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Mahela Jayawardene will retire from Test cricket at the conclusion of the series against Pakistan in August, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Jul-2014Mahela Jayawardene will retire from Test cricket at the conclusion of the series against Pakistan in August, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced. He will continue to be available for ODI cricket only, having also retired from T20 internationals in April this year.Jayawardene, 37, has been a cornerstone of the Sri Lanka batting order since his debut against India in 1997, and has amassed 11493 Test runs in his career, which is currently joint-highest for a Sri Lanka batsman alongside Kumar Sangakkara. He has played 145 Tests, and if fit and selected, will finish on 149, at the P Sara Oval match which begins on August 14. Jayawardene has hit 33 hundreds and 48 fifties in 244 innings.”It was not an easy decision to make given that it has been a great privilege and honour representing my country during the past 18 years,” Jayawardene said. “But I believe this is the right time.”Jayawardene has been in good Test-match form in 2014, averaging 75.77 in his six most recent matches. But with no home Tests scheduled for almost a year, and only two Tests in New Zealand remaining before the 2015 World Cup, he had alerted chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya of his wish to walk away from the longest format.”He called me and said that he wants to play four more matches and retire from Test cricket, concentrating on ODI cricket until the World Cup,” Jayasuriya said. “I think he is the best person to judge that. He has given outstanding service to Sri Lankan cricket, and is now giving a youngster a chance to come in and play Test cricket.”Jayawardene also led the Sri Lanka team from 2006 to 2009, and again for 12 months from early 2012 to 2013. His first captaincy stint was among Sri Lanka’s most successful stretches of Test cricket, as the team won 15 of 28 matches and lost only seven. Renowned for his aggressive, innovative strategy, Jayawardene is regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s best leaders, and perhaps the team’s best tactician. He has played in 56 Test victories in all.Among the most remarkable statistics of his career is his home average of 61.12, and his exploits in Sri Lanka have been key to his team’s success at home since the turn of the century. Many of his best innings have come on bone-dry surfaces, where other batsmen have been unsuccessful. An excellent technique against spin bowling and a sharp cricket mind have been major themes in his cricket, and have seen him play match-defining innings, particularly in low-scoring games.Jayawardene has hundreds against every Test side, and in every Test-playing country apart from South Africa, where he has struggled most. His away average of 41.50, and his modest returns on faster, bouncier surfaces have been the major criticisms leveled at his cricket. He has, however, had some success in England, where he has two hundreds at Lord’s. Jayawardene hit 174 runs at 43.50 in his most recent series in England.He has also excelled as a slip fielder throughout his career, sitting third on the all-time catches list, with 197 takes. He has been particularly sharp while fielding to spin bowling, with the Muttiah Muralitharan-Jayawardene partnership the most prolific bowler-fielder combination in Test history. He has completed catches more regularly than the other four fielders in the Test top five, with an average 0.75 catches per innings.Apart from holding the Sri Lankan record for most runs, most catches and most Tests, Jayawardene has also made the highest score by a Sri Lankan – his 374 against South Africa in 2006. A still presence at the crease, and blessed with strong, supple wrists, Jayawardene is also known as one of the game’s foremost stylists, with strokes all around the wicket, both classical and modern.He had also been perhaps the most popular schoolboy cricketer of the 90s, for Nalanda College. He leaves the game in 2014 as a Sri Lankan great.

Australia face a must-win against New Zealand in order to keep their tournament hopes alive in this trans-Tasman clash

