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The USA Cricket Association has announced an historic deal in partnership with New Zealand Cricket designed to grow the game in the USA

Peter Della Penna19-Dec-2010The USA Cricket Association (USACA) has announced an historic deal in partnership with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) that is designed to grow the game exponentially in one of the ICC’s target markets. The partnership establishes a newly formed entity, Cricket Holdings America LLC, which will hold a majority of the commercial rights to cricket in the United States. This includes potentially valuable Twenty20 rights and the ability to stage a franchise-based Twenty20 league.New Zealand will play an agreed number of matches in the United States as well as make its players available to participate in any future Twenty20 leagues, as part of the partnership. There is no word yet on when New Zealand will play its next series in the USA or who the opponent will be. NZC will also contribute management, development and coaching resources.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo in November, USACA treasurer John Thickett stated that the association was closing in on an eight-figure deal involving NZC and Saturday’s announcement confirms that. “This is a historic day for the development of cricket in the USA,” Thickett said. “This partnership has the potential to bring both funds and know-how to US cricket and provides a robust long term development plan for the world’s second-most popular sport in a major market. I am absolutely thrilled at the opportunities it will provide USACA’s stakeholders.””This partnership will provide cricket in the US two very clear benefits,” USACA President Gladstone Dainty said. “Importantly, it will provide a sustainable revenue stream for the development of the game and secondly, we shall be supported by the knowledge and expertise that comes from a Full Member country like New Zealand. These two compelling benefits will assist us to give cricket a strong foothold in the United States.”The other members of the partnership are Australian-based marketing company Insite, cornerstone investor Top Bloom and Podar Holding International, part of the Podar Enterprises group based in India, with has interests from mining and manufacturing to sports education, and operates the Cricket India Academy in Mumbai.Neil Maxwell, the executive director of Insite, claimed that Cricket Holdings America should have a “capitalized value in the ballpark of between $80-100 million”. Maxwell and his company were eager to get involved in the US market and he is being credited with brokering the deal. He was a visible presence at a USACA board meeting in Florida last March and also appeared at the Twenty20 series in May between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Lauderhill.”With a population of four million, New Zealand is a limited market place,” NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan, said. “We have historically punched above our weight through leadership and innovation. Cricket Holdings America LLC is a significant step in diversifying our long-term revenue base and in the process, growing a new market.”

United Arab Emirates completed a comfortable five-wicket victory over the United States of America in their World Twenty20 Qualifier warm-up game at Sharjah.

Cricinfo staff05-Feb-2010
Scorecard
United Arab Emirates completed a comfortable five-wicket victory over the United States of America in their World Twenty20 Qualifier warm-up game in Sharjah. A middle-order collapse meant USA could only muster 134 for 8, and after opener Mohammad Iqbal’s brutal 43 the target was chased down with 11 balls to spare.USA had looked set for a large total after Sushil Nadkarni and Carl Wright put on 64 in the first eight overs. Nadkarni, who has a reputation as a prolific batsman in American cricket, blazed his way to a half-century, but his dismissal by Fayyaz Ahmed sparked a disastrous collapse as seven wickets fell for only 25 runs in the second half of the innings.Ahmed grabbed three wickets in four balls – including the captain Steve Massiah and Sudesh Dhaniram for first-ball ducks – while Ahmed Raza and Shadeep Silva ensured there would be no fightback from the lower order. Orlando Baker’s breezy cameo took the score past 130, but USA would have been hoping for 30 to 40 more runs after the bright start to their innings.UAE’s reply got off to a brisk start courtesy of Iqbal. He smashed six boundaries, including three sixes, to take the pressure off his opening partner, Arfan Haider, who played a far more sedate innings before he was dismissed by Imran Awan. Iqbal was run out in the same over, but calm innings from Saqib Ali and captain Khurram Khan ensured there would be no repeat of USA’s collapse.Timroy Allen, the young Jamaican-born fast bowler, struck twice in the 18th over to remove Khan and Ahmed, but by then the result was all but sealed. These two teams meet again at Abu Dhabi in two days time for their second warm-up game before the World Twenty20 Qualifiers begin on February 9.

