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Jonny Bairstow brought up his second Test century, before James Anderson and Stuart Broad shared nine wickets to condemn Sri Lanka to the follow-on

The Report by Andrew Miller20-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLike Sachin Tendulkar’s Test record at Lord’s, there has always been something incongruous about James Anderson’s bowling statistics at Headingley. The Lancastrian-in-Yorkshire factor aside, it has never made much sense that the most skilful England bowler of his generation should find it so difficult to impose himself at the English venue most conducive to his talents.In seven previous Tests at Headingley, spanning his full 13-year career, Anderson had racked up 19 wickets at 41.36, with a best innings haul of 3 for 91. That performance, however, didn’t exactly cheer him up either. It came during Sri Lanka’s last visit to Yorkshire in 2014, when he left the ground in tears following his penultimate-ball dismissal to Shaminda Eranga.Today, however, Anderson banished his demons in style, producing a sensational 70-ball onslaught of swing and seam, spread across two spells either side of tea, for which Sri Lanka – in their weakened post-Jayawardene and Sangakkara state – had no answer. It would be hard to claim he will ever feel quite as at home here as England’s other main man of the second day, Yorkshire’s own Jonny Bairstow, but this was a performance with a distinctly cathartic feel.Anderson wrapped up Sri Lanka’s innings with figures of 5 for 16 in 11.4 overs, his 19th five-wicket haul in 114 Tests, during which he also overhauled Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 Test wickets to move into sixth place on the all-time list. Among fast bowlers, only Courtney Walsh (519) and Glenn McGrath (563) lie ahead of him. On this form, with a maximum of 13 innings still to come this summer, he could yet move to within striking distance of the top guns before the season is done.Anderson may, however, have to share some of the spoils with his new-ball partner, Stuart Broad. It was a measure of Broad’s current standing as the world’s No. 1 Test bowler that, although this was by no means his most incisive spell in recent months, his unrelenting accuracy allied to subtle seam and bounce were still sufficient to return figures of 4 for 21.Ben Stokes, with a solitary but crucial strike with the first ball after tea, completed the wickets column as Alastair Cook, in keeping with England’s new hard-and-fast attitude, chose to enforce the follow-on for the first time since the Wellington Test against New Zealand in March 2013.In the end, bad light came to Sri Lanka’s rescue as play was abandoned for the play after just two Anderson deliveries in the second innings. But they will need to score more than twice their meagre total of 91 when play resumes on Saturday just to ask England to bat again. And, as a further measure of that challenge, only one batsman in the match so far has exceeded that number of runs off their own bat.That batsman, of course, is Bairstow, whose brilliant 140 followed directly on from scores of 246 and 198 in his last two outings at Headingley for Yorkshire. His innings spanned two distinct phases of England’s own innings without ever wavering from the positive intent he brought to the crease on the first afternoon, when he and Alex Hales had been confronted with a fraught scoreline of 83 for 5.Hales, to his palpable dismay, failed to convert his overnight 71 to a maiden Test hundred – he was eventually caught in the deep off Rangana Herath for 86 after an agonisingly restrained morning’s work that snapped in a moment of uncontrolled violence, much as he tried to snap his bat in frustration as he left the field to a sympathetic ovation. Though the doubts about his suitability as a Test opener haven’t entirely been banished by his efforts, his share in a sixth-wicket stand of 141 cannot be underestimated in a curious England scorecard, in which