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Her mother and daughter will now stay at a hotel outside the CWG village

Umar Farooq12-May-2022Pakistan Women’s captain Bismah Maroof’s infant daughter, Fatima, has been denied accreditation to access the Commonwealth Games village. As a result, Maroof was deliberating over her participation in the event, which is to be held from July 25 to August 8 in Birmingham. But ESPNcricinfo understands she will travel for the games, with her daughter and mother, who will take care of Fatima, staying at a hotel outside the village.It has been learnt that the PCB had asked the CWG Federation for two extra accreditations to accommodate Maroof’s mother and daughter in the village. In response, the federation asked the PCB to remove two personnel from their allowed 22-member travelling contingent, which includes officials as well. But the PCB stated that it was in no position to omit any players or officials from the touring party.ESPNcricinfo has written to the Games’ media department for the official version of their parental policy but they were yet to respond at the time of this story being published.Related

• Bismah to lead unchanged squad for Ireland tri-series, Commonwealth Games

• The little big hit! Bismah Maroof's daughter steals the show after intense India-Pakistan contest

• PCB announce year-long calendar for women's cricket, revive U-19 domestic tournament

Maroof had recently travelled to New Zealand for the 2022 Women’s World Cup with her daughter and mother. The PCB’s maternity policy allows a mother “to travel with a support person of her choice to assist in caring for her infant child”, with travel and accommodation costs shared equally between the board and the player.The PCB has also confirmed that Maroof will continue to lead the national team for the 2022-23 season. Pakistan are set to play 25 matches this season, starting with the home series against Sri Lanka in Karachi, which gets underway from May 24. After that, the team will head for Belfast to play a triangular T20I series against Ireland and Australia from July 12 to 24. This will be immediately followed by the Commonwealth Games.”I want to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board for its immense support throughout my career and especially in helping me strike the right work-life balance after the birth of Fatima,” Maroof said. “There was a time when I contemplated giving up on my passion of playing cricket, but the PCB ensured it never came to that with the introduction of the maternity policy, which has made the game as inclusive as it can be for the women in our country. I also want to thank my family and especially my husband, Abrar, who has been a great support throughout my career and has provided me encouragement to continue to play for Pakistan.”Maroof was handed the T20I captaincy in 2016, replacing Sana Mir and was named the ODI captain after the 2017 World Cup. Last April, Maroof had taken an indefinite maternity leave, and the PCB’s new parental policy helped her return to cricket and captaincy earlier this year.On being retained as captain for the 2022-23 season, Maroof said: “It is truly an honour for any cricketer to captain their country and it is a great privilege for me to continue in this role. The 2022-23 cricket season is the busiest for Pakistan Women’s side and we are excited and geared up for the challenges it presents. Every match in the upcoming season is important for us as a team as bilateral ODIs will determine whether we qualify for the next ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and the T20Is provide us opportunities to prepare for the all-important T20 World Cup in February next year.”

Karachi Kings did what had been on the cards for most of the game. But boy did they take the scenic route.

