The MCC World Cricket Committee has said that disputed low catches shouldn’t be sent to the third umpire for adjudication because TV cameras rarely make the situation any clearer

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2010The MCC World Cricket Committee has said that disputed low catches shouldn’t be sent to the third umpire for adjudication because TV cameras rarely make the situation any clearer. Under current regulations, the on-field officials can ask the third umpire to check if a ball has carried, but the two-dimensional pictures can often make it appear as though a ball has bounced when it’s probably a clean catch.Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, has always been an advocate of such catches staying on the field and decisions being taken by the two standing umpires, while saying batsmen should also take the fielder’s word. There was an example in the current Ashes series during the Brisbane Test when Alastair Cook, during his unbeaten 235, flicked the ball to short midwicket where Ponting claimed the catch but it was ruled not out on TV evidence.The committee, which met in Perth ahead of the third Ashes Test, said when the UDRS was in use either side would be within their rights to use a review for such catches, but that the third umpire should only overrule the on-field decision with “overwhelming” evidence.”The MCC World Cricket Committee believes that current technology used by third umpires does not provide definitive proof of low catches, and recommends that the on-field umpires must be asked to make an initial decision based on the naked eye,” a statement said. “In games utilising the UDRS, if the batsman or fielding captain wishes to review the decision, he may do so at this point provided that he still has a review in hand.”In assessing whether or not the ball carried, the third umpire should uphold the original decision unless there is overwhelming proof that the decision was incorrect. With so many examples proving inconclusive on television, the committee feels that the benefit of the doubt too often goes to the batsmen, who often now stand their ground for most low catches.”Andrew Strauss, the England captain, agreed that technology wasn’t suitable for ruling on low catches but insisted that there could be no half measures when it comes to where a decision is made. “My view is that the umpires need to be consistent, whatever they do,” he said. “If they want to make the decision themselves, I think that’s a healthy situation – I agree the technology is flawed, in that respect. Where it becomes very messy is where they make the decision once, and then the next time they refer it. I’d be very supportive of them if they just made the decision consistently.”However, MCC didn’t back Ponting’s idea that the fielder’s word should be taken and instead thought the onus should be on the two umpires in the middle. “The committee saw merit in Ricky Ponting’s recent assertion that captains should all agree to take the fielder’s word on low catches,” the statement added. “However, it felt that such an agreement would be difficult to implement and consequently urges the ICC to direct the on-field umpires to make the decision.”

Cricket Kenya have headed off an attempted strike by its women’s players on the eve of a World Cup Qualifying event

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2010A disappointing year for Kenyan cricket is ending on another sour note with news the country’s women’s team refused to play in the World Cup African Qualifyiers because of a dispute over money, although they subsequently backed down when Cricket Kenya refused to give way.In July the senior men’s side scrapped a tour of England after they went on strike over pay, and although the matter was subsequently resolved it cost Cricket Kenya £50,000 and untold goodwill.Tom Sears, the board’s chief executive, said the women announced on December 12, two days before the start of the tournament, they would not play unless they were paid, although he explained “common sense prevailed and the team has now unconditionally agreed to participate”.”It’s important that all followers and stakeholders on Kenyan cricket are aware of all the facts following speculation appearing in the media, including the wholly untrue allegation that we have “abandoned” the Kenya women’s team,” Sears said. “The fact of the matter is that the players stated, for the first time, on Sunday they would not play unless they were paid to compete and we are not in a position to do that.”I met personally with the squad to discuss this issue over a month ago and outlined exactly what the position was regarding payment and allowances. At that meeting the squad were satisfied that while we couldn’t give them what they wanted we were doing everything we could to prepare them for this crucial event.”Late last week the squad raised the issue again and after a series of meetings on December 10 where they were informed the situation had not changed, again they accepted the position and agreed to participate. Sadly over the weekend they have changed their position despite giving me their assurances which is extremely disappointing.”From the time this issue was first raised we have consistently told the players we are not in a position to pay them to play so they could make an informed decision whether they could afford to be involved in terms of work and study commitments but also the financial considerations they would have to make.”We appreciate the commitment the players make in order to represent their country and they have been told that from next year we will be able to review their allowances and work with them to make progress. After initially agreeing this was acceptable and a sensible way forward both a month ago and again last week they have now completely changed their stance.”Cricket Kenya pays transport allowances for all matches and training sessions and provides meals, uniforms, facilities, equipment and professional coaches, the players were going to be given accommodation and all meals during the tournament but they wanted paying as well which we simply cannot afford to do at this time. We have invested a great deal of time and finance into preparing the squad for this event but we cannot be held to ransom like this just days before it is due to start.”We have informed and consulted with representatives of the ICC, ACA and the Ministry of Sport and while they share our disappointment the way the squad has made this matter public and threatened to not compete, they are completely supportive of our stance.”

