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Tasmania surged to a 48-run victory over South Australia in a rain-shortened domestic one-day match in Burnie

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2011Tasmania
ScorecardTasmania surged to a 48-run victory over South Australia in a rain-shortened domestic one-day match in Burnie, as Ed Cowan and Ben Hilfenhaus made striking contributions.Cowan’s 91 at No. 3 allowed the Tigers to set a decent target despite the loss of regular wickets, and the total was bolstered a little more by Duckworth-Lewis calculations.SA’s reply was unsettled the moment the visitors lost the captain Michael Klinger to Hilfenhaus, and regular wicket ensured they would never mount a serious chase despite 66 for the in-form Tom Cooper.Hilfenhaus finished with four wickets while Xavier Doherty managed two.

Sri Lanka have called up fast bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad to their Test squad for the remaining two matches against South Africa.

Firdose Moonda at SuperSport Park17-Dec-2011Sri Lanka have called up fast bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad to their Test squad for the remaining two matches against South Africa. Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan confirmed that the the pair will fly in to South Africa in “a couple of days” after competing in the knockout stages of the domestic tournament at home.After being beaten by an innings and 81 runs in Centurion, Sri Lanka are searching for ways to come back into the series and beefing up the bowling department is one of them. Before the tour of South Africa, four seamers, including Prasad and Kulasekara were ruled out with injury and Sri Lanka lost another quick when Nuwan Pradeep broke down during the tour match against the South African Invitation XI. At the time, the selectors did not name a replacement because they were hopeful that some of the injured lot would recover in time for the series.Prasad was injured last month in a Test match against Pakistan in Sharjah. He pulled a quad muscle after bowling four overs in the first innings and was ruled out of the one-day series which followed. He made his comeback in Sri Lanka’s domestic Premier Limited Over tournament on Wednesday, where he took 3 for 30 for Sinhalese Cricket Club. He also played in Saturday’s final, although he had little success and finished with figures of 10-1-59-0.Kulasekara had not played any cricket since October but returned to action this week. He played in the semi-final of the fifty-over domestic tournament and made an impressive return with 2 for 37 in seven overs for Colts Cricket Club against Nondescripts. Colts were knocked out of the competition, meaning Kulasekara did not have any other match practice.Meanwhile, Angelo Mathews is expected to recover from a groin strain which kept him off the field during the Test match. Matthews left the field midway through the second day and went for an MRI scan, which revealed that the injury was not serious. He returned to field and batted on the third day and will have eight days to recover before the second Test, which starts on December 26, in Durban.

The Hobart Hurricanes are probably the most unassuming and underrated side in the Big Bash League, but they are fast becoming the team to beat after another polished all-round display to dispose of the Sydney Sixers by 42 runs

Alex Malcolm21-Dec-2011
ScorecardTravis Birt’s half-century laid a solid platform for the Hobart Hurricanes•Getty ImagesThe Hobart Hurricanes are probably the most unassuming and underrated side in the Big Bash League, but they are fast becoming the team to beat after another polished all-round display to dispose of the Sydney Sixers by 42 runs.They may lack the big-name star-power but they make up for it with a well-balanced team that executes a tried and tested Twenty20 formula. It is no surprise that they have won two of two.Just like in Perth on Sunday, Xavier Doherty won the toss and elected to bat on what looked a good surface at the Bellerive Oval. Eyebrows were raised around the ground as they rolled to the half-way point of their innings at a pedestrian six-an-over.But, just as in Perth, the plan was to leave wickets in hand for a second half assault. At 1 for 63 after 10 overs, having lost only Jonathan Wells to the effective part-time spin of Dom Thornely, the scene was set for Phil Jaques and Travis Birt. In the eleventh over they let fly; Dwayne Bravo conceded 20 runs. Birt smashed two fours and a six before Jaques cut the last ball for four.Brett Lee and Stuart MacGill curtailed the pair to just 11 runs from the next 12 balls but unlike Perth when panic sparked a collapse of 8 for 39, the pair of left-handers kept their powder dry before targeting Moises Henriques. Five fours and a six were dispatched in two overs the Sixers all-rounder will quickly forget. Birt and Jaques both rocketed past 50 in the process.Their 107-run stand was broken Mitchell Starc, as he managed to snare Birt for 65 (from 41 balls) with a clever slower bouncer, but the damage was done. Starc also claimed Jaques for 73 with the third ball of the 20th over, but only after Jaques had steered him to fine leg for four and hit him over midwicket for 98-metre six.The Hurricanes defended 140 with ease against Perth, so 3 for 169 was a luxury total. Again, they opened with a mix of off-spin from Jason Krejza and out-swing from Ben Hilfenhaus. Again, it worked perfectly as they each knocked a batsman over with the score on seven – Peter Nevill missed an innocuous straight delivery from Hilfenhaus, Michael Lumb did the same off the very next ball from Krejza.Stand-in Sixers captain Steve Smith and 20-year-old Nic Maddinson steadied the ship with a 57-run partnership. They rode their luck but also played some attractive strokes. They took four boundaries from Hilfenhaus’ third over. Maddinson showed his immense talent, hitting two of those fours off consecutive deliveries to the cover fence – one over the top, the other along the ground.But again the Hurricanes stuck to their formula and came up trumps. Spin was ordered in from both ends at the halfway mark, and Doherty and Krejza removed Smith and Maddinson in back-to-back overs to regain control.Then, the local cult-hero Rana Naved-ul-Hasan entered to bowl at the death. He took 4 for 6 in 11 balls to close out the contest. This is something Tasmanian fans have become accustomed to since he signed up as their star import three seasons ago. Three of Rana’s wickets were bowled and he nearly managed his second hat-trick in Australia.Birt was named Man-of-the-Match but, in reality, the sum of all parts was greater than any one contribution for the Hurricanes. The opposite could be said for the Sixers. Only three of their players reached double-figures with the bat, and they managed just three wickets with the ball despite eight of their XI having represented their country.

