Kent 81/4 from 31 overs Kent declared on their overnight total and Surrey took just 4 balls (friendly ones from Key) to make 17 and declare.Bicknell with Movement and Tudor with pace caused all sorts of troubles and ruled out any chance of of Kent chasing hard by 4 wickets for under 50. Dravid looking every inch a class player and Ealham, bemused by Salisbury but happier against Bicknell, rebuilt either side of lunch.

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Tea: Kent 147/5 from 57 overs After Surrey had owned the morning Ealham and especially Dravid made sure the afternoon was Kent’s. Against Salisbury Dravid looked certain though Ealham appeared to have little idea where the ball was going though apart from one possible chance to slip he looked unlikely to get out. Rupesh Amin was easier for both and tended to drop a bit short. Bicknell returned just before tea and Dravid was late on his first shot, later in the over he was early and got a leading edge looping to Adam H at mid off.Ian Salisbury swapped ends and almost had Ealham bowled and caught from the last over before tea.

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After tea Nixon and Ealham continued the defiance in their different styles. Nixon with wide footed stance looking to hit the cover off every ball, Ealham with rather more reference to the coaching manual and also more circumspection both looked uncomfortable against the spin but happier against Bicknell.However Bicknell produced a few balls that could easily have found the stumps and whenever Salisbury dropped short both players were ready to pounce, Ealham’s 50 coming off a cracking square cut.After a trip to the cricket shop to buy my ten year old wicket-keeping son a helmet. The game continued its fascinating course. Nixon warming to his theme and galloping down the pitch to drive Salisbury. Ealham starting to be severe onBicknell then straight driving Salisbury for 6 to equal Dravid’s score.Rupesh Amin returned to the shot of the day, a glorious cover drive followed by a cut forward of square which almost matched it. Hollioake and Stewart engaged in earnest discussion between overs but without any change in tactics. Salisbury did get frequent lung exersize but didn’t really look like getting an lbw.

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No sooner do I send in a report detailing Kent’s renaissance than Ealham aims a drive at Salisbury’s googly, only to find it was a leg break which bowled him.Nixon might have been run out when Fleming drove back hard and the ball rebounded from Amin’s foot onto the stumps but without a tv umpire there was no way for it to be judged accurately. Nixon driving hard into Adam Hollioake at silly mid off forced the Surrey captain to the pavillion for a helmet and shin pads. It certainly didn’t stop the wicket-keeper hitting out.John Wright and Keith Meddlicot provided a diversion swapping places as reserve sq leg umpire periodically. Amin being smashed for 9 off an over brings Tudor back and just like Bicknell earlier his return over at the Vauxhall Endproduced a wicket, Fleming this time holing out to Amin at extra cover.

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Tudor continued to generate a lot of pace but Amin in particular played him particularly well. Bicknell’s return over at the pavillion end failed to repeat the magic. Salisbury swapped back to the Vauxhall End but only managed to get smashed back over his head for 6 by Nixon.With Min Patel facing Salisbury’s field was slip, gully, silly point, silly mid on and two short legs, but the wicket was an lbw. Masters came in ahead of Saggers but it was unclear if this was on btting ability.Seven overs left and 76 to get Surrey finally throw caution to the winds, three slips and two gullies in the field with Bicknell over the wicket, though one slip went to fine leg and a gully to point when he went around.

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With just 3 overs to go Alex Tudor returned to try to unsettle Masters and unsettle him he did, but only one ball was aimed at the stumps. Salisbury beat the bat a couple of times but Nixon was only after surviving until a wide half volley gave him a four for an excellent fifty.Last over. Tudor. Just needs a straight ball or two.
1. Defended
2. Fast but two short
3. Better but well dug out.
4. no ball, not sure Kent are pleased by the call!
4a. lifting played down very straight bat
5. off his sleeve to the keeper and that’s the lot.
Surrey will feel that they should have won this, but Ealham and Dravid’s excellent partnership in the afternoon was too long in the end. A very entertaining day over all.

