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Sussex romped to a comfortable 10-wicket victory over Glamorgan in a one-sided game in Cardiff. Ollie Robinson’s three wickets limited the home side to just 115 for 9 – a target that was swept aside by Luke Wright and Chris Nash as they won with 46 balls

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-2015
ScorecardLuke Wright completed victory with a six•Getty Images

Sussex romped to a comfortable 10-wicket victory over Glamorgan in a one-sided game in Cardiff. Ollie Robinson’s three wickets limited the home side to just 115 for 9 – a target that was swept aside by Luke Wright and Chris Nash as they won with 46 balls to spare.Having chosen to field, on winning the toss, Sussex soon had Glamorgan in trouble with Robinson accepting a straightforward caught and bowled opportunity off Jacques Rudolph off the second ball of the opening over. Thereafter, it was something of a procession as Glamorgan struggled to establish themselves on a two-paced wicket.Colin Ingram was second out – for 1 – with Somerset loanee Craig Meschede departing at 10 for 3, off the bowling of Chris Liddle. A rush of blood from Ben Wright, in the fifth over, led to his downfall – bowled by Robinson – and though Chris Cooke batted with due care and attention, the damage had been done. Mark Wallace followed shortly after, caught by Craig Cachopa off the bowling of Ashar Zaidi and Glamorgan were 24 for 5 in the seventh over.Graham Wagg, who scored a County Championship double hundred in midweek, provided Cooke with decent support and the pair added 35 off as many balls before the former was brilliantly caught on the boundary by Robinson off Zaidi for 18. Cooke continued to hold up one end, but when he top-edged a pull off the bowling of Liddle in the 17th over, Zaidi took a comfortable catch at long leg. It was a disappointing return from the home batsmen in front of Glamorgan’s biggest crowd of the season.Thankfully, there was a momentary wag in the Glamorgan tail, with Wayne Parnell hitting four boundaries in a 22-ball innings that finally came to an end, off the fourth ball of the final over.
Robinson ended up with the impressive figures of 3 for 16 while Tymal Mills, Liddle and Zaidi all picked up two wickets apiece.Sussex wasted little time in putting Glamorgan to the sword with openers Chris Nash and Luke Wright in prolific form. A modest first over, which yielded just four runs, gave way to a flurry of boundaries with Sussex passing 50 in the fifth over. They progressed at around nine an over thereafter and brought up three figures in the 10th over.Nash passed 50, an over later, off 36 balls and Wright followed suit three balls later. Nash hit six fours and two sixes and Wright, whose half century took 33 balls, struck five fours and a maximum to complete victory.

A round-up of the first day of the seventh round of Division One in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2011Seamer Ahmed Jamal put Abbottabad in control in their contest against Faisalabad, taking 6 for 25 at the Gohati Cricket Stadium in Swabi to bowl the opposition out for 74. Jamal was supported by left-arm spinner Khalid Usman, who took three wickets in an economical spell, and the pair ran through the Faisalabad line-up that lasted just 41.2 overs. Only one batsman went past double-figures, the No.8 Shoaib Shah. The extras contributed 18. In their response, Abbottabad lost three wickets before the close, Aqeel Ahmed grabbing two of them. Opener Mohammad Naeem was trapped in front for 44 but Rameez Ahmed remained unbeaten on 34. At stumps, Abbottabad had gained a 36-run lead with seven wickets in hand.On a day of low scores, Habib Bank Limited held the advantage against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Seamer Sarmad Anwar bagged six wickets to restrict ZTBL to 201. Yasir Hameed made 44 and though the lower middle-order chipped in with useful contributions – five of them reached double-figures – none were able to push on. In their reply, HBL were 33 without loss at stumps.Timely breakthroughs helped Rawalpindi gain a slight edge over Islamabad at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad. Opener Afaq Raheem made 89 and was involved in an opening stand of 71 with Umair Khan that seemed to have set a solid platform. But allrounder Rashid Latif struck, taking four wickets and preventing another threatening stand from taking root. At one stage, Islamabad lost four wickets for 38 runs. The seventh-wicket pair of Faizan Riaz and wicketkeeper Naeem Anjum added an unbeaten 41 to take the score to 226 for 6 at stumps.A collective bowling effort from State Bank of Pakistan limited National Bank of Pakistan to 282 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Half-centuries from Aqeel Anjum and wicketkeeper-captain Kamran Akmal had put NBP in a good position at 197 for 3 but they went on to lose their next seven wickets for 85 runs. Seamers Saad Altaf and Rizwan Haider grabbed three wickets and Kashif Siddiq grabbed a couple to polish the tail. In their response, SBP were seven without loss.Pakistan International Airlines edged out a closely-fought day against Water and Power Development Authority at Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad. Fast bowler Anwar Ali picked up four wickets that included a couple of early strikes that left WAPDA reeling at 48 for 5 at one stage. But Aamer Sajjad resisted with 69 and received some assistance from the lower order before he was dismissed by Anwar, who helped skittle out WAPDA for 178. WAPDA, however, staged a spirited fightback, seamer Naved-ul-Hasan taking three wickets. PIA had a horror start, reduced to 3 for 3, and then 57 for 5, but Fahad Iqbal, with an unbeaten half-century, wrested the initiative back towards PIA in an ongoing 54-run stand with wicketkeeper Anop Santosh. At stumps, PIA were 111 for 5, still 67 adrift.Sialkot dominated the first day of their game against Karachi Blues at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Seamers Mohammad Imran and Prince Abbas ran through the Karachi batting, bowling them out for 166 in just 43.5 overs. The pair shared nine wickets, Imran bagged a five-for, as the failure of the Karachi batsmen to put up a fight left them at 83 for 7. Mohammad Sami dealt some big blows batting at No.9, smashing 48 off 36 balls to take his team to 166. Sialkot replied confidently, opener Mohammad Yasin making an unbeaten 58 to take his team to 98 without loss.