A round-up of the first round of games in the Regional Four-day competition

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2012Chris Gayle’s second-innings century powered Jamaica to a comfortable 81-run win over Windward Islands in their opening game of the Regional Four-day competition at Sabina Park. Set a daunting 320-run target in a low-scoring game, Windward folded for 238 on the third day to give Jamaica their full complement of 12 points.Earlier in the match, Jamaica, having been sent in to bat, struggled as they were bowled out for 180. Gayle, playing his first first-class match since 2010, was dismissed for 2, and left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin ran through the Jamaica lower and middle order to pick up 5 for 34. Only three Jamaica batsmen managed to go past 20 with Brendan Nash top-scoring with an unbeaten 49. However, the Windward batsmen failed to capitalise on the advantage given to them by their bowlers. Medium-pacer Andrew Richardson picked up five wickets as Windward stumbled from 31 for no loss to 112 for 9. Only a last-wicket stand of 47 helped carry them close to Jamaica’s total before they were bowled out for 159.Jamaica’s second-innings centred around Gayle’s commanding 165. None of the remaining batsmen managed to go past 30, as offspinner Shane Shillingford picked up six wickets, and Nelon Pascal chipping in with three. But Gayle held firm, his solo effort powering Jamaica to 298.Windward never looked like they could reach the target as they lurched to 88 for 6. Opener Devon Smith, who top-scored with 103, and No. 8 Lindon James showed some resistance with an 85-run seventh-wicket stand, but they were ultimately bowled out for 238 to hand Jamaica an easy win. Gayle picked up two wickets, with Russell and Nikita Miller collecting three apiece.An all-round performance from Guyana helped them post a resounding 234-run win over Leeward Islands at Windsor Park.At 131 for 2, after having been sent in to bat, Guyana looked set for a big first-innings total. However medium-pacer Gavin Tonge, with five wickets, and Anthony Martin and Justin Athanaze with two wickets each, restricted Guyana to 208. In response, spinners Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul picked up seven wickets between them, as Leeward were skittled out for 98 in less than 40 overs. Only three batsmen managed to reach double figures with Kieran Powell top-scoring with 37.Assad Fudadin (52) and Permaul (48) together with steady contributions from the middle- and lower-order helped carry Guyana to 226 in their second innings. Debutant Nelson Bolan picked up four wickets but the 128-run first-inning deficit meant Leeward were always on the backfoot. Faced with a huge target of 337, the Leeward batsmen didn’t fare much better in the second innings. Once again Bishoo and Permaul ran through the Leeward line-up, picking up four wickets apiece as Leeward were bowled out for 102 to give Guyana an easy win.Trinidad & Tobago joined Jamaica and Guyana at the top of the points table after comfortable win over Combined Campuses & Colleges in Bridgetown. T&T elected to bat, but their batsmen struggled against the offspin of Ryan Austin as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals with only Kieron Pollard showing some fight with a half-century. However Austin’s seven-wicket haul was offset by the 53 extras – the second-highest score in T&T’s innings – that CCC conceded, allowing T&T to reach 229.Offspinner Sunil Narine, who was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently-held IPL auction, then struck to pick up five wickets to restrict CCC to 111. Only Yannick Ottley and Kyle Corbin managed to get past 20 as CCC conceded a 118-run lead.That lead proved to be crucial as the T&T batsmen struggled to get going in their second innings. Narine made 34 and together with Denesh Ramdin (40), Jason Mohammed (31), helped take T&T to 168. Paceman Jason Holder was the most successful of the CCC bowlers with 5 for 48.The 287-run target proved too much for CCC who limped to 114 before they were bowled out. Once again it was Narine, who ran through the batting line-up, this time picking up eight wickets, to end with match figures of 13 for 39.

