All posts by n8rngtd.top

Gloucestershire finally came good at the conclusion of the Cheltenham Festival to thrash Glamorgan by 10 wickets and keep alive their slender hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Friends Life T20.

21-Jul-2013
ScorecardChris Dent’s half-century saw Gloucestershire cruise home•Getty Images

Gloucestershire finally came good at the conclusion of the Cheltenham Festival to thrash Glamorgan by 10 wickets and keep alive their slender hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Friends Life T20.Beaten by group rivals Warwickshire and Northamptonshire at the College Ground, bottom-of-the-table Gloucestershire produced a much-improved performance to make amends in a low-scoring contest played in front of a 5,000 sell-out crowd.Glamorgan elected to bat but never recovered from the loss of early wickets and were restricted to a wholly inadequate 98 for 9, only three batsmen reaching double figures in an innings that yielded just four boundaries.Returning to action following a seven-week injury lay-off, slow left-armer Ed Young posted figures of 3 for 21 from four overs and was ably backed up by David Payne, who deployed clever variation with the new ball and at the death to claim 3 for 17.Gloucestershire openers Michael Klinger and Chris Dent made quick work of chasing down 99, reaching their target with 7.1 overs to spare.Their quarter-final ambitions already undermined by successive defeats to Somerset and Northants, Glamorgan badly needed to redress the balance against their neighbours. But a third loss was all but confirmed inside six overs as Glamorgan lurched to 31 for 5 on a College Ground pitch that offered assistance to spin.Slow left-armer Tom Smith struck in the very first over to set the tone, Jim Allenby driving high to Dan Christian at cover, while fellow opener Mark Wallace departed six balls later, taking one liberty too many against Payne’s left-arm seam and holing out to mid-on.Making his first appearance since the end of May after recovering from a broken wrist, Young announced himself with the wicket of Chris Cooke, who chipped straight to extra cover as the visitors slumped to 16 for 3 in the fourth over.Veteran campaigner Murray Goodwin also departed to a poor shot, leaning back and cutting a length-ball from Christian to backward point and New Zealand allrounder Nathan McCullum sent a leading edge back to Payne in the act of playing to leg.Charged with the task of rebuilding the innings, the sixth-wicket pair of Marcus North and Nick James applied themselves diligently to add 37 runs in eight overs. But their partnership ended when they tried to force the issue, North attempting to reverse-sweep Young and succeeding only in offering a simple chance to Alex Gidman at short third man.And Young struck again in his next over from the College Lawn end, luring Graeme Wagg into front foot indiscretion as Glamorgan were further reduced to 74 for seven in the 16th over.James hoisted Smith over square leg for the only six of the innings before being bowled by Payne for 27 in the final over, while Michael Hogan was run out as the visitors failed to raise three figures.Promoted to open the batting for the first time, Bristolian Dent continued his rich vein of form at the Festival, dominating an unbroken stand of 99 with Klinger in 12.5 overs to put the outcome beyond reasonable doubt. Demonstrating a better understanding of the conditions than their opponents,
these two accrued 11 fours and three sixes between them to put Glamorgan’s innings in perspective.Glamorgan’s bowlers must be sick of the sight of Dent, who scored a superb match-winning 150 in a Yorkshire Bank 40-over fixture in Cardiff in May. On this occasion, he raised 50 from 37 balls in a chanceless knock that included eight fours and two sixes to equal his previous highest Twenty20 score of 63. Klinger finished unbeaten on 35 from 34 balls with three fours and a six.

It was probably fitting, in a season where the age profile of their squad has caused such consternation, that Gary Keedy should come to Surrey’s rescue

George Dobell at The Oval03-Sep-2013
ScorecardGary Keedy claimed three wickets to give Surrey the edge on a closely contested day•PA Photos

