New Zealand start with tense victory

New Zealand 139 for 8 (Ryder 42, Murali 2-25) beat Sri Lanka 135 for 6 (Jayawardene 81) by two wickets

New Zealand edged Sri Lanka in just the sort of cliffhanger the organisers would have wanted to kick off the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean. If McCullum is talked of as a match-winner, it is probably Brendon that one thinks of, but it was his brother Nathan who was the hero with an all-round performance, topped off by a six over long-off to seal a tense victory with one delivery to go.

On a track that lived up to it's pre-match billing of being sluggish, basic line-and-length bowling from New Zealand's slow bowlers was enough to curtail Sri Lanka to 135, despite Mahela Jayawardene's polished 81, his highest score in Twenty20s.

The balance swung from one side to the other through the chase: New Zealand looked in control after Jesse Ryder's power-hitting at the top, but tight spells from the two oldest players in the tournament, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan, seemingly shut New Zealand out of the game.

When Ajantha Mendis nipped out Scott Styris in the 17th over, the asking rate was over 10 and half the New Zealand side was dismissed. Jacob Oram, though, kept the game alive with two consecutive hits over long-on for six to round off the over. Lasith Malinga sent down an over of patented hard-to-hit full deliveries in the 18th, and two wickets - of Oram and Gareth Hopkins - fell in the first two deliveries of the penultimate over to again put Sri Lanka in charge.

With 18 needed off nine, Daniel Vettori shuffled across and swung Chanaka Welegedara for four in front of deep square leg, and McCullum mishit a low full toss over mid-on to scramble three off the final delivery.

Ten off the final over, from Malinga, was still a tough ask. The first delivery was squeezed to mid-on for a single and they comically stole a bye after Vettori missed a full delivery - with McCullum charging down the track, both batsmen were at the keeper's end, Sangakkara lobbed the ball to Malinga who missed the stumps from a few yards even though he could have walked and taken the bails off.

McCullum then swiped a full delivery to long leg for four to reduce it to 4 off 3, making New Zealand fans believe again. A hard drive to long-on resulted in Vettori's run-out as he attempted a non-existent second, but McCullum's glorious hit over long-off for six off the penultimate delivery confirmed New Zealand's victory.

Raina, Dhoni star in Chennai triumph

Chennai Super Kings 168 for 5 (Raina 57*, Dhoni 22, Fernando 2-23) beat Mumbai Indians 146 for 9 (Tendulkar 48, Pollard 27, Jakati 2-27) by 22 runs

MS Dhoni has added another feather to his captaincy hat. It was he who started the turnaround against a formidable Mumbai Indians attack, his deputy Suresh Raina capitalised on two dropped catches to score a crucial fifty, and Chennai Super Kings defended with aggression, smartness and flair to win the third IPL. Chennai were struggling at 68 for 3 after 12 overs when Dhoni got into the act: 100 runs were added in the last eight, and Raina scored 44 at a strike-rate of 200 after the first drop. The win concluded a fourth consecutive one-sided knockout in the tournament.

Ever since R Ashwin started the defence with a maiden over, Mumbai never really threatened Chennai. Sachin Tendulkar, playing with a split webbing, played his least fluent innings of the tournament, scoring a laboured 48 off 45. Mumbai tried some strange moves: promotions for Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh bombed, and even at the fall of the fifth wicket, with 69 required off 31, Kieron Pollard was not the man making his way out of the dugout.

There were no problems with tactics for Chennai: they went with the old-fashioned approach of keeping wickets in hand, never mind the slow start, and with M Vijay breaking free, had reached a perfectly acceptable 40 for no loss at the end of Powerplay. Dilhara Fernando brought Mumbai back, removing Vijay with his split-finger slower ball in the eighth over. Pollard ended Matthew Hayden's 31-ball 17-run misery, and S Badrinath holed out in the 12th over.

