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Joe Root, the England captain, was admitted to hospital in Sydney, suffering from severe dehydration

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jan-20181:59

Root showed courage to come out and bat – Smith

Joe Root, the England captain, was admitted to hospital in Sydney, suffering from severe dehydration, amid doubts as to whether he would be fit to resume his rearguard in the fifth and final Test at the SCG.In the end, Root did appear during the morning session, batting for an hour and taking his overnight 42 not on to 58 at lunch. However, he was again unable to continue after the interval and did not attend the post-match presentations after England were dismissed for 180 to lose by and innings.”He’s not had any sleep. He’s not eaten. He’s had diarrhoea and he’s been vomiting, so I guess he’s not in great state,” James Anderson, England’s vice-captain, said. “To get to the ground was a great effort, and to strap his pads on and bat for as long as he did was a brilliant effort and showed exactly what sort of character he is.”He wants to lead by example in this team. He’s been a fantastic captain on this tour and it shows what sort of person he is to make that sort of effort to get out on the field. I just hope it’s not too serious and he can sleep it off now and get better before the one-dayersRoot, who batted for three hours on fourth day, had been in the field for all but six overs of the hottest day on record for a Test match in Australia. Temperatures in some parts of Sydney reached 47.3C, the highest in the city for 79 years.Root succumbed to bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting overnight, and did not arrive at the ground until after the start of play. It was later announced by the ECB that Root was suffering from a viral gastroenteritis bug, rather than the effects of heat exhaustion.A groggy-looking Joe Root takes on fluids•Getty Images

Already 3-0 down in the series, England were precariously placed on 93 for 4 overnight, needing another 210 runs to make Australia bat again. Moeen Ali took the field alongside Jonny Bairstow at the start if play but Root was fit enough to resume his innings after Moeen’s dismissal on the hour mark, and soon moved to his fifty.Asked how Root had found the tour, Anderson said: “I imagine extremely difficult. Ask any captain who has toured Australia, it’s not an easy place to come. Especially when on wrong end of results. The way he’s carried himself has been a credit to himself. He’s been fantastic the whole way through, as a guy he’s not looked down at any stage. He’s led the guys brilliantly both on and off the field. He should be very proud of what he’s done on this trip.”Before it was made clear that Root was affected by a virus, there had been speculation about the damaging effects of playing in high temperatures. Dean Jones, the former Australia batsman who famously ended up on a drip after making 210 in oppressive heat during the tied Test in Madras in 1986, stated on Twitter that the sport needs to take the issue of exposure to extreme conditions more seriously.”After speaking to a couple of doctors this morning.. in my opinion cricket should be called off after 41C," Jones wrote. "It’s a workplace issue now.. just my opinion.”

أصدر مجلس إدارة نادي سموحة، بياناً رسمياً اليوم الخميس، بشأن الهزيمة التي تعرض لها الفريق في مباراته أمام غزل المحلة، التي جمعت بينهما ببطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

واستضاف فريق سموحة نظيره غزل المحلة، على أرضية استاد الإسكندرية ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من عمر الدور الأول ببطولة الدوري.

ونشر نادي سموحة بيانًا على الصفحة الرسمية عبر موقع “فيسبوك” قال فيه: “قرر الجهاز الفنى للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بقيادة أحمد سامى المدير الفني توقيع غرامة قدرها خمسين ألف جنيه على كل لاعب من الذين شاركوا في لقاء غزل المحله مساء اليوم مع إيقاف صرف مستحقات اللاعبين لحين تحسن النتائج”.

طالع أيضاً.. ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد نهاية الجولة السادسة

ونجح فريق غزل المحلة في تحقيق فوز كبير على صاحب الأرض سموحة برباعية مقابل هدفين.

ويحتل فريق غزل المحلة المركز التاسع في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 8 نقاط، فيما يتجمد رصيد سموحة عند 5 نقاط في المركز الرابع عشر.

