All posts by n8rngtd.top

Patel will look to build on his unbeaten 74 to help Gujarat pocket the 28 runs they need for the decisive first-innings lead

Shashank Kishore20-Feb-2025Eight games into his maiden season, 22-year old Jaymeet Patel has already made massive contributions as a batting allrounder. Like his quarter-final century against Saurashtra or his twin half-centuries in a must-win against Himachal to qualify for the knockouts.On Friday, he’ll have a chance to put impactful performances like those to shade, if he can build on his unbeaten 74 to help Gujarat pocket the 28 runs they need for the decisive first-innings lead against Kerala. The first innings hasn’t yet been decided in the game, but the scorecard hardly reveals how fascinating this slow burn of a contest has been – purely for the contrasting approach of both sides.Kerala went slow and steady for two full days and posted 457; Gujarat responded with slightly more urgency, led by the experienced Priyank Panchal who made 148 to lay the foundation of their heist. But when things started to happen early on day four, batters went into their shell as the pressure mounted, before Jaymeet absorbed all of it to grind his way to what could be a career-defining half-century yet.Related

• Jalaj Saxena: 'My emotions, heart, everything is with first-class cricket'

• Panchal leads strong Gujarat reply with unbeaten century

Gujarat’s hopes of a lead had all but vanished at 357 for 7. Jaymeet and Siddharth Desai, the left-arm spin allrounder, have since put on 72 in 36.4 overs, batting through the final session, to keep Gujarat’s hopes of making their first final since 2016-17 alive.When stumps were drawn, Kerala’s spinners two frontline spinners – Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarwate – had bowled a combined 97 out of the 154 overs. Jalaj, who bowled unchanged right through the morning session, bowled 61 of those himself, to have figures of 4 for 137 – a spell that could yet prove to be the turning point if Kerala go on to nip out the three remaining wickets early to take the first-innings honours.Resuming on 222 for 1, Kerala struck early when Manan Hingrajia was lbw to Saxena’s straighter one from around the stumps. The ball of the day, however, was the one Saxena bowled to dismiss the set Panchal, the ball ripping in from the rough to dip and beat Panchal’s inside edge to crash into the stumps. Then he had Urvil Patel stumped after beating him in flight and skid. At this point, Kerala were gung ho, as Gujarat slipped to 292 for 4.Hemang Patel, the bowling allrounder who came in as a concussion sub for Ravi Bishnoi, earned a promotion up the order and walloped a quick-fire 28. The decision to replace Bishnoi was made after he experienced delayed concussion this morning, for a fielding effort on Day 3 where the ball bounced onto his forehead as he tried to stop the ball at point.Hemang’s impetus for quick runs briefly put Kerala on the back foot, but an attempt too play one shot too many had him miscue a hoick that was brilliantly taken at square third man by substitute Shoun Roger. When Chintan Gaja was lbw, a decision that was upheld through DRS, Gujarat were right on the edge. Until they were brought back to life by Jaymeet, who stands in the way of Kerala and a maiden Ranji final.

The Stars rested two of their leading pace bowlers and Glenn Maxwell held himself back until it was almost gone

The Report by Daniel Brettig20-Jan-2020Melbourne Stars are beatable after all – they just need to give their opponents a generous helping of assistance to do so. The Stars rested two of their leading pace bowlers Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jackson Coleman from the BBL match at the SCG, and then their captain Glenn Maxwell withheld himself from the contest until the Sydney Sixers were defending a required rate of more than 14 an over.The result, which ended the Stars’ winning streak at eight games, also served to strengthen the Sixers’ hold on a place in the tournament finals. They were driven to victory in large part by a percussive innings from the home side’s captain Moises Henriques, who hammered no fewer than eight sixes while adding 114 in 50 balls with the ever-elegant James Vince.Moises Henriques hit a 31-ball 72•Getty Images

