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Pakistan’s coach praised the open appraisals that had taken place after the heavy loss against India which sparked the turnaround against South Africa

Andrew McGlashan in Cardiff10-Jun-2017From the depths of despair after the insipid performance against India, there’s now a far more upbeat mood in the Pakistan camp. They kept their Champions Trophy campaign alive with an incisive display in the field against South Africa, and did enough with the bat to ward off a collapse, and know a position in the semi-finals is in their control. It would be a very handy stepping stone in the long-term project of rebuilding the one-day side.After the dismal opening performance, coach Mickey Arthur spoke about the fear that inhibited Pakistan’s players and nothing has changed his mind that they were “intimidated” by India. But the response has been heartening for him and he praised the open appraisals that had taken place after that match which enabled the turnaround against South Africa.”I looked around the dressing room before that [India] game and we didn’t believe that we could beat them,” Arthur said. “It was such a contrast to the South Africa game were we believed in our skills and ability.”I’m pretty honest and straightforward. We had some honest conversations and the good thing about it is that the players are contributing to that conversation now whereas a year ago they didn’t. They are starting to take responsibility and once that happens it’s a massive psychological barrier they have broken down in the dressing room. I come out of an environment where you have mature conversations all the time and they can’t be sugar-coated, they have to happen for you to move forward. The guys responded fantastically well.”The victory was set up by an attack which found its teeth on a used pitch at Edgbaston – “I was happy they stuck us on a used one,” Arthur said – with Imad Wasim removing AB de Villiers for the first golden duck of his ODI career and Hasan Ali producing one of the balls of the tournament to castle Wayne Parnell. Between them, Hasan and Imad took 5 for 44 off 16 overs. Along with a lively ODI debut from Fakhar Zaman, whose 31 off 23 balls gave Pakistan breathing space to absorb Morne Morkel’s impressive spell, it was an impressive match for a clutch of the youngsters, something which gave Arthur great satisfaction.”To see them perform is the best thing that can happen to any coach,” he said. “Hasan Ali is one of those. If you saw him now and remember him a year ago he’s developed, he’s stronger and fitter, his skills are developing and he will be a fine all-round cricketer. He can field, he can bat, he can bowl. He’s in great shape so I’m very proud of his development. He stands out as one of the beacons; him Babar Azam, Imad Wasim – we have some good young players coming through and we have to keep them believing.”There will also be two more experienced foes up against each other in the Group B match in Cardiff with Arthur pitted against Sri Lanka’s South African-born coach Graham Ford. “Fordy and I have been very close over a long period of time so it’s taking on an old friend. Sri Lanka are very dangerous, they played exceptionally well against India,” Arthur said. “It’s fearless cricket. They hit the ball hard, play outrageous shots. They will be a tough side to beat. We’ll have to be on our game.”Though the focus is firmly on Cardiff and Monday’s match, events thousands of miles away have also given Pakistan another boost. Afghanistan’s victory against West Indies, inspired by Rashid Khan’s 7 for 18, has widened the gap in the race for an automatic World Cup spot. Pakistan hold that position at No. 8 with West Indies’ defeat leaving them further adrift ahead of the September 30 cut-off.”It’s been a focus of ours, we’ve had it over heads for a year and we’ve had some tough one-day series – England away, Australia away, they are tough – so to almost qualify is a huge relief but that doesn’t stop where we want to take the one-day team,” Arthur said. “We have to keep improving all the time, playing with intensity, keep the freshness so we can put a shake on at that World Cup.

Considered a T20 specialist, she was part of the side that defeated India 3-0 in the T20 leg of the tour last year

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2017Batsman Britney Cooper has been recalled to West Indies women’s squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka women, which starts from October 19 in Antigua. Cooper was picked in place of 20-year-old Reniece Boyce, the only change to the squad that swept the preceding ODI series 3-0.

West Indies women squad:

Stafanie Taylor (capt), Merissa Aguilleira (wk), Britney Cooper, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Akeira Peters, Shakera Selman.