High-scoring games were the flavour on the third weekend of the Premier League Tier A competition, but none of the five matches managed to produce a result

Sa'adi Thawfeeq10-Feb-2012High-scoring games were the flavour on the third weekend of the Premier League Tier A competition, but none of the five matches managed to produce a result, all ending in draws. The matches commenced two days later than scheduled, on Sunday, and ended on Tuesday because Sri Lanka’s Independence Day fell on Saturday.Leading the run parade was defending champs Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club, who ran up the highest total for the weekend – 500 for 6, declared – against Nondescripts CC. A feature of that innings was the season’s first triple-century partnership, 302 for the fifth wicket, between Sri Lanka batsman Chamara Silva and allrounder Chintaka Jayasinghe. Both batsmen made career-best scores. Silva, who is leading Bloomfield this season, scored 158 off 178 balls and Jayasinghe made 173 not out off 167 balls. The pair came together at 186 for 4 and was not separated until Bloomfield reached 488. There was high entertainment value while these two were in the middle, with three of the NCC bowlers conceding over a century of runs.NCC then collapsed in a heap to the slow left-arm deliveries of Upul Indrasiri, who picked up five wickets to force the visitors to follow-on, 287 runs in deficit. NCC looked to be in deep trouble when they lost their first two wickets for 31 runs by the seventh over, but opener Yohan de Silva and Sri Lanka batsman Chamara Kapugedera put up staunch resistance to deny Bloomfield of any chance of pulling off a victory by figuring in the second highest partnership for the season. Their stand of 259 ensured NCC an honourable draw. While De Silva put up dogged resistance at one end, scoring 124 off 194 balls, Kapugedera – who’s reputation in the national side is that of a one-day batsman – took the attack to the bowlers to score a career best 158 off 168 balls.One of the pleasing sights during this round of games was to see Sri Lanka Test wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene back in action in his usual position behind the wickets, after undergoing a hernia operation midway during the Test series against Pakistan last October. He returned to competitive cricket at the start of the season but did not keep wickets.Frontrunners Ragama CC and Sinhalese SC retained their 1-2 positions on the points table by obtaining first-innings points from their respective matches. Ragama were boosted by a century opening stand between Udara Jayasundera and Ian Daniel. Chilaw Marians’ challenge was snuffed out by Ragama’s two left-arm bowlers Nilanka Premaratne and Sachith Pathirana who, between them, took nine wickets. Chilaw Marians put up a better batting performance in their second innings after following-on to deny Ragama full points.A high quality century from Thilan Samaraweera, Sri Lanka’s top run-getter in the recently concluded Test series in South Africa saw SSC post a competitive total of 459 for 9 declared. Anchored by a maiden century for Moors SC by England Lions and Worcestershire batsman Moeen Ali, the home team kept their hopes of getting up to SSC’s total alive. Ali, a top order left-hand batsman came within one run of equalling his career-best score of 158. His dismissal at 270 for 6, put paid to any chance Moors had and they finished 76 runs in arrears.Colts CC also lost ground when they conceded first-innings points to Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club, who moved into third position on the table. Colts’ total of 308 proved insufficient to stop Tamil Union from gaining a vital lead of 133. Tamil Union went past Colts’ total losing only four wickets. No one made a hundred but five batsmen scored fifties, the highest of which was Gayashan Weerasekera’s 85 – eventually the highest score by a batsman in the match. Former Air Force SC leg-spinner Viraj Pushpakumara returned career-best figures of 6 for 138, playing in his third first-class match.Lankan CC’s slow left-arm spinner Gayan Sirisoma recorded the season’s best match analysis when he finished figures of 12 for 141 against Badureliya SC, but his team was denied victory when they ran short of time to chase down 160 for victory.

