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Legspinner heads back to Chester-le-Street, ahead of permanent move to Kent in 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2023Matt Parkinson, the Lancashire and England legspinner, is returning to Durham on loan, prior to his permanent move to Kent in 2023.Parkinson will be available for Durham’s next fixture, against Sussex at Chester-le-Street, as the Division Two leaders look to secure their return to the Championship top flight.It will be Parkinson’s second stint with Durham this season, having claimed 11 wickets at 41.00 in five appearances earlier this summer, including a best of 3 for 59 against Gloucestershire in July.He also played one match for Lancashire in the opening round of the Championship in April, when he claimed 5 for 120 in the second innings against Surrey, his sixth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.To date, his solitary Test appearance came as a concussion substitute against New Zealand at Lord’s in June 2022. After replacing Jack Leach midway through the opening day of the game, Parkinson claimed his only Test wicket, that of Tim Southee, with his final ball of the match.He has also played in 11 white-ball matches for England, between 2019 and 2022, five ODIs and six T20Is.

Left-arm pacer looks back at his 2023, which he says was a “mixed bag” and is also working on developing new skills

Ashish Pant16-Jan-20242:50

Arshdeep: ‘Working on a new ball for slower wickets’

It’s been a busy 12 months for Arshdeep Singh, the T20I bowler. Since January 2023, no other Indian bowler has played more T20Is than Arshdeep (23) or taken more wickets than him – 29 at an average of 24.00 with an economy of 9.07.He has, however, been inconsistent in his performances. He began 2023 by going for 37 runs in two overs in a T20I against Sri Lanka and ended the year by taking 2 for 13 in two overs in an ODI against South Africa.”It’s been a mixed bag, these last 12 months,” Arshdeep said ahead of the third and final T20I against Afghanistan in Bengaluru. “There have been good performances, some average ones. I’d say that I have learned a lot and that experience is helping my game get a lot better.Related

• Jaiswal and Dube go full-throttle as India seal series win

• Kohli buys into India's plan to bat with wild intensity

“I am quite grateful that I am getting this experience, I have been getting a lot of backing from the support staff, from the team. I just want to reduce the ups and downs and be more consistent with my performances and get better results for my team.”The last time Arshdeep was in Bengaluru for a T20I he wondered whether he “would be the culprit of the game”. As it turned out he was the hero, as he defended nine runs in the final over against Australia to help India clinch the five-match series 4-1.It was a dead rubber then, and it is a dead rubber now, as India face Afghanistan having taken a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. But for Arshdeep and India, the scoreline is secondary, with this being their last T20I before the World Cup in June.”Our mindset as a team isn’t what the series scoreline is, or what has happened in the previous match,” he said. “Our motive is to determine what the conditions will be like in the matches ahead of us and how quickly we can adapt to the pitch and get used to the grounds.”It’s not as if it’s a 2-0 score or the series is done, that’s not our aim. Our aim is to improve our game one-two percent after every game and develop new skills.”One of those skills is a new delivery he has been developing. “I have been working on a new ball, which will be beneficial on slower wickets,” Arshdeep said. “I tried that ball in the last match against the lefties, the ball that moves away after pitching like a leg-cutter. I want to develop more confidence and use that ball more in matches.”It’s been a middling series so far for Arshdeep. He went wicketless in the first T20I but took 3 for 32 in Indore.How is he planning to contain batters at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where boundaries are short and 200-plus scores the norm?”As a bowler, I feel we have nothing to lose here [at the Chinnaswamy],” Arshdeep said. “The batsmen are under pressure, they feel that they have to score more and more boundaries and that is where as a bowler you are in the game and can get wickets. You are always in the game where the wicket is flat and the boundaries are short. There are more options for getting a batsman’s wicket, so you are always on your toes.”Rashid Khan underwent a minor back surgery•Associated Press

Trott: Don’t want Rashid rushing back from his injury

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott said the team management will be careful to not rush Rashid Khan into action following his back surgery.Rashid has missed the BBL, SA20 and now the three-T20I series against India. He is traveling with the team but isn’t fully fit yet.”It is a case of us making sure that we are really careful with his back,” Trott said. “He is such an influential player, we have to make sure he is 100% ready and not rush him back from that type of surgery. It is important to give him the right time and he is working extremely hard and he is here with the team.”He is very passionate and dedicated to the Afghan national side. When he is ready, he will be the first one to get on the field. He has got a few more appointments and check-ups to make sure everything is okay. So there is no real time frame. I hope it is sooner rather than later. But there is no pressure and no rush.”