the next highest score (17) came from the No. 10, Steven Finn.Bairstow, however, was the life and soul of England’s batting. He outscored Hales by three runs to one throughout their morning resumption, and made the most of one clear moment of good fortune, on 70, when Nuwan Pradeep failed to gather a sharp return catch.Hales aside, he received little support until Finn’s improbable cameo – Moeen Ali, low on confidence as an under-used No. 8, came and went for a duck, caught at short leg off Dushmantha Chameera, whose hustling full length then splattered Broad’s stumps via an inside edge.Bairstow simply stared down the track, rather nonplussed by the sudden clatter of wickets. But from the first ball of Chameera’s next over, he drilled a drive into the covers, paused as a wild shy came in at the non-striker’s end, then galloped through with glee as the ball zipped through for overthrows to gift him his second century and his first on home soil. Given his family connection, it was a moment that he may yet cherish even more than his emotional first century, at Cape Town five months ago.England’s eventual total of 298 was quickly put into context when Sri Lanka’s openers came out to launch their reply. Faced with grey skies and a packed cordon, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva betrayed their anxieties in the very first over, when they hesitated so long over a quick single that they could have ended up shaking hands in the middle of the pitch.Instead, after inching through the first three overs, they waved goodbye to one another in the space of five deliveries. First, Broad straightened one off the seam to kiss the edge of the left-handed Karunaratne, who departed for a 12-ball duck, before Anderson drew level with Kapil on 434 career wickets by finding some extra lift to dispose of Silva for 11.
One over later, and Broad had two wickets in three balls as he went wide on the crease to spear an angled full-length ball into Kusal Mendis’ forward defence, for Bairstow to snaffle the slenderest of deflections behind the stumps.Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews stood firm in a 31-run stand before the interval, as James Vince – funkily introduced by Cook in a bid to emulate Dasun Shanaka’s own debutant heroics – zipped a flying edge through the cordon from the final ball of the session. Straight after the resumption, however, it was Vince’s hands at third slip that made the breakthrough, as Chandimal was forced to play at a pearler from Stokes, and at 43 for 4, the foundations of the innings had been fatally undermined.Mathews, typically, found a means to delay the inevitable, as he counter-attacked with skill and intent in an innings top-score of 34 from 62 balls. But Anderson’s return did him in – after lining up the outswinger he was pinned on the pad by the one that jagged back in. Though replays showed he would have been reprieved on review – the ball struck him outside the line – his bamboozlement was absolute as he chose not to quibble.One over later, Anderson was on a hat-trick as Shanaka’s eventful debut continued with an unplayable outswinger, grazed through to the keeper, and though Herath resisted briefly, he was the next to go, caught high above Stokes’ head at second slip after Anderson went wide on the crease to change the angle to the left-hander.Broad then bagged a brace as Finn, at mid-off, showed improbable agility to cling on to two diving chances in consecutive overs, but with both of England’s gun bowlers on four wickets and just the one left to squabble over, Anderson reclaimed his senior status by strangling the last man down the leg side on review, to give Bairstow a haul of five catches in the innings.That last man, as it happens, was none other than Eranga, the very bowler whose throat-ball two years ago had delivered Anderson his very worst experience at a ground that has rarely favoured him. This performance offered a degree of closure. More, you suspect, will follow over the weekend.

