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Seales picked up six wickets, Motie scored a fighting 45 but it was not enough for the hosts

Firdose Moonda17-Aug-2024South Africa secured a 10th successive Test series win against West Indies, and earned a vital second win in the World Test Championship 2023-25, with a hard-fought 40-run victory in Guyana. In the process, Keshav Maharaj became the most successful spinner in their Test history with 171 wickets, including five in this match and 13 in the series. His success eclipsed an exceptional effort from Jayden Seales, who took 12 wickets across the two matches and a career-best 6 for 61 in South Africa’s second innings in Guyana.Seales ensured West Indies were left with a gettable, but tough, target of 263 and their chase had all the makings of a classic. They slumped to 104 for 6, before a 77-run stand between hometown hero Gudakesh Motie and Joshua Da Silva put them within sight of a historic victory. Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s two most reliable bowlers on the tour, denied the hosts despite a fighting effort from the tail.In a series that was tough for batters with no centuries across the two Tests, no West Indian got a second-innings half-century and they had only one partnership above fifty in the match. In contrast, two South African batters got fifties in the second innings and had three half-century stands in the match. The 63-run tenth-wicket stand between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger in the first innings proved decisive too.Overall, it was a series for the bowlers, who benefitted from a surface that was tough for run-scoring in Trinidad and a venue with swing, seam movement and good bounce in Guyana. Shamar Joseph enjoyed his first home Test with 5 for 33 in the first innings but a collective effort from South Africa’s attack gave them the edge where it mattered the most.Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne forged a solid partnership•AFP/Getty Images

Wiaan Mulder, operating as the third seamer and sole seam-bowling allrounder, took six wickets in the Test, scored an important 34 in the second innings and shared in an 85-run sixth-wicket partnership with Kyle Verreynne to set up South Africa’s win. His contributions mitigated some of the questions over South Africa’s team composition. They were a bowler short in Trinidad and a batter short in Guyana but found a way to defend a total on a surface that was only three days old and improved for batting.Set 263, West Indies lost Mikyle Louis in the fifth over when he pressed forward and edged Rabada to Mulder at third slip. Three overs later, Rabada thought he had a second when Kraig Braithwaite, on 17, was given out lbw but the West Indian captain reviewed and replays confirmed the impact was outside off. West Indies went to lunch on 43 for 1.Braithwaite only added eight runs before Mulder beat his inside edge and hit him on the knee roll. He was given out again and reviewed again, unsuccessfully. Mulder could have had Keacy Carty, on 17, in his next over when he sliced a wide ball to point but Mulder had overstepped. Three balls later, South Africa reviewed a Burger appeal for lbw to Alick Athanaze which was also outside the line and their frustration reached boiling point. It cooled when Carty chopped Mulder on without adding to his score and South Africa were back in it.Kavem Hodge met fire with fire and took on the short ball. He pulled Mulder through mid-wicket and square leg and then scored two boundaries off three Rabada deliveries but played one shot too many when he inside-edged Rabada onto the stumps. By that stage, offspinner Piedt had been introduced into the attack for the first time in the match and tempted Athanaze with full, flighted deliveries. Athanaze struggled to turn the strike over, eventually went for a rash sweep and top-edged behind the keeper. Aiden Markram ran back from slip to take a good, high catch.Athanaze’s mistake could be blamed on inexperience but when Jason Holder, the best batter from West Indies’ first innings, holed out to long-on in Piedt’s next over, it was a sign South Africa’s strangle was working.Enter Motie, who had a disappointing series with the ball, but did his bit with the bat. Motie and Da Silva took the target to below 100. Motie was particularly severe on Piedt and took 18 runs off the 14 balls he faced from him but his attempts to take on Maharaj were not as successful. Motie was hit on the front pad as he moved back to hit the left-arm spinner away and was given out lbw. He reviewed but ball-tracking showed it was clipping leg stump. Da Silva went similarly in Maharaj’s next over, and also asked the third umpire to have a look, but the technology was in South Africa’s favour and Maharaj equalled Hugh Tayfield as South Africa’s leading spinner.Jayden Seales picked up his best figures in an innings in Test cricket – 6 for 61•AFP/Getty Images