Ben Dwarshuis, Tom Curran and Nathan Lyon then played their part with the ball, although it was a halting innings from the out of sorts Nic Maddinson that played a large part in ensuring the Stars would depart Sydney without their ninth win on a row.Sixers halted by lightningOvercast and sultry conditions at the SCG made for a somewhat tacky surface to begin with as the Stars bowled first. Dan Worrall’s opening spell brought some useful sideways movement, though when he pitched up, he slipped obligingly into Daniel Hughes’ hitting zone. It was lightning that first caused a suspension in play, before rain followed as the skies opened up from the west of Sydney – storms that had seen Melbourne and also Canberra drenched in hail stones over the past 24 hours.When the sky cleared, the Sixers were left with 10.5 overs left for 14 in total, with the presence of all 10 wickets in hand offering the possibility of some score enhancement from Duckworth Lewis Stern. Hughes and Josh Philippe were unable to resettle, and fell in the space of the same Sandeep Lamichhane over, bringing Henriques to the middle to join Vince with nine overs remaining.Henriques the hammerIt was “80s night” at the SCG, an intriguing concept for a format of the game that had its origins in the early 2000s. Henriques, though, was to provide the perfect homage with an innings of bludgeoning power that recalled Ian Botham on an afternoon out for Somerset, or perhaps Lance Cairns and his shoulderless bat against Australia at the MCG. His first target was Lamichhane, taking the 11th over of the innings for 24 runs with the help of a couple other clean hits from Vince. Henriques added to the moment by batting without any headgear.Marcus Stoinis gave the Stars a chance with a quick fifty•Getty Images

The replacement pace bowlers Jonathan Merlo and Lance Morris were then taken to task, as 15 and then 26 came from overs 12 and 13. Henriques raced to 72 from 30 balls, with the promise of more in the last. But Worrall returned with another excellent over, slightly reducing the Sixers’ tally by conceding just four and ending Henriques’ stay. Vince’s slipstream 41 had been little less impressive, though both batsmen benefitted from the greasy ball skidding nicely onto the bat.Waiting for MaxwellGiven the steep target and the limited overs available, a promotion for Maxwell to No. 3 or even top of the order might have been under consideration. However, there appeared at least some desire from Maxwell as captain to grant opportunities to others, meaning Hilton Cartwright opened up with Marcus Stoinis. They did well enough, piling on 35 from the opening three overs including a brutal 22 from Jackson Bird’s second, but when Cartwright gloved Dwarshuis behind, the former Sixer Maddinson found himself trying to find form under considerable pressure.What followed was a maiden from Dwarshuis, and then a series of increasingly desperate attempts by Maddinson to hit his way out of trouble until he was bowled by the left-armer for a tortured 16 off 18 balls in the 10th over. By this time the required rate was beyond 14 an over, setting up a scenario that guaranteed either another set of Maxwell fireworks or a vital victory for the Sixers as they sought to firm up their place in the BBL finals.Stoinis fires but too little too lateWith Maxwell momentarily thrown by his receipt of an accidental beamer from Dwarshuis, Stoinis raised his sights with 55 required from 18 balls. Nathan Lyon’s first three balls of the 12th over went four, six, six, but as he looped higher and shorter, Stoinis got underneath one for Henriques to hold a steepling catch. With Nick Larkin now for company, Maxwell tried to rouse himself, but an outlandish 27 were still required off the last over.It was far too many, with Larkin and Maxwell out to skied catches from the first two balls of an over delivered creditably by Curran. The Stars’ winning streak was duly ended at eight games, though it was hard to deduce exactly how much to take out of the result given its various vagaries, not least the shape of the visitors’ batting order.