Danyal Rasool14-Nov-2020
Karachi Kings won the Super Over
How the game played outKarachi Kings did what had been on the cards for most of the game. They edged out Multan Sultans to reach their first final in PSL history, but boy did they take the scenic route! When they required 26 off four overs with seven wickets, including Babar Azam, still in hand, it looked like a Karachi cakewalk. In the end, Multan would take it to a dramatic Super Over, but set 14 to win, Mohammad Amir bowled a near-perfect Super Over, for Shan Masood’s side to fall five runs short.Winning the toss, Karachi opted to bowl, with the decision paying dividends almost from the outset. Wickets fell swiftly, with Adam Lyth dismissed early and a couple of run-outs, one brilliant, one farcical, further strengthening Karachi’s position. Multan’s mini-recovery from 40 for 4 to set Karachi 142 to win – thanks to cameos from Ravi Bopara (40) and Sohail Tanvir (25*) – ensured there was still life in the game.But Karachi had Babar, who’s scintillating form, combined with support from Alex Hales at the other end, appeared to be guiding them to a straightforward win. But, as happens in this format so often, Babar failed to close it out, and when he edged behind in the 17th over, panic suddenly set in for Karachi, who were a batsman light.Four wickets fell for six runs, with veteran Tanvir turning in an outstanding bowling spell. Multan seemed to be closing in on a stunning win, before a priceless little knock from Imad Wasim, capped off with a boundary off the last ball to send the game to the Super Over, allowed Karachi a lifeline, which Amir gleefully accepted.Star of the daySnubbed by Pakistan and with his international career in limbo, Amir responded in the most befitting way to show Pakistan what they might be missing. He might not have picked up any wickets with the ball, but one of the run-outs he effected was responsible for altering the course of the Multan innings. When Zeeshan Haider slapped him back down the ground, Amir had the presence of mind to stretch his toe so it made contact with the ball before cannoning into the non-striker’s stumps, leaving Masood stranded.In the Super Over, he put on a magnificent exhibition of death bowling, nailing the yorker ball after ball to Rilee Rossouw, who simply couldn’t find a way to get underneath one. Only six runs came off the bat, with Multan never allowed the faintest chance to threaten the target. It was Amir at his match-winning best.Turning pointChasing all those below-par targets against Zimbabwe in the T20 series looks to have been decent practice for Babar. The 141 Multan put up didn’t look enough for a pitch that was very conducive to batting, and just as Babar had punished Zimbabwe for failing to rack up the runs, he didn’t spare Multan either. Easing, with characteristic inevitability to his fifth consecutive half-century, he extended his lead at the top of the PSL run charts with 65 off 53. But once again, he will rue failing to finish the game off, and it nearly cost him until Wasim bailed him out at the death. A canter suddenly turned into a nail-biter, and Babar really had no business letting it.The big missIt might be harsh to say it, but Karachi did almost nothing special with the ball, and yet found themselves having restricted Multan very efficiently. That was partially down to some suicidal running by Rossouw, whose importance to Multan had grown exponentially since they lost a couple of early wickets, one to a freak Masood run-out at the non-strikers end.But Rossouw had no one to blame when he was run out two overs later, setting off blind with no clue where exactly the ball was. Zeeshan Ashraf rightly sent him back, but he was so far down the keeper had time to throw it to the bowler, who was backing up at the striker’s end, and whip off the bails with time to spare. Rossouw has been instrumental to whichever PSL franchise he has been a part of, and when he fell that cheaply, it felt like a big moment. It was.Where the teams standKarachi are through to the final, while Multan will play an eliminator tomorrow against the winner of Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi, with the winner joining Karachi in the final.

Fifties for Paul Horton and Hassan Azad but Leicestershire stumble after Carse’s three wickets

ECB Reporters Network19-Aug-2019Three wickets from Brydon Carse has put Durham in a strong position after day two of their Division Two clash against Leicestershire at the Riverside.The hosts were able to capitalise on their excellent performance from day one, recording their highest total of the campaign. Ned Eckersley scored an unbeaten half-century in his first game as captain before declaring on 544-9.Leicestershire’s openers Paul Horton and Hassan Azad provided resistance as both players notched half-centuries, but Carse struck three times with his extra pace to reduce the visitors to 152-4 at the close, still 392 runs behind the hosts.

Azad pens new deal

Hassan Azad, Leicestershire’s opening batsman, has signed a new two-year deal with the county. Azad graduated from the University of Loughborough with a degree in Chemical Engineering this summer, and has piled on over 800 runs in his first Championship season, winning the PCA’s player of the month award for July. “It still has not sunk in that this is what my life is now,” he said after winning that award. “Going to the ground every day, training and playing in games… I am really grateful.”