With only two wickets left to get, and Rabada two away from 300, he was brought back on and threatened to produce the goods soon after. Jomel Warrican edged him wide of second slip and then Joseph offered a chance that went between second and third slip as both Markram and Mulder left the ball for each other. Rabada was livid but the annoyance did not last long. Four balls later, Joseph pulled him to mid-on where Temba Bavuma got hang-time with both feet off the floor and plucked the ball in his outstretched right hand to complete the catch of the series.Rabada was one wicket away from 300 but was unable to complete the feat in the match. Maharaj overtook Tayfield when Seales clipped him to David Bedingham at short leg and South Africa celebrated. Seales had been vocal with them throughout the match, so dismissing him to secure victory was even sweeter for South Africa. It would have stung Seales, who was instrumental in South Africa’s collapse. They lost their last five wickets for 22 runs in 65 balls, including the first three wickets for 8 runs in 15 balls.Warrican struck in the first over when Mulder chose to stay back in his crease and attempt a flick but missed an arm ball and was hit on the back pad. That early breakthrough prompted Kraig Braithwaite to call on Seales earlier than he may have planned, with the second new ball nine overs away. An under-pressure Maharaj chipped the second ball he faced to Motie at mid-wicket and registered a third successive duck on the tour.Seales’ next one was all skill as he beat Kyle Verreynne’s inside edge with a delivery that angled into him from wide of the crease. It also confirmed Seales’ second Test five-for. Piedt and Rabada took the lead over 250 but one over and one delivery before the second new ball was due, Rabada went forward to block Warrican and edged to Hodge at slip.West Indies took the second new ball as soon as it was available and Seales succeeded. Burger drove the fourth ball back to him and Seales reacted quickly to take the catch with both hands to his right to end South Africa’s innings 50 minutes into the third day. Burger’s duck was the third of the innings and seventh of the match for South Africa, their most since 1932.South Africa are now up to fifth on the WTC points table, with six matches left to play. West Indies remain ninth, with only one win.

Midlands rivals complete the double with four-wicket win at Grace Road

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2024Veteran allrounder Samit Patel tormented Leicestershire Foxes for the second time this Vitality Blast season as Derbyshire Falcons completed a double over their East Midlands neighbours in the North Group to lift their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals.The 39-year-old Falcons skipper, whose 64 was the difference when the sides met at Edgbaston at the start of the campaign, hit nine fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 67 as Derbyshire chased down 185 to win by four wickets with four balls to spare.Ben Cox hit four sixes in a 30-ball unbeaten 61 and Lewis Goldsworthy 48 from 41 as the Foxes finished strongly to post 184 for six. Former Leicestershire seamer Zak Chappell took three for 42 and Patel two for 27, with Pakistan left-arm quick Mohammad Amir wicketless on his Derbyshire debut.Derbyshire had been well ahead of the required rate by posting 64 in their batting powerplay but had lost three of their key batters. Luis Reece edged behind off Mike, who then held a good low catch in the deep to remove the dangerous Aneurin Donald. Tom Scriven marked his return from a six-week injury absence by bowling David Lloyd, each of the trio falling to the eighth ball they faced.Yet with fellow veteran Wayne Madsen (46) and Patel using their nous to find the gaps in the field, the Falcons were more than halfway to their target at 96 for three after 10.They put on 80 in nine and a half overs before Madsen smacked Hull straight to New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham on the cover boundary. When Mike had Ross Whiteley leg before for a golden duck in the next over, the outcome looked less certain with 52 still needed off 33 balls.Brooke Guest was caught off a top edge to give 19-year-old Sam Wood his first senior wicket but there was no pinning down Patel, who continued to find the rope as the last over arrived with the scores level, Chappell hitting the winning boundary.Earlier, Patel had seen a quick reward for deciding to field first as the Foxes lost three wickets for 45 in the powerplay, with early indications that taking the pace off would be an effective tactic.Chappell, hit for two fours and a six, responded by bowling Sol Budinger with a slower ball and held another one back a touch to similarly dismiss Rishi Patel, with Paul Stirling run out in between, his first innings for the Foxes ended by Madsen’s direct hit from midwicket.The home side slipped to 78 for five by the 11th over. Neesham’s first innings as a Leicestershire player encompassed a stumping chance survived off Alex Thomson before he was bowled by Patel, with Louis Kimber following a big six over the leg side by hitting the left-arm spinner’s next ball down straight to long off.But Goldsworthy and Cox sensibly gave themselves time to get the measure of the pitch and their 48 off four and a half overs until the former was caught on the cover boundary created an opportunity for Cox to attack in the last four overs.He had some luck on 10, his first attempt to clear the ropes dropped by Thomson, who lost the ball in the sun, but cashed in by hammering four sixes in the last four overs, scoring 44 of the 58 runs added.