“I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with MCA to help us win more trophies,” Ajinkya Rahane says

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2025Ajinkya Rahane has given up the captaincy of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season, saying he believes “it’s the right time to groom a new leader”. In a communication to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Rahane, now 37, said he wants to continue as a player for the team.”Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour,” Rahane wrote in a social media post. “With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader. And hence I’ve decided not to continue in the captaincy role. I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with MCA to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season.”Rahane helped Mumbai break a nine-year drought by leading them to their 42nd Ranji Trophy title in 2023-24. While his red-ball form over the past two years has been patchy (467 runs in 27 innings with just one century), he was more fluent in the shorter formats. At the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in December last year, when he played under Shreyas Iyer, Rahane was the Player of the Tournament for his chart-topping 469 runs in a title-winning season.Related

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Rahane was most recently in charge of Kolkata Knight Riders at IPL 2025, for whom he was the highest scorer with 390 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.27. The team had a mediocre season, though, finishing eighth with just five wins.In July, Rahane said he still possessed the “hunger and passion” for the game and for red-ball cricket, stating he even carried his trainers and cricket gear while on holiday in London to begin preparations for the upcoming domestic season.”I still want to play Test cricket,” Rahane had told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton in an interview with . “I’m really passionate about playing Test cricket. I’m enjoying my cricket at the moment. For me, it’s all about focusing on the controllable things. Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but [there are] things as a player I cannot control. I got no response.”As a player, all I can do is keep playing cricket, keep enjoying the game, and give my best each and every time. I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball [cricket], it’s a passion. The love for the game keeps me going.”Mumbai are currently preparing for the upcoming season by playing the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai, with a young squad led by 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre. Mumbai allrounder Shardul Thakur, a key member of their 2024-25 Ranji campaign, was named captain of West Zone for the season-opening Duleep Trophy.

Prabath Jayasuriya and Kamindu Mendis struck twice each as Bangladesh went seven down heading into the final day

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Apr-2024Sri Lanka continued their march toward a 2-0 series victory on day four, taking seven Bangladesh wickets, as they encountered only pockets of resistance from the opposition. Mominul Haque crossed fifty as Bangladesh strove to bat out almost five-and-a-half sessions to save the match, or hit the record 511 runs they needed to win. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was unbeaten at stumps, but no one else crossed 40 and their biggest partnership was the 61 Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan put on for the fifth wicket.Spin became a significant weapon for Sri Lanka for the first time in the series, though the Chattogram surface was not taking massive turn yet. It was also not providing substantial seam movement, or pace, or carry, or reverse swing, which the seamers went looking for late in the day. The key for Sri Lanka, largely, was to stay patient and to continue posing various questions of the Bangladesh batters.With so many runs to defend, Dhananjaya de Silva had no qualms keeping catchers in close, and trying unusual lines of attack. The Bangladesh batters could be relied on to eventually succumb. No one lasted more than 74 balls.Prabath Jayasuriya bowled 20 overs and took 2 for 79. Lahiru Kumara also claimed two, and Vishwa Fernando got the wicket of Zakir Hasan, who hit a fifty in the first dig. The surprise for Sri Lanka was the two wickets taken by Kamindu Mendis, who gleaned more turn – if less artfully – than the more experienced spinners (de Silva also sent down seven overs). Kamindu can also bowl left-arm spin, but stuck to offbreaks on this occasion, claiming Shakib as his first Test victim, before also getting Shahadat Hossain out lbw to finish the day with 2 for 22.Earlier in the day, Angelo Mathews had become the last of Sri Lanka’s batters to cross fifty in this match, with the others in the top seven having done so in the first innings. He was out to a spectacular delivery from Shakib, who did not celebrate with notable vigour despite the “timed out” history between the two. Sri Lanka just batted till their lead had breached 500, and gave Bangladesh the last 40 minutes before lunch to see out, which they did unscathed, though the wickets fell soon after.Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the first to go, second over after the break, when he had his middle stump knocked over by a slider from Jayasuriya. Zakir didn’t last long either, offering an edge off Vishwa to first slip. They continued to flounder. Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has had a woeful series, had the top of his off stump rattled by an excellent Kumara delivery, angled in from wide of the crease. Mominul, who has been Bangladesh’s best batter across the Tests, got to an 18th career fifty off 55 deliveries, but top edged a sweep off Jayasuriya immediately after, and was caught at deep square leg.The Shakib-Litton stand provided a break from the wickets. They gathered singles intelligently, and both began to strike confident boundaries, and saw out short-ball barrages from the quicks on a pitch that had lost its pace. But they fell before really making Sri Lanka sweat. Kamindu had Shakib edging to gully with an offbreak that turned more than the batter expected, and Litton toe-edged a Kumara bouncer to the wicketkeeper, as he tried to fetch it from wide outside off.Bangladesh need 243 runs, but perhaps more realistically, need rain to arrive on day five, to save them from what at present seems an inevitable series conclusion. Their last pair who can bat – Mehidy Hasan, and Taijul Islam – were at the crease at stumps.