England fast bowler may face surgery as ECB plan next steps of recovery

Andrew Miller16-May-2021Jofra Archer has been ruled out of England’s two-Test series against New Zealand, starting at Lord’s on June 2, and may face surgery on his troublesome right elbow after failing to come through this week’s return to first-class action.Archer, who was withdrawn from this year’s IPL prior to its postponement earlier this month, had undergone a series of cortisone injections to enable him to get through the T20I leg of England’s white-ball tour of India in March.Related

• Ashley Giles: England will be conservative with Jofra Archer's comeback

• Jofra Archer: 'If I don't get this right, I won't play any cricket. Period'

• Jofra Archer cleared to resume training after hand surgery

• Jofra Archer ruled out of entire IPL 2021

• Jofra Archer a mere bystander as Zak Crawley and Jack Leaning leave Sussex frustrated

He also underwent an operation on the middle finger of his right hand while receiving further treatment on his elbow, to remove a splinter of glass following a bizarre incident involving a fish-tank. He showed no ill effects following that treatment and has been playing without protection on the affected digit.After a low-key return to action for Sussex’s second XI against Surrey two weeks ago, Archer appeared to be returning to his best when he picked up two wickets, including his England Test team-mate Zak Crawley, in a hostile new-ball burst on his return to the County Championship against Kent at Hove this week.However, he bowled just five overs in Kent’s second innings, and none on the final two days of the match, a situation that appeared to have caused confusion for his Sussex captain Ben Brown on a rain-shortened third day, when he gestured for Archer to open the bowling but had to turn instead to his team-mate George Garton.”It was a communication thing with Jofra on Saturday evening,” Brown said at the conclusion of the match. “There is no issue. I asked him beforehand if he was going to have a bowl and he said yes in a warm-up capacity. But he was feeling too sore to bowl.”The issue here is a sad one for Jofra. He’s a champion cricketer, so talented and so gifted, but at the moment he cannot do what he wants to do, he cannot do his skill.”I really feel for him. He’s in a difficult situation, with that skill of bowling really fast being taken away from him if you like. This week has been very challenging for him. He was hopeful about how it would go, but he’s felt pretty sore in this game.”An ECB statement subsequently confirmed that Archer “was suffering from pain in his right elbow when bowling and was unable to bowl in the final two days of the match.”The England and Sussex medical teams will now seek guidance,” the statement continued, “and Archer will see a medical consultant later this week to determine the next course of action on the management of his elbow.”Archer first suffered problems with his right elbow during the tour of South Africa in January 2020, when a stress fracture was detected that ruled him out of the final three Tests of the series, as well as the subsequent one-day campaign.The option of surgery may be the preferred course of action for Archer and for England – not to mention his IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals – given his importance to the team’s plans across formats in the back-end of the year.As the MVP in the last IPL in November 2020, and following a series of hostile displays in the 3-2 series loss in India, Archer’s value to England’s T20I attack is paramount, especially given that the team will go into the T20 World Cup in October and November as one of the favourites, and seeking to become the first team to hold the 50-over and 20-over titles concurrently.Then there is the Ashes campaign in Australia hot on that tournament’s heels – a tour that England’s Test captain, Joe Root, admitted this week was the “pinnacle” of their plans for 2021, notwithstanding a five-match home series against India before that.In the meantime, England have already indicated that they will be giving opportunities to fringe members of their Test squad during the New Zealand series – not least among them, Archer’s fellow Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson, who has been a fixture in the biosecure environment without yet being given a Test debut.Mark Wood and Olly Stone, who like Archer can bowl at speeds in excess of 90mph, are expected to be included in the squad, although the contingent of players who have recently returned from the IPL – including Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Moeen Ali – are expected to be rested, due to the time they have already spent in bio-secure environments.Ben Stokes is already ruled out of the series after sustaining a broken finger during his stint with Rajasthan Royals at the IPL.

