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Australia captain Meg Lanning confirmed allrounder Ellyse Perry is unavailable for series opener selection

Andrew McGlashan25-Sep-2020New Zealand captain Sophie Devine believes there is no better time to try and topple the powerful Australians, with both teams resuming the game from a standing start following six months without cricket.New Zealand will begin by facing a home side without allrounder Ellyse Perry who is not yet available following the hamstring injury which curtailed her T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year and required surgery. Australia captain Meg Lanning remained hopeful Perry will play a part during the series of three T20Is and three ODIs but she won’t be rushed back.”She’s still working through her return-to-play plan; when she ticks off all those markers she’ll be available,” Lanning said. “We won’t see her tomorrow but she’s doing everything she can to get up and play.”ALSO READ: Australia’s women shine light on Aboriginal deaths in custodyNew Zealand have lost their last five T20Is against Australia although the most recent was a closely fought four-run defeat in what was a knockout match at the group stage of the T20 World Cup. Before that they had secured three T20I series in a row, albeit dating back to 2013 when only a handful of the current players were involved, but the one-day record has been very one-sided with Australia holding the Rose Bowl trophy for 20 years.”The great thing about it is we are almost level pegging: no side has played cricket for close to six months, so it will be the side that adapts quickest and can get back into the flow of playing,” Devine said. “Think we are in a great position; the build-up we’ve had – if there’s any time to knock them over it’s now.ALSO READ: ‘Oh my goodness, that is insane’ – when Jess Kerr found out about sister Amelia’s record-breaking day“There’s been so many games against Australia where it has come down the last over, the last wicket, a handful of runs. It shows that we are close. For us it’s about having the confidence and belief that we can win these games.”We know how strong the Australians are and the success they’ve had and we almost need to get into that mentality that we can win from any position. We know we are close to this Australian side.”The unusual situation created by the pandemic meant that the same two teams played each other yesterday in a warm-up match which Australia won by 11 runs after a late New Zealand collapse. Both captains suggested they did not show their full hand to the opposition although Devine admitted there isn’t much the teams don’t know about each other.”We probably did hold back a little bit, you don’t want to show all our cards too soon, but the thing with the women’s game over the last couple of years is that there’s no hiding, all our games are on TV now, so you are doing well to hide all your secrets from opposition players,” Devine said.Lanning acknowledged that New Zealand had matchwinners in their team, not least captain Devine who clubbed 89 off 73 balls on Thursday, but was confident about her squad which includes some fresh and recalled faces among the expanded size of 18 players, with Belinda Vakarewa’s performance on Thursday where she took 2 for 31 earning praise.”Yesterday was a practice game; tomorrow is the real stuff and it will be a tight contest,” she said. “The proof will be in the pudding over the next 10 days. They all did a good job [in the warm-up]. Sophie Devine was coming pretty hard, so it was a great to experience that.”Belinda Vakarewa was really impressive, especially with the new ball, Suzie Bates came out pretty hard, too, and she was able to get her wicket in the end. To have new players come into the squad who haven’t been involved in a while, to be able to play so well is really encouraging.”Spin is likely to play a key role in both series. Australia claimed eight wickets with it in the warm-up, including five to Sophie Molineux. “Our spinners have done a good job over a long period of time. [It] Will be tough to get that final XI picked,” Lanning said.New Zealand will be without two key spinners. Leigh Kasperek, who had to remain in Scotland due to travel restrictions, and Anna Peterson (personal reasons), are not available for the tour, but Devine took the positive form the situation.”This series has given a chance for more players to step up,” she said. “We need to expose more players to the international level. It presents a unique opportunity for players.”She was also hopeful of a little inside knowledge on the local conditions at Allan Border Field, which will stage all six matches, from the Brisbane Heat WBBL duo of Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr.”Them being based here has certainly given them some good intel around how it can play,” Devine said. “They were fantastic last year with the Heat. That’s the great thing about the WBBL: the players learn so much about opposition and, as I said, there’s no hiding.”There will be a minute’s silence before play in memory of the late Dean Jones, and the Australian team will wear black armbands.Australia squad Meg Lanning (capt), Rachael Haynes, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Belinda VakarewaNew Zealand squad Sophie Devine (capt), Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Deanna Doughty, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jenson, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin

Kettleborough wore the device on the first morning of the second England-Pakistan Test