Ricky Ponting finally cracked under the strain of impending Ashes defeat when he picked a series of arguments with the umpires and Kevin Pietersen after the batsman correctly survived a caught-behind referral

Peter English at the MCG27-Dec-2010Ricky Ponting has been fined 40% of his match fee (approx A$5,400) and rebuked by the ICC match referee Ranjan Madugalle after finally cracking under the strain of impending Ashes defeat on the second day in Melbourne. His angry discussions with an ice-cool Aleem Dar, early in the second session, were the day’s major flashpoint as he picked a series of arguments with the umpires and Kevin Pietersen after the batsman correctly survived a caught-behind referral.The umpires reviewed footage at the close of play before filing a report to the ICC, in which Ponting pleaded guilty to a Level 1 offence under article 2.1.3 (h) of the code of conduct, which relates to “arguing or entering into a prolonged discussion with the umpire about his decision.
“Ricky’s actions as captain of his country were unacceptable,” Madugalle said in an ICC statement.”A captain is expected to set the example and not get involved in a prolonged discussion with the on-field umpires and question their decision. While pleading guilty to the charge, Ricky understood that the discussion went far too long. He apologised for his action and stated that he has nothing but respect for the umpires and his on-field actions were not intended to show disrespect to Aleem Dar or Tony Hill.”Ponting said he didn’t intend to be disrespectful. “I entered into discussions with the umpires about the detail of the decision having viewed replays being shown on the big screen,” he said in a statement. “I accept the discussion went for too long and I understand the reasons for the dissent charge handed down by the ICC.”I was simply trying to seek clarification from the umpires regarding how the decision had been made after being referred to the third umpire. However I would be unhappy if anyone thought I was being disrespectful towards the umpires as this wasn’t my intention.”Peter Siddle repeatedly refused to comment on the incident when he spoke an hour after stumps while Jonathan Trott, who was batting with Pietersen, insisted he didn’t hear anything. Numerous replays and Hotspot graphics showed no inside edge from Pietersen’s push off Ryan Harris, but Ponting remained convinced there had been a mistake.Siddle, who was not bowling at either end, began the animated protest to Dar by pointing at the video screen in the stands, convinced a mark had been made on Hotspot when the ball passed the bat. No highlight existed near the trajectory of the ball and the Snickometer supported the decision of Marais Erasmus, the third official.The former Australian captain, Ian Chappell described the incident as “ridiculous”, but added that the ICC was partly to blame for failing to clamp down on Ponting’s past indiscretions. “It’s not the first time that Ponting has argued a judgment call with an umpire,” Chappell told ESPNcricinfo. “Cricketers aren’t silly. If you ping them for doing something wrong, they quickly learn that you don’t do that. But if you let them get away with it they think ‘oh well, it’s obviously alright to keep doing this’.”Ponting is struggling for runs, carrying a fractured finger and seems only a couple of days from becoming the second Australian captain to lose three Test series against England. Until today he had remained calm under searing scrutiny, but he broke for the first time in public as he backed up his bowler.The pair surrounded Dar in a scene more likely to occur in a soccer game after a disputed foul, although there was no contact with the official. Ponting then took over from Siddle as the lead prosecutor, standing with hands on hips and then pointing and waving his arms in an exchange that lasted for more than a minute. Dar stayed calm and appeared to indicate that the ball had not brushed the bat where the fielders thought there was a mark. That was clear to all those watching on television, but not to the Australians on the field.Ponting’s mostly one-way conversation carried on for so long that the crowd started to boo and Dar eventually ambled off to square leg to get into position for the next over. Pietersen, who was on 49, was then met by Ponting mid-pitch as the captain continued to vent. There was more booing when he stopped for another lengthy debrief with Tony Hill, the other on-field umpire.Australia’s batsmen lost their discipline on the first day when they were dismissed for 98 and today the captain’s behaviour slipped. After the over Ponting, a man at the end of his tether and probably close to the end of his reign, sought out Dar again.Initially the wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was the only one who thought Pietersen had edged behind, with Harris and Shane Watson, the first slip, not remotely interested. Ponting was swayed by Haddin’s claim and called for the replay. The decision wasn’t costly because of Ponting’s smart call to bring on Siddle, who got one to keep low and had Pietersen lbw for 51.Ponting’s day grew worse when he thought his throw from deep midwicket resulted in the run-out of Jonathan Trott, but the replays forced the umpire to rule in favour of the batsman. Before tea Matt Prior was given out caught behind off Mitchell Johnson on 6 and was saved when Dar asked for a replay that showed a no-ball.