It was probably fitting, in a season where the age profile of their squad has caused such consternation, that Gary Keedy should come to Surrey’s rescue.There have been times this year when the Surrey squad has resembled the cast of . So keen were they to add experience to the team that lost its way last season, that several wise heads were recruited to their dressing room. The squad has, over the course of the season, contained six men aged 35 or over – the team for this game contains four – and there were rumours that only fear of breaching the salary cap prevented the addition of Harold Macmillan. In the end it was decided that Macmillan’s death in 1986 might render him something of a liability in the field.Until about 10.30am, Keedy had been sent to Coventry. With the club having decided to invest in the youthful promise of Zafar Ansari, 38-year-old Keedy was due to play in a 2nd XI friendly match in Coventry; a combined Surrey and Hampshire XI against Warwickshire. There was increasing speculation that Surrey might be prepared to release him from the final year of his contract in order to allow him the chance to gain 1st XI cricket elsewhere – quite possibly at Sussex – and reduce their salary bill. That remains a possibility.But then Ansari, batting in the nets before play, was struck on the thumb and ruled out of the game. Keedy was summoned back for his sixth Championship game of the season, his first since July, and produced a performance full of skill, control and experience.Keedy may lack the pace of most modern, international bowlers. But his control remains excellent, he gains pleasing flight and, on surfaces like this, enough turn to trouble the best.It may prove a highly valuable contribution. With Surrey fighting to avoid relegation, Keedy’s three wickets prompted Middlesex to stumble just as it seemed they may build an imposing position and helped Surrey enjoy just about the best of a well-contested first day.Whether helping Surrey avoid relegation justifies their selection policy is debatable. The argument against fielding so many experienced cricketers is that it blocks the progress of young players. Surrey have several young men – the likes of George Edwards, Matt Dunn (who is currently injured), Dominic Sibley, Jason Roy and Tom Curran – who might flourish if given more opportunity and, in the long-term, you could argue that their development is more important than Division One survival.If Keedy’s first wicket – that of John Simpson turning a delivery outside leg stump to square leg three deliveries after tea – owed something to fortune, the other two were classic left-arm spinners’ dismissals. Gareth Berg and Ollie Rayner were both drawn forward and defeated by fine deliveries that turned and took their outside edges.Some context is required. This is an unusually dry pitch and is already offering assistance to spin bowlers. As the match progresses, it may become something approaching a spin bowler’s dream. Batting fourth is likely to prove demanding.Middlesex may feel frustrated at their return from a day full of toil. Winning the toss at The Oval on such a surface offers a fine opportunity but, despite dominating for periods, too many Middlesex batsmen surrendered their wickets tamely to take advantage of their earlier hard work. Still, for a side that has collapsed so hideously in recent outings – against Derbyshire and twice against Somerset – this represented a step in the right direction.Perhaps the key wicket came three balls after lunch. Chris Rogers, having taken 58 deliveries over his first 18 runs, then stroked eight fours in his next 22 balls to reach a highly accomplished half-century. He appeared poised for a match-defining innings and, with the equally fluent Dawid Malan, had put together a partnership of 97. It speaks volumes for their fragility of Middlesex’s batting, that such a modest stand represents their highest third-wicket stand of the Championship season.But then Rogers was beaten by a combination of his age and some excellent cricket from Jade Dernbach. Called for a quick, but by no means unreasonable single by Malan, 36-year-old Rogers may have thought that he was running to the safe end. But Dernbach, at mid-off, quickly spotted Rogers’ stiff legs and threw to the keeper who completed a sharp run out.That Middlesex did not completely squander their position was largely due to the dedication of Neil Dexter. Playing as if his bat and pad were welded together, with hands as soft as puppies’ ears and with the concentration of a bomb disposal expert, Dexter nullified spin and seam with admirable patience and self control. In the T20 age, there was little eye-catching about his innings, but it was exactly the sort of attritional, determined effort that first-class and Test cricket used to be about. More importantly, it was exactly what his side required. He remained into day two and, if he can take the total above 320, will know that his side have a foothold in the game.Malan also batted nicely for his first Championship half-century of the season – even if he was guilty of attempting to force the delivery that dismissed him, he could console himself in the knowledge that it was a fine ball. The bowler was Tim Linley, playing ahead of the rested Chris Tremlett, and he vindicated his selection with an excellent display of seam bowling. Linley remains the highest wicket-taker of a Surrey side that contains numerous more glamorous and better remunerated players.Earlier Sam Robson, whose form has imploded since the speculation started about his future, was dismissed for a duck. Robson, who has not reached 30 in his last seven Championship innings, was caught on the crease by a fine ball from Dernbach that swung in and then left him. Coincidentally, Robson’s 21-year-old brother Angus, making his first-class debut for Leicestershire, was also dismissed without scoring.

