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Craig, Williamson spin NZ to famous win

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New Zealand wrapped up victory in the second Test by 199 runs with time to spare, levelling the series and extending their unbeaten run

The Report by Alan Gardner02-Jun-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMark Craig picked up three wickets on the final day as New Zealand swept England aside•Getty Images

Hearts and minds are one thing but what New Zealand really wanted to win was this Test. At Headingley, the ground where they first claimed a Test victory in England more than 30 years ago, they had to battle the weather, which took almost a day out of the game, and an England side still swaggering from their heroics at Lord’s last week.They overcame both with time to spare, having scored 804 runs at almost five an over and twice rattled through England with pace, swing and, on the final day, spin. Every member of the side contributed to their victory in the second Investec Test, one which levelled the series and preserved a two-year unbeaten run. In 54 Tests against England in England, it was only New Zealand’s fifth victory and their first of the 21st century.Mark Craig followed some lower-order slugging and immaculate slip catching with three wickets on a wearing surface, finishing England’s resistance by having Jos Buttler lbw without playing a shot. Kane Williamson also picked up three-for with his part-time offspin, after Trent Boult, the joint-leading wicket-taker on either side, had struck twice early on to set New Zealand on their way.That England extended the game into the final session was chiefly down to dogged half-centuries from Buttler and Alastair Cook. Obdurate crease occupation is Cook’s greatest strength and he absorbed 171 balls in making 56, bowing his head over the bat like a monk at prayer. Buttler showed a different side to his game by playing with admirable restraint during his lengthiest Test innings, in terms of balls faced.England had gone to lunch five down, any bravado about attempting to chase 455 scattered to the far corners of the Yorkshire Ridings. Cook was their chief hope of saving the game but he fell shortly after having become the youngest man to record 9000 Test runs – when he failed in an attempt to reverse his lbw decision against Williamson, who struck in the first over of a spell for the second time, Brendon McCullum things were going his way.Buttler made it through to tea, surviving a review for caught down the leg side off Tim Southee and a working over by Matt Henry, who followed a throat ball with one that took the outside edge and fell short of slip; Buttler also required treatment after a length delivery from Henry leapt to strike him a vicious blow on the hand. He was later doubled up by the same bowler, winded by a blow to the stomach. It was an apt representation of England’s pummelling.New Zealand had enjoyed a perfect morning, Boult and Craig taking two wickets apiece in the first hour to help New Zealand once again seize the initiative. Only a scattering of spectators had braved another icy day – despite reduced ticket prices – as the people of Yorkshire wisely decided England were not worth the investment. This was a working Tuesday, after all, and England did not get close to replicating the final-day drama served up against Sri Lanka at Headingley a year ago, never mind their Auckland rescue act against McCullum’s New Zealand in 2013.Still, for the couple of thousand in attendance as well as those watching on television screens around the world, there was much to admire in the way New Zealand went about their business, each wicket celebrated with joyous collective abandon. McCullum’s side have not lost a Test series since their last visit to England and they have won many more admirers besides for the spirit in which they approach a challenge.It made the absence of a deciding Test all the more disappointing, though both sides could take credit from the fact that no two-match series has ever enjoyed such a glut of run-scoring (not to mention 78 wickets as well).If England did intend to play positively and keep the threat of a world-record run chase in the back of Kiwi minds, it was not easy to discern. Five of the first six overs were maidens, one of which included the wicket of Adam Lyth, caught behind after nicking yet another good one from Boult. With Boult making the ball swing under grey skies and McCullum able to do much as he pleased with his fielders, England regressed into the defensive posture that has frequently cost them in recent years.Lyth was always the likelier of England’s openers to press New Zealand back with his strokeplay but his dismissal without adding to his overnight score brought the seemingly ill-at-ease Gary Ballance to the middle. Despite an attempt to counter a perceived weakness against full, swinging deliveries by batting out of his crease (before stepping back in as per his trigger movement), he was undone by the skills of Boult for the second time in the match. Lightning struck twice, this time via a full ball deflecting off the pads and into off stump.The offspinner Craig, who England dealt with brusquely at Lord’s, was able to settle into a rhythm from the Kirkstall Lane End and he gained rich reward halfway through the session, removing Ian Bell and Joe Root within the space of three deliveries.Both fell to excellent leg-side catches, though the decision making – from Bell in particular – was questionable. Having seen McCullum instruct Kane Williamson to go and stand at leg slip, Bell went back into his crease and steered the ball obligingly straight to the fielder, who scooped it off the ground with glee. Root struck his leg glance much more powerfully, only for Tom Latham’s woolly jumper to absorb the impact and his hands to gratefully clutch the ball.Root had declared on the fourth evening that England still had a chance of chasing 455 but a slim chance had become no chance by the time he was the fourth batsman out inside the first hour. England attempted the talk but it was New Zealand who walked it.