The much-anticipated meeting between the BCCI and PCB heads took place in Dubai on Sunday afternoon

Nagraj Gollapudi & Umar Farooq22-Nov-2015The much-anticipated meeting between the BCCI and PCB heads took place in Dubai on Sunday afternoon, at the ICC headquarters. BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who is in Dubai in his role as the ICC chairman, met PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan to discuss a way to break the deadlock over the staging of a bilateral series between the two countries. Although there has been no official information on the outcome of the meeting yet, it is understood that one possible solution discussed at the meeting was staging the series in Sri Lanka, comprising five matches: three ODIs and two Twenty20Is.*Though it remains to be confirmed, even a mere discussion around having the series at a neutral venue like Sri Lanka would have to be seen as a positive step, given both the BCCI and PCB have remained defiant about not playing at the other’s home venue. According to the ICC’s FTP, Pakistan are meant to host India in the UAE for a full tour comprising two Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is. However, with India leaving for Australia after the first week of January for an ODI series (which starts on January 12), the Pakistan series should it go ahead will need to be scrunched into a shorter one.None of the officials present at the meeting, including Khan, usually an effusive speaker, revealed any details. Khan only said that ECB president Giles Clarke – who was present at the meeting – is likely to brief the media on Monday.”We had a fruitful meeting,” Khan said. “Giles Clarke was our facilitator and Shashank was also in there. It has been decided that Giles Clarke will give a briefing tomorrow. We have also decided that there will be no further briefing. I am not in a position to say more than this.”Khan was accompanied by Najam Sethi, head of the PCB’s executive committee, at the meeting, while Manohar was the sole representative of the BCCI. Neither Clarke nor Manohar could be reached for a comment at their hotel. Khan and Sethi were scheduled to return to Pakistan by a late-evening flight, while Manohar will be in Dubai for another two days.The presence of Clarke at the meeting was no surprise considering he has been a strong supporter of an India-Pakistan series for a long time. On the eve of the meeting Khan had already said that Clarke was playing the role of a mediator.Clarke is head the ICC task force on Pakistan, which has looked into how the PCB could fulfill its commitments under the Future Tours Programme given the security issues following the Lahore attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009. In his report, Clarke had stressed on the significance of India-Pakistan cricket, saying: “It [the severed bilateral ties] is hurting the sport, particularly in Pakistan and the PTT sees no reason why this great sporting rivalry should not be restored as soon as possible, even if on neutral soil.”Still Clarke would have found it difficult to mediate here, given the rigid stance adopted by both sides going into the meeting. Manohar had earlier made it clear India would not play in the UAE as desired by the PCB, and speaking to the on Saturday, he reiterated that stance once again. “Presently, there is no question [of playing in the UAE]. We gave an option to Pakistan, asking them whether they will come to India. Pakistan was to get back to me, they haven’t got back to me.” Asked whether there were any specific reasons he was opposed to India playing in the UAE, Manohar said there were none.Khan’s response to the offer initially was that the PCB would not send its team to India, keeping in mind two factors: the security situation given some political elements having opening displayed their opposition to Pakistan, and the MoU India had signed in 2014 where it was decided that Pakistan would host the first of the six bilateral series in the UAE. While the BCCI agrees that the MoU had been signed, its officials have always stressed that the series was dependent on the federal government giving it its nod.On Friday Khan had feigned ignorance about the impending meeting, saying he was in the UAE to attend the fourth ODI between Pakistan and England. He said that he had not heard at the time from Manohar but would be open to discuss the matter. On Saturday Khan travelled to Abu Dhabi to meet top UAE government officials, reportedly to seek support for hosting the series in the Gulf state. He said the decision to play India now did not lie with the PCB anymore, but the Pakistan government would take the final decision.*19.00GMT, November 22: This article was updated.

An unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 112 in 13 overs between Matt Wade and Mitchell Marsh was the difference as Australia went 1-0 up in the ODI series

The Report by George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl03-Sep-2015
Scorecard1:42

