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Sri Lanka have lost more than they have won on this tour. To save the T20 series, and their No. 1 ranking in T20Is, they need to win in Auckland

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jan-2016

Match facts

January 10, 2016
Start time 1500 local (0200 GMT)1:00

Sri Lanka target positive end to dismal tour

New Zealand have usually outclassed Sri Lanka with ease across two southern summers, but even in the matches that the visitors have dominated, New Zealand have still found the means to prevail. Sri Lanka had looked good going into the final four overs in Mount Maunganui, with Grant Elliott likely to bowl one of those overs. Yet, through intelligent bowling and good catching, New Zealand ensured they would not lose a series this tour.During the recent limited-overs series, New Zealand have gained definitive ground at the top of Sri Lanka’s innings, even with their depleted attack. In the first T20, Sri Lanka were 42 for 4 after five overs – the chase already on the rocks. Sri Lanka have a sturdier middle order, with Milinda Siriwardana continuing to impress at No. 6, but the top order will hope that Eden Park’s small boundaries will at least hide its frailties in this final game.New Zealand, meanwhile, appear to have a top-order plan in place for the World T20. Ross Taylor is expected to have a long run at No. 5 in this format, now called on to finish the innings. Colin Munro hit a 26-ball 36 that should help tighten his grip on that No. 3 spot.Sri Lanka have taken pride in safeguarding their top T20 ranking more or less since the 2012 World T20, but if they complete their modest tour with another defeat, they will be knocked off their perch.

Form guide

New Zealand: WWLWL (last five matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LLWLL

In the spotlight

Ross Taylor’s move to No. 5 means Corey Anderson assumes the No. 4 position, for now at least. It is hoped that more time at the crease will translate into longer-lasting assaults from Anderson. He will start bowling again before the end of the month too, but for now, Eden Park may be the perfect ground to ease Anderson into his new batting role.Poised at the crease, and powerful off the front foot, Danushka Gunathilaka has been Sri Lanka’s most recent find of the tour. With two bright innings, he has almost made up for Kusal Perera’s unavailability at the top of the order. He has struck big, straight sixes during this tour – including two that measured over 100 metres – but also perished in the outfield, going for that straight boundary. Eden Park’s dimensions might suit him nicely as well.

Teams news

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson had said all 13 in New Zealand’s squad would play at some point of the series. This means Adam Milne and Mitchell Santner are both likely to play this match. Ish Sodhi and Mitchell McClenaghan appear likeliest to be left out.New Zealand (probable): 1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Colin Munro 4 Corey Anderson, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Grant Elliott, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Luke Ronchi (wk), 9 Adam Milne, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Trent BoultThisara Perera’s place is under threat after a modest outing in Mount Maunganui, as is Suranga Lakmal’s spot. Isuru Udana and Dushmantha Chameera may have roles to play.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka , 3 Dinesh Chandimal (capt & wk), 4 Shehan Jayasuriya, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Thisara Perera/Isuru Udana , 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Jeffrey Vandersay

Pitch and conditions

The drop-in pitch at Eden Park is usually full of runs, but can turn on occasion. The weather is expected to be dry, even if a little cloudy.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies will become the No. 1 T20 team (on decimal points, being tied on 118 points with Sri Lanka and Australia) if Sri Lanka lose at Eden Park
• Following McCullum’s retirement, Martin Guptill is now New Zealand’s top T20 run scorer with 1472 career runs. That puts him at fifth on the overall list
• New Zealand have played 10 T20s at Eden Park, and won exactly half of those games

Quotes

“It’s our first time back since the semi-final, and it brings back some good memories, running down those stairs and trying to get to the middle as quickly as possible… We talked about it walking down the tunnel today. It doesn’t actually seem that long ago.”