Dhoni left alone the first ball he faced, was beaten by a legcutter after that, was almost bowled the next ball, and worked a single to end that testing Fernando over. Mumbai can file for lack of sufficient warning for what was to come next. The first ball Dhoni faced from Pollard he charged down and hit him into the second tier - with one hand. The next ball Pollard ran in and didn't let go, stares were exchanged, and Tendulkar rushed in to apologise to the batsman: it was the second time Pollard had done this in his 2.1 overs. Dhoni's bat spoke emphatically, though, with a punch for four to end the over.

Tendulkar was warned sufficiently by now: he had to bring Lasith Malinga, whose yorkers have been near perfect, back before he would have ideally liked to. Dhoni charged at him, converted one into a low full toss, and hit a boundary to extra cover.

Zaheer Khan was brought back in the next over. He produced a top edge that neither Fernando (running in from third man) nor Abhishek Nayar (running back from point) claimed. Salt was in ready supply for Zaheer's wound: out of nowhere Raina produced timing and a four and a six to take Chennai to 108 after 15 overs. In the over that followed, Pollard eked out a skier from Raina, which Zaheer dropped. The next ball Raina made room and lofted over extra cover for six. The ball after was hit to Tendulkar, and cannily they exposed his injured hand by stealing a second. And the next was slogged over midwicket for six. Mumbai needed a time-out to figure out what had hit them.

Fernando, three overs for 12 until then, bowled a poor last over to nearly double the tally. Malinga started the last over superbly: bat couldn't meet ball for the first four deliveries, and Albie Morkel was run out in panic. Then it came apart: five wides, followed by a length ball driven over extra cover, and some manic running, and they were chasing the biggest total in an IPL final.

A maiden over was not the best way to start for Mumbai, but losing Shikhar Dhawan in the second was even worse. The next 10 overs featured smart spin bowling, hustling fielders, run-out opportunities created, signs of desperation of Tendulkar, and eventually the wickets of Nayar and Harbhajan in the 12th over. With the required rate going past 12 an over, Tendulkar holed out to long-off, and Raina pulled off a blinder, running in from deep midwicket, to send back Saurabh Tiwary. To everybody's surprise, JP Duminy walked out, and by the time he walked back, he had left Mumbai 55 to get in three overs.

Pollard made a match out of this too: taking 22 runs off Bollinger's 18th over. Morkel bowled a tight 19th over, with a long-off, and a mid-off up in the circle and so straight it was almost behind him. Pollard hit a catch to him: it just highlighted which captain had got it right on the night.

Asad, Farhat help thrash Panthers

Punjab StaA four-wicket haul from medium-pacer Asad Ali and a century from Imran Farhat inflicted on Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Panthers their third consecutive defeat in the Pentangular One Day Cup, and handed Punjab Stallions a six-wicket win. Wicketkeeper Ahmed Said scored 51, striking three boundaries, but was short of support from the other batsmen as the Panthers were bowled out for 197. Asad was supported by Mohammad Talha and Raza Hasan, who bagged two wickets each.

Farhat ensured the target was achieved with ease, smacking eight fours and two sixes in his 125-ball knock. He remained unbeaten, supported by useful contributions from the middle order to seal victory with 67 balls to spare.

llions 198 for 4 (Farhat 105*) beat Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Panthers 197 (Said 51, Asad 4-39) by four wickets

James Franklin hundred sets up Gloucestershire win

Gloucestershire 230 for 5 beat Derbyshire by 51 runs James Franklin's first one-day century inspired Gloucestershire Gladiators to a 51-run win over Derbyshire Falcons in the opening Clydesdale Bank 40 fixture at Bristol.

The New Zealand all-rounder responded to his new position as opener by hitting 133 off 121 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes, as his side ran up 230 for 5 after losing the toss. Alex Gidman (35) and Chris Taylor (32) offered good support.

Steve Kirby (3 for 44) then took two early wickets to reduce Derbyshire to 31 for 2 and, despite 37 from Chris Rogers and 41 from John Sadler, the visitors were restricted to 179 all out. It was an important win for Gloucestershire, beaten at home in their first two County Championship games of the season. Batting frailty in those matches led to the experiment of promoting Franklin up the order and he responded with a superbly-paced innings.

