All posts by h716a5.icu

The scenes at the Wankhede Stadium were scarcely believable as Mumbai Indians’ turnaround of a campaign that had begun so disastrously culminated in the most fairy-tale of finishes

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2014Mumbai Indians were the defending IPL champions, but their performance in the UAE leg of the tournament barely lent justice to that seeding. Five successive losses were how they began their campaign but since the shift to India, Mumbai knocked off seven wins, the last of which was achieved facing humongous odds and in an incredible blaze of glory.The equation before them was 190 in 14.3 overs. By the end of the 10th over, Mumbai were tackling a required rate of 15.5. But Corey Anderson’s frenetic 44-ball 95 kept Wankhede rumbling. It became 9 off 3 balls and Anderson was stranded in the non-strikers’ end after failing to beat long-off.Ambati Rayudu lurched between euphoria and agony when he struck the next ball – a leg stump full toss from James Faulkner – for six but then was run out looking for the winning runs. He sank to his knees thinking Mumbai had fallen short of the playoffs. The 14.3 overs were up and Mumbai could only tie with the target. However, the net-run rate equation allowed for one more ball, one more shot for the home side. If this was sent to the boundary, they would progress. In came Aditya Tare and smote another leg-stump full toss over square leg to cue manic celebrations.”We showed today that nothing is impossible,” said the Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma, “A performance like this doesn’t come everyday. This is for the people of Mumbai and our supporters all across [the world]. Anderson was just unbelievable. The kind of shots he played was amazing, and Rayudu came in and played a little cameo there, and hats off to Tare because hitting a six in the last ball and it was simply superb.”Rohit said his team had been inspired by their recent Champions League T20 triumph. After an initial loss and one game rained out, Mumbai required a perfect sheet to get into the final and that is what they accomplished to complete the double of a CLT20 title to go along with the IPL.

I think it gave hope to us in the middle and to the boys in the change room as wellCorey Anderson on the Wankhede crowd

“We did it in the Champions League too. We were in the same situation to qualify [for the final], so we had that belief in ourselves that we can do it and we proved it today. At the start of the tournament I said that this team has got all the potential to come out and perform like that and we showed it tonight. The first half is done [having qualified for the playoffs]. The remaining half is still there so brighter things are yet to come.”Anderson, on whom Mumbai shelled $750,000, never found his feet in the tournament. Noted for his power-hitting, his strike rate languished at 118 until the night that mattered most for his side. He came out with the score on 19 for 1 and relied solely on his power to enact one of the most poignant victories in seven years for Mumbai. Anderson believed the energy of a roaring Wankhede spurred their side towards victory as that 14.3-over mark approached.”Little bit before [the last 10 balls] some of them started realising we’ve got a chance here,” Anderson said. “I think it gave hope to us in the middle and to the boys in the change room as well. It was just nice to be out there when it all finished as well.”I’m glad I could do something to bring them [Mumbai supporters] to their feet. Some other boys played some massive knocks tonight. Rayudu came in and smashed it and that last ball from Tare as well. It sort of never stopped the whole way.”It was just about staying still and backing yourself. I think when you complicate things is when it starts getting frustrating and you miss balls and I think I did that a couple of ones near the end. It’s a pretty special feeling to do it in front of the home crowd.”Rajasthan Royals had entered this match requiring a victory, or a narrow-enough loss to pip their opponents on net run-rate. They were noticeably buoyed when Michael Hussey and the dangerous Kieron Pollard were sent back in the sixth over. But in the face of a steady onslaught, the bowlers unravelled and the dugout grew tenser as they watched ball after poor ball being clobbered to the boundary. Rahul Dravid, the team mentor, said they could not execute their lengths but conceded reining a man like Anderson after he had got on a roll was always going to be difficult.

