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Combined figures of 5 for 33 from eight overs, bowled by Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, handed Mumbai Indians a place in the IPL playoffs

The Report by Mohammad Isam17-May-2015Lasith Malinga sent Shikhar Dhawan’s off stump flying in the first over•BCCI

Combined figures of 5 for 33 from eight overs, bowled by Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, handed Mumbai Indians a place in the IPL playoffs. Mumbai ended in second place in the points table behind Chennai Super Kings, after a rousing nine-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.Mumbai finished the match with 6.1 overs to spare to complete a great comeback to the season, which began for them with four consecutive defeats. Sunrisers, though, hardly turned up in their own ground despite having a head start when David Warner called correctly at the toss.Warner’s decision to bat first was a straightforward one given the sheen on the pitch, but it all fell apart in seven deliveries. Sunrisers’ best batsmen this season have been Warner and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, by a distance.Malinga got the ball to get under Dhawan’s bat in the first over, sending him back for just 1. Next delivery, McClenaghan bounded in and got one to hurry into Warner who was caught nowhere playing the pull. The ball took a leading edge and fountained in the air, only to be gobbled up by Kieron Pollard who was coming in from point.Malinga and McClenaghan gave away just 13 runs in the first four overs they bowled together. Eoin Morgan got a boundary off Vinay Kumar in the fifth over before McClenaghan hurried another to the batsman, this time Morgan top-edging to third man for a simple catch. McClenaghan added the wicket of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 17th over to finish with 3 for 16 from his four overs.KL Rahul got a couple of fours, but then it was J Suchith’s turn to stutter the home side further. In the 10th over, he first had Moises Henriques stumped for 11, before removing the out-of-form Naman Ojha for a first-ball duck, the batsman chipping to Rohit Sharma at cover. Rahul fell in the 13th over after he dragged a Harbhajan Singh short delivery on to the stumps for 25. From 61 for 6, there was very little hope remaining for the hosts.Ashish Reddy, who was brought into the side in place of Bipul Sharma, struck the first six of the innings when he clouted Harbhajan over midwicket but he too fell the following over, caught at point. Dale Steyn knocked three fours in his 11-ball unbeaten 19 but it was never going to be enough.Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel found three fours each in the first six overs of the small chase. Parthiv was the aggressor among the pair, adding fours quite regularly. Parthiv, though, survived a stumping chance on 34 when his opposite number Ojha couldn’t gather Karn Sharma’s googly in two tries, leaving Parthiv with little to do but plonk his bat back in the crease in time.The legspinner Karn gave 22 runs in his second over, with Simmons cracking two consecutive sixes over midwicket after Parthiv had scored two fours off the second and third deliveries. Karn eventually took the wicket of Simmons, but by then, the batsman had made 48 off 44 balls with four fours and the two sixes, and with the score at 106. Parthiv remained unbeaten on 51 off 37 balls with the help of nine fours, and quite aptly, struck the winning runs in the 14th over.Simmons and Parthiv added their second hundred-plus opening partnership of the season as Mumbai cruised to set up a clash with the table-toppers Super Kings for the first qualifier in Mumbai on May 19.

Lasith Malinga has flown to India for the World T20; his team-mates are already in the country, but Malinga had to stay behind to undergo treatment on his knee

Sa'adi Thawfeeq14-Mar-2016Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who has been under an injury cloud, has finally flown to India for the World T20. The rest of his team-mates are already in the country, but Malinga had to stay behind to undergo treatment on his left knee. He is still doubtful for Sri Lanka’s opening game, though, against Afghanistan on March 17.Malinga described his injury as a “bone bruise”. Doctors say it occurs as a result of sustaining forceful impacts while playing sports. In the case of a bowler like Malinga, his left knee supports his entire body weight during his delivery stride.”This is a bone injury that cannot be operated or treated medically. I am having only some injections [not pain killers] to make it heal. The only remedy for it is rest,” Malinga said at the airport in Colombo on Sunday. “I will practice in the next few days with the team and see how my knee is taking up the pressure. If I don’t feel any pain I will play in the opening match, but if not it is a decision for the selectors to make.”Malinga has been nursing this injury since last December. He missed the two-match series against New Zealand, came back for the Asia Cup in his designated role as Twenty20 captain, but was sidelined immediately after a match-winning display against UAE. In fact, Malinga has played only five of Sri Lanka’s 13 T20Is since the start of 2015, in a very scattered manner: one match in May, one in July, one in August, two in November and his final game was in February 2016.Malinga’s fitness issues forced a change in leadership and Angelo Mathews was appointed captain of Sri Lanka for the World T20. But the selection panel – both the current one led by Aravinda de Silva and the previous one led by Kapila Wijegunawardene – seemed reluctant to completely rule Malinga out because of the impact he can have. He is the most successful bowler in the World T20 – 38 wickets in 31 matches. Overall he has 299 wickets in T20 cricket.Malinga, who had hinted at retiring after the World T20, said on the flight to Kolkata: “Why do the selectors want to pick a half-fit bowler like me when there are other fit bowlers around?”