Australia hold off England at the Ageas Bowl

A seventh-wicket partnership of 112 in 13 overs between Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh proved the difference between the sides in the first ODI of the series between England and Australia in Southampton.When the pair came together Australia were precariously placed on 193 for 6 and had just lost three wickets for 15 runs. But Wade, timing the ball as well as anyone, produced his highest ODI score since August 2012 – and his highest ever against a Full Member nation – as Australia added 93 from the final 10 overs.That took Australia’s total above 300 and, while the game has changed up to a point, the fact remains that England have only three times successfully chased a target of that magnitude. Only once have they successfully chased a target higher than the one they were set here.There was talk, at the halfway stage of the game, that the Australia total was little better than par. And it is true that, in the context of the run-drenched ODI series against New Zealand earlier this season, a score of 305 seemed pretty modest.But maybe in time we will come to see that series – played on perfect batting pitches and with playing regulations that favoured batsmen to an extreme extent – as somewhat aberrational. This was the first ODI in England played under the new playing regulations which allow the fielding captain more scope to defend. It is too early to say for sure what the effects will be, but it seems reasonable to presume they will rein in totals just a little.England’s openers set off well enough but eventually, against a disciplined attack, the pressure of sustaining such a run chase began to tell. And, once their innings lost momentum, wickets followed.This was a performance that represented a fine return from Wade. He missed out on World Cup selection after Brad Haddin’s superior keeping and extra experience – and his own failure to nail down a place in the 47 ODIs he had played up to that point – was favoured.Until that point, Wade was averaging in the mid-20s and, after a decent start to his ODI career (he made three half-centuries in his first nine innings), had contributed just one half-century in 22 innings.He didn’t enjoy a good start here, either. Attempting to get off the mark, he pushed a delivery straight to the cover fielder – Ben Stokes of all people – and set off for an almost impossible run that left his partner, the unfortunate Shane Watson, yards short of his ground.But after that moment of madness, he demonstrated a fine range of strokes, a selflessness and an ability to improvise – one sweep off Stokes was especially eye-catching – to suggest that, aged 27, he has the ability, the time and now the maturity to make a success of his second chance in international cricket. He also kept athletically and claimed three catches.Certainly Australia were grateful for his contribution. While David Warner and Joe Burns ensured a bright enough start, Australia lost their way in mid-innings due to the introduction of England’s spinners and some self-inflicted errors. First Burns hit a full toss straight back at the bowler, before Steven Smith slogged another straight to the fielder on the deep midwicket boundary.Adil Rashid was the fortunate bowler on both occasions but, in between times, this was a decent performance from the legspinner. Encouraged to think of himself as a wicket-taking bowler, even in this format of the game, he turned the ball both ways and generally maintained a decent, demanding length. On another day the wicket of Warner, who again looked in fine form but was defeated by a googly and sliced to short third man, might have proved crucial, while Rashid could also take pride in the wicket of George Bailey, beaten by one that skidded on.Moeen Ali, gaining more drift and dip than at any time this summer, also bowled nicely and was the most economical of England’s bowlers. But the seamers claimed only one wicket between them – and that from what might well have been called a leg side wide had Glenn Maxwell not feathered it – which gave Australia the opportunity to launch a counterattack in the final overs.England’s reply started well, too. Jason Roy, timing the ball as well as he ever has done in an England shirt, raced to his maiden international half-century and with Alex Hales posted a first-wicket stand of 70 in 11 overs. It is a partnership of elegant brutality that promises much for the future.But after Hales pulled to midwicket, James Taylor was unable to capitalise on his decent start and became bogged down against the impressively tight bowling of Watson and Maxwell. Roy sliced to point, Taylor played across a straight one and Eoin Morgan’s uncomfortable innings was ended when he gloved an attempted pull down the leg side.That wicket seemed to break the back of England’s resistance. Stokes’ unconvincing innings was ended by a flick to midwicket, Jos Buttler drive to mid-off and, with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins bowling with impressive pace, the tail were never likely to stay with Moeen long enough to get close.England have now lost 10 of their last 11 ODIs against Australia. The margin was not as large as the last time they met – on the opening day of the World Cup in February – but Australia showed that, even with four changes to the side that lifted that trophy, they remain a tough team to beat in ODI cricket.

Leighton Greenidge, the president of the Southern Connecticut Cricket Association, has spoken out against the way the Annual General Meeting was handled