Naseem Shah expected to return for hosts; Tom Helm or Olly Stone likely to replace Mark Wood

Danyal Rasool24-Sep-2022

Big picture

The shapeshifting nature of a seven-match T20I series makes it difficult to capture the big picture in words that age well, so the first rule of doing this is accepting that.England, after all, have a seemingly bottomless pit of explosive T20 cricketers, and as Harry Brook and Will Jacks – who debuted on Friday – showed in the series, they’re nowhere near scraping the bottom of that barrel. Pakistan, who will be playing their 200th T20I, have the most consistent opening pair in the world, and a middle order that has so far been unable to live up to its vast potential. We all know this. We knew it three games ago, and we know some combination of these events will continue to define the final four games of this series, because that’s what you get with Pakistan and England. We didn’t need three T20Is on the best batting pitch in the world to figure that out.Related

• England's visit to cricket city

• Wood focused on T20 World Cup readiness despite stellar display

• Brook makes his mark with maiden international fifty

• Babar and Rizwan raise the volume to drown out the noise

But that doesn’t mean there’s no value to be gained from this glut of games. Pakistan have seen the debates that are both furious in their intensity and tiresome in their repetitiveness around the top and middle order rage on, but that has shielded the bowlers from the scrutiny they deserve after two especially uninspiring performances. Shadab Khan’s return to fitness cannot come soon enough, with Usman Qadir having comprehensively failed to take the chances that have come his way. It might have been forgotten in the blur of boundaries that followed, but England hadn’t hit a six in the first half of the innings until Qadir landed a half-volley right in new batter Brook’s hitting arc and found himself dispatched over his head.The seamers, too, have repeatedly failed to find their lines and lengths at crucial points in overs, and evidence of match-up bowling has been scarce. The short-ball at pace was persisted with despite Brook’s prolific ability on the pull and behind the wicket, while rigidity with bowlers’ lines frequently allowed him to back away and open up cover, where deep protection often didn’t exist. The fielding hasn’t helped either, and in the ferocity of the culture war around batting intent, it escapes notice that the best way to limit the need for extreme risk-taking is by making sure you don’t need to chase down any more than necessary.England have problems, too, but of a much different kind. They have been the side happier to treat these games as experiments, tinkering around with both the batting and the bowling, even opting to set a total in one game, a modern T20 anathema. Alex Hales has shone on his England return, and Ben Duckett, Brook and Jacks have all enjoyed impressive starts to the series. Adil Rashid’s landed them with almost metronomic consistency, making him the most useful spinner from either side. And if you thought Luke Wood was a shot in England’s arm, what Mark Wood did on his return from injury on Friday – racking up a top speed in excess of 97 mph – becomes incomprehensible. All of this means there’s little England can complain about so far this tour.

Form guide

Pakistan: LWLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)

England: WLWLLMohammad Nawaz has conceded just 7.83 runs this series•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight

When the opposition amasses huge scores for fun, don’t expect to get any credit as a bowler. Especially one who doesn’t pick up many wickets. And yet, Mohammad Nawaz, having conceded 94 in three games for just one wicket, is arguably Pakistan’s best T20 bowler. It is a selfless role of sorts he plays, operating as a left-arm spinner with only pace and line variations to rely on. He doesn’t possess the ability to turn it big, but it’s uncanny how often a slight slowing of an England innings tempo coincides with Nawaz’s introduction. He hasn’t been afraid to take on an over or two in the powerplay, either, and against an England side that’s scored 580 runs in just under 60 overs, Nawaz has found a way to concede just 7.83 in his dozen.In an England batting line-up so chock-full of natural power-hitters, Dawid Malan can stick out. He might have been the number one ranked T20I player fairly recently, but the big-hitting that comes so effortlessly to his team-mates is obviously not his forte in the same manner. Despite impressing as opener in the Hundred, it has been a tricky start to the series for him, his penchant for starting slowly offering Pakistan’s bowlers much-needed respite. The slow, low conditions haven’t helped – and, of course, won’t be a feature of surfaces in Australia at the upcoming T20 World Cup. But with his team-mates hitting sixes for fun, Malan might feel it’s about time he showed why he belongs in this glittering batting line-up.

Pitch and conditions

Evening conditions have cooled down slightly in Karachi, though it remains fairly humid. A fresh pitch will be used for this game.