Abbas and James Fuller share seven wickets to set up emphatic result inside three days

ECB Reporters Network09-Apr-2022Mohammad Abbas claimed four wickets as LV= Insurance County Championship hopefuls Hampshire thumped Somerset by an innings and 113 runs inside three days. James Fuller had torn through the top order with a trio of quickfire wickets in a brutal morning spell, before Pakistan international Abbas dispatched the middle-order for figures of 4 for 22.Hampshire missed out on only a single batting bonus point to claim 23 points as they secured only their second innings victory over Somerset – who received a single point from the match after being bowled out for 180 and 135 – since 1957.Hampshire have only won two Championships in their history – in 1961 and 1973 – with the closest they’ve come to red-ball silverware since upping sticks to the Ageas Bowl a second-placed finish under the late Shane Warne’s captaincy in 2005.The famed commentator and journalist John Arlott wrote that the ’61 team was “deep in run-making power, soundly equipped at all points of attack and in which every man was worth his place – a true Championship side”. Those words look like they could equally be applied to their modern counterparts, at least on the early evidence of three perfect days.A menacing bowling attack, led by the highly experienced Test duo of Abbas and Kyle Abbott coupled with a batting line-up which feasibly has centuries down to No. 10, gives the county their best chance of a title in many a generation.”From the very first ball we dominated the game,” Hampshire’s captain, James Vince, said. “I’m not sure there is [an area to improve]. I left at lunch on day one and I believe we lost our lines and lengths for a bit but quickly rectified it to bowl them out for 180. You aren’t going to get every ball in the match right but I think we dominated every session.”It is an outstanding start and gives us an extra day off to prepare for the Oval. It is a great confidence booster. It is only early doors but if we can get close to replicating that performance then after the first chunk of the season, we’ll be sitting pretty.”Realistically they knew 10 wickets would likely be enough to taste victory on day three, but a solid opening hour between Ben Green and Tom Lammonby suggested a tough day’s graft was in order. The opening pair put on 50 in considered style, on a pitch proved placid by Hampshire’s 428, before Fuller entered the attack to take three wickets in 22 balls.Green was bowled through the gate, skipper Tom Abell was trapped in front trying to work to the leg side and Lammonby turned a short ball behind – having twice looked uncomfortable against bouncers.Abbott returned for his second spell of the day, only to be flayed for 12 runs in an over by Lewis Goldsworthy, before starting the next over with a James Hildreth boundary. The South African therefore celebrated with a predictable send-off when he pegged the first-innings half-century maker’s off stump back.Post-lunch, Hampshire ran rampant and with little restraint. Abbas was Somerset’s main punisher as Steven Davies edged to second slip to the first ball on resumption, Roelof van der Merwe was castled attempting to drive and Peter Siddle steered into the cordon.Keith Barker had Goldsworthy squared up and deflecting to first slip before the left-arm seamer turned catcher at short third man as Ned Leonard aimed an impatient slog at Liam Dawson’s spin.Abbas returned again to send Marchant de Lange’s off stump for a tumble and secure the victory at 2.40pm – the first side in the country to win in 2022.”It is very disappointing,” Abell said. “Coming here we were in a pretty optimistic mood, particularly with how pre-season had gone. We expect more from ourselves, particularly with the bat where we haven’t given a good account of ourselves. They are a world-class attack and we didn’t have the answers. The most disappointing thing is that we haven’t shown enough backbone or fight.”Somerset’s performance must be put in some context. Seven players were already made unavailable before travelling to Southampton, then George Bartlett succumbed to a shoulder injury the day before the game and Jack Brooks woke up with an illness.Their inexperience showed in the bowling of Ned Leonard and Kasey Aldridge, 19 and 21 respectively, with some quick, exciting stuff beset by an understandable lack of consistency. The batting also largely struggled against the trio of Abbas, Abbott and Barker.The good news is the majority of their absentees are set to return against Essex next week, including Craig Overton, Jack Leach and Jack Davey – who featured for the Second XI against Cornwall on Saturday.