Dinda to cover for injured Yadav

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Ashok Dinda, the Bengal fast bowler, has been asked to join India’s squad in Mumbai as cover for fast bowler Umesh Yadav ahead of the second Test against England

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2012Ashok Dinda, the Bengal fast bowler, has been asked to join India’s squad in Mumbai as cover for the fast bowler Umesh Yadav ahead of the second Test against England, which starts at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.Yadav did not take the field during India’s practice session on Wednesday due to a lower back injury. Though the team management remained tight-lipped, a BCCI insider confirmed that Dinda is being flown in to Mumbai since there were “doubts over Yadav’s availability” for the second Test. Dinda was called as cover in the first Test as well, for Ishant Sharma.Yadav was the most successful fast bowler in the opening Test in Ahmedabad and had supported the spinners by picking up four wickets during India’s nine-wicket victory. MS Dhoni, the India captain, was particularly impressed with the pace and reverse-swing Yadav generated on a surface that the England pacemen struggled to draw any assistance from.Dinda is expected to join the squad ahead of Thursday morning’s session. The 28-year-old who made the last of his 15 international appearances – 10 ODIs and five Twenty20 internationals – against England during the World Twenty20 in September has been in the reckoning for a Test spot for a while now. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the last year’s Ranji Trophy, picking 37 wickets in six games at 20.64.

Rogers, Maxwell give Bushrangers victory hope

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Chris Rogers vented his anger about years of being ignored by Australia’s selectors after he and Glenn Maxwell had taken Victoria to within sight of outright points against New South Wales

Daniel Brettig 27-Oct-2011
ScorecardGlenn Maxwell contributed runs and a wicket to the Bushrangers’ pursuit of victory•Getty Images

Chris Rogers vented his anger about years of being ignored by Australia’s selectors after he and Glenn Maxwell had taken Victoria to within reasonable sight of outright points against New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.Rogers’ 50th first-class century was bolstered by 92 from Maxwell and 70 to David Hussey as the Bushrangers tallied 427, before Maxwell and Jon Holland spun out Nic Maddinson and the Blues’ captain Steve O’Keefe in the hour before stumps to have NSW 175 runs behind with eight wickets and a day remaining.While the departing Cricket Australia chairman Jack Clarke defended the soon to be outgoing chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch at CA’s AGM in Melbourne, Rogers complained of a lack of communication with the men who chose Australian teams while he was compiling one of the most enviable batting records in the country,Across 196 matches, Rogers has made 16,521 runs at 51.62, yet played only one Test for Australia, against India in Perth in January 2008.”The last time I rang someone he never called me back,” Rogers said. “That was pretty disappointing. When I got dropped from the squad I was told I had to go and score runs and I think I topped the first-class aggregate in the world for the next two years but still didn’t hear much from them.”I guess they didn’t see me in their plans which is bad luck, but that’s how it worked out.”Rogers fell to the first of three wickets for the left-arm wrist spin of Simon Katich, another batsman with plenty of hackles for the selectors. Rogers was equally blunt in his support of Katich, left without a CA contract despite carrying Australia’s batting for much of the past two years.”I massively feel for him, it was a disgraceful decision if you ask me,” Rogers said. “That’s their prerogative … but he is still one of the best six batsmen in the country from a personal point of view.”Among the more promising elements of the day were signs of improved rhythm from the young fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, playing his first Shield match for almost two years. After a wayward start, Hazlewood improved with each delivery on day three, ultimately finishing with 2-71, including the wicket of Andrew McDonald.