Richard Johnson Photo © AllSport

Middlesex seemed to be secure in their rain-abbreviated championship matchagainst Worcestershire at Southgate. The visitors closed on 110-8. The day opened with Mark Ramprakash (101) going from 99 n.o. to his century and the home county to 303.By then the pitch was favouring the bowlers and it was Johnson who made the most effective use. He dismissed Phil Weston before the Worcestershire opener had scored and took two further wickets. With several injuries on their hands England’s selectors may have looked on Johnson’s performance with favour. That is the opinion of Mike Gatting who said: “He is in good shape and bowling beautifully with the ball. If he can continue taking wickets he should figure in the future plans of the England team.” Phil Tufnell, too, dismissed threewickets as only Steve Rhodes (21) offered resistance for the visitors who are193 runs in arrears.

Karnataka were facing the prospect of a crushing defeat at the handsof Kerala in a Ranji Trophy South Zone clash at the Nehru Stadium inKochi. At close the visitors were reeling at 31/4 in their secondknock after the top order caved in abjectly to the Kerala attack.Earlier a century from Sunil Oasis had given the hosts a sizable 129run first innings lead.Having made 30 overnight, the 27 year old Oasis became the firstKerala player to reach the landmark of 2500 runs in the Ranji Trophyearly in the morning. Resuming at 168/3, Kerala lost four men in thefirst session, sliding to 213/7 before Oasis launched an effectiverecovery in the company of the tail. Left arm spinner Santosh Vadiarajhad cleaned up the middle order with three wickets, including two inan over, as the hosts went into lunch at 232/7.No.9 batsman M Suresh Kumar (25) led a charmed life, being droppedtwice in the course of a fifty run partnership with Oasis. After hisdeparture VB Kamaruddin proved to be another difficult customer,adding 66 runs with Oasis for the ninth wicket. Oasis who was droppedon 78 by Akhil at first slip off Vijay Bharadwaj went on to reach hissixth Ranji century in 44 games. He was finally dislodged by VenkateshPrasad for 120 (276 balls, 10 fours, 1 six). Kamaruddin (24) and TinuYohannan (21) took the score to 365 before Kerala skipperAnanthapadmanabhan declared the innings closed.It was Oasis who struck the first blow in Karnataka’s second essay,removing Arun Kumar for 11 in the fourth over. His fellow openingbowler Yohannan trapped Mithun Beerala leg before as the visitorsslumped to 18/2. Left arm spinner Sreekumar Nair then struck two lateblows to take out Barrington Rowland and nightwatchman Vadiaraj insuccessive overs. Vijay Bharadwaj and AR Mahesh were holding theinnings together at close and Karnataka will resume on Saturday with98 still required to avoid an innings defeat.

A record-breaking fourth-wicket partnership, in which both Owais Shah and BenHutton scored centuries, saw Middlesex gain a commanding position by the endof the first day of their CricInfo Championship match against Derbyshire atSouthgate.Winning the toss and batting first in ideal conditions – an easy-paced pitchand a lightning-fast outfield – Middlesex did not get the best of starts,although the first wicket did put on 55 before Andy Strauss went for 33. ButMike Roseberry and Stephen Fleming soon followed, with all three wicketsfalling to Tom Lungley in a spell of 3-3 in 18 balls.At 62 for 3, Middlesex were hardly in a position of strength but Derbyshirehad to wait another 82 overs before their next success, while thefourth-wicket pair prospered against a less than taxing attack. Tim Munton,captaining Derbyshire in the absence on test duty of Dominic Cork, triedseven bowlers but not another wicket fell until Munton himself took the newball and had Hutton caught at first slip for a career-best 139.It was the young left-hander’s first Championship hundred and he reached itby pulling Richard Illingworth for six. It was one of three he hit in hisinnings, which also included 17 fours.Shah, scoring his second century in three matches, struck 23 fours and was141 not out at the close with Middlesex on 358 for four and no doubt hoping toadd many more runs on the second day.