George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl14-Aug-2020Richard Kettleborough, one of the on-field umpires in the ongoing second Test between England and Pakistan, has been spoken to by the ICC’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) after taking to the field wearing a smartwatch.Kettleborough was seen wearing the watch during the first session of the match. ESPNcricinfo understands he soon realised his error, took off the watch and reported the incident to the ACU. He has not been seen wearing it after lunch on the first day.ESPNcricinfo further understands that the ACU consider the incident a minor violation of the regulations. They spoke to Kettleborough and reminded him of his obligations under the Player and Match Officials Area Regulations (PMOA). They are unlikely to take further action.In an effort to combat corruption in cricket over the last few years, players and officials have been obliged to hand over their phones (and any other transmitting devices) to anti-corruption officials ahead of the start of play. They are then locked away and returned to them shortly after stumps. The ICC also has the power to confiscate devices and download all material from them in order to monitor recent activity, but have chosen not to do so on this occasion.Kettleborough is not the first to make such an error. Pakistan’s players were spoken to by officials after taking the field wearing smartwatches during the Lord’s Test of 2018. While it was accepted the devices were disabled – they can be used, when disabled, to track fitness among other things – the players were reminded the regulations prohibited them being worn at all. Again, it was not considered anything more than a minor violation.Earlier this year, the ECB tightened up its anti-corruption guidelines by banning players from wearing smartwatches on the field of play in all fixtures, on account of the growth of live-streaming services in county cricket.The incident will cause some embarrassment for Kettleborough and the ACU. Usually such devices are surrendered to the anti-corruption manager upon arrival at the ground on match days, and it is not clear why that did not happen on this occasion.

Sir Richard Hadlee believes New Zealand are entering this three-Test series against Australia with their finest-ever new-ball combination: Trent Boult and Tim Southee

Brydon Coverdale in Brisbane04-Nov-20152:09

‘Southee-Boult is most successful NZ bowling combo’ – Hadlee

When New Zealand last won a Test series in Australia, in 1985, the country’s all-time greatest cricketer, Sir Richard Hadlee, was the difference. Thirty years on, Hadlee believes New Zealand are entering this three-Test series with not only their finest-ever new-ball combination – Trent Boult and Tim Southee – but also the man who will come to be regarded as New Zealand’s best batsman of all time, Kane Williamson.They are significant words from the most important figure in New Zealand’s cricket history. They are also pretty hard words to argue with. All three men were junior members of the side that beat Australia in Hobart in 2011 in the last Test between the nations, and they are key reasons why this could be New Zealand’s best chance for a series win in Australia since Hadlee’s era.Hadlee made similar comments about Boult and Southee during this year’s World Cup, and with the red ball both men are also near the peak of their powers. Both are 26, both swing the ball both ways, and both are in New Zealand’s top eight wicket-takers of all time. The left-right new-ball combination will test Australia’s changing top order in helpful Gabba conditions.”I think I can confidently stand here and say without doubt that that combination will be, if it’s not already, the most successful bowling combination in the history of New Zealand cricket,” Hadlee said on Wednesday. “To work in tandem as they do, they will put a lot of pressure on any batting line-up, anywhere in the world in any conditions.”It is not just with the swinging ball that New Zealand will threaten Australia. Williamson is the fulcrum of the New Zealand batting line-up, having joined Don Bradman, Garfield Sobers, Sachin Tendulkar, Graeme Smith and Neil Harvey as the only men to have 10 Test centuries before the age of 25. But there is damaging potential throughout their batting order.”I think Kane Williamson will be our best ever batsman by the time he finishes his career,” Hadlee said. “The fact that by this stage he’s scored ten Test centuries at 24 years of age, and in the history of the game only six players have scored ten Test centuries by the age of 25. That includes the likes of Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers and Sachin Tendulkar. So he’s in very good company.”Technically [he’s] very good, he just has a desire to occupy the crease and score runs. Taylor is a fine batsman averaging 45, McCullum can be very destructive, and you can’t underestimate the likes of BJ Watling, the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman, who is averaging 40 himself. Neesham is averaging 43.”When you look at the run-making potential in the side, they can put runs on the board and you’ve got bowlers who can get wickets. This is a very capable side, it’s a confident side, and they’re playing a good, bright, brand of cricket. Attacking, entertaining, and at times high risk, but that can bring great rewards as well. It’s a very, very good side.”Hadlee said he expected McCullum to pile the pressure on to Australia’s newer players, including Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja, but he stopped short of declaring New Zealand favourites. When Hadlee claimed match figures of 15 for 123 at the Gabba in 1985, New Zealand won the toss and bowled in humid conditions on what he called a “frisky” pitch.”It is difficult to win here,” he said. “We’ve only won three Test matches in our history here in Australia – the Gabba here in 1985, then Perth in ’85, and then four years ago in Hobart, where Doug Bracewell got his career-best of 6 for 40. It is difficult to win here, simply because you’re playing Australia in Australia, conditions vastly different here than what they are in New Zealand.”Hopefully these guys can take some lessons from what went on in the past and the bowlers get in there and get their lines and their lengths right and not go searching. If you go searching and you miss your target you concede runs. Good old-fashioned basic fast bowling … That hasn’t changed in the history of the game. If you put the ball in the right place and do a bit with it, you’re going to challenge batsmen and batsmen can make mistakes.”