Overcoming the early loss of Jonathan Batty and Hamish Marshall, the elegant left-hander added 89 in 17 overs with Gidman and 70 in 10 overs with Taylor. Franklin owed his hundred to Taylor's quick thinking. On 95 he would have been run out had his partner not sacrificed himself by crossing before bowler Tom Lungley's throw hit the stumps.

Soon afterwards the Kiwi reached three figures off 104 balls. Surprisingly for an international player of his pedigree, it was the first time he had done so in any one-day competition at home or in England. Franklin's three sixes were all hit straight down the ground.

Tim Groenewald was the pick of the Derbyshire attack conceding 37 runs from his eight overs. After Kirby's double strike, Rogers and Greg Smith put on 47 in 11 overs for the Falcons third wicket before Smith (28) was caught at the second attempt by wicketkeeper Batty off Gidman.

There was still hope for Derbyshire at 103 for 3. But then Garry Park, on 13, carelessly swung off-spinner Taylor's first ball of the game down the throat of Steve Snell at deep mid-wicket. The key wicket of Rogers followed when he had a swing at Franklin and skied a steepling catch to Batty. At 107 for 5, the Falcons were suddenly staring down the barrel.

Sadler ensured their total would reach respectability by being last man out, having hit his 41 off 34 balls, but it was always in a losing cause. He became Kirby's third victim, while Anthony Ireland and Taylor claimed two each.

Somerset ease to 38-run win

Somerset 224 for 5 (39 overs) beat Glamorgan 186 by 38 runs Half-centuries from Nick Compton and James Hildreth were enough to help Somerset open their Clydesdale Bank 40 account with a 38-run win over Glamorgan at the Swalec Stadium. When Somerset defended their 224 for 5 from their 39 overs they were indebted to Alfonso Thomas, who took three for 27 in 7.1 overs and was also responsible for a key run out and a catch as Glamorgan were dismissed for 186 with 11 balls remaining.

Thomas bowled the dangerous Mark Cosgrove, who hit 31 from 21 balls, and then caught Tom Maynard, who had given Glamorgan hope with 48 from 59 balls including two big sixes. After winning the toss, Somerset's final score was rather better than they might have hoped for when they were reduced to 21 for 2 despite winning the toss.

David Harrison claimed both wickets, dismissing Arul Suppiah leg before for a first-ball duck with only the fifth delivery of the contest. And Harrison also claimed the prize scalp of Marcus Trescothick, who edged a short ball behind. But after that Compton, the former Middlesex batsman who had scored a one-day century at the same ground last season, launched a positive recovery helped when he took three fours from one David Brown over.

He also hit a six off Chris Ashling over mid-wicket before he lost Zander de Bruyn as Somerset slipped to 83 for 3 at the halfway mark of the innings. Compton went on to his fifty from 59 balls and looked solid enough until he went leg before as Somerset reached 123 for four in the 26th over.

The positive Peter Trego showed his ability of accumulating quick runs but was dismissed giving Jamie Dalrymple a high catch running in from extra cover. And as Hildreth pressed the accelerator Ashling was dispatched for a second six, and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler also claimed a maximum off Harrison. Hildreth finished unbeaten on 68 from 59 balls.

In reply Glamorgan were not helped when the positive Cosgrove stepped back and was bowled by Thomas's first ball and two overs later Thomas ran out Jamie Dalrymple who was called through for a suicidal single by Gareth Rees.

That put Glamorgan on the back foot from which they never recovered despite a good effort from Maynard, Brown, 28 off 22 balls on debut for his new county, and Mark Wallace.Ben Phillips finished with 3 for 26 from his eight overs including the wickets of Brown and Wallace.