Win shows India's bench strength – Srikkanth

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Kris Srikkanth, chairman of the Indian team’s selection committee, has termed the victory over Australia in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam as a confidence-booster ahead of the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2010Kris Srikkanth, chairman of the Indian team’s selection committee, has termed the victory over Australia in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam a confidence-booster ahead of the World Cup. India went into the game without five first-choice players and their inexperienced bowling attack conceded 289, but the young batting line-up responded calmly to complete India’s highest successful chase against Australia.The victory was set up by Virat Kohli 118, and there were half-centuries from Yuvraj Singh, who has struggled for form and fitness over the past few months, and Suresh Raina.”It was an important win in the context of the World Cup because it creates confidence in the team,” Srikkanth told the newspaper . “When you win against the No. 1 one-day team in the world chasing a record total, it is all the more satisfying.”The way we approached the game was fantastic. The good sign is that the youngsters are putting up their hands and taking up responsibility. It has proved that we have strong bench strength. It’s always heartening to see youngsters winning matches for you. It is a good sign for any country.”Injuries and fitness concerns have meant India have only sporadically fielded top players like Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in recent one-day tournaments. With the 2011 World Cup set to begin in four months, the selectors have a rotation policy in place for one-dayers to ensure the first-choice stars are fit and fresh for the competition.Following the Australia series, India play five ODIs at home against New Zealand and five more in South Africa, apart from three-Test series against both teams. Srikkanth said there was a plan in place to manage the personnel in the lead-up to the World Cup.”We have held meetings with the captain, coach, team management and the BCCI,” Srikkanth said. “We know what they are doing with the board. We have drawn up a beautiful plan in coordination with all sides concerned. We’re on track.”

Surprise captain Henriques guides Blues

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Moises Henriques stood tall in his first match as the New South Wales captain with a steadying half-century that helped the Blues to 5 for 299 at stumps on the opening day

Cricinfo staff11-Dec-2009
ScorecardMoises Henriques led from the front with 65•Getty Images

Moises Henriques stood tall in his first match as the New South Wales captain with a steadying half-century that helped the Blues to 5 for 299 at stumps on the opening day. Henriques, 22, was a surprise choice to lead the state in his 14th first-class match when the intended skipper, Stuart Clark, was ruled out due to a back injury.His 65 was a key in the New South Wales recovery after they slipped to 4 for 154, having just lost 4 for 21 following a strong opening partnership. Henriques combined with Usman Khawaja for a 137-run fifth-wicket stand that allowed the Blues to push on to a strong total at the close, with Khawaja on 78 and Steven Smith on 4.Henriques’ opposing captain Chris Simpson did the damage for Queensland with 3 for 51 and he turned the match temporarily in the Bulls’ favour after the positive opening efforts of Phil Jaques and Phillip Hughes. Both men are hoping to push their cases for Test recalls and they pushed the score to 0 for 133 in the 37th over.Jaques, who appeared the most logical captaincy option in the absence of Clark, made 56 before he was caught off the bowling of Ben Cutting. Hughes struck eight fours and a six in his 75 before he was caught by Cutting having top-edged a sweep off Simpson.

Pakistan and Bangladesh look – or hope – to sign off on a positive note

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The two teams haven’t made their own luck at the tournament, looking out of ideas at most times, and go into their last fixture knowing the result doesn’t really matter

Mohammad Isam26-Feb-20251:54

Urooj: Pakistan have let themselves down again

Big picture: Pakistan and Bangladesh hope rain stays away

It has not been a tournament to remember for either Pakistan or Bangladesh, and the team talks ahead of their last game, against each other in Rawalpindi, are likely to be similar: play for pride, etc. With some chatter about the poor weather – if it continues, as the forecast says, the long faces in the two dressing rooms will get longer.Pakistan’s numbers in the Champions Trophy matches against New Zealand and India don’t make for pretty reading. Their top-order batters haven’t pulled their collective weight. With Fakhar Zaman out injured, Imam-ul-Haq came in and didn’t do much. Saud Shakeel and Babar Azam have both hit a half-century each, but not been able to have any major impact. Mohammad Rizwan hasn’t looked in any sort of form despite scoring a century in the tri-series at home before the Champions Trophy. Pakistan could bring in Kamran Ghulam just to freshen things up, but who do they drop?After the top four, it’s no better. Khushdil Shah, Salman Agha and Tayyab Tahir seem to be playing similar roles, which has led to stagnation in the middle. Faheem Ashraf, potentially, could have balanced the side a bit, but hasn’t been given a go. And the quick bowlers have struggled to control the flow. India took apart Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Naseem Shah has been better, but has looked below his best. Abrar Ahmed has bowled one great delivery that was overshadowed by his celebration.Related