Saha has will turn out for Rashmi Medinipur Wizards in the Bengal T20 league which starts on June 11

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2024Wriddhiman Saha is all set to return to Bengal for the upcoming Indian domestic season, and will also feature in the inaugural Bengal Pro T20 league that gets underway on Tuesday at the Eden Gardens.Saha, who represented Bengal for close to 15 years since making his first-class debut in 2007, moved to Tripura ahead of the 2022-23 domestic season as a player-cum-mentor. He had asked for his NOC after being hurt by comments by a senior administrator before the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy quarter-finals. After two years at Tripura, Saha is now back at Bengal.He wasn’t on the initial draft list of the Bengal Pro T20 league but has been picked by the Rashmi Medinipur Wizards team as a replacement for the injured Abhimanyu Easwaran. Wizards will be led by Sudip Chatterjee in the league and also have former India U-19 fast bowler Ishan Porel in their ranks.There are a total of eight teams taking part in the Pro T20 league. Each team will play seven league-stage matches, followed by the semi-finals and the final on June 28 at the Eden Gardens.”We are very happy to have Wriddhiman back in Bengal. Also, his interest in playing at the Bengal Pro T20 League will add more glamour to the League,” Snehasish Ganguly, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, said.Saha, 39, has played 136 first-class matches, scoring 7013 runs at an average of 41.99. So far, he has hit 14 centuries and 43 half-centuries. This includes 1353 Test runs in 40 matches at an average of 29.41.Saha was picked up by Gujarat Titans at the IPL 2022 auction and was part of the side that won the title in its inaugural season. He had an underwhelming IPL 2024, though, where he could only manage 136 runs in nine innings while averaging 15.11. His loss of form coincided with Titans’ slide as they finished eighth in the season.

“The focus has moved to doing well in Australia, England [so] that we’ve kind of let playing spin, which was always a strength, fall back a little bit,” says new assistant coach

Shashank Kishore21-Aug-2024Ryan ten Doeschate, the former Netherlands allrounder, didn’t think batting against spin was an area he would need to focus on when he signed up as one of India’s assistant coaches, but it’s a challenge he’s keen to take on as the team builds towards a home season comprising five Tests – two against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand.”One of the challenges I wasn’t expecting and I kind of overlooked is the playing of spin by Indian batters,” ten Doeschate told . “We got undone in Sri Lanka.”India lost 27 wickets to spin in the recently concluded three ODIs in Sri Lanka, the most any team has lost to this variety of bowling in a three-match series. After the series, captain Rohit Sharma said it was an area that needed some addressing.Related