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale11-Jun-2013Match factsWednesday, June 12, Edgbaston
Start time 1030 (0930 GMT)Big PictureAt the last Champions Trophy, Australia beat New Zealand in the final to secure their second consecutive title. This year, the two teams meet with Australia’s tournament all but on the line. A loss in their opening match against England has left the Australians vulnerable and should they lose to New Zealand, they would not only have to beat Sri Lanka next Monday but they would also need England to lose their remaining two matches to have any hope of scraping through to the semi-finals. Even then, it would come down to net run-rate. Should New Zealand win their progression is not certain, although it would take a similarly intricate series of results for them to miss out to England and Sri Lanka on net run-rate. An Australian victory would keep things fairly even throughout the group.However, the Australians will need to overcome New Zealand without their captain Michael Clarke, who has been ruled out due to a back injury that has plagued him since he arrived in England. The more significant long-term worry will be his availability for the Ashes which follow after. David Warner is a real concern as well, having scored ducks in the two warm-up matches, followed by 9 against England. New Zealand’s cordon will be well advised to be on high alert early in Warner’s innings, given the way he has been slashing and edging of late.New Zealand also have an injury concern around a senior player, with Daniel Vettori likely to miss out having had a saline injection in his troublesome left Achilles tendon. “You only have to look at him. He’s limping and is a bit ginger walking around the field,” the New Zealand fast bowler, Kyle Mills, said on Monday. “He’s been doing it since his teenage years at this level and his body is tired. He shows tremendous toughness and hopefully he can rise to the occasion for these next games to get us over the line. He looked jovial getting his toast and cereal at breakfast this morning, but there’s obviously a lot of discomfort.”Form guide(most recent first, last five completed games)
New Zealand: WLWWL
Australia: LWWWW
Watch out for…Less than five years ago, Luke Ronchi made his debut for Australia against West Indies. During that series he scored a 22-ball half-century, the fourth fastest ODI fifty by an Australia player. Now he is about to line up against his former country for the first time, having qualified for his birth nation of New Zealand earlier this year. Ronchi’s initial forays into the New Zealand side have brought few runs, but against familiar Australian bowlers, he will be keen to prove that he can be a long-term force at the top of the order.Since George Bailey made his ODI debut in March last year, only Ian Bell and Tillakaratne Dilshan have scored more one-day international runs than his 819 at an average of 45.50. During the one-day series in England last year, Bailey was the one shining light in Australia’s batting order and again during their loss to Alastair Cook’s men on Saturday he was the top scorer with 55. Bailey is a capable stand-in captain and a reliable presence in the middle order, but he needs significantly greater support if Australia are to progress to the next stage of this tournament.Team newsIf Vettori is put on ice, New Zealand would likely bring in Colin Munro or Grant Elliott, although Elliott’s availability would also depend on how well he has recovered from a calf injury.New Zealand (possible) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Luke Ronchi (wk), 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 James Franklin, 6 Brendon McCullum (capt), 7 Colin Munro / Grant Elliott, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Mitchell McClenaghan.
Clarke will again miss out, but Australia have a few backup options in the batting department, unless they want to give Glenn Maxwell a go in place of fellow allrounder Mitchell Marsh. Xavier Doherty might also come under consideration, although the potential for rain on Wednesday could discourage the selectors from bringing him in.Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 David Warner, 3 Phillip Hughes, 4 George Bailey (capt), 5 Adam Voges, 6 Mitchell Marsh / Glenn Maxwell, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Mitchell Starc / Xavier Doherty, 11 Clint McKay.Pitch and conditionsBoth matches at Edgbaston so far have been won with relative comfort by the team batting first, for scoring appears to become tougher as the matches wear on. There is some rain expected around the Birmingham region on Wednesday and the forecast is for a high of 17°C.Stats and trivia Kyle Mills will be the outright leading wicket-taker in Champions Trophy history if he claims one more victim. Prior to this match, he stands equal with Muttiah Muralitharan on 24 wickets New Zealand and Australia have not met in a one-day international since the 2011 World Cup Australia have not lost to New Zealand in a world tournament since the 1999 World CupQuotes”All their top order will be feeling the heat a little bit to not only win the game but also hold their spot in the team. If we can take advantage of that I’m sure it will bode well for us in those pressure situations.”
“If it continues to be dry, we need to consider a spinner. We need to get the balance right. We need to get partnerships going.”

The rain-interrupted semi-final between Services and Mumbai will go into its sixth day on Monday. Services trail Mumbai by 291 runs with seven wickets in hand