Second ODI in July included in UK government’s Event Research Programme

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jun-2021England will play a home international in front of a full-capacity crowd for the first time since September 2019 next Saturday, after the second ODI against Pakistan at Lord’s was included in the UK government’s Event Research Programme (ERP).Fans have started to return to international cricket in the UK over the last month, with around 17,000 fans attending the first three days of the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston and capacities of around 20-25% elsewhere, subject to government regulations.The ECB announced last week that limited-overs fixtures against Sri Lanka and Pakistan would be included in the ERP as the UK continues to work towards the total lifting of Covid-related restrictions, scheduled for July 19, and on Monday, Warwickshire announced that they would stage the third ODI against Pakistan in front of an 80% full Edgbaston.Ticket-holders over the age of 11 will be required to provide either proof of a recent negative lateral flow test, proof of full vaccination, or proof of natural immunity via a positive PCR test result taken in the last 180 days.There will be no social-distancing requirements within the ground, though fans will be encouraged to wear masks while moving around. Under-16s were not allowed to attend the first pilot event of the cricketing summer at Edgbaston, but no such restrictions will apply at Lord’s.

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

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.

Yorkshire overwhelmed by ten wickets as rivals claim 21st county title

Vithushan Ehantharajah22-Sep-2022Surrey County Cricket Club, County Champions once more. A second title in four years, a fourth in the 2000s, a 21st in their long and storied history, was claimed in emphatic fashion with victory over Yorkshire by ten wickets.This eighth victory out of 13 in the 2022 season was in parts a microcosm of their overall campaign: everyone pulling their weight with runs and wickets shared around, and the odd sizeable contribution from the likes of Ollie Pope with 136, and Tom Lawes and Dan Worrall, who led the way with four wickets in the first and second innings respectively.Victory by an innings looked on the cards when Yorkshire resumed day three on 89 for two in their follow-on innings, but the wait for victory, confirmed at 2.35pm, only served to underline the professional nature of an outfit who, in a schedule like no other, have called on 22 players this season without looking poorer for it. For a head coach in his maiden season, Gareth Batty deserves immense credit for ensuring all were able to fit in and excel without losing their sense of selves.Winning titles at home is always preferable, though doing so a round early – with a day to spare – meant the Division One trophy was still locked away at Lord’s. It will be back in their possession at the end of their final fixture against Lancashire up at Emirates Old Trafford, and will be presented by their former chair Richard Thompson, no less, in his new role at the ECB.That game may no longer have any consequence, but don’t call it a dead rubber. Surrey still have an unbeaten record to preserve.Yet, as odd as it may sound, no one seemed to miss the golden goblet here.This last home game of the summer was already a week of celebration. The ground was renamed The Micky Stewart Oval to honour the legend following his 90th birthday, and he was awarded the keys to the ground at tea on day two. During the innings break, before the winning runs were sought, news of Hampshire’s 77-run defeat to Kent filtered through to draw more through the gates, some of whom only arrived after Burns, fittingly, had smashed the final runs through midwicket to end the chase in 16 minutes and leave him with a rather spectacular 30 not out off 16. Why the rush, Rory? “I was getting thirsty,” he joked.By 2.49pm, Surrey players and coaching staff had re-emerged onto the ground, beers in hand, to salute the crowd. There’s a small matter of the team’s end-of-season dinner tonight, too. Trophy or not, they’ll be just fine.Jordan Clark was a key contributor to Surrey’s title•Getty Images for Surrey CCC