  • Pakistan won't take Bangladesh pacers lightly, Aaqib Javed says

  • Aaqib Javed's post mortem: Lack of experience in the ranks hurt Pakistan

  • Shanto fears Bangladesh are 'taking it lightly' after exit

  • Pakistan slide feels like a terminal, slow decline

Bangladesh haven’t been too different, bar their quick bowling. Their batting has been one-dimensional, and not been able to go through the gears, with the lower order having to bail them out. Their top order caved in against India, while Michael Bracewell’s offspin got rid of their middle order in the other game. Najmul Hossain Shanto showed form against New Zealand, while Jaker Ali has been consistent – they might have to do even more against Pakistan. As is the case with Towhid Hridoy, who scored an impressive century against India.1:58

‘Disappointing to see Bangladesh’s big players go missing in a must-win game’

But they will want veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah to sign off from what could be their last ICC game with a bang and not a whimper. Their lack of fire has been disappointing to see, though, in Mahmudullah’s case, it’s just been one match and one failure.Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana have to do the heavy lifting again on Thursday, with Mustafizur Rahman continuing to be steady without being spectacular. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain, the lead spinners, have a lot to do, too, especially in Rawalpindi where they should have a more central role.But the two teams will also be looking beyond this game. They have to set their priorities right in the domestic circuit and then look for improvement in their international teams. They will both have to go back to the drawing board ahead of the next ICC tournament, and figure out how they can make a better fist of it, especially with a transition of sorts possibly around the corner.

Form guide

Pakistan LLLWL
Bangladesh LLLLL

In the spotlight: Abrar Ahmed and Jaker Ali

His send-off after the wonder ball to Shubman Gill has attracted all the attention, but Abrar Ahmed has been one of the few success stories for Pakistan in the last couple of weeks. He’s posed a wicket-taking threat. He’s been economical as well. But Bangladesh handled him well last year in the Rawalpindi Test so it will be interesting to see what happens on Thursday.Jaker Ali has been a revelation for Bangladesh in the lower-middle order in the last few months. It has been just seven ODIs, but he averages 50-plus with two fifties. He is a strong hitter in the death overs, often finding the boundaries, but wouldn’t mind having another specialist batter at the other end for at least a part of the time. Jaker can also offer his wicketkeeping if Bangladesh look to tinker with their XI and leave out Mushfiqur.For Mushfiqur Rahim, as well as Mahmudullah, this could be a final appearance in an ICC tournament•ICC via Getty Images

Team news: Will the teams ring in the changes?

Could Pakistan leave out one of their star quick bowlers to give Mohammad Hasnain or Faheem Ashraf a chance? They also have batting options in Usman Khan and Kamran Ghulam.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq/Usman Khan, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Saud Shakeel, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Tayyab Tahir, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi/Mohammad Hasnain, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar AhmedBangladesh are likely to field the same line-up that played against New Zealand.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 3 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 4 Tohwid Hridoy, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Nahid Rana

Pitch and conditions: An eye on the weather

Pakistan will hope that their farewell from their own Champions Trophy is not rained out. There is rain in the forecast. The previous match at the venue, between South Africa and Australia, was abandoned because of rain too. The pitch would have been under cover for a lot of the last three days by the time the game starts, and there’s always the chance of extra moisture around the square.

Stats and trivia: Bangladesh’s pacers slightly better

  • This is the first Pakistan vs Bangladesh contest in Champions Trophy history
  • Pakistan beat Bangladesh in their only previous ODI in Rawalpindi in 2003
  • Pakistan have a 12-0 overall home record against Bangladesh in ODIs
  • The fast bowlers across the two teams have taken 11 wickets, but Bangladesh’s group has a bowling average of 44.83 and have conceded runs at 5.12 per over, while Pakistan’s have an average of 63.50 and an economy rate of 7.18.