Nicole Bolton ended her career with a fighting 32 in Sixers’ unsuccessful chase of 148

Andrew McGlashan26-Nov-2022Adelaide Strikers wanted redemption. And they got it. Deandra Dottin produced a starring all-round performance and Darcie Brown’s pace claimed two key wickets as Sydney Sixers’ record-breaking 11 wins in the regular season came up short as they suffered a dramatic top-order collapse.After finishing runners-up twice in the last three seasons, Strikers finally got their hands on the WBBL trophy for the first time in front of a Sixers-dominated crowd of 6478 at the North Sydney Oval.Strikers had made a positive start with the bat with a 51-run opening stand before struggling through the middle phase of the innings, including a power surge that brought just seven runs and two wickets. However, Dottin overcame her own struggles – including being caught off an Ellyse Perry no-ball on 8 – and was chiefly responsible for the 34 runs coming off the last three overs.Still, a target of 148 did not feel like enough to challenge a Sixers line-up that had consistently scored runs this season. But, after a 15-minute delay due to problems caused by the setting sun, that notion was soon blown out of the water: by the end of six overs they were 4 for 17. Nicole Bolton, in her final game before retirement, and Perry forged a recovery but after they removed both in quick succession, it always felt as though Strikers had just enough to play with.Dottin’s charmed life
Dottin may have sensed it was her day. Before she reached double figures there had been two lives. The first came on 1 when a drive evaded Bolton at backward point as she went on-handed to her left. Two balls later, while not a chance as such, Kate Peterson sent down a no-ball full-toss which Dottin clubbed to deep square leg. Then came the most obvious reprieve when she lofted to mid-off only to find out Perry had not had her foot behind the line. Despite all that, Dottin reached the final three overs with 26 off 25 balls before finding her range with sixes off Peterson and Ash Gardner.Deandra Dottin scored an unbeaten 52 off 37 balls and bowled a double-wicket maiden•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Two overs of madness
Alyssa Healy could have been run out in the first over of the chase. But then things really turned wild. The third over of the innings from Brown included a dropped catch apiece by Bridget Patterson and Madeline Penna – both offered by Suzie Bates – before Penna redeemed herself off the final ball by clinging onto a rasping pull from Healy. That, though, was just the start. Dottin took the ball for the fifth over and ended with a double-wicket maiden. Bates chipped to deep midwicket and Gardner, the player of the tournament, sent a full-toss to mid-on.Bolton’s finish
When Erin Burns, who has been a key figure in Sixers’ middle order, was stumped at the second attempt by Tegan McPharlin the batting was being dismantled. Before the final, Bolton had confirmed this would mark the end of her career. For a short while it looked like she might sign off in stunning fashion as she and Perry rebuilt Sixers’ from their early woes. When Bolton reverse-swept Tahlia McGrath then clubbed her through midwicket there was a sense of a swing in momentum, but a ball later Bolton dragged onto her stumps. When Perry fell to Brown next over, a full delivery fizzing through her drive, it was all but over. Brown would finish with 16 dots balls in her four overs.Sixers fight to the end
To their immense credit, Sixers did not back down from the challenge. Sophie Ecclestone and Maitlan Brown threatened – with 14 coming off the first pver of the power surge – but a brilliant slower ball from Megan Schutt completely deceived Ecclestone. Brown kept on swinging to mean it got close enough to make Sixers wonder what could have been. But there was no denying Strikers their first title.

