Division One leaders Warwickshire claimed their third LV= Insurance County Championship win of the season after beating fellow title hopefuls Essex inside three days at Edgbaston.
Chris Rushworth produced another stunning display as Essex were dismissed for 215 in their second innings, the veteran seamer taking four for 62 to finish with match figures of eight for 90.
The winter arrival from Durham has now taken 30 wickets this season and his efforts, combined with Hasan Ali (four for 48), left Warwickshire needing exactly 100 for victory, which they knocked off with four wickets to spare.
Dane Paterson claimed five wickets as Nottinghamshire earned victory by an innings and 25 runs over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
The Steelbacks were reeling at 11 for four after Paterson’s first four victims came in an opening burst of eight overs and, despite Saif Zaib showing some resilience with 26, they were dismissed for just 72.
Northamptonshire collapsed in their first innings, losing seven wickets for 17 runs as Nottinghamshire’s bowling attack proved too strong.
Earlier Joe Clarke (76) scored his second half-century of the season to give Nottinghamshire a 97-run advantage which could have been more but for career-best figures of four for 24 for James Sales. Tom Taylor also took four wickets.
Surrey moved into the driving seat against Middlesex at the Kia Oval as a first-innings lead of 171 gave them hope of securing a third win of the season.
Jamie Smith made 97 and their last three wickets added 97 to swell their total to 380.
Middlesex, hustled out for 209 the first time around, were 128 for three at the close, still 43 behind.
Daryl Mitchell scored a debut century to put Lancashire back into contention against Somerset at Emirates Old Trafford.
The New Zealander’s brilliant knock of 105 helped a Red Roses side missing the injured James Anderson close their first innings on 326, just 35 behind the visitors.
Somerset extended that lead to 149 at the close as they reached stumps at 114 for three with opener Tom Lammonby unbeaten on 40.
Kent – dismissed for just 95 in their first innings – must battle hard against Hampshire at Canterbury to avoid defeat.
The hosts are on 66 for no loss in their second innings, trailing by 212, with Zak Crawley unbeaten on 35 and Ben Compton 30 not out.
Earlier Liam Dawson hit 84, Joe Weatherly 58 and James Fuller 51 as Hampshire posted 373 in their first innings to take a firm grip on proceedings.
Timm van der Gugten cemented his place as the leading bowler in Division Two this season as Glamorgan wrapped up a convincing victory over Worcestershire in Cardiff.
The Australian-Dutch international claimed his third five-wicket haul of the season as Worcestershire were bowled out in the first hour of play. Glamorgan openers Eddie Byrom (51 not out) and captain David Lloyd (30 not out) chased down the target of 79 to seal a 10-wicket win.
That gave Glamorgan their first victory of the season and 20 points, while Worcestershire slipped to a second defeat since their opening-round victory against Derbyshire.
Yorkshire and Durham set up thrilling finale at Seat Unique Riverside.
Defending a total of 246, Matthew Fisher claimed four wickets to turn the game in the favour of the visitors after Durham had threatened to inch their way towards victory courtesy of a fifty from Michael Jones.
Durham were 173 for eight before Ben Raine (32 not out) and Matthew Potts (13 not out) formed a defiant partnership of 40.
The home side require 33 runs to win with two wickets remaining but the fitness of Brydon Carse, who missed all of day three due to injury, is a huge concern.
Sussex boosted their bid to take over top spot in Division Two by forcing Leicestershire to follow on at Grace Road.
The home side were dismissed for 270 – with four-wicket hauls for Ari Karvelas and Fynn Hudson-Prentice – in reply to Sussex’s 430 before reaching stumps 16 without loss in their second go.
Derbyshire opener Harry Came claimed his maiden first-class century with 108 from 192 balls against Gloucestershire at Derby.
Came’s effort took Derbyshire to 251 for nine declared and, in an even rain-affected contest, Gloucestershire reached 195 for five with Ben Charlesworth unbeaten on 58.
Archer back in IPL auction despite being left off the shortlist
Jofra Archer will be in the IPL auction after all, having been left off the shortlist initially.
The fast bowler was an entry on the longlist but did not appear among the names after it had been whittled down to 574 last week.
There had been no word from Archer as to why he had pulled out of the auction and re-entered, although the prospect of playing in the IPL in future could have been key.
According to new rules in the competition, a player will be ineligible to play in the IPL for two years if they do not enter the auction.
Archer has struggled with injury since 2020 and has carefully worked his way back from an elbow problem he suffered last year. Having been part of England's white-ball set-up since May, he has a desire to get back into Test cricket.
The 29-year-old has not played the longest form of the game in nearly four years and, if picked for the IPL, could find it harder to get back into it.
With the early rounds of the County Championship season clashing with the IPL, it could harm Archer's ability to prove his fitness and reduce his chances of playing in a home Test in 2025. Additionally, he could also find it difficult to force his way in for the Ashes in Australia next winter.
Magnificent Bumrah humbles Australia after India batting collapse
India wrestled control back from Australia to leave them 67-7 at the close of play, despite having been bowled out for just 150 earlier on a remarkable first day in Perth.
