Record breaking Read seals Nottinghamshire win

Chris Read enjoyed a day to remember as Nottinghamshire Outlaws maintained their unbeaten start in the Royal London Cup with a four-wicket win over Sussex Sharks at Hove.

Having earlier become the first Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper to take six catches in a one-day innings, the 36-year-old calmed his side's nerves when they lost their sixth wicket with 53 runs still needed, contributing an unbeaten 22 to a stand of 56 with Steven Mullaney, who won the game with a six as he finished on 42 not out, Nottinghamshire securing their second Group B victory with 22 balls to spare.

Sussex had earlier squandered the advantage of winning the toss on a flat pitch. Openers Luke Wright and Chris Nash put on 96 in 12 overs but after they fell in successive overs to Jake Ball they struggled for momentum and their total of 282 for 9 never looked like being enough, even though Thomas trapped Rikki Wessels leg before with the first ball of the reply and Alex Hales (23) spliced a pull at Tymal Mills in the sixth over.

Source :    Fantasy Cricket News.

SL begin grooming process for 2019 World Cup

Sri Lanka will send a young team to participate in the Moin-Ud-Dowla Gold Cup cricket tournament in Hyderabad from September 1 to 15. The tour will be part of Sri Lanka's preparations to have a strong team ready for the next World Cup, which will be held in England in 2019.

"The need to bring in young blood into the side nobody is going to deny that it is a must," Kapila Wijegunawardene, the SLC's chief selector, said. "When the next World Cup comes around four years from today, there has to be youngsters inducted into the team and nurtured and developed to be the leading players, that process we will systematically do.

"We have a very busy calendar leading up to July next year. We clearly want to make those adjustments in the side as we go forward. As a precursor to what our line of thinking is, we have inducted five young players into the T20 side for the two internationals against Pakistan commencing on Thursday.

 Source : Fantasy Cricket.

Middlesex bring in Junaid Khan

 Middlesex have signed Junaid Khan as their latest overseas player. The Pakistan left-armer will be available to play in the Royal London Cup as well as the Championship, if required.

Junaid replaces Joe Burns, who was brought in after Adam Voges, initially signed as captain, was selected in Australia's Ashes squad. Junaid has previously played county cricket with Lancashire, for whom he took 31 T20 wickets at 14.58 during two spells between 2011 and 2014. His first game for Middlesex could come against Lancashire at Blackpool on Wednesday.

Junaid has not played since Pakistan's defeat to Sri Lanka in the Colombo Test last month. A regular in the side since his debut in 2011, he has struggled since returning from a knee injury sustained in late 2014.

"We are delighted to have got a bowler of Junaid's quality at such short notice," Angus Fraser, Middlesex's director of cricket, said. "I would like to than the Pakistan Cricket Board for their help in getting this deal through. With over 80 international appearances and over 150 international wickets he will bring variety, experience and further quality to our bowling attack.

Source :   Fantasy Cricket News

Akmal, Delport power Red Steel to maiden CPL title

Fifties from Kamran Akmal and Cameron Delport helped Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel claim their maiden Caribbean Premier League title, after they beat defending champions Barbados Tridents by 20 runs in the final in Port-of-Spain on Sunday. 

Delport and Akmal came together at the fall of Jacques Kallis' wicket in the third over after Red Steel had opted to bat. Delport had played a few shots in the early overs but the Tridents bowlers managed to restrain Red Steel to 32 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay. Delport and Akmal, however, pushed the scoring rate along swiftly after that. 

Akmal, whose Man-of-the-Match winning 49 against Guyana Amazon Warriors had set up the chase, opened up with a six and a four off Ashley Nurse in the eighth over. The pair relied as much on turning the strike around as they did on boundaries and soon stretched their partnership to 102 off 76 deliveries. 

Source : Fantasy Cricket News