England are staring at an 11th defeat in 12 Tests Down Under

Alan Gardner19-Dec-2021Australia maintained their vice-like grip on the second Test, ripping out four England wickets before the close of day four at Adelaide Oval. Half-centuries from Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had enabled the home side to declare their second innings 467 runs ahead, and with more than four sessions still to play – and although England fought to see out the night under lights, the dismissal of Joe Root from what became the final ball of the day was a hammer blow to their hopes of salvaging something from the game.Already 1-0 up in the series and sitting on a 282-run lead overnight, the contest was set up for Australia from the outset. England managed to chip away and avoid being completely overrun, but by the time that Steven Smith called his men back to the dressing room just over an hour into the evening session, the scale of their task in attempting to avoid an 11th defeat from 12 in Australia was clear.England’s brittle batting was soon back in the spotlight – and before the floodlights had even started to fire up. Jhye Richardson struck with his sixth ball, Haseeb Hameed propping forward only to see the ball prance and take him on the glove, as England’s opening stand – so far worth 0, 23, 7 and 4 in the series – failed again.Related

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Rory Burns did succeed in carving out some time at the crease, as he and Dawid Malan battled through to tea and beyond during a 44-run partnership. But with the pink ball, glowing in the twilight, fizzing and spitting at the behest of Nathan Lyon, who bowled a relentlessly probing round-the-wicket line to the two left-handers, it seemed only a matter of time before further Australians dividends would be forthcoming.Lyon deserved to make the breakthrough, only for Smith to put down a regulation slip catch with Malan on 19. The reprieve was brief, however, as Michael Neser found some nip back in to beat a tentative defensive push and pin Malan lbw to his very next ball – a dismissal upheld with three reds on review.Burns used the DRS to overturn a caught-behind decision on 30, and had faced 95 balls when he finally succumbed to Richardson, who scrambled the seam to produce a thick edge that was taken low in the cordon. Root and Ben Stokes then battened down the hatches in an attempt to reach the close. They were just four balls away from achieving that goal when Root, having been hit painfully on the box a few overs earlier – the second low blow he had suffered in the day – edged Mitchell Starc behind to spark jubilation among the Australians.Joe Root was struck in the groin shortly before his dismissal•Getty Images

It was not a good day for English dignity. In a hole and facing the prospect of Australia steadily driving home their advantage, the tourists initially took the field without their captain, Root requiring a scan after being hit in what the ECB euphemistically termed “the abdomen” while taking some throwdowns – this time not wearing a box. It all added to the sense that this Ashes tour is becoming yet another cock-up and balls story.A lively start followed, belying the lack of tension in the game. Neser was nearly run out from the first ball of the afternoon, the nightwatchman only just making his ground to beat a direct hit from point after being sent back. He was then bowled in the second over, James Anderson finding some seam movement to beat Neser’s forward defensive and hit the top of middle stump.Two balls later, Stuart Broad found Marcus Harris’ outside edge to dismiss the Australia opener for the fifth time in four Tests – Jos Buttler completing the dismissal with a flying one-handed catch. But the punchline was still to come, as Broad induced a first-ball nick behind from Smith, only for Buttler to send an easier chance clanging to the ground. Broad’s next delivery brought a confident no-look lbw appeal from the bowler, but Rod Tucker remained unmoved – and DRS backed up the decision on umpire’s call.Smith was not able to cash in on his good fortune, gloving a short ball from Ollie Robinson down the leg side – Buttler lurching back into the sublime with a one-handed take – to give Australia’s stand-in captain his first single-figure score in an Ashes Test since the 2017-18 day-nighter at Adelaide.England had taken 3 for 10 from 12 overs and given themselves something to smile about. But a further sign of their parlous position came when Robinson opted to switch to bowling offspin – apparently in a bid to lift the over rate. Root returned to the field shortly after and Australia began to ease back on to the front foot, Head’s counterattacking knock lifting them from 4 for 55 to 4 for 134 at the dinner break.Head added 89 in good time alongside Labuschagne, as Australian thoughts began to turn once again to the possibility of a declaration. Head became a second wicket for Robinson – now back to bowling seam – shortly after bringing up a 49-ball fifty on his home ground, and England soon resorted to bowling Malan’s part-time legspin in tandem with Root, rather than put miles into the legs of their quicks. Malan claimed Labuschagne as his maiden Test victim, but four wickets falling to spin only seemed to underscore England’s errors in selection. And Australia will not worry themselves with that.

