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Mark Boucher has stirred memories of one of Australia’s most famous collapses in the hope they will offer a repeat performance to keep South Africa in the third Test. Fifteen years ago, Australia failed to chase 117 against South Africa at the SCG and Boucher reminded the opposition about it twice after his brave 89 dragged the current team to 118 behind in the first innings.”The game’s not finished yet,” Boucher said. “There’s a history of Australian sides being bowled out for low scores here at the SCG – 111, I’m sure you guys remember it. Our backs are up against the wall in this game and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that. We do havefighters in our team, we have proved that for the whole series. We won’t go down without a fight.”South Africa’s hopes for a small target were not helped when Australia finished the third day at 0 for 33, taking a lead of 151 on a pitch which is becoming more difficult by the hour. Boucher and Morne Morkel put on 115 for the sixth wicket to give their side a hope of saving the game, but they will have to do it without their captain Graeme Smith.Smith flew to Melbourne to have his broken fifth metacarpal replastered and also had the first blood injection in his right elbow. He was due to return to the team in Sydney on Monday night and the on-field leadership duties have gone to Neil McKenzie.Boucher and Morkel, who scored a career-best 40, combined to edge South Africa to 327, a strong total considering the circumstances. “I thought we did pretty well to get where we did,” Boucher said. “Myself and Morne had a good partnership at the end of the day.”The end came quickly for South Africa, with Peter Siddle grabbing 4 for 7 in 22 balls, and Boucher was last out when bowled trying to get closer to his century. “I was a bit disappointed not to get the extra 11 runs – something I’ve always wanted,” he said. “If you’d given me 89 at the start of the day I would have taken it, on a wicket that is deteriorating a lot quicker than people thought.”Siddle’s burst confirmed his promise and he collected 5 for 59 from 27.5 overs to show the inexperienced attack could work together. Mitchell Johnson was impressive, taking 2 for 69, while the debutant Doug Bollinger was unlucky to go wicketless.”It was a tough day, the main focus was team bowling, bowling in partnerships, and we did that in the end,” Siddle said. “I was lucky to come out with the reward. It’s very pleasing to get my first five-for. I feel happy about that, and it’s just good to go out there and stand up forthe team.”Australia will now aim for a lead off 300 on the fourth day before making a decision on when to declare. “I can’t predict anything at the moment,” Siddle said. “We’ll see where we’re sitting at tea, and see which way we’re going to go.”

Abdur Razzak’s bowling action will be independently reviewed in Australia before the left-arm spinner faces an ICC assessment. Razzak, who was suspended from bowling in international cricket in December for a suspect action, bowled in the recent domestic Premier Division Twenty20 Tournament after working with local experts.Video footage of Razzak’s action will be sent to experts in Australia. “As per our bowling review committee’s observation his action has improved but we need to take suggestions from experts, which is why we sent the footage to Australia,” Enayet Hossain Siraj, the BCB’s cricket operations committee chairman, said. “It’s actually a precautionary measure before sending him [Razzak] to the ICC.”Razzak was reported after the home Tests against New Zealand last October by on-field umpires Daryl Harper and Asoka de Silva. An independent analysis conducted by the ICC, also in Australia, confirmed his action was suspect. According to the report, Razzak’s elbow extension ranged between 22 to 28 degrees, averaging 25 degrees; his quicker ball ranged from 22 to 28 degrees with an average of 24 degrees. The ICC rules allow bending the arm up to 15 degrees.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