Heaps praise on the India quick’s complete “commitment and attention to Test cricket” over the shorter formats

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Feb-20213:15

‘Ishant has the skill to play all formats, he’s just chosen to focus on Tests’ – Kohli

Virat Kohli kicked his sleeping room-mate, Ishant Sharma, out of the bed to inform him he had been selected for India 15 or so years ago. Things haven’t changed that much over time. To Ishant, the Ahmedabad Test starting Wednesday is just another Test; to Kolhi, the fast bowler’s 100th is as good as the 150th for a batsman in modern cricket. On the eve of the Test, Kohli paid rich tribute to his “dear friend” and his attack’s spearhead.Related

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• Ishant – from unlucky workhorse to master quick

“I have known Ishant for many years now,” Kohli said. “He started playing state cricket with me from his first season onwards. We have been room-mates for many years in state cricket, in Ranji Trophy cricket. When he got selected for India, he was fast asleep in the afternoon, and I had to kick him off the bed and say you have been selected. And he wouldn’t believe me. That’s how far we go back.”I couldn’t be happier for him. Paying 100 Test matches as a fast bowler is no mean feat. Especially in our conditions where things get so difficult but he persevered, he kept working hard. That’s been his essence from day one. Very hard-working guy, very honest about the game, about his ability, about what he brings to the table. Very self-assured.””To maintain his body so well, to play 100 Tests, this longevity is rare to see among the fast bowlers today,” Virat Kohli said of Ishant Sharma•BCCI

Looking at Ishant’s amazing performances in the last four-five years, it is easy to forget he spent a majority of his career as the workhorse of an incomplete attack with some ordinary figures. Ishant’s turnaround began when he learnt under Jason Gillespie at Sussex how to get fuller without sacrificing his pace. It also coincided with India managing a more complete attack, which meant Ishant was not so easy to see off. His best years have also coincided with Kohli’s captaincy.”I was most excited to work with him and really bring the best out of him as an attacking fast bowler,” Kohli said. “Something that clicked immediately [when I took up captaincy]. He knows my mindset. He knows me inside out. There is a big trust factor. I know him inside out. I know he will respond to advice, he knows I am going to listen to his plans as well. I think it has worked really well for both of us. Not just for him as a fast bowler, but for me as a captain to have that kind of experience and the kind of consistency he brings along with the attacking lines and lengths he bowls.”I have just been very very happy to see him enjoy his bowling over the last four-five years and really become that stalwart of Indian fast bowling group. Couldn’t be happier for him. Really, really excited I am going to be present on the field when he plays his 100th game. To see the smile on his face and just run in and bowl will be great to watch for a dear friend of mine.”Kohli was in awe of Ishant’s conditioning, motivation and commitment. “To maintain his body so well, to play 100 Tests, this longevity is rare to see among the fast bowlers today,” Kohli said. “Sometimes you lose motivation too. He has the skill, mind you, to play the shorter formats. If he wanted he could have improved his four-over and 10-over cricket and could easily be a regular in IPL and present a case for himself in one-day cricket. But he dedicated all his commitment and attention to Test cricket, prioritised it. To play 100 Tests for a fast bowler is as good as 150 Tests for a batsman. I hope he plays for many more years and inspires the next group of fast bowlers too.”Perhaps Ishant’s conditioning is too good for Kohli too, at least when you look at his full head of hair. “If you captain and wear helmets for a long time you will also lose your hair,” Kohli said. “If he bats for a long time he will also lose his hair. Thankfully it doesn’t come down to that, and when it does his role is different.”