Team news

Naseem Shah might return as Pakistan look to level the series, while the middle order could face a reshuffle as the hosts search for their best combination. Shadab will be expected to come in at some stage, and, if available, would slot straight in for Qadir.Pakistan (probable): 1 Babar Azam (capt) 2 Mohammad Rizwan/Mohammad Haris (wk) 3 Haider Ali 4 Shan Masood 5 Iftikhar Ahmed 6 Khushdil Shah/Asif Ali 7 Mohammad Nawaz 8 Shadab Khan/Usman Qadir 9 Mohammad Hasnain 10 Naseem Shah 11 Haris RaufEngland didn’t train on Saturday and would be expected to make a couple of changes for the fourth T20I. Mark Wood will likely be rested after his explosive burst on Friday, with Tom Helm or Olly Stone the likeliest replacements. Hales may also return despite Jacks’ impressive debut. David Willey might come in if Sam Curran gets a rest.England: 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Alex Hales/Will Jacks, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Ben Duckett, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali (capt), 7 Sam Curran/David Willey, 8 Liam Dawson 9 Reece Topley, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Olly Stone

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan will be playing their 200th T20I on Sunday, the first team to this landmark.
• Babar is 97 away from 3,000 T20I career runs. Only four batters – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Martin Guptill and Paul Stirling have reached that mark.
• Malan hasn’t enjoyed playing against Pakistan. In nine T20Is, he averages 18.87 against them, down from a career average of 37.05, and strikes at 106.33, while his career strike rate is 137.61.

Quotes

“You tend to be a bit fresh after seven months out. It’s been a long time, and I felt very tired at the end. I know it’s only a T20, but it’s all the intensity of international cricket.”

Shahadat Hossain was sent to prison on Monday after he surrendered before a Dhaka court and sought bail in a case filed against him for allegedly assaulting a housemaid

Mohammad Isam05-Oct-20150:41

Shahadat Hossain arrested

Bangladesh fast bowler Shahadat Hossain was sent to prison on Monday after he surrendered before a Dhaka court and sought bail in a case filed against him for allegedly assaulting a housemaid. Shahadat’s arrest came two days after police arrested his wife from her relatives’ house in Dhaka.Shahadat submitted the bail petition before the court of Metropolitan magistrate Mohammad Yusuf Hossain on Monday morning. The case had been filed against the couple under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The court has asked the police to submit its report by October 12.On September 6, Shahadat had filed a complaint with Mirpur police saying his housemaid had gone missing. The 11-year old girl had been found on the same night by a local journalist, Khandakar Mozzamel Haque, who took her to the Mirpur police station. A case was filed there and the victim was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.Shahadat had been untraceable from the next day until his surrender on October 5. The BCB suspended him on September 13 until the case reached a resolution. Shahadat’s last appearance for Bangladesh was in the Mirpur Test against Pakistan in May, when he injured his knee and faced a lengthy layoff from cricket.

The same squad will play a three-T20I series in India before travelling to Australia for the World Cup

Firdose Moonda06-Sep-2022Temba Bavuma will lead South Africa at the men’s T20 World Cup after recovering from the elbow injury that has kept him out since the T20I tour of India in June. It’s also been confirmed that he will play as an opener.Bavuma missed the entire all-format tour of England to recover and opted for conservative treatment instead of surgery with a view to being fit for the World Cup. He has made sufficient progress and will make a comeback on the white-ball tour of India, of three ODIs and three T20Is, in September-October, where he is expected to be available for all the games. The squad for the World Cup will play the T20Is in India, while there are expected to be some tweaks for the ODI squad.Rassie van der Dussen, however, has been ruled out. Van der Dussen broke his left index finger while fielding during the second Test against England at Old Trafford but batted in South Africa’s second innings, routinely taking his top hand off the bat after playing a shot. He returned home after that match to see a finger specialist and is expected to be out for “up to six weeks”.Related