Jehan Mubarak has been named in the Sri Lanka A squad for the first four-day match against West Indies A, starting October 11 in Hambantota

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2014Sri Lanka A squad

Upul Tharanga (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Jehan Mubarak, Niroshan Dickwella, Seekkuge Prasanna, Shaminda Eranga, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Gamage, Madawa Warnapura, Rumesh Buddika, Tharindu Kaushal, Kasun Madushanka

Jehan Mubarak has been named in the Sri Lanka A squad for the first four-day match against West Indies A, starting October 11 in Hambantota. The squad of 15 will be led by Upul Tharanga.Mubarak, who last played a Test in 2007 and ODI in 2013, featured in eight T20s for Southern Express recently, five in Sri Lanka and three in the Champions League T20 qualifiers in India. He last played a first-class match in April this year.Sri Lanka’s next assignment is against England in November. With that in mind, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella, and Shaminda Eranga, who played the Tests against Pakistan in August, and Ashan Priyanjan, Seekkuge Prasanna and Dinesh Chandimal, who played the ODIs, all feature in the A squad.Two players who were in the Test squad but did not get a game – Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Gamage – were also named for the first-class match.Among the uncapped players in the squad were Madawa Warnapura, Tharindu Kaushal, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Madushanka and Rumesh Buddika. Fernando played for the Sri Lanka A squad which toured England and Ireland in August.Sri Lanka A will host West Indies A for three four-day matches and three unofficial ODIs.

The Blancos, amid a testing 2017-18 campaign, are expected to overhaul their squad in the summer and will have a sizeable budget at their disposal

Galacticos of 2018?

Real Madrid are expected to spend big this summer, with a forgettable domestic campaign highlighting the flaws in a squad that swept to a La Liga and Champions League double in 2016-17. Reports suggest that the Blancos could invest as much as €600 million in fresh faces, with high-profile sales – such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Keylor Navas – helping to counter a sizable outlay and ensure the club adheres to Financial Fair Play regulations. Who, though, is on their shopping list as the next ‘Galactico’ recruitment drive at Santiago Bernabeu is pieced together?

AdvertisementGettyDavid de Gea: €130m

The Manchester United goalkeeper has been a longstanding target, with a deal almost done in the summer of 2015 only for a now-infamous fax delay to scupper a return to Spain for the former Atletico Madrid custodian.

De Gea has said of his Old Trafford future: “I don't think it's the time to start talking about the future, it's not the time to be talking contracts. Being a player and a part of this club is special, so when you get to wear the shirt, you go to away games, that's something you are always proud of and is very special.”

Getty ImagesThibaut Courtois: €100m

Amid the struggles to get an agreement in place for De Gea, Chelsea’s current number one has emerged as a possible alternative – with the former Atletico loanee having made no secret of his desire to return to Spain.

Courtois has said: “Yes, my heart is in Madrid. It is logical and understandable. If they [Real] want me, they have to contact Chelsea. We'll see. But they have not done that. What is certain is that one day I will return to Madrid.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesToby Alderweireld: €30m

Another man to have once graced the books at Real’s cross-city rivals Atletico, the Tottenham defender is now considered a realistic target as he is yet to commit to fresh terms in England and has a release clause set to kick in from 2019 if no extension is agreed.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has said of the Belgian centre-half: “Toby still has two-and-a-half years of contract. Messi was six months left on his contract. Messi! If something happens, the club is going to communicate.”

England captain Stuart Broad has been fined 15% of his match fee for his comments following his team’s rain-affected defeat against New Zealand.

Alan Gardner in Chittagong23-Mar-2014England captain Stuart Broad has been fined 15% of his match fee for comments following his team’s rain-affected defeat against New Zealand.England lost on the Duckworth-Lewis method and Broad questioned the timing of the umpires’ decision to take the teams off the field. He pleaded guilty to a Level One charge of publicly criticising match officials.Lightning was seen above the ground in Chittagong before five overs of the New Zealand innings had been completed – the amount required to constitute a match – but Aleem Dar and Paul Reiffel elected to keep the players on until the arrival of rain, which came after 5.2 overs, a decision that Broad described as “decidedly average”.It has also emerged that the ECB has urged the ICC to revise its regulations and ensure that players are taken off at the first sign of lightning in future. Decisions on when to suspend play due to adverse weather are currently in the hands of the umpires but Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, has asked ICC chief executive, David Richards, to institute a rethink.”We have been having discussions of a very serious nature,” Clarke told the . “These were extraordinary circumstances, and the umpires were in a tricky position. But if that had been a golf tournament, everyone would have been off.”I completely see Stuart Broad’s point. The safety of both the players and the crowd should be paramount if there’s an electrical storm. If it happens again, they’re almost certainly going to have to go straight off.”Broad’s comments were, according to match referee Javagal Srinath, in breach of section 2.1.7 of the code of conduct for players. “Umpires are the final judges of the fitness of the ground, weather or light for play,” Srinath said. “Weather decisions are the most difficult to make, but the umpires make the best decision possible, taking all factors into account.”Such public criticism is not good for the spirit of the game. Mutual respect between players, match officials and administrators is paramount to the game of cricket.”