South Africa skipper will be in the spotlight at St George’s Park with series locked at 1-1

Firdose Moonda11-Jan-2020In the wave of change that has broken over South African cricket in the last month, one thing has stayed the same: the captaincy. But that does not mean Faf du Plessis’ leadership has escaped scrutiny.The skipper, who last scored a Test century more than a year ago and has not crossed 30 in his last seven innings, will be in the spotlight at St George’s Park where either South Africa or England could ensure they cannot lose the four-match series, currently locked at 1-1. The other will go to Johannesburg playing catch-up. If it’s South Africa in that position, expect questions over du Plessis’ future to multiply, much like they did with his counterpart Joe Root in New Zealand.It’s not entirely unexpected that South Africa have to start their succession planning. Du Plessis is 35, has played international cricket for nine years and has identified this year’s T20 World Cup as a potential swansong. While he has repeatedly called himself “driven” to continue as captain in all three formats, he has also indicated South Africa should look at other options, especially in ODIs, so the transition is smooth.ALSO READ: The race for Test selection: How SA’s fringe players are faringThe only Tests South Africa will play between the end of this home season and the start of next summer is a winter tour to West Indies. Given the schedule and the circumstances, its not unthinkable that this England series could be du Plessis’ last at home, or perhaps his last, full stop. And ultimately the decision may not be his to make.Form will have to come into the conversation at some stage. It already has by those who took offence to du Plessis saying Temba Bavuma had to force his way back into the Test XI by weight of runs when du Plessis’ own load has been fairly light. Du Plessis’ last seven innings have brought 79 runs with a top score of 29; Bavuma’s last seven have brought 102 runs with a top score of 38.But go back, even just to the beginning of 2019 and compare the numbers. In the first nine innings of the year, du Plessis scored a hundred and four fifties, Bavuma only had one half-century. Despite tailing off at the end of the year, du Plessis averaged 41.41 in 2019 (by way of comparison Bavuma averaged 19.84) which is nothing to scoff at, especially when considering everything else the captain had to deal with.In the build-up to this series, du Plessis spoke about the “burden,” of being the buffer between the players and the crumbling administration. He did not provide concrete examples of exactly what he had to do during the crisis but said he took on more responsibility than usual. After the coaching overhaul, he indicated he was looking forward to simply leading on the field, which is when he believes he is at his best.Though du Plessis has often claimed captaincy has improved him as a player, the numbers don’t emphatically agree. As captain, he averages 40.32 compared to 41.02 when being captained. Instead, we have to turn elsewhere for evidence of du Plessis’ ability to steer a ship, like the Mzansi Super League (MSL).While eyes were initially on Bavuma’s Jozi Stars and Quinton de Kock’s Cape Town Blitz, as both those men have been mentioned as future national captains, it was du Plessis’ Paarl Rocks who won the title. Despite losing two high-profile players, Aiden Markram and JP Duminy, to injury before the competition began and playing with a squad that had almost no recognisable names (had anyone outside of South Africa heard of Kerwin Mungroo or Ferisco Adams?), the Rocks were the best-organised and strategised team in the tournament, a testament to the coaching of Adrian Birrell and the captaincy of du Plessis.The same clear thinking has not always been on display in the Test series. While du Plessis followed his gut feel in keeping Keshav Maharaj on for an extended spell in the second innings at SuperSport Park – where Maharaj got the wicket of Ben Stokes – the captain did not use his spinner as effectively at Newlands.Maharaj often bowled to poorly set fields and leaked runs, causing Mark Boucher to call him a “work in progress”, which seems a strange thing to say about the second-most successful spinner since readmission. Similarly, Anrich Nortje, known for his bounce, operated without a short leg, Dwaine Pretorius was underused and du Plessis delayed in taking the second new ball in England’s second innings, when South Africa needed quick wickets.Those tactical errors have nothing on the shot du Plessis played on the final day, when South Africa needed him to be at his most defensive in an attempt to save the game. Minutes before lunch, with a second new ball due in under four overs, du Plessis swept hard at a Dom Bess delivery and sent it straight to square leg.Faf du Plessis sweeps and is caught at square leg•Getty Images