• What Miller, Rabada's IPL form means for South Africa

• Markram sees a role for himself in T20 World Cup

“Temba has recovered well. He has been playing for the Lions in Namibia over the last week and he is good to go,” Victor Mpitsang, CSA’s convenor of selectors, said in a press briefing. “Rassie – we are all aware that he broke his finger a week ago. He went for surgery. It will take up to six weeks before he has recovered. Unfortunately, the timing of his injury didn’t come at the right time.”Van der Dussen’s absence has created an opening for Kolpak-returnee Rilee Rossouw in the squad. Reeza Hendricks, who has come off a run of four consecutive T20I fifties and a 42, is also in the squad, which means South Africa are spoilt for choice in the top order, which also includes Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram.But with Mpitsang confirming Bavuma would open – “that’s a role he has played in the last year or so” – Markram might continue to be a middle-order option.Hendricks and Rossouw, meanwhile, could play crucial roles in that top order too, even though it might be tricky to fit all the excellent options in, with de Kock and Miller in the mix too.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“We’ve seen the impact of all the players that have come back from Kolpak. We’ve seen the impact they’ve had on our system,” Mpitsang said. “They bring maturity, they know their games. The roles Rilee played against England was great to see. He threw the first punch when we were under pressure. We hope he continues that good form in the World Cup.”We saw Reeza opening the batting in India with Temba batting at three. Rilee has done a great job at three in England. So we need to see how to balance the top-order.”An interesting aspect of the squad is the selection of two fast-bowling allrounders, in Dwaine Pretorius and Wayne Parnell. Parnell, before turning out for Northern Superchargers in the men’s Hundred in England, played in the T20I series in India and in England [against Ireland]. While Pretorius, one of the more in-demand T20 cricketers around the world at the moment, also played the T20I series against Ireland, and has since been busy at the Hundred, with Welsh Fire, and then in the CPL, where he is a part of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots’ squad.Andile Phehlukwayo, meanwhile, has been pushed to the three-man reserves’ list, along with Bjorn Fortuin and Marco Jansen.”Wayne gives us a different variation upfront, and his performances with the new ball and at the death,” Mpitsang explained. “The way Pretorius has bowled at the middle and the end has stood out. A guy like Andile [Phehlukwayo] had a good run. It’s a good back-up to have.”The way he has finished innings has been very impressive, Victor Mpitsang said about Tristan Stubbs•Getty Images

As such, the squad doesn’t look too different from the one that took part in the T20 World Cup last year. Van der Dussen, of course, has been ruled out, and Wiaan Mulder has been omitted, while Fortuin has been moved to the reserves’ list. In their place, Rossouw and Tristan Stubbs have come in, along with Parnell.One of the players who might just have made it but hasn’t is Dewald Brevis, the top-order dasher.”We have been engaging with someone like Brevis in terms of the way forward,” Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s director of cricket, said. “He is currently at the CPL [with Patriots]. We can’t ignore the fact that he is someone who has played some good cricket. He is very excited to come into the domestic frame and prove himself. He is passionate about South Africa.”It might have ended up being a toss-up between Stubbs and Brevis, with Brevis losing out.”We’ve seen how versatile Tristan Stubbs is. The way he has finished innings has been very impressive,” Mpitsang said. “He is young, he is exciting, he is fearless and not only has he showed it at international level but also domestically. He has ticked the boxes. There is enough experience there to guide him if needs be.”South Africa are in Group 2 in the main round of the T20 World Cup, with Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and two qualifiers.

Tendai Chisoro, who took 3 for 16 on ODI debut, said after the win against Afghanistan that he could not have asked for a better start to his international career

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2015Debutant left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro finished with impressive figures of 5-2-16-3 in Zimbabwe’s eight-wicket win in the first ODI against Afghanistan. His attention now shifts towards trying to keep up the good work and become a regular member of the team.”On your first match you’d like to do well and I wouldn’t have asked for something better and I’m very happy about it,” Chisoro said. “Hopefully I’ll keep doing well and be a permanent member of the team.”

We were looking to score 230-250 – Stanikzai

After his team’s eight-wicket loss, Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai said that his batsmen played some “poor shots” as a result of which they made only half of the total they had in mind.
“Yes, 122 is a very low score and we thought if we would make 230-plus or 250 then it would be tough competition,” Stanikzai said. “But today was our bad day and we will try to come back strongly in the upcoming games. We have learnt a lot from this game, especially the batsmen [who] played some poor shots.
Stanikzai also credited the Zimbabwe spinners for their tight bowling.
“Today Zimbabwe have played outstanding cricket, especially [Wellington] Masakadza the left-arm spinner – he bowled brilliantly throughout his spell. They (spinners) bowled brilliantly with a tight line and length and did not let the batsmen to hit their natural shots.”

