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BBC News
5 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Hawks beat Surrey in rain-hit contest to go top
A fine bowling display helped Hampshire Hawks win at Surrey via DLS in the T20 Blast, while Middlesex's game against Kent was a slow pitch in the second game of a soggy south London double-header at The Oval, Hampshire put the hosts in and then stifled them with the ball, limiting Surrey to just 14 boundaries in a modest total of miserly Scott Currie and Chris Wood picked up two wickets apiece as no Surrey batter passed 37, while in reply Toby Albert and James Vince steered the Hawks to 63-0 in the ninth over before the rain intervened, giving the visitors a 15-run win via DLS to go top of the South Zak Crawley smashed 57 from 34 balls after Kent were put in, but three wickets apiece for Tom Helm and Luke Hollman reduced the Spitfires to 172-9, and though they picked up their first points of the campaign, the elements denied the hosts the chance to end their 11-match winless streak at Lord's. Hawks find their groove to stay perfect With the prospect of weather playing a part, Hampshire won the toss and asked Surrey to bat Sibley cracked James Fuller over the ropes as Surrey put on 18 from the opening two overs of seam but South African spinner Bjorn Fortuin, making his debut in place of Liam Dawson, tempted Sibley into sweeping straight to John Turner for 13 in the Roy began to warm up as the hosts reached 43-1 at the end of the six-over powerplay but Currie tempted Ollie Pope into stepping across his stumps and trying to scoop, only to nick straight into the hands of keeper Albert and depart for 11. Pope has now made 25 runs across three games opening the batting and left his side 51-2 from eight was joined by skipper Sam Curran but his side were 64-2 at the midway point as the Hawks bowlers slowed their progress – limiting the hosts to just 10 boundaries and four sixes across the 20 pressure told as Roy tried to take Turner over the mid-wicket boundary, only to find Joe Weatherley just inside the rope and depart for 37 to leave his side 67-3 in the 12th over - though Roy finished as his side's leading scorer for the third straight Evans and Curran struggled to get to grips with the Hawks attack and Surrey were 91-3 with five overs remaining, though both cut loose in Turner's final over, with Curran launching back-to-back sixes to make it 21 runs from five balls before miscuing the final ball into the sky for Vince to catch and send Curran packing for 34 from 25 Curran picked out Weatherley with a skier to deep square off Wood (2-27) and Ollie Sykes was caught by Currie for one three balls later while Weatherley picked up his third catch to dismiss Chris Jordan for eight off Currie (2-17) to end the 19th put down a sharp chance at second slip off the opening ball of the reply from Dan Worrall, giving Albert another life, but the Surrey bowlers kept the Hawks in check until the rain began to fallThe final over of the powerplay, Sam Curran's first, cost 16 runs amid some errant fielding and saw the Hawks reach 10 wickets in hand, Hawks were well ahead of the DLS rate of 48 when they were eventually called off after 8.2 overs with the score finished unbeaten on 33 from 28 deliveries with Albert on 28 from 22 at the other end as the Hawks picked up just their second T20 win over Surrey in the past 11 meetings. Middlesex wait for Lord's win goes on Seven miles to the north, Middlesex won the toss and opted to bowl first after a slightly delayed start, seeking their first win in 12 at Lord's - a run going back to Bell-Drummond top-edged an attempted cut off paceman Helm through to the keeper for seven to leave Kent 21-1 in the third Muyeye hit back-to-back boundaries off debutant Josh Little in his first over to move into the 30s while Crawley ended the over with a mighty six over deep square to take Kent to 54-1 at the end of the six-over later, Muyeye departed for 34 from 26 balls as a low delivery from Zafar Gohar clipped his off stump and Joe Denly was soon stumped by Jack Davies at the second attempt off leg-spinner Hollman to leave the score on 69-3 at the end of the eighth Billings joined Crawley but was pinned lbw for eight attempting a reverse sweep off Hollman as the Spitfires reached 87-4 at the midway Benjamin helped his side into three figures on the 13th over but was run-out for a run-a-ball 15 and seemed to suffer a shoulder injury as he unsuccessfully dived to make his ground to beat Ben Geddes' throw from the followed up his blistering 37 in Kent's opening win at Gloucestershire with a 32-ball half-century which he brought up with his second six off followed it up with another but his attempt at a third in succession saw Ryan Higgins take a fine catch inside the rope to depart for 57 from 34 ballsTom Rogers made a breezy 16 but holed-out off Helm as Kent slipped from 112-4 to 155-9 as Helm had Grant Stewart and Wes Agar caught in the deep in consecutive deliveries, though Nathan Gilchrist survived the hat-trick last man added 17 from the final nine balls along with Fred Klaassen (14*) and slashed a six off the final ball from Noah Cornwell to finish unbeaten on 10 and see Kent close on were hoping for a five-over slog to reach 57 for victory but the rain did not relent before the 21:26 BST cut-off and the sides had to settle for two points apiece which helped the hosts get off the mark after two straight defeats, while Kent remain unbeaten after two matches.