Somerset cruised to victory by eight wickets after wet conditions before the start of play, and periodic showers through the afternoon, had delayed the start of this Norwich Union league match at The Oval.The game could not get underway until 5.45pm and, as a consequence, it was reduced to ten overs a side. Surrey, having decided to bat first reshuffled their usual batting order to go for quick runs.Mark Ramprakash, in such brilliant form after his knocks of 143 and 90 this week in the CricInfo Championship game, went one position up the order to open with Ian Ward, but with 22 on the board, 11 to each batsman, he was caught behind off Jason Grove in the fourth over.The next over brought the dismissal of Adam Hollioake, bowled by Peter Trego and just three runs later on 34, the third wicket fell with Ian Jones, who eventually finished with three for 14 from his two overs, picking up his first as he bowled Mark Butcher for two.Some free-hitting from Nadeem Shahid brought 19 quick runs with the help of three boundaries from only nine balls as Surrey progressed to 58, but Shahid was bowled by Jones and a run later the fifth wicket went with top scorer Ian Ward bowled for 22 from 23 balls.Set a target of 69, Jamie Cox and the left-handed Ian Blackwell got Somerset off to a flying start. But Carl Greenidge, replacing Ed Giddins, took two wickets in three balls, bowling Cox for 22 and having Michael Burns caught at backward short leg for four. Somerset were 41 for two.Blackwell, continuing to attack the Surrey bowling went for the boundaries. He reached 20 with a four to mid-wicket, then to 26 with another four, to long off and to 32 with a lofted shot to square leg. He was on 33 from just eighteen balls, six of which were hit to the boundary, when Keith Dutch pushed the match-winning single to mid-wicket with as many as 3.3 overs remaining. It was all so easy for Somerset.

Title holders Havant fear their unbeaten Southern Electric ECB Premier League record could go when they send a weakened team to face third-placed BAT Sports at Southern Gardens tomorrow, 11.30am.The defending champions, who won all five 50-over games before being held to a draw by Calmore Sports last week, travel to Totton minus four key players.In-form Andy Perry, who hit an unbeaten 160 in the Calmore statemate, is ruled out with back trouble, while leading wicket-taker Phil Loat is out of the country playing golf.Also missing are Luke Sears and medium-pace bowler Mark Copping. “It’s a worry,” confesses skipper Paul Gover, who plans to move himself up the batting order.”These are four main players and to have them all missing at once is a recipe for trouble.”Nonetheless, Havant call up four more than adequate replacements in Army all-rounder Steve Hole, Matthew Ward, Graham Benton and Gover’s younger brother Matt, whose fielding is sure to have an effect on the champions’ out-cricket.BAT, meanwhile, are quietly confident they can be the first team to lower Havant’s sails.They field an unchanged side, with Australian all-rounder Dave Carson showing glimpses of a return to form after back-to-back half-centuries in his past two knocks.South Wilts skipper Russell Rowe, who has already scored over 500 runs this season, aims to notch yet another century as the Salisbury club entertain Bournemouth at Lower Bemerton.Rowe completed a glorious hat-trick of hundreds with an undefeated 170 at Liphook & Ripsley.Newly-wed Jamie Glasson, his long-term opening partner, makes his first appearance of the season tomorrow, but Dorset’s Tim Lamb is out.Ironically, mid-table Bournemouth are experiencing a few run-scoring problems, but Tom Webley’s return should remedy things at the top of the batting order.Provided he comes through Hampshire’s current Second XI Championship match with Kent unscathed, Andy Sexton will return for Bashley (Rydal) against struggling Hungerford at Bashley Common Lane.Sexton missed last week’s seven-wicket over Andover with a damaged finger.Andover, who have sunk to the Premier League basement after a sequence of poor performances, are likely to be unchanged against Calmore Sports at Loperwood Park.Calmore, certain to be without Mark Boston, could have Allan Hurst back after a shoulder injury, but skipper Tommy Pegler is unlikely to finalise his side until this evening.Burridge, who entertain in-form Liphook & Ripsley at Botley Road, expect Hampshire’s James Hamblin to return, while John Francis is set to make his first SPL appearance of the season after a successful term at Loughborough University in which he hit 126 against Leicestershire and 88 off the Nottinghamshire attack.Dave Tiller, who broke his collar bone at Sparsholt last week, will mss Portsmouth’s next six Premier Division 2 matches, but fit-again Ben Nolan returns for the Cove match at St Helen’s, Southsea.Second placed Lymington are unchanged at Easton & Martyr Worthy, where Andy Birch is well again. A bout of `flu meant the influential Easton all-rounder missing his first game in over ten years last weekend.Rob Savage could be a key absentee as Sparsholt visit Old Tauntonians & Romsey, while a breakdown in Trojans’ internal communication system could mean West Indian all-rounder Tim Subnaik missing the game with basement boys Old Basing.Division 3 pace-makers Winchester KS should win easily at lowly Lymington II, but Havant II – depleted by first team calls – have their hands full against New Milton. Alton go to run-shy Leckford.One key tussle in the lower echelons is Flamingos home match with Bashley (Rydal) – neither club being in particularly good batting form.

