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Northamptonshire are doing their darnedest to not let go of the crown they won so spectacularly last year, securing a first win in seven against Birmingham Bears

Ryan Bailey03-Jul-2014
ScorecardNorthamptonshire rediscovered some of the spirit that took them to last year’s title•Getty ImagesIn the ten-year history of England’s domestic Twenty20 competition, no team has managed to successfully defend the trophy. It is improbable Northamptonshire will break that streak this time around but they are doing their darnedest to not let go of the crown they won so spectacularly last year. For now, the club slogan of “reign, defend, conquer” that is plastered around Wantage Road remains credible.The Steelbacks rediscovered all the traits of their unforeseen triumph in 2013 to end a six game winless run and kept their hopes, although slim, of progression from the North Group alive. David Willey and Steven Crook were to the fore with the ball, Azharullah sent stumps cartwheeling with his unerringly accurate yorkers, they hounded the opposition in the field and an allrounder named White produced a match-winning performance – not Cameron but Graeme.The absence of Australia international White, who gave the side that much-needed balance, has proved more significant than anyone could have imagined. The failure to fill that void has been felt deeply, as their abject Championship form leaked into the shortest format with damning implications. But, this was the Northants of 2013 vintage.White, Graeme that is, typified the exuberance of the hosts as he clubbed a game-turning 34 off just 12 deliveries at the backend of an otherwise feeble batting effort before taking two wickets to derail Birmingham’s run chase. Before his intervention in the 17th over of the game, Northants were sinking into the mire.But White played with the sort of liberty that none of his confidence-stricken team mates could summon to that point. Richard Levi gloved behind the first ball of the game, from Chris Wright, Willey miscued a heave and Crook followed in similar fashion – familiar failings in this campaign. At 89 for 6, they were facing submersion. Three maximums and as many fours changed the complexion of the game and swung the momentum, however – 50 runs were pummelled in the final four overs to lift the hosts up to a defendable total.And so it proved as Birmingham never recovered. Willey bowled with the same vivacity as 12 months ago as he set the tone with the ball and in the field. He has yet to fully recover from the back injury that blighted his winter but there is no doubting his commitment to the cause.Having bowled Varun Chopra with a slower ball, he exhibited all his tenacity in beating William Porterfield in a foot race to run the Ireland captain out and the Bears stumbled thereafter as they struggled to manage the run rate.Shaoib Malik threatened to inflict more woe on the defending champions with a boundary-filled knock of 47 and, along with Jeetan Patel, reduced the scenario to 32 off three overs. But, there was a renewed purpose to Northants. Azharullah returned to combine with Willey to have Malik caught inches inside the boundary; these were the tight margins Northants were edging last year and they managed to rediscover that knack just in the nick of time.Northants had disintegrated in similar fashion but were kept afloat by Kyle Coetzer, who went about the rebuilding process with a watchful 40. He was ably supported by Adam Rossington who had only just completed the paperwork on a loan move from Middlesex. He rode his luck at times – something that has been in short supply at Northants. That a player who had failed to get into double figures in eight innings this season was brought in underlines the extent of Northants’ injury list but Rossington, batting with a numberless shirt, helped ensure there would be a platform for White.

Jonathan Trott believes England have “proved a few people wrong” about their approach to one-day cricket by reaching the Champions Trophy final