Seven Derbyshire bowlers share the wickets around on turning Wantage Road pitch

ECB Reporters Network09-Sep-2024Saif Zaib hit a battling 90 off 144 balls to lead a Northamptonshire fightback after a top-order collapse on the opening day of this Vitality Championship match against Derbyshire at Wantage Road.Zaib found fine support from Justin Broad in a partnership of 73 in 19 overs which enabled the hosts to post 219, a score that had looked extremely unlikely at 89 for 6 soon after lunch.For only the second time in Derbyshire history all seven bowlers used took a wicket, Zak Chappell, Martin Andersson and Jack Morley taking two apiece. Luis Reece and Brooke Guest then saw the visitors through to 65 for 1 at the close, trailing by 154 runs, Broad taking the one wicket to fall.Playing on the same surface used for last Thursday’s Vitality Blast quarter-final and one expected to offer turn, the hosts opted to bat first in overcast conditions after winning the toss. Playing with a rejigged batting line-up, the gamble seemed not to have paid off as wickets tumbled although Northamptonshire’s spinners would have drawn encouragement from the turn found by their Derbyshire counterparts.India international Prithvi Shaw was first to go when he edged the second delivery of the day from Chappell to third slip, the bowler’s 50th first-class wicket for Derbyshire. Home skipper Luke Procter, who played two textbook drives through mid-off, was then trapped leg before wicket by Reece before Gus Miller, promoted to open, was undone by an Andersson delivery which swung back in to also pin him lbw.Rob Keogh’s stay was equally brief, Andersson moving one away and drawing the edge, keeper Guest taking an excellent diving catch.James Sales played some attacking shots, slapping Andersson through the covers and smashing Reece over the head of mid-off for another boundary. His was the fifth wicket to fall before lunch though when he drove loosely to Chappell and was caught low down at third slip by Aneurin Donald.Lewis McManus started positively after lunch, driving Chappell down the pitch for four but became teenage quick Harry Moore’s maiden first-class wicket on Championship debut, courtesy of a pull straight to fine leg.That brought together Zaib and Broad together who began to restore a measure of respectability to the hosts’ innings. Zaib worked Reece through square leg for four before lunch and eased into a glorious cover drive off Moore after the interval, while Broad drove Chappell down the ground and punched him through the covers as Northamptonshire passed 100 in the 37th over.As Derbyshire deployed spin from both ends, Alex Thomson immediately found some turn to pose Broad some challenges before the allrounder swept him to the ropes. Zaib meanwhile also found the sweep an increasingly lucrative bet against the spinners.The pair took Northamptonshire past 150 up in the 50th over before Morley spun one away from Broad, drawing the edge with David Lloyd taking a good low catch at second slip. Ben Sanderson fell quickly in the next over, offering short leg an easy catch when he prodded forward against Thomson.Zaib though progressed serenely to his half-century, reaching the milestone off 100 deliveries as he played Thomson through midwicket. He survived a strong shout for a catch at short leg off Morley when the umpires adjudged the ball had been hit into the ground first. Zaib responded by dispatching Morley imperiously over long-off for six and powering Thomson through extra cover.But Morley then picked up a second wicket when he turned one back in to hit Dom Leech’s leg stump as he attempted to sweep.With Northamptonshire nine wickets down, Zaib pressed the accelerator, clubbing Morley’s left-armers through mid-off and then sweeping him high over deep square for four and six. His downfall finally came was stumped coming down the pitch to Lloyd.When Derbyshire began their innings after tea, Sanderson bowled a typically miserly spell from one end, Broad making the initial breakthrough from the other. He found some additional bounce from back of a length, surprising Harry Came who was caught on the crease, fending fended the ball to Sales who took a good low catch at second slip.Reece meanwhile started to find the boundary, cutting Broad crisply to deep point, while he and Guest both pulled Yuzvendra Chahal fluently for boundaries as Derbyshire finished the session without further incident, despite some strong appeals from the hosts’ spin contingent.

