Related items

• Hampshire boost Blast title defence while Nathan Sowter inspires Durham

  Reigning champions Hampshire beat rock-bottom Middlesex by five runs to continue their Vitality Blast title defence.

  John Turner claimed three for 30 as the Hawks defended their total of 164 for six.

  Ben McDermott top scored with 47 with Toby Albert scoring 32, with Middlesex unable to chase the total down.

  Max Holden’s 53 from 31 balls gave Middlesex hope but Hampshire held out as the hosts remain winless, reaching 159 for seven.

  Durham beat Northamptonshire by four wickets after Nathan Sowter’s heroics with the ball.

  Northamptonshire hit 161 for seven, with Emilio Gay top-scoring with 53, but Sowter took four for 14 to restrict them.

  Graham Clark (55) and Ashton Turner’s 31 not out helped steer Durham to victory with seven balls left.

  Yorkshire cruised past Leicestershire for a 30-run win.

  Yorkshire’s 156 for seven was anchored by all-rounder David Wiese’s unbeaten 50 which proved crucial.

  Wiaan Mulder top-scored with 46 for Leicestershire – who were all out for 126 – but they were left needing an unrealistic 32 off the final over, with Jordan Thompson’s five for 21 helping Yorkshire to a comfortable victory.

  Michael Pepper’s 48 helped Essex to a five-wicket win over Sussex.

  The visitors won with 31 balls to spare after easily reaching 149 for five to win, thanks also to Adam Rossington’s 35 and Daniel Sams’ unbeaten 29.

  Sussex were bowled out for 147, spearheaded by Ravi Bopara’s 50, but Sam Cook’s four for 20 was key for Essex.

• Stuart Broad hopeful Andy Flower does not reveal England secrets to Australia

  Stuart Broad is crossing his fingers that Andy Flower “doesn’t give away too many secrets” after the former England coach crossed the Ashes divide to link up with Australia.

  The Zimbabwean led England for five years between 2009 and 2014, taking the Test team to number one in the world and winning the urn on three occasions including an unforgettable victory Down Under in 2010/11.

  He remained with the England and Wales Cricket Board in a variety of roles – including Lions coach, selector and interim director of cricket – before finally departing in 2019 to work as a freelance consultant coach.

  The 55-year-old, who won last year’s Hundred with Trent Rockets, was spotted at Australia’s training session on Monday, helping them prepare for English conditions in this week’s World Test Championship final against India. It has also been confirmed that he will return during the Ashes series to work with the team.

  Broad, who played much of his formative international cricket under Flower, accepts the appointment will be of some assistance to the tourists but pointed out that the current regime of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes had changed things up significantly since he was last inside the dressing room.

  “What’s he doing working for Australia? I didn’t know that,” he told the PA news agency at an event with new England sponsors Laithwaites.

  “Andy is someone I learned a lot from early on in my career, he taught me a lot about how to stand up to the battle of Test match cricket. I really enjoyed working under him and winning Ashes series under him. He did a lot for English cricket in his time with Andrew Strauss as captain.

  “Hopefully he doesn’t give away too many secrets! But the game has changed a lot in the last 12 months…I don’t think anyone knows any secrets on the way Brendon and Stokesy operate with this team. He’ll bring a lot of experience of Test grounds here and how the pitches play, I just hope he doesn’t share them.”

  Australia captain Pat Cummins welcomed Flower’s involvement as a source of information ahead of the series.

  “He’ll dip in and out, it’s a different voice,” he told reporters.

  “He knows these conditions really well, hopefully knows the opposition. If he can give us one little bit of insight into playing in England that we haven’t thought about, then it’s worth it. We’re pretty lucky to have someone as experienced as Andy.”

  England have no real cause for complaint, having imported their fair share of overseas coaches over the years. Australian David Saker is currently back in the England set-up as fast bowling coach for a second stint, having held the same role with the Baggy Greens in between.

  “Sakesy knows a lot about the Aussie guys, he has a lot of respect the Australia players, but we’ve got players in our changing room who know more than the coaches with the amount we’ve played against them – Stokesy, Rooty, Jimmy Anderson and myself to name a few,” Broad added.

  “There’s enough detail out there for everyone to know what’s going on.”

  :: Stuart Broad was speaking at the launch of wine merchant Laithwaites’ partnership with England Cricket. For exclusive offers on great wines this summer, visit laithwaites.co.uk.

• Scott Boland edges Michael Neser for place in Australia XI for WTC against India

  Australia’s Scott Boland has been given the nod to take on India in this week’s World Test Championship, edging out Michael Neser.

  Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the showpiece at the Kia Oval with a side injury, leaving Boland and Neser fighting for the final spot in Australia’s pace attack.

  Boland held the edge having been named in the initial squad, but Neser’s strong form with Glamorgan in the LV= County Championship made him an intriguing option in English conditions.

  Captain Pat Cummins did not leave the pair waiting to find out, though, confirming Boland’s selection on Tuesday morning.

  The 34-year-old made a stunning introduction to international cricket during the 2021-22 Ashes series, taking six for seven in the Boxing Day Test the MCG to seal the series. He has already taken 28 wickets in seven Tests and averages a remarkable 13.42.

  “Someone like Scotty, it’s just a really simple game-plan – you hit your good areas and you stay there all day and hopefully the ball will do the work for you,” Cummins told Australian reporters.

  “He’s had a few bowls over here now and has looked good. But he looks good whenever he bowls. Scott is a seam bowler on a good length, but he just offers something slightly different to Joshy Hazlewood, and Starcy (Mitchell Starc). Being a left-hander is bit different.

  “In the past here in England, because the ball does talk a little more, I’ve seen players get too caught up in trying to take wickets every ball because you’ve suddenly got the ball swinging and seaming.”

  Australia are expected to revert to their preferred team balance after shifting the make-up of their XI in their most recent series in India.

  That means five specialist batters, Cameron Green as all-rounder, Alex Carey behind the stumps, three fast bowlers and first-choice spinner Nathan Lyon.