A number of factors are weighing the visitors down in New Zealand, and not all of them are cricketing

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2022South Africa’s support staff are struggling to put a finger on why the team’s form has swung so dramatically from their victories against India to staring at an innings defeat after two days in New Zealand. “The energies are way below par,” head coach Mark Boucher said on Friday, but not solid explanation has been forthcoming. It could be a combination of factors: the experience of a ten-day hard quarantine for the first time; an unfamiliar venue – South Africa have never played a Test at Hagley Oval before; off-field issues, with Boucher’s disciplinary hearing pending; and a lack of clarity around selection. Not to mention New Zealand’s outstanding command of their own conditions.Related

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Boucher obliquely addressed all of them in his press conference on the second day, which ended with South Africa 34 for 3 in their second innings, trailing New Zealand by 353 runs. “It’s extremely disappointing, especially after the series we just had against India. There was high expectation from everyone,” he said. “We just haven’t come out and given the energy that’s expected of us. I can see the energies are way below par.”Asked if South Africa’s history of being slow starters may have been taken to a new level, Boucher was unsure but said the preparation for the series had been as thorough as always. “We haven’t started well here at all and it’s not the first time it’s happened. It’s something that’s been happening for quite some time. We are trying to find out the reasons for that,” he said. “We do a lot of talking and planning throughout the series and the plans are right, but we haven’t been able to execute on those plans. The energies have been low. We can’t put our finger on it. We have to try to find a way to become better at the start of the series.”South Africa came into this series on a high after a come-from-behind Test series win against India, at home, but also on the back of the news that some of the current squad members would be asked to testify at Boucher’s disciplinary hearing in May. The individual players who may appear at the hearing have not yet been named and, with proceedings still ongoing, Boucher could not comment on whether it has been affecting the players. “I can’t answer that for the players,” he said. “What’s happening in my personal stuff stays personal. There’s a process that’s going on and we will leave it at that.”Boucher faces charges of “gross misconduct” over racial issues and CSA is seeking his dismissal over matters, including his handling of the Black Lives Matter movement over the last two years. One of CSA’s accusations is that the changeroom was divided by race and Boucher addressed the white players while team manager Kgomotso Masubelele, who is black, held discussions with players of colour. Both Boucher and Masubelele remain in their roles and it is not known if Masubelele will also appear at the hearing.Even if that alleged incident is not directly affecting the team at the moment, conversations around race are never far away in South African cricket. ESPNcricinfo understands that reserve batter Ryan Rickelton, who was with the squad during the India series and has scored three hundreds in his last five first-class innings and averages 118.25 this summer, was the favourite to be selected as the extra batter at No. 7. But transformation considerations led to Zubayr Hamza, in the squad because Keegan Petersen was ruled out after contracting Covid-19, being picked instead.All Boucher said on the matter was, “There was the seventh-batter option and we decided to go with Zubayr Hamza. That’s just how we felt the line-up needed to be.”On the subject, South Africa’s selection convener Victor Mpitsang told ESPNcricinfo, “it’s not a target issue” and “experience was a factor” in picking Hamza, who has played five Tests and double the number of first-class matches as Rickelton. Hamza has played four first-class matches this season and has scored 253 runs at an average of 36.14, but scored 125* against India A in December.”We will keep going back and looking back at how best we can continue to prepare the players for tours”•Getty Images

As such, South Africa’s targets are not applied per game but on average – six of colour, of which two must be black African – over a season.The other change in the line-up was Sarel Erwee replacing Aiden Markram in the opening spot and Markram moving to No. 3 in Petersen’s absence. Neither have covered themselves in glory – and to be fair to them, no-one else has either – but Erwee has waited long enough to be given a decent run. He has been part of South Africa’s squad over the last 18 months, in which Markram’s form has dwindled. After averaging over 50 in his first ten Tests, Markram averages 25.47 from his next 20 and 9.7 in his last ten innings.Boucher believed a lack of self-belief has had an effect on Markram’s game, as well as on others’. “There’s a lack of confidence and sometimes you go through bad periods in your game,” he said. “The wickets we’ve played on have been tough, especially for opening batters. And certain guys’ personal form is not where they want it to be and that’s added to not only the (struggles) in the opening partnership but in the top order.”South Africa have collapsed in both innings so far, on a green, bouncy track, with New Zealand’s quicks getting enough movement in the air. They were shot out for 95 in their first innings and teetered on 4 for 3 in their second, after New Zealand piled on 482. That’s an indication that the pitch was not unplayable and of the difference in precision and skill in the two attacks. But Boucher said it should not erase the progress South Africa made against India.”The three-match series against India was a long series. A lot of grit was shown in that series,” he said. “To wipe that series out with two really poor days in conditions guys haven’t played in before wouldn’t be fair, but I can see why people are saying it. We haven’t been good enough in all three departments. We will keep going back and looking back at how best we can continue to prepare the players for tours.”