Andrew McGlashan21-Jun-2013Jonathan Trott believes England have “proved a few people wrong” about their approach to one-day cricket by reaching the Champions Trophy final and putting themselves within one win of their first piece of 50-over global silverware.Throughout this tournament, especially after the defeat to Sri Lanka at The Oval which left them needing to win every subsequent match, England’s tactics have been picked apart. The chief area for debate has been the top-order, of which Trott is a crucial part, and whether they score at the tempo required in modern one-day cricket.Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler have had lean tournaments with the bat – although Ravi Bopara has provided late impetus – but England have rigidly stuck to their formula and order, even in the 24-over contest against New Zealand, which was win or bust for them.In that game they were led by Alastair Cook’s 47-ball 64 and Trott says that the rest of the team feed off the example laid down by their captain, who is leading in a global event for the first time, and that they have the utmost belief in how they approach the game.”A lot of people were a bit sceptical,” Trott said. “But this team has proved a few people wrong with regards to their takes on the game of cricket and how it should be played.”He’s a really good leader and he’s always got the backing of the changing room, for whatever he decides is the direction of this team. He’s fully in charge, with Andy Flower and Ashley Giles, and the guys are always following him.”There has been plenty for Cook to deal with during this tournament, from the fallout of David Warner’s punch at Joe Root in a Birmingham bar to the accusations of ball-tampering, which started to fly around after the defeat to Sri Lanka. Trott, though, said Cook had taken everything in his stride as he has since making his England debut in 2006.”He got brought in and played straightaway as opening batsman and captain, from not having played,” he said. “A lesser person could have maybe buckled under the pressure. We’ve seen how he handles pressure, going to India for his first tour as Test captain and winning there – and now this.”There is added significance for Trott with the final being staged at his home ground of Edgbaston – the same applies to Ian Bell, Chris Woakes (who has not featured during the tournament) and the coach Ashley Giles, who was previously in charge at Warwickshire – and the prospect of a defining match in England’s history at a place he knows so well had long been in Trott’s sights.”You always have a little cheeky sneak at the fixtures, and where the final is going to be played, and I was very excited about getting here – and it’s happened. For me personally, I’m very excited. The guys are looking to seize the opportunity. They don’t come around very often.”The most recent major final England played in was the 2010 World Twenty20 in Barbados where they beat Australia to claim their only piece of global silverware. From that team there could be four players appear in this match, although it could be as few as two.The management will have to make a decision whether to stick with the same bowling that demolished South Africa. Steven Finn played his first match of the tournament, claiming the vital wicket of Hashim Amla, while James Tredwell continued to deputise superbly for Graeme Swann and earned the Man-of-the-Match award.Tredwell could earn a place in the team by right, regardless of Swann’s fitness, but on a ground where the surface can encourage reverse swing Bresnan, now a father after the birth of Max Geoffrey, is slight favourite to be preferred over Finn.If you ask any of those involved in staging or promoting the Champions Trophy, England versus India is probably the final they will have dreamt of. Home side pitted against the powerhouse of world cricket.What they won’t have dreamt of is the less-than-ideal forecast for Sunday which currently predicts rain of varying heaviness throughout the day. Even for the final there is no reserve day. In 2002 the trophy was shared when India and Sri Lanka could not complete a match even with two days at their disposal because the match had to restart on the second day.England trained at Edgbaston on Friday but India opted for a day off following their victory against Sri Lanka.

Jonny Bairstow will miss England’s ODI tour of India in January due to a family illness. Joe Root will replace him in the squad.

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Dec-2012Jonny Bairstow will miss England’s ODI tour of India in January due to a family illness. Joe Root, who made his England debut in the fourth Test in Nagpur, will replace him in the squad.Bairstow was in England’s Test and T20 squads before Christmas but flew home before the second T20 on compassionate leave.He will now remain at home with his family but is expected to join the England one-day squad for the T20 and ODI series against New Zealand in February.Bairstow played the latest of his five Tests in Mumbai but was replaced by Ian Bell who returned from paternity leave to play the third Test. He didn’t play again on the tour having been left out of the opening T20 after which he returned home.Bairstow made an immediate impression on international cricket with a matchwinning 41 not out on debut against India in Cardiff in September 2011. But he has only scored another 78 runs in six matches since – five of them against India in October 2011.His replacement Root is another talented young Yorkshireman. He was a surprise pick to make his Test debut in the fourth Test in Nagpur but played with confidence for 73 in the first-innings and closed out the draw with a brief unbeaten knock in the second innings. He then made his T20 debut in Mumbai. Root is yet to play an ODI but has scored 748 List A runs at 34.00.Root joins a squad that includes Kevin Pietersen for the first time since England swept Pakistan 4-0 in the UAE in February. England will have to decide on a return to the opening partnership of Pietersen and captain Alastair Cook that averaged 84.50 against Pakistan with two centuries each or remain with Bell who was given a second life in the ODI side when he replaced Pietersen against West Indies and averaged 54.90 throughout the summer.With no Jonathan Trott in the squad, either Pietersen or Bell will bat at No. 3 with Eoin Morgan at No. 4. Root could be picked to make his debut at No. 5 if England decide against playing both Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler – both played the fourth ODI against Pakistan in Dubai, Buttler’s only ODI appearance, but with his good showing in recent T20s and Kieswetter’s failure to make a half-century in 2012, Buttler could be asked to keep wicket, paving the way for Root to be selected.