Grant Flower, who has returned to a player/coach role with Zimbabwe after calling time on his career with Essex, believes the country’s tabled return to Test cricket next year is coming at the right time

Liam Brickhill26-Oct-2010Grant Flower, who has returned to a player/coach role with Zimbabwe after calling time on his career with Essex, believes the country’s tabled return to Test cricket next year is coming at the right time. “You just never know if you’re not given the opportunity, and I think next year is the right call,” Flower told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s time to start that process again.””I’m not sure [if Zimbabwe are ready for Tests], is the honest answer,” he said. “But we didn’t know if we’d be ready originally, when we were first given Test status. People wrote us off then, and our first class structure then wasn’t as good as it is now.”It was either we sink or swim, to grab a cliché, and we just had to get on with it. We didn’t have much depth, but we did alright with it. We got a Test victory probably quicker than any other nation, from what I can recall. Certainly New Zealand and Bangladesh.”Flower, who played in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test against India in 1992, argued that while the current seam attack might initially struggle at Test level the resurgence of the country’s first-class structure would stand what would essentially be a fledgling Test side in good stead.”I think there might still be a few questions about our quick bowling, we don’t have too much depth there. In the batting area we’ve got a bit more depth, more potential, from what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard from other people. But our first-class structure is stronger now than it has been in the past, and that can only help.”Zimbabwe’s ineffectual pace attack was the most disappointing feature of their winless tour of South Africa in October, and Flower suggested that it was one area which needed particular attention ahead of the World Cup in February next year.”I think most of the guys are there and thereabouts. I don’t think there’ll be too many major changes for the World Cup from what I’ve seen. You’ve got to back what you’re good at, and at the moment our spinners are the main thing.”But you’ve got to have some back-up with the seamers, because a lot of teams will see that spin is our main area and attack the spinners, so you’ve got to have back-up plans. You’ve got to have guys that can reverse swing the ball. In those sorts of conditions reverse swing plays a big part, so you’ve got to have seamers that are skilled enough to do that.”

A round-up of the second day’s action from the fifth round of matches from the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

Cricinfo staff04-Nov-2009

Group A

A collective bowling effort, led by Fahad Masood’s four-wicket haul, helped Habib Bank gain a 90-run first innings lead against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) at the Marghzar Cricket Ground.
Resuming on 232 for 6, Habib Bank lost their last four wickets for 25 runs, as Kashif Daud finished with a haul of 6 for 94. ZTBL stumbled to 58 for 4 in their reply and failed to put together big partnerships to match Habib Bank’s total, the highest being 51 for the sixth wicket. Shahid Yousuf top scored with 49 before he was dismissed by Masood, who finished with 4 for 32. Habib Bank extended their lead to 122 at stumps but lost their openers.Opener Naeemuddin missed his century by seven runs but helped set up a first-innings lead of 87 for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in Rawalpindi.
Azhar Shafiq supported Naeemuddin with 45 but Misbah-ul-Haq, trying to work his way back into the Pakistan team, failed to make an impact scoring 12. He was dismissed by Jaffer Nazir, the right-arm seamer, who took 4 for 41. SNGPL had their last-wicket pair at the crease at stumps and will look to push the lead past the psychological barrier of 100.It was always going to be tough for Lahore Shalimar to come back after being bundled out for 114, but Mohammad Naved toiled manfully for 40 overs for a five-wicket haul against Pakistan Customs at Muridke.
Naved, the right-arm seamer, took 5 for 87 but it didn’t stop Customs from gaining a lead of 181, with one wicket in hand at stumps. Customs added 101 for the fourth wicket – led by Asad Baig’s 56 – lost their way a bit before Tahir Mughal and Mohammad Iftikhar scored forties to frustrate Lahore and stretch the lead.It was a day of domination for National Bank of Pakistan as Nasir Jamshed and Umar Amin scored centuries to make Sui Southern Gas Corporation (SSGC) toil in Faisalabad
. Amin and Jamshed added a massive 236 for the opening wicket and set the platform to mount an imposing first-innings lead with eight wickets still in hand. Jamshed made 108 with 13 fours before he was dismissed by Rizwan Ahmed. Amir was unbeaten on 139, with 16 fours and a six, to extend the lead to 92 at stumps.Five-wicket hauls by Sarfraz Ahmed, the left-arm seamer, and Azharullah helped Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) fight back on the second day at the Gaddafi Stadium
but it couldn’t prevent Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from gaining a first-innings lead of 55. Azharullah rocked the top order, including the wicket of in-form opener Khurram Manzoor, while Sarfraz chipped away at the middle order. Sarfraz even claimed the wicket of his namesake for 46, the top scorer of the innings. PIA were bowled out for 193 before the WAPDA openers made a refreshing start to their second innings, adding 65 till stumps with an overall lead of 10 going into the third day.

