All posts by n8rngtd.top

The visitors will field at least three debutants with the squad that includes seven uncapped players

Andrew McGlashan13-Jan-2024West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is “quite clear” on the XI he will take into the first Test against Australia next week, which will include at least three debutants, and praised his largely inexperienced team with making good use of their warm-up match in Adelaide.Across the three days against a Cricket Australia XI, made up of players without BBL deals, a number of the top order spent useful time in the middle with wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva hitting a century on the final day while Kavem Hodge struck 52 and 99 and Justin Greaves was twice in the runs.The bowlers were able to knock over the CA XI for 174 in their first innings with an eye-catching performance from quick Shamar Joseph who is in line for a debut next week along with the senior pair of Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph.Related

• Meet West Indies' new names: the seven uncapped players in Australia

• Hodge, da Silva impress for West Indies after fast bowlers run through CA XI

• Da Silva hits century as West Indies find positives before Test challenge

“[I’m] quite clear on the XI,” Brathwaite told reporters. “Very happy with how all the guys went about the camp [and] went about this game. This time next week it’s about making West Indies proud.”While Brathwaite did not divulge further details of how West Indies will line up, if the warm-up game is an indication it will see Hodge and Greaves making their debuts at No. 5 and 6 respectively along with Shamar.Left-armer Gudakesh Motie, who took 13 wickets in the match against Zimbabwe a year ago, would appear to be the frontline spinner although allrounder Kevin Sinclair may have given selectors something to ponder.West Indies shuffled their batting order in the second innings with Da Silva, one of the players who was part of the Test series in Australia last time around, making the most of his chance with a hundred while Brathwaite was pleased with how Hodge twice made contributions.Joshua Da Silva spent useful time in the middle•CWI Media

“[Da Silva] took it with both hands, the opportunity to open, and he batted for a long period which is what you want In Test cricket so that was good to see,” he said. “Very pleased with how [Hodge] showed he [could] come again in the second innings and do it. That’s what we want.”Brathwaite (87 Tests) along with Roach (79 Tests) will have key roles to play in showing the way while Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Alzarri were also on the previous tour.”[You can talk about] different spells you would have faced, how the pitches played, there’s a lot of information shared,” Brathwaite said. “Obviously Kemar Roach leading the young bowling attack with experience of similar, how the Kookaburra ball reacts off these types of pitches, the lengths, especially with the new ball is very important.”West Indies also caught well during the game – something Pakistan were unable to do during their Test series, which may have cost them the Melbourne Test.”Catching is very important, especially here in Australia,” Brathwaite said. “The pitches get quite a bit of bounce so especially the slip fielders have to be sharp. That’s something the fielding coach speaks about, [but] we’ve got to keep working hard.”West Indies arrived in Adelaide on December 30 so have had the rare opportunity of spending two weeks in the same city to prepare for the opening Test, which this year will be a day game rather than Adelaide’s traditional day-night fixture with Brisbane instead hosting the pink-ball contest.”Having the time to practice here in Adelaide, get accustomed to the pitches and stuff, think that was great for us,” Brathwaite said. “As a team we are very pleased. The facilities here are outstanding and the boys made good use of them.”West Indies’ squad is missing a host of senior players including former captain Jason Holder and allrounder Kyle Mayers who opted to play in T20 leagues.

The frequency of the mega auctions and the auction purse were among the other points discussed

Nagraj Gollapudi and S Sudarshanan31-Jul-20243:35

Should the Impact Player rule stay or go?

Delhi Capitals (DC) co-owner Parth Jindal wants the Impact Player rule scrapped, while Kavya Maran, the owner of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), recommended a minimum of seven players to be retained without any restrictions on the number of overseas players bought back. There was also a split vote on having a mega auction every five years. These were some of the discussions during the meeting between the BCCI and the owners of the ten IPL teams on Wednesday, in Mumbai.The meeting, which was held at the BCCI office, was organised to discuss various points concerning retentions for the IPL 2025 season. There were also discussions on whether the right-to-match (RTM) card option should be brought back at the auction, and if a special category should be created for uncapped players to incentivise teams that have scouted and developed young talent. The frequency of the mega auctions and the auction purse were among the other points discussed.In a media release, the BCCI said these recommendations will be taken to the IPL governing council for “further deliberation and evaluation” before formulating the player regulations. The rules for both retention and auction for the 2025 season are expected to be finalised by end of August.

Impact Player ‘detrimental to Indian cricket’

The original motive of the Impact Player rule was to allow more Indian players, especially the uncapped ones, to get exposure. However, prominent players and coaches argued that it was not creating a level-playing field, with India’s Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma saying he was not a big fan of the rule because it would hold back the “development” of allrounders.Jindal agreed with Rohit’s viewpoint. “Some people want it because it gives a chance to young players to play in the IPL,” Jindal said after the meeting. “Some people don’t want it because it is detrimental to Indian cricket in terms of the development of allrounders. So it’s a mixed bag. I’m on the second camp. I don’t want it. I prefer the game as it is 11 versus 11, and I think allrounders are very important. And you have different players who don’t bowl in the IPL or don’t bat in the IPL because of this rule, which is not good for Indian cricket.”