Powys County Times
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Kent beat holders Gloucestershire in Blast thriller as Somerset see off Surrey
Zak Crawley played his part in an explosive Kent batting display which was enough to ensure Gloucestershire started the defence of their Vitality Blast crown with a four-run loss. Crawley smashed four maximums in a rapid 37 from 17 balls while Daniel Bell-Drummond top-scored for hosts Kent with 60 in an imposing total of 208 for three in Canterbury. It proved too much for Gloucestershire but only just as late hitting by Ben Charlesworth (38) revived their hopes before two for 22 by Tom Rogers made sure the champions got their South Group campaign under way with a defeat after being restricted to 204 for seven. Just the 26 runs off five balls for Zak Crawley 😅 — Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) May 30, 2025 Somerset won a repeat of last year's semi-final with Surrey despite a fine innings of 92 by former England opener Jason Roy. Roy, who last played for his country in 2023, scorched a scintillating 92, but received little support as Surrey limped to 146 for nine. Overseas pace duo Matt Henry and Riley Meredith claimed three-wicket hauls for 2024 runners-up Somerset, who won by five wickets with 13 balls to spare after Will Smeed led the way at the top of the order with 35. Liam Dawson had Essex in a spin to help Hampshire record a thumping 106-run victory at Ageas Bowl. James Vince (62) was one of three Hampshire batters to pass fifty and it helped his team post a mammoth 230 for seven. Michael Pepper struck 51 for Essex before falling to Dawson, who finished with four for 26 after recently being recalled to the England set-up. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) Birmingham Bears topped North Group last year but started this season with a seven-wicket loss to Nottinghamshire in a high-scoring encounter. Sam Hain's unbeaten 92 proved the bedrock of Bears' 226 for five, but he was outclassed at Trent Bridge by Jack Haynes. Haynes blitzed 89 not out from 41 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes, to lead Nottinghamshire home in the final over. A superb individual display by David Willey inspired Northamptonshire to a 13-run victory over former club Yorkshire in another run fest. Northamptonshire captain Willey struck 54 and along with Justin Broad's 67 it helped the away side make 237 for four at Headingley. Both James Wharton and Will Sutherland hit 58 for Yorkshire, but three for 42 for Willey made sure his new team fought back to limit the hosts to 224 for nine. Shan Masood guided Leicestershire to a five-wicket triumph over Derbyshire with 45 not out. Derbyshire made 170 for six, but were indebted to 70 down the order from Martin Andersson after three for 37 from Logan van Been had them reeling on 51 for five.
The Independent
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Kent beat holders Gloucestershire in Blast thriller as Somerset see off Surrey
Zak Crawley played his part in an explosive Kent batting display which was enough to ensure Gloucestershire started the defence of their Vitality Blast crown with a four-run loss. Crawley smashed four maximums in a rapid 37 from 17 balls while Daniel Bell-Drummond top-scored for hosts Kent with 60 in an imposing total of 208 for three in Canterbury. It proved too much for Gloucestershire but only just as late hitting by Ben Charlesworth (38) revived their hopes before two for 22 by Tom Rogers made sure the champions got their South Group campaign under way with a defeat after being restricted to 204 for seven. Somerset won a repeat of last year's semi-final with Surrey despite a fine innings of 92 by former England opener Jason Roy. Roy, who last played for his country in 2023, scorched a scintillating 92, but received little support as Surrey limped to 146 for nine. Overseas pace duo Matt Henry and Riley Meredith claimed three-wicket hauls for 2024 runners-up Somerset, who won by five wickets with 13 balls to spare after Will Smeed led the way at the top of the order with 35. Liam Dawson had Essex in a spin to help Hampshire record a thumping 106-run victory at Ageas Bowl. James Vince (62) was one of three Hampshire batters to pass fifty and it helped his team post a mammoth 230 for seven. Michael Pepper struck 51 for Essex before falling to Dawson, who finished with four for 26 after recently being recalled to the England set-up. Birmingham Bears topped North Group last year but started this season with a seven-wicket loss to Nottinghamshire in a high-scoring encounter. Sam Hain's unbeaten 92 proved the bedrock of Bears' 226 for five, but he was outclassed at Trent Bridge by Jack Haynes. Haynes blitzed 89 not out from 41 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes, to lead Nottinghamshire home in the final over. A superb individual display by David Willey inspired Northamptonshire to a 13-run victory over former club Yorkshire in another run fest. Northamptonshire captain Willey struck 54 and along with Justin Broad's 67 it helped the away side make 237 for four at Headingley. Both James Wharton and Will Sutherland hit 58 for Yorkshire, but three for 42 for Willey made sure his new team fought back to limit the hosts to 224 for nine. Shan Masood guided Leicestershire to a five-wicket triumph over Derbyshire with 45 not out. Derbyshire made 170 for six, but were indebted to 70 down the order from Martin Andersson after three for 37 from Logan van Been had them reeling on 51 for five. A mature innings from Pakistan captain Masood endured Leicestershire chased their target with minimal fuss with Pat Brown, who earned an England Lions recall last winter, smashed for 47 off his 2.4 overs.