Peter Della Penna28-Dec-2012Leighton Greenidge, the president of the Southern Connecticut Cricket Association and regional director of the currently suspended North East Region, has spoken out against the USA Cricket Association (USACA) for the way the Annual General Meeting was handled on December 15 in New York. According to sources, only two league presidents belonging to member leagues in good standing attended the meeting, which took place inside the Hilton Hotel at JFK Airport.Despite the small crowd, several people including Greenidge were denied access at the conference room door to prevent participation at the AGM. USACA has not issued any meeting minutes regarding the AGM and attempts to contact USACA president Gladstone Dainty by phone to discuss the meeting were unsuccessful.According to sources, one of the documents presented at the AGM by Dainty was titled, “A Vision For USACA” and dated September 9, 2008. In the document, Dainty blamed USACA’s lack of a business office as the singular fact that “has stymied the development of the organisation.”USACA had originally announced that the AGM was to take place at the April 14 board meeting in Florida, when general elections were held. Just days ahead of that meeting, the ICC had confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that USACA’s funding grants were temporarily suspended because of its failure to hold an AGM in 2011, one of the core administrative requirements for all Associate members. Dainty was re-elected in a landslide after 32 of the 47 USACA member leagues were barred from voting.Sources claim that internal doubts were raised recently as to whether or not the April meeting constituted an AGM. As a result, USACA announced that the AGM would be held in New York on December 15. However, it is unclear if the meeting can be considered a legitimate AGM if only two presidents from member leagues in good standing were present. Consequently, the Associate funding grants that USACA receives from the ICC could once again be in danger of being suspended.”It is public knowledge that I am not a supporter of Gladstone Dainty’s failed policies and initiatives as it relates to management of cricket in the United States,” Greenidge told ESPNcricinfo. “Having said that, I still have a fiduciary obligation and responsibility to my constituents as president of my league, the Southern Connecticut Cricket Association, and as a Regional Director of the North East Region to represent them and report to them what transpired at that and every AGM.”According to Greenidge, he arrived shortly before the 10 am start time and approached the entrance to the meeting room with USACA board member Krish Prasad. In a scene reminiscent of two previous board meetings from 2011 and 2010, when board members were prevented from entering USACA meetings by off duty policemen or security guards, Greenidge had his name on a list held by a security guard stationed outside the door with instructions to refuse him entry. Prasad was allowed to enter.”On approaching the door to the meeting room, we were approached by a gentleman who asked both of us to sign in on the sign-in sheet provided and to produce some form of photo ID for verification,” Greenidge said. “Upon examination of my credentials, the gentleman, who identified himself as chief of security of that Hilton Hotel, informed me that he had a list of individuals in hand who were not allowed in the meeting and that furthermore my name was on that list. He insisted that I leave the establishment immediately or he would take further action.”Greenidge’s league is currently a member league that was declared one of the 32 member leagues not in good standing after the results of a USACA compliance audit were announced at the start of the year. As a result, his league was ineligible to vote in April’s general elections. However, Greenidge said he didn’t think that attending the AGM in New York would cause any problems because of statements made by Dainty and USACA treasurer John Thickett to ESPNcricinfo on November 22 regarding April’s elections and that all members would be welcome at the AGM.”I would like to state it’s not true the board targeted certain regions,” Dainty told ESPNcricinfo. “The constitution is quite clear about the compliance procedures and the rules are there in the constitution and in the laws of the United States.””No league was sanctioned in any way and USACA has provided a large amount of material to non-compliant leagues to help them to become compliant and offered the services of its staff to also assist them,” Thickett said. “All USACA members are welcome to attend the AGM. On voting matters, all members in good standing are eligible to vote.”While USACA had 47 member leagues under its umbrella in 2011, Dainty stated in a December 13 affidavit that there are currently only 12 member leagues in good standing with USACA. The affidavit was filed in response to a lawsuit filed by former USACA executive secretary Kenwyn Williams.”The cricketing world needs to have a full understanding of the state of cricket in the USA under the current administration,” Greenidge said. “This administration has reduced its membership to 12 leagues while still expecting to receive the same level of ICC funding that they enjoyed when there were 45+ leagues in the association.””This administration claims to be transparent and honest, but the actions of this group are anything but honest. One has to wonder if USACA is really about cricket or something else. No real tournaments, no cricket development or anything that even approaches the mission statement of the organisation. If an organisation is unable to develop simple local and national tournaments, it is unreasonable to expect it to run a tournament with international implications that approaches the standard of the IPL and what would amount to be a $1 billion venture.”