The 36-year-old pacer was the leading wicket-taker in the 2019 Vitality Blast

Matt Roller08-Jul-2021Derbyshire have re-signed Ravi Rampaul, who was the leading wicket-taker in the 2019 Vitality Blast, for their final three group games in this year’s competition and the duration of the Royal London Cup.Rampaul, the 36-year-old fast bowler, spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Derbyshire as a Kolpak registration, but did not return last summer due to restrictions on international travel and finances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.Over the winter, he was Trinidad and Tobago’s leading wicket-taker in their run to the Regional Super50 domestic competition title and played for Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10. He has since been recruited by Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL for this season, his first contract in the competition since 2017.Derbyshire are bottom of the Blast’s North Group with three games to spare, and will need to win all three to have a chance of qualifying. They have struggled badly with injuries this season, particularly to their fast bowlers, and have had to recruit Jade Dernbach on a short-term loan from Surrey as cover. Rampaul will be their second overseas player for the run-in alongside Logan van Beek, with Ben McDermott (international duty) and Billy Stanlake (stress fracture) both ruled out before the start of the group stage.They will also be without key three players during the Royal London Cup due to contracts in the Hundred – Matt Critchley, Luis Reece and Leus du Plooy – while Wayne Madsen has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. While Rampaul is unlikely to add cover for their batting ability, he brings experience to a young bowling line-up.Dave Houghton, the club’s director of cricket, said: “It’s a blow for us that we will lose some quality players for the Royal London Cup, but we’re proud of the players who have been selected for the Hundred.”We will get by, and we’ve brought in a top-level bowler to help us out with that. We will put out a competitive side. It’s a great opportunity for some of our players who specialise in white-ball cricket – we have to hope the best will come out of them.”I’ve always felt that we had some unfinished business. Ravi had such a good season in 2019 – he was club player of the year – but we lost him for a year due to the pandemic. Our bowlers have come on leaps and bounds this year, but to have someone of Ravi’s ability and class opening and closing the innings for us, which is something we’ve missed this season, is going to be fantastic.”Rampaul said: “I loved my first spell with Derbyshire and I’m looking forward to getting started again in familiar surroundings. I know most of the players still, and there’s a few new faces who are really exciting young players. If I can help them along in training and in games, I will do that, and hopefully we can get on a roll and challenge for the knockouts.”

He powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score with an unbeaten 93 as Brisbane Heat fell short by 34 runs

Tristan Lavalette11-Jan-2020A belligerent Mitchell Marsh powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score and an important 34-run victory over Brisbane Heat at Perth Stadium.After electing to bat, the Scorchers captain took advantage of a batting paradise with an astounding 41-ball unbeaten 93 highlighted by eight sixes to energise the Scorchers faithful. Marsh, who notched his highest BBL score, dominated a 124-run partnership with Cameron Bancroft (41*) to lift the home side to a mighty 3 for 213.In reply, Tom Banton hit a rapid 55 but lacked support as the Scorchers easily won for just the fourth time from 12 attempts at Perth Stadium. It was their second straight victory over Heat in as many weeks.Pattinson struggles amid Scorchers flurryAustralian Test fast bowler James Pattinson had a tough BBL season debut when a pumped-up Josh Inglis cracked his first ball to the boundary in a sign of things to come. Pattinson’s struggles forced captain Chris Lynn to turn to in-form spinner Zahir Khan in the third over, but Inglis – who hit six boundaries in his first 12 deliveries – was unperturbed as he pounced on uncharacteristically loose bowling.Inglis looked unstoppable until he tamely chipped back to Josh Lalor. Inglis’ exit meant a return of Pattinson, but his horror start continued when Max Bryant dropped a sharp chance at backward point to reprieve Sam Whiteman in the fifth over.After a sedate start, Liam Livingstone found his groove and attacked Zahir in the sixth over to cap off an outstanding Powerplay for the Scorchers, where they amassed 63 runs.Ben Laughlin deceived Whiteman with a slower delivery as Heat dried the runs. But with big-hitters Livingstone and Marsh at the crease, Scorchers appeared well poised at 2 for 87 in ten overs.Marsh eviscerates HeatHeat clawed back when a frustrated Livingstone ungainly fell to a Zahir full toss, as the contest tightened in the middle overs. Scorchers failed to score a boundary for six overs with Marsh and Bancroft content on knocking the ball around on the wide expanses of Perth Stadium.Marsh ended the drought in the 14th over when he clubbed a Laughlin short delivery into the crowd to signal his intentions. He set his sights on a returning Pattinson in the 16th over with two sixes to further dent the big quick’s grim figures. He finished with figures of 0 for 52 from 4 overs.Bancroft joined the party with several lusty blows to expose Heat’s lack of bowling depth. Marsh was dropped by Banton on 54 and made them pay with an outrageous flick into the crowd off Lalor in the 19th over, followed by another six.Marsh then outdid himself with three successive sixes off Laughlin to complete the innings in style and ensure Scorchers easily beat their previous highest BBL score of 7 for 203.Heat lose wickets around aggressive BantonHeat needed a flyer and Banton got them rolling with a slew of boundaries off Scorchers’ fast bowlers. His most astounding shot was a premeditated ramp shot off Jhye Richardson in the fourth over to fuel hope. But his partner Bryant couldn’t get going and holed out moments later to bring Lynn to the crease.Marsh unsuccessfully tried Fawad Ahmed inside the Powerplay with the spinner leaking 19 runs, marked by a towering six from Lynn over long-off. The partnership menaced until Lynn holed out to a brilliant catch from a sliding Livingstone to put the onus on Banton.Straight after the Powerplay, Joel Paris, who replaced youngster Matthew Kelly in the team, claimed Matt Renshaw as Scorchers continued to chip away. Banton proved a thorn and brought up his half-century with a crunching straight drive off Marsh, but fell shortly after when he skied a return catch to Chris Jordan. His dismissal left Heat 4 for 89 at the halfway point with their faint hopes slipping away.Party time for ScorchersAfter his tough start, Ahmed bowled much better in the middle overs to shackle Heat, who did not score a boundary for five overs. Ben Cutting needed to hit top gear immediately but couldn’t get going.He had a reprieve in the 15th over when Cameron Green dropped a sitter and then smashed a six next ball. But Cutting’s luck ended when he hit straight to backward square leg to effectively end the contest.The back-end was party time for Scorchers on the disco themed night at Perth Stadium, as the Heat’s three-game winning streak ended.