Du Plessis later said he made a “mental error,” and that he understood South Africa’s senior batsmen need to step up to support the younger players in the top six. The reality is that nobody needs to step up more than du Plessis and history suggests he knows how to do it.In 2015, the year South Africa hosted West Indies, toured Bangladesh in the monsoon and were heavily defeated in India, du Plessis averaged 16.75. Du Plessis was dropped early in 2016 for the final fixture of a four-match series against England but returned as captain seven months later and scored a century to win a series against New Zealand.Since then, leadership rather than runs, has been the standout feature of du Plessis’ career. In 2018, he averaged just 24.36 but led South Africa to two crucial series wins, over the No.1 ranked Indian side and to a first victory at home over Australia since readmission.That South Africa lost a rubber in Sri Lanka four months later and a home series to Sri Lanka seven months after that was incidental. With the 2019 World Cup looming, attention was elsewhere. Besides, du Plessis had already saved face with a century in the New Year’s Test against Pakistan to take some of the heat off himself, something he has been good at throughout his career.That’s the way he started, with a century in the block-a-thon to draw a game that was all but gone in Adelaide in 2012. That’s the way he embraced his promotion to the captaincy with a century to seal his first series in charge, against New Zealand at Centurion in 2016. That’s way he responded two months later, with a century in South Africa’s first pink-ball Test with the series won and the aftertaste of ‘Mint-Gate’ still fresh in the mouth. And that’s the way he signed off from the World Cup, with a century in South Africa’s last hurrah, victory over the much-fancied Australians.Du Plessis has scored big runs when it matters and the situation he is in now, with South Africa craving a fresh start and his career on the brink of the end, it matters most of all.

The BCCI has said it is getting closer to narrowing down its list of difficulties in implementing the Lodha Committee’s reforms to “three or four”

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-2017The BCCI has said it is getting closer to narrowing down its list of difficulties in implementing the Lodha Committee’s reforms to “three or four”. The seven-member panel set up by the BCCI to study their implementation met on Saturday, and achieved a “huge amount of unanimity”, according to its convener, the BCCI’s acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary.The panel is set to meet again on July 7, when it will look to finalise a report that it will present before a Special General Meeting (SGM) that the BCCI will have to conduct before July 14, when the Supreme Court will next hear the case. Following the SGM, the BCCI will hand over its final list of difficulties to the Committee of Administrators, the court-appointed panel tasked with running the BCCI until fresh elections under the Lodha guidelines.”I can tell you that there was a huge amount of unanimity among all members including [Cricket Association of Bengal president] Sourav Ganguly, who was present through Skype,” Choudhary said on Saturday.He added that the members had agreed unanimously on “six or seven” points, but did not want to reveal what they were until they had been narrowed down to a final “three or four”. He indicated that the unanimously agreed-upon areas of difficulty were ones the BCCI had already spoken about in the past.The board is understood to be inclined to incorporate most of the Lodha committee’s recommendations, except for policies such as the age cap of 70 years for office bearers, the tenure cap of nine years with cooling-off periods in between, the one-state-one-vote policy, and the trimming down of the number of selectors from five to three.”I could well do that [reveal the six or seven areas of difficulty], but I think all of you know it,” Choudhary said. “We are trying to reduce the gamut of difficulties to three or four, and in that exercise we have succeeded very substantially today. The small bits which are left we will finish them [on July 7].”[By then,] instead of talking about 5-6-7 points, I’m certain that I will be talking about three or four only. The other three will unnecessarily get attention [otherwise].”Choudhary was confident the BCCI would be able to conduct a Special General Meeting (SGM) before July 14.”I’m sure you’ll have a copy of that one-page document which states clearly, delineates, that the honourable Supreme Court of India’s next date on the subject is the 14th of July,” Choudhary said. “It also says that we have to dispose this matter expeditiously, and it’s a matter of urgent nature. We exhausted the dictionary, so to say, and we are acting upon it.”On the question of Niranjan Shah’s presence in the BCCI’s committee, Choudhary clarified that the former Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) president was only part of it as a “special invitee” rather than one of the seven full members. Shah is at present disqualified from holding office either in the BCCI or any of its state associations since he is over the stipulated age limit of 70. Choudhary dismissed any confusion over Shah’s role in the panel as an issue of “semantics”.”He’s a special invitee,” Choudhary said. “You are getting into semantics. By trying to distinguish between the technical status of a person who’s attending the meeting… I have answered your question, whether he is a member or an invitee. I said he’s an invitee.”

