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Back-to-back no-results keep Afghanistan at the bottom of the Group 1 table, while Ireland rise to No. 2

Himanshu Agrawal28-Oct-2022Afghanistan and Ireland shared the points on offer after persistent rain prevented any action – or even the toss – from taking place in their men’s T20 World Cup match at the MCG on Friday.For Afghanistan, the result came just two days after their game against New Zealand, at the same venue, had also been abandoned.With the point they earned today, Ireland, who had beaten England earlier, climbed up two steps to No. 2 in the group, behind New Zealand, who are on three points from two games.Afghanistan have two points, the same as Sri Lanka, England and Australia. But all those teams have played one game fewer and also have a “W” against their names, unlike Afghanistan, who had lost to England in their first match of the tournament before the successive washouts.It was a frustrating afternoon for all concerned. Although it wasn’t raining an hour before the scheduled start of the match, it started pouring just minutes before the scheduled toss, at 2.30pm local time. The toss was delayed as a result, and at 3pm – the scheduled start of play – the umpires announced an inspection for an hour later, by when losing overs was inevitable.Rain remained on the radar, and while it abated for periods, raising hopes of , another downpour around 3.30pm brought the covers back on. Then, at around 4.15pm, it was decided that an inspection would be conducted only after the rain stopped, but the abandonment was announced just 18 minutes later.A point against Afghanistan might have boosted Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals, but they do have games against Australia and New Zealand lined up. They will back themselves, though, after having pulled off a tight five-run win [DLS method] against England.Australia play England in the evening match at the MCG, with rain set to play a part there too.

A makeshift Surrey side saw their quarter-final hopes take a hit with nine-wicket defeat

ECB Reporters' Network09-Jul-2021Kent Spitfires restricted Surrey to just 128 for 7 before strolling to a nine-wicket victory at the Kia Oval and strengthening their position at the top of the Vitality Blast’s South Group.Daniel Bell-Drummond went on to a 37-ball 53 not out after he and Joe Denly put on 64 in eight overs for the first wicket to set up a comfortable chase that ended with 4.3 overs to spare. Ollie Robinson also struck a breezy unbeaten 45 from 30 balls and Kent have now won eight of their 12 group matches while Surrey look unlikely to qualify for a quarter-final place.Jordan Clark managed an unbeaten 37 from 31 balls, and there were brief flurries from Jamie Overton and Tim David as 86 came from the last ten overs, but otherwise Surrey’s batsmen could not handle an impressive Kent attack on a sluggish surface. Adam Milne, the New Zealand fast bowler, was outstanding both with the new ball and in the final overs to take 2 for 13.Surrey, put in, were in trouble even before the end of thePowerplay, in which they failed to hit a single boundary while staggering to 17 for 3.
Jamie Smith top-edged a pull at Milne to extra cover in the second over, Ben Geddes fell for 8 when pulling Fred Klaassen’s left-arm seam to deep midwicket and Laurie Evans departed for 6, skying Matt Milnes’ first ball to midwicket at the start of the sixth over.After nine overs Surrey had only reached 28 for 3 but then came three successive boundaries – the first of the innings – as Rory Burns first missed with a reverse swipe at Jack Leaning’s offspin, the ball running away for four byes, before connecting with two more reverse sweeps to ironic cheers from a 5000 crowd.Qais Ahmed bowled four overs of legspin for 22, although he was driven straight for six by David, and Surrey slumped further to 59 for 5 in an extraordinary 12th over.David, a big-hitting 25-year-old Australian-raised Singapore international signed for two Blast games in place of injured New Zealand paceman Kyle Jamieson, clubbed Darren Stevens for a big six before being brilliantly held by a diving Jordan Cox at long on for 20 from the next ball.Stevens found himself on a hat-trick when Burns (19) was then magnificently caught left-handed by Klaassen, flinging himself to intercept a sliced cut at short third man, but Overton defended his first ball before swinging Stevens for the first of his three sixes in the veteran allrounder’s second over.Klaassen and Denly were hit for Overton’s other sixes before he mishit a knee-high full toss from Milne to extra cover to go for 23 in the 17th over.