Chisoro had already been in good rhythm having played the three tour matches as part of the Zimbabwe Chairman’s XI against Afghanistan in Bulawayo. In those, he returned with figures of 3 for 43, 2 for 29 and 3 for 48 with a combined economy rate of 5.31 from the three matches. In last season’s domestic one-day tournament too, the Pro50 Championship, Chisoro had finished with an average of 25.88 and economy rate of 4.56 from eight matches.”I’ve been successful so far and I think last season I finished and did very well with the ball, and I think I have a bright future with my spin,” he said.Chisoro has not always been a spinner, though. He started out as a left-arm seamer and the switch happened not too long ago as a means to address some injury concerns.”In one of the games we played against Mountaineers Dave Houghton was our coach, he just asked me to bowl left-arm spinners in the net. And I did alright in the nets and he asked me if I could bowl them in the games – if I could bowl spin and then pace on pace-assisting wickets. So that’s how it started. I permanently tended to spin because I was struggling with my ankle and back so that’s why I’ve tended to bowl spin for good.”Chisoro’s day had not started well, though. He dropped Afghanistan batsman Najibullah Zadran while fielding at mid-off off the bowling of Wellington Masakadza. Wellington said he had forgiven his team-mate for a nervous moment in his first match.”Obviously he won’t feel good about that but playing in his first game we forgive that because it’s always hard to come in and do well especially with catches and stuff,” Wellington said.

Former England captain withdraws from Test Match Special following internal criticism

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2022Michael Vaughan has made the decision “step back from work with the BBC”, almost two weeks after being charged over the Yorkshire racism scandal, and will not be part of the Test Match Special commentary team for next week’s delayed fifth Test against India.Vaughan was dropped from last winter’s Ashes coverage after being implicated in Azeem Rafiq’s testimony about the culture of institutional racism at Yorkshire, but was restored to broadcasting duties for the recent three-Test series against New Zealand.That move, however, has caused disquiet for the BBC Sport’s Black, Asian and minority ethnic group, which last week sent an internal email criticising the “totally inexcusable” decision to re-employ Vaughan, whom Rafiq claims told a group of Asian players in 2009 that there were “too many of you lot, we need to do something about it”.That alleged comment led to Vaughan becoming one of seven Yorkshire players to be charged by the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission with bringing the game into disrepute.On Tuesday evening, Vaughan responded to the criticism by releasing a statement on Twitter.”On numerous occasions, I have put on record my views on the issues concerning YCCC,” Vaughan wrote. “It is always regrettable when commentary on matters off the field take the focus away from what’s happening on the field. In view of the ongoing dialogue on the subject, I have taken the decision to step back from my work with the BBC for the time being.”The key driver for this is my concern for the wellbeing of my family members and my wish to protect their family life. Stepping back temporarily is also in the interests of the game and I hope that it will minimise any difficulties for my work colleagues.”The BBC responded in a statement: “Following conversations with Michael Vaughan we have accepted his decision to step away from our cricket coverage. This is a decision we respect and understand. Michael remains under contract to the BBC.”

Chris Rushworth beat Ottis Gibson’s record for most wickets in a season but Middlesex’s greater all-round bowling strength has put them in pole position for victory at Chester-le-Street

ECB/PA23-Aug-2015
ScorecardChris Rushworth has beaten Ottis Gibson’s Durham wickets record•Getty Images