Telegraph
30-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Ben McKinney: The 6ft 7in former Sunderland footballer turned England cricketer
There are a lot of dangers opening the batting, not least a clonk on the head from a fast bowler, but Ben McKinney suffered one of the more bizarre injuries this season. McKinney, the Durham opener fancied by England and playing for the Lions against India this week, missed a championship match against Hampshire earlier this month after injuring himself pressing a button in a lift. 'I had a heavy bag on my shoulder and bent down to press the button. My back went into spasm and that was it,' he says. McKinney was on a roll at that point, and since missing the Hampshire match has recorded two ducks, although one of them, against Somerset last weekend, did come with an upside. 'I was already out so was able to watch the play-off final [on the TV in the dressing room]. One of the only occasions I've been glad to be out.' McKinney is a lifelong Sunderland fan, and was on their books until the age of 16, so his happiness at seeing their win over Sheffield United is understandable. Now it is time to think about cricket and England. Zak Crawley's century against Zimbabwe has cemented his place but 20 year-old McKinney, a 6ft 7in left-hander with a touch of Matthew Hayden about him, is likely the next candidate. 'I think about it every day,' he says of playing Test cricket. 'Right from when I was a kid. It's the dream, it's the end goal for me.' McKinney has gone from strength to strength in a short period of time. He stroked an action-packed 110 off 100 balls for the England Lions in a first-class match against Australia A in January and showed another side to his game against Warwickshire last month with a patient 186-ball century to anchor the Durham innings on a tricky pitch. Those two ducks have brought his average down to 31 this season, but opening the batting in county cricket, when seven championship matches are played on pitches in April and May, is a risky existence. McKinney is the latest graduate of the Durham talent pipeline: state-school educated and brought up in Durham club cricket playing for Seaham Harbour. The family lived 'about five minutes' from the Seaham ground, McKinney says. His father Neil was a decent club cricketer and fired his son's early ambitions. 'I think my dad still loves cricket more than me. I couldn't even tell you how many hours he put into me as a kid. I was down in the nets for four or five hours at least. Yeah, I can't thank him enough.' With his height, he has the build to be a Brydon Carse-type fast bowler, but McKinney has always been a batsman and feels he has really learnt to put his own stamp on his game over the past year, partly by accepting that at his height he is not going to look like a classically trained batsman such as Joe Root. 'First of all I really want to just be a well-rounded batsman. Sometimes you can feel a million dollars and climb around the front foot banging people through the covers, but I think the best part of batting is doing whatever the scenario needs. The innings against Warwickshire, for example, probably the slowest I've batted but against a very good seam attack on a slow wicket, sometimes you can't score with a strike rate of 100 or 80. 'When I was in the second team I always wanted to look like a proper batsman and by that, I mean, like a nice technique. For some reason I had in my head that I wanted to look perfect, and I just don't think you can with how tall I am. As soon as I put that out of my head, learnt my own game, and did things how I wanted to to do them, it really just simplified things. You can then set realistic goals for yourself because there's nothing worse than coming off the field and thinking that is not how Joe Root would have got out.' McKinney is a talented sportsman. He was in the Sunderland academy until the age of 16, playing as a central midfielder. While his team-mates are yet to make it at Sunderland, several of his regular opponents in age-group teams are now in the Premier League. He played against Manchester City's Rico Lewis, who is the same age, and Lewis Hall, who joined Newcastle last year for £28 million. 'I was, to be fair to myself, a decent footballer, but it's obviously really hard to break through. I'm not saying it's not hard to crack cricket, but the chances and the amount of people that play football make it tough. And, you know, there's people that loved it [football] more than me as well. Cricket was always the number one for me.' The Lions tour was a breakthrough for McKinney. Powerful on the front foot and off side, he really caught the eye of the England management, particularly Lions coach Andrew Flintoff, whose influence in the set-up is massive. With his attitude and positivity, McKinney fits the bill and we know this England set up is not averse to picking a player at his age. 'Freddie spoke to me about self confidence and presence. I used to actually be quite a small presence at the crease in terms of posture and body language. The big thing I got from him was, actually, yeah, I'm at the crease now, and no one's gonna get me out and I'm gonna try and bully the bowler. It's not a disrespectful thing to anyone. It's just that self confidence. It does help. I'm quite the opposite person off the field.'