Cooper has not played an international match since November last year. Considered a T20 specialist, she was part of the side that defeated India 3-0 in the T20 leg of the tour last year. In their title-winning campaign in the World T20 last year, her 48-ball 61 helped set up a win against New Zealand in the semi-final.Weighing in on the selection of Cooper Courtney Browne, chairman of the Cricket West Indies selection panel, said: “Results from the ICC Women’s Championship matches against Sri Lanka women were encouraging and the team needs to build on the momentum going into the Twenty20 International series.”Britney was brought into the T20 squad, as she has shown in the past that she can be aggressive with the bat and increase the scoring rate when needed at times. She was part of our T20 World Cup-winning squad and played her part in that memorable victory.”West Indies, the defending champions in the twenty-over format, are scheduled to play the three T20Is on October 19, 21 and 22 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Sri Lanka are still the favourites, though, and the Hasaranga-Theekshana combine could yet win the day for them

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Oct-20222:34

Fleming: ‘Theekshana has a great attitude to any role he is given’

Big picture

Sri Lanka lost their first match to Namibia, but, after that, they dominated UAE and were in control for much of the fixture against Netherlands. Ireland lost to Zimbabwe, but got past Scotland and, notably, West Indies.Both teams have arrived in the Super 12s with a bit of confidence, but also knowing they must still prove themselves in this phase of the tournament. For Ireland, a victory here would be their second successive giant-killing act – the feather of another former T20 World Cup winner to decorate their cap. They appear to take particular pleasure in chasing, with their middle order having been excellent against Scotland, before the top order thumped West Indies.Sri Lanka are clear favourites going in, but their trip through the qualifiers has taken a heavy toll. Dushmantha Chameera – their premier fast bowler – has been ruled out of the tournament, with other quicks also picking up injuries. Ahead of this match, two top-order batters – Danushka Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka – are also carrying injuries. They do have their ace spinners in Wanindu Hasaranga, and Maheesh Theekshana. But in Hobart, perhaps they will not be quite as threatening as they were on sluggish pitches in Geelong.2:56

Dasun Shanaka wants himself and Bhanuka Rajapaksa ‘to kick on’

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka WWLWW
Ireland WWLWL

In the spotlight

Curtis Campher is most well-known for his four wickets in four balls in the World Cup last year, but in this edition, it is his batting that has helped carry Ireland into the Super 12s. He is the team’s top scorer from the qualifying stage, having made 99 runs off 54 for the tournament so far. This is especially impressive because he bats down at No. 5.How do you stop Wanindu Hasaranga? He bowls cheap overs, gets excellent wickets with his googly, fields beautifully, occasionally produces a match-turning innings. He is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the first stage, along with Netherlands’ Bas de Leede, and could be on the way to another top World Cup wicket-taker placing. Ireland might do well to play him out quietly.Wanindu Hasaranga could be on the way to another top World Cup wicket-taker placing•ICC via Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

Bellerive Oval in Hobart is one of the smaller grounds used for the Super 12, and has been known to be especially unkind to wristspinners, which may play into Ireland’s hands. Showers are forecast for the afternoon, but there should be enough time to get a game in, even if curtailed.

Team news

Nissanka and Gunathilaka are both ruled out of at least this game, so Ashen Bandara is going to open. There is a question mark over Pramod Madushan’s fitness too.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kusal Mendis (wk), 2 Ashen Bandara, 3 Dhananjaya de Silva, 4 Charith Asalanka, 5 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Binura Fernando, 11 Lahiru KumaraIreland are likely to go in with the same XI that beat West Indies.Ireland (possible): 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockerell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Simi Singh, 10 Barry McCarthy, 11 Josh Little2:56

Balbirnie: Reaching Super 12s is huge for this group

Stats and trivia

• After 11 T20 World Cup games, Hasaranga has some staggering figures – 23 wickets at an average of 9.52 and an economy rate of 5.21.
• Andy Balbirnie has been Ireland’s most prolific T20I batter this year, with 518 runs at a strike rate of 132.
• Sri Lanka have won both previous T20Is between these teams, including at last year’s World Cup, where they won by 70 runs.

  Quotes

  “I’m not surprised that Ireland came into the Super 12s because Ireland was last year playing good cricket. They are getting better and better as a team and even bowling, batting, fielding, all three of the formats they’re doing really well. So I’m not surprised.”