The Report by Sharda Ugra in Delhi20-Jan-2013
ScorecardThe Services Ranji Trophy team may not be familiar with a World War I ditty called . They would be well aware though that the road to the Ranji Trophy final is equally distant, with the semi-final having turned into a first-innings shootout against Mumbai. At stumps, in pursuit of Mumbai’s total of 454 for 8, Services were 164 for 3 with captain Soumya Swain batting on 64 and Yashpal Singh on 43. Their unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 92 has given Services the most alluring of sniffs at pulling off, for the second match in a row, one of the biggest upsets in Ranji Trophy history.This rain-interrupted and wet-pitch dominated match will now go into its sixth day on Monday to allow both teams to complete their first innings. Services need 291 runs more to get past Mumbai’s first innings score total, and Mumbai need seven wickets.On Sunday, the entire morning session was again lost due to the effects of the hailstorm and unexpected showers of two nights ago. The covers over the match pitch had been blown away and the track had to face the brunt of a downpour in the early hours of Saturday morning. Then, even after being baked in golden winter sunshine all of Saturday, there was more waiting to be done on Sunday morning. Thanks to early morning cloud cover and poor light, the moisture on the track had not dried up enough to get play started on time.Mumbai had made its intentions clear when play finally began at 12.10 pm. Facing the first ball of the day, Agarkar spanked a four off Shadab Nazar over midwicket and then, in Nishan Singh’s next over, hit the bowler for a six down the ground. Seventy-two overs had been scheduled for the day and the Mumbai batsmen didn’t want to use up too many of them. Thanks to a late dash from Dhawal Kulkarni, Mumbai crossed 450 scoring 74 runs in nine overs before the declaration came 41 minutes into the second session.Services tried to mix up their bowlers and spread the field, but Mumbai were on the move. Kulkarni scored 20 off 12 balls, playing straight but hitting long. His innings included a six and a four off left-arm spinner Avishek Sinha, who was brought on in the fourth over after Nishan Singh went for 13 runs. The change made no difference to Mumbai and Sinha was hit for 23 off three overs in the morning.Mumbai stamped their presence all over the match when they reduced Services to 22 for 2 in the 14th over. Mumbai’s attack against Services was led by Dhawal Kulkarni, who used length and pace to cramp their openers and dry up the runs. At one stage, Services went 46 balls without scoring as Kulkarni gave Pratik Desai a working over, bowling a line that turned him square, produced two lbw appeals and then hit him on the leg. After ten overs of scratching around by the Services openers, Kulkarni had Nakul Verma trapped leg before, trying to work one onto the onside. The introduction of the left-arm spin of Ankeet Chavan at the other end ended Desai’s laborious 73 minutes at the crease, the latter yorking himself and Services sliding to 22 for 2.It took two 50-plus partnerships for the third and fourth wickets to give the Services batting its oxygen. Swain was involved in both, first with Anshul Gupta (for 50 runs) and then with Yashpal Singh.After scoring an unbeaten 118 against Himachal Pradesh in the second match of the season, Swain had largely struggled. His highest score between that match and the semi-final was 33. In Palam today, however, he was like all left-hand batsmen – stylish in strife, batting with a fluid grace and timing. Barring a few anxious end overs, as the light began to drop and the slowness of the clock began to wear his concentration down, Swain endured. An edge off Ajit Agarkar’s bowling fell short of Wasim Jaffer at second slip and Shardul Thakur beat him several times.Yashpal was just the hardy companion Swain needed, as the two men were watched by their team-mates sitting in the plastic chairs around the boundary. A man stood near the scorer, shouting out totals and scores.The odds, however, are still against a Services upset. After a first day in which they lost six first-innings wickets for 169, Mumbai have played like the much stronger team they are reputed to be. A seventh-wicket partnership of 246 runs between captain Agarkar and Aditya Tare took Mumbai to more than respectability. On day five, they were able to press the pedal half-way to maximum.The weather tomorrow promises to be good, the track has dried up and the sixth day’s play is suddenly full of possibilities.

Sri Lanka Women captain Chamari Atapattu struck her maiden T20I fifty, effected a run out, and picked up a wicket, to lead her side to a 10-run victory over South Africa Women in Bangalore

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsChamari Atapattu profited from slog sweeps during her first T20 international fifty•IDI/Getty ImagesSri Lanka Women captain Chamari Atapattu willed and rallied her side to a 10-run victory over South Africa Women in Bangalore, in the last league match of the Women’s World T20.Atapattu first stroked her maiden T20 international fifty, which contained five fours and one six, even as her partners floundered. Atapattu then brought herself into the attack in the defence of 114 and her second over resulted in two wickets. She ran to her right from her follow through, collected a wristy push from Trisha Chetty and flung a throw to the keeper to catch Dane van Niekerk short for 24 off 31 balls. Three balls later, Atapattu pinned her opposite number Mignon du Preez plumb in front for a duck, a wicket the Sri Lanka captain identified as the “turning point” at the post match-presentation.Left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari and left-arm pacer Udeshika Prabodhani backed Atapattu to squeeze South Africa’s middle order. From 50 for 0, South Africa slumped to 102 for 7. Du Preez said: “We had a good start and we lost it in the middle order. We have been struggling with it in the whole tournament. It was also poor execution from us. This is something we need to work on and come back stronger.”Prabodhani speared in full balls and defended 12 off the last over, including taking the wicket of Chloe Tryon for 11 off 10 balls. Though it was just a dead rubber, Sri Lanka toasted the win, and got into a huddle only after wicketkeeper-batsman Dilani Manodara had joined the team from the dug out; Prasadani Weerakkody had taken the gloves in the absence of Manodara.Manodara was pinged on the grille of the helmet when she missed a scoop off her first ball. She scratched around for 4 off 9 balls, before she was bowled by seamer Marcia Letsoalo. Manodara was later sent to the hospital for a scan and it was found that she had no major injuries.Sri Lanka’s middle order folded as well and they managed only 34 for 4 in their last five overs. Atapattu, however, had lifted Sri Lanka with a bevy of muscled slog sweeps. She hit 52 off 49 balls before she was run out by Marizanna Kapp, who was featuring in her 50th T20 international. She picked up two wickets and was complemented by legspinner Suné Luus, who also scalped two wickets. But Attapattu’s act would prove to be too much for South Africa.