The Bangladesh allrounder hasn’t played T20Is or ODIs since November last year

Mohammad Isam23-Apr-2024Shakib Al Hasan could play in Bangladesh’s T20I series against Zimbabwe next month, according to chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain. He might also feature in a couple of Dhaka Premier League matches as part of his return to white-ball cricket”We have communicated with him [Shakib],” Ashraf said. “He is expected to arrive in Dhaka at the end of this month. He will possibly play one or two DPL matches. Afterwards, he will get involved with the team management. There he can do his training on cricketing skill as per the desire of team management. We will definitely want him to play couple of matches in the series. We will announce the team on April 28 and by that time, you will get a clear picture of his availability.”Shakib had been on a break due to an eye condition and a finger injury after the 2023 ODI World Cup ended last November and returned to international cricket in the Chattogram Test against Sri Lanka earlier this month.On Tuesday, Bangladesh announced a 17-man preparatory squad that will train for three days in Chattogram from April 26. The group doesn’t include Shakib or Mustafizur Rahman, who is playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until May 1. Ashraf said that Mustafizur would also miss the first T20I against Zimbabwe on May 3 in Chattogram.The training squad includes Mohammad Saifuddin, who returns after a long injury layoff. He last played for Bangladesh shortly before the 2022 T20 World Cup and returned to action in this season’s BPL, where he was part of Fortune Barishal’s title-winning squad.”Definitely (Mohammad) Saifuddin is a promising player and if he is not injured he could have more international experience,” Ashraf said. “He is ahead with his batting but in bowling he has competitors. So it a good opportunity for him to get back into his groove in the Zimbabwe series because we have lot of interest in him.”Bangladesh play the first three T20Is against Zimbabwe in Chattogram on May 3, 5 and 7, and the last two T20Is in Dhaka on May 10 and 12.

He will work in cricket as an independent contractor going forward

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025Former New Zealand Women head coach Bob Carter will be stepping away from his role as the high-performance coach, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Friday. That will bring down curtains on a 21-year career in which he oversaw progress of New Zealand’s men’s and women’s teams.”I feel like I’ve lived the dream,” Carter said in an NZC release. “I’ve very much enjoyed offering support and contributing and, if that’s helped players or teams go on and achieve success, then that’s terrific – I’m delighted.”But I think what’s worked best at NZC has been the combinations, the teamwork, and the cooperation.”Born in Norfolk in east England, Carter played 60 first-class and 55 List-A matches for Northamptonshire and Canterbury before getting into coaching. He joined New Zealand men’s set-up in 2004 as an assistant coach to John Bracewell. After a five-year tenure, he was again appointed assistant coach to Mike Hesson from 2012 to 2014 before taking over from Haidee Tiffen as New Zealand Women’s head coach in 2019. He coached them in the 2020 T20 World Cup and the 2022 ODI World Cup that New Zealand hosted, before stepping down.”We’ve been able to create sides that have been greater than their sum of parts, and that’s a key ingredient in team sport,” Carter, who will work in cricket as an independent contractor, said. “Sure, the individual performance is important, but it’s the collective that has the greater potential. That’s where the magic is.”Bob Carter: ‘The reason the Black Caps have continued to produce great batters and bowlers is because we have a strong, underlying domestic system’•Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