Middlesex sneaked a one-wicket win at Edgbaston and that leaves Warwickshire with a yawning gap of 48 points to safety in Division One of the Specsavers Championship

Jon Culley at Edgbaston06-Jul-2017
ScorecardA match that might have finished in an historic tie just went the way of Middlesex after a tense and absorbing conclusion, providing the defending champions with only a second win of the season and the hope that they might yet claw back more of the space that opened up between them and leaders Essex with last week’s thumping defeat at Chelmsford.None of the ties in first-class cricket has featured identical totals in both innings, yet that prospect was on the cards here as Middlesex, who had looked as though they would reach their target comfortably while Nick Compton and John Simpson were together, began to lose wickets with disconcerting regularity in the post-lunch session.Warwickshire fought as you would expect from a side desperate for a win and stand-in captain Jonathan Trott was never without an idea that might make something happen, but they are now 48 points adrift from safety,They gave themselves a substantial shot of hope and adrenalin before lunch when Jeetan Patel managed, seemingly against all probability, to draw Compton out of his crease and had him stumped.Until that moment, Middlesex looked in command, needing 112 with six wickets in hand. Yet Warwickshire, who have not enjoyed too many good moments in a largely dismal season, used that wicket as a motivational factor and had a fresh determination as they emerged for the afternoon session.Ryan Higgins at first maintained Middlesex’s momentum but Warwickshire somehow kept themselves in it. A fine catch by William Porterfield, diving forward from gully, removed Simpson off Rikki Clarke. And from 170-6, needing 64, Middlesex stumbled three more times.James Harris was unable to get out of the way of a super ball from Boyd Rankin – among a mixed bag of a performance, it has to be said – and gave a catch behind at 193-7, Higgins popped up a bat-pad short-leg catch off Patel at 210-8 and, tantalising Warwickshire fans even more, Ollie Rayner stepped across one from Rankin to be leg before, leaving his side nine down with seven still required.Tim Murtagh and Tom Helm kept their nerve admirably, however, taking four singles off Clarke before Murtagh found a gap on the offside against Rankin and took three runs to the longer boundary.Dawid Malan, Middlesex’s acting captain, believed the key phase of the match had been the last session on day three, when Tom Helm dismissed Trott for 99 and rapidly cleaned up the tail, leaving Warwickshire at least 20 or 30 runs short of where they had hoped to be.”I think the way Tom plus Tim Murtagh and Ryan Higgins bowled at the end of day three – their spell set it up for us because at tea they had been in the driving seat and we probably bowled them out for a lot less than they should have got,” Malan said.”We desperately needed that win. We haven’t been playing our best cricket so far and have not been able to string four good days together.”We have won two and lost two of our last four which is disappointing on the loss side because we pride ourselves on being hard to beat, but positive on the winning side.”To get a win moving forward with guys due to come back from injury and England duty when the Championship starts again we are in a good position to get a few wins in a row and be pushing for the top.”The concern for Warwickshire, of course, is about finding a way somehow to get away from the bottom, although with only six matches left time is running out.Yet coach Jim Troughton still believes his team’s character remains intact, even though results suggest that time is catching up with some of the senior members of their dressing room.”Yes, we probably need to win at least half our remaining games but in 2010 we needed to win four out of five and if there is one thing you can always say this team has been good at, over the years of winning trophies and getting to finals and bringing this club a lot of success, it is being up for it in the big games that matter.”We always knew that we were hitting a period of transition and that this season was going to be tough and we’ve had some performances this season we have not been proud of, where we have crumbled under pressure or drifted through sessions.”But this is a league in which anyone can beat anyone. Somerset have shown that up at Scarborough. And in this game we have gone toe to toe with a good side so we have to take positives from that.”We need to keep asking questions of the older players. We need to compete over all four days of games and to walk off at the end of the game knowing we have given everything and (on this occasion) I don’t need to question that.”He could not question the passion of some of those players, either, as was evident in the scenes on the third evening, before and after Stevie Eskinazi was dismissed for a duck – the score at which Warwickshire had been convinced he was out in the first innings before going on to score the match-winning individual score.The umpires had to intervene, asking Rikki Clarke and Keith Barker in particular to calm down, giving Trott another challenge as captain he might not have bargained for. Troughton admitted the incident had been a cause for concern.”We had a chat with the umpires and recognised that the passion probably bubbled over a little bit,” he said.”Our members maybe sometimes ask where’s the fight, where’s the passion in our team. They definitely saw it there but to people watching without knowing the context it does not look great. So we talked about being competitive and hitting them hard but not stepping over the line.”