Rajasthan Royals batsman Brad Hodge will not be fit for the Champions League T20 final on Sunday, the Royals coach Paddy Upton has told ESPNcricinfo

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2013Rajasthan Royals batsman Brad Hodge will not be fit for the Champions League T20 final on Sunday, the Royals coach Paddy Upton has told ESPNcricinfo. Hodge had injured his knee during the semi-final against Chennai Super Kings last evening in Jaipur. He has had scans on his knee, the results of which are awaited.Hodge had collided with Shane Watson, whose head hit Hodge’s knee, at point during the final over of Chennai Super Kings’ chase and had to go off the field. Shaun Tait, the Australian fast bowler, is the only overseas player available on the Royals bench.Losing Hodge is a blow to Royals’ chances of winning their maiden Champions League title. Batting at No. 6 in the role of a finisher, Hodge has scored 109 runs in three innings – two not-outs – at a strike rate of 198. His unbeaten 52 off 23 balls against Otago was instrumental in Royals securing a home semi-final, which they won by 14 runs.

Richard Oliver’s second first-class hundred and aggressive half-centuries from Alexei Kervezee and Gareth Andrew led an impressive Worcestershire response on the second day against Sussex

Press Association20-Apr-2015
ScorecardRichard Oliver’s century gave Worcestershire’s reply the perfect start•Getty Images

.Richard Oliver’s second first-class hundred and aggressive half-centuries from Alexei Kervezee and Gareth Andrew led an impressive Worcestershire response on the second day against Sussex at Hove. Replying to Sussex’s 345, the visitors were bowled out for 389 and the hosts reached eight for no wickets in three overs before stumps, still trailing by 36 runs.There were periods in the day when Sussex looked to be taking control. Matt Hobden took two early wickets and Steve Magoffin struck twice in an excellent spell after lunch. Luke Wells then took two wickets, including Oliver for 101, in four balls. But each time they were pegged back Worcestershire mustered an impressive response.Opener Oliver added 77 with Alex Gidman for the third wicket and Kervezee and Andrew (70) later put on 88 for the seventh after Wells’ double strike had left them 227 for 6. Kervezee fell seven short of a deserved century when he was taken at first slip by Ed Joyce but Craig Cachopa dropped three catches alongside him, including Oliver on 58 and Kervezee on 72.Oliver, who recorded 13 fours in his total from 212 balls, also had a let-off on 59 when a ball from left-arm spinner Ashar Zaidi rolled on to the stumps but failed to dislodge a bail.The 25-year-old left-hander, who spent eight years in club cricket before winning his first pro contract at New Road last season, rode his luck during some hostile spells from Hobden and Tymal Mills, who hit him on the helmet when he ducked into a bouncer and needed treatment.Hobden had struck two early blows, uprooting Daryl Mitchell’s off stump and finding a faint edge to remove Tom Fell, but Oliver and Gidman took Worcestershire to lunch without further loss – Gidman striking Ajmal Shahzad for three boundaries in an over during an innings of growing authority. Sussex turned to the experienced Magoffin after lunch and he nipped one back to trap Gidman and had Tom Kohler-Cadmore taken cheaply at slip.Oliver batted just over four hours for his hundred but added just a single before he drove loosely to short extra cover. Ben Cox was lbw sweeping across the line in the same Wells’ over but Kervezee wrested the initiative back for his side, hitting with real fluency and power, particularly through the off side.He, too, was hit on the helmet by Hobden on 89 and added just four more before edging to second slip four balls into a new spell by Shahzad. Magoffin bagged Jack Shantry for his third wicket but Andrew and Sachithra Senanayake took full toll of a tiring attack in the last hour, adding 57 in 11 overs before Andrew lost his off stump to Hobden and Zaidi wrapped up the innings when Senanayake slogged across the line.Sussex, already without five players because of injury, lost Mills late in the day when he went off after bowling just one ball of his spell, having been sidelined earlier in the day with suspected ankle trouble.