Somerset batsman Nick Compton hopes he has done enough to earn an England call-up for the tour of India

Andrew McGlashan10-Sep-2012Somerset batsman Nick Compton hopes he has done enough to earn an England call-up for the tour of India despite an untimely back injury that has kept him sidelined just as the debate about top-order places has been sparked by the retirement of Andrew Strauss.Compton has the chance to give the selectors a final push when he returns for the last game of the season against Worcestershire this week and is currently among a group of top three batsmen vying for a tour spot alongside Michael Carberry, Joe Root and Varun Chopra, although it is still not confirmed when the squad will be named.Despite not playing since the England Lions game against Australia A at Old Trafford in early August, Compton remains the leading scorer in the country this season with 1339 first-class runs at 89.26 (almost 150 clear of second-placed James Hildreth). During a prolific start to the season, he came within touching distance to making 1000 runs before the end of May only to be thwarted by rain.While Carberry, Root and Chopra have continued to catch the eye with Championship and one-day runs, Compton has been forced to bide his time after suffering a bulging disc that flared up during the Australia A.”You get down, of course, you want to keep pushing, have a very strong finish to the season and make it impossible for them not to pick me,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I still hope my averages and the scores I’ve had over the last two seasons will go in my favour and they’ll see me as a strong contender. But, as they say, timing is everything and the timing of the injury wasn’t ideal. It’s never a good time, but coinciding with Strauss retiring means I was even more eager to get back to full fitness.””I’ve never had a back injury before and it’s not serious, just combination of stiffness and tightness then you get a bit of nerve pain,” he added. “With all the cricket we play, plus all the driving around in coaches, you aren’t really getting a proper chance to get rid of things like that and it’s a reminder to stay on top of things as much as you can.”Compton’s chances of getting on the plane to India probably hinge on whether the selectors want to blood youth or opt for an experienced county cricketer. One factor possibly in Compton’s favour is that if Jonny Bairstow and James Taylor both tour, after making Test debuts this season, the selectors may not want to take another young batsman like Root as well, especially if Kevin Pietersen remains absent.Now batting at No. 3 for Somerset, Compton was an opener for much of his career for Middlesex and believes the skills for each role are transferable – although it might just be that fact that could hinder his chances if Jonathan Trott is promoted up the order for the India series.”The top three is where you will face the best bowling so you have to have the technique for it,” he said. “The similarities are there; you can be in second ball or after two hours. As a No. 3 you have to be ready like an opener even though you don’t walk out straight away. It’s not a case of sitting back. It can be tough but it’s about being mentally ready, and for me it’s been about controlling my emotions.”Compton has started to flourish in the middle stage of his career, following the move from Middlesex to Somerset in 2010. Although his run-scoring feats this season are what have caught the attention, he also averaged a very solid 56.11 in 2011 and now feels as comfortable as he ever has in his batting.”When Jacques Kallis was playing against us earlier in the season he said he had not learnt his game fully until about 30. For me that was quite insightful,” he said. “I’ve had ups and downs during my career and now understand my game. I’m not saying that the young players aren’t ready or can’t be ready, but the ones that come in and excel from ball one are few and far between.”Alastair Cook springs to mind, Michael Clarke would be another but even they would probably say that they only understand their game fully now they are older. Some players learn their game at first-class level others evolve at Test level. I feel like my time is now and feel ready to step up.”

The Hobart Hurricanes Twenty20 blueprint, or more accurately purpleprint, has worked again. This time the Adelaide Strikers succumbed to Xavier Doherty’s team by 14 runs

Alex Malcolm28-Dec-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsXavier Doherty’s 4 for 17 was the standout performance in the match•Getty Images