The fast bowler hopes to feature in Sussex’s opening fixture against Glamorgan on May 26

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-2022Jofra Archer hopes to make his return to first-team cricket later this month and has admitted that his elbow injury left him fearing for his England central contract.Archer, 27, has not played for England since their T20I series in India last March and has undergone three bouts of surgery in the last 14 months: one on his hand to remove a shard of glass, and two on his elbow.He made an aborted comeback after the first elbow surgery, playing one T20 Blast game and one Royal London Cup warm-up match for Sussex, before his second operation in December. He has since trained with England in Barbados as part of his rehabilitation, during their T20I and Test tours to the Caribbean.After missing the ongoing IPL – where he was signed for INR 8 crore (GBP 800,000 approx.) by Mumbai Indians – he hopes to make his comeback for Sussex in their opening Blast fixture against Glamorgan on May 26.”In a situation like this, when you are forced to have operations, you do think about whether you are going to play cricket again, whether you’re going to play all formats even,” Archer wrote in his column. “But the ECB gave me the assurance and peace of mind that they wanted me around for a long time.”At one point I thought I was going to lose my [England central] contract when things weren’t going well, but now I have confidence about what the future holds. Part of that is down to them not rushing me back.”After my first operation last May, my right elbow felt no different at all. Obviously, I wasn’t going to fully know whether it had been successful until I started bowling, but what I can say is that things immediately felt different after my second one in December. Now, nearly five months down the line, it’s a relief the way things are.”Yes, there have been two surgeries but honestly, I couldn’t have written my rehab comeback any better. Now, I just need some game time to be able to put my trust in the elbow. I’ve not trusted it supporting me for a long period, so it’s going to take a little bit of work to do so and bowl at full tilt.”Archer says he has not had any indication that he will only be considered a white-ball player going forwards•Getty Images

Archer plans to play “a couple” of Sussex’s second XI T20 fixtures over the coming weeks and said he is focused on regaining enough confidence in his body that he won’t be focused on his elbow alone when he makes his first-team comeback.”A lot of guys, when they have a niggle, will not push themselves because they know if they give that extra 5-10% it’s going to hurt,” he said. “Instead, they live inside their comfort zone.”That’s the hurdle I am trying to get over now, to get myself out of that zone and to full capacity; to have the confidence to play without thinking about the injury. What I can say is that I’ve been building up really nicely and bowling some really quick balls, so there’s no doubt I am not far away.”It has been reported that Archer is unlikely to play Test cricket this summer with the ECB wary of rushing him back from injury. But Archer insisted that, following a recent phone call with Rob Key, the ECB’s new managing director of men’s cricket, he has not had any indication that he will only be considered a white-ball player going forwards.”As for Test cricket this summer, I simply haven’t thought that far ahead,” he said. “I’ve not had any prompts from anyone, telling me I’m a one-format player as yet.”I still want to play everything, but my first task is the Blast and if I don’t play that properly, then I won’t be able to play Test cricket. So the focus needs to be on the cricket I’ve got lined up and we will see from there.”I am not setting ambitious targets just yet. All I want is to stay on the park for a full year without any more setbacks. I am aware there is a Twenty20 World Cup this coming autumn but I just want to be out there, having a good run.”

The hosts are looking to avoid a repeat of the chastening defeat in the third ODI, in which they were bowled out for 67

The Preview by Danyal Rasool19-Jul-2018

Big Picture

You might as well bring out all the clichés. If this was a boxing match, the referee would indeed have stopped it by now. If it was a tennis match, the chair umpire would have called “game, set, match” and pronounced it a straight-sets victory for Pakistan. But this is cricket, after all, and both sides must play through to the bitter end in the upcoming two games where the only potential outcome is further embarrassment and farce.After looking at Zimbabwe’s squad following the second ODI, it was hard to see what changes they could make to try and make this series more competitive. Nothing jumped out. After the third ODI, it wasn’t hard to see why. Zimbabwe rung the changes, perhaps for no other reason than something had to be done. The outcome was devastating. Zimbabwe plunged new depths, getting bowled out for 67, with Pakistan chasing it down in under 10 overs. The average T20 game lasts longer.It isn’t clear by now what Pakistan can learn in the last two games. They could, of course, try out new players, but would how they perform really be an indication of their talent or the inadequacy of the hosts? Will the young, inexperienced Zimbabwe side thrown into the deep end at this hour of crisis suffer scarring due to the crushing nature of the defeats?One good thing to come out of this, however, may be that it hastens both parties in Zimbabwe to the negotiating table. Zimbabwe Cricket would have seen the lack of depth to their international side, and realised they can ill-afford yet another player exodus, particularly when so much was invested to secure the return of cricketers like Brendan Taylor. The players, on the other hand, may not like becoming scapegoats for the shambolic performance of the national side this series, and could be more partial to agreeing a settlement.Pakistan, on the other hand, just need to keep the intensity up; this is a test of professionalism as much as anything else. Playing against a side so vastly inferior to their own, ensuring standards remain high and concentration doesn’t dip can present a real challenge. In the face of scarce resistance from the opposition, a mindset of complacency might be the only hazard they’d need to guard against.