Shame to be fined. Back to bland and unopinionated press conferences I'm afraid. Draw a line onto the next game!

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) March 23, 2014

Broad was visibly displeased after the game, although he did his best to remain “polite”, saying that he thought the delay had put the safety of players and the crowd at risk. He received the backing of his team-mate Michael Lumb, who has experienced the frightening effects of lightning while growing up in Johannesburg.”I think Stuart covered it in detail but, from a personal point of view, you don’t mess around with lightning,” Lumb said. “There are lives at stake. It was literally right above us and it was pretty scary.”It would have been a different story if we were waking up this morning talking about guys who were struck by lightning. If we were on a golf course, we’d probably have been taken off. It’s a serious thing and it’s not to be messed with. I’d have been quite happy to go off the field earlier.”It’s something we need to look at and address. You do play in certain parts of the world where there will be lightning. It’s a big factor and something has to be done.”

Peter Moores has dismissed suggestions that his new assistant, Paul Farbrace, should feel morally bound to sit out the Sri Lanka tour this summer

David Hopps02-May-20146:11

#PoliteEnquiries: Would Nick Compton pose naked? The man himself answers yours questions

Peter Moores has dismissed suggestions that his new assistant, Paul Farbrace, should feel morally bound to sit out the Sri Lanka tour this summer because England poached him from their opponents so soon after he took charge.Farbrace had been in charge of Sri Lanka for barely three months, a period in which they won the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, before England persuaded him to abandon a job he had only just begun and join Moores in a new-look England coaching structure.Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka captain, conceded that the circumstances were “not nice” when he joined Durham this week for a brief stint ahead of the Sri Lanka tour but stopped short of criticising Farbrace, who he maintained was “a top guy and a wonderful coach”.Moores also waved aside suggestions that England should make a moral gesture, pointing out that Farbrace was English and that there was a patriotic lure in his new role.”I don’t think he should miss the Sri Lanka tour,” Moores said. “Paul has made his decision and he has come in. One of the key things was for him to be in at the start of something new.”Of course I understand why some people are uncomfortable, but the key message – and I am sure Paul won’t mind me saying – is that he loved his time in Sri Lanka. He has been there twice and he went back because he loved the people, he loved the way they played their cricket and some of those senior players he has a great relationship with.”I can understand why people aren’t happy with him because he went there and was very successful. But there was a draw to come and do something in his home country and for anybody who is a patriotic bloke, as Paul is, it becomes something he wants to do. I think over time the players will understand that – they are playing for their country after all.Paul Farbrace was working with Sri Lanka’s players a few weeks ago•AFP”We go back a long way with so I know his philosophies about coaching and they are similar to mine which I think is really important. That is about trying to create a situation where people feel free to go and play – and that is quite challenging in an international environment but I think he fits. I think the players will enjoy having him. He is an all-round coach, he covers a lot of bases, and has got great knowledge of one day cricket in particular.”Sangakkara was also reluctant to be too critical. “Paul is a big loss for us,” he said. “He could understand how Sri Lanka works and his impact was really important for us in those three months. The circumstances surrounding how he left were unfortunate, it was probably not nice, but England will gain hugely from Paul.”He’s a top guy and a wonderful coach. He’s very good with people and sometimes that’s more important than having all the knowledge in the world.”Moores dismissed fears that Ben Stokes could miss the entire summer after his contretemps with a locker during a one-day match in Barbados in March. Stokes fractured his right hand when he lashed out after being dismissed for a golden duck. He issued an emotional apology to the team in the dressing room as he realised that he would miss World Twenty20″I don’t think he will miss the entire season. They are very confident about how he’s progressing. The impression I have is that they are not saying his recovery isn’t going to plan. It is going in stages as everything does so we have to just go with it.”He’s still got a bit of work to do yet – he isn’t on the coaches’ radar yet. I don’t know with him. It was a complicated injury so it takes a bit more time. If he is not ready to play in the first Test then he isn’t.”Moores has inherited other injury concerns. Stuart Broad is likely to miss the limited-overs section of Sri Lanka’s tour and play Championship cricket in an attempt to be fit for the first Test at Lord’s in June after seeking a rest cure for tendonitis in his knee.”Obviously Broady is having a break to recharge and get his niggles sorted with a view to him playing a couple of rounds of county cricket but he is struggling for the one day series,” he said. “With all these things we will have to monitor how it progresses, but at the moment, we are looking at the Tests for Broad. As with all key players you are desperate to pick them if you can but you have to be realistic we need to make sure he is fully fit.”Sussex are also hopeful that Matt Prior will return as a batsman against Lancashire at Old Trafford on Sunday as he seeks to rid himself of persistent Achilles trouble, but Moores was unable to commit himself to when Prior might return.”We are upping his volume to see when he can get some cricket in, but realistically with Matt it is about preparing to compete for the Test matches so we have a bit more time. I wouldn’t put a timescale on his return. We want to see him play cricket, Test matches don’t start for a while and he has to show he can get through a game without it flaring up.”Steve Finn’s form is also heartening, but does not yet warrant a return in one-day cricket. Here is another player being targeted at the Tests. Moores plans chats with Angus Fraser, Middlesex’s director of cricket. and judging by Fraser’s comments on ESPNcricinfo’s County Show he will receive a positive but cautious assessment: progress is being made, but there remains work to be done.”There is a general perception we should give him long enough in county cricket to really get to where he wants to be before he goes and plays for England again,” Moores said. “I would accept that if that is the general view – that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want him in my team but I think the key here is that you have to take some advice on where a player is at.”We don’t have to cross the bridge of the first Test yet and what I do like is him taking wickets in county cricket. Having not watched him yet live but have watched the video clips, he looks like he’s bowling the sort of balls you want to see a fast bowler bowling. That is exciting for us because he was missed in the winter.”