Group B

Ashar Zaidi and Naeem Anjum put in strong batting performances to prop Islamabad to 485 against Faisalabad at the Diamond Club Ground.
The pair were involved in a stand of 83 for the sixth wicket before Zaidi fell to Tauqeer Hussain for 129. Anjum continued to resist with a patient 88 off 223 balls and was supported by the lower order before he was bowled by Zulqarnain, who took four wickets. Faisalabad lost their opener Zeeshan Asif for 9 but they ended the day on a safe 63 for 1.Naved Yasin made an unbeaten 107 for Multan but Karachi Blues held the upper hand on the second day at the National Stadium.
The lower order resisted to push Karachi to 377 and Multan in reply were still way short of that score, ending on 220 for 8. Multan failed to close out Karachi when they resumed their overnight score of 291 for 8. Forties by Atif Maqbool and Azam Hussain pushed the score past 350. Zulfiqar Babar, the left-arm spinner, finished with 4 for 73. Multan were struggling at 20 for 3 when Tanvir Ahmed ran through the top order and that’s when Yasin stepped in to repair the damage. Kashif Naved added 71 with him for the fifth wicket but Mqabool and Hussain combined to strike and pull things back for Karachi. Multan ended the day faced with an imposing deficit of 157.Fifties by Shahid Qambrani and Mir Ali propped Hyderabad to 377 against Lahore Ravi at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground.
The overnight pair added 80 for the fifth wicket, the highest stand of the innings. Waqas Ahmed was the top wicket-taker with 4 for 117 off 32 overs. Kashif Siddiq led Lahore’s reply with an unbeaten 70.Riaz Afridi’s six-for sent Rawalpindi crashing to 81 at the National Ground
leading to a follow on against Peshawar. Afridi took 6 for 31 while Imran Khan and Nauman Habib chipped in with two wickets each to sink Peshawar, who lost their last five wickets for 18 runs. Faced with a deficit of 182, Rawalpindi out in a much better effort in their second innings, ending on 198 for 3. Usman Saeed led the way with 79 while Zahid Mansoor remained unbeaten on 57. They ended the day with a slender lead of 16 with seven wickets in hand.Kamran Younis’ unbeaten 147 gave Sialkot the upper hand against Quetta at the Jinnah Stadium.
Arun Lal’s three wickets helped Quetta gain the early advantage when they had Sialkot struggling at 104 for 5. But Ahmed Butt joined Younis and the pair added 175, remaining unbeaten till stumps. Butt scored seven boundaries in his 76 while Younis hit 20 fours. Sialkot ended the day with a lead of 66.

Australia were able to field an unchanged frontline Test attack last season and Cameron Green could be key to them doing it again

Andrew McGlashan19-Aug-20241:12

Cummins: ‘I’ve been off bowling for close to two months’

Pat Cummins expects Cameron Green to have a greater workload with the ball against India this summer with Australia’s allrounders set to play a key role in ensuring the first-choice pace attack can sustain through five Tests in little more than seven weeks.Australia were able to field an unchanged frontline attack through the seven Tests they played last season against Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand. None of the matches went into a fifth day and in only three of the innings did Australia need to bowl more than 78 overs which aided in keeping Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood fresh.Related

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Green gave Australia an additional bowling option when he returned to the side against West Indies following David Warner’s retirement but was only needed for 42 overs across four Tests.”It’s been huge [having the allrounders],” Cummins said. “In some ways we haven’t had to use them as much as we thought we would. Which is a great thing. The last couple of summers have been pretty light [with] quick Test matches.”I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time. We’ll be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more. Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but hasn’t had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older, I think we will be leaning on him a bit more.”Pat Cummins gives out some bowling tips•Getty Images