• Rohit: India 'need to seriously look at' their batting against spin

“The mindset of India has been such that they’ve been so desperate to do well overseas,” ten Doeschate said. “The focus has moved to doing well in Australia, England [so] that we’ve kind of let playing spin, which was always a strength of the Indian team, fall back a little bit. That’s one thing I’m looking forward to helping with, getting to that position where Indians are the best players of spin in the world again.”Ten Doeschate, 44, is one of two assistants alongside Abhishek Nayar in the Gautam Gambhir-led coaching staff. He has been active in the coaching circuit since his retirement in 2021, having worked with Kent, Kolkata Knight Riders and, more recently, LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket.In his new role with India, he said the focus would be largely on preparation rather than being too technical. “I don’t think much of what we’re going to bring is technical knowledge to these guys,” he said. “It’s more about mindsets, situational awareness, how we think they can control certain phases of the game.”[It’s about] throwing ideas out there, de-briefing and keeping the mental space really good. That’s going to be really important.”Ten Doeschate said he was wary of the challenges of taking over a successful team, which is coming off a World Cup triumph, but also exuded excitement at the prospect of what lay ahead.”It’s exciting and kind of daunting at the same time,” he said. “In terms of what we’re looking forward to, qualifying for the WTC final [next June is a goal]. There’s a great opportunity with 10 Tests left, five in India [over the next couple of months] and then going to Australia [for five more at the end of 2024] is going to be great.”Then in the medium term there’s the Champions Trophy [in February 2025]. With only three ODIs left in the prep phase, it’s going to be really challenging to switch between the formats and get the team ready for that, which again is something they’re desperate to win.”Then in the next [WTC] cycle, the tour to England [summer of 2025] is going to be fantastic and then prepping the team for the [2026] T20 World Cup. In terms of timing, it’s quite difficult to walk into a team that’s just come back with the [2024 T20] World Cup, but in terms of what’s ahead for the next 18 months, it’s mouth-watering as a coach. It’s all the series you want to be involved in and all the challenges you want to come up against.”

The 19-year-old opener was the centre of attention in his first two Tests and is now about to embark on his first tour

AAP14-Jan-20251:52

Smith: Konstas can bat conventionally too, he’s got ‘all the tools’

Sam Konstas has conceded his emotions got the better of him during his first Test series but the batting prodigy will keep backing himself on the tour of Sri Lanka.Konstas has not yet heard from selectors about their top-order plans for the two-Test series that begins on January 29, with Travis Head a chance to open after a fruitful shift to the top during Australia’s last subcontinent tour in 2023.Related

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Usman Khawaja’s track record against spin and gutsy 41 runs in the series-deciding run chase against India are likely to factor into plans, as would the chance to give teenager Konstas his first taste of Test cricket abroad.”It’s obviously a huge honour representing my country and touring to Sri Lanka. They’ve welcomed me with open arms and I’m keen to learn and get better,” Konstas said. “Obviously we’ve got a strong squad. If I do get the opportunity [to open], hopefully I’ll take it with both hands.”Konstas won hearts and minds with his creative shot selection during his first two opportunities, opening alongside Khawaja in Test victories against India at the MCG and SCG. But his ongoing battle with seasoned Indian foes captured just as much attention.En route to a half-century in his first innings, Konstas found himself at the centre of drama after Virat Kohli barged into him between overs at the MCG.Sam Konstas made a crucial half-century in tricky conditions against Perth Scorchers•Getty Images

His decision to chirp at Jasprit Bumrah backfired late on day one in Sydney, with a posse of Indian players swarming him at the non-strikers end when Bumrah dismissed Khawaja despite Konstas’ attempts at time-wasting. Konstas expected it would be easier to remain level-headed in Sri Lanka.”It’s going to be completely different with the crowds, obviously,” he said. “It was the first time playing with big crowds and maybe the emotions got to me a bit, reflecting on it. But obviously Sri Lanka are going to be tough to beat in their home conditions. I’m looking forward to that.”There has been no shortage of punditry questioning Konstas’ high-risk approach to Test cricket, especially after the teenager slogged straight to a fielder in the all-important final chase at the SCG.But he will remain his confident self if given a chance in Sri Lanka, where he has previously travelled for a 10-day skills camp.”I feel like I’ll just keep backing myself. Obviously I’m going to adapt with my different methods. I can’t wait for that to happen,” he said.Konstas will have one last hit-out for Sydney Thunder against Sydney Sixers this Friday before flying out to Australia’s training camp in the UAEThe 19-year-old has made two half-centuries in his first four BBL knocks, including 53 runs in the defeat of Perth Scorchers that sealed Thunder’s spot in the finals on Monday night.He was not selected in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy, having played only one List A game, but is keen to become a fixture in international white-ball cricket as well as Tests.”That’s a dream come true hopefully but they [selectors] haven’t said anything,” he said. “I’m just focusing on tonight. We had a good win and we’re off to the Sixers. I’m just being in the present moment and trying to score some runs.”

