Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Pakistan's Masood hits back-to-back double centuries

Pakistan's Masood hits back-to-back double centuries

Pakistan opener Shan Masood on Friday hit a second successive double century in the English county championship to take his aggregate to 608 runs in four innings.

The 32-year-old was out for 219, having hit 24 fours and a six as Derbyshire racked up 401 runs in the day to reach 437 for four and lead by 224 in their game against Leicestershire.


Masood's magnificent innings followed his 239 in last week's draw against Sussex.

Left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson finally claimed Masood's wicket on Friday, bowling him with a ball that turned sharply from outside the left-hander's off stump.

"If we are to do well, we need to make the big hundreds," said Masood.

"To get two double hundreds is pleasing. Making it big is always something we talk about."

Masood turned for the pavilion when he was out but could leave the field only after every Leicestershire player, led by Parkinson, had offered a handshake of congratulation on a superb exhibition of high-class batting.

Fellow Pakistan star Shaheen Shah Afridi helped steer Middlesex closer to victory over Glamorgan on his debut.

Afridi dismissed Australian Test player Marnus Labuschagne for the second time in Cardiff to take his fourth wicket of the match.

He also hit a career best 29 as Middlesex made 336 in reply to Glamorgan's 122 all out.

At stumps, the Welsh county were 104-6 in their second innings, still 110 runs behind.

More For You

pharmacy

The UK spends just 9 per cent of healthcare budgets on medicines while patients face growing access gaps.

iStock

UK calls for new pharmaceutical investment to strengthen life sciences

Highlights

  • UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
  • Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
  • Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.

Investment gap

Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.

Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.

Keep ReadingShow less