Universities
MCC University Round-up
We round up the action from the County v MCCU clashes
LANCASHIRE may have hammered Cambridge MCCU by 340 runs in their final warm-up fixture ahead of the County Championship season, but it was the news that opener Haseeb Hameed avoided serious injury that was the real boost.
The 20-year-old was struck on the hand by Cambridge opening bowler Tim Moses after facing just 23 balls in the contest and was forced to retire hurt, prompting an anxious wait as he underwent a scan.
But Hameed, who was playing his first innings since returning from sinus surgery, was cleared of any bone damage and only suffered bruising.
“Haseeb has been reviewed by the club’s hand specialist and scans have cleared him of any bone damage,” said a Lancashire statement.
Aside from Hameed’s injury, things could hardly have gone better for Lancs at Fenner’s as they twice tore through an overmatched Cambridge batting line-up.
The platform had been set by an impressive first innings as halfcenturies from Alex Davies (80), Steven Croft (78), Jordan Clark (64) and Dane Vilas (58) helped them to 338-6 dec, despite Adam Barton’s three wickets.
Jimmy Anderson promptly removed openers Tom Colverd and Harrison Palmer in the evening session to leave Cambridge 15-2 ahead of a second day that would ultimately yield 25 wickets.
Anderson claimed a further three scalps to earn ridiculous figures of 5-10 from 11 overs as only Nipuna Senaratne, and his gritty knock of 31, got into double figures for the students.
They were ultimately skittled for 62 but their bowlers responded in style – reducing Lancs to 28-5 thanks to a devastating spell of seam bowling from Barton.
The 21-year-old ended with figures of 5-31 but a second impressive knock of the match from Davies, as he made 50 not out, combined with Vilas’ unbeaten 42, saved face somewhat as the visitors declared on 120-7.
And Cambridge’s batsmen put up even less resistance second time round as they were all out for 56 to complete the mammoth defeat, Clark’s 3-11 the highlight bowling-wise. Lancashire’s bitterest rivals
Yorkshire also warmed up for the new campaign in impressive style as Leeds/Bradford MCCU were dispatched by an innings and 224 runs.
Young seamers Ben Coad (2-17) and Josh Shaw (2-35) impressed from the off, as did the more-experienced Steven Patterson with 3-25, to dismiss Leeds/Bradford for 137.
Openers Adam Lyth and Alex Lees surpassed the entire students team with their classy opening stand of 174 before Lees was bowled for an even 100 by Ollie Graham.
Lyth went on to make 194, while Gary Ballance’s 72 and Jack Leaning’s unbeaten 64 in the total of 543-5 suggest the White Rose county’s batting line-up is firing on all cylinders heading into the new campaign.
Meanwhile, Tim Bresnan and Azeem Rafiq took three wickets apiece in the second innings to skittle Leeds/Bradford for 182 and wrap up the convincing victory, leaving skipper Andrew Gale content.
“We got as much out of the game as we possibly could, really,” said Gale.
“The lads spent some decent time in the middle, and we were made to work hard for wickets but I’m pleased with how it went.
“Going into the season you want people confident about their form and of the work they’ve done in the winter.”
The other four three-day matches between county and university sides this week ended in draws but there were plenty of standout performances up and down the country.
Michael Carberry scored a century in his first competitive outing for Hampshire since returning from cancer treatment.
The former England opener – who was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour last summer but underwent a successful operation – made exactly 100 from 121 balls against Cardiff
MCCU at the Ageas Bowl. James Vince also made a classy knock of 90 in the second innings but Hampshire couldn’t find the 20 wickets needed to force a win.
Adam Wheater’s permanent return to Essex could hardly have started better as the wicketkeeper smashed 13 boundaries in an 130-ball century against Durham MCCU.
Opener Nick Browne chipped in with 66 in the first innings before retiring on 113 second time around, while Ravi Bopara plundered 114 runs across the two innings.
Jamie Porter took 4-35 to decimate Durham’s top order as they were bowled out for 187 but the students held out for 51 overs in their second innings to force the draw.
Elsewhere, Northants’ top order took flight against Loughborough MCCU as Rob Newton (166 retired), Adam Rossington (117) and Alex Wakely all struck gold across the two innings.
Northants’ bowlers struggled, though, despite Saif Zaib’s 6-115, as Loughborough made 553 in their innings thanks to centuries from Charlie Thurston (126), Nitish Kumar (141) and Sam Evans (114).
And at The Parks, Jonathan Trott compiled a composed 130 and Oliver Hannon-Dalby took 3-8 as
Warwickshire drew with Oxford MCCU.