A combination of retention and RTM? Number of retainees?

Retention was the most important item on the agenda and Jindal said it was “all up in the air” with teams requesting various numbers. It is understood Maran asked for at least seven retentions. It is no surprise considering SRH have several big names in their squad. Apart from captain Pat Cummins, the likes of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy and T Natarajan played important roles in SRH finishing as runners-up in the 2024 season.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Maran requested the IPL not to impose a cap on the number of overseas as well as capped and uncapped Indians a franchise could retain once the IPL had finalised the retention number. She said they would lean towards retaining maximum overseas players. This view was echoed by more than one franchise during a recent meeting with IPL chief operating officer Hemang Amin.The franchises had told Amin that retaining the core was critical not just from a performance point of view but it enabled teams to create fan loyalty with some of the established players. They also wanted to retain uncapped Indian talent they had deeply invested in.13:31

Runorder: Is the mega auction good for the IPL?

ESPNcricinfo has also learnt that Maran proposed that players could be secured via a plain retention process or a combination of retention and RTM at the auction or all exclusively via the right-to-match (RTM) card. The last method, it is understood, was suggested by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who had asked for as many as eight players to be bought back exclusively via the RTM method.Maran is believed to have told the gathering that the franchise would get the choice to discuss with the player whether he wanted to be retained prior to the auction or via the RTM option. This will not leave the player “disgruntled” about his retention price, she said. From previous experience, Maran pointed out that players preferred to go to the auction because they felt the retention amount was on the lower side.An RTM, which allows the market to determine the price, was previously part of the 2018 mega auction but not in 2022 when teams were revamped after a four-year cycle. Maran felt that a player could be paid better in case he preferred the RTM option, so that the auction purse would dictate his exact value. Either way, Maran said, the process would ensure transparency.

Scrap mega auction?

Jindal said while the franchises were “not on the same page on many issues”, he was “surprised” some owners wanted mega auctions scrapped.”I was surprised,” he said. “There was a debate. Some people said that there should not be a mega auction at all. There should be only smaller auctions. I’m not in that camp. I feel that it evens the playing field and it’s very good for everyone. It makes the IPL what it is. It makes it competitive. It makes it an even-playing field.”Maran was one of those in favour of having mega auctions every five years. She also proposed having just a mini-auction for the 2025 season.

Retention pot instead of slabs

During their meeting with Amin, some franchises, including SRH, had suggested that the IPL must allow them the discretion to negotiate the retention amounts with the players instead of ranking them via retention slabs which has been the norm in previous mega auctions.Maran is believed to have suggested that based on the number of players retained, the IPL could determine an amount which the franchise then would negotiate with the players.Apart from Jindal and Maran, other owners who were present at the meeting were Shah Rukh Khan (principal owner of KKR), Manoj Badale and Ranjit Barthakur (principal owner and chair of Rajasthan Royals respectively), Kiran Gandhi (DC co-owner), Rupa Gurunath and Kasi Viswanathan (owner and CEO of CSK respectively), Prathmesh Mishra and Rajesh Menon (chair and vice-president at Diageo, the group that owns RCB), Sanjiv Goenka and Shashwat Goenka (LSG owner and his son), Ness Wadia (co-owner of Punjab Kings), Amit Soni (CVC Partners, owners of Gujarat Titans) and Akash Ambani (Mumbai Indians owner), who is understood to have attended virtually.

India posted 217 for 3, their highest-ever T20I total, in their first bilateral T20I series win at home since 2019