For a couple of hours while Robin Uthappa and M Vijay were hitting West Zone’s bowlers all over the MA Chidambaram Stadium, South Zone fans would have dreamt of the possibility of an outrageous chase. However, a session’s belligerence could not undo three days of being dominated and the enormity of South’s task resurfaced as soon as the openers and Rahul Dravid were dismissed in quick succession. They have to bat a day with seven wickets in hand to save the match, having all but lost the Duleep Trophy to West after conceding a first-innings lead.West strengthened their vice-like grip on the match during the first session of the fourth day. Resuming on 232 for 4 with a lead of 492, they batted on and on, scoring 172 runs before lunch. Despite the conditions favouring spin, none of the South Zone spinners – specialist or part-time – could prevent West from achieving their objective of amassing an unbeatable lead. On a cracked surface with healthy bounce, the slow bowlers needed to focus on hitting particular spots and maintain a consistent line. They failed.Sreesanth battled hard to separate the overnight pair – Abhishek Nayar and Kedar Jadhav – but the lack of support from the other end allowed the batsmen to settle into a rhythm. South finally got their first breakthrough when an innocuous offbreak from R Ashwin, pitched on a length, spat dangerously off the pitch and nearly hit Jadhav on his face. He could only glove an easy catch to Rahul Dravid in the slips.However, West captain Wasim Jaffer was not about to declare for Parthiv Patel was ready to resume his innings on 64, after retiring due to cramps yesterday. Parthiv found his groove easily, placing the ball into gaps and putting away full tosses. He reached his century with a tap behind square off Badrinath for another four and later he charged against Vijay to hit a superb straight six.After Nayar had gone, failing to clear Badrinath at midwicket, Parthiv and Rajesh Pawar scored aggressively and the partnership was nearing 100 before Parthiv faltered by trying to hit against Ashwin’s turn and holed out to Robin Uthappa at mid-on. Jaffer declared an over after lunch, after Rajesh Pawar had reach his half-century, setting South a target of 678 in five sessions.South began their chase briskly, with Uthappa and Vijay racing to 93 for 0 in quick time by tea. Uthappa began with a fluent push to the straight boundary off Dhawal Kulkarni in the first over and repeated the shot in his next. Vijay also started positively, by standing his ground to dispatch a short outside off delivery from Siddharth Trivedi to the cover boundary.After five overs from his fast bowlers, Jaffer decided to introduce the left-arm spin of Rajesh Pawar. He nearly broke through immediately, when Uthappa tried to cut a ball that was spinning away but Jaffer failed to catch the ball as it flew over his head at first slip. With spinners bowling from both ends, the batsmen grew cautious but scored whenever an opportunity presented itself. Powar tried to draw the batsman out with his flight, but when he faltered he was made to pay. Uthappa had already pulled him for a boundary and now started to impose himself on the offspinner. He swept Powar past the square-leg boundary and then charged to hit a powerful six over long-on. He reached his half-century by stepping out again to hit Powar along the ground to the straight boundary.South’s opening partnership reached 165 before Vijay edged Powar to Patel. An over later, Powar induced another edge to get rid of Uthappa, who had made 94 off 98 balls, before bowling Rahul Dravid for a duck with one that kept low. South had lost three wickets for two runs but the slide was arrested by S Badrinath and Dinesh Karthik who added 65 for the fourth wicket. Their job has barely begun if they are to save the match.

New Zealand entered their third World Cup final in high style by posting a mammoth 373 against Pakistan in the final match of the Super Six. Suzie Bates slammed a 105-ball 168 and captain Haidee Tiffen scored her maiden century in a record stand of 262. Their total was the third highest in World Cups and the sixth highest overall in women’s cricket.Pakistan made a valiant effort in the chase, scoring their second highest total of the tournament, but went down by 223 runs. They will now meet West Indies in the fifth-place playoff.New Zealand started off aggressively and by the time opener Kate Pulford fell in the fourth over they had scored 34 off just 20 balls. It took Pakistan 36 more overs to get their second wicket; Bates and Tiffen scored at more than seven an over and the hapless Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz used eight bowlers in trying to staunch the flow of runs. Mumtaz was the most expensive – going for 20 runs in her one over. Bates hit 19 fours and six sixes in her innings while Tiffen was more sedate with three fours in her 128-ball 100. Nicola Browne topped off the run-fest with an unbeaten 33 off 22 balls.The two teams were also involved in the match with the highest total in men or women’s cricket – New Zealand scored 455 and bowled out Pakistan for 47 in Christchurch in 1997. But Pakistan fared much better this time round – batting 48.1 overs for 150 – with opener Nain Abidi scoring a career-best 52. But the total was greatly boosted by some sloppy fielding by New Zealand – missing run-out chances and overthrows. They will have to pick themselves up on the field if they are to overhaul England to take their second world title on Sunday.

