Kritik und Lob » ing to return, and a little more

The weather finally seems to be improving, at least to the point that there has been no snow, and the County Championship is just starting to get into full flow.It was draws galore, though, with Kent the only side in either division able to secure a win in week four but there have still been plenty high class performances and players from across the country staking their claim to be included in our County Championship team of the week.Do you agree with our XI? Leave a comment below or tweet us @SkyCricket... Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent) The Kent opener has started the season in fine form and played a key role in his sides comprehensive 10-wicket win over Glamorgan at Canterbury. A knock of 84 in the first innings as Kent racked up 488 and a lead of 228, was followed by an unbeaten 86 in the second. Bell-Drummond and Tom Lathams stand of 190 steering Kent over the line on day four.Alastair Cook (Essex) The England captain looks to be in fine fettle heading into Englands Test series with Sri Lanka next month, live on Sky Sports, and brought up his third century of the summer on day two of Essexs draw at Worcestershire. After losing opening partner Nick Browne early on, Cook put on 222 for the second wicket with Tom Westley and was eventually the sixth wicket to fall, having made 142.Competition for the opening spots was fierce with Brett DOliveira of Worcestershire, Northants Jake Libby, Leicestershires Paul Horton, Chris Nash of Sussex, Somersets Marcus Trescothick, Chesney Hughes of Derbyshire and Hampshire left-hander Michael Carberry all unfortunate to miss out having made centuries.Alex Lees (Yorkshire) He opened for Yorkshire but Alex Lees will have to make do with the No 3 spot in our team after an impressive showing for Yorkshire against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. After top-scoring with 92 for Jason Gillespies side in the first innings, the 23-year-old left-hander added his eighth first-class century in the second as Yorkshire made a late charge for victory. He eventually fell for 107 by which time he had shown, in front of the Sky Sports cameras, exactly what he is capable of.James Hildreth (Somerset) Batting at four for Somerset, Hildreth could only watch from the non-strikers end as James Anderson ripped through his sides middle order with three wickets in five balls. That left his side rocking at 102-5, just shy of 400 runs behind Lancashires first innings total. However, Hildreth (130) held the innings together and was eventually the last man out having guided his team to 313. A total that enabled Somerset to hold out for a draw on the final day.Jack Burnham (Durham) It was a game dominated by the batsmen for long periods at the Oval and one player who took advantage more than most was Burnham. The 19-year-old hit a career-best 135, his maiden first class century, and was involved in a 145-run partnership with Scott Borthwick (77). His runs helped Durham build up a sizeable first innings lead and, although the game ended in a draw, it allowed them to push on in search of victory on the final day.Liam Livingstone (Lancashire) Playing in just his second first class match, Livingstone recorded his first ton, making 108 not out as Lancashire made 493-9 declared in their first innings against Somerset. Having scored 70 on his County Championship debut against Nottinghamshire, Livingstone again showed that he is capable of successfully implementing his aggressive batting style in the longer-format of the game, as he hit nine fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock.Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) The Nottinghamshire captain played his part in a dramatic final day at Trent Bridge, scoring a superb 101 as his side set Yorkshire 320 to win. Read made just five in the first innings but coming in with Notts struggling at 98-5 in the second innings, he dragged his side up to 348 before becoming the final wicket to fall. A partnership of 53 with Samit Patel had eased the hosts concerns before a century stand with Stuart Broad took them out of danger and put them on the front foot. The wicketkeeper also did his bit with the gloves, taking four catches.Ryan McLaren (Hampshire) The South African was on form with both bat and ball for Hampshire in their draw with Middlesex. He took 4-74 in his 24 overs in Middlesexs first innings and then backed it up with a valuable 46 not out in Hampshires second. His unbeaten 104 partnership with Adam Wheater helped the hosts build a large enough lead to declare and press for victory on day four at the Ageas Bowl.Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire) There was already talk of Ball being a future England bowler but after his showing against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge, live on Sky Sports, calls for the fast bowler to join up with Cooks side will only grow in volume and veracity. The Nottinghamshire bowler ripped through the much-vaunted Yorkshire top order, removing both Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance as well as Joe Root for a golden duck. He ended the first innings with figures of 4-57 and took another three wickets in the second - again dismissing Lyth and Root, with the crucial wicket of Jonny Bairstow his final scalp.Mitchell Claydon (Kent) Kent were in complete control from the very first over of the match against Glamorgan and Claydon ensured - with both bat and ball - that they never lost that advantage. The seamer was the pick of the Kent bowlers in Glamorgans first innings, taking 4-59, and then did his bit with the bat, scoring 55 from 54 balls as they built up a significant first innings lead. Claydon had slightly less success with the ball in the second innings but still picked up two wickets, including the important scalp of centurion David Lloyd who had successfully frustrated Kent for much of day three.Jack Brooks (Yorkshire) Of the bowlers on show at Trent Bridge, the up-and-coming Ball may have taken the majority of the plaudits after taking seven wickets in the match but Brooks, a more experienced campaigner, matched that total and was equally impressive. The Yorkshire seamer picked up the wickets of three of Nottinghamshires top four on the opening day, as well as that of second innings century-maker Chris Read. He added another three wickets in the second innings to end with match figures of 7-143.Also See:CC Div One tableCC Div Two tableDomestic fixtures/resultsGet Surrey tickets!Discount Shoes For Sale . