Warne strikes one-day form

LONDON: Shane Warne and Stuart Clark helped bowl Hampshire one step closer to a place in the Friends Provident Trophy finals with a thrilling two-run win over Kent at Tunbridge Wells. Warne claimed 3 for 30 and Clark took 3 for 42 as Hampshire tried to defend their total of 220.
The visitors were cruising when Kent wobbled to 8 for 136 after the early breakthroughs from Warne and Clark. However, a 69-run ninth wicket partnership between Matt Walker and the South African Ryan McLaren had Hampshire on edge.
In a dramatic finish Warne asked Chris Tremlett, the fast bowler who played for England in the CB Series, to send down the final over. With three runs still required, Walker was trapped lbw for 83 from Tremlett’s third ball, handing Hampshire a vital victory with one round remaining.
They now sit on top of the South Conference table, just ahead of Kent. A win over Surrey in their last match will earn Hampshire a spot in the semifinals but a loss would leave them relying on other results.
Brad Hodge continued his run of form with his third one-day century in five games for Lancashire. Hodge struck 119 as the visitors comfortably overcame Derbyshire’s 232 at Derby. Hodge has been by far the most impressive batsman in the competition and averages 205 from his five matches. However, his efforts against Derbyshire will mean little for Lancashire, who cannot make the finals.
There is a slim mathematical chance for Somerset to steal a semifinal berth after their three-wicket victory over Surrey at Bath. A late 16 from Matthew Nicholson helped the struggling Surrey up to 214 but Somerset won with 13 balls to spare. Cameron White contributed 31 in the chase while Justin Langer managed 18.
David Hussey’s hopes of finals action slipped when he made only 7 of Nottinghamshire’s 238 at Chester-le-Street. Stephen Fleming’s 98 was insufficient to stop Durham grinding out a tense one-wicket win. Nottinghamshire now have to beat Lancashire later this week and hope Durham defeat Warwickshire to keep their season alive.
A few days earlier, Hussey was more impressive in the first-class arena but remarkably his top-of-the-table Nottinghamshire lost to the last-placed Glamorgan at Swansea. In a classic case of failing to capitalise, Nottinghamshire had Glamorgan at 8 for 193 on the first day before allowing them to reach 429. The key for the home side was the 185-run ninth-wicket stand between Robert Croft (115) and James Harris (87 not out).
In reply, Hussey top-scored with 98 and was also dangerous in the second innings, when Nottinghamshire needed 263 to win. But Hussey (63) had little help and the visitors were dismissed for 207.
Phil Jaques enjoyed a batsman-friendly pitch at Worcester, where he made 124 — his first century in the County Championship in 2007 — as Worcestershire piled on 6 for 701 declared against Surrey. The star was Vikram Solanki with 232, while Graeme Hick, who was often labelled a “flat-track bully”, managed only 15.
Surrey narrowly held on for a draw with their No 11, Nicholson, batting for 67 minutes for his 20, in a match-saving partnership with Mark Butcher. Jaques’s New South Wales and Worcestershire teammate Doug Bollinger had a hard time, taking 0 for 68 and 0 for 35. He now has four wickets at 83 from his three games this season.
White also made use of a batsman’s paradise at Taunton, where he made 114 for Somerset against Leicestershire. But White was only the fourth-highest scorer for the home team; the best was Marcus Trescothick (182). Leicestershire did not find the ground so accommodating and lost by an innings and 259 runs.
Stuart Law was consistent if not spectacular for Lancashire against Durham at Chester-le-Street, where he made 60 and 61 in a drawn match. Michael Di Venuto made starts for Durham but could not build on his 32 and 15. Hodge was also consistent; he scored 1 in each innings and both times was dismissed by Scott Styris.
Sussex jumped to second on the Division One table in spite of the best efforts of Warne, whose 5 for 91 helped restrict Sussex to 341 at Arundel. Hampshire’s 202, however, put them on the back foot and no wickets to either Warne or Clark in the second innings set up the win for Sussex