Late hitting from middle-order batsmen Irfan Ahmed and Jamie Atkinson powered Hong Kong to a comprehensive 59-run win against Namibia in the first T20 in Windhoek, to take a 1-0 lead

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Jamie Atkinson’s unbeaten 64 set up Hong Kong’s 59-run win•ICC

Late hitting from middle-order batsmen Irfan Ahmed and Jamie Atkinson powered Hong Kong to a comprehensive 59-run win against Namibia in the first T20 in Windhoek, to take a 1-0 lead. Hong Kong scored 188 for 5 with fifties from Irfan and Atkinson and restricted Namibia to 129 for 7, allowing only two batsmen to score in double-figures.Put in to bat, Hong Kong were rocked early and reduced to 62 for 4 in eight overs, because of two wickets from medium-pacer Craig Williams. Irfan and Atkinson then pulled the momentum in their favour with a massive stand of 124 runs in 11.4 overs to charge them towards 200. Irfan’s 39-ball 55 included two fours and three sixes while Atkinson’s unbeaten 37-ball 64 featured five fours and four sixes. Williams finished with 3 for 32 after accounting for Irfan too.Namibia were stifled early by pacers Adil Mehmood and Ehsan Nawaz. While Mehmood struck on consecutive balls in the second over, Nawaz took two wickets in his first three overs, including a wicket maiden to finish with figures of 3-1-8-2. From 21 for 4 in the fifth over, Namibia stuttered to 37 for 5 before Sarel Burger and Raymond van Schoor resisted with a stand of 81 runs in 10 overs to take them past 100. Burger’s unbeaten 51 only took them to 129 as left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed also struck twice later.

Sulieman Benn was named West Indies’ Player of the Year for the 2013-14 season in WICB’s annual awards function in Kingston on Tuesday

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2015

WIPA/WICB 2013-14 award winners

• Player of the Year: Sulieman Benn

• ODI Player of the Year: Denesh Ramdin

• Test Player of the Year: Kraigg Brathwaite

• Twenty20 International Player of the Year: Samuel Badree

• Emerging Player of the Year: Jermaine Blackwood

• Women’s Player of the Year: Stafanie Taylor

• Regional four-day Player of the Year: Shacaya Thomas (Combined Campuses & Colleges)

• Regional limited-overs Player of the Year: Dwayne Smith (Barbados)

• Regional Twenty20 Player of the Year: Lendl Simmons (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Regional four-day Team of the Year: Barbados

• U-19 Player of the Year: Shimron Hetmyer (Guyana)

• Regional U-19 Team of the Year: Guyana

• WICB Lifetime Achievement Award: Chetram Singh

• WIPA Lifetime Achievement Award: Renford Pinnock

• Outstanding Performer WIPA in the community: Ronnie Goddard

Sulieman Benn was named West Indies’ Player of the Year for the 2013-14 season in WICB’s annual awards function in Kingston on Tuesday. Benn picked up 28 wickets in five Tests at an average of 25.03 between October 2013 and September 2014 – the period of consideration for these awards.Kraigg Brathwaite was awarded the Test Player of the Year, while Test captain Denesh Ramdin was named ODI Player of the Year. Brathwaite scored 593 runs in the five Tests that were played during this period at an average of 74.12, which included a 129 against New Zealand and a double-century against Bangladesh. Ramdin produced impressive numbers in ODIs, scoring 445 runs in 11 games at an average of 63.57, including two centuries and a half-century, with a career-best 169 against Bangladesh.Jermaine Blackwood, who scored 63 on his Test debut in 2014 against New Zealand, and a hundred and fifty against England recently, was named Emerging Player of the Year and Stafanie Taylor was awarded the Women’s Player of the Year.Samuel Badree was named T20I Player of the Year for his 19 wickets in 12 matches during this period, with an average of 12.36 and economy of five runs per over.

Worcestershire won a final-over thriller against Lancashire at Old Trafford by two wickets to claim a fourth NatWest T20 Blast win from six matches, with Ben Cox the match-winner.