Carter, 65, said he was pleased to leave the role in Lincoln at a time New Zealand are doing well in international cricket. The women’s team won the T20 World Cup for the first time last year while the men whitewashed India in India in a Test series; no team had defeated India at home in a Test series since 2012, let alone returning a clean sweep.”It’s true that the game has evolved a great deal over the past twenty years,” he said. “But the flipside is that the basics and fundamentals of batting and bowling have never really changed.”Sure, the batters are playing shots we wouldn’t have dreamed of in the nineties, and the bowlers are producing options and change-ups with an incredible degree of difficulty. But within all that, the framework that allows the players to execute so successfully, is still the same as it was 50 years ago.”Our domestic cricket is very strong. I’m not sure that’s widely recognised. The reason the Black Caps have continued to produce great batters and bowlers is because we have a strong, underlying domestic system. The White Ferns have been in transition over the past couple of years, but the domestic competitions have brought new players through and invigorated the established ones.”The World Cup win last year was a great example of what that team is capable of.”Playing tribute to Carter, NZC chief high performance officer Daryl Gibson said, “Bob has been the voice of experience at Lincoln and has been involved in much of the success we’ve seen in the men’s and women’s games over the past decade or more. He’s part of a wider high-performance team that underpinned and supported one of New Zealand cricket’s golden periods – the legacy he leaves in terms of his contribution to NZC is enormous.”

KL Rahul, who hasn’t played competitively since May 1 this year, has made a comeback to international cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-20231:57

Kumble: Have to be a bit circumspect about Shreyas Iyer

Two matches after his comeback following a back surgery, Shreyas Iyer has picked up a back spasm during warm-up before the India-Pakistan Super Four match at the Asia Cup, which ruled him out of the contest. KL Rahul, also coming back from an injury, was drafted in at the last minute.At the toss, Rohit Sharma called it a “forced change” for the team, and that was reflected in the team sheet, which had Iyer marked at No. 4, with Rahul as the 13th man. The numbers were crossed out before the sheet was released, with the two swapping places.Rahul’s usual batting position in ODIs, however, has been No. 5. It was also not clear if he would be fit enough to keep wicket, but India have Ishan Kishan in the XI as well.Related

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Both Iyer and Rahul are returning from injuries.Iyer hadn’t played since the home ODI series against Australia in early March, and missed the IPL altogether, as he recovered from a back condition that required surgery. He was picked in the Asia Cup squad – as well as in the squad for the ODI World Cup starting next month – after being declared fit by the medical personnel at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, and was in the India XI for both their group-stage games at the Asia Cup, scoring 14 against Pakistan. He didn’t need to bat against Nepal as India won by ten wickets.While the extent or seriousness of his latest injury are not known, it could be a cause for concern for the India team management with the World Cup not far away.Rahul hadn’t played for India since March, and was out of action altogether after tearing a tendon in his right thigh during the IPL. He was selected in the Asia Cup squad following extensive rehab at the NCA. He was, however, ruled out of the first two matches after picking up a fresh niggle.In Rahul’s absence, Kishan, playing for the first time at No. 5 in ODIs, rescued India’s innings in the washed-out match against Pakistan.