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Five questions England must answer before the India series: Will Sam Cook get another chance and how significant were Shoaib Bashir's nine wickets against Zimbabwe?
England eased to a three-day Test victory against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge but there are still many things to ponder ahead of their five-match showdown with India over the next few months. Shoaib Bashir collected a career-best haul of nine wickets but tougher days lie ahead for Brendon McCullum's side. Zimbabwe, following on, were knocked over for 255 as Bashir claimed six for 81 to leave England celebrating victory by an innings and 45 runs. After England began their Test summer with victory at Trent Bridge, Mail Sport looks at five questions they must answer before the series against India begins next month. Are Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope undroppable after their centuries in Nottingham? Even if Crawley had been dismissed for a golden duck, it would have made no difference to England's contention that his track record against India and Australia guarantees selection. His fifth Test hundred, though, has shut down any debate. Pope was less clear cut, because his No 3 slot was filled so skilfully by Jacob Bethell in New Zealand. And questions remain about the discrepancies on Pope's CV: an average of 188 against Ireland and Zimbabwe, but only 22 against India and Australia. 'I completely own that my numbers aren't good enough against those guys,' he said. 'But I think I am a better player than I was when we last played India at home and Australia away.' The speculation about his place, he insists, is just 'noise'. It felt significant that Ben Stokes sang Pope's praises after Saturday's win. And it would be unusual for England to drop their vice-captain a game after making 171. Australia may be delighted to hear it, but it's hard to see how Pope does not start against India at Headingley on June 20. Where does this leave Jacob Bethell? Despite having played just three Tests, Bethell already feels like a cause célèbre. When Stokes was asked before Trent Bridge – in the context of Bethell being the 'incumbent No 3' – what would happen for India, he said outsiders could 'put two and two together'. The question was clearly about his place in the team, though Stokes later insisted he was talking about the squad, and said suggestions to the contrary were part of a media 'agenda'. Yet Bethell, who averaged 52 in New Zealand, bowls decent left-arm spin and fields like a demon, may now pay the price for the ECB's desire to keep India sweet: had he played in Nottingham, he would have missed the tailend of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's push for a first IPL title. But he has appeared in only two of RCB's 13 games, which raises another question: if a player is merely warming the bench at the IPL, shouldn't his home board be able to recall him for international duty? Otherwise, what is the point of central contracts? If Bethell now has to wait until Pope fails in the first two Tests against India, he will have missed out on three games in which he could have burnished his experience before the Ashes. It all seems like an own goal. How significant were Shoaib Bashir's nine wickets against Zimbabwe? Given that England's three frontline seamers took six for 315 between them and went at 4.18 an over, Bashir's career-best haul played a crucial part in victory. Zimbabwe were 156 for two in their first innings, and 207 for four in their second: without his interventions, they might have made England sweat even more. Fears remain that India and Australia will feast on a bowler whose first-class record – 77 wickets at 48 – does not scream 'first-choice Test spinner'. But Stokes has not wavered in his belief that Bashir's raw attributes of height and bounce add up to a serious proposition, and there were some beautiful deliveries in Nottingham – not least the off-breaks which twice bowled Tafadzwa Tsiga. There were also signs he is tightening his line to the right-handers, with only one ball an over going down the leg side at Trent Bridge, compared with two an over in his Test career before that. He is also getting closer to the stumps, allowing him, he says, 'to finish off my action a little more'. The learning curve is steep, but he is clinging on. Will Sam Cook get another chance? Before the Zimbabwe Test, only seven one-cap wonders were still playing, of whom Jamie Overton and Josh Hull may well add to their tally. The worry is that Cook will become the eighth. All of county cricket wanted him to succeed in Nottingham, if only to restore the umbilical cord between the domestic and international arenas. But match figures of one for 119 at 3.84 an over felt like a letdown, and his pace dropped during the course of the game from around 81mph to as low as 75. Chris Woakes will surely take the new ball against India, while Matthew Potts may now be ahead of Cook in the pecking-order of seamers who operate at 83mph or slower. And that could spell bad news for Cook's Ashes hopes. How should we define Gus Atkinson? Atkinson enjoyed a stellar first year in Test cricket, for which he deserves leeway. But his pace dropped as 2024 progressed, from an average of 85.89mph on his debut to 80.07 in the last game of the year. In every Test since his first series, against West Indies, his average speed has been below 84mph. He got better on the second day in Nottingham, pinning Zimbabwe's first-innings centurion Brian Bennett lbw for one as the tourists followed on. But a thigh niggle limited him to just three overs on the third, and he emerged from the Test with an average speed of 83.76. The danger is that Atkinson drops into a different column in managing director Rob Key's spreadsheet, and ends up competing with Woakes, Potts and Cook, rather than Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood. Fast bowling can be a merciless business.