Shashank Kishore19-Dec-2024A high-scoring entertainer that had more than 47,000 fans in anticipation of a thriller fizzled when West Indies’ middle order imploded to give India the T20I series 2-1. The orchestrators of the win were Smriti Mandhana, who hit her third straight half-century, and Richa Ghosh, who exhibited incredible ball-striking to smash the joint-fastest T20I half-century.India’s 217 for 3, their highest-ever T20I total, came from a vastly different approach from two nights ago, where 160 seemed pedestrian on the face of dew. When West Indies fought back to propel themselves to 123 for 4 on Thursday, needing 95 off 36, they had an outside chance. But Chinelle Henry’s dismissal for a 16-ball 43 led to a meltdown they couldn’t recover from, with left-arm spinner Radha Yadav walking away with four wickets.This was India’s first bilateral T20I series win at home since 2019.Mandhana tees offMandhana unfurled a stunning cocktail of classical strokes and brute force in the power play. She hit seven straight boundaries at one stage, three off Henry and three off Deandra Dottin as India counterpunched after losing Uma Chetry in the first over.Mandhana created boundary-scoring opportunities by messing with the bowler’s lengths. She didn’t allow Henry too many opportunities to swing the new ball by getting to the pitch of it and lofting imperiously through the line. The consequence of that was Henry dropping short, which was met with a ferocious Mandhana cut.It was one of those evenings where every single bowler erred in their lengths or in their planning against Mandhana. When they bowled short, she stayed leg side of the ball to open up the arc between cover and point. When they dragged down, she was quick to help them over, and when they erred on the fuller side, Mandhana cleared her front leg and swung cleanly.This helped Mandhana raise her third straight half-century, off just 27 balls, to set the base. From 61 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, India waltzed their way to 99 for 1 at the 10-over mark.Rodrigues buildsAmid the carnage from Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues was by no means a second fiddle. Having survived a close lbw shout on 6 in the sixth over while looking to nudge across the line, Rodrigues went on the offensive by picking Karishma Ramharack, the mystery spinner, for three boundaries in the sixth over.Rodrigues was her usual busy self, bringing out her trademark sweeps and chips against spinners during the course of a 98-run second-wicket stand with Mandhana before falling in the 11th. Attempting to sweep a full delivery, Rodrigues was trapped lbw for a 28-ball 39.Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues laid the platform with a rapid stand•BCCI

Bist makes an impression, Richa finishesWith the platform set, India could’ve sent in Richa Ghosh at No. 4 but they chose to persist with Raghvi Bist, playing in just her 2nd T20I. On her part, Raghvi made up for her inexperience with excellent game awareness, farming strike and allowing Mandhana first until she fell for 77, and Ghosh later to take centre stage. She did this while also tantalising with some sweetly-timed strokes occasionally, hitting two fours and a six in her unbeaten 22-ball 31.On a night when it didn’t seem like a batter could outmuscle Mandhana, Ghosh arrived and immediately carted a six first ball followed by a back-cut so late that she nearly played it off the keeper’s gloves to bisect backward point and short third. Any relief West Indies may have had having dismissed Mandhana dissipated in a jiffy.That should’ve been the extent of Ghosh’s damage, but for West Indies reprieving her in the 16th when Aaliyah Alleyne and Chinelle Henry nearly ran into each other near the wide long-on fence. Neither called for the ball that landed right between them.On 154 for 3 in 16th over at that point, India blasted 63 more with Ghosh alone accounting for 44 of those. By the time she was out trying to clear long-off, Ghosh had hit three fours and five sixes in her 17-ball half-century, the joint-fastest in T20Is alongside Sophie Devine and Phoebe Litchfield. There was no area in the arc between point and square leg that Ghosh didn’t pepper in front of the wicket.In playing a blinder of the kind she exhibited on Thursday night, Ghosh proved why she’s better off playing a finisher across in white-ball cricket, and not as an opener in ODIs, like she did in two of the three ODIs in Australia where lower-order firepower seemed non-existent.Chinelle Henry took the fight to India with 43 off 16•BCCI

Henry sizzles but West Indies fizzleWest Indies came out swinging, and India offered them two chances almost immediately. Mandhana’s reprieve off Qiana Joseph, running to her left to grab a skier at mid-off, cost them just 10 as she was out top-edging a slog to short fine in the fourth over to S Sajana.Renuka Singh’s chance to Dottin at fine leg when she top-edged a sharp Saima Thakor short ball threatened to prove costlier. But she managed just 25, in which she exhibited traits that has made her a feared batter the world over. Dottin’s dismissal hot on the heels of Mathews left West Indies at 69 for 3 in the ninth over.With the asking rate spiralling with every passing over, Henry, who had a T20I highest of 34 prior to this game, got stuck into Deepti Sharma, slamming her for two fours and a six in the 14th as she raced to 43 off 15 before getting a thick edge off a slog to Bist at short third. That was the last flicker of hope for the West Indies gone right there, and with it the possibility of a series win.

The allrounder tweaked his back during against West Indies and will miss the final series before the World Cup

Alex Malcolm17-Feb-2024Marcus Stoinis has been ruled out of Australia’s three-match T20I series in New Zealand due to a back issue with fellow West Australian allrounder Aaron Hardie called in for Australia’s last series before the T20 World Cup in June.Australia vice-captain and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade is also set to miss game one of the series on Wednesday in Wellington due to the impending birth of his third child but is expected to be available for the final two games in Auckland on Friday and Sunday.Stoinis tweaked his back in the warm-up of the second T20I against West Indies in Adelaide last Sunday but was still able to play. He made 16 off 15 with the bat but played a role in feeding the strike to Glenn Maxwell in an 80-run stand before picking up 3 for 36 to continue his excellent bowling form.Related

• Hardie ruled out of NZ with Johnson called in

• Smith, back-up pacer and other questions Australia need to answer in New Zealand T20Is