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League games that were played on May 30, 2016

Mohammad Isam30-May-2016

Mashrafe Mortaza’s six-wicket haul set up Kalabagan Krira Chakra’s 10-run win (D/L method) in a rain-affected match against Legends of Rupganj in Fatullah.After Kalabagan asked Rupganj to bat, it was Dewan Sabbir who did the early damage, removing Rupganj’s openers for single-digit scores. Despite decent knocks from Mohammad Mithun, Ishank Jaggi and Asif Ahmed in the middle order, Rupganj slumped to 87 for 5. A 78-run sixth-wicket stand between Asif Ahmed and Sajjadul Haque added substance to Rupganj’s innings, before the former fell to Sabbir, giving him his third wicket of the match. Mashrafe, who had been introduced as the third-change bowler, then cleaned up the tail taking the last four wickets.Mashrafe had earlier dismissed Mithun and Rupganj captain Mossharraf Hossain. He finished with figures of 6 for 42 in his 10 overs. This was his second 6-wicket haul in List-A cricket, the other one being 10 years ago, against Kenya in an ODI.Kalabagan had reached 127 for 4 in 35.4 overs when rain intervened to curtail proceedings. That was enough for them to secure a 10-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method. The win opened up a four-point lead between Kalabagan and Cricket Coaching School, who are second from the bottom on the points table. That gives Kalabagan some breathing space, with the two bottom-placed teams to be relegated to next season’s Dhaka First Division Cricket League.Victoria Sporting Club leapt from seventh to third position on the table with their 28-run win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in Mirpur.After opting to bat first, Victoria were bowled out for 247 in 49.4 overs. While six of their top seven got starts, only Mominul Haque got a half-century, scoring 50 off 51 balls, including six fours and a six. Batting at no. 3, he added 72 runs for the second wicket with Fazle Mahmud. Later, captain Nadif Chowdhury and Chaturanga de Silva added 80 runs for the sixth wicket. Nadif’s dismissal left Victoria 212 for 6. A nine-ball 24 from Mahbubul lifted the side to 247.Mahmudullah took 3 for 40, while Muktar Ali and left-arm spinner Abdur Rahman took two wickets each.In a similar fashion to Victoria’s batsmen, Dhanmondi’s top-order batsmen squandered starts, with each of the top four getting out between 20 and 50. Only Sohag Gazi, batting at no. 6, registered a half-century, with a knock of 59 off 64. Then it was Victoria pace bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi’s turn to get among the wickets. He took four of the last six wickets, as Dhanmondi were bowled out for 219 in the 49th over.Gazi Group Cricketers beat Brothers Union by 43 runs in a low-scoring encounter on a turning track at the BKSP-3 ground.In response to Gazi Group’s 167, Brothers were bowled out for just 124 runs in 40.1 overs. Gazi Group’s offspinner Mahedi Hasan picked up 4 for 16, while Gurkeerat Singh, Alok Kapali and Salehin Shad picked up two wickets apiece. Brothers captain Tushar Imran played the only knock of substance, with 41 off 81 balls.Tushar had earlier taken a four-wicket haul with his part-time offspin as Gazi Group were bowled out for 167. Opening the batting, Anamul Haque top-scored for Gazi Group, with 46 off 52, including three fours and four sixes. But, after a 70-run opening stand, Gazi Group slipped to 102 for 8. A few lusty blows from Mohammad Sharif, at no. 11, added some crucial runs to their final score.The win takes Gazi Group to 10 points, while Brothers remain on 8.

Australia will host Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international at Geelong’s Kardinia Park in February, after the ground was confirmed as the 11th venue in Australia currently accredited to host international cricket