Haider Ali and Babar Azam slam fifties to make quick work of small chase

Danyal Rasool08-Nov-2020Pakistan wrapped up the T20I series at the earliest opportunity, thrashing Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the second of three games. It was the bowlers who set it up, with legspinner Usman Qadir’s sensational spell the most exciting aspect for Pakistan. His three wickets, combined with just as many by Haris Rauf, dented Zimbabwe early, never allowing partnerships and restricting them to 134.That chase was a cakewalk for the hosts. Haider Ali and Babar Azam made short work of it, Haider bringing up his second T20I half-century as Babar cantered to his second in as many games. The chase was done with five overs to spare, with disappointingly little fight put up by Chamu Chibhabha’s side.For the first time on this tour a team won the toss and put the opposition in, Pakistan perhaps wishing to repeat the performance they put in yesterday. What transpired, instead, was an even more crushing performance with the ball. Zimbabwe got off to a bit of a flyer, racking up 36 in four overs, but lost Brendan Taylor and the hopelessly out of form Chibhabha early, and that set the tone for the kind of innings it would be. All but two of their batsmen got into double figures, but only one managed to cross 30, with the starts they got quickly snuffed out by a ruthless bowling performance.Qadir’s sensational spell began inauspiciously with a half-tracker that the precocious Wesley Madhevere pulled away for six, but that was the only mistake he made all day. Varying his length, pace, flight and googly effectively kept the batsmen guessing, and he never once failed to execute whatever appeared to be on his mind.Both the legspinner and the wrong ‘un got prodigious turn, discomfiting the batsmen’s footwork and forcing them to try and see out his overs, which built even more pressure and resulted in wickets, either for him or from the other end. When, in his final over, it looked like Elton Chigumbura had the measure of him, smacking him down the ground for six and then sweeping him for four, Qadir struck back with his final ball, beating the batsman in the flight, drawing him out of his crease, giving Rizwan an easy stumping. He finished with 3 for 23; if anything, those figures didn’t flatter him enough.Not that the other bowlers weren’t on their game. Rauf was at his quickest, which brought him the wickets of the openers. He defeated Taylor with a hint of seam movement and returned to rush Chibhabha’s pull shot and put Zimbabwe under immediate pressure, while a tight Powerplay over from Fahim Ashraf brought the wicket of the in-form Sean Williams.Zimbabwe had moments of promise, with Ryan Burl’s intelligent knock at the death – 32 off 22 – taking them to 134 and at least keeping the target respectable, but in the absence of one big score or even one big partnership, there was little hope the bowlers could dig them out of that hole.Pakistan’s only worry would be the continued struggle of Fakhar Zaman at this level. Blessing Muzarabani, who alongside Madhevere has been the brightest spark of the tour for Zimbabwe, snared him in his second over when Zaman went for a low percentage drive down the ground that went straight to mid-on. But it only gave Haider Ali another shot at putting his dazzling talent on display, and he was keen to show it off.He got things off and running with an exquisite square cut of Richard Ngarava, and never looked back. The lofted back-foot drive down the ground – with the pose maintained for good measure – is the closest thing he has to a trademark shot, and he unfurled that shot time and again. Donald Tiripano got that treatment, and he was unafraid to use his feet to Sean Williams to deposit him at cow corner. Within no time, it seemed, he was bringing up his half-century.Babar continues to make runs almost without drawing attention to himself. The boundaries come as if on autopilot, and the ball goes where he needs it to, without anyone noticing anymore how consistently clinical he is. While everyone’s eyes were on Haider Ali, Babar scored the quickest T20I half-century of his career, bringing it up off 27 balls – once again, the only minor irritation being he failed to stick around to hit the winning runs. Muzarabani struck once more, rushing Babar on to a hook shot as Chigumbura completed a fine diving catch at deep-fine leg. On the day, it was a rare bit of good cricket from Zimbabwe.