Simon Katich and Ashwell Prince put on a 181-run stand that could be the sign of thing to come for Lancashire’s opponents in Division Two

Tim Wigmore at Old Trafford13-Apr-2013
ScorecardAshwell Prince has been joined by Simon Katich in a strong Lancashire middle-order•PA Photos

On the basis of their performances in this game, and a palpable hunger for runs, both Simon Katich and Ashwell Prince might still be playing Test cricket. As it is, their 181-run stand in the draw against Worcestershire might just be the start of the damage they inflict upon Division Two attacks this season.After a fluent 84, Katich, the former Australia batsman, put his move from Hampshire, where he lifted two trophies last season, down to the persuasive abilities of Peter Moores. “I felt that at this stage of my career, if I was going to get the best out of myself, I needed a bit more prodding,” he said. “I thought he was probably going to be the guy to be able to do that. When you do finish playing international cricket, there’s something that has to keep driving you.”I thought he would be able to extract the best out of me at this stage of my career. Obviously you need to extract it yourself, but it helps if there’s someone there to prod you as well.” Katich described leaving Hampshire as “tough” but added: “I felt for me to have a good summer and to keep going, I needed to do something slightly different.”Katich and Prince, who last played a Test for South Africa in 2011, will surely underpin Lancashire’s challenge for Division Two promotion. In a thrilling spell in the morning, they added 110 in 16.1 overs to raise Lancashire hopes of a victory, although rain – which accounted for 111 overs in the game – soon ended those. There were no pyrotechnics but a mixture of positive batting and relentlessly aggressive running was enough to score at seven an over. An almost nonchalant Prince pull for six into the building site and Katich’s classy late cuts particularly stood out.For the entertainment they provided the crowd, perhaps both deserved centuries, but Prince was denied his after being caught at midwicket on 95 attempting to hit a third six and Katich, somewhat surprisingly after the authority with which he’d played, fell attempting to cut Moeen Ali. After mislaying their discipline a little in the first hour, Worcestershire regained it impressively and will be content with a draw from what Division Two counties will regard as the season’s hardest fixture.Last season Prince averaged 44, too often mounting lone resistance amid a top-order collapse. It was a matter of mild surprise when he was ostensibly replaced as overseas player by another left-handed Test veteran in Katich. Except, he wasn’t, really: Prince signed as a Kolpak after his Cricket South Africa contract expired last month, and so two overseas players have become one. Lancashire can hardly be blamed for assembling the strongest side possible – and there are several home-grown young players at the club, notably Luke Procter and Karl Brown, who will benefit from the presence of both Katich and Prince – but it remains an anomaly in the complex player eligibility rules.Moores explained that the rationale behind Katich batting at No. 5, rather than opening as he often did for Australia, was to strengthen the middle-order alongside Prince. “There’s a lot of flexibility – they can pretty well bat anywhere,” he said. “We decided to go down the route of four-five because we thought it made it a very solid middle order. They’re two big hundred-makers to give us some continuity.”Moores said selection before the game had been extremely difficult. “It’s the toughest side I’ve ever picked, I think, to leave out Tom Smith – I don’t think we’ve ever left out Tom in my time when he’s been fully fit. And also for Stephen Moore not to play – and Stephen’s been playing well. So testament to the guys who’ve been picked, they’ve been picked because they’ve been playing very well, but we also know we’ve left out two or three people out that have been playing well.”He also confirmed that James Anderson would play in Lancashire’s next two games, against Kent and Glamorgan. “Jim’s been training with us for the last week and a half, he’s great to have around,” Moores said. “And it will be exciting to put him back in that team. Who we put him in for, that’s a different question. But he’ll play.”

“Going forward, we will definitely keep an eye out for him,” India’s T20 captain says of Venkatesh Iyer

Sreshth Shah22-Nov-2021With the 2022 T20 World Cup just 11 months away, India’s captain for the format, Rohit Sharma, wants the new players who featured in the team’s 3-0 series win over New Zealand to be given a long run to express themselves.Speaking to the media after sealing the series sweep in Kolkata on Sunday, Rohit pointed to India’s huge pool of talented cricketers and said that with so many of them making a case for selection in the Indian T20 team, the onus was on him and head coach Rahul Dravid to create that sense of security among the players.”When you’re playing bilaterals, you need to tick certain boxes, and we are trying to do that,” Rohit said. “We are trying to create a healthy atmosphere, giving the younger players security so that players can go out and play fearlessly.Related

