Green Lane are the only ones to profit

League Cricket: Cup cricket in three leagues was hit by the weather yesterday with only Green Lane producing a positive result and that in a bowl out.

While the rest of the Waddilove Cup second round will try again on Sunday, Skipton managed to get underway and reached 102-5 with Luke Facey scoring 30. But the game was then abandoned and Green Lane won the bowl out 5-3.

There was no play at all in the Romida Sykes Cup and even though all four Yorkshire League Cup quarter finals got underway, none was completed.

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Harrogate had the best of it at Scarborough racing to 276-5 with Ross Sedgeley hitting 69, Nick Lindley 65 not out and Vic Craven 60. They then had the home side at 2-1 after only 1.3 overs before the rain intervened.

Barnsley were struggling at 56-4 after nine overs at York before play was abandoned, while Hull had reached 26-3 in ten overs against the Academy. Appleby Frodingham were going well at 36-0 in eight overs at home to Cleethorpes but their effort, too, was in vain. All four will try again on Sunday.

Durham: Wayne Madsen’s second successive swift half-century for Derbyshire against Durham proved in vain as yesterday’s Friends Life t20 clash was washed out mid-match at Chester-le-Street.

Despite not being a powerful hitter, the South African followed his 28-ball half-century at Derby on Friday evening by reaching 50 off only 25 deliveries.

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The visitors scored 169 for five, 14 fewer than in Friday’s five-run home win, but rain prevented Durham from beginning their reply.

By the time Madsen was out for 54 in the 19th over the drizzle which had started in the 10th over was growing heavier and the game was unable to finish.

Hampshire: Fast bowler Simon Jones is frustrated by his lack of first-team action so far this season.

Last week’s rain-hit FL t20 win against Kent, in which Jones bowled just one over, was his first appearance for Hampshire in this year’s competition.

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“I’ve found it hard,” the former Ashes hero said. “Sometimes you do what’s best for the team.

“I want to be playing. T20 is a great format and I feel like I can be of use, so hopefully I’ve made some impact.”

Jones, 32, who has suffered from a long-standing knee injury since helping England win the Ashes in 2005, made eight appearances for Hampshire last season.

But, despite his lack of chances so far this summer, Jones still hopes to make more of an impact.

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“It’s just one of those things,” he said. “You have to keep plugging away, keep doing the right things and keep your chin up.”

Hampshire have won all three of their FL t20 matches this season. And Jones is hopeful that the confidence engendered will help end their winless six-game run in the County Championship.

“When the four-day stuff comes back round then we’ll be a totally different team,” he said. “We’ve had a hard start. The lads have been wondering what we’ve done wrong and we haven’t been doing anything wrong. It’s just the way it works.

“The boys work as hard as any team I’ve played with. There’s a great attitude in the changing rooms. We get along well and all pull together. It’s just got to change and it’s got to click for us at some stage.”

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Australia: Michael Clarke says his side must only focus on themselves as he prepares to captain Australia in a Test series for the first time when they travel to Sri Lanka in August.

Clarke takes over from Ricky Ponting when Australia travel to Sri Lanka for two Twenty20 matches, five one-day internationals and three Test matches in August and September.

A tour of South Africa then follows in October and November, before the Aussies return home to play host to New Zealand, India and Sri Lanka.

Clarke is currently in training at Coffs Harbour ahead of the tour, and he wants his team to just focus on themselves.

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“They (Sri Lanka) are always a strong team, especially in their own conditions,” he said.

“I think for us right now our focus has got to be on ourselves and we’ve got to make sure we prepare as well as we possibly can, make sure we get our skills to the level they need to be and the guys are nice and fit and ready to play in tough, hot conditions.

“No doubt we’re playing two of the toughest teams in the world in their own conditions in Sri Lanka and South Africa so we have to be at our best but I’m really confident with the talent we have in our squads. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.”