Durham began the morning session with the opportunity to build on their platform from day one. Nathan Rimmington scored quick runs to move the hosts towards the 400-run mark. The nightwatchman hit two boundaries through the off side against Will Davis, but the bowler had his revenge to bowling Rimmington for 25. Eckersley arrived at the crease and guided his team over the mark, reaching maximum batting points for the first time at home since August 2017 against Derbyshire.Liam Trevaskis worked his way patiently to 37 after being dropped by Harry Swindells. However, Gavin Griffiths broke through his defences, pinning the left-hander lbw to deny him a half-century. Eckersley continued his knock after the break, although the pace of the home side’s innings was disrupted by the weather.The newly-appointed skipper found his timing after missing the Vitality Blast fixtures, recording his third half-century of the season from 59 deliveries, including three boundaries. Carse at the other end upped the ante as the hosts pushed beyond the 500-run mark, eclipsing their highest total of the campaign. Eckersley was given a life on 63 as fatigue appeared to wear down the Leicestershire attack when Griffiths dropped a simple chance at fine leg.Carse attempted to push for his half-century, but was run out seven runs short of the milestone by Wright. Eckersley immediately called time on Durham’s innings, walking off with an unbeaten 71. Leicestershire needed a solid response from their openers and received it from Azad and Horton. Both players survived lbw shouts, but were able to grind out their fifty partnership in the 15th over.After tea, Horton was also caught short of his ground by Carse at the non-strikers end, with the ball just missing the stumps. The latter made the most of his escape, scoring his third half-century of the season from 81 deliveries. Leicestershire were finding the pitch to be tame, blunting the home side’s attempt to take control of the contest.Horton brought up the century stand for the first wicket with a single down to fine leg. However, from the first delivery of the next over he produced a loose drive to a rising delivery from Carse and was caught at slip by Durham debutant Angus Robson. The Durham quick notched his second wicket of the over as Neil Dexter feathered an edge behind to Eckersley. Azad resisted at the other end with a strong defence, reaching his fifty from 117 balls.Trevaskis made further inroads for the hosts when he turned one through Mark Cosgrove’s bat and pad, dismissing the veteran for 21. Azad’s stoic knock was ended by a brilliant delivery from Carse, with the opener helplessly gloving to Peter Handscomb, who produced a fine diving catch at leg gully to hand Durham momentum at the close.

England captain insists that a change of coach would be a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction, and says it’s up to the team to improve

George Dobell at Headingley31-May-2018Joe Root has defended Trevor Bayliss after speculation that the England coach could be sacked if England lose again in Leeds.Were England to lose in Headingley, it would be their third series loss in a row and their seventh defeat in 10 Tests. They would also slip to No. 7 in the ICC’s Test rankings.And while it seems unlikely Bayliss would be removed from his position as limited-overs coach – England are rated No. 1 in the world in ODI cricket, after all, and reached the final of the more recent World T20 tournament – it is possible he would be replaced as Test coach if Pakistan prevail in the second Test.But Root, the England captain, insisted such change would be a “knee-jerk reaction” and instead suggested it was his team who should take responsibility for playing “below par these last six months”.”I love working with Trev,” Root said. “I think he does some really great things for this team.”As Jimmy Anderson said yesterday, he can’t do it for us on the field. Ultimately we need to play better. We’ve been below par these last six months.”I don’t see why there’s a need for a change. I think it’s the easy thing to have a knee-jerk reaction and change everything.”Although Root accepted the England dressing room was “low on confidence” and the potential loss of Ben Stokes through injury was far from ideal, he said there was no place for self pity and urged his side to see the game as an opportunity to put things right.”We’re low on confidence after a difficult winter,” Root said. “But there’s no place for “poor-mes” in international sport. We have some very talented players across all departments. It gives opportunities when someone misses out.”The approach is to go out there and put it right. And maybe prove a point to certain people. That can be a driver. I’m looking forward to getting out there straight away and hopefully turning things round.”There’s always noise. When you’re playing well you can lull yourself into thinking you’re playing better than you are. It can be the same the other way round. I’ve been consistent for a while and not kicked on. The same challenges are there for me.”Mentally, I’m really up for that challenge and that fight. Whether that be the captaincy or my batting. I’m really looking forward to this week and I’m glad it’s come about so soon. Now it’s just going and doing it.”