ECB/PA18-Jun-2015
ScorecardBen Cox proved the match-winner for Worcestershire•Getty Images

Worcestershire won a final-over thriller against Lancashire at Old Trafford by two wickets to claim a fourth NatWest T20 Blast win from six matches, with Ben Cox the match-winner. Lancashire failed to defend 164 with a ball to spare in a clash which saw both teams struggle at times with the bat and only one half-century scored by visitors’ captain Daryl Mitchell – 53 off 40 balls.Lancashire looked favourites to win after making 163 for 5, with Worcester needing 44 off 26 balls when they slipped to 120 for 5 on the back of offspinner Arron Lilley’s impressive 1 for 19.But Cox hit Saqib Mahmood for a six and four late in the 17th over to change things. Two wickets fell in the last over, brilliantly bowled by James Faulkner, as seven off six balls became six off two, only for the wicketkeeper to smash the Australian over wide long-on for six. He and Brett D’Oliveira, 22 off 14, shared a crucial 37 in 3.2 overs for the sixth wicket. Cox made 22 not out off 13.

Insights

Worcestershire had ten double-figure overs, and although Lancashire scored 21 off one over–the largest over of the match, and 18 off another, the second largest over of the match, they managed just four double figure overs in their innings. Lancashire posted the total with sporadic and concentrated attack; Worcestershire reached it with sustained attack. Lancashire may well look back on the final five overs of their innings and reflect that some harder running or a boundary here or there could’ve made the difference. Lancashire scored 45 from their final five, while Worcestershire managed 53 from 4.5.
Freddie Wilde

Despite the early loss of Liam Livingstone to Joe Leach, Lancashire got off to a flyer as second-wicket pair Ashwell Prince and Karl Brown, who top-scored with 42 off 24 balls, shared 71 in 7.1 overs. The hosts reached 50 after 4.4 overs having taken 39 off the third and fourth overs from Jack Shantry and Leach.But after Brown’s dismissal, slog-sweeping Saeed Ajmal to deep mid-wicket – 73 for two after 8.3 overs – the hosts’ innings stalled in the face of spin from Ajmal, Moeen Ali and D’Oliveira. They failed to score a boundary for seven overs from the start of the eighth to the start of the 15th as Prince also fell top-edging a sweep off Moeen. Steven Croft and Faulkner added 49 in 6.3 overs to give this innings impetus before falling late on to Ajmal and Shantry.Mitchell hit three boundaries off Faulkner in the sixth over as the visitors, who lost Moeen caught at midwicket off Jordan Clark, moved to 52 for 1 in reply. Lilley trapped Tom Kohler-Cadmore lbw sweeping with his second ball, leaving the score at 63 for 2 in the eighth, before Worcestershire also struggled through the middle overs.Lancashire cut off the twos and prevented a boundary between midway through the seventh over and five balls into the 13th. Fifteen came off the 13th from Clark, taking the score to 96 for 2, before Mitchell brought up a 32-ball fifty in the next, only to see Colin Munro run out going for two to deep cover.When Mahmood trapped Mitchell lbw with the first ball of the 15th, Worcestershire had lost two in two balls and were 108 for 4. Croft took a fine running catch at long-off to help Tom Bailey get rid of Ross Whiteley in the next as the target became 44 off 26 balls, but the visitors prevailed in a helter-skelter finish which saw D’Oliveira, Leach and Ed Barnard fall in the last seven balls.

Hamilton Masakadza is looking forward to a fresh start for Zimbabwe as they move into the Twenty20 phase of their series against India

Liam Brickhill16-Jul-2015Hamilton Masakadza is looking forward to a fresh start for Zimbabwe as they move into the Twenty20 phase of their series against India. Zimbabwe were whitewashed 3-0 by India in the one-dayers, but their recent T20 form against Pakistan suggests that the matches on Friday and Sunday could be more keenly contested.”Obviously things didn’t go according to plan in the one-dayers,” Masakadza said. “We expected something a little bit better than what we got. But we’re looking forward to the new format now, a little bit of a fresh start and a new series.”Lore suggests that T20 cricket tends to bring teams from different ends of the table closer together, but Zimbabwe have not played all that often in this format, and their domestic T20 tournament operates practically in a different universe to the multi-billion dollar IPL, from which the touring Indians have plenty of experience.”We don’t get as many games as they do, but you just have to work with what’s put before you, and now looking forward to the T20 World Cup that’s early next year we’ve got a little bit more T20 cricket coming up and we’ve just played some on the last tour that we had, so I think looking into the future we’re going to have a few more games.”Masakadza has played in 218 international games for Zimbabwe, but his team have only won 49 of those with many victories coming against Bangladesh and Kenya. Recently, though, it has seemed Zimbabwe are getting closer and closer to winning games, while still all too often being unable to get over the line.Zimbabwe might have well won both of their T20s against Pakistan in May, and the first match of India’s tour went down to the last ball. With more experience of such positions, Masakadza believes Zimbabwe will be able to make the leap. “I think the main thing is to keep being competitive and get ourselves into those winning positions,” he said.”The more we get there the easier it will be to learn how to get over the line. Hopefully the gap (between the two teams) won’t be too big like it was in the last two ODIs, and if we keep getting into good positions we’ll work out how to finish it off.””It’s not so much what we haven’t done, it’s what Bangladesh have done. Now it seems like they’re actually the favourites every time they play against someone at their home ground”•Associated Press