DELHI

AB de Villiers’ ambition is to be the best batsman in the world and he has walked the talk this season•Getty Images

Delhi are the team to beat. They had a mixed first season, playing like millionaires one day before inexplicably losing the plot the next to finish with seven wins and six losses going into the semi-finals. They were too top-heavy, with a middle-order that didn’t deliver when it mattered. This edition, apart from the in-form Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, they have the explosive David Warner and AB de Villiers, in form of his life, for most of the season. Throw in Sri Lanka’s new Twenty20 captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, Manoj Tiwary, Owais Shah, Dinesh Karthik and Paul Collingwood and you have a fabulous batting line-up.Glenn McGrath is 40 and out of active cricket, concentrating on the cancer foundation after his wife’s death last year. Age, lack of practice and personal tragedy are enough to derail a very good sportsman but McGrath is an all-time great and only a brave man would bet against his delivering yet again. He leads an attack that will miss Mohammad Asif but he is likely to find solid support from Dirk Nannes, the fast left-arm swinger from Australia known for his Twenty20 prowess. Then there is Daniel Vettori, currently the world’s best Twenty20 spinner, and solid mediumpacers Farveez Maharoof and Vijaykumar Yo Mahesh. It’s a very balanced side – but McGrath’s form could make or break their season.The buzzThe relative absence of PR hype is unusual, given the team’s potential. It’s only at the eleventh hour, following the Indian team’s return from New Zealand, that Sehwag and Gambhir – arguably the hottest opening pair in current world cricket – have been trotted out for the media’s consumption.New faces Delhi used the auction smartly – they did their homework and reaped the benefits. Warner was signed up even before his Twenty20 Australian debut. They signed up the late bloomer Nannes, who’d made his first-class debut at 29; from the unfancied Vidarbha came Umesh Yadav, a fast bowler with a sharp bouncer. And they traded out the talented batsman Shikhar Dhawan for an additional bowler in Ashish Nehra. Warner, though is the star pick, the face most eagerly watched by the fans. He might even open with Sehwag, with Gambhir at No. 3. He hit a 43-ball 83 against South Africa on his Twenty20 debut and has a strike rate of 148.17 in this format.Watch out forAB de Villiers is on a dream run in his international career. He made a brave announcement at the start of the season that he doesn’t want to keep to help him become the No 1 batsman in the world. And he has walked the talk. Expect a flow of runs from him.Missing in actionThat’s the beauty of it – all their top players are available through the season.X Factor Umesh Yadav. He has the pace and he can develop his skills under the guidance of fast bowling experts like Dennis Lillee and TA Sekhar, the men involved with Delhi. Those who watched the Duleep Trophy last season remember how he harassed the likes of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.StrengthThe top order: Sehwag, Gambhir, de Villiers, and Warner. Top that.WeaknessThe middle order, even if it’s unlikely to be as unpredictable as last year. The good thing this time is that the likes of Dilshan and Karthik (in domestic cricket) were in great form in the recent months. And Tiwary, while not quite in the form that got him an India berth, has been among the runs.

PREDICTION FOR 2009

A place in the semis – and it won’t be a surprise if they lift the trophy.IPL 2008 – The key figures: Final position: Semi-finalistsTop scorer: Gautam Gambhir with 534 runs at 41.07Top wicket-taker: Yo Mahesh with 16 wickets at 23.12 and economy rate of 8.87Best result: nine-wicket win over RajasthanWorst result: 105-run loss to Rajasthan Highest team score: 194 v Deccan Chargers Lowest team score: 87 v Rajasthan

PUNJAB

Missing in action for Punjab this year is Sreesanth, their leading wicket-taker last season•Getty Images

