Essex beat Notts in T20 last eight

By Owen Phillips BBC Sport at Trent Bridge

Friends Life t20, Trent Bridge

Essex 187-6 beat Nottinghamshire 140 by 47 runs

Shaun Tait claimed a hat-trick as Essex crushed Nottinghamshire by 47 runs in a thrilling FLt20 quarter-final.

Chasing 188 for victory, Notts made a blistering start with Alex Hales smashing 31 off 12 balls.

But David Masters then took three quick wickets as the hosts slumped to 64-4, and despite a valiant 61 from David Hussey, they were always struggling.

Ryan ten Doeschate had earlier bludgeoned 82 off 44 balls and Tait's heroics ensured a comprehensive win.

Neither side have won the tournament before and Esssex have Ten Doeschate to thank for setting up the victory, the Netherlands international smashing the ball to all parts of Trent Bridge in front of a bumper crowd of 12,106.

Essex's victory means the top three in the Southern group have all qualified for finals day later this month. Essex's victory means they have reached finals day on four occasions, having reached the showpiece event in 2006, 2008 and 2010. Nottinghamshire have never won the domestic Twenty20 competition and have only reached finals day twice. Their last appearance - the only time they have reached the final - came in 2006. He could easily have been out lbw to Butler for six when he played around a delivery that seemed destined for middle and leg stump.

But he took full advantage of his reprieve, smashing his 82 off 44 balls before he was caught on the boundary by Jake Ball off the excellent Butler in the final over.

Apart from Ten Doeschate, only Ravi Bopara - who scored a busy 38 off 25 balls made a significant contribution.

And Ten Doeschate's big-hitting, particularly off the spin pair of Graeme White and Samit Patel, ensured Notts had a challenging but very gettable total to chase under the lights.

The Notts reply began in dubious fashion, with Lumb dropped first ball at slip by Mark Pettini off the bowling of Graham Napier.

Opening partner Hales, who was lucky to get away with a poor shot, made the most of his fortune albeit briefly. His 31 from 12 balls included 19 from a Graham Napier over.

When Hales went, caught at midwicket by Greg Smith off David Masters in the fourth over, Notts had reached 46.

Lumb followed in the same over, edging Masters to wicketkeeper James Foster. By then the destructive opening duo had given Notts a fine platform.

But Masters had James Taylor caught on the boundary by Tim Phillips off his third ball, and the Essex total suddenly seemed a daunting one.

Although Napier was expensive, Notts struggled against Reece Topley, Shaun Tait and Ten Doeschate.

And when they reached 100-4 in the 13th over, they were requiring two a ball to make finals day.

Skipper Hussey played sensibly to give the Outlaws hope, but a sensational piece of fielding by Bopara, who flicked the ball back to Phillips on the boundary got rid of Riki Wessels.

And Tait had Hussey, who had twice been dropped, caught and then dispensed with Butler before bowling White.

Essex wrapped up an impressive win and their victory means they join Surrey, Hampshire and Northants in the final day line-up at Edgbaston on Saturday, 17 August.

Match scorecard

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England collapse was no isolated slump

And so the fightback gathers pace.

It sounds illogical to claim that a side that have just retained the Ashes with two Tests to play have problems to solve, but England's stumble to 238-9 on the first day of this fourth Test was more than just a sixth successive ascendant day for Australia.

Once again, England's batsmen struggled badly, on a day where for much of the time the sun shone bright and the pitch misbehaved as much as a prissy school prefect.

From 149-2 they collapsed, just as in the bad old days of darkness and gnashing of teeth, to lose their next seven wickets for 65 runs.

Some got themselves out. Others got in and could then do nothing. Through it all a packed house that came to party watched it all with muted voice and heavy heart.

"Australia nagged away at the flaws in England's batting line-up and Bell's dismissal was emblematic of a confused and erratic batting display."

As always, a total needs context. The highest first-innings score in the five County Championship matches at this ground so far this season is 267.

Australia may yet endure similar problems on Saturday, and then again batting last on a deteriorating track; England may yet win this game, and with it the series in dominant style.