Zimbabwe’s efforts might be viewed in contrast to those of Bangladesh, who have just won their fourth home ODI series in a row, with a 2-1 victory over South Africa. Just a few years ago, Zimbabwe would have started as favourites against Bangladesh, but the Zimbabweans could not win a game during their most recent series in Bangladesh. What is it that Zimbabwe are not getting right?”It’s not so much what we haven’t done, it’s what Bangladesh has done,” Masakadza said. “They’ve just gone to a completely different level now, because looking two or three years back you wouldn’t have given them a chance against people like South Africa, but now it seems like they’re actually the favourites every time they play against someone at their home ground.”They’ve really come on a lot quicker than anyone ever expected them to, and I think speaking on us, on our team, we can only take it from series to series. We’ve always had a few different issues to deal with, like losing players and things like that, but we just have to make sure that we make do with what we have, and keep going forward from there.”Zimbabwe’s next challenge will be the two T20s against India, but they’ve also got an eye on these matches – and those in months to come in the format – as the start of their preparation for the World T20 in March next year. “You can’t get that out of your mind too much, but you do concentrate on each game as you go. But you also know that it’s already the start of a long preparation towards that.”Zimbabwe have been a little bit surprised by how the pitches used against India have played, and Masakadza said that the key to his side’s batting in the T20s would be to make sure that good starts are converted into long innings.”The thing has been, on these wickets, working hard to get yourself in. We found that it’s been really difficult to get a start, but once you do get a start it’s been a little bit different and guys have managed to kick on. That’s the main thing for all the batters, just work hard in those first few balls to get in and then take it from there.”

Ishant Sharma Dhammika Prasad, Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne have been charged by the ICC for their roles in several angry exchanges during the fourth day of the SSC Test

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2015India fast bowler Ishant Sharma and Sri Lankan players Dhammika Prasad, Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne have been charged by the ICC for their roles in several angry exchanges during the fourth day of the SSC Test.”Details to be announced after the conclusion of the Test,” the ICC said on Twitter.Ishant and Prasad faced off during the final session of the fourth day when Ishant, after being bounced several times by Prasad, smacked his helmet repeatedly while running down the pitch, as if asking the bowler to aim at his head. Chandimal walked over from slip, his shoulder brushing Ishant’s, and exchanged words with the batsman.Once India’s innings ended and as Ishant ran back to the dressing room to get ready to bowl, Prasad followed him at a full sprint all the way back. These two incidents were the flash points of an ill-tempered passage of play that involved several stares and words being exchanged between Ishant and Sri Lanka’s players.There was further tension when Ishant gave Upul Tharanga an angry send-off and then went on to celebrate Chandimal’s dismissal by striking the side of his own head repeatedly.Ishant had been docked 65% of his match fee at the end of the second Test for send-offs to Thirimanne and Chandimal. Thirimanne, too, was fined 30% of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire’s decision during the second Test.

Toby Roland-Jones observed Yorkshire’s deserved status as newly-crowned county champions and treated it with unexpected disdain as he summoned a freewheeling maiden first-class century from no 10

Tim Wigmore at Lord's11-Sep-2015
ScorecardToby Roland-Jones struck a maiden hundred from No 10 against the champions•Getty Images