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“In the first meeting that we had, we spoke about this very clearly. Told them that ‘if you’re trying to do something for the team, that act will never get unnoticed; you will be noticed when you raise your hand and try to take pressure on yourself and try to do something for the team’. That’s the job of the captain and coach. To tell the players that ‘we do understand what you’re trying to do for the team’.”You tell them to take their chances, and if it doesn’t come off, you still back them because we know what they are trying to do for the team.”India fielded a fairly inexperienced squad for the series, with the previously uncapped Harshal Patel and Venkatesh Iyer making their international debuts, and Axar Patel – who had played just one T20I in four years coming into the series – getting a run in Ravindra Jadeja’s absence. However, there was no place for Ruturaj Gaikwad and Avesh Khan in any of the games.”Seeing the talent pool of India, it is not easy,” Rohit said. “Most of the guys sitting outside have also done very well. It’s not easy, only 11 can play, we know that. It’s always tough, but we will try our best that whenever our players step out, they do not have any baggage.”‘Batting down the order will be tough for Venkatesh Iyer’
Rohit was also clear on what role was being considered for Venkatesh Iyer, the breakout star from the UAE leg of the 2021 IPL. Although he has been opening for Kolkata Knight Riders, the management wants him to find a place between Nos. 5 and 7 for India.

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Rohit said the team acknowledged that changing batting positions so drastically could be tough on the newcomer, his skills as a medium-pace bowler made him a tempting option.”The plan is to keep Iyer in the mix as much as we can,” Rohit said. “At the same time, we need to give him a role to bat where he usually doesn’t bat for his franchise. It’s going to be slightly tough for him to bat down the order. We’ve given him a role to bat at No. 5, 6 or 7 and see if he can do the job for us.”Today, he looked composed, he was clear in his mindset, and he has a very good approach. And you saw his bowling skills, looks a very, very bright prospect for us. He can get the job done for us, it’s about giving him the confidence and making him play as much as he can. It’s still very early days – been just three games. He’s not had much of an opportunity to make an impact but going forward, we will definitely keep an eye out for him.”The more depth we have the better it is for us. But for now, the way our bowling is going, and the way we have bowled, you don’t need a sixth or seventh bowler if the five players bowl well. But as a captain, it’s a good cushion to have.”Rohit on Ashwin: “He is always an attacking option for the captain – when he is there, the captain has the opportunity to take wickets in the middle overs”•BCCI

‘Fielding, bowling biggest positives’
Looking back at the series win, Rohit said that there were two standout positives for India. First, the fielding, which saved them around 15 runs each in the first two games, and secondly, how they managed to restrict New Zealand in the first two games despite being put on the back foot early on.In Jaipur, India took five wickets for 68 runs in the last eight overs to keep New Zealand down to 164 and in Ranchi, New Zealand managed to score only 153 despite a 64-run powerplay. In Kolkata, too, New Zealand’s batters were stymied by a varied bowling attack that bowled them out for 111 batting second in dewy conditions.Much of the praise from Rohit went to the spin duo of Axar and R Ashwin. “I think it’s been a great comeback for Ashwin,” Rohit said. “He has proved himself with the red ball and even with the white ball, he doesn’t have a bad record. It shows the quality that he has. He is always an attacking option for the captain – when he is there, the captain has the opportunity to take wickets in the middle overs. And we know how important middle overs are – you need to take wickets there.”Along with Axar, both of these guys are wicket-taking options, and when they bowl, it’s never about surviving for them. It’s about ‘how I can get the batter out, or how I can put pressure on the batter’.”

Tector, Dockrell and the bowlers combined to set up Ireland’s first ODI win against South Africa

Firdose Moonda13-Jul-2021Ireland have beaten South Africa for the first time in seven ODIs and taken 10 World Cup Super League points to advance to fifth spot on the points table. After upsetting England last year, then losing a series to Netherlands earlier this year, Ireland’s 2023 World Cup ambitions are somewhat back on track. They have also taken an unassailable lead in the ODI series, which has been reduced to two matches after Sunday washout which means Friday’s finale is a must win for South Africa to avoid conceding the trophy.It was also lucky No. 7 for Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie, who brought up his seventh ODI century to set the innings up. Balbirnie opened the batting and built the innings until the 42nd over before handing over to Harry Tector, who smashed 79 off 68 balls to take Ireland to their highest total against South Africa. Tector and George Dockrell put on 90 for the fourth wicket at a scoring rate of 11.73 to set South Africa a tough target of 291.South Africa partly had themselves to blame for the task they gave their batters. They dropped four catches – Paul Stirling on 6 and 10, Tector on 0 and Balbirnie on 74 – and lost their lengths at the death. The attack conceded 103 runs in the last 10 overs. Contrastingly, South Africa lost 8 for 88 between the 32nd and 49th overs and needed 102 runs off the last 10 overs but were unable to keep up with the required scoring rate.Ultimately, South Africa may also have cause to question their team selection after resting Quinton de Kock for a second successive match and opting to bench Lungi Ngidi after he enjoyed a good outing in the first game. Not for the first time, South Africa’s batting line-up appeared too short and they lacked a sixth bowling option.Josh Little picked up two big wickets to dent the chase•Sportsfile via Getty Images