Jude Bellingham has reportedly sacked his personal chef at Real Madrid after being left "unimpressed" by his food preparation.

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Bellingham fires club-recommended chefAlberto Mastromatteo had previously served Karim BenzemaEnglish midfielder 'unimpressed' despite his superb Real formWHAT HAPPENED?

The English midfielder might be enjoying life on the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu right now, but he still has some complaints when it comes to the food he is be given off it.

According to Bellingham has shown the door to Alberto Mastromatteo, the personal chef appointed to him by the club, who previously managed the diet of Karim Benzema in the Spanish capital.

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Following an extensive discussion with his mother, Bellingham decided to sack Mastromatteo as he was left "unimpressed" with the preparations of the chef. Now, the 20-year-old midfielder is actively seeking a replacement chef to manage his dietary requirements.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bellingham flew to England during the Christmas break and was spotted checking on his younger brother, Jobe, when he was in action against Coventry City at the Stadium of Light with Sunderland, and also made it to the stands at Hull City on Boxing Day as the Black Cats came out on top with a 1-0 win. Before flying back to Spain, he also tried his hand at cricket and darts as 16-year-old sensation Luke Littler grips the UK.

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Bellingham has returned to Madrid and is gearing up to add to his tally of 22 goal contributions in 21 appearances for Madrid across competition when Los Blancos host Mallorca on Wednesday. Real currently sit top of the La Liga table on goal difference ahead of surprise package Girona.

Michael Clarke has been ruled out of Australia’s opening Champions Trophy match against England on Saturday and vice-captain George Bailey will lead the side in his absence

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2013Michael Clarke has been ruled out of Australia’s opening Champions Trophy match against England on Saturday and vice-captain George Bailey will lead the side in his absence. Clarke’s involvement in the rest of the tournament also remains uncertain as he continues to battle a long-standing back problem that kept him from playing either of the two warm-up matches against West Indies and India.”Michael is making steady progress in his recovery from the recent lower back injury but is yet to return to training,” Alex Kountouris, the team physio, said on Friday morning. “He will remain in London over the coming days to continue his rehabilitation and will not be available for the first match against England on Saturday. How he responds to the ongoing treatment will determine his availability for the match against New Zealand next Wednesday.”The situation is also a concern for the Australians just over a month from the first Test of the Ashes, for although Clarke has had the back problem since he was a teenager it appears to have affected him more over the past few months than in the past. He missed Australia’s most recent Test, the loss to India in Delhi, and it was the first time he has been forced to sit out of a Test due to his back trouble.Michael Clarke’s back remains a worry for Australia•Getty ImagesOn Thursday, Kountouris conceded that the abbreviated nature of the Champions Trophy meant Clarke’s participation in any part of it was uncertain and it could also depend on whether the Australians move past the group stage.”We are just trying to get him right,” Kountouris said. “He has had this before so we know how it plays out and we know the treatment that he needs to get him right. But being such a short tournament we’re racing against time to get him fit.”We certainly won’t be taking any risks. It is a really important time of the year for us, that goes without saying. This is an important tournament too so we’ll get him up for whatever games we can and won’t take any stupid risks. Firstly he needs to be pain free, which he’s not at the moment.”Then we need to put him through a series of tests, get him running and batting and get him doing things he’d normally do. We need him training at full intensity before we get him on the park.”News of Clarke’s injury has compounded Australia’s far from perfect preparation to this event. They were bowled out for just 65 in their warm-up game against India and David Warner, one of their opening batsmen, has been dismissed for 0 in both warm-up games.But Bailey reacted to the news phlegmatically. “It’s a great opportunity for us to prove a lot of people wrong,” he said.”Honestly, I reckon all sides believe they can win the tournament. In terms of a cricket spectacle, that must be really exciting for the fans around the globe knowing that your country is in with a real shot at winning the title.”Our best is still as good as anyone else or any other teams in the world. If we play our best cricket, I’ve got no doubt we can win the tournament and we probably will win the tournament.”There’s no doubt it’s a blow. We’d love to have Pup with us as a batsman and as our captain. But it is what it is, and we have to deal with the fact that we don’t have him for tomorrow. The challenge is there and the opportunity is there for the rest of us to step up, and I know it will be a great boost to the side to know that we can win without him.”Story updated at 0700 GMT to confirm that Clarke had been ruled out and at 1400 to add Bailey’s reaction

At precisely one minute past three o’clock on Wednesday afternoon a game which had begun in the freshly-minted sunshine of Sunday morning was finally put to sleep.