The pace bowler continued his remarkable Test career with a hat-trick but when his next appearance will be remains unclear

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2025Scott Boland could lay claim to being Australia’s unluckiest ever cricketer, after adding a Test hat-trick to a magical late-career surge since his famous 2021 Boxing Day debut.Statistically the best Test bowler in more than 100 years, Boland became just the 10th Australian man to take a hat-trick on Monday in Jamaica.His haul came on a record-breaking day for the tourists, who bowled West Indies out for just 27 to wrap up a 176-run win and 3-0 sweep of the Frank Worrell Trophy.Related

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• Starc 'uncomfortable' with the attention, but will 'cherish' his special week

Mitchell Starc was the chief destroyer with 6 for 9 up front, but Boland again vindicated the selectors’ call to go with four quicks and leave out a fit Nathan Lyon for the first time in 12 years.Boland later joked about who might get the match ball. “There was talk of cutting it in half,” he told reporters. “100 Tests and 400 wickets. He can have it.”Boland’s inclusion also allowed him to join Glenn McGrath as the only paceman to play for Australia after his 36th birthday in the last 60 years.In Australia’s 39 Tests since his 2021 debut, Boland has played just 14 of them for a hat-trick, 6 for 7 on debut in 2021 and 10-wicket match haul in Sydney last summer. All of it prompting Starc to label the seamer one of the unluckiest men to ever wear the Baggy Green”He would have played so many more Test matches in another team,” Starc said. “But every time he comes in he is on the money, like we saw this week. He is never far from the perfect length.”He is preparing all the time to play, and this week he got his opportunity and showed what a wonderful Test bowler he is.”When Boland’s next Test will come remains unclear. Selectors have repeatedly shown that Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins maintain top billing in Australia’s squad, with Boland only picked ahead of any of them once.The final three Tests of this summer’s Ashes will be played over a 23-day window, potentially opening door for Boland to come in if one of the big three are rested.Otherwise he could be forced to wait again, despite having the sixth-best bowling average in Test history (minimum 50 wickets) with 16.53, and the best of any bowler in the past 100 years.Boland has been close to hat-tricks before, but nailed his execution in Kingston when he took the top of Jomel Warrican’s off stump.Peter Siddle was the last Australian to do it in Tests and quickly sent Boland a message. “Welcome to the club.”He had previously discarded Justin Greaves and Shamar Joseph, edging the former off before having Joseph trapped lbw on review.”Today was three classic Scotty Boland wickets,” Cummins said. “Three right at the stumps or not far away. Really happy for him. He has spent a lot of time running the drinks in the past year or two when the other guys are fit, but he is always quality when he comes in.”

West Zone’s fight ended once Priyank Panchal fell early on the final day and they stopped 75 short in low-scoring title clash

Shashank Kishore16-Jul-2023″I opened the curtains and looked up towards the skies first thing after I woke up.”Hanuma Vihari knew South Zone wouldn’t have it easy picking up the five remaining West Zone wickets to win the Duleep Trophy final on Sunday. They still had 116 runs to defend, but Priyank Panchal was unbeaten on 92 overnight, having played an innings of great defiance and skill on a Chinnaswamy track that was showing signs of wear and tear.As it turned out, Vihari’s prayers were answered as the day dawned overcast and grey in Bengaluru, allowing the seamers to come into the game immediately. Vidwath Kaverappa, fresh off a career-best 7 for 53 in the first innings that earned him applause and a pep talk from the national selectors, nicked off Panchal in the second over of the day with one that held its line.The big hurdle in South’s way was out of the way. From there on, it seemed as though victory was a foregone conclusion. West’s batting might was subsided with precision and well-laid bowling plans.R Sai Kishore, the left-arm spinner, picked up three of the five wickets to fall on the final day; each of them courtesy flight that lulled lower-order batters into playing the big shots. It was a ringing endorsement of how well the pacers bowled right through the game, because batters were looking for a release at the first available opportunity against spin.Unfortunately, they didn’t get it.R Sai Kishore picked up four wickets in the second innings after not getting much of a bowl in the first•PTI