The tourists chose to bat first, having made six changes from their Test defeat to New Zealand earlier this month, but things did not go well for them as they were reduced to 32-3 and 73-6.
Virat Kohli struggled again and went for just five after being caught by Usman Khawaja. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and number three Devdutt Padikkal were both playing in Australia for the first time and were dismissed for ducks.
Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) dragged India to a level of respectability before their bowlers tore through the Australian batting lineup.
Jasprit Bumrah (4-17) was India's saviour, producing a spell to leave the hosts 19-3. Nathan McSweeney (10) went on lbw after a review, Khawaja (8) was caught in the slips and Steve Smith was out on his first ball after another lbw.
Both Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh went for a combined total of 17 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne next to go for two off 52 balls. Pat Cummins was the final wicket of the day, meaning Australia finished on 67-7 with Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc at the crease.
Data debrief: Australia and India go wicket crazy
It was undoubtedly a day for the bowlers on the first day in Perth, with 17 wickets being the most to have fallen on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
While all 10 of Australia's wickets were caught, India managed four dismissals through either bowling their opponent or lbw.
Following his unplayable performance in Perth, Bumrah now has 177 Test wickets for his country and can count himself unlucky not to have had more.
50 years of Greatness: Philip Spooner sits down with Sir Viv and Sir Gordon on their famous Test debuts
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the first day that two of the greatest cricketers of all-time set foot on the international stage.
On November 22, 1974, Sir Gordon Greenidge and Sir Vivian Richards made their Test debuts against India. The match was played at the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium in Bangalore.
These two cricketing titans had illustrious careers that spanned from 1974 to 1991 and cemented their place among the pantheon of global sporting icons. During that time, they were pillars of the all-conquering West Indies team, which ruled the cricket world in red ball and white ball formats.
Both remembered the first day of action on Indian soil “like it was yesterday”.
The 23-year-old Greenidge was officially the 150th West Indies Test player. He entered with a flourish, scoring 93 and 107. This piloted West Indies to a huge win by 267 runs and a great start to the five-match series.
Sir Gordon Greenidge
The 22-year-old Richards is officially listed as the 151st West Indies Test player. He endured a tough start against the wizardry of Bhagwant Chandrasekhar. He fell to ace spinner in both innings for only three and four. But he rebounded in spectacular fashion next match with a sensational 192 not out at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. He struck 20 fours and six towering sixes to showcase his prowess and announce his arrival. West Indies won the match by an innings.
Sir Gordon said: “It was a great feeling ... a truly wonderful feeling to walk out and open the batting for the West Indies in my first Test match in India. You were going to face four of the best spinners in the world, and that was a frightening aspect. But I’m pleased to say I was able to overcome those fears pretty quicky and was able to get a formidable score and a personal achievement. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to triple figures in the first innings. But I was able to buckle down again in the second innings and got the hundred and the team won the Test match.”
Sir Viv said: “I didn’t really expect to play … I thought I was going as a replacement … I hit some good form going into the series and the confidence was there. I remember in those day we had some huge crowds … They were maybe 60 000 to 70 000 people in the stands. They (India) were renowned for their spinners, Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and Venkat, so it was just different in my perspective. Coming from a small island, you were playing in front of a crowd that was as many as the country where you lived… There was quite a lot happening. Those were testing times…”
He added: “Wow! To get a century in my second Test was a great feeling. I felt that with the mindset of selectors back in those days I was on my last lap, so I had to get something done … better than I did in Bangalore … ‘192 clicks not out’. That was a serious comeback and created the confidence a young man needed to have a successful tour and successful career.”
Sir Isaac Vivian Richards
Sir Gordon and Sir Viv are rated among the best batsmen in history. Among their many accolades, they were named as Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1977 and are inductees in the International Cricket Council’s prestigious Hall of Fame. They were also members of the West Indies team that won the inaugural ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1975 at Lord’s in England and repeated in 1979.
Both ended their careers with stellar records. Richards played 121 matches and made 8 540 runs at an average of 50.2. His best score was 291 against England at The Oval on the historic 1976 tour of England. In his first-class career, he made 36,212 runs with 114 centuries. Greenidge played 108 Tests and made 7 558 runs at an average of 44.7. His top score was 226 against Australia at Kensington Oval in 1991 in his penultimate Test innings. In his first-class career, he made 37 354 runs with 92 centuries.
Looking back over the 50 years, Richards said that above all, wearing the West Indies colours brought him greatest pride. This was echoed by Greenidge.
Sir Viv said: “It is not about what you achieve personally, as an individual…but it is much more about what we did as a collective for the people of the West Indies. The same way when we bleed, we bleed together and when we win, we win together, and we have fun.”
Sir Gordon said: “Getting the nod to play for West Indies. I would have to say is the greatest moment of my career. In a land where people found it difficult to go and I managed to start so well. It might seem very strange to say that, but to get the opportunity to play, I would say I accomplished something that so many people dream of doing. I am happy to get that opportunity to play for the West Indies and for as long as I did. Representing the West Indies is the ultimate. We played for our people in the West Indies and the many people overseas who supported us.”
Philip Spooner is the former Media Manager of the West Indies team and the former Head of Media for Cricket West Indies. He was also the Global Media Manager for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
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