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Fake Shoes 2020 .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. https://www.wholesaleshoesusa.com/ . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Wholesale Nike Shoes . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. Wholesale Shoes Authentic . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged.AKRON, Ohio -- William McGirt won his first PGA Tour event at the Memorial. Two hours up the road in Ohio and one month later, he had a three-shot lead after one round of the Bridgestone Invitational. Its a familiar theme, just a different character.Winning the Memorial and this World Golf Championship in the same year has happened only four times, and McGirt took a strong guess at who did it.Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods and Tiger Woods? he said.Yes, yes, yes and yes.The only other player to sweep the Ohio events was Greg Norman in 1995, when the WGC at Firestone was the World Series of Golf. Either way, McGirt was correct in saying, That would be pretty good company.Heres a sign of how much the PGA Tour has grown. The year Norman swept Ohio, his victory at Firestone allowed him to pass Tom Kite and become the tours career money leader at just under $9.5 million. Thats the size of this years purse. Woods now leads that list at over $110 million. So times have changed.McGirt says his life hasnt altered that much since his first PGA Tour title except for congratulatory messages in text and email that he is still trying to return, and a little more money ($1.53 million for his win at Muirfield Village) in the bank.Imagine how many more messages he would get if he can keep this up over the next three days.MCGIRT DEBUT: McGirt fell in love with Firestone when he arrived on Sunday, playing nine holes and riding in a cart to see the back nine. It showed.He was among eight players to make their World Golf Championship debut on Thursday, and he opened with a 6-under 64 for a three-shot lead over Jason Day, Jimmy Walker and Emiliano Grillo.He made four of his six birdies from outside 18 feet, and he finished his round with a 45-foot putt for par.I fell in love with the place because length is not everything out here, McGirt said. I love it because you cant stand up there and just hit it as hard as you want, go find it and hack it on the green. Its an old, traditional style golf course, which I absolutely love. ... I dont know, maybe its something with Ohio I like.SPIETHS SURPRISE: Jordan Spieth walked off the 18th green with a 68 and the kind of smile that suggests he got away with one.This was not one of those rounds that had 68 written all over it.Spieth only had one birdie attempt on his first 10 holes (he missed it).dddddddddddd He already was 2 over for the round when he holed a 20-foot par putt on the eighth, and then a 25-foot par putt on the ninth. The big celebration was hitting back-to-back greens in regulation for the first time on the 15th.So what happened? He started hitting greens. And he always seems to be making putts. Spieth finished with four straight birdies.Im really just searching for something that isnt far off, thats real simple, Spieth said. It really is only taking place on my scoring clubs, but thats where you need them. Its close. Its almost there. And when it clicks, were definitely in business the way the short game is.DUSTINS RETURN: In his first tournament since he became a major champion, Dustin Johnson was introduced on the tee as ... being from the United States.They keep it simple at the Bridgestone Invitational, and that was fine with Johnson.His thrill came on the 11th hole after he made a simple up-and-down for par. Thats when a radio reporter informed him that his alma mater, Coastal Carolina, had won the College World Series for its first national title.The golf? Not bad. He hadnt practiced all week and played a U.S. kind of a round -- 15 pars, two birdies, one bogey for a 69.I didnt expect a whole lot today, Johnson said. I always expect to play well, but this golf course is playing tough.THE FIELD: Already the smallest field at Firestone in 15 years, the field became even smaller after one round when three players pulled out.Daniel Berger hit one tee shot and withdrew with a sore shoulder. He made $50,500 in unofficial money, meaning it wont count on the tours money list but counts quite nicely in the bank. Brooks Koepka withdrew after 13 holes with an ankle injury.Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III withdrew with a torn labrum in his left hip, and he told Golfweek magazine he would have surgery on Wednesday to fix it. His year is over. Love told the magazine he would be on crutches for a month, but would have plenty of time to think about the Ryder Cup.As for Firestone, the field is down to 58 players on Friday, all of them chasing a first prize of $1.62 million. Thats just $35,000 less than what Norman made in all of 1995 when he won four times. ' ' '