Form guide

Zimbabwe LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WWWLL

In the spotlight

Peter Moor has been given the license to take the gloves off – quite literally. Having been relieved of his wicketkeeping duties, he’s effectively been asked to earn his place on batting performances alone. With the possibility of sevral players coming back into the side for the next series, depending on how negotiations go, a lot of players from this squad will make way. Moor’s ability with the bat promises much, but an average of 18.44 in 34 ODIs suggests he hasn’t nearly made the most of it. A half-century in the second ODI was sandwiched between scores of 1 and 2, and consistent performances have been hard to come by for the 27-year-old. He will be fully aware his long-term place in the side could hinge on his scores in the following two games, and he has the ability to make them impressive ones.Peter Moor has his stumps shattered•AFP

For Pakistan once more, it is likely the bowling attack will determine how competitive the fourth ODI will be. Regardless of who plays in the final XI, every single bowler on tour has the ability to blow the hosts away. You might as well draw lots. Faheem Ashraf and Junaid Khan were the chief destroyers on Wednesday, Usman Khan the game before, and Shadab Khan in the opener. Pakistan’s bowlers are sharing the wickets around, and there’s no reason to think that should change in what remains of this tour.

Team news

Having made several changes in the third game and seen them backfire spectacularly, Zimbabwe could revert to the relative safety of their XIs from the first two games, where at least some respectability was preserved.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Brian Chari/Prince Masvaure, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Hamilton Masakadza (capt), 4 Tarisai Musakanda, 5 Ryan Murray (wk), 6 Peter Moor, 7 Donald Tiripano, 8 Liam Roche/Tendai Chisoro, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Blessing MuzarbaniHaving put on a flawless display on Wednesday, Pakistan may be tempted to give the same eleven another run out, especially since they weren’t particularly stretched during a game that ended half an hour before the lunch break.Pakistan (possible): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Asif Ali, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Usman Khan

Pitch and conditions

The weather is once more expected to be cold, and the pitch flat.

Stats and trivia

• Sarfraz Ahmed hasn’t been called upon to bat much over the past year. Since the semi-finals of last year’s Champions Trophy, he hasn’t batted in seven of Pakistan’s 15 ODIs. In the eight innings he has walked out to the crease, he has scored 98 runs at 16.33.
• No player in the current Zimbabwe squad has a five-wicket haul in ODIs. Wellington Masakadza has the best figures, with 4 for 21 in a game against Afghanistan in 2015.

Ball changes and questionable decisions leave Hampshire sore as Essex sneak 12-run win