The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One final between Habib Bank Limited and Pakistan International Airlines in Karachi was marred by controversy

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2011The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One final between Habib Bank Limited and Pakistan International Airlines in Karachi was marred by controversy as four players were fined a total of nearly $2,000 for ball tampering, slow over-rates and use of abusive language during the game.HBL, who were crowned champions, beat PIA by five wickets with Aftab Alam anchoring the chase of 235 on the final day with a determined century. The day-night game was an unprecedented event in Pakistan first-class cricket and was hotly-contested with lots of chatter between the players and accusations of ball-tampering. However, the trigger for the uneasy atmosphere on the field, though, appeared to have been poor umpiring for a major part of the game.PIA were fined 75,000 rupees ($875) since they bowled 15 overs short, while HBL, who were eight overs behind schedule, were fined 33,000 ($390). Najaf Shah, the PIA left-arm fast bowler, was found guilty of ball tampering and fined 15,000 rupees ($175). Similar fines were imposed on PIA captain Kamran Sajid, who made two half-centuries in the final, and middle-order batsman Fahad Iqbal for showing dissent to the umpires. In addition to the fine, Iqbal was also banned for two one-dayers. HBL batsman Shan Masood was fined 8,000 rupees ($95) for also showing dissent.

Durham pace bowler Liam Plunkett has been forced out of the England Lions tour to the West Indies after sustaining a left thigh strain

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2011Durham pace bowler Liam Plunkett has been forced out of the England Lions tour to the West Indies after sustaining a left thigh strain.Plunkett, 25, will return to Durham to continue his rehabilitation and is expected to be fully fit ahead of the start of the domestic season. In February Plunkett flew from West Indies to Australia to play for England’s injury-hit ODI squad but returned to West Indies before picking up an injury of his own.Leicestershire’s Nathan Buck will now remain with the England Lions squad for the final three matches of the tour against Guyana, Windward Islands and Jamaica. Buck was originally selected on the fast bowling programme and spent the early part of the winter on a conditioning programme at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough.He was called into the England Lions squad in January for the early part of the tour and has remained with the squad, who are currently unbeaten in the regional four-day competition.

The World Cup final ran into its first controversy before the first ball was bowled

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-2011The World Cup final ran into confusion before the first ball was bowled. The coin had to be tossed twice after the match referee Jeff Crowe said he had not heard Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara’s call the first time. The Wankhede Stadium was not yet filled to its 33,000 capacity, and the noise was yet to reach its peak. Commentator Ravi Shastri, who was hosting the toss, said it had fallen heads the first time. There were then a few moments of confusion as Crowe said he had not heard the call and so the toss that had been carried out was null and void. When MS Dhoni threw up the coin again, Sangakkara called ‘heads’ and the coin fell Sri Lanka’s way.Replays of the toss indicated that Sangakkara called heads the first time as well, and the call is audible to producers of the host broadcasters ESPN-Star Sports. Sangakkara’s head was lowered when he called. However, Dhoni appears to have heard it as a tails call, and he turned towards Shastri saying, “We’ll bat”. But neither Shastri nor Crowe had heard Sangakkara’s call, Crowe due to the noise and Shastri because he was looking up at the coin. When Shastri looked across to Crowe, the referee said, “I didn’t hear it.” There was then a brief conversation and it was decided the toss had to be held again.Crowe was also the match referee at the 2007 World Cup final when the teams went off for bad light but were to forced to return and play out the remaining overs in darkness. He had overseen a mistake by the officials that led to the game resuming in near total darkness. The officials had forgotten that, as 20 overs had been bowled in the second innings, a result could be declared. Crowe, when pressed at a post-match news conference, blamed that error on now retired South African umpire Rudi Koertzen, who was the television replay official for that match.