Kusal Perera made a roaring return to Sri Lankan colours, cracking 77 off 53 balls to lead the hosts on a successful hunt of Bangladesh’s 155 for 6

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsUpul Tharanga and Kusal Perera struck a 65-run opening stand•Associated Press

Kusal Perera made a roaring return to Sri Lankan colours, cracking 77 off 53 balls to lead the hosts on a successful hunt of Bangladesh’s 155 for 6. That Sri Lanka had so few to chase was partly the work of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, who made breakthroughs whenever a partnership threatened, though they were helped to that end by off-colour Bangladesh batting.Mashrafe Mortaza, who as it turned out, was playing his penultimate game in the format, was by a distance the visitors’ best bowler. He claimed 2 for 32 from his four overs, and only one other bowler – Taskin Ahmed – mustered a breakthrough. Sri Lanka sauntered to the target with seven balls and six wickets to spare.This match was Kusal’s first international since his unseemly Test outing in Port Elizabeth, for which he was dropped from the Test XI, then subsequently axed from the limited-overs squads altogether. Having returned to national reckoning via good innings for Sri Lanka A, Kusal outlined his value to Sri Lanka in an innings that showcased a little batting nous as well as characteristic brutality. The bludgeoned drives and whipped pick-up shots over midwicket did eventually come, but not before he had laid low for the first four overs; and the big shots were, in any case, well devised as well as nicely executed. Instead of trying to clear fielders as Kusal often does, he strove to hit even his most ambitious shots into gaps.

Over-rate fine for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka were found to be one over short of their target in the first T20I, and have been fined by the ICC. While captain Upul Tharanga was fined 20% of his match fee, the rest of the team were fined 10%.

Having made only 5 off his first eight balls, Kusal smoked four fours and a six off his next seven, to help move Sri Lanka to 57 for none at the end of the Powerplay. Upul Tharanga, who had given the innings its initial impetus, departed in the seventh over, but Kusal stayed long enough to almost see the chase through. He reached his fifty off 31 balls, and when he fell in the penultimate over, Sri Lanka needed only nine runs, which they would proceed to gather over the next four balls. Seekkuge Prasanna was not out with 22 off 12 at the close.Though their bowlers responded poorly to Kusal’s shellacking, Bangladesh may reflect that it was with the bat that they made the more substantial mistakes. They had flown to 57 for 1 after five overs, for example, but then Sabbir Rahman ran a poor line to get himself run out, and Soumya Sarkar holed out in the same Vikum Sanjaya over. Suddenly, at 57 for 3, all that momentum they had developed was surrendered.Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan fell playing expansive shots to slow bowlers, who should, in fact, have been less effective on this track, which retained a little grass and had been rolled until hard. Mosaddek Hossain and Mahmudullah put on 57 off 42 together to lift their side from 82 for 5, but could not quite crack enough runs through the back-end of the innings to lift Bangladesh to a winning score.Lasith Malinga was especially good through this period, giving away seven and eight in his last two overs, in which he took the wicket of Mahmudullah with a searing yorker, having also done the same to Tamim Iqbal with the second ball of the match.Rain before play had delayed the start by 45 minutes, but no overs were lost.

Kagiso Rabada has signed to play for Kent for four weeks in this year’s county season, encompassing six T20s, two one-day games and one first-class match