Equally, this was no isolated slump. In seven innings in this series so far, the hosts have not once passed 400.

You might wonder if that matters, when they won the first two Tests and held on to draw the third.

The side with the real headaches are Australia, reconciled to another series without the urn, six and a half years on from their last Ashes series win and counting. It is the tourists, not Alastair Cook's men, who were dismissed for under 300 four times in the first two Tests.

But those baggy green shortcomings, and the inspired form of Ian Bell, have helped mask the issues in the home ranks as well as propel them into an unassailable lead.

England Ashes triumphs of recent vintage have been built around big first-innings scores. Pile on the runs; pile the pressure on Aussie shoulders.

In 2005, the wins at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge came off the back of totals of 407 and 477, the so-nearly at Old Trafford from a first innings of 441.

Four years later, it was the same: 425 to set up the win at Lord's, an aggregate of over 700 runs across two innings as victory was snatched at the Oval. Down under two winters ago they batted Australia into oblivion - 517-1 at the Gabba, 620 in Adelaide, 513 at the MCG, 644 in Sydney.

Not this time.

In that last series Alastair Cook plundered his record-breaking 766 runs  at an average of 127, Jonathan Trott a similarly pivotal 445 runs at 89. This summer, Cook averages 28, Trott 24.

They are not alone. Jonny Bairstow, lost down the order and beset by self-doubt, averages 29. Matt Prior, England's player of the year, has scored a grand total of 86 runs from six innings.

Joe Root's 180 was instrumental to England's one-sided triumph at Lord's. In his six innings outside that, he averages 15, and that with the assistance of a not out.

Even Kevin Pietersen, scorer of that first-innings ton at Old Trafford, is going along at a mere 33. With the exception of Bell, English batsmen have made only two scores over 67 in the entire series.

"Australia's bowlers have been disciplined but England will be feeling grumpy with themselves having won the toss and batted.

"If you looked at the bowling figures you'd think it was spinning a mile but Nathan Lyon has bowled shrewdly and waited for England to make mistakes. Any spin bowler would love those figures in the first innings."

Neither are they being undone by fiendish bowling. Australia's attack on Friday nagged effectively, kept it tight when little happened and cashed in when it did. But too often England gave them the sort of generous assistance that could haunt them as effectively as the ghosts of the adjacent Lumley Castle have Shane Watson.

When you are out of form, you graft. Cook did precisely that, yet in his obduracy revealed much about his current tribulations.

In the first 12 balls he faced, he played a shot only against the 12th; the 21 runs he scored in the stodgy morning session took him 90 balls. His eventual dismissal, playing no shot to be trapped lbw by Jackson Bird for a colourless 51 from 164 balls, was suitably anti-climactic.

Trott was for a long time Australia's great scourge. His Ashes average until this series was 86, almost double his overall Test number. For 60 balls he looked in even better shape, clipping and driving seven fours, his runs coming at three times the rate of his skipper's, only to edge an unremarkable delivery from the workmanlike Nathan Lyon onto his pad and into short leg's hands on 49.

Ashes 2013: Nathan Lyon praises 'team effort'

Bell, for once, tossed his wicket away. Pietersen appeared to be attempting to do the same, only to fall to another innocuous Lyon non-turner. Bairstow, mired on 14 off 77 balls, swept wildly across the line to follow sorry suit, and on a flat pitch England were becalmed. Just five runs came in 10 overs after tea, 21 overs drifting by without a single boundary.

Neither is this a short-term malaise. From the last home Ashes series in 2009 to the 4-0 win over India in 2011 that pushed England to the top of the Test rankings, their average first-innings score was 412. In the 18 months before this Ashes series that had plummeted to 323. That England won just three of their seven series in that period was no coincidence.

Against this Australia side, this summer, they may get away with it. Whilst the two pace attacks are evenly matched, Graeme Swann's superiority over his opposite numbers has opened a gap that should not be breached. Lyon may have taken 4-42 from his 20 overs on Friday, but barely a ball spun from the straight.