Neil Dexter’s 13th first-class century helped Middlesex take command of their match against Durham at Chester-le-Street, although their victory march was delayed by Scott Borthwick.Needing 308 to win, Durham go into the final day on 134 for 5 with Borthwick unbeaten on 68. They are 16 points behind their second-placed visitors and, although unlikely, victory could take them ahead with Middlesex running the risk of a points deduction. Their over-rate was reading minus four when they finally turned to Ollie Rayner four overs from the close.Batting was easier under clear skies than on the first day and a half, but Middlesex persevered with seam as their trio of Tim Murtagh, Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris proved the more effective unit.Chris Rushworth recorded his seventh five-wicket haul of the season, so beating the county record of 80 first class wickets in a season by Ottis Gibson, reinstalled recently as England’s bowling coach, a record which he had equalled the previous day, but he had limited support as Middlesex totalled 280 in their second innings.Graham Onions added two wickets to his seven in the first innings, but John Hastings was clearly struggling after playing in every match this season and debut boy James Weighell remained wicketless.Durham had to turn to the spinners after the only wicket in the first 90 minutes came from a ball well wide of leg stump, which Dawid Malan was adjudged to have nicked to the wicketkeeper.Ryan Pringle conceded 19 in his first three overs, Dexter driving him over long-on for six to celebrate his century, in which his fluent driving saw his second 50 come off 55 balls.But when the off-spinner went round the wicket Dexter nibbled at one outside off stump and edged behind to depart for 112.
Borthwick came on for the next over and struck with his first ball, a full toss which had John Simpson lbw when he missed an attempted sweep. Rayner failed to heed the lesson as he went the same way in the leg-spinner’s next over.Three wickets had gone down for one run and only nine more were added before Roland-Jones lofted Onions gently to mid-off.Reserve wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter, briefly substituting for Mark Stoneman, dropped it and a further 51 were added before Rushworth took the last two wickets with the new ball. It was the second costly miss of the innings as Malan was dropped first ball and made 63.Durham’s rookie opener Graham Clark bagged a pair when he edged the second ball he faced from Roland-Jones and the rest were all lbw.Only Paul Collingwood, who made 20, looked likely to give prolonged support to Borthwick, who rarely looked troubled in reaching his eighth championship 50 of the season off 95 balls.

Surrey must beat Glamorgan in Cardiff on Friday and hope other results go their way to reach the last eight of the Blast

ECB Reporters Network15-Aug-2018
ScorecardSurrey can still qualify for the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast after inflicting a ninth defeat in 13 games on Hampshire at the Kia Oval.They cruised to a seven-wicket win with 15 balls to spare after restricting Hampshire to 133 for 7 with Aaron Finch leading them home with an unbeaten 67.Victory moved Surrey above Sussex into fifth but they will need to beat Glamorgan in Cardiff on Friday to have any chance of a top-four finish, and even that will depend the results of their rivals in the final rounds of south group games on Thursday and Friday.Hampshire hopes had been briefly raised when Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowled Jason Roy round his legs for a duck in the first over. Dale Steyn then deceived Will Jacks with a slower ball to leave Surrey 25 for 2 in the fourth over.But Finch, back in the side after missing three games because of a family bereavement, continued his outstanding form in the Blast, taking his competition aggregate to 545 runs.He had a reprieve on 18 when Lewis McManus dropped a regulation chance at deep mid-wicket off Liam Dawson. Otherwise Finch was untroubled as he and fellow Australian Nic Maddinson put on 92 for the third wicket in 11.4 overs.Maddinson also had a life when he was badly dropped by Joe Weatherley at long on off the luckless Dawson on 31, but the pair took control thereafter with Finch depositing Gareth Berg over mid-wicket to bring up his fifth half-century in this season’s Blast while Maddinson produced the shot of the night with a pulled six off Steyn that landed 30 rows back in the stand front of the gas holder.Rahman picked up his second wicket when Maddinson was stumped aiming to leg but Surrey only needed 17 to win and Finch saw them home, his runs coming off 57 balls with seven fours.Earlier, after deciding to bat first, Hampshire had been becalmed by a slow pitch and some disciplined bowling and their total of 133 for 7, which only contained two sixes and nine boundaries, was never likely to test Surrey’s powerful batting.They started promisingly. Rilee Rossouw and Sam Northeast took them to 49 for 1 in the sixth over but after Rossouw upper-cut a slower ball from Morne Morkel to point Hampshire struggled to pick up momentum.Northeast battled through to the 19th over to top score with 37 but his runs came off 36 deliveries and only contained one boundary and whenever Hampshire attempted to accelerate they invariably lost a wicket.Dawson briefly flourished before picking out short fine-leg trying to repeat a scoop off Morkel which had brought him a boundary from the previous ball. Captain Jade Dernbach picked up two wickets in the penultimate over and was the pick of the seamers with 2 for 19 while Batty also enjoyed the conditions, getting the ball to grip and turn as he took 1 for 18. Having been 77 for 2 at halfway, Hampshire only added 60 runs in the second half of their innings.