Green, who has taken 35 wickets at 35.31 in Tests, slotted back into the side at No. 4 earlier this year and scored a magnificent 174 not out against New Zealand in Wellington. There remains some uncertainty over the structure of Australia’s top six against India with Steven Smith’s opening role set to be an ongoing debate over the next few months. Still, barring injury it is all-but certain Green will be joined by Mitchell Marsh in the top six.”The first point is they both absolutely make the top six on their batting alone which is a luxury,” Cummins said at the launch of Play Cricket week. “We’re really lucky that Nathan Lyon bowls plenty of overs, so you don’t necessarily have to have an allrounder, but it makes a big difference to have that fifth bowling option. And with someone like Cam and Mitch we have six bowling options. It’s a really nice thing to have. Top six should always make the team on their batting.”Cummins’ fellow bowlers have also said that having a bowling captain has helped manage their workloads. “It’s nice of them to say that, they’d never say it to my face,” Cummins joked. “When I’m at the top of their mark asking them to do something, they know I’m also doing it down the other end and wouldn’t ask for something I can’t do myself. Maybe there’s a bit of built-up trust over the last decade or so.”Cummins is currently early in a two-month stretch without bowling having been left out of the limited-overs tour of the UK. He is focusing on fitness work to ensure he can get through another condensed period of Test cricket – Australia fly to Sri Lanka a couple of weeks after the India series finishes – although is keen to play the ODI series against Pakistan in early November alongside potentially one Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales. He confirmed it’s unlikely he will feature for Sydney Thunder in the BBL.Should Australia need additional fast-bowling resources, they have a healthy stockpile behind the big three led by Scott Boland. Michael Neser toured New Zealand while Western Australia quick Lance Morris featured in squads last summer although is currently working his way back from a stress reaction in his back. Xavier Bartlett was handed a central contract earlier this year after bursting onto the scene in white-ball cricket while the selectors retain hope that Jhye Richardson can overcome his injury problems.

The Mumbai captain credited his coach Omkar Salvi for creating a vision focussed on player fitness and freedom

Abhimanyu Bose14-Mar-2024Ending a wait that lasted eight years, Mumbai lifted their 42nd Ranji Trophy title in front of a jubilant home crowd at the Wankhede. Up against a stubborn Vidarbha team that refused to give in, Mumbai were eventually comfortable in defending 538 to win the final. Captain Ajinkya Rahane credited the triumph to the vision instilled in the team by head coach Omkar Salvi.”I think our journey started in June and it was all because of Omkar’s vision. We all had a vision as a team, but it came from Omkar,” Rahane said in the post-match press conference. “We focused on player fitness, creating a great culture in the team and giving freedom to all the players, not only on the field but off the field as well.”And you know, when someone is not doing well, you have to back that individual. It’s a team sport. Some players will do well in the team, few players won’t do well. But it’s all about backing all the players in the right time,” Rahane said. “So I think massive credit to Omkar. He has worked hard for this moment. Today I am really proud of him, really happy for him. His hard work has really paid off.”Related

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Rahane said that the title win, and the fact that there are several players from Mumbai representing India, bodes well for the team.”This victory means a lot. 42nd title, waiting seven-eight years. Last year we played really good cricket but unfortunately because of one run we couldn’t qualify for the playoffs. But this 42nd title means a lot. And as you mentioned, ten players representing Indian cricket, it’s massive.”He also underlined the importance of players turning up in domestic cricket.”I want to mention one thing about BCCI giving importance to domestic cricket which is a very good thing, telling players to play domestic cricket. Which is very important,” Rahane said.”From here on, for Mumbai cricket, it is important to keep growing, to keep thinking about how can we get better in all formats,” he said. “Winning the championship after eight years, we did this, but again, we want to repeat this in the coming years. Our focus will be on that.”But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Mumbai on the fifth day of the final as Vidarbha skipper Akshay Wadkar and rookie Harsh Dubey played out a wicket-less morning session, sparking chatter about a potential upset of epic proportions. It wasn’t to be, but Rahane was the first to tip his hat to Vidarbha’s resilience.”The way they played cricket, the way they have fought in this match. When you concede a 120-run first-innings lead and are chasing 538, it’s easy to give up. But the sport teaches you that if you don’t give up and believe in your abilities, anything can happen,” Rahane said.”Chasing 538, the character which they have shown in the second innings was a great learning experience for all of us. The grit and determination with which they batted was very good.”The last 7-8 years they have been doing really good. They had a couple of championships and they won Irani Trophy once or twice. They are playing really good cricket.”Dhawal Kulkarni took the final wicket to seal Mumbai’s victory•PTI

Wadkar: ‘Never thought we were out of the game’