This winter it might not be so straightforward. Tracks will be prepared to negate Swann's influence. Australia's own batting order might yet look settled, their bowling attack more grizzled. Even in overall superiority, England must look to improve.

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England women name Ashes squads

Spinner Holly Colvin has been left out of England's 14-player squad for the women's Ashes Test against Australia, which starts on 11 August.

Colvin, 23, who recently suffered a broken thumb, has been named in the one-day and Twenty20 squads.

The England side is led by captain Charlotte Edwards, with wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor also set to star.

11-14 August: Only Test, Wormsley

20 August: 1st ODI, Lord's

23 August: 2nd ODI, Hove

25 August: 3rd ODI, Hove

27 August: 1st T20, Chelmsford

29 August: 2nd T20, Southampton

31 August: 3rd T20, Chester-le-Street

The 2013 women's Ashes will be decided by who gains the highest points total after playing all three formats.

In total, England have named 17 players across all three squads.

All-rounder Laura Marsh and seam bowler Katherine Brunt both return after missing this summer's games against Pakistan.

Colvin and pace bowler Georgia Elwiss will replace Test call-ups Natalie Sciver and Danielle Wyatt for the ODI matches, with the latter pair returning for the Twenty20 internationals along with 17-year-old left-arm seamer Natasha Farrant.

"Facing Australia is the ultimate test for every player," Head of England Women's Cricket Clare Connor said.

"The inaugural multi-format Women's Ashes is unprecedented in terms of establishing a winning team across all three formats. Our selectors have picked well-balanced squads to maximise the strengths of our players in each of the formats of the game."

Six points will be awarded to the winners of the Test in Wormsley from 11-14 August, with each side receiving two points in the event of a draw. The limited-overs games which follow will see two points for a win.

The final two Twenty20 internationals, at Southampton and Chester-le-Street, will be played before the men's Twenty20 games between England and Australia.

Australia are the holders of the women's Ashes after winning a one-off Test match in Sydney in January 2011.

England Test squad to face Australia: Charlotte Edwards (Kent) (captain), Tammy Beaumont (Kent), Arran Brindle (Sussex), Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire), Lydia Greenway (Kent), Jenny Gunn (Nottinghamshire), Danielle Hazell (Yorkshire), Heather Knight (Berkshire), Laura Marsh (Kent), Natalie Sciver (Surrey), Anya Shrubsole (Somerset), Sarah Taylor (Sussex), Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire), Danielle Wyatt (Nottinghamshire).

England ODI squad to face Australia: Charlotte Edwards (Kent) (captain), Tammy Beaumont (Kent), Arran Brindle (Sussex), Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire), Holly Colvin (Sussex), Georgia Elwiss (Sussex), Lydia Greenway (Kent), Jenny Gunn (Nottinghamshire), Danielle Hazell (Yorkshire), Heather Knight (Berkshire), Laura Marsh (Kent), Anya Shrubsole (Somerset), Sarah Taylor (Sussex), Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire).

England T20 squad to face Australia: Charlotte Edwards (Kent) (captain), Tammy Beaumont (Kent), Arran Brindle (Sussex), Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire), Holly Colvin (Sussex), Natasha Farrant (Kent), Lydia Greenway (Kent), Jenny Gunn (Nottinghamshire), Danielle Hazell (Yorkshire), Laura Marsh (Kent), Natalie Sciver (Surrey), Anya Shrubsole (Somerset), Sarah Taylor (Sussex), Danielle Wyatt (Nottinghamshire)

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Get one can Free of Royal Canin wet for small dogs

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Free eCookbook - Easy Weeknight Dinners

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Netherlands Through To Semi-Finals Despite Loss

Netherlands Through To Semi-Finals Despite LossThe Dutch were able to celebrate a semi-final spot despite losing to Pakistan.

Netherlands won the battle with Thailand to progress to the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World T20 qualifier in Ireland. Both sides lost their final group games but the Dutch had the superior net run rate and will join Ireland, Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the last four. Thailand join Canada, Japan and Zimbabwe in the plate competition.