Anrich Nortje, who returned to the team in place of Ngidi, should have had the first wicket when he squared Stirling up and induced a thick edge. Aiden Markram, at second slip, dived across Janneman Malan at first to try and take the catch, juggled it several times and it slipped out of his hands. Stirling could have been out in the next over too, when he hit Kagiso Rabada over the covers to give David Miller a catchable chance. Miller timed his jump but the ball just brushed his fingertips. At the other end, Nortje thought he had Balbirnie caught behind off the inside edge and South Africa reviewed. Replays showed the ball had caught the top flap of the pad and Balbirnie, on 11 at the time, survived. He also took back-to-back boundaries off the next two balls of the over.South Africa’s third seamer, Andile Phehlukwayo, did not concede a boundary in his first four overs leaving Stirling to attack Keshav Maharaj. Stirling slog-swept Maharaj’s for four in the 14th over and tried the same shot off the next ball but was beaten by flight, missed and was bowled. Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi operated in tandem for eight overs and conceded just 24 runs, including just one four, in that period to leave Ireland at 106 for 1 at the halfway stage. By that point, Balbirnie had reached fifty and would have known there was time, and need, for him to go big.Initially, Andy McBrine was the enforcer. He took boundaries off Maharaj and Shamsi before being given out lbw off Shamsi. The wristspinner would have had another off the next ball when Tector leaned forward to drive a wrong’un and edged but Kyle Verreynne, keeping in place of de Kock, could not hold on. Shamsi also thought he had Tector lbw the ball after that as he struck the front pad but replays confirmed an inside edge. Tector’s troubles didn’t end there. Five overs later, he ducked into a Nortje short ball and was struck on the helmet. Tector received his on-field check and was cleared to continue. The blow may have shaken Balbirnie, who rushed to a Phehlukwayo full ball in the next over and drove aerially to Rabada at deep point. Rabada had to move forward to take the catch and got to it but it popped out.Simi Singh got the big wicket of David Miller•Sportsfile via Getty Images

Luckily for Ireland, that was the end of their wobbles. Balbirnie’s century came up off 114 balls to take his average against South Africa to 75 and when he was dismissed by Rabada, left Tector to finish off. He survived a stumping chance, showed his cheek when he ramped Rabada for six and his class when he drove Phehlukwayo through the covers to bring up fifty off 54 balls. There were only 4.5 overs left in the innings at that stage but Tector was hitting the ball well enough to think about a century. He fell on his sword, and 21 runs short, when he holed out to Rabada in the deep in the last over.South Africa’s reply started confidently as Malan and Markram scored 28 runs in the first four overs. Markram appeared in good touch but tried to pull a length ball from Craig Young and found extra cover. Temba Bavuma went in similar fashion after the powerplay when he pulled a Josh Little delivery to square leg, where Dockrell took a good catch diving forward.But South Africa stabilised through Malan and Rassie van der Dussen, who shared in a 108-run third-wicket stand. Malan, opening in place of de Kock, was particularly powerful in clearing the rope on the leg side, and rotated strike well with van der Dussen but when he was dismissed, South Africa unraveled.Dockrell, who had been playing as a specialist batter and had bowled six overs for 33 runs, was given a seventh over. Malan, chasing the 90s, was on 84 when he hit Dockrell to deep midwicket and found Mark Adair. Seven balls later, van der Dussen was struck in front of middle and leg by a McBrine ball that turned past the bat and was given out lbw. He reviewed but multiple checks from the umpire confirmed no inside edge and umpire’s call on hitting leg stump.Ireland saw two new batters at the crease and brought back Little to try and prise a wicket. In his third over of the spell, Little had Verreynne caught behind, throwing his hands at a wide ball, which put expectation on Miller and Phehlukwayo’s finishing abilities. Phehlukwayo holed out to long-off to give McBrine a second and Miller played a similar stroke four balls later to all but end South Africa’s chase.But there was time for one more disaster. Kagiso Rabada was run out after Maharaj was caught off a waist-high no-ball. Rabada was running to the wicketkeeper’s end but did not make his ground, perhaps assuming the ball was dead. Maharaj and Nortje were dismissed on successive deliveries in the 49th over as Ireland completed a historic win.