At stumps on the fourth day, Karun Nair had said that Vidarbha, 290 runs away with five wickets in hand, were faced with a “tough task” but also that they are a team that would not quit.Wadkar and Dubey exemplified that in their defiant partnership that saw Vidarbha go into lunch on the final day 85 runs closer to their target with no more damage to the wickets column. Wadkar scored his second century in Ranji Trophy finals, while Dubey brought up his second first-class fifty.”When we had our huddle, when we spoke in our team meeting, when we were speaking in our partnership, we didn’t think even 1% that we are out of the match,” Wadkar said.”We were just thinking that all the batters together, we’ll win the match. Because it’s the final and the last inning, so there was no scope of giving up or thinking negative. You have to go for the win, so we just believed that we will win.”Wadkar said that the Mumbai team kept having many discussions on their tactics since the fourth day, when he put on a 90-run stand with Nair and started his 130-run partnership with Dubey, but at no point did Rahane or his team look flustered, which meant that he knew Vidarbha still had a long way to go in the match.”[Mumbai] were having discussions since yesterday. When I was batting with Karun, when I was batting with Harsh. So they had discussions on field changes and bowling changes,” Wadkar said. “I was just observing their captain, Rahane, that what are his expressions? Is he talking a little harshly with the bowlers? Because then we would know that we are in the game.”But from his attitude, it looked like he was cool and calm. He didn’t let it show if he was getting frustrated or that we were getting close to the game.”So we also felt that we are quite far in the game and we have to go a long way. We did have a long way to go, of course, but from the attitude of the opponents, you get vibes about what they are thinking. But from his attitude, it didn’t look like [they were getting frustrated].”Akshay Wadkar scored his second century in a Ranji final•PTI

MCA increases prize money for Mumbai

While Mumbai were already receiving INR 5 crore from the BCCI for winning the Ranji Trophy, the Mumbai Cricket Association decided to double the prize money with a prize of INR 5 crore of their own.”MCA President Amol Kale and Apex Council has decided to double the Ranji Trophy prize money. The MCA will pay additional sum of Rs 5 crore to the winning Mumbai Ranji Trophy team,” the MCA said in a statement.Mumbai coach Salvi praised the board for the move, saying it would give the players more security.”I think nowadays there are very less institutions that provide jobs [to players]. I think BCCI taking that step and giving that money and along with that MCA putting that step forward to equal that amount is a great help for the players who don’t have jobs or other sources of earning,” Salvi said.”It also gives an inspiration. Definitely I feel [Inspiration] should be intrinsic but the monetary help will give them the security and it will stabilise them mentally and financially and they will give more to the game.”

South East Stars struggle to post 148 but heavy rain then raises spectre of bowl out