David Hopps28-Jun-2022Simon Harmer claimed career-best figures of 15 for 207 as Essex clinched a thoroughly enjoyable match by 12 runs, but Hampshire have reason for considerable pride. Everything was tilted against them, not just the excellence of Harmer, who was in his element on a pitch that turned from the outset, but some borderline umpiring decisions and unfortunate ball changes. They came as credible Championship challengers and despite defeat that status remains.That Hampshire might actually pull off an unlikely run chase was possible as Keith Barker organised late-order defiance, a dignified figure imbued with commonsense. But as the requirement fell, his ambition rose and when he clubbed heartily to long-off, Harmer had his seventh wicket and Essex had their victory.About the time that Brendon McCullum’s noon edict for county cricketers to buy into England’s spirit of all-out adventure became known, Chelmsford was a hive of inactivity. The two scoreboards were frozen in time, both showing the wrong score and the umpires were nosing through several boxes of balls trying to find some suitable replacements.Whatever the scoreboards would have the crowd believe, the real score at that juncture was Hampshire 113 for 1. An unlikely target of 299 was beginning to look gettable, especially as the expected matchwinner, Harmer, was sitting on unflattering figures of 1 for 69 in 14 overs.In actuality, Hampshire had adopted Bazball on the previous evening when Felix Organ, their slightly built opener, had swung Harmer for three sixes over the stands at straight midwicket. Two more slog-sweeps had quickly followed on the third morning. The only problem was that several had plopped into the River Can. Essex were fast running out of suitable substitutes.So the official exhorting on behalf of Bazball, county cricket style, happened to coincide not with an immediate run fest, but a crash of wickets after (to Hampshire’s mind at least) the choice of a harder ball than might have been appropriate. By lunch, Essex had put together a decisive sequence of five wickets for 36 runs in 52 balls. Harmer had improved his figures to 4 for 118. The ball was fizzing again and his authority had been regained.”What is the highest successful run chase at Chelmsford by the opposition since Harmer came to Essex?” was one query at start of play. The answer turned out to be 2, made by Surrey in four balls. Essentially then, a victorious run chase against Harmer on a Chelmsford turner was an unrealised ambition. It remains unrealised after Essex completed a 12-run win. Harmer finished with 7 for 161 – following eight wickets in the first.An even battle between bat and ball was Harmer’s assessment. “It isn’t ideal to go for that many runs,” he said. “There needed to be a bit of cat and mouse with their batters. I needed to bowl an attacking line and their best option was the slog sweep. My mindset was that if you could do that for 299 runs then I’ll take my hat off, shake your hand and say ‘well done’. We always knew we would get to a point in the season where the wickets would start to deteriorate and we would get wickets that would turn.”That Harmer would immediately take up the attack was a certainty, but it was his seventh over of the morning before he struck. Organ can draw much heart from his 65. He had stayed inside the turning ball whenever he could and also swung lustily to the leg side. He was bowled attempting a square drive: a fair enough shot, a decent ball.James Fuller was promoted up from No. 9 to No. 3 with the intention of launching a blitz upon Harmer. To force him out of the attack would have been ambitious, but a quick foray might at least set an adventurous tone and strengthen Hampshire’s conviction that they could win the game. Harmer dragged down one delivery that was duly clubbed for six but there was a seamer to contend with at the other end and, with 20 from 17 balls, Fuller fended Aaron Beard to second slip.Beard has returned from a loan spell at Sussex in good heart. If he can finally retain fitness, he can rediscover the brio of his youth. His support for Harmer was also instrumental in Essex’s win, a second wicket coming his way when Liam Dawson was adjudged to have been caught at the wicket.Hampshire are playing combative, occasionally testy cricket, and Dawson’s dismissal left them aggrieved. Nick Gubbins, typically, was a vision of politeness when he went back to a good-length ball from Harmer and was lbw. James Vince, though, felt the need to check with the wicketkeeper, Adam Rossington, whether his gloves had broken the stumps when his square cut was beaten by a lavish Harmer break-back that clipped his off bail. The decision looked fair enough.Initally, Harmer’s authority after lunch was undimmed. Aneurin Donald became the third Hampshire batter to be bowled by a big turner after playing back to cut. Ben Brown, who played Harmer as solidly as anybody in both innings, was lbw after he switched around the wicket.At 208 for 8, made at four-and-half an over, Bazball then relented as the two elder statesmen of the side, Barker and Kyle Abbott, opted for a more orderly approach. With the ball softening, two such imposing, battle-hardened figures could not be entirely discounted. They added 41 in 13 overs without any sense of risk. A crossword clue could be completed in the knowledge that nothing outrageous would be missed. Then Beard brought one back and Abbott was lbw to something that felt distinctly leg-sidey.”The draw’s the second-favourite result now,” opined a spectator in front of the media box. Were there reports of storms in Borehamwood? But the skies were clear and so was the result as Barker, emboldened by a pulled six against Snater, got out the reverse sweep to take four leg byes off Harmer and then perished at long-off.So Harmer had the last word – if you don’t count the grumbles from Hampshire’s skipper, Vince. There were plenty of them and they were justifiable to an extent, but only to an extent. He sounded a little too much like an English professional who resents a turning ball. And considering that Hampshire manufactured a turning pitch only last September to try to keep their title challenge alive, he could only protest so much.”Due to the conditions we had to play village cricket really and attack the short side and hope you got lucky,” he said. “The pitch from day one was turning a hell of a lot. Harmer took wickets right from the word go. In the first innings a lot of the guys tried to play it properly and defend the good ones but it was just doing too much and you were never going to survive a few overs before one bounced over the shoulder. He is a world-class bowler who is going to exploit those conditions.”We did the hard work and we saw as the ball got older it spun less, then they changed the ball a couple of times. We had one that came out after 30 overs which still had writing on it and then we lost six wickets in next to no time and the ball started seaming around from the other end as well. They said they felt that there wasn’t a ball exactly the same so they went for a newer one rather than a slightly older one. It leaves a bitter taste especially as we got so close. There were some uncontrollables there that stopped us from getting all the points.”We were hoping to come up and go man for man against a decent Essex team and let the best team come out on top, but the conditions prevented that from happening.”