• Neser recalled for New Zealand tour, Renshaw retains reserve batting spot

• Boult back in New Zealand T20I squad; Williamson on paternity leave

But after the long flight to Perth, he missed Tuesday’s third match against West Indies and has subsequently been ruled out of the T20I series against New Zealand having not fully resolved the back complaint. Stoinis is expected to be fit for the IPL which begins in late March.Hardie is currently playing for Western Australia in a Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania in Hobart and did not travel with the squad on Saturday but will join the squad before the opening match.Stoinis remains a key figure in Australia’s T20I set-up despite losing his place in the ODI side for the World Cup semi and final last year. He was one of Australia’s most important players in the T20 World Cup triumph in 2021, playing match-winning hands against South Africa and then Pakistan in the semi-final. He also made a stunning half-century against Sri Lanka in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. His bowling has been important for Australia as well, having become a key wicket-taker over the past year in both the powerplay and middle overs.But his injury issues remain a concern for both he and Australia’s hierarchy. Australia have been reluctant to bowl him in back-to-back games due to his history and he missed games in the lead-up to and during the ODI World Cup because of several different soft tissue injuries.Australia’s other allrounders also have their bespoke injury concerns with captain Mitchell Marsh’s ankle requiring ongoing management as does Maxwell’s previously broken leg.Spin bowling allrounder Matthew Short also has an injury cloud heading to New Zealand after suffering a low-grade hamstring injury in the ODI series against West Indies which forced him to miss the T20Is.Hardie gets his chance to put forth a case for the T20 World Cup as a back-up allrounder who can bat in the middle-order if Stoinis has more injury trouble at the tournament proper. Cameron Green was not considered to be called into the New Zealand series with Australia’s selectors preferring him to remain red-ball focussed ahead of the New Zealand Test tour. Green will then play a full IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore to push his case for the World Cup squad.Fast bowler Nathan Ellis returns from a rib injury and looms as Australia’s preferred back-up quick behind Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who will all play in the New Zealand series.Sean Abbott and Jason Behrendorff are on standby for the New Zealand series although Abbott is still managing a shoulder issue that ruled him out of the final two T20Is against West Indies.Steven Smith and Travis Head both return to the T20 side for the New Zealand tour after resting from the West Indies series and look likely to be given several opportunities each in the top three as Australia tries to bed down their best side for the World Cup.

The home side have given themselves the option of playing two spinners at the SCG

Andrew McGlashan30-Dec-2022Ashton Agar and Matt Renshaw have been called up for the final Test against South Africa in Sydney as Australia prepare for the possibility of playing two spinners.Australia will have at least two changes at the SCG as they look to complete a 3-0 series win and all-but secure a place in the World Test Championship final with Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc both ruled out with broken fingers suffered at the MCG.Green’s absence creates a headache in balancing the side and both the players called into the squad provide different routes.Agar, who played the most recent of his four Tests in 2017, could bat at No. 7 and partner Nathan Lyon in a twin-spin attack should the SCG pitch, which has taken turn at various times this season, look dry for the Test.Related

• 'It's gone way better than expected' – Marco Jansen reflects on his first year as an international cricketer

• David Warner: 'Was there doubts? Yeah, of course'

• Carey is understated and unselfish, and his team-mates love him for it

• Australia crush South Africa by innings and 182 runs to secure series

• Mitchell Starc could be in doubt for India tour after injuring finger

He would likely have made the Test side in Sri Lanka earlier this year if he had not suffered a side strain during the limited-overs leg. His call-up now also puts him in prime position for a spot on the India tour in February where a left-arm fingerspinner is viewed as a key component.If Agar plays he will have to defy a underwhelming first-class record were he averages 41.84 with the ball, and a strike-rate of 82.2, although a batting average of 28.38 (and the famous 98 he made in Test debut in 2013) is viewed as a way of providing some run-scoring ability in the lower middle order, which would likely see Alex Carey move to No. 6.”Ashton offers a second spin option should the Sydney pitch be conducive to turn, as it has done in the past,” selector Tony Dodemaide said. “He also brings a solid batting component.”Matthew Renshaw had an impressive outing against West Indies•Getty Images

In the last two years Agar has only played three first-class matches which have brought seven wickets, largely due to being a regular in Australia’s white-ball set-ups. He has been preferred ahead of legspinner Mitchell Swepson, who played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and the uncapped offspinner Todd Murphy.Renshaw an option for middle order
If Australia opt for a more traditional balance then Renshaw, who has 11 caps and last played in 2018, could slot into the middle order. His versatility was noted by Dodemaide and would likely see him jump ahead of Marcus Harris who has been the spare batter in the squad throughout the Test summer.Renshaw has returned to opening the batting for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield this season having had a run in the middle order prior to that and made an unbeaten 200 against New South Wales, followed by scores of 81 and 101 not out for the Prime Minister’s XI against West Indies in Canberra.The selectors will also have to decide who replaces Starc in the pace attack. Speaking during the MCG Test, head coach Andrew McDonald indicated that Lance Morris, the fastest bowler in Australia, could be in line for a debut.That raises the question of whether Josh Hazlewood will find a spot to return having declared himself fit after a side strain he picked up against West Indies in Perth and saw him withdraw from contention for the Boxing Day Test. Scott Boland put in another good shift at the MCG with three wickets and now has 28 at 12.21 in his six Tests.”In terms of fast bowlers, it’s a blessing to have Josh returning while Lance offers a genuine point of difference with his raw pace and skill,” Dodemaide said.Australia squad for Sydney Test vs South Africa Pat Cummins, Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Matthew Renshaw, Steven Smith, David Warner

