Hard day’s work for Holder, Edwards

LONDON, Apr 11, CMC – West Indies captain Jason Holder and former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards endured a hard toil in the English County Championship on today.

Both Holder and Edwards had limited success with the ball, as their sides, Northamptonshire and Hampshire, were kept in the field all day, as their opponents piled up massive opening day totals in the second round of matches.

Fidel Edwards claimed two wickets on a tough day for bowlers.

Ravi Rampaul, another discarded Windies fast bowler, was fortunate, spending all day in the dressing room and not on the field, as Derbyshire, sent in to bat, reached 256 for seven in their first innings against Gloucestershire at the County Ground in Bristol.

At Sophia Gardens, Holder ended the day with one wicket for 48 runs from 16 overs, as Glamorgan battered the Northants attack to pile up 433 for four in the first innings at the close of a Division 2 contest in Cardiff, following hundreds from Billy Root, brother of England captain Joe, emerging Australian star Marnus Labuschagne and Kiran Carlson.

Holder had opener Charlie Hemphrey caught behind for 28 to leave Glamorgan 62 for two in the final hour before lunch, but the home team’s middle-order – led by Root’s undefeated 126, a boundary-studded 121 from Labuschagne and an unbeaten 101 from Carlson – dominated the rest of the day.

Glamorgan benefitted from successive stands of 64, 135 and 172 – unbroken – to grab full batting points off the visitors.

At Cardiff, Edwards grabbed two for 56 from 16 overs, but a hundred from England discard Gary Ballance and solid top-order batting carried Yorkshire to 310 for three in their first innings at the close of a Division 1 contest in Southampton.

Edwards struck early, when he had opener Harry Brook caught behind for five in the seventh over to leave Yorkshire 21 for one.

But Edwards and the rest of the Hants bowlers failed to make deep inroads in the Roses’ batting, as Ballance, not out on 120, Joe Root and Adam Lyth helped the visitors finish the day strongly.

Ballance anchored stands of 88 for the second wicket with fellow England discard Lyth, who made 67 before Edwards had him caught behind, and 182 for the third wicket with Root before the England Test captain was bowled by Liam Dawson in the final hour of the day for 94, narrowly missing his second hundred of the season. (CMC)