This was always going to be more Surrey’s day than Yorkshire’s as the latter returned in their second innings on 89 for two, still trailing by 65. Quite how emphatically so was dependent on the goings-on at The Ageas Bowl, where second-place Hampshire, already four-down in their chase, had 269 remaining to secure an unlikely win over Kent. Nevertheless, the best of starts came here when a clerical bowling change brought the first of the final eight wickets needed.Cameron Steel opened proceedings from the Vauxhall End in order to switch Worrall to the Pavilion End after the seamer had bowled the final over of day two. Steel’s final delivery – a googly – snuck through Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s gate, just as it did for Ben Mike’s in the first innings. The only difference was the lack of bounce which drastically reduced Kohler-Cadmore’s chances of keeping it out.With that we returned to the usual opening duo of Kemar Roach and Worrall, and the former should have had Adam Lyth for 37 only for Ryan Patel to fail to scoop up a low chance diving to his right from third slip. Roach channeled his anger to maintain a probing line to the left-hander and, 36 deliveries later, removed him with arguably the best ball of the morning: forcing the left-hander to play in front of middle-and-leg, then nipping the ball off the seam to give Patel a far simpler chance with which to make amends.It was the second breakthrough in three balls, after Clark finished the over before by removing Will Fraine with a bit of extra lift that surprised the right-hander into playing onto his own stumps. With that, Clark’s season tally moved to 30 which, along with his 467 runs at 51.88, underlines how invaluable he has been to the balance of this XI since his arrival from Lancashire in 2018. Fittingly, he was awarded his county cap at the lunch interval.Clark might have ticked over to 31 by then. With Yorkshire trailing by 30, skipper Jonny Tattersall, top-scorer in the first innings with an unbeaten 45, was put down on three off Clark. Again, Patel was the slip fielder though the legitimacy of the catch would have probably been called into question given how low it arrived.Tattersall went on to a dogged 21 but had the misfortune of being caught down the leg side off a delivery from Jamie Overton that looked like being too wide for any trouble. He’d at least got his team within four runs of Surrey’s total, a deficit which was wiped with singles before Jordan Thompson square-drove Overton gloriously through backward point to put Yorkshire four ahead.That lead was 17 (for six) by the end of the first session, at which point the more cynical sorts began fearing a tricky fourth-innings chase, even as an eighth-wicket stand of 63 between James Vince and James Fuller began to chip away at the 169 still needed for victory further down south.Two overs after the restart, Thompson had a bruise and a new helmet after Overton cranked one up from the Pavilion End to strike him on the grille via his right forearm. And, to add insult to injury, he was off four deliveries later when one from Worrall kept low to pin him on the shin in front of off stump. At the same time, Vince holed out to deep midwicket for 73. With that, those in the stands could refocus their attention on what was in front of them.A brisk 22 from five overs was nipped in the bud when Dom Bess was caught down the leg side off Roach for a diligent 43, before Mike’s brisk 14 was ended by a nip-backer from Worrall with the lead at 52. And when Worrall bowled the ever-retreating Ben Coad to give himself four for 61, Surrey’s task was simple – 55 for the win. And then, when Kent took the last Hampshire wicket to confirm a 77-run win during the innings break, confirmation this 55 would be for the Championship.The first over brought 16 of them: Burns guiding two fours to third man between second and third slip, before an imperious clip off the hips through square leg. A botched charge led to four byes in between. A carnival atmosphere ensued in south London.Among the cheers for boundaries was the odd chuckle, notably when Tattersall, having given up keeping duties to Kohler-Cadmore, started with a head-high full toss that Patel trimmed for four of his own (six with the no-ball). A heartier whoop followed when Burns pulled out a perfect reverse sweep for boundary No.5, before the sixth confirmed the inevitable.

The fast bowler took 3 for 9 in four overs as Renegades romped to a 78-run win while defending a seemingly under-par 157 for 5

The Report by Tristan Lavalette28-Jan-2019An inspired Melbourne Renegades attack crashed through an abysmal Perth Scorchers batting order to easily defend 5 for 157 and strengthen their bid for a finals berth .After being sent in, Renegades batted haphazardly against disciplined Scorchers bowling and made a seemingly modest total on the batting-friendly Perth Stadium, a ground where the team chasing had won each of the past five matches this season.However, unbelievably, it proved more than enough with Renegades routing a toothless Scorchers in 16 overs to win their seventh match and cement a top four spot.Chris Tremain ran through the top order to finish with astounding figures of 3 for 9 from four overs to ensure more humiliation for bottom-placed Scorchers, who endured mockery from their disgruntled fans in the nadir of a forgettable season for the former BBL powerhouse.Chris Tremain was irresistible, bowling his four overs on the trot to take 3 for 9•Getty Images

