Kaneria hits career’s first fifty

NOTTINGHAM, England: Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, with almost no pretentions as a batsman, scored his first-class career’s first half-century — in his 113th such match — on Wednesday, when he contributed a brilliant knock of 65 batting at number nine, for Essex against Nottinghamshire on the opening day of an English County Championship Division Two match here at Trent Bridge. Essex were all out for 317 runs in 73.4 overs, after having been six down for a mere 94 runs at one stage. The lower order boosted the total by 223 runs. The highest score was made by James Middlebrook (81) with Graham Napier chipping in with 40. Kaneria’s 65 came off just 55 balls with 10 fours and a six, his eighth-wicket stand with Middlebrook realising 89 runs.