The Netherlands lost out by 20 runs to Pakistan in a reduced-overs affair in Dublin. They won the toss and had Pakistan one for two in the second over but they rallied to post 72 for four. Nain Abidi hit an unbeaten 38 off 27 balls and added 60 in 39 balls with Bismah Maroof (25 off 17 balls) for the third-wicket. Mariska Kornet was the pick of the Dutch attack with two for eight from her two overs.

The Netherlands never really threatened the target and limped to 52 for five. Miranda Veringmeier (12), Helmien Rambado (15) and Tessa van der Gun (11) all reached double figures, but there were three run-outs as well as a wicket apiece for Sumaiya Siddiqi (1-9) and Sana Mir (1-8).

Sri Lanka beat hosts Ireland to top Group B and secure a more favourable semi-final opponent. Sripali Weerakkody and Shashikala Siriwardene each took a brace of wickets as Ireland could manage only a paltry 62 for nine from their 20 overs. Number 11 Elena Tice was one of only two batters to reach double figures and top-scored with 14 during a tenth-wicket partnership of 23 with Louise McCarthy (7). Sri Lanka then knocked off the runs for the loss of just Chamari Atapattu (10) and Yasoda Mendis (20) and in less than 15 overs. Deepika Rasangika ended on 22 not out.

Christabel Chatonzwa took four for 12 as Thailand could muster just 74 in reply to Zimbabwe’s 103 for eight and thus saw their hopes of qualifying for the ICC Women’s World T20 proper evaporate. Skipper Somnarin Tippoch was the only batter to reach double figures and made 24, while extras contributed a further 23. Besides Chatonzwa, there were two wickets each for Sharyce Saili and Sharne Mayers.

Nonhlanhla Nyathi had earlier top-scored for Zimabwe with 28, while Nattaya Boochatham, Tippoch and Ratanaporn Padunglerd each took two wickets.

Canada avoided the Group B wooden spoon by defeating Japan. They overcame a stuttering start that saw them slip to 46 for five to win by five wickets. Mai Yanagida had taken two wickets after Japan had notched up 97 for five after being asked to bat, while Suthershini Sivanantham held firm with 32 off 41 balls. However, it was left to Durriya Shabbir (36 not out off 31) and Sheryl Tittlemeier (10 off 16) to see Canada home with an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 54. Japan had earlier struggled with the bat, but benefited from 28 extras to post a competitive total.

Both the plate and main semi-finals take place on Monday, with the line-up confirmed as follows:
1st semi-final, Ireland v Pakistan (0900 GMT start)
2nd semi-final, Netherlands v Sri Lanka (1300)
1st plate semi-final, Japan v Zimbabwe (0900)
2nd plate semi-final, Canada v Thailand (1300)

The finals will be held on Wednesday, along with the all-important third-place play-off.

© Cricket World 2013

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Can Anyone Stop the Bullies of the AFC East?

The AFC East is one of the NFL's storied divisions. Remember 1972 when the Miami Dolphins went undefeated? Some veterans of that team say the '73 team was even better.

Remember the 1968 New York Jets, with Joe Namath, Emerson Boozer, Don Maynard? Their Super Bowl win over the highly favored Baltimore Colts cemented Namath's cocky reputation and brought legitimacy to the old AFL. If the Jets had lost, would the NFL look like it does today?

Or how about those great Buffalo teams with Jim Kelly at quarterback, Thurman Thomas at running back and other greats like Bruce Smith and James Lofton? They went to four straight Super Bowls. Of course, they lost them all, but they ruled the regular seasons for all those years.

Now, it's a division that's been completely dominated and steamrolled by the New England Patriots, who have won 10 of the past 12 division titles. The Patriots are the mighty U.S. fighting forces in full combat mode; the rest of the division is a tiny, third-world militia cowering before New England firepower.

This preview and analysis of the AFC East is the first in a series of eight such previews, leading us up to the season opener on September 5. Comments are welcome.

- Getty Images

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