Brydon Coverdale08-Aug-2016

Australia will host Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international at Geelong’s Kardinia Park in February, after the ground was confirmed as the 11th venue in Australia currently accredited to host international cricket.Geelong, Melbourne and Adelaide have been named as the venues for three T20Is between Australia and Sri Lanka, to be held from February 17 to 22. The fixtures will all be played as double-headers, with the men’s games preceded by women’s T20Is between Australia and New Zealand.The decision to take international cricket involving Australia beyond the state and territory capitals is almost unprecedented. Test matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Cairns during the southern winters of 2003 and 2004 are the only other occasions when Australia have played official international matches outside the capital cities.Regional venues were used for some neutral games during the 1992 World Cup, while Launceston, Devonport and Townsville have also hosted official international matches that did not involve Australia. Kardinia Park – known as Simonds Stadium for sponsorship reasons – will be the 21st ground in Australia to host international men’s cricket.Kardinia Park had a taste of elite cricket last summer when the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades played a warm-up match there ahead of the BBL campaign. That game was followed a week later by West Indies playing a two-day practice match there against a Victoria XI ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.In order to meet ICC standards for the size of international venues, the pitch orientation at Kardinia Park has been altered to slightly off the square, for the traditional configuration at the ground meant some boundaries were too short. Cricket Australia’s chief executive officer James Sutherland said given the ground met requirements, he was pleased to take international cricket to Geelong.”We’re committed to taking the game to as many parts of the country as possible and we continue to work with regional areas around Australia on how we can make this happen,” Sutherland said. “Geelong proved its capability to host cricket last summer with a successful BBL exhibition match between the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades attracting more than 10,000 people.”We’re really looking forward to the people of the Geelong region and beyond packing out the stadium and supporting the women’s and men’s national sides.”Despite the off-field facilities at Kardinia Park being of high quality and the dimensions meeting international standards, the prospects of the venue being used as a second first-class ground for Victoria appear limited. Tony Dodemaide, the Cricket Victoria CEO, said the cost of installing drop-in pitches and preparing the multi-sport ground (home of AFL team the Geelong Cats) for cricket was more feasible for international games.As preparation for the T20I series, Sri Lanka will play the annual Prime Minister’s XI match as a T20 game on February 15 at Manuka Oval in Canberra.Cricket Australia has also announced that an agreement has been reached for Adelaide Oval to host an international cricket fixture on Australia Day every summer for the next five years. For some years the tradition was to hold a match in Adelaide on January 26, but in recent summers such a fixture had not always eventuated.”We’ve been working closely with the South Australian Government and SACA to secure marquee matches in the state long term and we’d like to thank both parties for their support,” Sutherland said. “We’re pleased to be able to announce today that Adelaide Oval will host an International Australia Day cricket fixture for the next five years.”

Moises Henriques commanded a focused Sydney Sixers to a nine-wicket win over Sydney Thunder in the opening match of BBL 2016-17

The Report by Daniel Brettig20-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSydney Thunder made a sobering start to their defence of the Big Bash League title won last summer, well beaten by a focused Sydney Sixers on the opening night of the tournament at a sold-out Sydney Showgrounds. After the Thunder lost a ruinous 5 for 15 midway through their innings, the Sixers’ captain Moises Henriques combined with Daniel Hughes to drive the Sixers home.Captain in commandHenriques led the Sixers with plenty of panache on the night, shuffling his bowlers expertly and not being spooked by the crushing way the Thunder ended their Powerplay, racing to 64 for 1. Instead he used spin to shift the game’s momentum on a somewhat tacky surface, ensuring the hosts finished some way short of their desired total.He followed up with an innings of common sense and plenty of strength, taking a particular shine to the offerings of his state team-mate, Pat Cummins. As plenty of batsmen the world over can relate, muscling Cummins is no easy task. Henriques’ reward was the top score of the match, and a winning start to the Sixers’ campaign.Bat in blackA technicolour crowd of 21,798 was in good voice throughout, but there were more than a few gasps when Andre Russell walked out brandishing a jet-black bat – a sight not seen since the little-remembered Stanford T20 tournaments in the Caribbean. While the Sixers’ gloveman Haddin noted on the broadcast that the ball bore a few black marks for Russell’s contact, a CA spokesperson confirmed it was all above board.”A player can use a coloured bat subject to CA approval. The bat may be the same colour as the Club’s primary colour, or black. CA retains the right to withdraw approval in its absolute discretion. The umpires can also request a player change the bat if they believe it affects the integrity of the match.”Spin shiftWhen the fifth and sixth overs of the Thunder innings – bowled by Joe Mennie and Doug Bollinger – went for a combined 39 runs, the Sixers seemed to have lost their early control over proceedings. However Henriques refused to panic, instead reverting to Steve O’Keefe’s spin and the slinging action of Sean Abbott. The next two overs cost only seven, and meant Eoin Morgan was spoiling for a boundary when the new Australian citizen Johan Botha entered the attack. First ball and a slow, spinning off break attracted the faintest of touches from Morgan through to Brad Haddin.That wicket led to another tight over, this time costing only three, and Henriques then swung Mennie back into action against batsmen now questioning themselves a fraction. Jason Roy flew through the air at backward point to snaffle a cut shot from the captain Ben Rohrer, a critical wicket given there is no longer a Michael Hussey or Jacques Kallis adding their knowhow to the Thunder line-up. Two balls later Jake Doran also fell, this time lbw, pushing momentum well and truly towards the Sixers.When Russell’s black-bat cameo was ended by a Bollinger short ball, Henriques pulled another clever rein by posting Daniel Hughes at slip for Chris Green, who obliged by edging directly to him. In all the sequence had cost the Thunder 5 for 15 in 23 balls, a period that was always going to leave them within range of the Sixers’ power-hitters.Hunter and huntedFor the first four years of the BBL, the Sixers were Sydney’s dominant team, the Thunder their underachieving western counterparts. Last season turned things on their head, as the Thunder soared to the title while the Sixers did not even reach the semis. An off-season to think about that scenario clearly left an impression on the Sixers, who have stolen an early march, not only their crosstown rivals, but also the competition as a whole.