The hosts took a 109-run lead as Bangladesh struggled for discipline

The Report by Shashank Kishore08-Feb-2020Stumps
Tests turn in one ball. For Bangladesh, that came in the third over after lunch. Just prior to the interval, they had dismissed Azhar Ali. Now, there was a gift for the taking from Babar Azam after he’d played the most un-Babar like shot.A miscue after being lulled by Taijul Islam’s loop and flight. Ebadot Hossain wasn’t alert enough at mid-off; a clumsy run backwards to try and catch magnified his error in judgment even more. The catch went down with Babar on 3. Pakistan would’ve been 104 for 3. It wasn’t to be.Babar went on to make 140 more and carried with him the promise of much more on Sunday, maybe even a maiden Test double. Pakistan ended the day 109 ahead; Asad Shafiq serenely batting on 60. His stand with Babar was worth 137, and with three full days still to go, you could sense where this was headed.It wasn’t just Babar and Shafiq who had fun. Shan Masood continued his Test match rejuvenation by bringing up his third Test century, his second on the trot, to further deflate the visitors. Having seen Abid Ali fall early, slashing to the slips, Masood sussed up the conditions and then made merry once the bowlers lost their sting in the first half hour.Masood sat back and punched off the backfoot through cover and point, the weight transfer allowing him to pierce gaps to perfection. For a batsman who appears to not take too many risks, his half-century off 54 balls, courtesy nine boundaries, was deceptively quick.But he didn’t need to carry on batting in that gear right through, because Babar set shop after that early reprieve, batting in the kind of zone where he put not only the bad balls away but even the good ones. Like the on-drives or the whirring flick shots to length deliveries from outside off to bisect midwicket and mid-on.For Bangladesh, Taijul kept toiling, looking to bowl into the rough created at the other end. But the surface was simply too good: little dust, no cracks, true bounce and little movement. Everything batsmen dream of while looking to set up Tests. Masood was perhaps caught in one such dream soon after getting to his century.Having concentrated long and hard, shelving the free-flowing drives that he superbly played early for the hard grind after passing fifty, he was out driving to a harmless delivery that ought to have been put away. He played down the wrong line, nearly yorked himself by getting into a tangle as the ball snuck through the inside edge to hit the stumps. At that stage, Pakistan were 205 for 3, behind by 28 runs.The wicket came literally out of nowhere, because until a few moments prior to his century, Bangladesh were so switched off that they didn’t even appeal for a ball that Masood nicked to Liton Das, the wicketkeeper, on 86 off Rubel Hossain. So the wicket was another opportunity for Bangladesh to try and crack open the middle order. Instead, they came out after tea and immediately allowed the game to drift by giving Shafiq easy singles that got Babar back on strike.By then, Babar gave the impression that he was toying with the bowling, especially Taijul, hitting wherever he pleased. Take for instance a flighted delivery from Taijul. A length ball outside off, to which he stepped out to negate any turn and then, as if he was simply commanding the ball, using his wrists to flick it between midwicket and mid-on. Or the back-to-back flicks to length balls outside off to the midwicket fence of Abu Jayed.This was a batsman every inch confident of what he was upto, far from the unusually ultra-aggressive self who threatened to hit out and get into trouble early in his innings. It took Babar a while to calm himself down after the reprieve, and for the Rawalpindi faithful who turned up on Saturday, it was worth the wait.In the morning session, Bangladesh struck twice, both gifts to loose shots. Fresh off back-to-back tons in his first two Tests, Abid slashed at one early on, while Azhar fell in similar fashion shortly before lunch. But the 91-run partnership established Pakistan’s early advantage where they proved the biggest threat they faced was their own complacency against a toothless attack. The good passages for Bangladesh were eventually too far and few between, leaving the Test cold and quickly veering towards the prospect of there being only one winner in the Test.