Record opening stand crushes Essex

Yorkshire 233 for 0 beat Essex 232 for 9 by 10 wickets Andrew Gale and Jacques Rudolph both scored unbeaten centuries as Yorkshire thrashed Essex by 10 wickets in their Clydesdale Bank 40 clash at Chelmsford. Responding to a total of 232 for 9, the visitors romped home with 4.1 overs to spare to inflict the heaviest defeat suffered by Essex in a limited overs match.

The previous record was also against Yorkshire, by nine wickets at Headingley in 1982. Gale, in recording his first century in limited overs, finished with 125 that came off 115 balls and included 12 fours and three sixes. Rudolph contributed 101 from 102 balls with the help of 13 boundaries. Their partnership represented their highest for any wicket in one-day league cricket.

The nearest Essex came to breaking it was when the total had reached 64. Gale, 30 at the time, thrashed hard to cover point where Tim Phillips put down a difficult chance low down. But from then onwards, the Yorkshire pair progressed with embarrassing ease while plundering runs from seven bowlers. Yorkshire's other star was West Indies paceman Tino Best who picked up 4 for 46 in his eight overs.

It all left Grant Flower probably wondering what he needs to do to finish on a winning side. In recording his first limited-overs century in English domestic cricket, the Zimbabwean showed he is still a force to be reckoned with even though he is in his 40th year.

He arrived after the first two wickets had gone down in the opening four overs and skilfully found the gaps against both pace and spin to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Flower's innings was punctuated with seven fours and a six, this at the expense of spinner David Wainwright when he launched him over long off, and the only other batsman to put together a worthwhile contribution was skipper Mark Pettini.

While Flower ended with 113 not out from as many deliveries, Pettini struck 51 from 56 balls, before cutting Wainwright to backward point. That dismissal brought to an end a partnership of 81 in 15 overs and none of the remaining batsmen got beyond 16 as Best made his presence felt.

He destroyed the middle order after earlier bowling England opener Alastair Cook with a full toss in his first over. Cook's only scoring stroke was a lofted drive to the boundary from a free hit that followed a no ball. It all added up to a fine start for Yorkshire who came into this game having won their opening two matches in the County Championship.

Hampshire collapse to heavy loss

Durham 264 for 6 beat Hampshire 115 by 149 runs Hampshire produced a pitiful batting display against a second-string Durham attack to lose their opening Clydesdale Bank 40 match by 149 runs at the Riverside. Replying to 264 for 6, which looked little better than par for the pitch, the visitors were all out for 115.

With Mitch Claydon's abdominal strain forcing him to join back injury victims Steve Harmison and Graham Onions on the sidelines, Durham fielded a new-ball pair of Will Gidman and Chris Rushworth.

In three seasons with Durham, 25-year-old Gidman's only first-class appearance had been against Sri Lanka A, while Rushworth, 23, was a surprise addition to the staff over the winter. He left the club after three years in the academy, but continued to impress while playing for his home club, Sunderland.

Gidman's first five balls went for 11 runs, but he was helped by poor strokes from Jimmy Adams and Neil McKenzie in taking four of the wickets as Hampshire slumped to 41 for 5.

Rushworth bowled very tightly and moved one away from left-hander Michael Carberry to have him caught at slip. Dominic Cork, just back from his commentating stint at the Indian Premier League, looked very rusty with bat and ball, while most of his Hampshire team-mates gave the impression they were still reeling from the previous day's championship defeat. It needed an innings of 23 not out by Hamza Riazuddin, who put on 25 for the last wicket with James Tomlinson, to take them past 100.

Durham's Phil Mustard, who scored five half-centuries and a 49 in eight innings in last year's 40-over league, began this season's campaign with 74 off 71 balls. He went down the pitch to hit Cork over long-on for six but was out in the 24th over when he fell lbw attempting a reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Liam Dawson.

Mustard dominated a second-wicket stand of 104 with Ben Harmison, who completed a 68-ball half-century but as soon as he tried to step up the pace he was bowled by Sean Ervine. Ben Stokes, the powerful England Under 19 all-rounder, drove two huge sixes over long-on in making 34 at a run-a-ball.