Valkerie Baynes21-Sep-2023A bizarre day ended with early season pace-setters Blaze overturning a three-game losing streak at the perfect moment to defeat South East Stars and secure a place in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Final.Originally set 149 to win after they had bowled Stars out for 148 in 43.5 overs, persistent heavy rain throughout the day led to a revised target of 52 runs from 10 overs being confirmed half an hour before the cut-off for the fixture to constitute a match and to avoid the second protagonist of Sunday’s finale against Southern Vipers in Northampton being decided by a bowl out. At that time, Blaze were 15 for 1 from 3.2 overs, leaving them 37 runs to get off 40 balls.Stars’ Beckenham ground – chosen as host despite Blaze finishing second in the table because Trent Bridge is preparing to stage Saturday’s ODI between England and Ireland and the other two options, Derby and Leicester, are in the midst of home County Championship fixtures – was bathed in glorious autumnal sunshine when play began.But soon the heavy grey clouds that have so challenged the wisdom of playing cricket in England mid-September over the past week or so descended and interrupted play, albeit briefly. At least the Blaze fan decked out in orange and black – one among about 30 spectators at the ground in total – who launched into a heartfelt chorus of “Feeling Hot Hot Hot” when Marie Kelly pinned Aylish Cranstone lbw to reduce Stars to 77 for 7 in the 20th over seemed oblivious to the impending gloom, as were her team.Or perhaps they were acutely aware of the weather forecast, such was their initial hurry to get this match done with Kelly, Kirstie Gordon, Lucy Higham and Kathryn Bryce taking two wickets apiece to bowl their opponents out well inside their 50-over allocation, despite a plucky 33-run stand for the ninth wicket between Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Chloe Hill giving Stars’ innings some substance.Kira Chathli had fallen to the second ball of the match, bowled by Grace Ballinger, and Stars were 40 for 2 when Gordon bowled Bryony Smith, bringing Alice Capsey to the crease. But her stay was short-lived when Josie Groves struck with her third ball, Capsey dragging on to fall for just 5.Alice Davidson-Richards, called into England’s ODI squad which played Sri Lanka off the back of her century against Blaze at this very ground 11 days ago, dispatched Groves straight down the ground for six but soon had her middle stump uprooted by Gordon. Then Alexa Stonehouse picked out Kelly at deep midwicket off Higham and Stars were in deep trouble.Kelly took a sharp return catch, launching herself forward to her right in her follow-through, to remove the threat of Stars’ leading run-scorer Paige Scholfield cheaply and, sure enough, a heavy downpour arrived on the stroke of midday and play was suspended for about 15 minutes.It was only another quarter of an hour before Bethan Miles was adjudged lbw to Kathryn Bryce, leaving it to MacDonald-Gay, the 19-year-old No. 10, to top score for Stars with 26, including a lovely straight-driven four off Kathryn Bryce shortly before she was stumped by Sarah Bryce sashaying down the pitch to Higham in the 44th over.When Lizelle Lee was run out in the second over of the reply, her hesitation on being called through for a single by Kelly giving Davidson-Richards ample time to fire the ball in to wicketkeeper Chatli, Blaze’s prospects of a quick run chase took a hit and they were destroyed by a second wave of showers arriving at 2pm and persisting on and off even through baking sunshine at times.The irony of that as the absurd prospect of a bowl out to decide who would do battle for the season’s title loomed brought a huge sense of relief when the sun prevailed over yet another shower at around 5pm and the players began preparing like they were possessed, the match allowed to enter a tense final stanza, thanks in no small part to the groundstaff who worked tirelessly throughout the day.Stonehouse had Kelly caught behind with the third legitimate delivery after the re-start, much to the delight of the few Stars supporters who had hung around for three-and-a-half action-less hours. But Sarah Bryce and Georgie Boyce marshalled their pursuit at around a run a ball and when Bryce swung Davidson-Richards through the leg side for four, the pressure eased. She sealed victory with a six straight down the ground off Smith and eight balls to spare.Sarah Bryce admitted a bowl out “would’ve been a very strange way, I think, for the game to be decided”.”I guess you’ve got to get results somehow or decide who’s going through but it would be a strange way to finish,” she said. “It was a strange day really. Pleased with our bowling performance to put us in such a good position, then the rain hanging around for a bit longer than we would’ve liked and then putting a little bit of doubt in the thought of a bowl off was a little bit nerve wracking for us all but we were absolutely delighted that we were able to get out there and finish the game of cricket and obviously delighted to come away with the win.”Blaze won their first six completed matches of the tournament, including against Vipers, who switched that result by a massive 126 runs in their final group-stage game last week. Vipers also defeated Blaze in the final of the Charlotte Edwards Cup in June.”They’re a good team,” Bryce said. “We’ve got a rematch of the T20 final, but we’ve also beaten them in the 50-over, in the first group game, so we know that we’ve got that belief behind us. Just really excited to be back at a final where anything can happen and hopefully we can come away with the right result.”One thing that one of our players actually said that I think was really valuable was the fact that we were in the eliminator allowed us the opportunity to hopefully go into a final off the back of the win. That can be a really positive way to look at it. We’ve not had the best three games that we would’ve liked, but we know that we have it in the tank – we’ve shown that at the beginning of the season and I think hopefully we can take the momentum from this game into the final.”

Even for a team hot on big run chases, it shapes as a daunting prospect to avoid going 2-0 down in series