The Hobart Hurricanes Twenty20 blueprint, or more accurately purpleprint, has worked again. This time the Adelaide Strikers succumbed to Xavier Doherty’s team by 14 runs at the Adelaide Oval in front of more than 27,000 patrons.The Hurricanes skipper Doherty was again the chief architect of the win, taking 4 for 17 in a match-winning display of spin bowling. His side have now won three from three and sit atop the BBL table. But the identical nature of the three wins is most intriguing, although tonight’s victory was their toughest yet.For the third consecutive match Doherty won the toss and elected to bat. For the third consecutive time the Hurricanes had eight or more wickets in hand with 10 overs to go, having crawled through the first half of their innings at less than seven runs per over.Yet they were able to post 4 for 171. Again it was Travis Birt who ignited the Hurricanes. In the eleventh over, having faced only two balls after Jonathan Wells fell to Johan Botha at the start of the tenth, Birt launched an assault on Bryce McGain. He clubbed two sixes and one four from the over. McGain had delivered two overs that cost 29.Only 15 runs came from the next three overs however. McGain was held back while Kane Richardson, Aaron O’Brien, and Alfonso Thomas tied Phil Jaques in knots. McGain exacted some revenge when he ended Jaques’ 42-ball stay at the start of the 15th over. Jaques’ 41, which included just two boundaries, left onlookers wondering if the Hurricanes tactics had finally come unstuck.Enter English import Owais Shah. He smashed 36 unbeaten runs from just 18 balls. He and Birt again accelerated the innings at a rapid rate. Birt thumped 44 from 26 including three fours and three sixes. He became Botha’s second scalp in the 18th over, but it did not slow the rate. Shah, in combination with Matt Johnston, orchestrated 66 from the last five overs to push the total to 171.The Strikers bowling group were reasonably impressive. Botha, O’Brien, Thomas and Richardson all conceded eight an over or less. But McGain’s four overs cost 49, which meant the Strikers were chasing a testing target. No side had ever chased more than 170 in a T20 in Adelaide.With the spinners having done well in the Hurricanes’ innings, Doherty and Jason Krejza opened the bowling but conceded 19 in the first two overs to Aiden Blizzard. Doherty then put on a masterclass of T20 bowling. He clean bowled Blizzard in the third over before saving his last two overs for the second half of the innings.In between he mixed and matched his bowlers well. Johnston bowled two overs for just nine. His awkward action, with which he delivers swerving inswingers off the wrong foot, caused significant difficulties for Michael Klinger and Adam Crosthwaite. Krejza returned to dismiss Crosthwaite lbw, while Rana Naved picked up the vital wicket of Callum Ferguson, in the following over, with Rhett Lockyear clutching a sharp chance in the gully.Doherty brought himself back on in the eleventh over to bowl at the key partnership of Klinger and Cameron Borgas. He struck immediately, forcing a miss-hit from his opposing captain, and only conceded three from the over.Klinger’s dismissal left the Strikers needing 99 from 55 balls. Borgas and Tom Cooper were unperturbed by the absurdity of the task. They ramped balls over the keeper’s head, switch-hit boundaries through backward point, and generally caused Hobart headaches in their 62-run partnership. Cooper even hit Rana onto the roof of the Chappell Stands.But Rana removed Borgas later in the 17th over. Tom Triffitt, the wicketkeeper, held his nerve under the towering skier, something Krejza had failed to do the previous delivery, but the game was still alive with the Strikers needing 37 from 18 balls.Ben Laughlin delivered the 18th over that cost just nine and saw Botha being run out.Then Doherty delivered the last rites. He bowled Richardson and O’Brien in consecutive balls to finish with four wickets. After his first over had cost nine, his next three yielded figures of 4 for 8.Cooper was left stranded on 44 having hit five fours along with his enormous six. The Strikers may well lament that he was only able to face 27 deliveries as their chase went awry. The Strikers have now lost two in succession after thumping the Renegades in their opening match.

