2021. Amidst an admirably persistent Gloucestershire bowling performance, both Bailey, playing only his third first-class game, and Ben Charlesworth picked up two wickets apiece with Northamptonshire finishing the day handily placed on 327-6. Northamptonshire refreshed their batting line-up after last week's heavy defeat by Glamorgan, bringing in Gus Miller for his first game this season and rewarding promising teenager Aadi Sharma with his senior debut. It was a familiar start though when Tom Price struck in the fifth over, trapping Ricardo Vasconelos lbw. Miller and Luke Procter looked to build a partnership amidst a miserly opening bowling partnership between Price and Matt Taylor before both fell within 10 balls. First Miller chased a wide one from Bailey and edged to second slip. The in-form Procter (20) looked in good touch again, but when Bailey came round the wicket and swung one back in, the Northamptonshire captain was trapped lbw as he moved across his stumps. Sales started to steady the ship, steering one down to third to bring up Northamptonshire's 50 in the 23rd over, while Sharma, who looked unfazed by the occasion, cut Charlesworth firmly for four. The debutant failed to capitalise on the bowler's next delivery, a loose short ball, and pulled it straight to square leg. Zaib was fortunate to survive a run out appeal early in his innings on 19. Graeme van Buuren threw down the stumps at the non-strikers' end with a direct hit, but Zaib was adjudged not out, although his bat appeared short of his crease. Sales and Zaib duly brought up their 50 partnership off 122 balls before Sales went on the offensive. By contrast the next 50 runs came in quick time off just 62 deliveries in the afternoon sunshine. Sales punched Zaman Akhter off the backfoot square for four and reached 50 when he glided Ollie Price down to third. He tucked into the off-spinner's next over too, helping himself to three further boundaries, smashing Price over mid-on and forcing him out of the attack. Zaib upped the tempo before tea too, hitting Bailey straight down the ground and sweeping van Buuren to the ropes to bring up his half-century off 101 balls, Northamptonshire going into the tea break on 184-4. It was van Buuren who finally broke the partnership soon after the resumption when Ollie Price took a sharp tumbling catch at short mid-wicket as Sales played an attempted pull. But Zaib carried on unabated, taking three boundaries off Bailey, driving and pulling to good effect, although he rode his luck against van Buuren when an edge flew just wide of slip. George Bartlett, moved down the order for this game, fell cheaply when he edged behind to a Charlesworth delivery which was too close to cut. Zaib though continued at pace to bring up his century. By comparison, his first 50 had come off 101 balls, his second off just 46. He treated the crowd to an array of shots all around the ground throughout the evening session. Lewis McManus (33 not out) provided excellent support, driving Taylor for four to take Northamptonshire past 300 and a second batting bonus point. ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport