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2016Kagiso Rabada has signed to play for Kent for four weeks in this year’s county season, subject to receiving an NOC, encompassing six T20s, two one-day games and one first-class match. ESPNcricinfo has confirmed that Rabada will join the Division Two county, who did not sign an overseas player last year, after South Africa’s ODI tri-series in West Indies, which ends on June 26.”After the World T20, he has to come back, rest and get strong. And then he decided he wants to play county cricket this year because he is not sure when he will get the opportunity to do it again,” an insider told ESPNcricinfo. “He wants to play in the IPL one day but for his own career, he thought a county stint would benefit him at this time.”Rabada had been expected to pursue a county deal after opting not to go into the IPL auction this year, as part of his own plan of progression. Many counties had already agreed their overseas signings for the coming season but he was linked with Durham before joining Kent. In announcing the signing, Kent chairman George Kennedy said they had “been hugely impressed” by Rabada’s performances against England.He finished the leading wicket-taker in the Tests, despite not playing the first match, and picked up another nine in four ODIs. Rabada said: “I will play hard and try my best. I want to learn from the experience – particularly bowling in different conditions. Most of all I am looking forward to enjoying the experience.”Rabada’s decision could also be an advantage for South Africa, who are due to tour England in 2017 – first for the Champions Trophy and then for a four-Test series. “The nice thing for him is that South Africa will be touring there next year,” Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s T20 captain said. “He hasn’t bowled with the Dukes ball, he hasn’t played in those conditions and I think its massively important for a young guy to go and play because you basically play every second day. You learn a lot about traveling and playing.”But du Plessis warned that Rabada’s workload will need to be managed. “The key for him is not to bowl too much when he is over there. If you are playing in county cricket, the overseas bowlers can come back three feet shorter,” du Plessis joked, although he conceded that a month in county cricket it would be less of a strain on Rabada than a full IPL.”In the IPL, you are going to bowl a lot. You are playing 18 or 19 T20 games and practising every day. You bowl a lot,” du Plessis said. “In county cricket, someone can have a look and monitor his overs a little bit better. It’s about not over-bowling him in this part of his career.”Given that the bulk of Rabada’s county stint will be in the shortest format, he is likely to have enough time off, something even South Africa will look to give him in the build up to the World T20. “It’s going to be key for a young guy to stay injury-free,” du Plessis said. “It’s going to be the challenge of the next five years but we are also looking at it now. Leading up to the World T20, we will give him some rest over the next five games.”Rabada may not play in all five home internationals but, when he does, du Plessis is confident he will make an impact. Since his debut in November 2014 to date, Rabada has played eight T20s and improved in each one. “Every game that he has played, he has gotten better,” du Plessis said. “When he played his first T20, you could see he was still unsure of what he was trying to do and then the last game we played in India, it was like he had played 50 or 60 games, with the experience he gained in that time.”Rabada enjoyed one of the best returns of that match, when he took 1 for 18 in four overs to ensure South Africa sealed the series 2-0. “The great thing about KG is that he always wants to improve, he is always asking questions and as a captain that’s great because you know a player wants to improve. I am very happy with where he is at,” du Plessis said.”He doesn’t think he is the finished article. He has got such a great head on his shoulders. He wants to go there to get used to those conditions and be a better player after that. And then he is so young, he’s still got lots of years to play in the IPL.”

Michael Clarke has moved up to second in the ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, following his 187 in the fourth Ashes Test

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2013Michael Clarke has jumped three places to second in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen, following his 187 at Old Trafford against England for which he was also named as the Man of the Match.Clarke, who had earlier topped the rankings during the 2009 Ashes, is now just 20 ratings points behind South Africa batsman Hashim Amla, whom he can overtake with another strong performance in the fourth Test in Chester-le-Street.England batsmen Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen have also moved up in the rankings. Bell, who is leading the batting charts in the Ashes with 381 runs, is now placed 10th, while Pietersen’s century at Old Trafford helped him jump two places and he is now 14th on the list.In the bowlers rankings, Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris leaped four places to achieve a career-best ranking of 11th, while Graeme Swann’s match figures of six for 233 took him to sixth, ahead of team-mate James Anderson.South Africa’s Dale Steyn continues to head the bowlers’ table with teammate Vernon Philander in second place, and Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath in third position.

Simon Kerrigan, the Lancashire left-arm spinner, took six wickets to put England Lions into a strong position against Australia A at Old Trafford

Paul Edwards at Old Trafford09-Aug-2012
Scorecard
Simon Kerrigan’s spell helped earn England Lions a useful lead•Graham Morris