ODI World Cup digest: Kohli's hundred keeps India flying; Australia-Pakistan face huge clash

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Bangladesh started promisingly but then subsided as the hosts overcame a significant injury scare while Ben Stokes nears a return for England

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-20231:43

Pujara: Jadeja is more accurate than a bowling machine

—Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament Index

Top Story: Jadeja, Kohli lead India to fourth win in a row

The sameness to a Virat Kohli innings in a middling chase is no criticism of his batting. The beauty of it lies in the repetitive nature of it, a mark of his hunger to make every start count. On Thursday, it helped deliver ODI century No. 48, which takes him that much closer to the man who he hoisted on his shoulders on that famous April night in 2011, before delivering an epic line that made a country of more than a billion shed happy tears.Kohli’s knock, which turned into a race between his hundred and a victory towards the end, was preceded by a run-torrent from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. The pair’s 88-run opening stand in a chase of 257, which seemed well short of a par score, was an exhibition of batting aesthetics dreams are made of. Rohit, with his lazy elegance, ferocious cuts and monstrous pulls did the early running, and Gill took over the mantle to slowly get into top gear.Click here for the full report

Match analysis: Jadeja, the gladiator who goes to bank

Ravindra Jadeja again showed his value to India•Getty Images

The skills of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav are irreplaceable, but Hardik Pandya performs a role for India nobody else can do: a seam-bowling allrounder good enough to hold down his place for batting alone in many other sides. Pandya was down and getting treatment.Pandya tried to run in to bowl again, but eventually went off the field and off for scans, the results of which the whole nation will await. The anxiety around the injury is understandable. There are back-ups for the best of the batters, there are bowling back-ups, and the other allrounder has a like-for-like replacement. However, does anyone have the body of work the other allrounder has?There might be others answering to the job description of Ravindra Jadeja, but there aren’t many that are doing the job as well as him. Looking at his flamboyance, Jadeja will be the last person you’d think of as a banker, but that is what he is for India.Read the full piece from Sidharth Monga

Must Watch: Kohli’s manufactured hundred

2:13

Did Kohli chase his milestone? Pujara okay if it doesn’t hurt the team

News headlines

  • India were given a significant injury scare against Bangladesh when Hardik Pandya left the field with an ankle problem, but Rohit Sharma was hopeful it wasn’t serious.
  • Ben Stokes feared his World Cup was over after picking up a hip injury shortly before the tournament began, but is now ready to return just as England need his inspiration to keep their campaign alive.
  • Allrounder Angelo Mathews and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera will join Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad as travelling reserves.

Match preview

Australia vs South Africa, Bengaluru (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEST)5:06

Should Australia change their batting order to be more effective?

It’s that strange time in the long group stage of the World Cup where the nebulous concept of momentum appears to matter more than a side’s actual position on the points table. Pakistan are ahead of Australia every way you slice it – on points, on net run rate.But given Pakistan’s penchant for panic the moment anything goes wrong, and Australia’s ability to strike when they most need it, this is a contest between a team primed to make a charge, and one that can feel their opponent’s breath on their necks. As any Pakistan supporter will tell you, the one team they don’t want to play when they really need a win is the one in yellow.After hidings against India and South Africa, Australia demonstrated they weren’t about to give up on their campaign with a whimper. A complete performance with bat, ball and in the field sank Sri Lanka, earning them their first points and improving their negative net run rate.Full previewTeam newsAustralia (probable) 1 David Warner 2 Mitchell Marsh 3 Steven Smith 4 Marnus Labuschagne 5 Josh Inglis (wk) 6 Glenn Maxwell 7 Marcus Stoinis 8 Mitchell Starc 9 Pat Cummins (capt) 10 Adam Zampa 11 Josh HazlewoodPakistan (probable) 1 Abdullah Shafique 2 Imam-ul-Haq 3 Babar Azam (capt) 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Mohammad Nawaz/Shadab Khan 7 Iftikhar Ahmed 8 Usama Mir 9 Hasan Ali 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi 11 Haris Rauf