Dharmendrasinh Jadeja was out miscuing a slog to mid-off, Chintan Gaja was out caught at midwicket as he attempted a heave, and Atit Sheth, the last man out, was done in by the dip as he swung for the hills. Sai Kishore walked away with 4 for 57 after having minimal bowling to do for large parts.Seamer V Koushik was the pick of the bowlers, though. His spell late on the fourth day, which accounted for the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Suryakumar Yadav in the space of three deliveries, made the difference in the game.Koushik, whose bowling action is bit of a throwback to Mohinder Amarnath’s – the saunter and an air of languidness before finishing with a whippy action – profited from accuracy and late movement that didn’t allow batters to switch off.At 30, he may be a late bloomer, but the performance was another reminder of the value he brings to Karnataka in domestic cricket, and the potential they have to develop a fine bowling unit with Kaverappa, who earned the Player-of-the-Match award, and Vijaykumar Vyshak.In all, the Karnataka pace trio picked up 16 of the 20 West wickets. Kaverappa’s seven-for set up the game in the first innings and Koushik’s blows tripped West in the second at a time when the game was delicately poised.Vyshak, who is riding a wave of confidence following a debut IPL stint earlier this year, also impressed with his improved pace and sustained short-ball tactic that felled Prithvi Shaw at a crucial juncture in the first innings after he had made 65. That South found themselves in the final was incidentally because of Vyshak’s telling spell in the semi-final against North Zone, where he picked up 5 for 76 to limit the lead, in a game that was decided by fine margins.Vidwath Kaverappa was named the Player of the Match for his seven-for in the first innings•PTI

West were comfortably the more accomplished batting line-up on paper, but South proved cricket was played on the field. Pujara, who fill be flying off to the UK to finish his county commitments with Sussex, managed scores of 28, 133, 9 and 15 in his four outings; Suryakumar, India’s T20I vice-captain, had disappointing returns, managing just one half-century in four knocks.Shaw, who has chosen to play in England instead of in the Deodhar Trophy, managed 26, 25, 65 and 7 in his four innings. It’s a sign of how far he’s dipped that Shaw doesn’t even find himself in the mix in India’s second-string squad for the Asian Games. An opportunity at the Duleep Trophy, in that sense, was wasted. Like Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan too didn’t help matters with lean returns; the 48 he made on Saturday his only innings of substance in the tournament.For someone like Washington Sundar, finding his feet after a series of injuries, playing two straight games injury free must have felt like a win. It’s a different matter that he didn’t have too many overs under his belt with the ball, but he batted solidly in the time he spent in the middle, making one wonder why he didn’t bat a lot higher than at No. 7.As Vihari lifted the trophy and South posed for the winning picture, they belted (We won’t break this friendship) – a chartbuster about friendship from the 1970s. It told you why the zonal format was heaps better than players being assigned to random teams such as Red, Green and Blue.”Players were going through the motions with that format. Here, it didn’t feel like we were coming from different states. There was intensity right through, it felt different,” Vihari said after the win.It certainly did.

Australia offspinner says he wants to push for the 2027 Ashes and is also keen to make his BBL debut for Renegades before the Test summer

Alex Malcolm30-Oct-2023Nathan Lyon is poised to sign a deal to play a full County Championship season with Lancashire next year where he will team up with long-time rival Jimmy Anderson and has reiterated his desire to continue to play Test cricket until the 2027 Ashes series in England.Lyon is also aiming to play in the BBL for his new club Melbourne Renegades against his old side Sydney Sixers, who he said “basically sacked him”, ahead of his Test return against Pakistan in mid-December.Lyon, 35, made a successful return to Sheffield Shield cricket over the weekend in New South Wales’ loss to Victoria at the MCG. Lyon bowled 36 overs across two innings in the match and returned figures of 1 for 81 on a pitch that favoured the seam bowlers.Related

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• Boland joins Durham for 2024