Andrew McGlashan30-Jun-2023A day which began with the second Test evenly balanced ended with Australia holding a firm grip on this contest, and perhaps with it the Ashes. England folded during the morning session to a myriad of wild shots, conceding a lead of 91, before Usman Khawaja led a determined effort from the visitors’ top order under grey skies which made batting tricky.By the close, which came 27 overs early due to drizzle, Australia’s lead stood at 221 and even for a team that began this Bazball era with a series of big run chases, it shaped as a daunting prospect to avoid going 2-0 down.England had resumed on 278 for 4 after yesterday’s dramatic final session which saw three wickets surrendered to hook shots and Nathan Lyon limp out of the match and most probably the series with a calf strain termed “significant”. But they completely missed the chance to stretch Australia’s bowling resources, losing their last six wickets for 47, and from 188 for 1 their last nine for 137. Harry Brook’s carve into the off side summed up a batting approach that has surely lurched too far, even for this team.They needed early inroads in response, but for the second time in the match Khawaja and David Warner battled through favourable bowling conditions, this time for an opening stand of 63. It was the first time Australia had put together two half-century first-wicket partnerships since 2018, when Khawaja was also part of them alongside Aaron Finch in Dubai.The day had started poorly for England and never got better. The frenetic tempo of the previous evening had been slowed somewhat by Ben Stokes but the captain fell to the second ball of the day when he was squared up by Mitchell Starc and got an outside edge to Cameron Green at gully who held another sharp chance.Brook, who had been dropped on 25, brought up an unconvincing half-century from 63 balls before becoming the latest England batter to fall to the short ball, backing away to the leg side and slicing into the covers. It is the type of stroke that has brought him thrilling runs, but given the state of the game it was another wicket donated especially as it meant Australia were into England’s lengthy tail.Starc, who won the final selection call ahead of Scott Boland having missed out at Edgbaston, was impressive with a spell of 5-0-13-2. Having claimed Joe Root the day before, he showed his wicket-taking value.Jonny Bairstow played within himself before bunting Josh Hazlewood to mid-on and there wasn’t much on offer from the bowlers. Ollie Robinson edged a charge against Travis Head, who will need to shoulder the spin bowling in Lyon’s absence, and Stuart Broad was lbw sweeping.Warner and Khawaja were tested by the new ball with the bat beaten on numerous occasions, especially Warner’s. England did not bowl poorly and could easily have made early inroads, but such is the way a game often goes when a side has not taken previous opportunities that have been presented.They reviewed for an lbw against Warner when he had 5 but replays showed a thin inside edge against James Anderson. On 19, Khawaja was given a life when he pulled to Anderson at midwicket but the chance burst through the hands. Again, dropped chances hurt England.For the second time in the game it was Josh Tongue who made the breakthrough when he trapped Warner lbw from round the wicket to continue his encouraging return to the side. He thought he had claimed Marnus Labuschagne, too, on 3 but the DRS showed he had been struck outside the line to add to umpire Ahsan Raza’s list of overturned decisions.Either side of tea there was another flurry of shouts involving Labuschagne, all of which Broad thought were out as he completed full-length celebrappeals. Stokes made the correct call not to review either of them off the last two balls of the afternoon session – for caught behind and then lbw – but he erred after the break when Labuschagne would have been lbw on 16 to a Broad inswinger. England coach Brendon McCullum relayed the bad news from the balcony and Broad did not hide his frustrations.Labuschagne, who has been skittish throughout the first part of this series, never settled and carved a short, wide delivery from James Anderson to backward point although Anderson could not conjure much of a celebration.By then Khawaja had moved to fifty with a delightful off drive and had visions of ticking off another career highlight with a place on the honours board. As he moved beyond 700 deliveries faced for the series in just four innings it was difficult to escape the feeling that you were watching one of the decisive differences between the teams.

Willey plays allround role on return to Headingley to seal emphatic victory

ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2023Former Yorkshire T20 captain David Willey made a winning return to Headingley as his Northamptonshire side dented the Vikings’ Vitality Blast quarter-final hopes by comfortably defending a 181 target thanks to fellow pacer Tom Taylor’s stunning career best five for 28 from four overs.Willey hit a breezy 28 and claimed two wickets with left-arm swing as the Steelbacks posted 180 for six and bowled Yorkshire out for just 102 inside 16 overs. But 28-year-old Taylor was the main man in a 78-run win.This came after the Vikings had slumped to a record low 68 all out in defeat to Derbyshire at Chesterfield on Sunday.Willey’s former team dropped out of the top four quarter-final qualifying places following their fifth defeat in 11 North Group games, while his current charges won for the fifth time to keep their hopes alive with three games remaining.After Willey elected to bat, Germany international Justin Broad’s inventive unbeaten 47 off 32 balls with six fours was the best of a quartet of useful contributions in a Northamptonshire innings which stopped and started.Fledgling leg-spinner Jafer Chohan shone with a career best one for 13 from four overs for the Vikings, who then slumped to 22 for four in reply and couldn’t recover.Ricardo Vasconcelos underpinned an excellent visiting powerplay at 55 for one with 37, though he was the only man to fall when Dawid Malan took a well judged catch at cover off Jordan Thompson.And his wicket with the penultimate ball of the sixth over started a Steelbacks’ stumble.Chohan, 20-years-old and in his 11th T20 game, was at the heart of things having not bowled at Chesterfield when Yorkshire conceded 212 for four against Derbyshire in that aforementioned Sunday loss.He removed Chris Lynn for three off a top-edged sweep, with Adam Lyth taking a well judged catch like Malan’s running around from short fine-leg – 70 for two in the ninth.And more damage followed as Emilio Gay miscued a high catch off Thompson to mid-off for 40 and Saif Zaib was run out by a striker’s end direct hit from Shan Masood at short third – 94 for four in the 13th.That was the first of three run outs in an innings revived by South African-born Broad, aged 22 and in only his third county appearance, and Willey.They shared 60 inside five overs before Willey was run out at the striker’s end coming for a third for 28 off 18 balls following good work at deep midwicket by Bess and thrower Mike.AJ Tye hit two sixes in 12 before falling short thanks to a direct hit from Thompson in his follow through.Northamptonshire’s good end to their innings, including Broad hitting two of the last three balls to the boundary, was then carried forwards with the ball as they reduced the Vikings to seven for two inside 15 balls.Ben Sanderson had Lyth skying to short third, where Zaib took a good catch on the run over his shoulder, and then Willey had James Wharton caught behind.This was not the pitch for a 200 plus total as is the norm at Headingley, and Yorkshire already looked in trouble.Any doubt surrounding that theory was soon removed.Willey bowled Masood as he gave himself room to play through the off-side before Matthew Revis was bowled by Sanderson, another ex-Tyke, in the next over as the score fell to 22 for four in the sixth.Not even in-form Malan’s presence at the crease could revive Yorkshire.Seamer Taylor struck twice in two balls in the ninth over, with Jonny Tattersall caught at third and David Wiese bowled for a golden duck as the score fell to 49 for six.Taylor later returned to bowl Mike and Malan, for 34, and get Thompson caught at wide mid-off. Australian Tye finished things off by bowling Chohan.