Feature: Rockstar Afridi needs a new hit

To begin with, this is a slightly imperfect analogy. Shaheen Shah Afridi is, and has always been, more than that one-trick pony. His overall numbers this year do not speak of a dip: nearly two wickets a game, and average, strike rate and economy mirroring to a freakish degree his excellent career numbers.It’s just that the one trick has been so potent and spectacular, and so established, that it has become somewhat of a monster. Time and again since Afridi’s return from the serious knee injury he suffered last year, he has fed it.But especially during the Asia Cup and this World Cup so far, it hasn’t quite landed right.Read the full story from Osman Samiuddin

'Plan is to keep it simple' – Shami marks ODI return with 150 wickets in record time

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He had not played a 50-over game since November 2020, but took 3 for 31 on his comeback

Shashank Kishore13-Jul-20222:38

Giles: This defeat will leave scars

Mohammed Shami’s first ODI since November 2020 was a memorable one. Against England at The Oval on Tuesday, he became the fastest to 150 ODI wickets for India – in his 80th match – breaking Ajit Agarkar’s record of 97 games.While Jasprit Bumrah’s career-best performance of 6 for 19 in the first ODI vaulted him to the top of the rankings for bowlers, Shami also bowled a crucial spell in the series opener. His 3 for 31 in seven overs included the wickets of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler as the hosts were shot out for 110, paving the way for India’s first ten-wicket victory in an ODI against England.”The ball was stopping a bit, seaming a bit, so it was important to bowl in the right areas and keep our line in check,” Shami told India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey during an interview for BCCI.tv.Related

  • England search for answers at Lord's against high-flying India

  • Report: Bumrah takes career-best 6 for 19 as India skittle England

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  • Jasprit Bumrah becomes No. 1 ODI bowler

“If your [bowling] areas are good on a surface where it seams and swings, it’s difficult to get away. We kept it simple and got rewarded with wickets. The more you run behind wickets, the more it doesn’t happen. I kept it simple, and the results are there to see.”Shami set the tone in the first over after Rohit Sharma chose to bowl. He hit Jonny Bairstow on the thigh with his second delivery, beat him with extra bounce two balls later, and ended the over with one that squared up the England opener.When Bumrah struck twice in his opening over, dismissing Jason Roy and Joe Root, it was the resumption of a bowling partnership that India had not seen in an ODI for more than 18 months.”It was a long break. But once you get comfortable, you know your responsibilities” – Shami•Getty Images

“We’ve been playing together for so long that in two overs you understand what’s happening and what you have to do,” Shami said of his partnership with Bumrah. “When I bowled the first over, you could see the ball was seaming around; there was swing on offer. Bumrah also then tried to incorporate the same length and got wickets also.”I was away for three years [18 months] – it was a long break – but once you get comfortable in this environment, you know your responsibilities. It’s important to have a clear mind. What to do, what lengths to bowl, how to use your variations everyone knows, but you need to be clear about it from within.”After the defeat in the Edgbaston Test, Shami was not part of the T20I squad that won the series 2-1, and he now has the chance to help India seal the ODI series at Lord’s on Thursday.”Personally, my plan is to just keep it simple. That is my mantra,” he said. “You only have to think if the wickets are different. Otherwise, if you repeat the same things over and over again, chances of success is that much more. Only if the wickets are slow and dry, there’s scope for you to change plans, else just carry on doing the same things.”

Wiese cameo bookends Zaman-Dunk rescue job for Qalandars

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Lahore Qalandars won by six wickets after being three down early in chase