He’s been an ever-present in New Zealand’s Test squad, but Southee, Boult and Wagner are set to keep him on the bench a little longer

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Dec-2018Forever on the brink of gaining a steady run in New Zealand’s Test team, but often just kept out by the three senior seamers, Matt Henry may have to wait until the Bangladesh series in late February and March to play his next Test match.Henry may have hoped that he would have played in at least one of the five Tests scheduled across November and December, but, having carried drinks through the three-Test tour of the UAE as well as in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Wellington, Henry seems likely to miss out again in Christchurch, with coach Gary Stead confident that his three first-choice seamers will be fresh come the Boxing Day Test.”Matt’s an integral part of our squad still, and sometimes opportunities are hard to come by,” Stead said. “But we’ve got a long summer ahead of us still and in terms of the forward planning that we’ve looked at throughout the summer, there are probably chances for people to come out and freshen up with a bigger view to the World Cup down the track. I still think Matt will get a good amount of cricket over the summer.”If Henry does not make the XI of the Boxing Day Test, it willl be despite the fact that the series in the UAE and at home have run so close together that captain Kane Williamson described it as effectively a “five-match series” – the kind of undertaking that would generally require a team to use its seam-bowling depth. There is also the matter of Trent Boult and Tim Southee having bowled 52 overs apiece in the Wellington Test, and Neil Wagner having sent down 43 overs. As there are six days between the two Sri Lanka Tests, though, that trio has a good chance of remaining unchanged.”One of the things that has happened in the UAE is that two of the Test matches were over in four days, and in one of them we only bowled once as well,” Stead said. “Where we thought the number of overs for the fast bowlers would have been really, really big, we’re certainly not at that stage. I take on board though, that both Tim and Trent both bowled 50 or a bit more overs than that in this Test. I guess we will monitor how they are over the next three or four days. I think we have enough time to be able to select who we think our very best team is, because they would have recovered.”If there is an outside chance of Henry playing in Christchurch, it may be because of a mild dip in form for one of the incumbents rather than fatigue. Wagner collected figures of 0 for 100 in the second innings at Wellington, and 2 for 175 from the game in general – numbers that Stead put down to Sri Lanka’s handling of his short-pitched bowling.”Sri Lanka played Neil really well and it was probably some of the best batting I’ve seen against him in a while. I think everyone in world cricket knows the way he’s likely to bowl. I think Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews played him really well. They were gritty as well. They took a few on the body and I haven’t seen too many people do that. I don’t think on the fourth morning Neil was at his best, but in the afternoon sessions he bowled really well but got little reward.”

Sri Lanka A’s lower order, led by Shehan Jayasuriya, rallied from 83 for 5 to chase down 177, despite fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell’s career-best 4 for 44

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2017Sri Lanka A 181 for 8 (Asalanka 33, Cottrell 4-44, Cornwall 2-31) beat West Indies A 176 (Hodge 54, Kumara 3-26, Aponso 3-34) by two wickets
ScorecardAFP

Sri Lanka A’s lower order, led by Shehan Jayasuriya, rallied from 83 for 5 to secure a low-scorer, despite fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell’s career-best 4 for 44. Jayasuriya stayed unbeaten on 31 off 36 balls along with Amila Aponso, who contributed 16 off 13, to help the visitors chase down 177 with two wickets and two overs to spare.Aponso had earlier made a bigger impact with the ball, his 3 for 34 limiting West Indies A to 176. He was complemented by the 20-year old quick Lahiru Kumara, who claimed three wickets of his own.West Indies A began well with Montcin Hodge and John Campbell putting on 67 for the first wicket. Hodge went onto make 54 off 69 balls, including four fours and a six, but wickets kept falling at the other end. From 67 for 0, the hosts slumped to 133 for 7, before Rahkeem Cornwall’s 43-ball 37 hauled the score to 176.In response, Sri Lanka A stumbled to 83 for 5 by the 23rd over with Cottrell leading the way with the new ball. Charith Asalanka, who captained Sri Lanka in the Under-19 World Cup last year, and Chamika Karunaratne then added 35 for the sixth wicket to give the side hope. Both batsmen fell in quick succession to Cottrell, and Kyle Mayers got rid of Malinda Pushpakumara for 11, but Jayasuriya and Aponso held their nerve to put Sri Lanka A 1-0 up in the three-match series.

