GOOD WEEK, BAD WEEK: Back-to-back tons and a World Cup omission

It's that time again to have a look back at the past week's ups and downs. The Cricketer picks which people or organisations have had a week to remember or forget…

GOOD

Varun Chopra

The 31-year-old Essex opener has enjoyed a run-laden couple of days in the Royal London One-Day Cup. Chopra’s 111 at the top of the order helped Essex to a 180-run win over Glamorgan in Cardiff. He followed it up with a run-a-ball 127 against Middlesex at Chelmsford but couldn’t prevent a 38-run loss for the hosts.

Cameron Bancroft

Durham’s new skipper has stared his own One-Day Cup campaign in scorching form, scoring 269 runs in two innings without being dismissed. Batting at No.4, the Australian registered 151 not out against Northants and backed it up with 118 not out against Leicestershire as Durham made it two wins from two at Chester-le-Street.

Cameron Bancroft's List A career at Durham:

Matches: 2
Runs: 269
Average: ∞#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/K5KwONlANp

— Durham Cricket 🏏 (@DurhamCricket) April 19, 2019

Tom Banton

In his 13th appearance for Somerset, Tom Banton struck his maiden century for the club. The 20-year-old - playing in his first match of the summer - hit 107 off 79 deliveries against Kent at Taunton to set up a mammoth 264-run One-Day Cup victory for the hosts.

Joe Clarke

After scoring 112 and 97 not out on his County Championship debut for Nottinghamshire, Joe Clarke has followed suit in the One-Day Cup. The new recruit cracked 139 from 99 deliveries as Notts defeated Lancashire by 11 runs in a contest that saw 823 runs scored in total.

Clarke is the first debutant to score a hundred for Notts on List A debut since Brian Bolus hit an unbeaten century against Yorkshire in the Gillette Cup in 1963.

^{Can Amir bowl himself into Pakistan's World Cup plans?}

BAD

Mohammad Amir

We’ll be careful not to read too much into this one seeing as World Cup squads don’t have to be finalised until May 23. However, as it stands, Mohammad Amir will not be taking part in the summer’s showpiece. 

The seamer has not been named in Pakistan’s squad of 15, however, the 27-year-old will have a chance to fight for his place after being included in the ODI squad to face England in five matches starting on May 8.

Surrey

The London club may be title defenders in the County Championship but they have had a rocky start to their One-Day Cup campaign. In their opening match against Gloucestershire they crumbled to 88 all out in pursuit of the hosts’ 235 - Jason Roy top-scored with 19 in a chastening defeat.

There was to be no bounce back victory on Friday as Sussex secured a two-wicket victory - chasing Surrey’s 274 for nine - thanks to David Wiese’s unbeaten 92.