They were last year’s entertainers. Sreesanth walked the talk, Shaun Marsh exploded into the public imagination, Brett Lee was among the wickets and Irfan Pathan played the part of the allrounder. Sri Lankan stalwarts Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara took care of the middle order while also acting as a sounding board for captain Yuvraj Singh. However, things aren’t so good this time: Sreesanth is out with an injury, Marsh is returning from a long injury lay-off and will miss a few games playing for Australia, Lee is in decline (and also back from an injury and also playing for Australia), Jayawardene and Sangakkara haven’t been in great limited-overs form – and, importantly, this will be their first bit of cricket since the shootout at Lahore. Yuvraj Singh, who didn’t shine in last year’s edition, will have to carry the show this time around.The buzz Unfortunately, the buzz has centered round their setbacks. Just when they’d dealt with Sreesanth’s injury, turning him into their “Fan Mentor and Community face” (whatever that means), came the news of the motor accident involving new signing Jerome Taylor. They have now roped in the South African seamer Yusuf Abdulla.New facesLee has talked up a rookie – Burt Cockley, a 23-year old fast bowler from New South Wales. He is a groundsman at North Sydney Oval and has never played in an official Twenty20 game. Better known is Ravi Bopara, the English batsman with Punjabi roots.Watch out forYuvraj Singh. We know that he can be violent in the shorter format of the game but it will be really interesting to see how he copes with the responsibility of leading the batting.Missing in actionLeave aside the entertainer, Sreesanth the bowler will be sorely missed by Punjab. He was their highest wicket taker, with 19 wickets, last season.X FactorBopara, with his batting and slow bowling, will have to step up to ease the batting worries created by the absence of several Australian players like Marsh and James Hopes.StrengthIn the absence of a strong attack, it has to be their batting. And for that, Yuvraj has to really fire consistently.WeaknessFast bowling. With Sreesanth out and Lee available only for a short duration, it comes down to Irfan Pathan and VRV Singh. They also have Ramesh Powar and, if the ongoing ODIs in South Africa is any indication, he could have a role to play on the turning wickets.

PREDICTION FOR 2009

Unlikely to make the semis.IPL 2008 – The key figures: Final position: Semi-finalistsTop scorer: Marsh with 616 runs at 68.44Top wicket-taker: Sreesanth, with 19 wickets at 23.26Best result: Nine-wicket win over BangaloreWorst result: Nine-wicket loss to ChennaiHighest team score: 221 for 3 v RajasthanLowest team score: 112 for 8 v Chennai (they made 94 for 3 once but they had successfully chased down then)

Nearly a week after the ICC’s decision to move away the 2011 World Cup from Pakistan and effectively rule out international cricket in the country due to security concerns, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is weighing up options of how to move on. Though officially there has been silence from the board – apart from filing an official protest to the decision with the ICC – contact has been maintained with the ICC hierarchy on how best to proceed and two options on where Pakistan will play its designated ‘home’ cricket from now have become clear.One is playing cricket at a designated neutral venue, such as Dubai. As an indication of the viability of this option, it is learnt that the PCB is considering putting forth a proposal to host its share of the World Cup matches in Dubai, with Pakistan as ‘host.’ It seems, however, that the proposal has been ruled out already by the ICC. “No, that is not an option,” Haroon Lorgat, chief executive, ICC, told Cricinfo. “The board has made a decision. But I think this is a proposal (the PCB) is considering making. That is flowing from discussions I had today [Thursday] and yesterday with various people, including Pakistan ministry of sport.”Even as a longer-term option, the PCB concedes there are concerns. Logistically, in terms of distance at least, it is workable but board officials currently in the UAE are wary of the financial difficulties involved. “Dubai is a very expensive option,” a senior board official told Cricinfo. “Security costs, hotel costs and just hosting a cricket match here is very expensive so that aspect has to be looked at.”The other option that has come up in discussions is for the PCB to work out individual arrangements with other countries to host its matches. New Zealand, for example, were due to tour later in the year: that series could now be held in New Zealand with Pakistan as the designated hosts. In such a case, Pakistan gets the hosting fee while NZC will charge the PCB a nominal amount for expenses.But this bilateral, case-by-case arrangement could run into complications with TV rights. Ten Sports owns the right to broadcast Pakistan’s home matches for the next five years. In New Zealand’s case, Sky New Zealand owns rights to home matches and clearly some agreement will have to be worked out in such a scenario: the PCB says it will go ahead with this arrangement only if it is guaranteed TV rights money. A neutral venue such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi – where Ten Sports owns the rights – makes that option more attractive.There is still a belief in Pakistan’s cricket circles that countries can be convinced to visit. But one official said you would have to be “senile” to expect countries to come now. “After the attacks of March 3, it is impossible to expect anyone to come here. We fought at the meeting to retain the tournament but the simple truth is that players are just not willing to travel here right now,” he said.The board “protested vigorously and fought to retain Pakistan’s host status, but there was no support,” an official present at the meeting told Cricinfo. The BCCI, it is learnt, didn’t support Pakistan openly because there was a chance of the World Cup being lost altogether to Australia and New Zealand. Indeed, Pakistan is said to have preferred this option, asking instead to be inked in for the 2015 World Cup.The financial fallout from the loss of the World Cup may not be as hefty as was originally predicted. World Cup hosts receive US$750,000 per game from the ICC but this mostly covers the expenses of organizing the match. All 10 full members share 75% of the total profit: thus each country will get a 7.5% share, and Pakistan will not miss out on that. What they will lose, however, is the gate money and that raised through hospitality.The ICC insists it will stand by and help Pakistan through this, rejecting the notion that the country is being isolated. “I am worried that there was any message suggesting we were looking to distance ourselves from Pakistan,” Lorgat said. “That is not true. In fact, it is quite the opposite. We are very keen for Pakistan to continue playing international cricket.”There is a great reluctance from all players to go to Pakistan right now. Let’s allow the situation to cool down, and make sure Pakistan continues to play international cricket in the interim. It is impossible to put a timeframe on this. It could be next month, it could be six months, it could be the end of this year.”Lorgat added that the PCB had been offered a taskforce to work with them and monitor the situation. “We hope the offer will be accepted. The offer is on the table.”

