Steve Smith finds form with Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad among the wickets

By Sports Desk May 18, 2023

Steve Smith enjoyed a timely return to form on his third and final appearance for Sussex with 68 not out to help them into a commanding position on day one against Glamorgan.

This star-studded LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two encounter started with Ollie Robinson dismissing Ashes rival Marnus Labuschagne for one on his way to figures of four for 29.

It helped skittle Glamorgan for 129 before Smith delighted the bumper crowd at Hove with more than two and a half hours at the crease.

Tom Haines (58) and teenager James Coles (50 not out) provided strong support to the Australia batter, who had struggled during his previous two innings for Sussex but showed his class with nine boundaries in his 126-ball knock.

It leaves Sussex on 221 for four with a 98-run advantage despite captain Cheteshwar Pujara enduring a rare failure with an 11-ball duck.

Stuart Broad joined England team-mate Robinson in being in the wickets on a day where Sir Alastair Cook returned to form for Essex against Nottinghamshire in Division One.

Cook had endured a lean start to 2023 but top-scored at Trent Bridge with 73 as he put on 135 for the second wicket with Tom Westley, who hit 66.

Broad’s three for 53 and Brett Hutton’s four for 69 helped bowl Essex out for 298, with Dan Lawrence out for a disappointing 16 after Tuesday’s England call-up.

Elsewhere, Ben Foakes put his England snub behind him with three catches during a hard-fought opening day between Surrey and Kent at the Kia Oval.

Foakes was left out of the England squad for next month’s Ireland Test and the first two matches of the Ashes series in favour of Jonny Bairstow but played his part in Kent being dismissed for 298, with Zak Crawley only able to make 19 following this week’s backing from the selectors.

Dan Worrall, Jordan Clark and Tom Lawes picked up three wickets apiece before Dom Sibley and Ollie Pope joined forces to see Surrey reach 88 for one at the close.

James Vince continued his strong form with 95 on a good day for Hampshire against Northamptonshire.

Vince’s classy half-century was followed up by Liam Dawson adding 56 not out as the hosts finished on 331 for six at the Ageas Bowl.

Somerset are in an equally dominant position against Middlesex after George Bartlett’s fine knock of 121.

Bartlett, Tom Abell (77) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (68) cashed in to help the visitors post 325 for six at Lord’s.

In Division Two, 22 wickets fell at New Road where Leicestershire hold a 156-run lead over Worcestershire.

Leicestershire were dismissed for 173 after Colin Ackermann struck around to score 52 before Chris Wright caused havoc with the ball.

Wright claimed five for 32 off 10 overs with Worcester all out for 83 after nine single-figure scores.

The visitors closed on 66 for two on a bowler-friendly day with the in-form Rishi Patel out for 29.

Graham Clark scored exactly 100 to help Durham to 393 for nine against Gloucestershire in Bristol.

Scott Borthwick (53) and Bas de Leede (65) offered support for Clark while Zafar Gohar claimed a four-wicket haul to help the hosts earn maximum bowling points.

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    Captain Smith and vice-captain Warner were both handed 12-month suspensions while Bancroft, the batsman who was caught on camera attempting to change the condition of the ball using sandpaper during the third Test against South Africa, was banned for nine months.

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    “They go to the integrity and reputation of Australian Cricket and Australian sport and the penalties must reflect that.

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    Smith and Bancroft gave a press conference after the third day’s play where they admitted a premeditated attempt to tamper with the ball.

    Smith spoke of a “leadership group” making the decision to tamper with the ball and, in announcing the severe punishments, CA revealed Warner, 31, was charged with devising the plan, instructing a junior player – Bancroft – to carry it out and demonstrating how to do it.

    Smith gave a tearful press conference on his return to Australia, saying: “I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life, I’m absolutely gutted. I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness.

    “I’ve been so privileged and honoured to represent my country and captain Australia. Cricket is the greatest game in the world and it’s been my life – I hope it can be again. I’m absolutely devastated.”

    Smith and Warner both returned to the Australia side at the Cricket World Cup in 2019, with the former made vice-captain of the Test side in 2021, while Bancroft played for his country again in the Ashes series the same summer.

  • Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return

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    “Going forward this is going to be a question that keeps popping up until we’re able to really ascertain what is most effective for women’s Test matches.”

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    “The first women’s Test match at the MCG since 1949, and the first day-night Test at that historic ground, will be a memorable occasion and another important milestone for women’s cricket as we take more games to major stadiums including the SCG and Adelaide Oval,” said Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley.

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    14 January: Junction Oval, Melbourne

    17 January: Bellerive Oval, Hobart

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    20 January: SCG, Sydney

    23 January: Manuka Oval, Canberra

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    30 January-2 February: MCG, Melbourne (D/N)

  • Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign

    England batter Harry Brook is set to be available for the beginning of Yorkshire’s Vitality County Championship campaign, according to White Rose head coach Ottis Gibson.

    Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons and, following the death of his grandmother Pauline last month, he pulled out of a stint with Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League to be close to his family.

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    Hindering England’s progress was a 19-point deduction for slow over-rates in four of last year’s five Ashes Test in a thrilling series which finished 2-2. England have just been beaten 4-1 in India.

    Had that not been applied, England, third in the International Cricket Council Test rankings behind India and Australia, would sit in fifth place in the the nine-team World Test Championship.

    Ben Stokes’ side have a dozen matches remaining before the final at Lord’s in June 2025, starting with three-Test series at home against both the West Indies and Sri Lanka this summer and winter tours to Pakistan and New Zealand before the year is out.

    England have failed to reach the final in either of the first two editions, finishing fourth in the 2021-23 cycle – having languished at the bottom of the table for a period before the appointment of Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum as head coach led to a turnaround in results.

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