Pakistan’s captain was thrilled by the crowd that showed up at the National Stadium to watch the final day unfold

Danyal Rasool16-Mar-2022Babar Azam has acknowledged that Pakistan’s pragmatic approach to the final day in Karachi had been shaped by the magnitude of the target Australia had set them. When the fifth day began, Pakistan needed to survive 90 overs, or, more improbably, score a further 334 runs to gun down the fourth-innings target of 506.But with the game stretching into the final hour and Babar and Mohammad Rizwan looking fairly comfortable having put on 115 for the fifth wicket, the prospect of a remarkable late dash to the target was beginning to take shape. But Babar and Rizwan appeared to resist the temptation, and while Babar explained that the chase was never quite on, it didn’t stop him from taking great pleasure in his knock.Related

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• 'If we took a couple of catches it might be a different scenario' – Cummins

• When Babar, Shafique and Rizwan made Karachi dream

“This innings holds a lot of meaning for me, because the team needed it,” he said. “We were realistic about the chase. We wanted to bat normally till tea, and then if we found ourselves in a situation where we could go for the chase, we were good. But we lost wickets, unfortunately, so we didn’t really think of the chase. We needed to save the game. If I’d stayed for longer we might have tried to chase it.”When Babar and Faheem Ashraf fell off successive balls, any ideas about a chase were immediately killed off, with Pakistan facing a final-hour battle to stave off defeat. “Rizwan and I were discussing what the situation demanded because the wicket wasn’t easy for the new batter,” Babar said. “The spinners were getting help. I had belief the way Sajid [Khan] and Nauman [Ali] batted, so I had trust in them to save the game for us.”‘Abdullah Shafique was outstanding in the way he played the new and old ball and the patience he showed’ – Babar Azam•PCB

The pitches for the series have been a perpetual point of focus, with further scrutiny on the Karachi strip after the one in Rawalpindi was rated “below average” after a dull draw that saw just 14 wickets fall over five days. There was more assistance for the bowlers in Karachi, though it was reverse-swing that provided the most salient threat rather than the cracks in the pitch assisting spin. Babar said the conditions were the same for both sides, and thought the pitch had plenty to offer the bowlers.”You get reverse for the fast bowlers here; they found it and so did we. The spinners found turn, too. I don’t think there was a difference in the reverse-swing they got in both innings. They got plenty here, too. There were a lot of soft dismissals in the first innings which can make you think it was reversing a lot. It was happening in the second innings too, but our batters were at their best. You get reverse-swing here in first-class cricket too, so they have an idea how to tackle it. When you’re playing against one of the best teams, they’ll give you a tough time.”Babar revealed how he had motivated his side after a dispiriting third day, which saw Pakistan bowled out for 148 in 53 overs, giving Australia a 408-run lead. “You get motivation from your teammates,” he said. “In the first innings, we didn’t bat like we wanted but in the second innings, we had belief that we could save the game. We told the boys ‘What’s gone is gone and we have to focus on the present.’ The veteran players showed their experience. We told each other that ups and downs happen in Tests and to play session by session. I tried to give them confidence. Abdullah Shafique was outstanding in the way he played the new and old ball and the patience he showed.”This tour’s hype isn’t just about what happens on the field, but also what surrounds it. With Australia in Pakistan for the first time since 1998, a large, frenzied crowd came out to watch Pakistan pursue history, either by chasing down the target or surviving more overs to save a Test than any side since 1939. It embellished an already dramatic day, and its value wasn’t lost on the Pakistan captain.”When you play in front of your crowd and they support you, that feeling is so good I can’t explain it,” he said. “When the whole stadium backs you, it’s brilliant. We’re so happy that cricket is back, and we’re playing against such a big team here.”