Toby Roland-Jones observed Yorkshire’s deserved status as newly-crowned county champions and treated it with unexpected disdain as he summoned a freewheeling maiden first-class century which belied his position at no 10 in Middlesex’s batting order.Roland-Jones channelled the cavalier tailender of yore, but with far more class. His defence was solid, his driving sumptuous. One flick to the midwicket boundary off Ryan Sidebottom with the third new ball was played with a particularly wonderful flourish as he rose up to meet the ball with disdain.There had been loose talk of a Yorkshire win within two days. Instead, with three days done, Middlesex lead by 380 runs after Roland-Jones followed a hundred of considerable defiance from Nick Compton, an opener still driven by hopes of an England recall.The spirit of Roland-Jones’s innings was encapsulated by the manner he hurtled towards his landmark. Needing 18 from the final two overs of the day, he fashioned half that total from Jack Brooks. Yorkshire then entrusted the day’s final over to Jake Leaning, an occasional Yorkshire offspinner with only 21 overs to his name all season. A push to long on for two was followed by a six flicked over midwicket. Roland-Jones was on 99, with four balls to get the run he needed.”I was trying not to think too much and not have too many things running through my head. I just happened to get one outside offstump – that was a pretty special feeling,” he said, reflecting on creaming Leaning through the covers to reach his century.Shades of Steve Waugh’s last ball hundred against Richard Dawson, another Yorkshire offspinner of rather greater ambition, in the Sydney Test in 2003 perhaps? “It’s a pretty surreal feeling,” he said. “It will take a while to sink in.”Together with James Harris, who was in more austere during a ninth-wicket partnership of 146, Roland-Jones ensured that the work of Compton was not wasted.Compton arrived at the crease at 1.37pm on Thursday. He took one day and nine minutes to be dislodged. When he was dismissed, he trudged off wearing the look of a child being dragged away from his favourite TV programme. Despite making a chanceless 149, Compton was evidently was far from satisfied. It was a snapshot of the adhesiveness that marks him out as one of the hardest men to prize out in the county game. And it reflected, too, a sense of his personal disappointment.The England selectors have made their reservations about Compton palpable. After a season that has been middling compared to those that led to his Test debut, he surely needed a better return than 1100 runs at 40.74, admirable though those numbers are, to make the selectors reassess his suitability.Perhaps no amount of runs against Yorkshire would have been enough to persuade the selectors, but Compton played with an assurance and solidity to suggest his previous highest first-class score, 254 not out, was far from unreachable. That the ball from James Middlebrook appeared to be sliding down the legside would not have made Compton feel any better.Still, in his pristine offdriving, in defiance of Yorkshire slips poised for the shot, Compton had highlighted how refined his game is. If solidity is his trademark, growing assertiveness also marked this innings: after taking 65 balls over his first 20 runs, his next 129 came in 196 deliveries. It was enough for Compton to dream of an England recall.”I woke up yesterday and decided to turn my phone off and make sure I put on a performance,” he said. “They say timing is everything in life don’t they? I certainly hope that’s the case. I wanted to get a big total in this game and I’m glad that I was able to turn it on when I needed to.”I was also delighted for Toby to get his maiden hundred, because he can bat really well. It was good for him and for team morale. We are second in the championship table and we wanted to show why we are second in this match.”Yorkshire enjoyed the day rather less, even as they revel in a Championship title secured even more emphatically than the last. After Sussex cruised to 493 for 7 at Hove this was the second time in three games Yorkshire have been neutered by a combination of a docile wicket, cloudless skies and tenacious batting.They also have disturbing memories of their defeat against Middlesex at Lord’s in April last year when Joe Root, skippering Yorkshire for the first time, gained the dressing room nickname “Craptain,” famously declaring on another flat surface and watching with growing disbelief as Middlesex rattled up a record 472 for 3 to win the match.If Yorkshire are to become the first side in 48 years to win a hat-trick of County Championships, they will have to overcome such obstacles: teams are becoming increasingly prone to preparing flat wickets when the Tykes come to town.As Middlesex progressed to their highest-ever total against Yorkshire, surpassing 527 made at Huddersfield in 1887, Yorkshire had reason to bemoan their success in producing players for England. Although it helped little when they played at Hove, both Liam Plunkett and Adil Rashid would have added variety to an attack that suffered for its rather one-paced feel. The zest and combativeness of David Willey will surely help, but Yorkshire need to prepare for plenty more days on wickets like this next season.The sight of Yorkshire attempting to manufacture a wicket – at one stage using three short extra covers and two short midwickets to try and remove Harris – was testament to how placid the pitch has begun.