Given Afghanistan’s blazing start in the tri-series, this is a match the other two sides will want to win to stay in the race

The Preview by Mohammad Isam17-Sep-2019

Big Picture

Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have been no match for Afghanistan in the T20I tri-series so far, so the game on Wednesday is one neither side can afford to slip up in. Both teams have failed to produce noteworthy moments so far, and both sets of senior players have gone through a rough time, though Bangladesh hold the advantage after having won the first encounter between the two.The hosts’ problems against Afghanistan have resulted in quite a few changes to their squad for the remaining league matches, although only Soumya Sarkar’s axing was as a result of his poor performances; Mahedi Hasan, Abu Hider and Yeasin Arafat were all dropped without playing a game.Bangladesh must arrest the top-order slides that marred their chances in the first two matches. Seniors Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah have not made significant contributions yet, and the likes of Liton Das and Sabbir Rahman haven’t pulled the team out of crises either. Among the bowlers, only Mohammad Saifuddin has stood out with wickets.Zimbabwe have plenty to gain if they can manage to beat the under-fire home side. Much like in the case of Bangladesh, their senior batsmen – Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams and Craig Ervine – must be desperate for runs. On the bowling front, Neville Madziva has at times impressed with his slower bouncers, and Kyle Jarvis has occasionally tested batsmen with pace and bounce, but Masakadza will probably rely on his spinners in the main to keep things tight.It will be interesting to see if the two team managements feel some of their younger players can be tried out in their top orders. For Zimbabwe, that could mean breaking up the Taylor-Masakadza pairing, but one of them can add a bit of meat and experience down the order. As for Bangladesh, Mohammad Naim, the second-highest scorer in the last edition of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, could get in at the top of the order.

Form guide

Bangladesh: LWLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe: LLWLT

In the spotlight

Since his breakthrough 94 against West Indies in the World Cup, Liton Das hasn’t crossed 33 in eight innings across formats, his last outing a duck against Afghanistan in the previous game. Some of Bangladesh’s batting woes will go away if he finds form.Ryan Burl has been something of a surprise package for Zimbabwe in this tri-series, having made a rapid, unbeaten fifty against Bangladesh in the first game, and a run-a-ball 25 against Afghanistan. His side would hope for consistency from him in the rest of the series.

Team news

With Soumya axed from the squad, Bangladesh may look to hand a T20I debut to Mohammad Naim, the lanky opener who has impressed recently in domestic cricket. If they are willing to be a little adventurous, legspin-bowling allrounder Aminul Islam could be a possible replacement for Sabbir Rahman.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mohammad Naim, 2 Liton Das, 3 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Afif Hossain, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanZimbabwe can try out Chris Mpofu and Richmond Mutumbami, who are yet to play on this tour. Tony Munyonga, the 20-year-old allrounder, should get another opportunity as he neither batted nor bowled in his debut against Bangladesh on September 13.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Brendan Taylor (wk), 2 Hamilton Masakadza (capt), 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Tinotenda Mutombodzi, 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Regis Chakabva, 8 Neville Madziva, 9 Kyle Jarvis, 10 Ainsley Ndlovu, Tendai Chatara

Pitch and conditions

Sides batting first have averaged 138 runs in night games at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, but the totals vary wildly: from Netherlands’ 39 all out to South Africa’s 196 for 5.There is a slight possibility of a shower in the evening.

Stats and trivia

• Asghar Afghan is now the second Afghanistan player to appear in 50 consecutive T20Is for his country. Mohammad Shahzad tops the overall list with 58.
• Mustafizur Rahman is one wicket short of becoming the second Bangladesh bowler to take 50 T20I wickets. Shakib is the overall leader with 90 wickets.
• Sabbir is 55 short of becoming the fifth batsman to reach 1000 T20I runs for Bangladesh.

Quotes

“We know they [Bangladesh] are under pressure, but we have to get the basics right.”

Nelson Mandela Bay Giants were kept to 137 for 9 in a chase of 166 on a slow pitch in Port Elizabeth