The 2011 World Cup is shifting base from Lahore to Mumbai and India expects to get a “big share” of the 14 matches that were initially allotted to Pakistan.The Indian board (BCCI) is hosting a meeting in Mumbai tomorrow where the tournament’s organising committee will be reconstituted without representatives from Pakistan, which was stripped of its co-host status this month due to the prevailing political situation in the country.A decision is also expected to be taken to move the tournament’s central organising secretariat, its operational nerve centre, from Lahore to Mumbai.Apparently, the re-allotment of Pakistan’s 14 matches will also be discussed at the meeting. “Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are the co-hosts and out of those two, Bangladesh has only one venue to host all the matches,” BCCI sources said. “So obviously, India will expect to get a big share of those matches.”The sources, however, admitted that one potential hurdle for the event would be if Pakistan refuses to play its matches in Indian venues because of cross-border political tensions. “In that case, Pakistan’s matches will have to held in Lanka or Bangladesh but there’s two years to go and it’s too early to comment on that now,” the sources said.The ICC executive board on April 17 had resolved not to hold any 2011 World Cup matches in Pakistan because the “uncertain political situation” in the country would have made it difficult to “deliver a safe, secure and successful event”.In January, the PCB had named Salman Sarward Butt, a banker, as managing director of the tournament’s central organising secretariat but Haroon Lorgat, the ICC’s chief executive, is now expected to announce a new set-up in Mumbai after Tuesday’s meeting. Sharad Pawar, the ICC vice-president, heads the tournament’s organising committee.

Big Picture

This is now a two-match series after the abandonment at Headingley which gives both sides even less room for mistakes. Each team is looking towards these matches as a chance to build some form and momentum before the ICC World Twenty20. West Indies are in desperate need of something to boost their spirits after a miserable few weeks.The washout on Thursday left officials at Headingley embarrassed and facing a barrage of questions about how wise it was to play the match after the outfield work was delayed over the winter. Bristol, the venue for this game, is another of the six grounds to have used the ECB grant for a new drainage system and have admitted they weren’t able to complete the work in time for this season.”We have still not completed the system,” said chief executive Tom Richardson. “Contractors will return at the end of the season to put in sand slits, which will make it more efficient. When everything is bedded in we anticipate that when rain stops the ground will be fit for play within an hour, but we are only halfway towards that situation.” The good news, though, is that no rain is forecast for Sunday.

Form guide

England AWWLL
West Indies ALLWW

Watch out for…

James Anderson has been outstanding form early on this season and claimed nine wickets in the second Test victory at Chester-le-Street. He has been a threat with the white ball for a long time now and with Andrew Flintoff out of the side is England’s most experienced quick. He is at the peak of his powers and will be aiming to continue his form over the next few weeks of one-day action.It was a quiet Test series for Shivnarine Chanderpaul who didn’t make a half century and struggled against Graeme Swann. However, England would be foolish to underestimate the man who has been the fulcrum of West Indies’ batting line-up for years and can switch gears at the drop of a hat.