Australia’s greatest-ever Test offspinner had not played a first-class game since he tore his calf badly during the second Test of the Ashes series at Lord’s in late June. Australia have seven Tests this summer against Pakistan and West Indies at home and New Zealand away but do not have another series scheduled between mid-March 2024 and the following home summer where they will host India in a five-match series.It presents an opportunity for Australia’s Test specialists to play county cricket with Scott Boland already signed to play with Durham. Lyon confirmed he has a contract on the table from Lancashire, which was first reported by the UK’s , and he is likely to sign this week.”There’s an offer on the table,” Lyon said at a cricket clinic in Melbourne on Monday. “I really wanted to see how this week went. It all went really well. So that’s a conversation when I get home with my wife tomorrow night. [We’ll] have a chat about heading over there. It’s looking pretty good that I’ll head over to Lancs hopefully, we’ll dot all the i’s, cross all the t’s, get that signed and head over there to play with Jimmy Anderson which will be good.Nathan Lyon played four games for Worcestershire in 2017•Getty Images

“At this stage, it’s a full season [contract] but there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge. But my intentions are to go over, play county cricket and go there and keep learning.”Lyon was set to do a stint in county cricket earlier this year ahead of the World Test Championship final and the Ashes but opted to remain at home. He played four matches with Worcestershire in 2017.His serious calf injury was a huge blow to Australia in the Ashes and he has admitted it took him to some dark places personally when he watched the remainder of the series from home in Sydney. But the injury has strengthened his resolve to continue playing Test cricket with the next away tours of India and England in 2027 clear targets in his mind.”It’s probably extended [my career], to be honest with you,” Lyon said. “I’ve always said I wanted to win in India and England. Haven’t been able to do that. So, it looks like we’ve got to go again.”Lyon is keen to play as much cricket as he can between now and then. He is scheduled to play two more Shield games for New South Wales against Western Australia and Tasmania before the Test summer begins, both at the SCG, but he will rest from the trip to Hobart to play Tasmania in between.He is also keen to make his BBL debut for Renegades on December 8 against Sixers at the SCG, just a day before the Test players are due to head to Perth to prepare for the first home Test of the summer against Pakistan at Perth Stadium starting on December 14.”That’s my plan,” Lyon said. “I haven’t spoken to Cricket Australia or the Renegades yet but my plan is to be available for selection. I’m looking forward to joining the Renegades. I feel like we’re getting all the old boys back together with Sids [Peter Siddle], and Sos [Shaun Marsh] and Finchy [Aaron Finch] and myself.Nathan Lyon has joined Melbourne Renegades in BBL after previously playing at Sydney Sixers•Getty Images

“But having someone like Quinton de Kock, who I absolutely idolised playing against, I think he’s exceptional and you can see what he’s doing for South Africa. It’s pretty special. I’m looking forward to it.”Lyon has been watching the ODI World Cup but said he is following as a fan and is not waiting by the phone after volunteering his services to coach Andrew McDonald prior to the tournament when Ashton Agar was ruled out with injury.He took great delight in seeing England lose to India overnight.”Absolutely loved it,” Lyon said. “It’s international cricket. I respect them as people. I think they’re very nice people. But when it comes to cricket, what do you want me to say?”

Mohammad Nawaz and Haris Rauf hold off Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take Northern to fourth

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2021Southern Punjab lost their sixth straight game in a row, with Central Punjab trouncing their provincial rivals by seven wickets to eliminate them from semi-final contention.SP found themselves under pressure instantly after being put in to bat with Faheem Ashraf removing both openers in the first over. Agha Salman and Azam Khan looked to have put them back on track with an 84-run stand, but once it broke, SP crumbled completely. Hasan Ali ripped through the order with four wickets as CP picked them off with ease, the last eight wickets falling for 34 runs to leave CP chasing a straightforward 120.The chase was as simple as they come, with Babar Azam assuming complete control from the outset. An unbeaten 59 formed the spine of the CP innings, with Kamran Akmal playing his part for the second-wicket partnership. CP had no need to ever really get out of second gear, finally putting SP out of their misery in the 18th over, both on the night and in the tournament.Mohammad Nawaz scored an unbeaten 56 off 35 balls•PCB