The pair added 121 on the fourth day as England were dismissed for 255 ensuring a 0-0 draw in the series

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2017
ScorecardFile Photo – George Bartlett scored a steady 76•Getty Images

England Under-19s, led by contributions from George Bartlett and Delray Rawlins, played out a draw on the final day of the second Youth Test against India Under-19s in Nagpur.England resumed on their overnight score of 34 for 2, with David Houghton having retired hurt on the third evening. Bartlett and Rawlins came out and added 121 runs for the third wicket, setting the base for England’s effort on the day.Bartlett pressed on to bat for over three hours on the fourth day for his second fifty of the series, which took his series tally to 323, the best for batsmen from both sides. His partner at the other end, Rawlins, who ended as the second-highest run-getter in the series with 274, and was dismissed for 49.Once both batsmen fell, with the score still under 200, Aaron Beard’s unbeaten 34 saw the side through to the draw as the side were bowled out for 255.Left-arm spinner Harsh Tyagi returned best overall figures for India with 5 for 127, including a four-for in the second innings.England began the first day of the match on the back foot, finding themselves at 3 for 1 in the third over after opting to bat. The new-ball pair of Rishab Bhagat and Kanishk Seth took the three wickets, with Bhagat striking off successive balls in the second over.Rawlins, who was the second-highest run-getter in the preceding ODI series, spearheaded England’s restoration, scoring 140 runs, including 19 fours and two sixes. He strung a sixth-wicket stand of 161 runs – the highest in the match – with Will Jacks, who made 77 off 190 balls. Batting at No. 10, Henry Brookes contributed a crucial 60, hanging on to add 51 runs with Beard for the ninth wicket, to take England past 300.India’s response to England’s total of 375 was steered by Saurabh Singh’s 109, while Daryl Ferrario, Siddharth Akre and opener Abhishek Goswami chipped in with half-centuries each. The highest partnership of their innings was worth 97 runs for the fifth wicket between Saurabh and Ferrario, which helped take their total to 388 for 9 on the third day, giving them a slender lead of 13.

Middlesex overcame a 153-run deficit on first innings, as well as a Craig Overton hat-trick, to secure a tense one-wicket win over MCC in Abu Dhabi.

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2017
ScorecardCraig Overton’s hat-trick couldn’t rescue MCC•Getty Images

Middlesex overcame a 153-run deficit on first innings, as well as a Craig Overton hat-trick, to secure a tense one-wicket win over MCC in Abu Dhabi. John Simpson’s unbeaten 89 provided the crucial plank in Middlesex’s chase of 305, as the wicketkeeper helped the last three wickets chisel out 64 runs after Overton had appeared to swing the match towards MCC.Harry Podmore and Tom Helm, who had shared six wickets to help skittle MCC for 151 in their second innings, kept Simpson company in partnerships of 36 and 22 respectively and, although Mason Crane removed both as part of a four-wicket haul, No. 11 Ravi Patel hung on to help complete victory.Simpson was the hero when Middlesex chase 302 eight down at Taunton last year, on the way to the club’s first title in 23 years. MCC’s Somerset trio of Overton, Lewis Gregory and Jack Leach did their best to undermine Middlesex again, taking 15 wickets between them, but the champions ultimately proved too strong.MCC saw their last two wickets fall on the third morning with only four added to the overnight score; Liam Plunkett was unable to bat after straining a calf earlier in the match. That still meant Middlesex needing to score considerably more than the 179 they managed in the first innings for victory.They were given a much stronger base by the top order second time around. Nick Gubbins and Nick Compton both struck half-centuries and they looked to be cruising to their target on 242 for 4 in the 54th over.Enter Overton, wicketless to that point. He pinned Steve Eskinazi lbw for 44, had Middlesex captain James Franklin caught behind first ball and then won another lbw decision against James Harris to change the complexion of the innings. Simpson, however, stayed calm and ticked off the runs with the lower order to ensure Middlesex would start their season with a win under lights.