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The opener made 155 out of a second innings total of 291 to leave Victoria a testing target

AAP10-Feb-2025Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield pacesetter Jake Weatherald blazed another big century to put the heat on Victoria ahead of a final-day run chase in Hobart.The hosts began their second innings 22 runs behind Victoria, but the former South Australian opener turned the tables with a blazing 155 off 212 balls on Monday as Tasmania made 291.Related

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Victoria, second on the Shield ladder with three rounds remaining, were 55 for 2 at stumps They need a further 215 to deny the last-placed Tasmania just their second win in the seventh match of the season.Weatherald found some support from Jake Doran and debutant No. 9 Raf MacMillan, whose bright innings came to an unfortunate end when he miscued a juicy Harry Dixon full toss.Weatherald clattered 20 boundaries in his innings, lathering drives through point and cover, and latching on to anything short with sweetly timed pull shots that sounded like cannons echoing around the Bellerive stands.He was the last man out, his crisp knock following 185 against Queensland in November to put him on top of the Shield run-scoring list this season.Opener Marcus Harris was an early casualty in the chase, trapped in front by Gabe Bell. Bell then dismissed Campbell Kellaway in similar fashion, Jon Merlo and Sam Elliott the unbeaten pair at stumps.

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.

Obuya, who had an international career spanning 23 years, was instrumental in Kenya’s run to the 2003 World Cup semi-final

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2024Kenya allrounder Collins Obuya has retired from cricket following their defeat to Uganda in the third place play-off match in the African Games on Saturday.”I have decided to retire from the game after 23 years. It’s been a big honour playing for Kenya,” Obuya said after the match.A legspinning allrounder, Obuya played 104 ODIs for Kenya, scoring 2044 runs and taking 35 wickets. He is their third-highest run-scorer in the format, with Kenya stripped of their ODI status in 2014.He is also Kenya’s highest run-scorer in T20Is, with 1794 runs from 76 appearances.Obuya was instrumental in Kenya’s run to the 2003 World Cup semi-finals. His career-best haul of 5 for 24 helped Kenya notch a famous win over Sri Lanka and reach the Super Six stage. Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were among the scalps he claimed that match as Kenya successfully defended their total of 210. He finished the tournament with 13 wickets at 28.76.In the 2011 World Cup, Obuya produced his best effort with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 98 against Australia which earned him the player-of-the-match award.Obuya was named Kenya’s captain after the 2011 World Cup, but he stepped down in 2013 after they failed to qualify for the 2014 T20 World Cup.

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.

Even if Sri Lanka win the next Test, they will finish below India – irrespective of the result in Ahmedabad – on the WTC points table

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2023India have qualified for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC), setting up a date with Australia for the biggest global honour in the format. Their presence in the final was confirmed after New Zealand pulled off one of the most dramatic wins ever, off the last ball of their first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch, by two wickets.The WTC final race had gone into Monday, with the results of both Test matches – in Ahmedabad and in Christchurch – equally relevant. If Sri Lanka had beaten New Zealand, they would have stayed in the race – if India didn’t win in Ahmedabad – but with Kane Williamson hitting an unbeaten 121 and Daryl Mitchell scoring a quick 86-ball 81, New Zealand pulled off a win that didn’t look possible for the longest time, off the very last ball of the game. The result put Sri Lanka out of the running for the WTC final.Now, following their loss in Christchurch, even if Sri Lanka win the next Test, they will only go up to 52.78 points. That will be lower than India’s 56.94 even if India go on to lose the Ahmedabad Test. If they draw – as looks most likely – India will finish on 58.80. Australia have already qualified: even if they lose in Ahmedabad, they will end with a percentage of 64.91.Australia and India are the only teams which have won at least twice as many Tests as they have lost in the current WTC cycle (in Tests which counted towards the WTC). Australia have been stellar with a 11-3 win-loss record so far, with series wins against England, West Indies and South Africa (home), and Pakistan (away). They also drew in Sri Lanka (1-1), with the only series defeat coming in India (assuming a draw or a defeat in Ahmedabad).India have a 10-5 record in this cycle, with series wins against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Australia (assuming they win or draw in Ahmedabad) at home, and Bangladesh away. They drew 2-2 in England, and lost 2-1 in South Africa.The WTC title contest will take place at The Oval in London from June 7.

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

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“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.