Rookie legspinner Scott Borthwick is poised to make a Test debut in Sydney as England reach the final Test in Sydney with the Ashes long gone

George Dobell01-Jan-20140:00

Borthwick ready for Aussie onslaught

England will make the first tentative steps into a new age as they reach the final Test in Sydney with the series long gone and a growing acceptance that the team that has served them so well needs refreshing.To that end, Scott Borthwick looks set to become the first legspinner capped by England since Ian Salisbury was recalled against Pakistan in December 2000, a brief flirtation with leg spin which also saw Chris Schofield play two Tests earlier that year.The fast bowler Boyd Rankin and the middle-order batsman Garry Ballance are also pushing for inclusion. If all three play, it will be the first time England have had three debutants in the same Test since Nagpur in March 2006 when Monty Panesar, Ian Blackwell and Alastair Cook all won their first caps.It would complete a rapid rise to prominence for Borthwick. He had been due to return to the UK on Monday having played Grade cricket in Sydney – he played alongside Brad Haddin in one game – and is still due on the Lions tour of Sri Lanka in March. Now, at 23, he is going to be given the opportunity of filling the rather large shoes of Graeme Swann.England are asking a great deal. With 28 wickets at 38 apiece in the last Championship season, Borthwick was 14th in the Durham bowling averages. While his batting was a revelation – promoted to No. 3 from No. 8 he scored 1,022 Championship runs – he is being picked more with a view to his spin bowling than his batting. He will, however, stiffen the tail – he could well bat at No. 8 – and improve England’s fielding.The experience of Simon Kerrigan is a concern. Kerrigan, who has a significantly better first-class bowling record than Borthwick (a bowling average of 26.68 compared to 31.29, albeit on generally more helpful Old Trafford surfaces) endured a horrendous debut at The Oval at the end of the previous series after he appeared to wilt in the face of a ferocious assault from Australia’s batsmen.It seems inevitable Australia will target Borthwick in the same manner, with Haddin, described as “a good fella” by Borthwick, suggesting the young legspinner will be “monstered”.”Leg-spin is hard,” Borthwick admitted phlegmatically on Wednesday. “You’ve got to accept you are going to bowl bad balls, and blokes are going to come after you. You’ve got to a bit of fight, try to get competitive and spin the ball past them. When batters do come at you, it gives you a chance to get wickets.”England skipped nets but still plan to make a sprint start in Sydney•Getty ImagesWhether he plays as the main spinner or fulfils a role alongside Monty Panesar, who has reportedly been complaining of a tight calf, or even James Tredwell remains to be seen. The days when Sydney offered much turn are gone, so England could utilise Joe Root, who out-bowled Panesar in Melbourne, as the second spinner.The relative success of Ben Stokes might yet be remembered as the only light amid the gloom of this series for England. While his century at Perth was the most memorable of his achievements, he has also shown burgeoning ability with the ball. Again, it would be a big ask, but he could be used as one of only three seamers if England feel the need to play two spinners.If Rankin plays it is likely to be in place of Tim Bresnan and if Ballance plays it is likely to be instead of Michael Carberry. That would necessitate Root moving back up to the opening position – his third batting position of the series – and might well see Ian Bell promoted to the No. 3 position. Root has already batted in every position between two and seven in his 15 Tests and the dropping of Carberry, like the dropping of Nick Compton before him, would be an admission of failure on the behalf of the selectors.Ballance looks a fine prospect. While he arrived on the tour carrying more weight than might be expected from a professional cricketer in this age, he scored 1,251 Championship runs in the 2013 season and has a first-class average of 53.33. The fact that he is Zimbabwe born will provoke some, although he was schooled in England, but of more relevance is the fact that he appears to have a solid game without obvious faults and, aged 24, could play a role for much of the next decade.There were some raised eyebrows when England opted to skip nets and concentrate on fielding practice on Wednesday. To some, England’s performances in this series have underlined how much work they have in front of them, though in reality there is little that one more net session could do to restore the balance of power at this stage.It may be pertinent to note that when England won the final Test of the 2002-03 series having gone into the game 4-0 down, they spent the preceding days indulging thoroughly at New Year and enjoying games of football instead of nets. Sometimes a break is of more value than another net session.While England explore new players, it might also prove worthwhile exploring the system and the coaches that are meant to produce them.Since Jonathan Trott made his Test debut in 2009, England have brought 13 new players into their Test side. While several, the likes of Steven Finn and James Taylor, may come again, there should be a concern that of them all, perhaps only Root and Stokes have adapted to the level with anything like comfort.It is hard to avoid the conclusion that a gap has developed between domestic and international cricket that was not there when Matt Prior, Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Trott were scoring centuries on Test debut or when Bell and Kevin Pietersen were scoring half-centuries and James Anderson was taking a five-wicket haul.The lack of developing young spinners and fast bowlers is a particular concern. The ECB have employed specialist coaches for several years in such positions but, while national head coaches and captains are subject to great public scrutiny, those operating at developmental level seem to live a somewhat cosy life just below the radar. But it is faults at those levels that eventually weaken the national side.