A whirlwind 90-run fifth-wicket partnership between Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan helped Northern recover from the loss of four early wickets to beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 14 runs.Table-toppers KP put Northern in to bat first, and Shaheen Afridi put them under immediate pressure in a glorious first over in which he removed Ali Imran and Haider Ali. Northern rebuilt with a 50-run third-wicket stand, only to lose another couple in quick succession. But they stuck to their plans, with the in-form Nawaz and Shadab launching an impressive counter-attack, with the next 90 runs coming in nine overs as Nawaz smashed a 34-ball 51, his second half-century in three games. Shadab’s 27-ball 46 was the accompaniment, and thanks to a handy cameo from Asif Ali, Northern got to 181.KP’s response lacked the necessary intent required to chase down a steep total for much of the first ten overs, hampered by the loss of Mohammad Rizwan and Sahibzada Farhan early. With the asking rate rising, Iftikhar Ahmed brought his side back into the contest with a glorious half-century, but lack of support from the other end ensured KP were always a touch too far behind the game. And once Haris Rauf, who starred with three wickets, had Iftikhar hole out, all doubts vanished, with a clinical Northern closing out an impressive win.

Fourth-innings chase completed in an hour and a quarter on final morning

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay27-Sep-2025Essex 438 (Walter 158, Elgar 118, Overton 6-88) and 99 for 3 beat Somerset 433 (Goldsworthy 100, Thomas 86, Rew 74, Overton 60) and 99 (Thomas 39, Porter 4-18) by seven wicketsTwenty-year-old Charlie Allison kept his head during an otherwise nervy hour and a quarter as Essex claimed a seven-wicket victory to round off the Rothesay County Championship season.Allison, one of Essex’s stand-out performers during an otherwise disappointing season, finished the game with a second six off Jake Ball over long leg. He was 32 not out from 34 balls as Essex reached their target of 95 from just 18.4 overs.Lewis Gregory had given Somerset some hope of an unlikely upset by removing Dean Elgar and Tom Westley inside the first six overs before taking the catch in the deep to end Paul Walter’s tone-setting innings. Walter, a first-innings centurion, had amassed 30 from 31 balls when he departed with 39 runs still required.The Somerset captain was fired up in the face of desperate odds against and caused jitters in the Essex ranks as he repeatedly beat the outside edge of the bat. He bowled through unchanged and was rewarded with figures of 2 for 43 from his nine overs.For two-and-a-half days it looked like the game would peter out into a tame draw with handshakes accepted in mid-afternoon and the curtain brought down on a forgettable Championship season for both sides. However, that was before Jamie Porter initiated a collapse of monumental proportions amid the gloom of a day-three afternoon and early evening.Essex had subsided themselves earlier in the day from an overnight 295 for 2 to 438 all out and a nominal lead of five runs. But in 34 overs reminiscent of some of Essex’s glory years of the recent past, they rolled Somerset over for 99 with Porter taking 4 for 18 and falling just one wicket short of another 50-wicket haul for the season.Essex had already confirmed their Division One survival during this final match while Somerset had settled for the no-man’s land of mid-table. Three successive wins in May had even suggested a title challenge that did not materialise.However, with all day to knock off the runs, a modicum of tension was introduced in only the second over. Having put on 277 for the first wicket in the first innings, the opening partnership lasted just seven balls. Elgar departed for a golden duck, rapped conclusively on his front pad by Gregory without getting anywhere near the ball.Westley withstood the rest of a torrid over from Gregory but got off the mark with a characteristic drive through midwicket for four off Craig Overton. He followed that with an emphatic pull through midwicket off Gregory for a second boundary before he, too, fell to the same bowler. After putting on a run-a-ball 28 with Walter, Westley nibbled at one outside off stump and wicketkeeper James Rew dived in front of first slip to claim the catch.Walter had been busy turning twos into threes to the extent that Essex reached fifty from just nine overs when Allison walked down the pitch and smashed Overton through extra over for four.Overton had been relatively expensive, his five overs costing 25, but his replacement Ball struck with his first ball when Walter went for a big heave and paid the price.Allison made sure the target came down quickly and deposited Ball over long leg for six to take Essex within two runs of the target and then repeated the act to complete the victory.