The MCC and Glamorgan are set to swap international fixtures in 2013, with Lord’s likely to host a Test originally set to be in Cardiff

George Dobell14-Mar-2012The MCC and Glamorgan are set to swap international fixtures in 2013, with Lord’s likely to host a Test originally set to be in Cardiff and Glamorgan hosting Champions Trophy games. Lord’s was originally allocated five ICC Champions Trophy ODIs in 2013 while Glamorgan was allocated a Test against New Zealand in the same year.The move will revive questions about the viability of Cardiff as an international venue. The club, not helped by inclement weather, has struggled to attract spectators in sufficient numbers and has suffered significant losses on some of the international games they have hosted.Painfully few people attended the Test between England and Sri Lanka last May which led to Glamorgan losing around £1.2 million on the game and failing to meet deadlines for staging payments due to the ECB. As a consequence, they forfeited the right to host this year’s Test against West Indies which was transferred to Lord’s instead. Last month Glamorgan were obliged to secure another loan of around £1.3 million from a group of private investors to avoid the prospect of going into administration.Lord’s, by contrast, continues to enjoy excellent sales – both corporate and general – for all international matches. Just as importantly, the move would underline the MCC’s preference for Test cricket over the limited-overs formats. When the MCC applied to host the ICC event in 2013 they were under the impression that it would be a game in the inaugural Test Championship.Only when pre-existing ICC deals with broadcasters scuppered those plans was the decision made to revert to the Champions Trophy format of ODI games. As the ICC also retain the power to run – and provide tickets for – their own events the MCC would have been required to give up a large number of the seats usually reserved for their members had they hosted the Champions Trophy games. As a resolutely independent minded organised, that is not something the MCC relishes.”We have been informed that there may be an opportunity to swap our 2013 New Zealand Test match in return for hosting five ICC Champions Trophy matches, including a semi-final, in the same year,” a statement released by Glamorgan said. “Without doubt, the opportunity to stage a number of high profile Champions Trophy matches in Cardiff is an exciting one and would provide a fascinating range of matches and do much to continue to raise the international standing of Wales as destination for top class cricket.”Discussions are at an early stage and understandably, there are a number of complex matters that need to be considered and resolved prior to any final decision being made. Glamorgan will not agree to a swap unless it is clearly in the interests of the club to do so.”During the forthcoming season Glamorgan will host an ODI between England and South Africa on August 24 followed immediately by the Friends Life t20 Finals Day on August 25. The club said it has sold 70% of tickets for the ODI and 75% of the first release of tickets for Finals Day.Glamorgan are also currently scheduled to host an Ashes Test in 2015. While the club’s management insist that the vision to bring international cricket to Cardiff was always going to be a long term project, the jury remains out on whether it is an achievable aim. Several other venues, many of them vying with something approaching desperation for the raft of international fixtures Cardiff have been granted, could be forgiven for asking what Glamorgan has done to earn such a high profile and easily marketed fixture.

A cruise to victory for Chennai Super Kings became a tense final-ball one before Rajasthan Royals were beaten