Having become the first South African sportsperson to be criminally convicted for match-fixing, he faces a potential 15-year sentence

Liam Brickhill04-Nov-2018Former South Africa and Lions batsman Gulam Bodi has pleaded guilty to eight charges of corruption and begged for clemency in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court. On Friday, Bodi became the first South African sportsperson to be criminally convicted for match-fixing and is facing a potential 15-year sentence.Bodi is being charged under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004, which makes match-fixing and spot-fixing in sport a crime in South Africa. The act was introduced after the Hansie Cronje match-fixing saga in 2000, and this is the first time it is being exercised.In 2016, Bodi was banned from taking part in any activities relating to cricket for 20 years by Cricket South Africa for his part in contriving to fix, or otherwise improperly influence aspects of the 2015 Ram Slam T20 tournament. Six other players – Alviro Petersen, Thami Tsolekile, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Jean Symes, Pumi Matshikwe and Ethy Mbhalati – were also implicated.CSA handed their evidence over to the South African police services, who launched their own investigation culminating in this case.”It has been a very tough few years,” Bodi told reporters outside the courtroom. “I’ve been banned for 20 years. That’s already a long sentence. So for me not to be able to do something I loved my entire life has been terribly hard. I haven’t really settled in the last three years. It’s been a constant battle.”Just recently I managed to get a job, and after three years of running around and struggling, things started slowly looking a bit better, and now this comes up. It’s completely shattered me.”They pulled me out of school when I was just 16 and put me in a cricket academy. I don’t even have an education background to fall back on, so it’s been a real battle. This is going to greatly affect my job and my family, because nobody wants to be associated with a criminal.”Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, Bodi’s legal representative, said his client acknowledged his wrongdoing and pleaded for the court’s mercy. The state and defence legal teams both asked for more time in order to prepare for a sentencing, and Magistrate Nicola Setshogoe agreed to a postponement, acknowledging that as a first-time offender Bodi had handed himself in and co-operated fully with authorities since being arrested in July.”Before this whole thing transpired, my client was offered a job at a cricket academy and had also been commenting with SuperSport,” Mnguni told . “The fact that the ban he received meant he couldn’t be involved with cricket took away any form of income he would be able to earn because in essence this man only knows cricket. He doesn’t have an academic background.”I’m hoping that when we bring forward all these issues to the court, in addition to the fact that he’s got three very young children and he’s got an elderly unemployed mother, whom he financially supports.”I feel for my client because I know he’s been through a lot. He’s made a mistake and I won’t say he’s been punished enough, but he has been punished and he suffered a lot going through this process, and he obviously feels very sorry for what he’s done and the harm he has caused to CSA and the damage that they suffered in the public for what he’s done.”Bodi will return to court on 28 January next year for sentencing.

The last coach who refused to agree a run chase against Kent ended up with the sack – maybe Sam Northeast should mention that to Richard Dawson because he needs another one

ECB Reporters Network14-Sep-20171:31

As Liam Livingstone admits in our Championship round-up, the title belongs to Essex