Kent County Cricket Club today announced that it has accepted a challenge todo battle with Lashings, the Maidstone-based pub side. The two teams willplay under floodlights at the St Lawrence Ground on Monday 6 August for theIntertops.com Titans of Kent Cup – a 40-over match starting at 4.30pm.In accepting the challenge from Lashings, Kent’s Captain, Matthew Fleming,commented: “Lashings has raised the profile of the game in the county with appearances by Brian Lara, Jimmy Adams and other well-known international players.”Having said that, our Second XI recently beat them at Sutton Valence and wehave made it clear to Richie Richardson that, if it’s to be anything of amatch, he will have to look to finding reinforcements!””The only hope Kent have that day is rain,” said David Folb, Lashings’Chairman.A sentiment echoed by Lashings’ Captain, Richie Richardson, whosaid in response: “Matthew Fleming will be pleased to know that Shaoib Aktar, Allan Donald, Wasim Akram and Courtney Walsh will be playing on that day. I know that it is often the trait of old pros to take the day off when the touring sides visit but I very much hope that Matthew will be there on the day to benefit from my expertise and advice.”Tickets are on sale now at the St Lawrence Ground:Adults £10Reduced (Over 65s) £5Children under 18 freeKCCC Members £3Car Parking £10

* BCCI to decide on Indo-Aussie one-day series on August 10The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will decide on theparticipation of the Indian team in the proposed three-match limitedover series in Australia, during its working committee meeting onAugust 10.The BCCI executive secretary, Sharad Diwadkar told PTI in Mumbai onThursday that the venue for the working committee meeting would bedecided only after BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele returns from hisholiday abroad either on July 23 or 24. “The main agenda would be totry and fit the three one-dayers in the schedule if possible,” headded. The first two matches are to be played indoors at the ColonialStadium in Melbourne on September 21 and 23 and the last in Brisbane’sGabba on September 26.Though there were reports a couple of days ago that the series was offfollowing a clash of dates with India’s proposed Asian TestChampionship ties, the BCCI seems to be keen to fit the series in theIndian team’s already busy schedule.* BCCI questions Jadeja’s claim against violation of rightsThe Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday told the DelhiHigh Court that cricketer Ajay Jadeja, banned for five years on matchfixing charges, cannot claim any relief for violation of fundamentalrights as the Board has power to take action against a player for”misconduct” even on suspicion.”If the BCCI finds that the condcut of a player is not good, then hecannot be considered for selection in the team though he might be anicon. The Board can suspend a player if there is suspicion ofmisconduct against him even if there is no hard evidence,” BCCIcounsel Kapil Sibal told Justice Mukul Mudgal, while hearing Jadeja’spetition, challenging the ban.Asserting that the Board was not performing any of the functions ofthe state, Sibal said the team selected by BCCI to play matches withforeign teams, “does not represent India as a state but is a BCCI teamrepresenting India.” Since the Board was not performing any of thestate’s functions, Jadeja could not claim any relief under Article 226of the Constitution, Sibal said, adding his petition was liable to bedismissed. “He cannot even claim any damage through civil suit as theBCCI has no contract with him at present,” he said.The contract with a player is always signed by the Board after he isselected in a team for a particular season either to play Test matchesor one-dayers in the country or abroad, Sibal said adding that theBCCI rules were clear on this.* Hearing of Azhar’s case adjourned till July 19A civil court in Hyderabad on Thursday adjourned till July 19 thehearing of the case filed by former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddinchallenging the life ban imposed on him by the Indian Cricket Board.The second additional chief justice J Shyamsundar Rao, after hearingthe plea of Azharuddin’s counsel T Jagdish, who sought more time sincehis client was not present in the city, posted the next date ofhearing to July 19. Earlier, Jagdish, who prayed for obtaining theinquiry report of BCCI inquiry commisioner K Madhavan into the matchfixing scandal, was asked by the judge to file an application in thisregard.According to A Venkatesh, who appeared on behalf of BCCI, the inquiryreport was already submitted to the court on June 25. Jagdish, who wasdirected by the judge to forward an application to this effect,readily agreed to do so.