A round-up of the action from the seventh round of the Regional Four-Day Competition

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2011Legspinners Yannic Cariah and Imran Khan propelled Trinidad & Tobago to a comprehensive innings victory over Guyana at Providence Stadium in Guyana. Guyana were bowled out for 216 in their first innings, in response to Trinidad’s 434, the inning’s main contributors being opener Rajindra Chandrika with 90 and Derwin Christian with 51. Imran and offspinner Amit Jaggernauth claimed nine first-innings wickets between them, skittling Guyana for 216. After Daren Ganga enforced the follow-on, the spinners had the hosts in a tangle once again. Cariah, Khan and Jaggernauth accounted for all 10 wickets, as Guyana were dismissed 45 runs shy of Trinidad’s first-innings total.Combined Campuses and Colleges sailed to a five-wicket win against Barbados at the Three Ws Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Resuming at 36 for 1, in pursuit of 173 for victory in a match that was wicket-heavy early on, CCC got home relatively comfortably, steered by a steady, unbeaten 78 from captain and opener Omar Phillips. CCC had a scare when Barbados’ Kevin Stoute and Jason Holder picked up three quick wickets, reducing them to 84 for 4, but a 66-run stand between Phillips and Nkruma Bonner calmed the nerves and set up the win.Jamaica barely held on for a draw against England Lions at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, finishing at 184 for 9 in pursuit of 274. England Lions, driven by an unbeaten 77 from captain James Hildreth, declared their second innings at 292 for 4, leaving the hosts 274 to get in about two sessions. Going for a win, Jamaica’s top three went for their shots, but couldn’t push on after a flurry of early boundaries, leaving their team precariously placed at 47 for 3 in 8.4 overs. A dogged 99-run stand between Brendan Nash and Chadwick Walton got Jamaica to relative safety, before a mini-collapse of 4 for 9 set up a dramatic end to the match. The last pair played out seven tense deliveries, with No. 10 Jason Dawes lasting 44 minutes and facing 31 balls for a single run. Opening bowler James Harris and left-arm spinner Danny Briggs – who took his match total to nine wickets – picked up four wickets apiece, but the Lions could not get the final wicket.Building up a 246-run first-innings lead and restricting Leeward Islands to 284 for 7, Windward Islands took control of their match at Beausejour Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia. Windward pushed their total to 318 for 9 declared on day three, before their opening bowlers, Nelon Pascal and Keon Peters reduced Leewards to 15 for 3. With a repeat of the first innings’ implosion on the cards, Gavin Williams fought back with a century, before tail-enders Jacques Taylor and Gavin Tonge added 61 crucial runs to ensure that the match went into the final day. But with Leewards leading by just 38 runs, with three wickets in hand, Windwards should close out the match without much difficulty.Despite finishing third in the league table, England Lions return home since the knockout stage is reserved for Caribbean sides. CCC, T&T, Jamaica and Windward Islands are the four teams that will contest the semi-finals.

Tillakaratne Dilshan wants to become the first Sri Lanka captain to secure a Test series victory in England after leaving the IPL early to lead his team

Sa'adi Thawfeeq07-May-2011Tillakaratne Dilshan wants to become the first Sri Lanka captain to secure a Test series victory in England after leaving the IPL early to lead his team. Although they famously won the one-off clash at The Oval in 1998, when Muttiah Muralitharan took 16 wickets, their best results in a series on English soil is the 1-1 in 2006 which was again secured thanks to a matchwinning effort by Muralitharan Trent Bridge.This time there is no Muralitharan, but Dilshan has promised not to take a backward step over the next month. “Beating England in their own conditions in the early part of summer is not going to be easy, we have to play very good cricket to do that,” he said. “But I am really confident with our boys. As a team we can give England a good run. It’s a good challenge for everyone. Before the team leaves for England I will have a word with my players. We are going there with only one intention – to win the series. We are not going there just to draw or to survive in England we want to beat them. We are going to England with that mindset. I am seriously looking forward to the upcoming series.”How determined Dilshan is with his new responsibility can be gauged by the fact that he has made himself available to lead his team for the three-day tour opener, against Middlesex, starting on May 14 which meant cutting short his commitments with Royal Challengers BangaIore in the ongoing IPL tournament in India.Unlike past captains Dilshan does not have the luxury of matchwinning bowlers of the calibre of Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga all of whom have retired from Test cricket. However, he is confident with his new look bowling line-up, headed by Dilhara Fernando whose experience stretches to only 35 Tests and 90 wickets from a career spanning ten years, and believes team can match England, if not defeat them.”We have to give the chance to youngsters and this is a good opportunity for them to prove how good they are at international cricket,” he said. “As a captain I have a lot of confidence in my young bowlers that they can do a good job. I know the England batting line-up is very strong but I have faith with my fast bowlers and spinners that they can handle this batting line-up. I am sure these young fast bowlers will put their hands up and give their best to the team.”We have only one experienced bowler in Dilhara but the others have the ability to deliver what they’ve got. With the help of fast bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake, and all the senior players who have played in England before, they can share their experience on how to adjust to the conditions in the early summer. This is a good challenge for me going with a set of young fast bowlers. As captain I have the fullest confidence that they can do a good job for Sri Lanka.”The bowlers picked to support Fernando are left-armer Chanaka Welegedara (six Tests, 12 wickets), Suranga Lakmal (two Tests, three wickets) and the uncapped pair of Nuwan Pradeep and Thisara Perera. Considering the career figures Sri Lanka’s fast bowling looks pretty short of experience in comparison to the spin department. In Muralitharan’s absence it will be handled by left-armer Rangana Herath (24 Tests, 78 wickets), Ajantha Mendis (15 Tests, 61 wickets) and Suraj Randiv (three Tests, 14 wickets).Dilshan admitted that batting will be Sri Lanka’s forte. “We have the same strong batting line-up we’ve had for the past four or five years in Test cricket. The only thing is the bowling unit is new and inexperienced. Our strength is batting but overall I am really happy with the 16-member squad. I have allrounders, spinners, fast bowlers and good batsmen. This team can turn out to be a good one in the future.”Dilhara Fernando is Sri Lanka’s most experience pace bowler on the tour•Associated Press