They are curious things, the wheels of fortune and opportunity. Just 27 days ago Lancashire’s Simon Kerrigan was bowling to Kevin Pietersen in a County Championship match at Guildford. Pietersen made 234 not out off 190 balls while the young spinner’s figures were 23-0-152-1.Immediately after that brutal Friday, Kerrigan sought advice from a bevvy of slow bowlers, salved his wounds and got on with the job of being a professional cricketer. In the same few weeks Pietersen has made a Test century studded with many jewels of unarguable brilliance and also bared his soul a couple of times. As a consequence it is a matter of major public debate where his cricket career is heading.As yet no one is even sure whether Kerrigan, 23, will play international cricket at all. But at least for an hour or two on Thursday afternoon he offered an exciting alternative to the Piet-and-Tweet shemozzle for cricket followers whose passion is stirred more by what happens on the field than by what occurs in cyberspace.Employing most of the skills beloved of spinners through the ages – drift, change of pace, flight and, not least, hard spin itself – Kerrigan took six wickets in 73 balls to help bowl out Australia A for 277 on the third day of the first unofficial Test at Old Trafford.Kerrigan, the Lancashire slow left-armer, had sent down 13 wicketless overs before he had Tim Paine athletically caught by Jonny Bairstow at slip for 19, and he ended the Australian innings he had helped to wreck with figures of 6 for 59 from 25.3 overs. Kerrigan is still learning the many skills of his craft and not so sullen art but he has the knack of getting good players out and doing so when it matters.Yet if the young twirler snares the headlines and the plaudits, Kent’s James Tredwell also deserves a massive amount of praise for helping England Lions gain a first innings lead of 38. Indeed, by close of play Tredwell had even taken on the role of nightwatchman helping Bairstow extend the Lions overall advantage to a healthy 196 going into the last day of the game.In the morning session Tredwell’s offspin bowling had been of a very high-class. He made the first breakthrough when he extracted a lot of bounce and a smidgeon of turn from the Manchester wicket to have Australia A skipper Ed Cowan caught behind off the glove for only the second 99 of his first-class career.Twelve overs later Tredwell had Michael Klinger snaffled by short leg Joe Root for 66. Hitting Kerrigan for a couple of sixes on Wednesday evening had no doubt given South Australian Klinger plenty of kicks; predictably, therefore, he was a victim of Root, 66.Despite Tredwell’s persistence, Australia A were reasonably placed on 207 for 3 at lunch and many were talking about the injustice of Cowan’s excellence not being rewarded with a century.An hour later all well-intentioned sympathetic thoughts had been abandoned as Kerrigan bagged three wickets in ten balls, including Test players Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon with successive deliveries. Johnson gave a bat and pad catch to Root while Lyon was lbw on the back foot when completely deceived by a quicker ball.The innings was in free fall and no one had thought to pack a parachute. The end, from an antipodean perspective, was predictably grisly; the predominantly Lancastrian crowd, on the other hand, are never shy about enjoying Australian misfortune and they cheered every one of Kerrigan’s successes. For a moment or two they even forgot that Glen Chapple’s team had dropped into the relegation places in Division One of the County Championship.Cowan’s men collapsed from 214 for 3 to 231 for 8 in twelve overs; Tom Cooper’s unbeaten 26 staved off further embarrassment but his partners, Jon Holland and Jackson Bird, both fell to Kerrigan; Holland stumped by Craig Kieswetter, Bird taken by Bairstow at slip. It was eye-catching stuff, although Kerrigan’s successes were, in the view of his partner at least, no more than his due.”Simon’s picked up six wickets today and he fully deserved to,” said Tredwell, who had never even met him before the Lions squad gathered for the game at Old Trafford. “He bowls at a nice pace which makes it hard for the batter because there’s not much time to change your decision, particularly on a wicket offering a bit of turn.”Once it breaks and turns you want to be beating the batsman in his decision-making. Simon can also bowl cutter deliveries which on a real dry wicket can be really beneficial because on that surface some turn and some don’t. He can bowl in a variety of different ways on a variety of different pitches and he seems to have shown that even in this game.”And in the last session of the day there was yet more joy for the Manchester crowd, albeit that it came from two precociously talented Yorkshiremen. Bairstow and Root added 128 for the second wicket in less than 30 overs, both batsmen displaying a marvellous audacity and range of shot against a flagging attack.Bairstow has had a Test call already this summer. The day when Root dons a full England sweater cannot be too long delayed. For all that he was dismissed for a 104-ball 70, slicing Holland to Liam Davis, Root’s driving and timing had offered further evidence that he is a special talent.By the close England were 158 for 3, Eoin Morgan having been caught without scoring pulling Bird in the third over and Samit Patel taken at slip 15 minutes before stumps. On the final day the Manchester crowd have the prospect of seeing Bairstow resume on 73 not out, Cowan bat once more and England’s spinners in full cry on a turning wicket. You know something, it may be even be more fun than tweeting.