It will take a significant performance of note, with bat or ball, on the final day of this Specsavers’ County Championship game at Nevil Road, to see one of these two sides push on to victory.By the close on day three, Gloucestershire, who trailed by a single run on first innings, led visitors Kent by 66 runs thanks to an unbeaten first wicket stand of between Chris Dent and Cameron Bancroft.However, on a Bristol wicket that is hardly full of demons, a draw certainly looks the most likely result unless a contrived run chase is arranged. Leicestershire refused to do that at Canterbury earlier this month and it contributed to the removal of their coach Pierre de Bruyn so anything is possible. Perhaps Northeast should mention it to Gloucestershire’s Richard Dawson.The day started brightly for Kent with Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly adding 44 to their side’s overnight total before the former was caught by Gareth Roderick off the bowling of Liam Norwell for 58. It was a deserved wicket for Norwell, who bowled with great accuracy and equal ambition from the Pavilion End.Thereafter, however, Denly and fourth wicket partner Sam Northeast carefully extinguished the fears of following on. Batting sensibly against Gloucestershire’s all-seam attack, both players not only looked in decent touch, but duly passed 1000 County Championship runs for the summer too.Eventually, they departed within the space of three balls as Gloucestershire, once again, gave themselves an outside chance. Northeast was bowled by Kieran Noema-Barnett for 66 at 210 for 4 and in the very next over, Denly lobbed up a straightforward catch to Gloucestershire captain Phil Mustard, at mid-off, off the bowling of Matt Taylor.Sam Northeast lives in hope at Bristol•Getty Images

Zac Crawley and Sam Billings added 54 for the sixth wicket, in decent time, to get Kent’s innings’ back on track, before Crawley was caught off the bowling of Josh Shaw for 10. Billings, who enjoyed his time at the Bristol crease in last season’s fixture between the sides, looked in good touch once again, until he was carelessly run out, for 47, at 283 for 7.Norwell, who bowled so well from the Pavilion End before lunch, returned after tea from the opposite end and once again looked lively. He beat the outside edge on numerous occasions before sending back Callum Haggett at 339 for 8.It was left to Darren Stevens (65 not out) to successfully guide Kent to the most slender of first innings’ leads. The veteran struck the ball beautifully, to all four corners, as Gloucestershire failed to consolidate on what had been a very healthy position when Billings departed. He added 31 for the ninth wicket with Matt Coles and a further 16 for the final wicket with Mitchell Claydon.Gloucestershire, needing to survive until stumps, did so with relative ease, reaching 67 without loss. Dent and Bancroft suffered precious few scares despite the best efforts of the Kent bowlers in the evening sunshine.

A century by Ben Slater could not disguise Derbyshire’s batting frailties against Gloucestershire at Derby

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2016
ScorecardBen Slater hit his first hundred for nearly two years•Getty Images

Derbyshire suffered another first innings batting failure despite a century from Ben Slater as Craig Miles bowled Gloucestershire back into the Division Two match at Derby.Slater’s 110, his first county championship hundred for nearly two years, should have set Derbyshire up for a commanding total but the last seven wickets fell for 67 runs as they subsided to 242 with Miles finishing with outstanding figures of 4 for 30 from 17 overs.Gloucestershire had bowled poorly after Derbyshire elected to bat and moved to 91 without loss until Miles ran through the top order to change the course of the day.Derbyshire hit back in the closing overs with Gareth Roderick falling to Tom Milnes but Gloucestershire held the initiative at stumps on 27 for 1 , 215 behind.Derbyshire would have expected to have a much bigger total to defend when Slater and Billy Godleman plundered some desperately poor bowling in the first hour to cruise along at six an over.Gloucestershire’s seamers failed to maintain an accurate line and it was only when Jack Taylor’s off-spin was introduced at the City end in the ninth over that they managed to exert some control.Only Miles consistently posed problems and he made the first breakthrough when Godleman drove firmly but straight to cover where Taylor took a good low catch.It was the first of three wickets in as many overs as Liam Norwell found some late movement to have Alex Hughes caught behind and then Wayne Madsen drove to point without scoring.Slater and Broom set out about rebuilding the innings after lunch with the opener adding to his three one-day hundreds this season before a second collapse handed the initiative to Gloucestershire.Broom had looked fortunate to survive an lbw appeal against Miles but edged to second slip in the bowler’s next over and Matt Critchley drove a return catch to Taylor before tea.The decline continued when Slater was caught down the legside in the sixth over after tea and Tom Milnes failed to beat David Payne’s throw from mid on when he was sent back by Harvey Hosein who faced 31 balls before he got off the mark.Will Davis drove and pulled Josh Shaw for three consecutive fours but when he edged the next delivery to second slip, Derbyshire had let an opportunity slip away on a decent pitch in good batting conditions.Milnes struck an early blow when he found bounce and movement to have Roderick caught at first slip but Derbyshire have a lot to do to claim a first championship win of the season.