After crediting the conditions and India’s bowlers for New Zealand being bowled out cheaply, Kane Williamson said his side’s bowlers could have done better, after they let India end the day 100 for 2

Abhishek Purohit in Wellington14-Feb-20140:00

‘Pleased we scored scrappy total’ – Williamson

After New Zealand had plummeted to another low score following their demolition for 105 in the second innings of the first Test, Kane Williamson said conditions had been difficult for batting, and India’s bowlers had used them well. Shikhar Dhawan built on the bowlers’ performance with an aggressive half-century, and Williamson admitted New Zealand could have bowled better to the Indian top order.”I think we missed our lengths a little bit,” Williamson said after India had racked up 100 for 2 by stumps. “I think on a surface like that, with the total we had, there is a lot of pressure on our bowling attack to be disciplined enough to put the ball in the area for long enough. We missed a little bit but saying that, there still are some runs on the board and we have to come back tomorrow and bowl better.”When asked if the two sides had also batted differently against the new ball, Williamson said it had been very hard for the batsmen in the first session with the ball moving and bouncing like it did. “They are a very different team with different players, so naturally there are differences in your game plan but I have no doubt that batting first on that track was tough,” he said. “I guess I saw it first-hand how tough it was. You never felt in on it.”It’s one of those situations where you know that you probably have got a ball with your name on it. That’s the nature of the surface. We ended up looking to be positive and runs were more important than time, we felt. As you have seen today, the game is quite a long way developed. And I think if we could pick up those runs which I think we did – I think the approach was good from us after losing those early wickets and being in trouble. It was tough but I guess you just have to accept it and move on and know that it is going to be tough.”Kane Williamson top-scored for New Zealand with 47•Getty ImagesNew Zealand had also been asked to bat by West Indies in the previous Test at Basin Reserve, but had scored 441 amid indisciplined bowling by the visitors. Williamson said the Indian bowlers had done better.”I mean they bowled very well as well,” he said. “They sort of picked up where they left off in Auckland. Credit goes to their bowling attack but it would have been nice to scrape a few more but saying that, there’s still plenty in the wicket, so if we bowl well, we can restrict them.”I think looking at it, you probably expected it to be tough. We played on a green one before against West Indies, as green, but they didn’t bowl as well as the Indian side, they bowled very short. It was hard to compare but yes, it was tough, the nature of the surface, the quality of bowling. It sort of seamed around a bit and they got the ball to swing nicely. It was a good challenge for the batting unit and we will have to try and apply that same pressure with the ball tomorrow.”India seemed set to end the day only one down as Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara put on 87 for the second wicket but Trent Boult gave New Zealand some late cheer when he trapped the latter in front towards the end. Williamson said this showed there was still enough assistance for the bowlers. “Naturally, there is probably less and less as the game develops but there is still plenty there and we showed that the ball is still swinging even after how many overs. There is still that threat there if the boys can put it in the right areas for long enough.”