A round-up of the action from the second day of the Emerging Players Tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2011Australian Institute of Sport beat New Zealand A by 14 runs at Peter Burge Oval in Brisbane to hand them their second defeat in as many games. New Zealand won the toss and had the early ascendancy when Andy McKay removed AIS opener Sam Whiteman for a third-ball duck. Tim Armstrong however ensured AIS did not suffer too much from the early setback, with an unbeaten 74 off 66 balls. He shared in two substantial partnerships for the second and third wickets, with Tom Beaton and captain Ryan Carters respectively, to steer the hosts to a strong score, despite a closing-overs slump. New Zealand’s chase ran into early trouble as they lost four cheap wickets, including two to run-outs. Luke Woodcock struck a fighting half-century to keep the chase alive, but Ben Cutting’s stifling spell (3 for 15) ensured New Zealand would fall well short.South Africa Emerging Players sneaked to a thrilling four-wicket win against India Emerging Players in a game that ended off the last ball at Fred Kratzman Oval in Brisbane. Asked to bat first, India were propelled by an aggressive 45 off 33 balls from S Anirudha. Ajinkya Rahane contributed a quick 29, but the innings owed a lot to Saurabh Tiwary, whose four sixes in 40 off 32 balls provided the final kick. Mthokozisi Shezi was impressive in picking up 2 for 15 in his four overs. Chasing 157, South Africa stumbled thanks to early strikes by Jaidev Unadkat, but Temba Bavuma reignited the innings with a decisive 57 not out off 31 balls. Obus Pienaar and Mangaliso Mosehle provided just enough support to take their side home off the last ball.New Zealand A bounced back after losses in their first two games, with a 13-run win against South Africa Emerging Players at Peter Burge Oval. Neil Broom anchored New Zealand with 47, while Doug Bracewell and Derek de Boorder contributed scores in the 30s to steer their side to 156. South Africa started off superbly with Richard Levi smashing 74 off 40 balls with five fours and five sixes. Reeza Hendricks supported him well with 32 off 40 balls, but South Africa collapsed spectacularly after their exits. Bracewell was at it with the ball as well, snapping up two wickets for 16 runs in three overs, while Trent Boult picked up 2 for 19, as South Africa finished well short of the target.India Emerging Players wound up the day’s action with a six-run win over Australian Institute of Sport at the Fred Kratzman Oval. India chose to bat, and while many of their batsmen got off to starts, there wasn’t a single half-century in their innings. Captain Shikhar Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu made 30 apiece, while Saurabh Tiwary launched three sixes in 29 off 14 balls. Manoj Tiwary complemented him with 36 off 23 balls and India were set for a big score, but Ben Cutting stalled them with a series of late strikes that earned him a five-wicket haul. India opened their bowling with left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla and his two early wickets pushed the hosts on to the back foot immediately. Glenn Maxwell turned things around with a rousing 59 off 23 balls, which included seven sixes, as Jaidev Unadkat and Bhargav Bhatt suffered. Umesh Yadav managed to end Maxwell’s carnage, and Australia’s chase lost steam steadily. Vinay Kumar finished with a three-wicket haul to give India their second victory in three games.