Liam Brickhill09-Dec-2018Gihahn Cloete targets the off side•MSL

AB de Villiers’ Tshwane Spartans kept their Mzansi Super League play-off hopes alive, holding Nelson Mandela Bay Giants to 137 for 9 to secure a 28-run victory at St George’s Park. Opener Gihahn Cloete’s third fifty of the competition carried Spartans to 165 for 4 on a pitch that played slightly on the slow side, and de Villiers then set the tone early in defence of the total, pulling off a stunning diving catch in the outfield. Shaun von Berg’s canny legbreaks were instrumental in maintaining Spartans’ control with the ball, and he collected 3 for 19 in four overs.While Spartans would have been even happier with a bonus point – they have yet to secure one so far this season – the victory nonetheless took them to fourth place on the points table, with two games in hand, as well as slightly improving their net run-rate. Giants remain third on 21 points with one more round robin game against Paarl Rocks on Wednesday. The inaugural MSL title race is still wide open for every team apart from Durban Heat.De Villiers did his first job right in calling correctly at the toss and opting to bat, knowing that a pitch that encouraged the spinners would be difficult to chase on. Cloete backed up the decision with a 59-ball 65 that anchored the innings and laid a platform. Pushed up to open, Cloete dealt with the early loss of Andrea Agathangelou by sharing in a 72-run stand with Dean Elgar, who hit three sixes in his 32.Together they took Spartans to 44 for 1 in the Powerplay, and even found ways to attack the spinners, hitting sixes off the captain Jon-Jon Smuts, Aaron Phangiso and Imran Tahir before Tahir had Elgar driving uppishly into the hands of Heino Kuhn at cover in the 10th over.Tahir should also have had de Villiers lbw in his third over soon afterwards. He rushed a slider on to the batsman’s pads to start the over, prompting an appeal that was turned down. There was another more vehement plea four balls later as Tahir rapped de Villiers on the pad with a legbreak only for umpire Shaun George to shake his head again. Replays showed the ball pitching in line and going on to crash into leg stump. Tahir was distraught. Even more so when de Villiers reverse-swept the very next delivery for four.De Villiers wasn’t at his vintage best, managing a slightly scratchy 33 before he was out in the final over, but Eoin Morgan gave the innings some impetus, swatting two sixes – the first via a leading edge – in a rapid cameo to push the total above par.Giants knew that a win in this game would virtually secure their place in the play-offs, but when they lost three wickets inside the Powerplay, their task looked increasingly difficult. Giants lost Jason Roy in the first over, and Rudi Second to de Villiers’ brilliant outfield catch minutes later. Seamer Lutho Sipamla overcame a no-ball and a Free Hit that went for six to dismiss Smuts for 26, and then the spinners took over.Von Berg trapped Kuhn lbw in his very first over, and Jeevan Mendis had Christiaan Jonker stumped with a ripping legbreak as Giants slipped into trouble at 73 for 5. When von Berg had Chris Morris caught reverse-sweeping to point and Duckett was run out seeking a single off a misfield for 47, Giants were 92 for 7 and suddenly a vital bonus point seemed a distinct possibility for Spartans.Sisanda Magala struck two enormous sixes to keep Spartans sweating, but he fell attempting a third off von Berg. De Villiers’ men went into the penultimate over with just two runs to play with in order to secure the bonus point and Giants’ last pair at the crease. Despite an lbw appeal and a scrambled single that might have seen Tahir run out, Sipamla couldn’t grab the vital wicket, but Spartans had already done enough at least to keep themselves in the hunt for the play-offs.

Following a match in which he suggested he was once again death-bowling force to be reckoned with, Lasith Malinga delivered the rhetoric fans have come to expect

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Dambulla13-Oct-2018Following a match in which he suggested he was once again death-bowling force to be reckoned with, Lasith Malinga delivered the rhetoric fans have come to expect from him. He was disappointed his 5 for 44 did not result in a Sri Lanka win. He made snide comments about having been left out for a year, only to take 10 wickets in four games upon his return. He also seemed to suggest Sri Lanka’s selectors could drop him again at any time.But in between the regular Malinga gripes and cliches, there were also hints about his playing future. He wants to play the 2019 World Cup. He has made peace with the likelihood it will be his last.”I feel that if I get the chance to play the World Cup, I will,” he said. “It will be my last World Cup. I’m not expecting to get the chance, given the kinds of things that have happened to me over the recent past. But I will take it if it is given.”Malinga’s road back into the ODI team was an unusual one. He missed the domestic provincial one-day tournament earlier this year, choosing instead to work as a bowling consultant with Mumbai Indians. If the selectors had stuck by their own policy, this should probably have ruled him out of the 50-over format. But they were willing to accept that he had played well enough in the Canada Global T20 tournament, and in SLC’s own T20 provincial competition, to earn a place in the ODI squad.Lasith Malinga celebrates his fifth wicket•Getty Images

Four games in, it feels as if Malinga has never been away. Vitally, he is also packing some decent pace. He breached 140kph several times during his spell on Saturday, as he had also done at the Asia Cup last month.”The selectors are entitled to make those decisions,” Malinga said. “I’m just a player. My only job is to play when I get the chance. When I was out of the team, I went and played in Canada. I also played the district competition and got the highest wickets. Thanks to those performances I got another chance at this level. Because I’m nearing the end of my career I’m motivated to get wickets.”