Sreshth Shah28-Feb-2021Lahore Qalandars 189 for 4 (Zaman 83, Dunk 57*, Wiese 31*) beat Karachi Kings 186 for 9 (Sharjeel 64, Nabi 57, Shaheen Afridi 3-27)In a game that had all the ingredients fit for a contest between franchises representing the two biggest cities in Pakistan, Lahore Qalandars came out on top, defeating Karachi Kings by six wickets – in the final over – to move into the top two of the PSL points table. Qalandars’ win made it 11 in a row for chasing teams this season, with the side batting first still searching for victory in PSL 2021. It was a fascinating match that had plenty of chirping, a whole lot of sixes, and an overdose of entertainment, fit for a ground that now allows up to 50% attendance for fans.The second innings began with the Kings roaring on the back of three wickets in the Powerplay, but a 119-run fourth-wicket stand between Fakhar Zaman (83) and Ben Dunk (57) brought the Qalandars back into the match. When Zaman fell, Kings had a sniff once again, but David’s Wiese’s nine-ball cameo of 31 extinguished those hopes, securing a Qalandars win with four balls to spare.Kings’ first-innings performance, where they reached 186 for 9, was quite similar to the chase. Like the Qalandars, they lost three wickets in the Powerplay before half-centuries from Sharjeel Khan (64) and Mohammad Nabi (57) lifted their innings. However, they could add only 24 runs in their last four overs while setting a total, and in the end, that was the difference between the two sides. A big reason why Kings scored at only six per over in the death overs was because of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s accurate bowling. He finished with 3 for 27.Shaheen cranks it up
After conceding two boundaries in his first three deliveries with the new ball, Shaheen eked out the early chance for a breakthrough when Sharjeel mistimed a shot to mid-on, only for Qalandars captain Sohail Akhtar to drop the catch. Shaheen’s second over was consistently quick. He nearly got a run-out in the second ball of the third over when he tried to kick the ball onto the stumps at the strikers’ end. Two balls later, a second chance was dropped off Shaheen, when Babar Azam flayed an edge to wide first slip. Then Shaheen conceded five wides when he missed the yorker only for it to slide down the leg side. But he had the last laugh in his opening spell, when he knocked Azam’s middle stump back with a length ball that moved in and went past the inside of the batsman’s blade. Shaheen enjoyed the wicket a lot, perhaps a bit too much, such that once he recovered from the high of the dismissal, he hugged Azam.After bowling two of the first three overs, Shaheen was taken out of the attack. He returned at the end of the 17th with Kings at 168 for 6 and then proceeded to trouble the Kings’ lower-order batsman. Shaheen nearly dismissed Waqas Maqsood with back-to-back yorkers in the 18th finally removed him in the 20th with the same ball. He then proceeded to york Mohammad Amir as well – with a massive celebration once again. He ended the innings with a 151kph delivery to restrict Kings to 186 for 9.Sharjeel, Nabi dominate between Shaheen’s spells
After Azam fell in Shaheen’s third over, Kings slid further when they lost Joe Clarke and Colin Ingram off back to back deliveries in the fifth. Clarke was run-out for 4 trying to complete a single while Ingram was out to an Ahmed Daniyal yorker for a first-ball duck.That brought Sharjeel and Nabi together and they responded by smoking 16 runs off the sixth over, delivered by Mohammad Hafeez. Sharjeel was the aggressor, hitting sixes off Haris Rauf and Wiese in the following overs, the latter bringing up his half-century in the tenth over off 34 balls. Nabi then hammered Samit Patel for two sixes and a four in an 11th over that leaked 21 runs before Sharjeel fell at the start of the 13th trying to look for another big hit. Sharjeel’s 39-ball 64 had 56 runs that came off either fours or sixes.Nabi then took over from where Sharjeel left, hitting Wiese and Rauf for plenty in the late middle overs, helped by some wayward deliveries that included a useful mix of full tosses and short balls. However, he fell in the 16th over for his 35-ball 57 when he sliced a Rauf slower ball to extra cover. Christian brought out his long handle to clobber a 14-ball 27 but his dismissal, coupled with Imad Wasim’s deflated Kings’ charge into the death overs. They went at just six per over from overs 16 to 20 to set a total far lesser than the 200-plus they were aiming for at one stage.Amir’s mixed day
Shaheen’s over-the-top celebration at dismissing Amir, who batted at No. 10, probably fired the senior bowler up because when he took the new ball in the chase, he was raring to go. With Zaman not finding a run off the first three balls, Amir went up to the batsman to say a few words, and off the fourth ball eked out a wicket. Zaman, trying to get Qalandars off the mark, tried to take a single, only to cause a run-out that saw Sohail out for a duck without facing a ball. Amir then bowled a full ball to No. 3 Joe Denly to bowl him for a first-ball duck as the first over was a double-wicket maiden. His second over – the chase’s third – was equally entertaining but yielded seven runs. However, the opening spell was menacing.Like Shaheen, Amir was taken off the attack after two overs and only returned at the death. On that occasion, though, his fortunes changed. Although he conceded just seven in the 17th over, the 19th went for plenty. Dunk set the tone for the 19th with a four off a wide delivery after which Wiese hit him for two fours and a six. When Amir came to bowl his final over, Qalandars needed 30 off 12. When he was done, they needed 10 off six.Zaman, Dunk set up the win
When Zaman and Dunk came together at 33 for 3, it seemed that for the first time the chasing side would lose a PSL 2021 match. The in-form Hafeez and Clarke were already gone, and Dunk was not in form. However, Zaman was hitting it clean. He struck two sixes and three fours off Mohammad Ilyas, and two sixes of Arshad Iqbal in the first eight overs to keep the asking rate in check. He then tore into Nabi, Christian and Maqsood to sprint to a 36-ball fifty while Dunk was still struggling at a run-a-ball 26.After the 12th over, though, with Qalandars needing 93 off 48, both batsmen stepped up a gear. Dunk matched Zaman stroke for stroke against Nabi and Maqsood such that by the 17th over came, the Australian had reached his fifty in 39 deliveries and Qalandars needed 36 off the last three overs.Zaman then fell to Christian courtesy a slower ball, but the momentum had already shifted Qalandars’ way courtesy the century stand for the fourth wicket. Wiese came in to bat firing all cylinders and Dunk then turned into spectator. Wiese’s annihilation of Amir’s final spell left only 10 to get off the final over, and he needed just two balls in the 20th – delivered by Christian – to take Qalandars over the line. Dunk finished unbeaten on 57.