Paul Edwards at Tunbridge Wells28-May-2014
ScorecardThe weather wasn’t quite as bad as in 2012 as shown but the Tunbridge Wells festival was again ruined by rain•Kent County Cricket ClubAt precisely one minute past three o’clock on Wednesday afternoon a game which had begun in the freshly-minted sunshine of Sunday morning was finally put to sleep.After waiting around five hours for some of the saturated areas on the Nevill Ground’s square and outfield to dry out, umpires Jeremy Lloyds and Steve O’Shaughnessy finally decided that conditions were not going to improve sufficiently to allow the cricketers to play professional sport safely.The match will be remembered primarily for Joe Leach’s maiden first-class five-wicket haul, Sam Northeast’s half-century but very little else. It is doubtful whether Wisden’s sub-editors will need to prune the submitted copy about this game when they prepare the 2015 Almanack.Perhaps a hundred spectators were not deterred by the heavy overnight rain and turned up on Wednesday morning, hoping to see two sides battle it out for first-innings bonus points. By mid-afternoon the pints of Pig and Porter and Gravesend Guzzler were slipping down very nicely in the CAMRA tent. “What a lovely place!” declared a man making his very first visit to Tunbridge Wells. “You could have a cricket ground here.” Well, yes, you could.For officials of the local club the last three days of this game have been familiar exercises in frustration management. They are almost used to Kent’s visits being spoiled by rain, and attention turns now to ensuring that next year’s festival takes place.But for the umpires this sort of game is, to quote Lloyds, “horrible”. The pair of them had inspected the pitch and square on many, many occasions since the rain arrived on Monday but the conditions beat them. It would be a brave man or, more likely, a foolish one, who would argue that they had not done their best to get the show on.”First and foremost, Steve and I made the decisions together,” Lloyds said, as he sat amid the clutter of the umpires’ room at the end of the match. “The groundstaff worked really hard to get all the surface water off the sheets and down the sides with the water-hogger and the hogger is a great invention if you just want to take off surface water.”But the trouble is that once you keep on rolling over the same area time and time again, it compacts it and seals it, and when you put your foot down, water still comes up and you can’t get any more out with the hogger. That, as far as we’re concerned, is deemed to be unsafe, because you can’t have fielders trying to stand up and move one way or the other and feeling they can’t move that quickly.”If someone has an injury, which they could do very easily, we’re the ones that people look at and ask whether it was ever safe to be playing in the first place. Obviously, player safety is paramount. It has to be fit.”On Wednesday morning the square and surrounds at the Railway End of the Nevill Ground had taken all the water they could hold. There was no fresh breeze or sun to help the drying process take place. Instead there was a slate-grey sky and the briefest suggestion of rain around lunchtime.Ironically, perhaps, a half-hour shower would have settled matters. As it turned out, Lloyds and O’Shaughnessy waited to see what might be possible. The answer was that nothing at all could be managed. Water was still coming up in important fielding areas like backward point, gully, mid-off and mid-on. Eventually, to coin the phrase, the umpires pulled the plug.Kent take seven points from the game, Worcestershire, eight. Rob Key’s men next take on Gloucestershire in a NatWest Blast t20 game at Canterbury on Friday evening, when Worcestershire entertain Northamptonshire at New Road. The county cricket caravan rolls on.