Team news

England haven’t replaced Kevin Pietersen in their squad so are down to 13 players. With an eye on the Twenty20, Eoin Morgan could be given his debut so the selectors can assess his form while Matt Prior will move up to No. 3. The trio of Dimitri Mascarenhas, Tim Bresnan and Ryan Sidebottom are probably fighting for two places.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Ravi Bopara, 3 Matt Prior (wk), 4 Owais Shah, 5 Paul Collingwood 6 Eoin Morgan, 7 Dimitri Mascarenhas, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Tim Bresnan, 11 James AndersonWest Indies didn’t give many clues as to the way their team selection might have gone before the Headingley washout, but allrounders are likely to place a key role in the middle order. Runako Morton, a late replacement to the squad, and pace bowler Ravi Rampaul are also in the shake-up.West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Sulieman Benn, 10 Fidel Edwards

Pitch and conditions

The forecast is set fair with temperatures set to raise so there shouldn’t be any concerns on that front. Previous ODIs at Bristol have produced pitches with pace and bounce, as opposed to the slow surfaces that often greet domestic cricket.

Stats and Trivia

• There have been 11 previous ODIs on this ground and England have lost their last two matches here, against New Zealand in 2008 and India in 2007.
• West Indies have played two ODIs at Bristol, losing to Pakistan by 27 runs during the 1999 World Cup and also being beaten by Zimbabwe in 2000.

Quotes

“We gained some momentum in one-day cricket in the West Indies. We were a little bit Jekyll and Hyde, up and down, but we came through and won the series.”

Prasanna Jayawardene and Gayan Wijekoon came together in a face-savingseventh-wicket stand to help Sri Lanka A finish on 175 for 6 at the end of the opening day of the second unofficial cricket Test against Pakistan ‘A’ at Dambulla.Winning the toss and batting first, Sri Lanka A collapsed to 82 for 6 before Jayawardene and Wijekoon figured in an unfinished partnership of 93 off 167 balls and lent the total some respectability. Jayawardene was unbeaten on 59, including six fours, and it was his second successive half-century following an unbeaten 66 in the first Test at Kandy. Giving him company was Wijekoon with 35 not out. Pakistan A missed an opportunity of separating the pair at 128 when Rauf failed to hold onto a return catch from Jayawardene when his score was on 37.The Sri Lanka A top order once again failed to deliver against a seam attack that exploited a firm pitch that offered bounce. Mohammad Asif and Najaf Shah removed the top six batsmen for just 82 runs in 29.1 overs before Jayawardene and Wijekoon staged a fightback.

ScorecardIt could have been over in one ball, but instead it lasted seven. In front of a crowd of about 30 spectators, it took Durham about four minutes to pick up the final Nottinghamshire wicket to claim victory over the only team that had looked likely challengers for the county championship title by an innings and 102 runs.Steve Harmison bowled three balls to complete his over to the top scorer of the Nottinghamshire second innings, Mark Ealham. Ealham did not add to his 17, nor the bowler to his six wickets, for 20 runs, in the innings. This left one of county cricket’s most renowned rabbits, Charlie Shreck, to face a full over of Ian Blackwell’s left-arm spin, and the bookmakers would not have accepted bets on his chances of survival. Somehow he blocked two balls, before lashing out at the third and slicing a boundary to point. He exceeded himself again next ball, aiming a drive back over the bowler’s head, but this time the natural order of cricket reasserted itself, as Callum Thorp ran from mid-on to take a good catch.Nottinghamshire’s total of 83 was their lowest against Durham. One hopes the home supporters who had to wend their weary way home again considered the rare spectacle of a boundary hit from local folk hero Shreck had made their time worthwhile, as they did not have to pay at the gates.One of the most disappointing features of the Nottinghamshire batting was that all of their recognized batsmen made a start. They all scored a few runs, at least four, but only three reached double figures and none much more. Having made their start, most contributed softly to their own dismissals.On their form in this match, it would appear that their role as Championship pretenders has been demolished. But one bad match, even one as bad as this, should not condemn a talented team – and the problem is almost entirely a batting one. The true measure of the Nottinghamshire team’s worth will be clear in the next two or three weeks as they attempt to recover from this catastrophe and fight back. Surely they are too good a team to implode in this manner again.