A round-up of Momentum One Day Cup matches played on October 25, 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Rilee Rossouw’s 80-ball 102 laid the platform for Knights’ successful run-chase•Shaun Roy/SPORTZPICS/SLPLRilee Rossouw’s 80-ball 102 helped Knights to their first win of this season’s Momentum Cup, as they beat Lions in a rain-affected game.The match, which had been reduced to 39 overs a side, went all the way down to the final ball of the innings, with Knights needing a single to secure victory. Hardus Viljoen had picked up a wicket in the second ball of the last over, but Johan van der Wath held his nerve and hit the last delivery for four to snatch a dramatic win.Knights’ run chase was built on a 170-run second-wicket stand between Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks, who made 70 off 88, as they raced to 193 in 29 overs. However, Knights lost the next three wickets for just nine runs, as Viljoen removed Rossouw and Hendricks, and Aaron Phangiso trapped Pite van Biljon lbw.With t45 needed off 36, Lions held a slight edge, but van der Wath’s late surge of two fours and a six during his 17-ball 23 turned the game Knights’ way.Lions, who opted to bat, were earlier propelled by a 117-ball 111 from the captain Stephen Cook, who also shared vital stands of 89 and 57 for the first and fifth wickets with Dominic Hendricks and Jean Symes respectively. The team made 231 for 5 in 39 overs, but Knights’ target was adjusted to 256 after rain interruptions.In spite of the win, Knights are placed last on the points table with one win in five games. Lions have also won only one of their five games but are ahead due to a better net run rate.
ScorecardFifties from Colin Ingram and Davy Jacobs, as well as incisive spells from Andrew Birch and JJ Smuts led Warriors to a 63-run win over Titans. The win helped Warriors achieve a bonus point and move up to second place on the points table, behind Dolphins.Put in to bat, Warriors scored a competitive 284 for 8 from their 50 overs, built around a 102-run, fourth-wicket stand between Ingram and Jacobs. Ingram scored his fourth successive List-A fifty before being dismissed for 59 and Jacobs, too, fell for the same score. Middle-order contributions of 49 and 43 from Christiaan Jonker and Simon Harmer then propelled the Warriors innings to a challenging score.Titans were set a revised target of 274 in 46 overs after four overs were lost between innings. The side were dismissed for 210. Birch, Smuts, Rusty Theron and Ayabulela Gqamane picked up two wickets apiece to bowl out Lions in 36.5 overs. Wicketkeeper Heino Kuhn made 82 off 69 and Graeme van Buuren made 42, but these were the only significant contributions from the Lions batsmen.
No result
ScorecardOnly 12 balls were possible in the game between Cape Cobras and Dolphins before rain brought an end to the match. Cape Cobras were 5 for 1 after two overs, having lost the opener Andrew Puttick.Dolphins were awarded two points from the game and are now at the top the table with 17 points from five games, one point ahead of second-placed Warriors.

Sudip Chatterjee’s composed, unbeaten 91 aided by vital contributions from opener Arindam Das and wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami helped Bengal kick off their Ranji Trophy season on a decent note

The Report by Amol Karhadkar in Vadodara07-Dec-2014
ScorecardFile photo – Opener Arindam Das made 54•FotocorpChatterjee to have ‘sleepless night’ nine short of maiden century

Sudip Chatterjee has been dismissed in the nineties twice in his short first-class career so far. He is understandably going to have a “sleepless” night after ending the first day on an unbeaten 91 in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy opener against Baroda. “I am excited to be in with a chance to score my first century,” Chatterjee said. “I hope I can complete it tomorrow and continue to build on it.”
Chatterjee was dismissed on 96 against Railways last season and on 99 in East Zone’s Duleep Trophy quarter-final against West Zone in October. “The hundred did play on mind but I was more focused on batting out the whole day, so didn’t really go for it,” Chatterjee said.
Son of a garment retailer, Chatterjee hails from a middle-class background in Kolkata. According to him, his parents have made lots of sacrifices to let him pursue his passion and he is keen to justify their faith in his talent. He wants to cement his place in the side by putting up a “big score” and help Bengal bat Baroda out of the game.