West Indies captain wants his batters to ‘be clear about whether you’re playing forward or back’

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Nov-2021Defend a lot. Be clear on whether you’re playing back or forward. And stick around for a couple of sessions. This is West Indies’ batting game-plan for the second Test according to captain Kraigg Brathwaite.With the surface for the second Test expected to be even more spin-friendly than the first, West Indies’ batters technique and application seems set for another major examination.”The plan is to be clear in what you want to do. Believe that you can do it, and do it for long periods,” Brathwaite said. “We’ve got to have the discipline and the fight to do it for 50 overs – more than two sessions, or three sessions.”We had a lot of discussions. One important thing is that you’ve got to defend a lot of balls. Having a straight bat is one thing we discussed.  That’s very important. And sweeping as well – especially the offspinner. It’s just about being clear and confident about whether you’re playing forward or back.”West Indies’ only half-centurions in the first Test were Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua da Silva, who put up a 100-run stand in the second innings, rescuing the side from 18 for 6. Brathwaite said the remainder of the batters had drawn inspiration from that partnership.”Bonner and Josh showed that when you have a solid defence, if you put the effort and energy in, you’ll be successful. Sometimes when doubt comes in, you can slip up a bit. Just trust that defence. When the bad balls come you get runs. It’s important to have that clarity, as to what you want to do here.”In terms of how they were able to manoeuvre different balls, they were a very good example for us. As a batting group, it was good to see, and something to learn from.”West Indies have had a mixed 2021. They began with an excellent 2-0 victory in Bangladesh, before drawing two Tests at home against Sri Lanka. Their worst series was the 2-0 defeat at South Africa’s hands at home, before drawing a home series against Pakistan 1-1. Brathwaite outlined the importance of the next match: if they beat Sri Lanka, they would have won more matches in 2021 than they’ve lost.”To be honest we showed good progress in 2021. It was not a good series against South Africa, but we bounced back decent against Pakistan. In Bangladesh we won that series 2-0. Winning this game will be very crucial from a points perspective for the Test Championship. As a team we’ve made some strides. Once the group stays together and keeps building, that’s crucial.”

Allrounder insists there’s only one man for the job currently and it is Root

George Dobell in Hamilton27-Nov-2019Joe Root “has the backing of everybody” in the England dressing room, according to Ben Stokes.Root has endured a tough few days. After experiencing perhaps his worst Test as captain – England suffered an innings defeat and he recorded his lowest return in any Test as leader where he has batted twice – questions about his position as captain have resurfaced. In particular, there are concerns over whether the leadership is compromising his ability to contribute with the bat. He now averages under 40 as captain and under 30 in 2019.But it is clear he retains the full support of his teammates. Certainly Stokes, who might be considered one of the few viable alternatives for the position and is now, at No. 9, two places above Root in the Test batting rankings, is unequivocal in his support. He believes that it is unfair to pin the failures of the whole team on one man and that there is “no one else to do” the job.”Joe knows that he’s got the backing of everybody in the changing room: players, backroom staff and management,” Stokes said. “That’s the main thing that counts for us as players in a very tightknit group. He knows that everybody in that changing room 100 percent backs him, as I do.”The pressures of being England Test captain is huge. It can be one of the most criticised jobs in England at times. And sometimes that criticism is unfair, I would say. There are 11 guys that contribute to a win or loss. It doesn’t all fall on the captain.”We put our hands up as players when we don’t perform. But unfortunately Joe cops most of that [criticsm]. But as a playing group, we stick together and we hold our hands up together as well.”He’s fine. He’s Joe Root. He is England captain and there’s no one else to do it.”There is unanimity within the England squad about where they went wrong in Mount Maunganui. Having squandered first use of the pitch, they then found themselves bowling on it at its best and were given a batting masterclass by BJ Watling. So, despite the scorecard, they know it was the batsmen, rather than the bowlers, who were most responsible for the defeat.”We fought as hard as we possibly could with the ball,” Stokes said. “I’m not quite sure what else we could have done. We spent 201 overs in the field and we left nothing out there. Scoring 350 in our first innings didn’t quite cut it. On a wicket like that, you have to get five or six hundred if you bat first. We knew we were under-par when we got bowled out.”Stokes was as disgusted as anyone by the comments directed at Jofra Archer towards the end of the first Test. As a man proud of his New Zealand and Maori heritage, he was at pains to point out how unrepresentative the incident was of the welcome England’s players – and supporters – receive in the country.”I’m obviously very proud of my heritage and where I’m from,” Stokes said. “I’ll always respect that. The tattoo on my arm just signifies where the family comes from.”Coming back to New Zealand, it’s not just a cricket tour for me. It’s also a great time to be able to catch up with family that I don’t get to see that often. I came out a week before the Test guys to stay with my mum and dad, which was awesome. I got to see brothers, sisters, cousins and everything like that. Every time I manage to come back it’s really good.”It wasn’t a nice way to end the Test match and it’s a shame because that doesn’t represent New Zealand is about as a country whatsoever. New Zealand is more accurately represented by how much support Jofra has had, not just from the New Zealand cricket team, but New Zealand in general after that incident.”That’s the main things for us now: making Jofra aware that we’ve got his back. It was a pretty horrific incident and something that shouldn’t happen in sport or in the world in general in 2019.”Archer was among the England seamers to return to training on Monday. While he didn’t have a long bowl, he appeared in no discomfort after his exertions in Mount Maunganui and is expected to play in the second Test. Indeed, England may well be unchanged.All the bowlers involved in the first Test bowled without issue on Wednesday though Matt Parkinson, the reserve spinner, took one ferocious blow to the thigh when Root thrashed one back at him. Parkinson will have a terrific bruise, but he was fine.Some of the fringe players have impressed, though. Saqib Mahmood continues to bowl well, while Zak Crawley is catching swallows in training and would appear to be a rare example of a county player reaching the England set-up with fitness levels to rival the very best in the squad.The 21-year-old scored a century in his only innings on the trip and is making a good case for his retention in the squad to tour South Africa despite the anticipated recall of Jonny Bairstow.