Dilshan’s way of looking at everything positively is certain to rub off on the team. “I don’t want to change my approach or attitude towards the game because I am captain. With my positive batting I have been very successful. I am not going to change too much from what I have been doing in the last three or four years. I have to adjust and take decisions in the middle which is the only change I foresee from what I have been doing. I am a positive character and I enjoy playing the game. I may sometimes take decisions which others might be surprised with. I think I can do a good job.”Already the responsibility of captaincy has brought a change in Dilshan. He has discarded his earring and done away with the tint in his hair. “As a captain I have to set an example for the youngsters. I have to maintain discipline both on and off the field. As captain I want to set a high standard on the field all the time. We are ambassadors of our country.”The last few years we have played very good cricket, we have been runners up twice in the 50-over World Cup and once in the World Twenty20. We are a very consistent cricket team and I want to carry that forward by adding a few small things of my own. I need to discuss it with the new coach and coaching staff.”Dilshan’s appointment as captain to succeed Kumar Sangakkara who stood down after the World Cup final defeat against India did come in for universal approval, but Dilshan isn’t worried about winning any popularity contests. “If you take five people you can get five different views. Everyone can say different things about me but the Cricket Board and the selectors had the confidence to appoint me as captain,” he said.”As a cricketer it’s a great achievement to captain your country. I think I am capable of leading this team and at the same time enjoy my captaincy. I am going to get 100 percent out of the players. As captain I may take surprise decisions for that’s the kind of player I am. I am going with a positive frame of mind. I might turn out to be a different captain for Sri Lanka,” said Dilshan.Dilshan has still not celebrated his appointment as Sri Lanka captain, but wants to keep it until the end of the England tour. “I was a little bit excited when I first heard of my new appointment when I got a call from the cricket board. I was in India at that time and I spoke to my family and everyone was happy. I want to first finish the tour of England before celebrating the occasion.” If Sri Lanka beat England he will have every right for a huge party.

Centuries by Gordon Muchall and Ian Blackwell revitalised Durham on a protracted opening day in the County Championship meeting with Worcestershire at New Road