Finlay Bean adds 93, George Hill 51* as Glamorgan’s slim promotion hopes take another hit

ECB Reporters Network10-Sep-2023Glamorgan’s slim promotion hopes were further diminished as Yorkshire took control on day one of their LV= Division 2 County Championship clash at Sophia Gardens.After defeat at Worcester last week, the Welsh county have to win their penultimate match with a full set of bonus points and hope that other results go their way if they are to remain in the promotion picture.But that looks unlikely after Yorkshire closed on 330 for 3 at stumps with captain Shan Masood unbeaten on 113 and Finlay Bean hitting 11 fours on his way to 93 on a slow pitch that offered little assistance for the bowling side.The White Rose county, who beat Derbyshire at Scarborough last time out, are aiming for a second successive victory as they look to climb off the bottom of the table.The two sides drew at Headingley in May, with Yorkshire clinging on at nine down to frustrate the Welsh county.Adam Lyth hit 174 in that second innings, and, after a delayed start in Cardiff due to rain, he put on 98 for the opening wicket with Bean after Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bat first.Bean survived an lbw appeal from James Harris on 21, but there were few other scares for the visiting side as they made fairly rapid progress in the curtailed first session to walk off on 86 for 0 after 22 overs at lunch with Lyth on 45 and Bean 37.It was a seventh successive half-century stand for the opening pair in Division Two, but the partnership didn’t last long after the interval. Jamie McIlroy was unsuccessful in his appeal for lbw against Lyth in the first over after lunch, but he didn’t have to wait long for the breakthrough as Lyth chopped on and departed after hitting six fours in his 49 to leave Yorkshire on 98 for 1 in the 25th over.Yorkshire didn’t let that unfortunate dismissal disrupt their flow as Masood joined Bean in the middle and he picked up the baton from Lyth in fine style as he raced to his half-century in just 58 balls.Bean proceeded in a slightly more sedate fashion. He brought up the 200 in the 45th over and progressed to 88 from 117 balls as Yorkshire cruised to 217 for 1 at tea.The 21-year-old was denied a century as he was caught at slip by Colin Ingram off the bowling of Glamorgan skipper Kiran Carlson on 93 in the third over after tea, ending a stand of 127 with Masood.James Wharton didn’t last long as he was given out lbw for 3, with McIlroy picking up his second wicket of a frustrating day and earning his side their first bowling point.George Hill came in at No. 5 and played a supporting role as Masood closed in on his first century for Yorkshire.The pair secured a first batting point at 253 for 3 in the 59th over, before Masood made it to three figures off 132 balls in the 69th over.
And Hill completed his half-century off 76 balls just before 6pm, having danced down the pitch to attack Carlson’s bowling on several occasions, to cap a satisfying day for the visiting side.

Ramesh Mendis returned four second-innings wickets to hasten the end and skittle Ireland for 168

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Apr-2023Ireland’s collapse rolled into day three in Galle, as Sri Lanka’s spinners scythed through them twice, to secure an innings-and-280 run victory with Prabath Jayasuriya claiming a 10-wicket haul.Ireland were always likely to struggle here. They had never played in Sri Lanka before, and were thrust into unforgiving April heat, without so much as a practice match to acclimatise. But where they had given a decent account of their skills against Bangladesh, earlier this month losing the match in Mirpur by only seven wickets, they almost never strung together competitive passages in this Test.After Sri Lanka amassed 591 for the loss of only six wickets, Ireland lost 20 wickets for 311. They only managed two fifty partnerships across their innings – Harry Tector involved in both of those. After four Sri Lanka batters had hit hundreds, the highest individual score Ireland managed was 45 (Lorcan Tucker in the first innings).Day three was a blur of wickets. Ireland had begun the day on 117 for 7, but having added 23 to the overnight score, lost their last three in a heap, the team’s score at 143. Jayasuriya added two wickets to his overnight haul of five, trapping Tucker lbw, then having an advancing Mark Adair stumped two balls later. Offspinner Ramesh Mendis then claimed his first wicket of the game, getting Andy McBrine lbw with a sliding delivery – the not-out decision was overturned on review – to end the innings.His bowlers having delivered less than 53 overs in the first innings, and with Ireland still 448 runs behind, captain Dimuth Karunaratne could not have had many qualms in enforcing the follow-on.Ramesh Mendis hastened Ireland’s end in the second innings•AFP/Getty Images