Neil McKenzie marked his return to Hampshire from South Africa with an unbeaten 85 to heap more misery on winless Kent

05-Jun-2013
ScorecardNeil McKenzie marked his return to Hampshire from South Africa with an unbeaten 85 to heap more misery on winless Kent in their Championship Division Two match. Former South Africa opener McKenzie, making his first appearance of the season for Hampshire, closed the first day in sight of his 49th first-class century as Kent toiled in the heat after losing the toss.Hampshire, who have won only one of their six Division Two matches, finished day one on 265 for 4 from 96 overs, with opener Jimmy Adams also hitting a half century.Kent badly missed their international-bound captain James Tredwell as Hampshire dug in on a green-tinged wicket which at first gave encouragement to pace bowlers Charlie Shreck and Matt Coles. But Kent’s other spinner Adam Riley did his best to make up for Tredwell’sabsence by making sure Hampshire did not accelerate after Adams and MichaelCarberry had got through to lunch without being parted.Riley, 21, finished the day with creditable figures of 3 for 59 from 22 overs after posing plenty of problems for Hampshire’s experienced batting line-up. For all Riley’s later efforts, it was medium-pacer Darren Stevens who made the first breakthrough with the score at 80 and with the first ball after lunch.Carberry, who had made a sound 33, pushed forward at Stevens and Sam Northeastin the slips clutched the catch. Adams followed at 118 but not before he had scored 65, with 11 fours, and laid the foundations for a big Hampshire score.Adams was Riley’s first victim, trapped lbw in his crease in the 46th over, but Kent’s successes were few and far between as the wicket eased in the sunshine. Liam Dawson went at 155, also leg before to Riley after making an attractive 36, and the young offspinner struck again at 183 when James Vince was caught at the wicket by Geraint Jones. But Vince’s departure for 10 only brought Sean Ervine out to join McKenzie and they dominated the final session of the day, putting on 82 in 33 overs without blemish.Ervine was content to be the junior partner, uncharacteristically circumspectin making 31 while McKenzie took control. McKenzie lashed Calum Haggett for three successive fours on his way to the day’s top score, so far having 12 fours in facing 140 balls.

Everton have been handed a staggering 10-point deduction by the Premier League. What happens next for the Toffees?

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Everton docked 10 points in historic punishmentHave slipped into the relegation zoneToffees may decide to appealGetty ImagesWHAT DID EVERTON DO WRONG?

Everton have been docked the points for breaching Financial Fair Play rules. Under the regulations set out by the Premier League, clubs are allowed to lose a maximum of £105m across a three-year period. Everton lost £19.5m more than this, and have been sanctioned as a result.

The Premier League issued a statement confirming the sanction, explaining it further: “In accordance with Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred an alleged breach of the league’s profitability and sustainability rules by Everton Football Club to a commission under Premier League Rule W.3.4.

“The assessment period for which it is alleged that the club is in breach is the period ending season 2021/22.

“Commissions are independent of the Premier League and member clubs. The members of the Commission will be appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel, in accordance with Premier League Rules W.19, W.20 and W.26.

“The proceedings before the commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private.

“Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website. The League will be making no further comment until that time.”

AdvertisementGettyHOW DID EVERTON GET IT SO WRONG?

Everton have spent lavishly in recent summers in an attempt to arrest an alarming slide on the pitch. The commission that handed down the punishment ruled that such spending was "recklessness that constitutes an aggravating factor."