18-May-2011ScorecardCenturies by Gordon Muchall and Ian Blackwell revitalised Durham on a protracted opening day in the County Championship meeting with Worcestershire at New Road.A late start, two interruptions for rain and a sluggish over-rate stretched the proceedings beyond normal limits, and when time was finally called at 7.53pm, Durham had recovered to make 360 for 4.At one stage, with the ball seaming around just enough to make batting difficult, they were struggling at 44 for 3. However, Muchall’s resolute hundred – his first of the summer – gave them a base to work from.Anchoring the innings from the ninth over, he made 152 not out and Blackwell, with his more robust methods, closed with 130 to his name. Together they reshaped the contest in an ongoing partnership of 242, a new fifth-wicket record for the county.The match did not begin until midday because Worcestershire were involved in a day-night game against Middlesex at Lord’s on Tuesday. It was almost 1am when they got back home and yet they were quickest out of the blocks as Damien Wright and Alan Richardson added to their standing as the most successful new-ball pair in the championship.Late movement accounted for Michael Di Venuto and Will Smith in the space of seven balls, and with the openers both taken in the slips, Wright and Richardson reached 50 wickets between them in Division One.This represents a considerable achievement for two bowlers who are in their mid-30s and committed to a heavy workload for a side who have lost all five matches in the championship since winning promotion last September.It was symptomatic of their season that Durham were able to regroup after the confusion which led to a cheap dismissal for Ben Stokes. Muchall set off for a second run after playing the ball past cover, but Stokes turned back and was the one who had to go when the two batsmen arrived together at the striker’s end.The decision ultimately worked out in Durham’s favour as Muchall went past 50 before hitting a sticky patch in which he was dropped at slip off Richard Jones and then survived a run-out chance on 74.At 83 he completed 6,000 first-class career runs and, strangely, while some of his earlier fluency faded before he reached his hundred from 170 balls, his ratio of boundaries increased. Muchall’s half-century contained only five fours but he hit nine in his second 50.Dale Benkenstein (33) was first to support him, putting on 74 until he was caught at first slip off Gareth Andrew, and Blackwell carried on from there with 14 fours from 111 balls in his third century of the season. He gave one chance from a top edge off Andrew when he was on 77.

Pakistan pace bowler Wahab Riaz held his nerve in the final over of the night as Kent beat Middlesex by nine runs in an edgy affair in Canterbury

18-Jun-2011
ScorecardPakistan pace bowler Wahab Riaz held his nerve in the final over of the night as Kent beat Middlesex by nine runs in an edgy, low-scoring Friends Life t20 affair in Canterbury.Playing under their pristine retractable floodlights for the first time, Kent appeared out for the count at 21 for 6, yet the Spitfires hit back and moved up to fourth in the table after securing their third successive South Group win against the lacklustre basement visitors.In pursuit of their modest target at an asking rate of only 5.8 an over, Middlesex were soon up against it once Paul Stirling and Scott Newman both miscued to mid-on against Azhar Mahmood slower balls.Panthers skipper Neil Dexter pulled a short one straight into the hands of deep mid-wicket and when Jamie Dalrymple top-edged a paddle sweep against James Tredwell to the keeper alarm bells began to ring on the Panthers dug-out.John Simpson nicked to slip to give Tredwell another scalp, Dawid Malan mistimed a hook to long leg to give Mahmood his third wicket and former Kent favourite Ryan McLaren then drove firmly back to Charles Langeveldt to make it 68 for seven.The run-rate equation boiled down to 20 from the final over of the match from Riaz, but the Test left-armer kept his cool to concede only 10 to inflict a sixth defeat in seven starts on the Panthers.Having been flown in by helicopter to conduct the toss, Kent skipper Rob Key duly lost the call and must have been ruing his luck as the Middlesex attack made hay in seamer-friendly conditions. The pitch initially prepared for the match had been ruined by yesterday’s storms in the south east leading to an 11th hour switch to a new strip – a move that gave bowlers the edge throughout.Joe Denly was first to suffer, falling for a duck to the fifth ball of the game from Anthony Ireland when a push drive took a thick edge and flew to former Kent player Dexter at slip. Within a further 37 balls nought for one became 21 for six as the Kent top-order capitulated on a sluggish wicket and against the seaming ball.Mahmood, Kent’s midweek century-maker in Beckenham, miscued to mid-wicket to go for one then Darren Stevens played outside the line of a Steven Crook off-cutter to also go for a single.Sam Northeast set off for a suicidal single to mid-off to be run out by Paul Stirling’s direct hit to the non-striker’s end and Key, having hit Kent’s first boundary in the sixth over, perished when he toe-ended a cut shot to tumbling wicketkeeper John Simpson.With 13 overs remaining and only four wickets still intact Kent were forced to re-access the situation and their priority became batting out their allocation of overs. Spitfires added a precious 35 for the seventh wicket through brothers-in-law Geraint Jones and James Tredwell, who both hit sixes to lighten a sombre St Lawrence mood.Jones skied one from spinner Tom Smith to go for 27, but Man-of-the-Match Tredwell went on to top-score with an unbeaten 34 from 28 balls including a further six that punched a hole straight through an advertising hoarding over the ropes at deep midwicket.Overseas professionals Riaz and Langeveldt both made it into double figures as Kent limped to 115. Crook and Ireland bagged three wickets apiece but Kent had edged to a total they were just about able to defend.