Mendis, who struggled a little for rhythm on day two, would become Ireland’s primary threat in the second innings. But he did not get his first breakthrough until after left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando had struck first. As in the first innings, Fernando removed Murray Commins for a duck, the batter picking up a pair. And then he also claimed the wicket of captain Andy Balbirnie for the second time in the match, seaming a back of a length delivery away, to collect his edge. Dhananjaya de Silva held on to a sharp catch at slip.From there, the spinners took over. Jayasuriya had James McCollum caught at slip, de Silva taking another good catch. In his next over, he also got Tucker lbw, the batter reviewing unsuccessfully. Mendis then had Peter Moor caught athletically at short leg by Nishan Madushka – the second excellent catch he’d taken in that position.Ireland then built the only partnership that might pass as a resistance, with Tector and Curtis Campher combining for 60 for the sixth wicket, before another spectacular Madushka grab ended it. Seeing Campher going down for a paddle sweep, Madushka shuffled to his right, anticipating the trajectory of the shot, and got both hands to the chance, that came at about knee-height.From there, a day-three finish seemed inevitable. George Dockrell struck six boundaries in his 54-ball 32, but Mendis charged on. And worse, for Ireland, they lost Tector to a terrible run out – Dockrell turning Tector back after Tector had called for an ill-advised single, before Tector slipped mid-pitch, lost his bat as he tried to turn back, and was short by more than a metre as he tried to dive back in.When Mendis had Mcbrine caught at gully, he equalled Ajantha Mendis’ Sri Lanka record for fastest bowler to 50 wickets, both bowlers doing it in 11 Tests. Mendis has only played two Tests outside Sri Lanka however, and eight of his Tests have been in Galle, where spinners are known to dominate.Jayasuriya, who had been straining for a ten-wicket haul, completed it with the last wicket of the game, getting Ben White plumb in front with a straightening delivery.

Chasing a revised target of 152 in 15 overs, they got home with seven balls to spare

Firdose Moonda12-Dec-20234:54

Has Rinku Singh made himself undroppable?

Reeza Hendricks fell one short of an eighth fifty in his last 12 T20I innings but played a pivotal role in South Africa’s victory in a rain-affected match in Gqeberha. After the first fixture in the series was washed out in Durban two days ago, South Africa’s win now means they have an unassailable lead and India must win on Thursday in Johannesburg for a share of the spoils.Hendricks, who did not get a game at last year’s T20 World Cup and is South Africa’s leading run-scorer in the format this year, underlined his claim on the opener’s role with another authoritative knock. While Quinton de Kock, currently at the Abu Dhabi T20, will come into national contention for next year’s tournament, Hendricks’ latest efforts must secure him the other opener’s spot.Facing a tough chase of a revised target of 152 in 15 overs, Hendricks and Matthew Breetzke started briskly. They put on 42 in 16 balls before an over-eager Breetzke was run-out. Hendricks then combined with captain Aiden Markram to add 54 in five overs and by the time both were dismissed, South Africa needed 44 off the last six overs. Heinrich Klaasen fell shortly after and David Miller after that, but Tristan Stubbs and Andile Phehlukwayo secured the win with seven balls to spare.Both attacks would have been pleased with the way their spinners went, especially South Africa. Tabraiz Shamsi had the most economical figures by any bowler with a return of 1 for 18 in four overs. That he bowled a large share of his overs to India’s half-centurions – Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh – underlined how impressive his efforts were. After India were pegged back to 6 for 2, Suryakumar’s 36-ball 56 and Rinku’s unbeaten, career-best 68 off 39 took them to a competitive total.They would have liked the opportunity to score a few more runs but rain cut their innings short with three balls to spare and Gerald Coetzee on a hat-trick. A 57-minute delay meant South Africa lost five overs from the chase but the match was completed without any further interruptions.Related

• Shamsi urges SA to embrace T20 leagues: 'We've seen what the IPL has done for Indian youngsters'

• Tilak points to 'rain and wet outfield' for defeat in Gqeberha

• Is it India's best T20I XI if Rinku isn't in it?

Marco makes his mark
After finishing as the most successful first-powerplay bowler at the recent 50-over World Cup, Marco Jansen was back at it with the new ball in the shortest format. He found movement into the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal and beat the inside edge before banging in a short ball. Jaiswal could not get on top of the bounce as he tried to cut and hit it to David Miller at backward point, who took a diving catch to his left. Two balls later, exactly the same thing happened but with Tilak Varma attempting the shot. He sent it to Miller’s right and though he went for the ball with both hands he could not hold on. Tilak went on to share in a 49-run third-wicket stand with Suryakumar and hit four fours and a six before Jansen took the catch that dismissed him for 29.SKY’s the limit