Ashwell Prince has resigned from South Africa’s selection panel to concentrate his efforts on coaching

Firdose Moonda12-Sep-2016Ashwell Prince has resigned from South Africa’s selection panel to concentrate his efforts on coaching. Prince was one of two former internationals, alongside Errol Stewart, on the four-man committee which also includes convener Linda Zondi and former Gauteng player Hussein Manack. There is no indication of when a replacement for Prince will be announced.”I feel I have more to offer as a coach, so that’s what I want to concentrate on,” Prince told ESPNcricinfo. “Being both a coach and a selector was not an option as it is regarded as a conflict of interest.”Prince, a batsman who played 66 Tests, 52 ODIs and a T20I between 2002 and 2011, signed off as a selector before South Africa A’s tour to Australia, where he travelled as the team’s assistant and batting coach. He is considering opportunities at domestic level for the upcoming season and is close to confirming a position. He is also hopeful of completing coaching qualifications, although he missed out on the Level Three course that started last Monday. The course is only run once a year, so Prince may have to wait until 2017 to further his studies.Prince became a national selector in June 2015, a tough period for South African cricket. In that time, the team played 12 Tests and won just two, played 22 ODIs and won 11 and were victorious in 10 of their 15 T20s. Among the positives from the period was the rise of Kagiso Rabada, Temba Bavuma and Tabraiz Shamsi.

Ben Foakes finished unbeaten on 57 as Surrey completed a convincing six-wicket LV= County Championship win against Kent to close to within eight points of Division Two leaders Lancashire

ECB/PA16-Jul-2015
ScorecardBen Foakes ensured Surrey made reasonably smooth progress to their target•Getty Images

Ben Foakes finished unbeaten on 57 as Surrey completed a convincing six-wicket LV= County Championship win against Kent to close to within eight points of Division Two leaders Lancashire.Surrey, who had bowled Kent out for a second innings 99 to take control of the match, reached their fourth innings target of 125 with few alarms, the 22-point victory being confirmed in 36.1 fourth day overs.Rory Burns led the way with 46, with Foakes helping the opener to add a valuable 55 for the third wicket. And, as Surrey closed in on the win, Foakes had some fun by pulling Joe Denly’s leg spin for six and also twice lifting James Tredwell over the legside boundary for maximums.In all, Foakes faced 91 balls, hitting three fours besides those three sixes, while Jason Roy hit the winning runs by cover-driving Tredwell, who finished with 3 for 61, for four.Resuming on 4 for 1, having seen Zafar Ansari bowled by the last ball of day three by Tredwell, Surrey were a nervous 26 for two when Kumar Sangakkara fell for just a single in the sixth over of the morning.Jumping down the pitch to drive, Sangakkara was beaten by off spinner Tredwell’s sharp turn and stumped by wicketkeeper Sam Billings.Burns, however, looked in good touch from the start, punching Tredwell through mid wicket for the day’s first boundary and later lofting him over mid on for another four.Tredwell was Kent’s chief threat in spin-friendly conditions, but both Burns and Foakes, promoted to no 4, played him well as he toiled away from the Pavilion End.Both needed some good fortune against the turning ball, with two Tredwell deliveries beating them and keeper Billings to fly away for byes.Foakes, on 21, also edged Tredwell just short of Matt Coles at slip but soon he was hitting him high over mid on for four to keep Surrey moving swiftly towards their target.It was something of a surprise when Burns was bowled around his legs aiming a sweep at Tredwell, but by then he had hit eight fours in an important 85-ball knock for his team.Arun Harinath replaced Burns at the crease and joined Foakes in a partnership of 34 before on 14 edging Denly to Tredwell at second slip to leave Surrey 115 for four. But withonly ten more runs required, it did not take Foakes and Roy long to see Surrey over the line.