After an extraordinary World T20 final, Marlon Samuels was named Man of the Match for the second time in four years after his unbeaten 85 off 66 balls kept West Indies in their chase

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2016Following an extraordinary World T20 final, Marlon Samuels was named Man of the Match for the second time in four years after his unbeaten 85 off 66 balls kept West Indies in their chase after a poor start and gave Carlos Brathwaite the chance for his astonishing finish.As the emotions flowed for West Indies, Samuels made reference to recent comments from Shane Warne in the commentary box after his dismissal against India in the semi-final which reignited a feud between them – the pair had an infamous run-in during the Big Bash in 2013 – and said he always had confidence in himself to produce another key performance in a final.”I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind. Shane Warne has been talking continuously and all I want to say is ‘this is for Shane Warne’. I answer with the bat, not the mic.”In the practice against Australia I sat in the same seat and made a first-ball duck, so I said I’d go back in the same seat I’d do something special. I don’t worry about semi-finals because when it comes to finals I always turn up and do well for the team. I grew up watching England cricket so all respect to the England players, we are champions again and want to continue to move from strength-to-strength. This is a win for the Caribbean. It means a lot. I didn’t have much to say to Carlos, but told him to swing hard.”Brathwaite himself was keen to heap praise on Samuels’ innings.”It’s us against the world and someone needed to take responsibility. And today Marlon Samuels after a slow start took responsibility and played a fantastic knock. That was amazing man, I wish I could use some expletives on TV to really express how much of a top knock that was. He did it in 2012, and I knew if Samuels was there in the end, he’ll bring us home in 2016 … it was a matter of when and not if.”Curtly Ambrose, West Indies’ bowling coach, said the team always had the belief that as long as the target was mathematically possible they could chase it.”We are that kind of team, we believe that we can chase down any target because we got some real firepower and it showed throughout this tournament. We have the self-belief, that it doesn’t matter how many we have to chase, I mean if it 40 it is out of the question, but anything under 30, we believe we can always get it. We wanted to create history, we won the Under-19, the ladies won theirs and now this. We created history and we’re really enjoying it. Yes, yes I have sympathy for the bowlers these days, but on this occasion, no!”

West Indies will take part in a tri-series in Zimbabwe in August-September along with the hosts and Pakistan, the WICB has confirmed

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2015West Indies will take part in a tri-series in Zimbabwe in August-September along with the hosts and Pakistan, the WICB has confirmed. It means there could be a straight contest between the two visiting sides for the eighth and last Champions Trophy spot, although the PCB and Zimbabwe Cricket are yet to confirm the scheduling of the series.West Indies and Pakistan are currently ranked eighth and ninth in the ICC ODI rankings, with only a point separating them. Only the top-seven sides as on September 30, apart from hosts England, will make it to the 2017 Champions Trophy.Bangladesh are ranked seventh and their recent win against India has given them a reasonably comfortable five-point lead over West Indies, with a three-match home series against South Africa to follow in July.Pakistan have five ODIs against Sri Lanka in July but the Zimbabwe tri-series will be the only time West Indies play one-day cricket before the Champions Trophy cut-off date. The Caribbean side has not played any ODIs since the World Cup.