India lost both openers for ducks for only the second time in T20I history, and first since 2016, and it was up to stand-in captain Suryakumar to rebuild. He had luxury of watching for an over as Varma took Jansen apart in an 18-run third over and then got in on the act with two fours and a six in Coetzee’s 14-run fourth, including a signature flick for six over the wicketkeeper’s head. Suryakumar continued on to whip Lizaad Williams over deep midwicket for six, send an Andile Phehlukwayo slower ball over short fine, sweep Tabraiz Shamsi through square and hit Jansen off his pads and over Heinrich Klaasen. He brought up 50 off 29 balls, put on 70 with Rinku, and was set to bat through but was deceived by a Shamsi googly and hit it to long-off to depart in the 14th over.Rinku breaks through the glass ceiling (sort of)
He’d already scored his first T20I fifty, off 30 balls, and kept India’s run-rate between eight and nine runs an over but with only two boundaries between the 16th and 18th overs, he wanted to finish with a flourish. He hit the penultimate ball of Aiden Markam’s last over over long-on and into the stands and then charged down the track to meet the last delivery and send the ball over Markram’s head and into the press-box window. The media area at St George’s Park is lower than at any of South Africa’s other venues – so his effort was not so much impressive for height as it was for accuracy and power. The glass has not been broken at that venue too often, but Rinku sent a spiderweb shattering through it to make his case to the Indian selectors.Put a slip in it
Mohammed Siraj started with one slip in place and immediately found Hendricks’ outside edge. The problem was that the chance went in the direction of where a second slip would have been and then snuck under Mukesh Kumar at deep third for four. Hendricks steered the next ball in the same area for a single. The next ball found Matthew Breetzke’s edge but fell short of first slip to get him off strike and Hendricks then calmed things down with a drive through mid-off. Surykakumar sensed something was coming and put a second slip in, Siraj bowled it wide, Hendricks flashed and edged again. The problem was that the chance went where third slip would have been and beat deep third for four more. The over ended with a straighter delivery and a warning. Siraj was hunting the edge but he had to wait until the 10th over to continue his quest.India fight back – a little too late
Hendricks’ dismissal was sandwiched inbetween Markram not getting enough on a shot he hoped would carry over deep square leg and Heinrich Klaasen pulling Siraj to wide long-on as South Africa lost 3 for 12 in nine balls. If there was a time for India to take back some control, that was it. Kuldeep Yadav bowled a boundary-less third over, Siraj found another edge as a chance off David Miller evaded first slip and then was at deep backward square to take the catch when Miller hit Mukesh Kumar in that area, but South Africa were batting deep. New Test squad member Stubbs and Phehlukwayo saw it through to delight a near-full St George’s Park crowd.

Mathews fell for 39 in his farewell Test, even as Chandimal’s fifty helped SL reduce deficit to 127

Madushka Balasuriya19-Jun-2025Partnerships were the name of the game for Sri Lanka as every top-order batter chipped in to whittle away at Bangladesh’s healthy first-innings total of 495. By stumps, Sri Lanka’s deficit had been trimmed to just 127.A majority of it was cut down courtesy Pathum Nissanka, who struck a career-best 187 off 256 balls. It was his first ton on home soil, and a knock that had seen him dominate from the first new ball to the second. He would have been eyeing a maiden Test double hundred – to go with one in ODIs – but that second new ball and the unpredictability of a wobble seam combined to dislodge him, as Hasan Mahmud sneaked an inducker through bat and pad late in the day.That wicket may end up keeping Bangladesh’s heads from dropping heading into day four, after the Sri Lanka batters had spent the majority of day three steadily shaking out any confidence the visitors may have gathered during their dominance on the opening two days.Nissanka was part of four steady stands, alongside Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis, which were worth 47, 157, 89, and 38, respectively. More pressingly for Bangladesh, the scoring during each of these stands came at a fair clip, with Sri Lanka’s run rate consistently hovering around four an over.Dinesh Chandimal and Pathum Nissanka added 147 for the second wicket•Sri Lanka Cricket

But even following Nissanka’s dismissal, any respite seemed short lived as Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu already sped to a stand of 37 off 45 deliveries by the end of play. For Bangladesh, the four wickets were shared equally among Mahmud, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan and Mominul Haque. But with three of the five bowlers employed going at over four runs runs an over, it was a tough day out for the visitors.On a surface that had started showing signs of deterioration – but one that was still good for batting by Galle’s usual day three standards – Sri Lanka’s batters showed Bangladesh where theirs had faltered. Well, as much as you could falter having scored 495.Bangladesh had spent the first two days content at progressing at a touch above three runs an over, rarely shifting pressure on to the Sri Lanka bowlers. In the end, it proved to be the difference between a total of near-500 and perhaps 600.Fine margins, usually, but with Sri Lanka knocking off 75% of Bangladesh’s total in just three sessions, there now lies the very real possibility that Bangladesh could be asked to bat out day five – rain allowing – just to save the Test. And while this Galle surface has been more batter-friendly than usual, the ball misbehaved occasionally, and you imagine that will only get more frequent over the next two days.That said, Sri Lanka still have work to do to make that possibility a reality. But you wouldn’t back against them judging by how they went about their batting across the day.Angelo Mathews got a guard of honour from the Bangladesh players•Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images