A round-up of the Logan cup matches that finished on December 12, 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Brendan Taylor struck hundreds in both innings against Mashonaland Eagles•AFPBrendan Taylor struck centuries in both innings and Regis Chakabva scored a career-best 240 as Mid West Rhinos and Mashonaland Eagles collected two points each in the opening match of the Logan Cup in Harare. Even though Eagles took a massive 249-run lead in the first innings, the Rhinos fought back through an unbeaten 150 from Taylor to draw the match.Rhinos had been dismissed for 296 in the first innings after they had only one strong partnership – between Taylor and Malcolm Waller (74) – of 151. No other batsman passed 30 as Brian Vitori claimed 4 for 67. The Eagles replied with a double-hundred from Chakabva and strong contributions from Mark Vermeulen (99), Sikandar Raza (73) and Elton Chigumbura (55) before declaring on 545 for 7.The Rhinos were in trouble at 21 for 2 in the second innings but another hundred from Taylor saved them from a defeat on the last day, as they ended on 280 for 5.
ScorecardMatabeleland Tuskers and Southern Rocks picked up two points each from a drab draw in Masvingo. Six batsmen scored fifties and 24 wickets fell over three days after the Tuskers chose to bat. Only two balls were possible on a final day marred by rain.The Tuskers got a strong start from openers Brian Chari (63) and Bornaparte Mujuru (54) but the rest of the batsmen failed to capitalise. From 79 for 0 they slipped to 178 for 6 before No. 7 Godwill Mamhiyo rescued them with a 62 to take them to 284.The Rocks were jolted early and were reeling at 25 for 3. Middle-order batsmen Prince Masvaure (37) Richmond Mutumbami (52) revived them with a stand of 49 and Mutumbami then put on 45 with Ryan Bezuidenhout before they became 135 for 6. No. 8 Tinashe Panyangara’s career-best 89 took Rocks close to 250 but Tawanda Mupariwa took 5 for 46 to restrict them to 246.The Tuskers were 131 for 4 with the help of a fifty from Keith Dabengwa when the match ended in a draw.

T&T captain Dwayne Bravo has said he trusted in Delorn Johnson’s variations and his ability to deliver under pressure and it paid off as he defended 19 runs off the final over against Antigua Hawksbills on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2013Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo placed faith in Delorn Johnson, who had bowled only one over till then, to defend 19 off the final six balls in a rain-curtailed match, and it paid off as they beat Antigua Hawksbills by one run to record their second win in five matches in the Caribbean Premier League.Johnson, the left-arm seamer, was given the ball ahead of fast bowler Fidel Edwards and Bravo himself, the latter having picked up two wickets as well.”I think it was a tactical judgment on my behalf to let the slower bowler, the one with more variations, bowl the last over,” Bravo said. “In our last two games he [Johnson] was our best bowler and he has a lot of variations and different balls in terms of slower ball, short balls, he can bowl full, wide and yorkers and then Edwards bowls fast-paced yorkers, so with an Australian [Ben Rohrer] at the wicket, I believed he would have been more comfortable facing Edwards in terms of using his pace.”Johnson Charles’ rapid 46 off 28 balls, with four fours and four sixes allowed Rohrer, who had been at the crease since the sixth over, to settle and his 28 off 23 balls ensured Antigua were always in with a chance. He hoisted Sulieman Benn for a straight six in the 13th over and sent Kevon Cooper to the point boundary in the next to reduce the equation to 19 off the last over – the 15th, which began with Sheldon Cotterrell slamming Johnson straight over his head.”When the first ball went for six, I did not panic,” Bravo said. “Two balls and eight runs, I told him that this ball, the fifth ball was the most important ball. I asked him to bowl a wide yorker which he did and hence the reason why I had so much faith in him because he has so many variations and I trust that under pressure situations, he can deliver.”Bravo was confident the win was the beginning of a turnaround for his side, with his batsmen also beginning to find form. Bravo had top-scored with a 25-ball 46, which included four sixes, while his brother Darren and opener Adrian Barath had identical scores of 38. Despite the victory, T&T have to win both their remaining matches, against St Lucia Zouks and Jamaica Tallawahs, to qualify for the semi-finals.”Our last two games were pressure games and it was like finals for us and for the guy to come out and perform after three losses it shows that the team has a lot of character and fight and that the guys are hungry for success,” Bravo said.

USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter has suffered a serious blow as Burnley wonderkid Luca Koleosho has been ruled out for months with a serious knee injury.

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Koleosho got injured against Wolves Could be out until the end of the season Berhalter making efforts to commit him to the USMNT WHAT HAPPENED?

The 19-year-old winger went down to the ground in the first half during Burnley's 1-0 defeat to Wolves at the Molineux. Although Koleosho tried to run off his injury, he could not and Vincent Kompany revealed that his scan results were far from encouraging.

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Speaking to reporters after the match, Kompany said: "It’s bad news for us. He’s going to be out for a while apparently. I’d like to think he’ll still play this season, but it might be towards the end of the season. We’ll do everything we can to make sure that he’ll get back healthy and ready to go again.”