The ICC has approved six Caribbean Premier League matches set to be played in Florida, but the USA Cricket Association has asked for their cancellation

Peter Della Penna16-Jun-2016The USA Cricket Association has asked for the cancellation of the six Caribbean Premier League matches to be played in Florida from July 28 to 31. They claim the CPL and Broward County in Lauderhill did not receive proper sanctioning to host the event.However, ICC head of global development Tim Anderson pointed out that USACA did not have the authority to sanction matches since it had been suspended in 2015 and said the CPL fixtures were okay to go ahead as planned.”Please be assured that the CPL has indeed completed the due sanctioning process required by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in order to host these matches in Florida,” Anderson wrote to WICB president Dave Cameron and the Lauderhill officials. “The USA Cricket Association (USACA) is currently suspended by the ICC, and as part of this suspension does not hold the right to sanction such matches in the USA.”The uncertainty began when USACA’s legal representative and former executive secretary Kenwyn Williams emailed Broward County Parks manager Duncan Finch that the CPL officials had not followed protocol to host matches in Florida.”We understand that the CPL is slated to hold several cricket matches over several days at the Central Broward Regional Park,” Williams wrote on June 13. “The organisers of the CPL matches did not apply for and receive the requisite sanctions for holding the slated matches in the United States. We request that you cancel the scheduled events until further notice.”The Broward County officials, though, are proceeding with plans to ready the stadium for the CPL games next month.Lauderhill Mayor Richard Kaplan had stated that the city had plans to host several other events at the $70 million Central Broward Regional Park, which opened in 2008. According to Kaplan, those plans were regularly undermined by USACA and the mayor approached the ICC in 2013 for help with the matter.

They have played only one Full Member team so far in the World Cup, but captain Ishan Kishan and coach Rahul Dravid are hopeful of India taking on any challenge

Vishal Dikshit in Fatullah06-Feb-2016Rishabh Pant was making his way to the dressing room from the dugout having been dismissed for 111 off 96 balls. He threw his pads around, took off all the guards and grabbed a bottle of water to head towards the dressing room. But the Namibia players’ celebrations distracted him. Armaan Jaffer had pushed his first ball for a quick single and the cover fielder displayed quick reflexes to attempt a run-out, but Sarfaraz Khan had made it just in time. And Pant went on with his business, unperturbed.That was probably the only scare Namibia’s bowlers and fielders gave the India batsmen throughout the innings.Namibia’s journey into the quarter-finals of the Under-19 World Cup was built on their bowling. They had dismissed Scotland for 159 and then restricted South Africa to 136 for 9 to set up the biggest upset of the tournament. But against India they were unthreatening and sloppy. Their spinners offered juicy full tosses, pacers bowled benevolent lines and the India batsmen cashed in to make 349 for 6.To add to that, Namibia dropped a few catches, suffered several misfields and gave away some overthrows too. The dip in performance, their captain Zane Green said, was the result of a few nerves.”It’s the first time we have made it to the quarter-finals. I think there were a few nerves in the dressing room,” Green said. “This was the first time we were playing on TV and to beat a side like India everything has to be perfect.”I think India batted well and our fielding didn’t back up our bowling. I think the bowling wasn’t that bad…a few bad balls. India is a very good team so they are going to put that away.”The one batsman who reaped the biggest benefit was centurion Pant. He was given a large supply of deliveries outside off with no movement on offer. Setting the foundation for a huge score became rather matter-of-fact and Namibia’s concerns shifted from wicket-taking to containing runs. Neither plan had much success.What did work for Namibia, briefly, was the start to their chase. Openers SJ Loftie-Eaton and Niko Davin unsettled Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed and forced the India captain to make early bowling changes. While India got to 57 for 1 after ten overs, Namibia pushed marginally ahead to 60 for 1, before the batting line-up crumbled.”I think we just came out and played positive cricket,” Green said. “We had a great start unluckily we couldn’t build on that.”The inexperienced Namibia side will still take back more plaudits than criticism and the feat of reaching the knockouts will only help them get better for the next World Cup. “I think cricket can only get better from now for Namibia,” Green said, keeping it short after the heavy defeat. “It has been a great learning curve this World Cup. What we can take out of it is experience and we still have five guys who can play in the next Under-19 World Cup.”A more content Green will now go to South Africa for his studies with an experience that goes beyond just winning and losing.