Jemma Barsby’s catch off Amanda-Jade Wellington to deny Mikayla Hinkley a match-winning six was the pivotal moment in a thrilling final

AAP03-Dec-2023Adelaide Strikers spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington’s heart stopped. Brisbane Heat captain Jess Jonassen’s heart leapt. Strikers captain Tahlia McGrath’s heart was in her mouth.The entire WBBL season, all 59 games of it, and the cherished trophy – came down to this. Brisbane needed five runs from two balls to win Saturday night’s final at Adelaide Oval.Heat tailender Mikayla Hinkley had just smashed her first ball for six. Then she went for glory.Related

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Hinkley cracked a Wellington legspinner high and long, towards the long-off boundary where Jemma Barsby was stationed.Wellington: “My heart stopped.”Jonassen: “We all thought on the sidelines that she potentially got it.”McGrath: “I thought it was out. I thought it was six. I thought it was out.”Near the boundary rope, Barsby took a few steps, then stood still – as time seemingly did.Wellington: “I saw Jemma getting settled under it about two metres in front of the boundary. I was like, ‘Oh, come on, just hold it’.”Barsby held her nerve. And held the catch.Wellington: “I let out a big scream of relief and joy.”McGrath: “Pretty relieved … her foot wasn’t on the rope. Talk about high pressure, it doesn’t get much more than that. We all ran up to her and everyone’s just saying, ‘that’s clutch’.”Jonassen: “If her [Hinkley’s] second shot went for two more metres, that’s a Heat victory. T20 cricket – a game of margins.”The moment meant Brisbane required five runs from the last ball. They got one.Adelaide won by three runs, with Wellington winning player of the match for her 3 for 16.Wellington: “I have bowled a fair few last overs and a fair few super-overs as well. I love the crucial moments and the big moments.”McGrath: “She [Wellington] had this look in her eyes. She knew what she wanted to do and then she executed for us. It was very similar to last year.”Last year, Wellington also bowled the final over in Adelaide’s title win – but she had more breathing space.Then, the Sydney Sixers needed 23 from the ultimate over. Wellington conceded 12 and took a wicket on the last ball.

The spin attack has been rejigged with Washington, Saurabh and Mulani getting call-ups for the last two four-dayers against England Lions

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jan-2024 • Updated on 23-Jan-2024Tilak Varma and Arshdeep Singh have been picked in the India A squad for the last two four-dayers against the visiting England Lions in Ahmedabad. Rinku Singh, who has made a big splash in T20 cricket, is set to play his first game for India A after having been selected for the second* and third four-dayers.Rinku was recently with the India Test squad in South Africa as a reserve player, after he was added to the squad for the four-day match against South Africa A. He has played 43 first-class matches so far, scoring 3099 runs at an average of 58.47. While Rinku was only selected for the last four-dayer, his UP team-mate Yash Dayal found a place in the squads for both the remaining games against England Lions.Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra was also picked in the squad, with Railways’ Upendra Yadav being the spare keeper. The pair replaced KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel, who both will join the senior side for the first two Test matches against England in Hyderabad and Vizag.Bengal’s Abhimanyu Easwaran, who was the reserve opener in South Africa but missed the cut for the home Tests against England, will continue to captain the India A side. Manav Suthar and Pulkit Narang, who are currently playing the first four-dayer against England Lions, though were not part of the squad for the next two games.Washington Sundar was also called up to the India A squad for both games. Saurabh Kumar, another spinner who has been on the fringes of the India Test team, will partner Washington in the second match. Mumbai left-arm fingerspinner Shams Mulani will replace Saurabh for the final game. His Mumbai team-mate Tushar Deshpande found a place in the squad for both matches.Washington had originally planned to link up with his state team Tamil Nadu for their Ranji Trophy clash against Railways in Coimbatore, which began two days after the Bengaluru T20I, where he came away with 3 for 18 in his three overs. But his name was withdrawn from the squad at the last moment to free him up for India A commitments.

India A squad for second four-dayer

Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Washington Sundar, Sourabh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Vidwath Kaverappa, Upendra Yadav, Akash Deep, Yash Dayal

India A squad for third four-dayer

Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Washington Sundar, Shams Mulani, Arshdeep Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Vidwath Kaverappa, Upendra Yadav (wk), Akash Deep, Yash Dayal