Renegades unconvincingly attempt all-out assaultRealising the importance of mustering a sizeable score, Renegades had a clear plan to attack from the get go. The strategy backfired with openers Mackenzie Harvey and Aaron Finch looking out of sorts and unable to find bat on ball.Harvey, in particular, struggled immensely against Jason Behrendorff’s probing bowling and he continually swung and missed in ham-fisted batting execution. His manic approach seemed to infect a frustrated Finch who similarly couldn’t land a blow.Eventually, the 18-year-old’s fortunes flipped as he settled and clubbed four boundaries in six balls through the fourth and fifth overs to ignite Renegades. Finch, however, scratched around and survived a Shaun Marsh dropped catch before miscuing an attempted loft to fall for an excruciating 8 off 12 balls.An unruffled Harvey continued to wildly tee off and he struck the occasional boundary to fuel hope that a gem of a knock could ensue on a ground that has had several recent sparkling batting performances.It was not to be for the left-hander, whose innings ended in predictable fashion on 38 when he miscued a tonk to mid-off after being duped by an Andrew Tye slower ball.For all their bluster, Renegades wobbled at 2 for 66 after 10 overs.Renegades stutter and lose injured WhiteAfter Harvey’s unpredictability, Mohammad Nabi and Sam Harper opted for a more sensible approach. Momentarily, of course, before the frenzy returned. The Afghanistan all-rounder brilliantly cracked a six off Tye only to luckily survive next ball as the quick dropped a return catch.Renegades lived dangerously but were aided by sloppy Scorchers fielding, most notably when Hilton Cartwright spilled a catch in the outfield to reprieve Harper in the 13th over. The blunders typified Scorchers’ spiralling standards during a lacklustre season but their disciplined bowling was eventually rewarded with the quick wickets of Nabi and Harper to gain a stranglehold over the contest.Tom Cooper and Cameron White had much work to do but Renegades’ hopes of a late flurry received a major blow when the latter retired hurt on seven after the 17th over due to a hamstring injury.White’s exit derailed Renegades who only mustered 40 runs off the last five overs against accurate full-pitched bowling to finish with a seemingly under-par total.Shaun Marsh plays a pull•Getty Images

Inspired Renegades destroy ScorchersRenegades needed early strikes and Tremain obliged with the big wickets of Cameron Bancroft and Shaun Marsh, who both played on, to leave Scorchers reeling at 2 for 6 inside four overs.Tremain bowled a nagging length and was ably supported by Kane Richardson, the leading wicket taker in the tournament. Richardson joined the party by snaffling a return catch to dismiss Ashton Turner, who endured his third straight single digit failure after an earlier purple patch.Scorchers were stuck in quicksand and forced to defend as if they were playing in whites. They were a dire 3 for 9 after 5 overs and every painstaking run was mockingly cheered by their angry supporters.It only got worse for Scorchers when captain Mitchell Marsh holed out leaving the home side at a seemingly implausible 4 for 12 after six overs. Tremain bowled unchanged and his heroics forced some Scorchers fans to scramble for the exit.Scorchers embarrassedApart from several lusty blows from emerging batsman Nick Hobson, Scorchers offered almost no resistance as their meek batsmen outdid each other in tame dismissals. Dan Christian ran through the lower order with four wickets to continue the carnage.When Tye fell in the 12th over, Scorchers were 8 for 52 and five runs short of the lowest ever BBL total. Tailender Matthew Kelly (18 not out) ensured they avoided that ignominy but Scorchers still capitulated for their second lowest BBL score.The recriminations are set to start for Scorchers who will miss finals for the first time.

A family matter has forced the keeper-batter to leave Bangladesh’s bio-bubble

Mohammad Isam26-Jul-2021Liton Das became the latest Bangladesh player to be ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against Australia, after a family matter forced him to leave the Zimbabwe bio-bubble on Monday evening. Upon his return to Dhaka sometime on Tuesday, Das will be unable to join the Dhaka quarantine, which automatically puts him out of the squad.”Liton is out of the series,” Akram Khan, chairman of the BCB’s cricket operations, said. “He has to attend to a family matter, for which we can’t really do anything. We initially had a 20-man squad but after Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim had to pull out, Liton is also not in the squad. We are down to 17 players. The quarantine in Dhaka started on July 20, so we can only have the players who are traveling back from Zimbabwe on July 28.”Related

• Bangladesh unhappy as Australia's Covid-19 demands force Mushfiqur Rahim to miss home T20Is

• BCB wants Ashwell Prince to stay on as batting consultant until T20 World Cup

• Soumya Sarkar: 'Biggest competition is with myself'

• Hungry Shamim shows he is a quick learner

• What lies ahead of the nine teams in the next World Test Championship cycle?

