Round-up for the week ending 11th February: CJ in action for England

Unable to play in the first match due to a slight injury, Chris Jordan was back in an England shirt for the second and third matches of the Australian leg of their T20 tri-series. As the rest of the late order crumbled around him on Wednesday in Hobart, CJ was resolute at number eight, ending on 16 off 11 balls to help England to 155-9 from their 20 overs. This wasn’t enough and Australia reached their target with five wickets and nine balls to spare. CJ was among the more economical of England’s seamers, his four overs costing 34 runs.

England posted another low score on Saturday in Melbourne, CJ unbeaten on one this time. Australia had no trouble knocking off the 138 they required for victory, doing so inside 15 overs for the loss of just three wickets. CJ was the most threatening of England’s bowlers, taking 2-26 from three overs including the wickets of Glenn Maxwell and Chris Lynn.

As ever, there was plenty of Sussex interest in Australian club cricket last week. In South Australia, Michael Burgess and Phil Salt played the first day of a two-day first grade match for Adelaide University CC on Saturday. Opening the batting, Phil made a forty-ball 19, while at number four, Michael made 33 from 38 deliveries as AUCC were dismissed by Sturt for 192. Sturt will resume their first innings on 85-4 next Saturday.

AUCC made it through to the second limited overs final of the season on Sunday after defeating Glenelg in the West End One Day Cup semi-final, with the Sussex pair playing an important role once again. Michael continued his purple patch with the bat, scoring 74 off just 42 balls at the top of the order, while Phil chipped in with a nine-ball 17 at number three. AUCC’s 310-7 was well beyond Glenelg, who were dismissed for 230, with Michael taking a catch and a stumping. AUCC will take on Port Adelaide in the final in two Sunday’s time and could be in contention for a double if they win Sunday’s T20 final against Tea Tree Gully at the Adelaide Oval.

In New South Wales, Ollie Robinson put in a fine performance with the bat on Saturday on day one of St George’s two day first grade match against Randwick Petersham. Batting at number six, the all-rounder made a run-a-ball 71 as St George were all out for 325 in their first innings.

Delray Rawlins was in second grade action for Sydney against Eastern Suburbs on Saturday. He was once again very economical with the ball, conceding just 37 runs from 13 overs as Eastern Suburbs were bowled out for 220 in their first innings. Sydney made it to 60-2 in reply at the end of day one, with Delray dismissed cheaply for one batting at number three.

On Sunday, Delray represented Sydney against Parramatta in the quarter finals of the Poidevin-Gray Shield, New South Wales’ under-21 competition. Batting at number four,  he made six as Sydney posted 233-6 in their 50 overs. He then bowled ten overs for 45 runs and secured a run out as Parramatta fell 57 runs short of their target.

Injury ended George Garton’s England Lions tour of the West Indies early, but he was still able to make an impact in the warm-up match against a Jamaica XI. Despite only bowling five overs, George picked up 2-13.

Stiaan van Zyl made his first appearance of the winter in the South African four-day competition, playing for Cape Cobras in their draw against Titans. Stiaan made 54 batting at number four in the Cobras’ first innings, and nine in their second.

Stiaan’s compatriot, David Wiese represented Hong Kong Island United in the Hong Kong T20 Blitz last week. He took two catches, bowled four overs for 47 runs and scored two batting at number five in HKIU’s defeat against City Kaitak on Wednesday and recorded figures of 0-51 and scored six from number seven in their loss to Hung Hom Jaguars on Saturday.

Finally this week, it’s a very warm welcome to Winter Watch for Sussex’s new signing, Rashid Khan. Afghanistan won both their T20Is against Zimbabwe last week, with Rashid taking 3-19 in the first on Monday and 2-24 in the second on Tuesday. Afghanistan began the one-day series with a thumping 154-run win on Friday thanks in no small part to Rashid’s superb figures of 4-26 from 5.4 overs. Zimbabwe got their revenge on Sunday, recording a 154-run victory themselves in the second ODI. Rashid picked up 2-36 off his ten overs as Zimbabwe made 333-5 and scored eight from number nine as Afghanistan were bowled out for 179. The five-match series resumes on Tuesday.