Sudip Chatterjee’s composed, unbeaten 91 aided by vital contributions from opener Arindam Das and wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami helped Bengal kick off their Ranji Trophy season on a decent note. The top order justified their captain Laxmi Shukla’s decision to bat against Baroda by finishing the opening day on 255 for 3.Munaf Patel did extract some bounce early in the morning but once the Bengal openers played him cautiously, the other two seamers, Gagandeep Singh and Abhijit Karambelkar, couldn’t do much with the new ball. With the left- and right-hand combination of Rohan Banerjee and Das rotating strike at will, Baroda captain Aditya Waghmode was forced to introduce spin early.Swapnil Singh, the left-arm spinner making a comeback to first-class cricket after three years, created a chance early in his spell but Pinal Shah missed a regulation stumping opportunity against Das. The batsman was on 25 in a total of 54.Swapnil was finally rewarded for his accurate line as he forced Banerjee to offer a sharp chance at forward short-leg and Kedar Devdhar didn’t falter. While Das continued to gain confidence, Chatterjee carried his good form from the Duleep Trophy by getting off the blocks in no time.Soon after lunch, Chatterjee cut Yusuf Pathan for two boundaries in an over. Immediately after that, Das completed his 23rd fifty by pulling a short one from Gagandeep to the square-leg rope. But in the seamer’s next over, Das’ front-foot prod ended up in an edge to Pinal.In came Manoj Tiwary and didn’t waste any time in dancing down the wicket off Yusuf and hitting him for a one-bounce boundary to long-on. Waghmode brought Munaf back for his third stint and the bowler responded by bowling the spell of the day. Munaf executed his key strength of bowling a tight line and stifled both Tiwary and Chatterjee. It resulted in Tiwary missing out on a straight one and being adjudged lbw. With Munaf running in full steam, Chatterjee and Goswami played him out carefully. The fast bowler’s third spell read 5-4-4-1.Once Munaf was taken off, Goswami started expressing himself freely. His cuts against spinners and drives against seamers, especially Karambelkar, were a treat to watch. Goswami and Chatterjee appeared in little trouble all along their unbeaten 111-run partnership.However, despite the Baroda bowlers starting to tire in the final session, the Bengal batsmen didn’t try to score quicker. Baroda not only delayed the new ball till the end of the 88th over but also didn’t bowl Munaf at all in the session.

New South Wales finished their Ryobi Cup league campaign with a victory – by 49 runs via D/L method – against South Australia to secure their position in the elimination final

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2013
ScorecardSean Abbott starred with both bat and ball for New South Wales•Getty ImagesNew South Wales finished their Ryobi Cup league campaign with a victory – by 49 runs via D/L method – against South Australia to secure their position in the elimination final. NSW and Victoria will face off in the elimination final on October 24, with Queensland waiting for the winner of that match for the overall final on October 27.After winning the toss at Drummoyne Oval, the NSW openers put on 30 in 4.1 overs. David Warner led the quick start with 32 off 23 balls, and after he was dismissed in the seventh over with the score on 3 for 52, Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson added 101 for the fourth wicket.Once Maddinson fell on 75 and Ben Rohrer was dismissed first ball, it was left to Sean Abbott and Steve O’Keefe to keep the innings going. They did so with scores of 50 and 31 as NSW finished on 8 for 252 in 42 overs. Joe Mennie was the pick of the bowlers for South Australia with 4 for 58.Chasing a revised target of 248 in 41 overs, South Australia’s reply started inauspiciously as Matt Weaver fell for a two-ball duck. Michael Klinger and Tom Cooper put on 73 for the second wicket but Abbott broke that stand in the 14th over. South Australia then suffered a double-blow with the score on 113, and the middle order faltered as four wickets fell in the space of 26 runs. Nathan Lyon and Abbott took three wicket each, and Tim Ludeman’s 29-ball 34 was not enough as South Australia were dismissed for 198.