Everton spent £145m in Farhad Moshiri's first summer transfer window, buying the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Cenk Tosun and Michael Keane for vastly inflated fees. They also spent over £100m in the 2019/20 season, buying such flops as Moise Kean and Andre Gomes for big sums.

The belt has notably tightened since, with the club repeatedly failing to qualify for Europe, and thus avoiding any scrutiny from UEFA. That has also played a role in delaying any ruling.

Getty ImagesWHY HAVE EVERTON BEEN PUNISHED NOW?

Everton were referred to an independent commission after their financial records for the 2021/22 season were audited. Burnley and Leeds had written to the Premier League to ask if Everton had broken rules at the time, and the commission held a five-day hearing last month, with the punishment handed down on November 17.

A Premier League statement explained: “Following a five-day hearing last month, the commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR [profit and sustainability rules] calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5m, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105m permitted under the PSRs. The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.”

Everton had previously staved off any intervention by selling Richarlison to Tottenham for £60m ($74m), which helped with FFP, while the COVID pandemic also further delayed any forensic accounting.

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GettyCAN EVERTON APPEAL THE SANCTION?

Yes, and they intend to do so. The appeal, per , will be heard before the end of the season. If it is successful, there is the potential of the 10 points being reinstated.

However, the ruling has had wider implications and could lead to legal action from other clubs, notably Leicester City and Burnley, who could be paid up to £300m in compensation. They have a month to submit such a request if they do want to seek compensation. Both the Foxes and the Clarets have been relegated in recent seasons, while Everton survived.

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.”

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.

Few think the Gunners can get a result in their potential title-decider at the Etihad Stadium, but these matches prove that anything is possible

“If you want to be champions, you have to win these matches. It’s as simple as that.” Those were the words of Mikel Arteta ahead of Arsenal’s huge clash at Manchester City on Wednesday.

The Gunners make the trip to the Etihad Stadium sitting five points clear of City at the top of the Premier League, but Pep Guardiola’s side have two crucial games in hand.

Three successive draws in recent weeks have left Arsenal with no more room for error as they go hunting a first title since 2004.

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So it all adds up to a huge occasion in Manchester, and it’s a game that many believe will decide who will get their hands on the Premier League trophy at the end of the season.

Given the form of both teams, few are giving Arsenal any hope of victory. But the Gunners have had some huge results away from home in their long history that proves that anything is possible when it comes to football.

GOAL takes a look at some of Arsenal’s greatest ever away days…

Getty ImagesAnfield, 1989

Surely the most famous of Arsenal away wins?

Travelling up to Anfield on the final day of the 1988-89 season, George Graham’s side needed to win by two clear goals to be crowned champions. Fail to do so and the title would be Liverpool’s once again.

Few gave Arsenal a chance, especially as they went into the game having lost at home to Derby County and then been held to a 2-2 draw by Wimbledon.

But it was the visitors who came out on top, with Michael Thomas’ dramatic injury-time strike giving them the 2-0 success they required to claim a first league championship since 1971.

This success, more than any other, proves that anything is possible in football.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesOld Trafford, 2002

Arsenal went to Old Trafford in May 2002 as England’s best side. They had just beaten Chelsea to win the FA Cup a few days earlier and knew a win at the home of Manchester United would see them claim the double.

Arsene Wenger’s side got the three points they needed to win the title at the home of their great rivals. Sylvain Wiltord scored the goal that did it, following up from close range after Freddie Ljungberg’s shot had been saved.

It was a win that highlighted Arsenal’s superiority over United at that stage.

GettyWhite Hart Lane, 2004

This may not have been a win, but it was still one of the great Arsenal away days.

Chelsea’s defeat at Newcastle earlier in the day meant that Arsenal needed just a point at Spurs to claim the Premier League title.

They flew into an early 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires, and even though they were eventually pegged back for a 2-2 draw, they got the result they needed to be crowned champions at the home of their bitter north London rivals.

Arsenal fans will never forget the celebrations that took place on the pitch at White Hart Lane after the final whistle. Spurs fans probably won’t be able to either…

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Getty ImagesOld Trafford, 1998

Arsene Wenger’s side were on a roll when they went to Old Trafford in March 1998 having won four of their last five games in the Premier League.

A title charge, which had looked unlikely just a few weeks earlier, was suddenly on the cards. But only if they could go to the home of the champions and beat them.

And beat them they did, with Marc Overmars racing away to score the only goal of the game in the second half.