Perhaps unsurprisingly after the side has been rolled for 45 in a Test match tensions remain apparent at the top of the New Zealand management structure

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2013Perhaps unsurprisingly after the side has been rolled for 45 in a Test match, tensions remain apparent at the top of the New Zealand management structure with John Buchanan, the director of cricket, admitting to a difficult relationship with chief executive David White which stemmed from the controversial demotion from the captaincy of Ross Taylor.Buchanan, who joined New Zealand Cricket in April 2011, had not spoken to the media since Taylor was dumped as captain following the Sri Lanka tour and is not in South Africa. He has been monitoring events from Australia before heading back across the Tasman to resume his duties watching domestic cricket and scouting for talent.A host of former New Zealand players, led by the vocal Martin Crowe, have been severely critical of the change of captaincy and the way Taylor, who opted out of the South Africa tour, has been treated. Neither has Buchanan agreed with everything but is hopeful of improving the situation with White.”It can be frosty at times, but he’s got a job to do, as I have,” Buchanan told the . “We certainly don’t always meet eye-to-eye, there’s no doubt about that. But I am very confident he gives me every possible support he can and takes my views and represents them quite candidly to the board.”He also said his relationship with the coach Mike Hesson had “received a bit of a road bump” due to events in Sri Lanka but he has spoken to Hesson since the defeat in Newlands to offer his support”I’ve always let it be know to Mike that I’m available,” he said. “I’m not one that really wants to spend every moment ringing or intruding into the coach’s domain. Having been a coach myself, I know there are good times, and there are times when you need to talk to people.”Buchanan retains the belief that there are players available to turn New Zealand’s fortunes around and that he does not have any second thoughts about his job.”It’s a a fantastic role,” he said. “That’s why I took on the job and I still say that. I still maintain the opportunities in New Zealand Cricket are immense, in terms of what could be achieved in a short period of time – provided we all get on the same page.”

Ryan ten Doeschate, the Netherlands allrounder, smashed 121 not out off 58 balls to lead Mashonaland Eagles to the final of the Stanbic Twenty20 Series

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2011
ScorecardRyan ten Doeschate, the Netherlands allrounder, smashed 121 not out off 58 balls to lead Mashonaland Eagles to the final of the Stanbic Twenty20 Series. ten Doeschate’s hundred helped Eagles beat Matabeleland Tuskers by 23 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method in the qualifying final, and set up a clash with Mountaineers. Tuskers’ international star Chris Gayle gave them hope in the chase with a 31-ball 51 but even though Steven Trenchard smashed 56 off 31 balls Tuskers could not reach the revised target of 186 from 18 overs.Faced with a big chase, Tom Smith scored at a strike-rate of just 72.22, and though Gayle was blazing away at the other end, the required-rate kept rising. When Smith was dismissed, Tuskers needed to score at 12.52 an over, and though Trenchard and Paul Horton score quickly, it was not enough.The match was won in the first innings, in which ten Doeschate single-handedly batted Tuskers out of the game. He struck eight sixes and six fours in his innings, and was unperturbed by wickets falling at the other end. Eagles’ total of 207 was the highest of the tournament, and it proved to be a winning one.The final, between Eagles and Mountaineers, will be played on December 4 at the Harare Sports Club.

ESPNcricinfo’s preview of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval

Peter English01-Dec-2010

Match Facts

Kevin Pietersen was just starting to purr when he was dismissed in Brisbane•Getty Images

December 3, Adelaide

Start time 10:30 (00:00 GMT)

The Big Picture

England fought back to show character and ended up controlling the first Test, but they must build on their hard-won momentum to deliver more pain to the ailing hosts. Andrew Strauss already holds the urn so he has an important advantage in what has turned into a four-game shootout. The equation is simple: Australia must win more games than England to reclaim the Ashes.Given the state of the sides, a local victory will be hard work in Adelaide. The back-to-back games mean both outfits will have some weary men, and the bowlers face another back-breaking week on a surface that feels like paradise for the batsmen. At the end of the Gabba Test, Ricky Ponting couldn’t help but laugh at England’s second innings, which finished at 1 for 517. There wasn’t much else he could do after watching his bowlers provide fodder for Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott.It is extremely unusual for the hosts to be under such heavy scrutiny so early in a home campaign, but they must discover some sustained form to win some relief. Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris, the fast bowlers, have been included in the 13-man squad and have been trying to impress in the nets this week. The batting remains unchanged but once again this is an important game for Marcus North, the hit-and-miss batsman, and part-time spinner.The game here four years ago is still remembered as a nightmare or a magical dream, depending on your allegiance. England entered the final day at 1 for 59, with a lead of 97 and a chance to push for victory. Instead they were rolled by Shane Warne for 129 and Australia sped to a six-wicket victory. England never recovered and the result changed the series.