The back injury that Faf du Plessis suffered against Bangladesh may keep him out of the day-night encounter against ZImbabwe. Dean Elgar will likely captain the side in his absence

Firdose Moonda18-Dec-2017

South Africa’s Test captain Faf du Plessis is in doubt for the inaugural four-day Boxing Day day-night Test against Zimbabwe, as Cricket South Africa opt for a cautious approach to managing his return from injury.Du Plessis has not played any cricket since late October when he hurt his back during the second ODI against Bangladesh. He was initially prescribed six weeks’ rest. However, at the same time, du Plessis had surgery on a problematic shoulder. As a result, he played no part in the recently concluded Ram Slam and was not named in the CSA Invitation XI to play Zimbabwe in a warm-up match scheduled for Wednesday.Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa’s team manager who is also a medical doctor, told ESPNcricinfo last week that du Plessis was “on track”, but also emphasised that a late decision will be taken given the workload over the next three months.”If we reach next week and see that Faf would benefit from another week off, then we will give him that time,” Moosajee said. “We are not going to be foolish with his return, because there is a lot of cricket over the next few months.”After the Zimbabwe Test, South Africa host India for three-Tests starting on January 5, six ODIs and three T20s and then have a four-Test home series against Australia in March.Given that the South African management prefer their players to have some game time after returning from an injury and before representing the national side, it seems a better option for du Plessis to sit out the Test and perhaps even play in the upcoming domestic one-day tournament which starts on Wednesday. South Africa would have a ready-made batting replacement in AB de Villiers, who will play the warm-up match and has declared himself eager for a Test return. They will also likely turn to stand-in captain Dean Elgar, who led the side at Lord’s when du Plessis was on paternity leave.South Africa are only expected to name their Test squad after at least some of the warm-up match has been played and they have monitored the progress of some of their other players. Dale Steyn and Chris Morris are both due to play in the match and could make a return following significant time out of the game. Morne Morkel, who is coming back from a side strain, is not in the squad but recently played a three-day provincial match for Easterns, with positive reasons. He bowled 19.4 overs and took seven wickets for 43 runs.

سجل فريق برشلونة هدفه الأول في شباك أتلتيكو مدريد، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

ويستضيف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة الفريقين في الجولة الثامنة عشر من الليجا، 2024/25 (لمتابعة اللقاء من هنا).

ونجح برشلونة في تسجيل هدفه الأول في شباك الضيوف، أتلتيكو مدريد، في الدقيقة 30 من عمر الشوط الأول.

الهدف جاء عن طريق بيدري، بعد سلسلة من التمريرات المتبادلة بين لاعبي برشلونة، انتهت بتمريرة من جافي إلى بيدري، ليسددها الأخير وتسكن الشباك تحت يد الحارس يان أوبلاك. هدف بيدري في مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد

Scotland have called up Chris Sole and Stuart Whittingham after the ICC responded to concerns about their future eligibility to play county cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2017

Scotland have called up Chris Sole and Stuart Whittingham for their Intercontinental Cup fixture against Ireland in Dubai this week, as well as two WCL Championship fixtures against Kenya in December.Both players had initially not been included after proposed changes to the ICC’s eligibility regulations led them to prioritise county careers – Whittingham is contracted to Sussex, while Sole, the son of former rugby union international David Sole, has played for Hampshire. The ICC has now agreed to put the new rules, which were revised in October, on hold after lobbying from Associate Members.At the time of the initial squad announcement, Scotland’s coach, Grant Bradburn, said: “Any distractions must not take our focus away from delivering on the field to levels like never before, which we are ready to do. Many of the players are feeling a range of emotions, which is understandable. However, times of adversity will often bring out the fighting character within. Our team will be united in wanting to use our challenging build up to create even greater resolve in playing outstanding cricket on the park in Dubai.”Sole, who has taken 13 wickets in eight ODIs, and Whittingham, who made his debut last month, will strengthen Scotland’s bowling stocks as they seek a place at next year’s qualifying tournament for the 2019 World Cup.Last week, Scotland beat Papua New Guinea 2-0 in their two-match ODI series – although neither game counted towards the WCL Championship. The top four teams will go to the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe and Scotland, in third, will seal their spot if they beat Kenya in either fixture in Dubai.