She scored an unbeaten 19-ball 28 before claiming her maiden five-wicket haul

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-202134-over match: A sparkling all-round display from Fatima Sana helped Pakistan Women finish their tour of West Indies on a high note, their 22-run win by the DLS method narrowing their ODI series loss to a 3-2 margin.Sana first helped Pakistan set a challenging target with an unbeaten 19-ball 28 at the finish of their shortened innings, and followed that up with her maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs.Rain delayed the start of play, and interrupted play once more during the 19th over of Pakistan’s innings, after West Indies had put them in. With the match reduced to 34 overs a side, Pakistan stepped up their scoring rate. To the platform of 82 for 2 that Muneeba Ali’s 59-ball 39 had helped construct before the rain break, they added 108 in their remaining 15.2 overs, with Omaima Sohail (34 off 37), Kainat Imtiaz (21 off 24) and Ayesha Naseem (16 off 14) chipping in usefully before Sana provided the final flourish. West Indies’ bowlers struggled for accuracy too, sending down 20 wides with Shamilia Connell (eight) and Chinelle Henry (five) particularly culpable.Set a revised target of 194 in their 34 overs, West Indies made a strong start with Deandra Dottin (37 off 47) and Britney Cooper (40 off 53) making solid top-order contributions and two others in their top five getting past 20 as well. But Pakistan’s bowlers ensured their scoring rate remained in check, and when Stafanie Taylor fell for 21 in the 25th over, West Indies needed 74 in 55 balls with six wickets in hand.With Sana – who had already taken the key wickets of Dottin and Cooper – making regular inroads with her medium-pace, West Indies struggled against that asking rate, eventually getting bowled out for 171 off the last ball of their innings.

Preview of the first semi-final between Chittagong Kings and Duronto Rajshahi in Mirpur

The Preview by Mohammad Isam15-Feb-2013

Match Facts

February 16, Mirpur
Start time 1800 (1200 GMT)

Big Picture

Brendan Taylor’s absence will hurt Chittagong Kings•Chittagong Kings

Duronto Rajshahi have enjoyed good luck in the competition, their latest piece of fortune being Rangpur Riders’ loss to Barisal Burners on Thursday. The result put Rajshahi, Riders and Burners on ten points each, and Rajshahi qualified because they had won the highest number of matches – three – against the other two teams.In the upcoming knockout game, Rajshahi’s top order will need to play to their potential. Charles Coventry, Simon Katich, Dilshan Munaweera and the captain Chamara Kapugedera will be expected to come good, because often Jahurul Islam has had to resurrect a chase after a top-order collapse. Much will be expected of him too. Allrounder Mukhtar Ali and left-arm spinners Monir Hossain and Naeem Islam jnr have done well, but this will be the biggest game of their careers.Chittagong Kings have had their ups and downs in the tournament. They won matches with the highest margin, yet at the start of the campaign, they failed to chase 99, against Rajshahi. The loss of Brendan Taylor will also be a blow to them as the Zimbabwean had captained them through a turnaround and scored important runs too.The winner of this match will have to play another knockout contest to reach the final.

Form guide

(Most recent first)Chittagong Kings LWLWWDuronto Rajshahi LLLWW

In the spotlight

Ryan ten Doeschate has had a fruitful first BPL so far. He has a high score of 95 not out and two other fifties. He has also hit 17 sixes, so a lot will depend on him for the Kings to progress.Jahurul Islam is the standout performer for Rajshahi in the tournament, and the team’s highest scorer despite batting lower down the order. His strike-rate of 127 is also remarkable because aggression isn’t his strength.

Team news

Although Taylor will not be available for the Kings, Jacob Oram is back and Naeem Islam is also fit to play after stepping on a ball during their second last game.Chittagong Kings (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Naeem Islam, 3 Ryan ten Doeschate, 4 Mahmudullah (capt), 5 Jacob Oram, 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Kevon Cooper, 8 Enamul Haque jnr, 9 Arafat Sunny, 10 Shaun Tait, 11 Rubel Hossain.Rajshahi will have a full-strength squad barring Tamim Iqbal.Duronto Rajshahi (possible) 1 Charles Coventry, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Dilshan Munaweera, 4 Chamara Kapugedera (capt), 5 Jahurul Islam, 6 Sean Ervine, 7 Ziaur Rahman, 8 Mukhtar Ali, 9 Abul Hasan, 10 Monir Hossain, 11 Naeem Islam jnr.

Pitch and conditions

The match is scheduled to begin at 6.00 pm and the biggest concern for teams bowling second is the dew. It is late winter in Bangladesh, so it won’t be surprising if the ball becomes wet even in the first innings.

Stats and trivia