Worcestershire meet Leicestershire at New Road in the first quarter-final of the C & G Trophy.It is the first time that Worcestershire have reached the quarter-finals of what was previously the NatWest Trophy since 1994, when they went on to beat Warwickshire in the final.They are currently top of the second division of the NUL, and desperate to put the disappointments of their B and H exit behind them.Warwickshire sent them crashing out of that competition with a last wicket partnership of 37, when victory had seemed assured.Graeme Hick is, as ever, the lynchpin of the Worcestershire batting but Phil Weston is also in good form. The bowling will be led by Alamgir Sheriyar – back to the form he showed in winning an A tour in 1999 – and Australian all-rounder Andy Bichel.Bichel is particularly keen to play in a showcase Lord’s final and insists that the team have learnt the lessons of their B and H exit.”We learnt a lot as a side in the Benson and Hedges Cup,” Bichel said. “Of course it was disappointing that we didn’t go into the quarter-finals, especially the way it happened.”We let ourselves down a little bit in a couple of games but in hindsight it was probably good for us to lose the way we did so that we could learn from those mistakes and I think we have rectified them.”We’ve improved in the one-day game and have been going about our cricket in a good manner. Our batting and bowling has been quite handy and steady.”Fielding has been the area which has let us down at certain times but everyone has worked hard to improve it. If we can field well in the one-dayers, then we have to be in with a shout in the Trophy.”Leicestershire meanwhile are boosted by the arrival of Pakistan player Shahid Afridi. He hit a whirlwind 70 against Kent in the NUL at the weekend, and is always capable of a match winning performance with bat or ball.The club are in good form in the one-day game, having won eight consecutive NUL games.England veteran Phil DeFreitas and Jimmy Ormond will spearhead the bowling attack for the visitors while in form Trevor Ward will be looking to cap his resurgence this season with a big match at Lord’s.Bichel is taking nothing for granted.”We have every respect for Leicestershire, who are doing well in the National League and have a lot of good all-rounders,” he continued.”But to play in a Lord’s final would be fantastic. I’ve had one experience of going there this season for the county game with Middlesex but most of it was rained off.”Lord’s is the home of cricket and to be involved on a major occasion would be special.”31-year-old Bichel, who has played five Tests and 17 one-day international games for Australia, has enjoyed his experience of county cricket, and believes he has been able to adapt his game to the different conditions in this country.”There is no doubt that you’ve got to bowl a fuller length over here,” Bichel confirmed. “The wickets are slow and you have to pitch the ball up more. It was one of the first things mentioned to me when I came to England.”It’s nice to get into a new batsman. You might want to bowl a few short deliveries just to unsettle him but in England the conditions don’t allow that. The ball just sits up. But I’ve felt I’ve adjusted quite well to the conditions and as a whole I feel I’ve done alright and it’s been nice to get a few runs as well.”I’ve always prided myself on my batting and when I was a youngster I was more of a batsman than a bowler and I enjoy every innings I play and try to contribute.”

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has postponed his departure to SouthAfrica for treatment to his injured right toe by three days, thesecretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) JaywantLele said in Baroda on Wednesday.Lele told PTI that the batting star was to leave for South Africatomorrow, to be treated by noted orthopeadic surgeon Dr Mark Fergussonbut has postponed his departure due to personal reasons.Tendulkar skipped the on-going Test series in Sri Lanka due to theinjury sustained during the Triangular one-day series in Zimbabwe inthe last league match against the West Indies on July 4.Tendulkar’s stay in South Africa will depend on the advice ofFergusson. However, he will be available for the Indian cricket team’stour of South Africa beginning from October 1.