It was a victory that gave Arsenal the belief to go on and overcome United in the race for the title.

Rangpur Division clinched their maiden National Cricket League title after they beat Dhaka Metropolis by 102 runs, with four minutes left on the clock

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2015Rangpur Division clinched their maiden National Cricket League title after they beat Dhaka Metropolis by 102 runs at the BKSP-2 ground. When Mahmudul Hasan trapped Asif Hasan leg-before to take the tenth wicket, only four minutes of play remained and that was after the umpires had taken the mandatory final hour at 3:58pm.With Khulna having moved to 120 points on the third day of the final round, the onus was on Rangpur to complete an outright win over Dhaka Metro, who were set a target of 361 runs in a minimum of 76 overs. The win moved Rangpur to 121 points.Wickets were hard to come by at the start of the second innings on the fourth morning, but Mahmudul and Suhrawadi Shuvo pegged away. Shamsur Rahman and Mehedi Maruf added 51 for the second wicket before Marshall Ayub and Mehrab Hossain jnr added 65 runs for the fourth wicket. Mahmudul picked up his fourth wicket when he had Mohammad Shahid caught and bowled in the 58th over, leaving Dhaka Metro eight down.Sharifullah, batting at No 10 due to illness, fell to Shuvo in the 65th over before Jabid Hossain and Asif resisted for 14.3 overs that almost took the title away from Rangpur’s grasp. But finally, Mahmudul struck in the 80th over.Rangpur chose to bat first in this game and scored 491 runs at a breathtaking 4.41 per over in their first innings. Litton Das made 107 while Ariful Haque slammed an unbeaten 112 off just 56 balls, with 12 sixes and six fours. He reached the century off just 54 balls. Naeem Islam made 91 while Elias Sunny picked up six wickets.Dhaka Metro made a strong reply, and were bowled out for 437 with centuries from Mehedi and Mehrab. Saikat Ali and Asif Ahmed struck fifties too, while Shuvo took five wickets.Rangpur were bowled out for 306 in their second innings, and again they scored at well over four an over, with Litton and Naeem making half-centuries.In only their fourth season in the first-class competition, Rangpur became the sixth NCL champions. Chittagong Division were the inaugural champions while Biman Bangladesh Airlines won it in the second season. Dhaka Division and Rajshahi Division have won the title five times each while Khulna, who finished just one point short of winning the title this time, have been champions three times in the past.Apart from the fight for the title, there was the battle to remain in the first tier of next season’s NCL where the teams will be split into a two-tier system depending on points table finishes from this season. Five-time champions Rajshahi Division will be one of the four teams in the second tier after they finished fifth following a 134-run loss to Dhaka Division in Fatullah.Batting first, Dhaka made 318 in the first innings with Shuvagata Hom scoring 111, his eighth first-class century. Muktar Ali took four wickets.Rajshahi were in deficit by 27 runs after they were bowled out for 291. Maisuqur Rahman, Touhid Tareq and Hamidul Islam struck fifties while Left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain took four wickets. Nadif Chowdhury’s fourth first-class century helped Dhaka take a 359-run lead on the final morning.Rajshahi were bowled out for 225 in 68.5 overs with Mosharraf taking five wickets in the second innings, in addition to Jubair Hossain’s three-wicket haul. Dhaka, who were champions in the 2013-14 season, finished third with 119 points, just two short of this year’s winners.Sylhet Division picked up their first win of the competition when they beat Barisal Division by ten wickets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Barisal and Chittagong ended the campaign without any wins.Ahmed Sadiqur’s four-wicket haul on the first day put Barisal in the back foot and they were bowled out for 167 in 65.2 overs. Shahriar Nafees made 90 but there were only two other double-figure scores in the entire innings.Sylhet replied with 486 for nine and only declared their first innings on the third afternoon. The highly experienced Rajin Saleh scored his maiden double hundred in his 124th first-class match, an innings that spanned 446 minutes and contained 20 fours and three sixes. Shanaj Ahmed, Ruman Ahmed, Alok Kapali and Enamul Haque jnr also scored fifties. Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed took four wickets.Barisal, trailing by 319, were bowled out for 390. There were fifties for Nafees, Shahin Hossain, Fazle Rabbi and Mosaddek Hossain but two wickets each from Sadiqur, Enamul, Rahatul Ferdous and Kapali kept Sylhet in a dominant position. They knocked off the second innings target in 13.4 overs with Rajin adjudged man of the match.