The ball talked in the morning, Ishant Sharma impressed, Lasith Malinga thrilled and Rangana Herath became the unlikely hero

The Bulletin by Sriram Veera20-Jul-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Rangana Herath’s knock took Sri Lanka out of trouble and put them in a commanding position•AFP

It was a strange and fascinating day full of the unexpected: The ball talked in the morning, Ishant Sharma impressed, Lasith Malinga thrilled and Rangana Herath became an unlikely hero. Ishant had everyone spellbound in the morning with captivating seam bowling but Herath and Malinga – yes, you read right – stole his thunder with entertaining half-centuries to ensure Sri Lanka retained control on the first Test.India lost Gautam Gambhir to the second ball of their innings, Rahul Dravid to an error in judging a run, and Sachin Tendulkar to faulty shot selection and it was left to Virender Sehwag to keep them afloat. He did his best but the day belonged to Sri Lanka and, especially, to an unlikely pair of lower-order batsmen.The 115-run partnership between Herath and Malinga was as delightful as it was unexpected. Herath impressed with several high-quality shots and Malinga alternated between defence and fury during a joyous effort. Within his first six deliveries, Herath had declared his intent with two boundaries. The outstanding shot of his stay was a thunderous six off Abhimanyu Mithun: Herath smoked a short-of-length delivery on the up over long-on. It certainly wasn’t the shot of a lower-order batsman.As you would expect in such an innings, there was an edged boundary and a slashed four over slips but, for the main part, Herath was composed and confident. There were several on-the-up shots, a few well-judged leaves, and a few tight defensive strokes. What really stood out was how well he paced his innings. Herath counterattacked at the start as he pursued quick runs but, realising that India’s spirit had evaporated in the afternoon sun and that Malinga was not going to be blown away, he started to play second fiddle. Post Malinga’s fall, Herath once again became the attacker and charmed the crowd with an audacious inside-out hit over covers off Mithun.Malinga took the opposite route. He started slowly, scoring 1 off 15 deliveries, before he decided to indulge himself. He pulled and dragged Ishant for on-side boundaries and flat-batted him straight. He then looted Ojha for three boundaries in an over. Malinga wasn’t done with Ojha, though, and he swaggered down the track to clear long-on twice in succession.The start to the day presented a stark contrast to the carefree hitting of the afternoon. The second day’s storm and overnight rain had left the pitch damp and the Indians exploited the seam movement on offer. With his second delivery, Ishant induced Tharanga Paranavitana to edge one that slanted away from off stump.Ishant returned later with the new ball to harass Jayawardene and set the tone in his first over: he got the third delivery, a legcutter, to leave Jayawardene late. The next one cut in and Jayawardene left it on the bounce. Or was he expecting it to go other way? The fifth darted in, cut the batsman in half and somehow missed off stump. Jayawardene lunged forward desperately to the final ball to take the lbw out of the equation and was hit on the inner thigh by another incutter.In his next over Ishant produced an edge with his only delivery at Jayawardene – a legcutter – but the ball ran past gully and to the boundary. In the third over of the spell, Ishant prompted an appeal from behind with another legcutter at Jayawardene. The contest ended immediately after when Ishant seamed the ball back in to catch Jayawardene in front of leg stump.Angelo Mathews then showcased his cricketing acumen. After Jayawardene’s departure, Mathews, who was focusing on survival until then, jumped to plan B. He pulled Mithun to the midwicket boundary, carved Ishant to the point boundary, lifted him over mid-off and slashed through covers. He fell, edging Ishant to slips, but the crowd had more entertainment from the Herath-Malinga show.After his fifty, Malinga gave the fans one more reason to smile at the end of the day. He mis-fielded at mid-off and distracted Dravid into thinking there was an extra run. To Dravid’s horror, he was not even in the frame when Malinga fired an accurate throw at the non-striker’s end. Malinga laughed, the crowd roared and more joy came their way when Tendulkar chose to sweep a full delivery from Muttiah Muralitharan and was trapped in front.Only Sehwag stood tall. He scored at almost a run a ball but never appeared to take any risks. Every bad ball – and those marginally off line or length – was put away. He played all his signature shots: The back-foot punchy drive through point, the crashing cover drive, the paddle sweep and the charge down the track. But with the top-order batsmen combusting around him, India have their task cut out for them. Sehwag made a classy 85 but it seemed just a footnote on a strange day.