The legspinner took his second five-for of the game as Pakistan completed a series-leveling win with more than three sessions to spare

The Report by Danyal Rasool27-Nov-2018
After the disaster at Abu Dhabi, nothing short of exemplary would lift Pakistan’s spirits this series. The man to fit that adjective was Yasir Shah, who finished with the second best figures by a Pakistan bowler in Test history, his 14th wicket in the match securing parity in a series against New Zealand. It took under seven overs and 30 minutes after tea to see the New Zealand tail off, ensuring Pakistan wouldn’t have to bat again as they triumphed by an innings and 16 runs.Yasir had four when New Zealand came out to bat after tea seven down. After Hasan Ali cleaned up Henry Nicholls – a beauty that ripped through the bat-pad gap and smashed into off stump, Yasir took centre stage again. He toyed with Neil Wagner in an over where he did everything but dismiss him, and came to finish the job next over. Wagner and Boult fell within three balls of each other, and Pakistan had their win.New Zealand had come into the fourth day with the foundation of a good partnership behind them. But they would have known that decent, good, or even big partnerships weren’t going to be enough to get them out of this predicament; they needed gargantuan contributions built over several hours of sweat and toil. To that end, they failed almost instantly; with just 15 added to Monday’s score, Latham was adjudged to have nicked behind to Sarfraz Ahmed the very ball after he brought up his half-century. There was, arguably, some misfortune to his dismissal, with several feeling his bat had hit pad rather than ball before it fizzed through to the keeper. It was telling how close the call was: Paul Reiffel, the on-field umpire, went upstairs to double-check. Even that second opinion, however, didn’t quite guarantee the correct decision.It wasn’t the most exciting session. Both sides were playing solid, if somewhat pragmatic, cricket. Taylor and Henry Nicholls batted with the knowledge of a pair who knew the wicket was easier than it had been yesterday, while Pakistan rotated the bowlers around to break up any rhythm, trusting a wicket was around the corner. There weren’t too many chances created, but every so often, Bilal or Yasir would produce vicious side spinners, to which the batsman could only stick out their bats and hope it didn’t clip the edge of the stump.It wasn’t to be, though. A deep square leg positioned by Sarfraz to guard against Taylor’s impetuous sweeping found himself in the game. Bilal Asif had tossed one in that looked too short to sweep, and when Taylor went for it anyway, it carried straight to the man, another hammer blow to his side’s chances of survival.Yasir made his first impact in the afternoon session when he broke yet another resilient New Zealand partnership, trapping BJ Watling in front to take his first wicket of the day. Until then, the pair had frustrated Pakistan in much the same way as Latham and Taylor had earlier. But just like the partnerships that came before, this one, too, was broken well before it could make the sort of impact that would threaten Pakistan’s dominance here, and New Zealand were suddenly down to allrounders and tailenders.Colin de Grandhomme’s absence of a solid defensive technique against Hasan was exposed pretty quickly, as he swung across the line to a straight ball that clattered into off stump. Ish Sodhi’s resistance didn’t last, either, and with half an hour still to go before tea, it appeared Pakistan could wrap this up in time to make this the final session of play.But Nicholls, who was instrumental to New Zealand’s win in Abu Dhabi for the partnership he struck with BJ Watling, was up for the fight again. Before this series, he had only two half-centuries against sub-continental teams – both against Bangladesh – but there is enough evidence of a strong character to suggest a stomach for this format. He was cleaned up for 77, and there, the last safety catch against a Pakistan win had been unloosened.It was only right for Yasir to have the last laugh. Few men have dominated consecutive days in Test cricket as Yasir did here in Dubai, ripping through New Zealand as records tumbled in his wake. No Pakistan bowler has ever better the 14 wickets he took in this match, with only one person to keep him company on that figure. That man? Imran Khan. It’s hardly shabby company.