Tom Blundell to take Jeet Raval's opening spot for Boxing Day Test

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The wicketkeeper-batsman made 59 against a Victoria XI in Melbourne on Sunday and will replace out-of-form Raval in the second Test against Australia

Alex Malcolm22-Dec-2019New Zealand have confirmed reserve batsman and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell will open during the second Test against Australia on Boxing Day in Melbourne with Jeet Raval set to be dropped.Blundell opened for New Zealand in their single day practice match against Victoria XI at Scotch College in Melbourne on Sunday and made 59. The two-day game had been reduced to a single day fixture due to extreme heat in Melbourne on Friday.Blundell has only played two Test matches, against West Indies at home in 2017, where he made an unbeaten century on debut as wicketkeeper. He has never opened in 93 first-class innings and has not batted any higher than No. 5. He has only opened in four domestic T20s and six List A matches for Wellington but has not done so since 2017.However, Blundell is confident he can make the adjustment. “I think it’s just a mindset shift,” he said. “I’ll probably try and still bat the same but it’s just the first 30 balls, you have to be a little bit patient outside that off stump. If I can last those 30 balls hopefully I can bat a little bit more positively.”I feel like I can do a good job wherever and this game I’ve been given the opportunity to open and I’m really looking forward to Boxing day.”Veteran batsman and team-mate Ross Taylor backed Blundell’s selection for the fixture at the MCG.”It’s fantastic,” Taylor said. “Couldn’t think of a better place [for Blundell] to be introduced to opening the batting. I think he started off with a hundred in his Test debut back home in New Zealand and he definitely won’t be over-awed by the occasion.”He obviously started well today [at the practice match], got a 50, and the team are thoroughly enjoying him being around and are looking forward to seeing what he can do come Boxing Day.”I think one of his strengths is pace bowling. He loves to play the short ball. He hasn’t played a lot of Test cricket but when he has played he’s got a hundred on debut. It’s lovely for him to get out there and show what he’s got. I fully back him and look forward to seeing how he goes.”Raval’s form has forced New Zealand’s hand after he failed to reach double figures in seven of his last nine Test innings. Trent Boult is also set to return from his intercostal injury to replace the injured Lockie Ferguson. With just one day of cricket before the Test, Boult played for the Victoria XI, bowling 11 overs across three spells and claimed the wicket of Tom Latham.Australia are set to make one change with coach Justin Langer confirming to on Saturday that James Pattinson would replace injured fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.