Kompany assured that the medical staff will not rush with Koleosho to prevent any long-term damage.

"I think now the key concern for us is to make sure he doesn’t sustain any long-term damage because he’s still young, we’ll do everything right by him,” he said. "Plus the fact that it’s a blow for a young player. I still think it’s for someone else now to step up and wear the shirt in a way that Luca has done. In these moments if you keep your head calm you can really get better, get stronger from these moments. I’ve no doubt he’ll come back stronger, but for us short-term wise, it’s an undeniable blow.”

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Koleosho remains a top target for USMNT and Berhalter has been making efforts to lure him to the United States. However, it remains a tough job as he is also eligible to play for Nigeria and Canada. He was born in the USA but was raised by a Nigerian father and an Italian-Canadian mother which makes him eligible to represent multiple nations.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KOLEOSHO?

Koleosho's international football journey has been diverse. In August 2019, he made four appearances with the United States U15 side. However, when he received a call-up to join a training camp with the Canadian senior side in June 2022, he took the opportunity with both hands.

In early 2023, Koleosho became a part of the Italian U19 squad. He made a late appearance during a friendly match against Slovenia. Subsequently, he was included in the squad for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship. However, Koleosho is yet to make a senior debut for any of the countries he has been associated with, which makes Berhalter optimistic that he can convince the youngster to choose the Stars and Stripes.

Hamish Marshall and Michael Klinger produced an opening stand of 156 as Gloucestershire thrashed arch-rivals Somerset by eight wickets

ECB/PA03-Jul-2015
ScorecardHamish Marshall clubbed 93 from 53 balls as Gloucestershire strolled to victory•Getty ImagesHamish Marshall and Michael Klinger produced an opening stand of 156 as Gloucestershire thrashed arch-rivals Somerset by eight wickets in the NatWest T20 Blast at a packed Taunton.The hosts posted 174 for 6 having won the toss, recent overseas signing Luke Ronchi top-scoring with 49 off 23 balls, with five sixes, while Johann Myburgh and Tom Cooper both made 38. Craig Miles and Tom Smith were the most economical bowlers.Despite fading light, Gloucestershire cruised to victory with four deliveries to spare as Marshall plundered 93 off 53 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes, and Klinger 58, taking his run tally in nine South Group matches to 578.A poor Somerset bowling and fielding performance saw Marshall survive a stumping chance to Ronchi on 30 and Klinger dropped on 48 by Abdur Rehman at third man off Jamie Overton, the only moments of concern for either batsman.Insights

There is not just one dashing Kiwi opener on show in this competition. Hamish Marshall’s 93 – in cahoots with the tournament’s leading run-scorer Michael Klinger – was an example of a chase perfectly executed. The target wasn’t vast so they didn’t rush out of the blocks, and took just three from the second over, before climbing way ahead of the rate by taking 51 from the next four overs, three of which saw new bowlers targeted. From there, they could canter home with ease.

Marshall, in his benefit season, timed the ball particularly sweetly to outscore his captain with a barrage of attacking shots until one of them saw him caught at deep midwicket. Klinger lost little by comparison, scoring his runs off 51 balls, with five fours and a six. By the time he fell lbw to Alfonso Thomas in the 18th over only nine runs were needed and Ian Cockbain and Peter Handscomb finished the job.At the start of the game, Somerset openers Jim Allenby and Myburgh took the total to 44 in the fifth over before Allenby was bowled by Benny Howell for 22.Smith then claimed his 21st wicket in the competition as Peter Trego skied to deep cover, while James Hildreth also fell cheaply, leg before attempting to reverse sweep Jack Taylor.At the halfway stage of their innings Somerset were 73 for 3. Cooper was dropped by Kieran Noema-Barnett at short third man trying to reverse sweep Taylor in the 11th over and it looked like proving a costly error. After Myburgh, who required treatment when hit by a short ball from Miles, had been caught at long-off to give Howell a second wicket, Cooper and Ronchi added 81 in 7.4 overs.Ronchi hit two sixes in an over from Taylor and repeated the feat off Howell before falling one short of a half-century when caught at point in the 19th over.The following ball from James Fuller accounted for Cooper, brilliantly caught at full stretch by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones. But the partnership with Ronchi had ensured Somerset of a competitive score, which their bowlers failed miserably to defend.