Defending champion Kyren Wilson will play Lei Peifan with Ronnie O’Sullivan set to face Ali Carter in the first round of the World Championship as he bids for a record eighth title in the modern era. O’Sullivan, 49, who is yet to confirm if he will participate, has not played competitively since snapping his cue...
How has it come to this? Argyle only avoided relegation back to League One in their first season back at this level thanks to a final-day win last May. It was something of a surprise then when they turned to England and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney in the summer, given his struggles in this...
Premier League parachute payments have often been accused of distorting competition in the Championship. In the past 10 seasons half of relegated teams (15 of 30) have bounced straight back to the Premier League. Although recently relegated Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United look well placed for an immediate return, Luton – who went down last...
Josh Bohannon came to Lancashire’s rescue with a century as their County Championship Division Two match with Northamptonshire ended in a draw. On-loan Notts leg-spinner Calvin Harrison’s career-best 7-119 from a marathon 57 overs (for career-best match figures) had looked likely to propel Northants to a first win in 26 years at Old Trafford. But...
Maximum bonus points was enough to keep Leicestershire at the top of the early Division Two table after their County Championship match against neighbours Derbyshire ended in the draw that had looked nailed-on throughout the final day, despite visiting captain Wayne Madsen inevitably making runs. Out for 96, 41-year-old Madsen missed out on notching his...
Ed Barnard’s century, aided chiefly by vital knocks from Kai Smith and Michael Booth, inspired Warwickshire to a hugely dramatic one-wicket win over Durham in their County Championship Division One match at Chester-le-Street. Chasing 339 to win, after the early loss of Rob Yates, skipper Alex Davies looked in good touch for his 50, but...
Nick Gubbins and Toby Albert were Hampshire’s heroes as they denied Surrey’s last-day attempt to force a first victory of the new County Championship season at the Kia Oval. Gubbins scored a five-hour 117 and Albert an equally defiant 78 not out as Hampshire, starting the day on 35-3 in their second innings in pursuit...
Jack Haynes’ career-best 142 ensured Nottinghamshire’s County Championship Division One game against Essex ended in a draw at Trent Bridge. The 24-year old batter who moved to Nottinghamshire last season, not only surpassed a previous best of 77 for the county, posted in his maiden innings, but continued to a crucial first century to add...
Gloucestershire were left to reflect on a much-improved display from their opening defeat at Derby with an immediate impact from new captain Cameron Bancroft, despite the familiar problem of forcing a win on their home pitch. Meanwhile Glamorgan managed to salvage pride with the bat, largely thanks to South African veteran Ingram, after a dreadful...
Sussex wore down Somerset’s spirited resistance to claim their first win since promotion back to Division One in the County Championship. Needing six wickets on the final day at Hove, they eventually bowled Somerset out for 334 to win by 260 runs – their first top-flight victory for a decade. It was a commendable final-day...
Ben Raine’s vital knock led a Durham fightback with the bat after a four-wicket blitz from Warwickshire’s Michael Booth had given his side the upper hand on day three of their County Championship encounter. After frustrating Durham in the morning, the Bears were bowled out for 325, 62 runs behind the hosts’ total. Durham’s second...
Northamptonshire are closing in on a first County Championship victory at Old Trafford since 1999, and only their fourth ever win at Lancashire’s headquarters, after bowling the hosts out for 228 and then having the home side 126-2 in their second innings after enforcing the follow-on. Liam Guthrie gave Northamptonshire the dream start when he...
Dom Sibley became the 20th Surrey player to score a century in each innings of a first-class match as Surrey set up a winning position against Hampshire on day three of the County Championship match at the Kia Oval. Jamie Smith’s 84 from 113 balls provided the most eye-catching strokeplay as Surrey moved from their...
Gloucestershire’s Zaman Akhter told BBC Radio Bristol: “Definitely a tired body at the minute, we bowled pretty well for a day and a half there and the rewards came in a little clump at the back end. “The one to get Cooke was nice, and we knew as a unit we could come pretty hard...
Tawanda Muyeye and Ben Compton both hit centuries as Kent coasted to an eight-wicket run win over Middlesex in the Rothesay County Championship at Canterbury. Muyeye made a fluent unbeaten 125 and Compton a stylish 124 not out in a record-breaking partnership worth 225, after England’s Zak Crawley showed a glimpse of form with 58,...