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran21-Apr-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
The spinners put the skids on the scoring-rate•AFPOn another sweltering day, there was another demonstration of how quickly Twenty20 games can turn. With four overs to go, Chennai Super Kings had nine wickets remaining and needed 31 runs – a one-sided game then by Twenty20 standards.A double-strike from Kevon Cooper in the 17th over made the Chennai dressing room a little anxious, but with MS Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo in the middle, things were still under control.Amit Singh leaked runs in the next over, and when he bowled a legstump freebie with the fine leg up, the game again seemed over.There were no more boundaries in the game, however, and after Cooper bowled another tight over, Karnataka allrounder Stuart bowled yorker after yorker to bring it down to two off the final delivery. Yet again, though, Dhoni showed his ice-cool temperament, whipping the last ball to deep backward square leg and haring through for the second, easily beating a poor throw from Cooper.In Rajasthan Royals’ previous match, little-known Dishant Yagnik, playing his first game of the season had come out on top against the world’s best bowler, Dale Steyn. This time, the unheralded Binny, also playing his first game of the season, nearly pulled it off against the world’s best finisher. Binny who hadn’t batted in the game and was trusted with only one over before the climactic one, produced one of the best final overs of the season, but was left distraught and on his knees, to be consoled by his captain and state-mate Rahul Dravid.There were many similarities in the two innings.Nuwan Kulasekara had earlier produced an outstanding final over, and given away just eight in two death overs to limit Royals to a moderate score. Kulasekara’s tactic was to generally bowl full and wide, which the batsmen found hard to slog.Before Kulasekara, Chennai’s spinners had put the skids on the scoring after Royals openers, Ajinkya Rahane and Rahul Dravid, had made a bright start. Royals had raced to 32 off four overs before R Ashwin intervened. He had Rahane chipping to mid-off and gave away only four in his first two overs. Then left-arm spinners Shadab Jakati and Ravindra Jadeja gave little away in the middle of the innings.For the Royals also, it was their spinner who choked the runs after a decent start from Super Kings. Brad Hogg made his international debut nearly 16 years ago, but few – if any – batsmen are able to pick his wrong ‘un even now. That variation accounted for S Badrinath, and the guessing game Hogg forced the batsmen to play gave him figures of 4-0-18-1.Royals’ batting had revolved around Owais Shah, a player who is having his first successful season in the IPL. He reached his third half-century of the tournament, but it lacked the fluency and big-hitting of his previous two efforts. Shah’s constant shuffling around in the crease, though, brought him reward in the 15th over, as Jadeja fluffed his lines trying to double-guess the batsmen. Two wides for four, and a six over extra cover gave Royals 22 off the over. When Ashok Menaria, Shah’s partner for much of the innings, launched Bravo for a six and a four in the 17th, the big onslaught finally seemed on. Kulasekara, though, scuttled Royals’ hopes of crossing 150.The cornerstone of Super Kings’ batting was also a half-century from one of their players enjoying his first fruitful IPL season. Faf du Plessis got his third fifty in four matches and moved to within 18 runs of getting the orange cap from Rahane. When he and the IPL’s highest run-getter, Suresh Raina, were in the middle, the chase seemed straightforward and the vocal crowd incessantly chanting “CSK, CSK” would hardly have expected the tension-filled finale.

Rajasthan Royals batsman Owais Shah says his decision to attack Mumbai Indians fast bowler Lasith Malinga during their match on Wednesday was a ‘mistake’

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Apr-2012Rajasthan Royals batsman Owais Shah says his decision to attack Mumbai Indians fast bowler Lasith Malinga during their match on Wednesday was a “mistake”. Shah was bowled by a Malinga yorker in the bowler’s penultimate over and his dismissal left Royals needing 64 off 35 balls. They fell 27 shortRoyals, who were chasing 198, had lost their way at the start with Rahul Dravid falling for 3 and Shreevats Goswami without scoring. Shah kept the chase going by attacking the Mumbai Indians bowlers from the start but was dismissed in the 15th over. Royals eventually went on to suffer their first defeat of the season.”I made a mistake by not playing out Lasith Malinga, who is very dangerous,” Shah said after the game. “I didn’t have to play too many shots against him. Maybe I should have stuck around and seen Malinga off and then tried to attack the other bowlers. Malinga has a lethal yorker. I made a mistake and I’m quite happy to hold my hand up and say – next time I won’t make that mistake.”At the end of the day we didn’t win, so my efforts were useless. I tried my best to get the team to win the game and to get the team as close as possible. But the best players take you all the way, so something that was missing was the finishing touch.”Shah is playing for Royals this year after having been part of Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils and KochiTuskers Kerala in previous IPL seasons. However, this is the first time Shah has had a regular run in the XI, having been on the bench regularly in previous years. He’s scored 14 not out, 23 not out and 76 in three innings for Royals.”This is the first time I’ve had much of a chance, this is the first time I’ve played in an IPL team. I actually feel like I’m having a proper run in a side now,” Shah said. “I didn’t really play for Delhi , when I was there, I played four games for Kolkata Knight Riders. I played three games for Kochi last year, so I’ve hardly played.”Royals have played three matches in IPL 2012, winning their first two before losing to Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium.