Eoin Morgan, England’s one-day captain, says that his family were “very offended” by the criticism that he received after withdrawing from the tour of Bangladesh

Arun Venugopal in Mumbai09-Jan-20171:47

‘Don’t regret’ skipping Bangladesh tour – Morgan

Eoin Morgan, England’s one-day captain, says that his family were “very offended” by the criticism that he received after withdrawing from the tour of Bangladesh on security grounds last year, but has expressed his excitement at returning to national colours with a heavy diet of white-ball cricket in the build-up to the Champions Trophy in June.Morgan, 30, has not played for England since the visit of Pakistan in September last year, after he and Alex Hales chose not to travel to Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series in October, following terror attacks in the country earlier in the year.Although Andrew Strauss, the managing director of England cricket, had assured the players that there would be “no consequences” for missing the tour, there was a considerable backlash in the English media over Morgan’s failure to lead his side from the front, especially in light of the unprecedented levels of security granted to the team.Morgan, however, maintained that he didn’t regret the decision, insisting that he had been unaffected by the furore even if his family were less comfortable with the backlash.”My way of dealing with it was to get away from things, which I did,” he told BBC Radio. “My family saw a lot of it and were very offended, but that is part and parcel of being in the limelight.”As a decision, I am very comfortable with [it] and it’s a decision I considered all consequences when I did, and sitting here or sitting at home, wherever I would have been sitting, I’d have been very comfortable with it.”Eoin Morgan found his form for Sydney Thunder in the BBL last week•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

In Morgan’s absence, Jos Buttler led England to a hard-fought 2-1 series win, and the regular skipper was full of praise for the manner in which his stand-in had stepped into the breach.”I think he [Buttler] really enjoyed the leadership role within the group,” Morgan said during his earlier press conference. “The proof was in the performances. I thought he was outstanding [in] the way senior players reacted, Ben Stokes in particular. In the first game when Ben played a screamer on a wicket that wasn’t that easy for us to come on and start the series. The younger guys reacted well and the senior guys led the way.”While Morgan believes, with some justification, that his success in leading England’s revival in white-ball cricket has earned him some leeway with the selectors, his absence in Bangladesh not only came at the end of a year in which he averaged less than 30 in 25 matches across all formats, it offered an opportunity for other candidates to stake a claim to a middle-order berth.In particular, Jonny Bairstow and Sam Billings can expect a fair hearing ahead of the Champions Trophy, while Ben Duckett, who scored two fifties in Bangladesh, was deemed by coach Trevor Bayliss to have been “desperately unlucky” to miss out on the limited-overs tour to India.”We’ve a couple of series in the next five-six months which is going to be a big part in our lead up towards the [Champions Trophy],” he said. “It is exciting that we’ve only white-ball cricket between now and then. The major part of that is getting some cricket under my belt in the run into the series, which I’ve managed to do. I am really excited, and everybody within the group is as excited as I am.”If there were any doubts about Morgan’s current form and focus, then his sign-off performance for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League last week was a good indicator. His final innings before departing for India was an unbeaten 50-ball 71 that culminated in a match-winning last-ball six. Despite that, however, he knows not to take his England place for granted.”Nothing is a certainty. Absolutely nothing,” he said. “I’d like to think that things have gone pretty well for us, and over a small period of time we have had a little bit of success, like I have added. But, again we have a fantastic group of players – very talented, very driven and they want to do well.Right up there in the “little bit of success” were England’s series wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh. After England had made 444 against Pakistan in Trent Bridge, Hales said he had to pinch himself in disbelief. Morgan believed England’s mindset had remained positive in the past as well, but their recent consistency had caught even him by surprise.”I think before we played a game together as a group, which was just under two years ago now, there’s always that nerves and anticipation about what’s to come,” he said. “I think the general mindset and attitude in which we went about our business was the right way, but the skill level doesn’t always deliver behind that. I’ve been surprised that the level of skill and consistency we’ve shown between now and then… I think it is impressive.”Everybody within the group, and how well we’ve grown and learnt in that time, has been accelerated by the bit of success. Obviously, playing abroad is different challenge, a challenge which everybody is looking forward to. India is a great place to come and win the series. It means that much more because they are very, very good at home.”The scars of the drubbing in the Test series, he felt, wouldn’t have a bearing on this team. “I think they are very motivated individually. Regardless of which format has been played first, the side has generally improved as the tour has gone on. Since the side has been together, there has been no backlash or repercussions from any performance earlier in the tour. I don’t expect it to have any effect.”