Form guide

(most recent first)
Australia DLLLW
England DWLWW

Watch out for…

Ricky Ponting was relieved when he was able to leave the Gabba with an unbeaten half-century on Monday. He did enough to show some much-needed form in the Test arena and convince himself he’s on target for a huge score. As Australia showed in the first game, they need their captain to fire, and will hope he does it on a ground he loves. Ponting is the leading scorer in Adelaide with 1433 runs, including five centuries and a high of 242, in 14 Tests.

Like Ponting, Kevin Pietersen produced a bright start in Brisbane, with 43 when the conditions were at their toughest on the opening day. Just as he was starting to shine brightly he pushed at Peter Siddle and edged to second slip. Pietersen is desperate for a big contribution and will start at Adelaide sans moustache, which makes him look hungry for runs instead of 1970s fun. The arena is Pietersen’s favourite – although that might have changed slightly after his rain rant yesterday – but he has mixed memories from four years ago. He conquered Warne in the first innings with 158, but was bowled trying to sweep on that fateful final day in 2006-07.

Team news

Australia’s bowlers are the most nervous groups of players in the country and Mitchell Johnson has already had his card marked unfavourably. Ponting has confirmed Johnson has been dropped from the side after his ineffective performance at the Gabba, with Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger vying for his place. With a gap of only three days between Tests, the fresh men could provide a huge boost for the already weary side. Expect Bollinger to come in for Johnson, which lengthens Australia’s tail, while Ben Hilfenhaus also struggled at the Gabba and will be under pressure from Harris.Australia (probable) 1 Simon Katich, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Xavier Doherty, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Doug Bollinger.England’s bowlers also found the Gabba pitch tough work but only injury will force them into a change. Steven Finn showed he could extract some extra bounce out of lifeless surfaces, while Stuart Broad and James Anderson also had bright patches. The key for England is to get something out of their highly-rated spinner Graeme Swann, who struggled in the opening game.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn.

Pitch and conditions

This will be the first Test in charge for the curator Damian Hough, who has replaced Les Burdett after his four decades at the ground. Hough expects a traditional Adelaide wicket, which means lots of runs and some unpredictable bounce late in the game. “Every year we have been able to produce a sporting pitch,” Hough said. “There have been eight results in the last 10 years so I think the characteristics haven’t changed.” The forecast for the opening day is mostly fine, with a top temperature of 30C, while Saturday’s maximum is expected to be 35C.

Stats and trivia

• The last time Australia drew at the Gabba, they followed up with a four-wicket defeat in Adelaide. That was against India in 2003-04. England last drew the opening Test of an Ashes tour in 1998-99, which they followed with losses in Perth and Adelaide
• After last week’s run-fest, when Cook became the highest scorer at the Gabba with his 235, the players will have to do a lot better to beat the ground’s high mark. Don Bradman’s 299 is the top score, while England’s best is Paul Collingwood’s 206 four years ago
• Two players involved in the match will start it with batting averages of more than 200 at the venue. Brad Haddin’s mean is 245 in two Tests, while Collingwood’s is 228 after one match.
• Australia have won 16 of 29 Tests against England at Adelaide, while the visitors have succeeded on eight occasions. Their last victory there came in 1994-95, when Devon Malcolm and Chris Lewis bowled the hosts out for 156 in the final innings.
• Only four of the specialist bowlers in both squads have played Tests in Adelaide. Johnson has played there three times, while Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger and James Anderson have played there once.

Quotes

“The bottom line is we’ve got to find 20 wickets in the game and we’ve got to pick the bowlers who we think are best equipped, skill-based wise and physically, to get that job done.”