Despite a man-of-the-match performance Tim Bresnan is still convinced that his place in the Test side is secure

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2012Tim Bresnan collected his first man-of-the-match award in Test cricket after England’s series-clinching victory at Trent Bridge extended his 100 per cent record in Tests to 13 and drew attention to a statistical record that bears comparison with the most distinguished allrounders in England’s Test history.As he took the award, he made light of the fact that, for all his unblemished Test record, he remains one of England’s most unsung performers. Even while he assembled a match return of 8 for 141 against West Indies, and added a stalwart 39 with the bat at a vital stage of the game for good measure, his selection ahead of Steve Finn was being openly debated.”Every time you play you always have someone over your shoulder,” Bresnan said on Sky TV. “I just want to continue to improve and to make a difference on the field. We have a fantastic crop of seam bowlers and it is great that the competition helps you perform.”One of the most startling facts about Bresnan is that his allround record is now markedly superior – albeit in a much shorter period of time – to England’s most celebrated allrounder of the past 25 years, Andrew Flintoff.Bresnan’s Test bowling average is 25.46 compared to Flintoff’s 32.78 and his batting average is now 40.22, well above Flintoff’s 32.78.He even measures up statistically against no lesser figure than Ian Botham, who returned a batting average of 33.54 and bowling average of 28.40.David Saker, England’s bowling coach, said: “I have always been really impressed by him every time he plays for us. He always contributes in some way. He is a great person for our group. He is a likeable lad and you know what you are going to get.”Saker acknowledged that England will give serious consideration to resting a pace bowler, most probably James Anderson in the final Test at Edgbaston, which begins next Thursday.”If there is an opportunity that comes up we may do it,” he said. “We are very mindful of it but they are very proud cricketers and they don’t want to give up a spot to someone else. It is a massive luxury to have two great bowlers such as Steve Finn and Graham Onions on the sidelines and we also have Chris Tremlett coming back from injury.”Andrew Strauss, who like Marlon Samuels must have been in contention for the man-of-the-match award, also has a 100 per cent record – he has won every home series as England captain.”We are going to have to take stock and see how the bowlers are feeling, how fresh they are, and then make a decision what the best side is,” he said. “There is obviously some benefit in having a look at some other bowlers but that doesn’t mean we are going to do it. It depends on how our other bowlers are feeling. Firsts and foremost we want to win the Test match”Darren Sammy, West Indies’ captain, was left to lament the usual failings. “We have to be more focused and put a higher price on our wickets. We did really well to get ourselves back in the game. The bowlers fought back and we have to appreciate what they do.”It has been affecting us in the past year. We still managed to keep ourselves in the game but we are playing like this and we are not learning. Something has to be done. Coach Gibson has only been here for less than three years. We have been like this for 15 years. The supporters have been patient for a long time.”

Ravi Bopara gave the England selectors another huge nudge with his second century of the week

09-Jun-2012
ScorecardRavi Bopara gave the England selectors another huge nudge with his second century of the week as Essex drew their rain-affected County Championship match at Northamptonshire.Essex declared on 400 for 6 to claim maximum batting points, with Bopara scoring a magnificent 174 off 290 balls and his captain and wicketkeeper James Foster making 135 off 230 deliveries. Northamptonshire then closed on 200 for 3 as James Middlebrook clobbered a century against his old club with 100 off 141 balls.Essex began the day on 195 for 4 with Bopara resuming on 87 and Foster on 60, and the former was to complete the 22nd century of his first-class career in the 14th over of the day. It was also his second of the Championship season and came off 199 balls as he hammered a four through the covers off Lee Daggett.He and Foster had already surpassed the previous record fifth-wicket stand for Essex against Northamptonshire of 147, made between Mark Pettini and Matt Walker in this fixture last season. Foster went on to complete the 18th first-class ton of his career off 203 deliveries as the visitors moved on serenely to 282 for 4 at lunch.Bopara reached 150 off 268 balls in the fifth over of the afternoon – an over in which he smashed 21 off Middlebrook. Foster, however, holed out when he launched David Willey to substitute fielder Rob Keogh at long on to finally break a magnificent partnership of 294.Bopara’s impressive innings then finally came to an end when he was caught by Coetzer at deep square leg to give Daggett his first wicket. The Essex declaration came as soon as they reached 400, leaving Ryan ten Doeschate and Graham Napier unbeaten on 26 and 14 respectively.Northamptonshire lost Ben Howgego in the 11th over of their innings when his off stump was taken out by Napier after making a just a single off the 27 balls he faced. The hosts resumed after tea on 43 for 1 and Middlebrook completed his half-century off 74 deliveries with a huge six smashed down the ground off Tom Westley.Coetzer made a bright 39 before he was dismissed by Napier’s yorker before Middlebrook completed his second hundred in consecutive home games off 138 balls. But he was then bowled by Tom Craddock without adding to his total before an Alex Wakely (43 not out) single that moved Northamptonshire to 200 brought about the close.