Ryan ten Doeschate and Ravi Bopara both struck hundreds with ease on a Chelmsford pitch on which Somerset will hope to meet just as successfully

Dan Norcross26-Jun-20181:34

Surrey hit with five-run penalty

ScorecardTalk to any professional cricketer, past and present, and they will tell you that it is a horrible game to master. It plays devilish tricks on the mind, and even worse ones on the body. In a few fleeting moments you may enter the fabled “zone” but beware, for Mother Cricket is waiting to bite you on the arse at any, or indeed every moment.It is the cruelty of cricket that so attracts its supporters. The fine balance between bat and ball. That sense of jeopardy that accompanies every delivery in the very best of matches; a jeopardy that has led some, famously, to chew through their umbrellas or even drop down dead.While Ravi Bopara and Ryan ten Doeschate, in his first game back since a two-game suspension, were compiling a fifth-wicket record partnership for Essex against Somerset of 294, cricket, however, looked the easiest game in the world, at least for the batsmen. It was a stupendous feat of concentration on another blistering day by two men with decades of experience between them.There were some elegant strokes, plenty of immaculate defence and, towards the end, when the imperative was to speed towards a declaration target, some genuinely spectacular hitting, but it was impossible to escape the impression that it was all too easy.Runs, certainly for the first two hours today, weren’t so much scored as extracted from Somerset’s bowlers; a tithe to be paid if they wanted to share the same pitch. Dominic Bess, who finished yesterday’s play covered in more grit, dust and grime than a Victorian child chimney sweep, struggled manfully on a pitch that offered him nothing.Again he kept the Essex duo in check until ten Doeschate shifted gears late in the first session, driving the increasingly battered ball with perfect precision along the ground through the covers like a European Central Bank mandarin scything through the more hopeful parts of a Greek finance minister’s budget with a pink marker pen. Bess’ reward for 49 overs of earnest, and committed toil was figures of 2 for 132.Jamie Overton, playing his first championship match of the season after injury, tried a different approach. Banging the ball in halfway down the wicket he generated decent pace, but the ball was soft, the pitch was docile and the batsmen, in particular ten Doeschate, adapted with ease. Overton’s 22 overs yielded 110 runs, but at least it broke the monotony. Instead of a modest tithe, the batsmen were now extracting Super Tax.Nearly four hours into the day, Bopara slogged at Trego and paid with his middle stump. His 118 was, astoundingly for a man who is the seventh highest run scorer in all cricket worldwide over the last decade, only his second championship century since July 2, 2014. There was time for ten Doeschate (173*) to go past his highest championship score before he declared10 overs before tea on a mere 515 for 5.Somerset were able to negotiate the short session to tea easily. All too easily. And then the game burst into life. Neil Wagner, who gave the full pitched swinging ball two or three attempts, promptly and with commendable devotion, explored the middle of the pitch, much as Overton had earlier, but at greater pace and at a nastier angle.The last eight overs of his marathon ten over spell consisted almost entirely of short balls. A couple, suddenly, shot along the ground. Most of them reared to chest and throat height. Davies glanced one to Wheater behind the stumps to depart for 41. Byrom and Bartlett channelling their inner Andrew Hilditch, pulled and hooked at pretty much every ball. They even middle the occasional one. It was baffling. Westley was stationed at back-stop for the top edged hook. You could hear Geoffrey Boycott mithering at their failure to sway and duck, and he may have had a point. It was ludicrous stuff, but, after hours of somnolent dominance by the bat, it was marvellous fun.And then it stopped again. Wagner couldn’t bowl all day. Sam Cook and Jamie Porter adopted a more orthodox approach. Byrom and Bartlett settled back into the rhythms of this match and the day dawdled to its close with the lights finally taking effect, Somerset comfortably enough placed on 140 for 2.