Aside from a brief period before tea, when scoring slowed to a trickle, Sri Lanka’s batters had it all their own way. This was down to a combination of positive intent from the batters, and some inconsistent lines and lengths from the Bangladesh bowlers. Nissanka, in particular, was batting with supreme authority: anything short was dispatched square, and anything overpitched was laced through the covers.His aggression, and ability to alleviate even small periods of pressure with a boundary or two, meant the pressure on his partners was kept to a minimum. It saw Chandimal notch up a 33rd Test fifty, while Mathews, too, might have enjoined a similar milestone if not for being at the end of one of those rare deliveries that misbehaved. Mominul, the part-timer, got one to dip and turn past Mathews’ forward defence, tickling the outside edge on the way.Each of the wickets to fall, in fact, were against the run of play. Debutant Udara had made it look a far cry from his first Test during a fluent 34-ball 29, before chipping a leading edge back to Taijul. Chandimal, meanwhile, clipped a leg-side offbreak low to leg slip off Nayeem.But with each wicket, Sri Lanka simply dusted themselves off and set about putting together another brisk stand. It was a sharp contrast from Bangladesh’s innings, which had two mammoth stands in the middle, but either side of those had only one reach even 20.Sri Lanka had begun the day with similar efficiency, wrapping up the Bangladesh innings inside the first 15 minutes of the morning session. Asitha Fernando did the honours, ending with figures of 4 for 86.

The appointment has been made only for the upcoming three-match series against Zimbabwe

Mohammad Isam22-Jul-2022Wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan has been made Bangladesh’s T20I captain only for the upcoming three-match series against Zimbabwe in Harare. He replaces Mahmudullah, who had been the captain in the shortest format since 2019, but lost out on the leadership role due to a lack of performance and results.The BCB held a meeting with Mahmudullah on Friday to inform him of the decision.The BCB has made several changes in the T20I squad for Zimbabwe, resting Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, who had earlier taken leave from the entire white-ball tour. Mushfiqur skipped the West Indies tour to perform Hajj.ESPNcricinfo understands that the appointment of Nurul is a stopgap arrangement until Shakib, who is also Bangladesh’s Test captain, takes over the captaincy full-time when he returns to the side for the Asia Cup, which is scheduled to begin at the end of August.Parvez Hossain Emon, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Hasan Mahmud have been included in the squad. Mehidy is a Test and ODI regular, while Shanto played all three matches in the ODI series against West Indies. The uncapped Emon is a left-handed opener while Mahmud, who has played three ODIs and a T20I, is a seamer recovering from a long-term injury.Mahmud also returned to the ODI side which continues to miss Yasir Ali and Mohammad Saifuddin due to injuries. Ebadot Hossain has been dropped from the side.”We have been discussing our performances in Tests and T20Is which have not been up to the mark recently,” Jalal Yunus, BCB’s cricket operations chairman, said. “We have made a change in the captaincy. Nurul Hasan will lead the side in Zimbabwe. We have informed the decision to Mahmudullah in this meeting. We have made several changes in the team, and have rested Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan to try out a few young players.”Mahmudullah led the side in 43 T20Is – the most of any Bangladesh captain in the format – winning 16 and losing 26 matches. His most significant results were the series wins over Australia and New Zealand at home last year. But it is argued that winning these two series, which were played on raging turners at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, was detrimental to Bangladesh’s progress in the T20 World Cup where they scraped through the qualification phase, and lost all their Super 12 matches.A change of captaincy was in the offing at the time, but due to a Pakistan series coming up in November 2021, the BCB was gun-shy. Bangladesh lost the T20I series 3-0, and have gone on to win one game out of eight since the World Cup. Mahmudullah made 103 runs in these eight matches, at an average of 12.87 and a strike rate of 101.98, and his captaincy once again came into question during the West Indies tour earlier this month.Nurul has a fairly unremarkable record over 33 T20Is, scoring 271 runs at an average of 12.90 and a strike rate of 111.98. It is understood that the BCB has been impressed by his leadership skills in domestic cricket, where he has also shown excellent form with the bat of late. He was one of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club’s best performers during their run to the Dhaka Premier League (50-overs) title earlier this year, scoring 483 runs at 96.60 including a hundred and four fifties.Bangladesh T20I squad: Nurul Hasan (capt & wk), Munim Shahriar, Anamul Haque, Litton Das, Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Mosaddek Hossain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Parvez Hossain Emon
In: Parvez Hossain Emon, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Hasan Mahmud
Out: Mahmudullah, Shakib Al HasanBangladesh ODI squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Litton Das, Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mosaddek Hossain, Taijul Islam
IN: Mushfiqur Rahim, Hasan Mahmud
OUT: Ebadot Hossain