Das was initially thought to be one of several injury concerns after he suffered a left thigh injury during the first T20I against Zimbabwe on July 20. Chief selector Minhajul Abedin told ESPNcricinfo on Monday afternoon that Das and Mustafizur Rahman could be available from the third match against Australia, fitness permitting.”Liton and Mustafiz should be available from the second or third game,” Abedin had said. “We are not too worried about them. They will be back. Overall, we are confident about the squad. We have just won a T20 series [away against Zimbabwe].”Das didn’t bat in the first T20I and later missed the second and third T20Is against Zimbabwe. Rahman only played one ODI and one T20I during the tour after suffering an ankle injury on July 14 during a tour match. Apart from them, Soumya Sarkar is nursing a groin niggle from the third T20I on Sunday, while Shakib Al Hasan is understood to be managing a long-standing groin injury.The selectors, however, don’t have to announce a squad in advance – according to the playing conditions agreed by the two boards, the teams can only field players who have either been in quarantine in Dhaka since July 20, or been a part of the tours in Zimbabwe and, in Australia’s case, the West Indies. For Bangladesh, the 18-man squad involved in the 2-1 series win in Zimbabwe will move directly to the team hotel in Dhaka after reaching the country on July 29.Among those originally named in the Zimbabwe tour squad, Tamim Iqbal is out with a knee injury while Mushfiqur Rahim is out after he was forced to miss the July 20 quarantine deadline because of a family matter. Legspinner Aminul Islam is also out of contention after he travelled back to Bangladesh midway through the T20I series following the death of his father.Bangladesh have added Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Mithun and Mosaddek Hossain, who were part of the ODI squad, to make up for the missing players in the T20I squad.Bangladesh T20I squad: Mahmudullah (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Nurul Hasan (wk), Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Mohammad Naim, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Afif Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Mithun, Mosaddek Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Shamim Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan.

Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav are the other Indians to move up after their series sweep over New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2023Mohammed Siraj has become to world’s No. 1 bowler in the men’s ODI rankings for the first time, replacing Trent Boult at the top after India swept New Zealand 3-0 at home. Shubman Gill, meanwhile, has moved up 20 spots to No. 6 on the batters’ table, one place above Virat Kohli, after scoring 360 runs in the three ODIs against New Zealand, including a double-century and a century.Siraj was third on the wicket-takers’ table for the series against New Zealand after picking up five wickets in two games, behind Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav, who both had six strikes. But that haul made it 14 wickets in five ODIs – with the three games against Sri Lanka in the earlier series added – for him, and contributed to his rise past Boult, who didn’t travel to India and last played ODI cricket in September last year. Boult is currently in third place, with Josh Hazlewood at No. 2.Gill, too, has been in stellar form, with 207 runs in the three-ODI series against Sri Lanka in January, including a century and a half-century. Kohli hasn’t been too shabby himself, scoring two centuries in three matches against Sri Lanka.

Full rankings tables

• Click here for the full team rankings across formats

• Click here for the full player rankings

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has jumped two places up to No. 8 among batters after his 85-ball 101 in the third ODI against New Zealand.Ireland’s Harry Tector and Josh Little also made gains following their recent series against Zimbabwe which ended 1-1. Tector, who scored one century and a fifty to total 176 runs across three games, has jumped 12 places up to 13th among ODI batters, while Little, who has been impressive in recent times, has moved 27 places to No. 33 among the bowlers.