Habib Bank Limited’s bowlers are only a couple of strikes away from giving their batsmen a modest target to chase in order to win the Quaid-e-Azam trophy in Karachi

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2011
ScorecardHabib Bank Limited’s bowlers are only a couple of strikes away from giving their batsmen a modest target to chase in order to win the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in Karachi. They reduced Pakistan International Airlines to 232 for 8 in the second innings, restricting the lead to only 147, and will hope to finish off the tail quickly on the fourth morning.The third day began with HBL’s tail fighting PIA’s bowlers, adding valuable runs for the last two wickets. They had resumed the innings on 280 for 8, with Fahad Masood on 38. He took charge of the run-scoring and reached his half-century as he made PIA’s bowlers wait longer than expected. Masood struck seven fours in his 66, scoring 28 of the 33 runs added today, before he was lbw to Shoaib Malik. HBL had secured a first-innings lead of 85.PIA’s second innings began poorly – Masood bowled Anop Santosh cheaply – and thereafter they suffered from a lack of substantial partnerships, even though most of the top and middle-order batsmen got starts. Kamran Sajid held the innings together with a steady 70 but he lost partners regularly as Kamran Hussain and Danish Kaneria worked through the line-up. Hussain and Kaneria picked up three wickets apiece and PIA went from 199 for 4 to 220 for 8. Fahad Iqbal, who ended the day unbeaten on 46, held the responsibility of giving PIA’s bowlers a reasonable target to defend.

She needs to get her action tested within 14 days of being reported. In the meantime, she can continue bowling

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2025Ireland Women left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire has been reported for a suspect bowling action following the first ODI against India in Rajkot, where she picked up 3 for 57 from eight overs.As per the ICC regulations, Maguire, 18, needs to get her action tested at an ICC-accredited testing centre within 14 days of being reported. She can continue bowling until the results of the test are known.Last month, Maguire was named in Ireland’s squad for the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Since the assessment window falls in the middle of the tournament, she had to be withdrawn from it. Genevieve Morrissey has replaced her in the squad.*Graeme West, the director of high performance at Cricket Ireland, said, “The staff and players are rallying around Aimee, reassuring her that she will return with a stronger action and will continue to shine on the international stage for many years to come.”The experience and expertise that we possess within our High Performance Coaching and Support Services at Cricket Ireland will provide Aimee with the care, support and guidance to deliver the remedial programme which will begin following the team’s return from India.”Maguire made her international debut in 2023. So far, she has played 11 ODIs and nine T20Is, taking 25 wickets in all with a best of 5 for 19 against England in a one-dayer last year.Having lost the first ODI by six wickets, Ireland trail the three-match series 1-0. The remaining two ODIs are also to be played in Rajkot, on January 12 and 15.

The India coach was asked whether the lack of BBL experience was a factor in India losing the semi-final to England

Sidharth Monga10-Nov-20221:39

Dravid: ‘If you allow Indian players to play overseas leagues, our domestic cricket will be finished’

India can’t send their players to overseas T20 leagues, their coach Rahul Dravid has said, because a lot of these leagues are played during India’s domestic season. The topic came up when Dravid was asked whether India had been at a disadvantage during their semi-final defeat to England because their players don’t have any BBL experience in Australia, while England’s do, and if India would look to send players to the BBL in the future. The tenuous link between the experience of playing the BBL in the Australian summer and doing well there in early spring conditions notwithstanding.”I mean, sure, there’s no doubt about it, the fact that England… a lot of their players have come here and played in this tournament,” Dravid said, “and it certainly showed. It’s tough. I think it’s very difficult for Indian cricket because a lot of these tournaments happen right at the peak of our season.Related

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• Alex Hales and Jos Buttler carry England into final with 10-wicket mauling of India

• Rohit Sharma: 'We just didn't turn up with the ball'

• Moody: India were 'very conservative and lacked intent' in the first half of their innings

“I think it’s a huge challenge for us. Yes, I think a lot of our boys maybe do miss out on the opportunities of playing in a lot of these leagues, but if you were to… it’s really up to the BCCI to make that decision, but the thing is it’s right in the middle of our season, and with the kind of demand there would be for Indian players, if you allowed all the Indian players to play in these leagues, we would not have a domestic cricket. Our domestic cricket, our Ranji Trophy, would be finished, and that would mean Test cricket would be finished.”I know a lot of people talk about it [no Indians in overseas T20 leagues], but we have to be very careful when we… we have to understand the challenges that Indian cricket faces or the BCCI would face in a situation like this. You’d see all our boys… like a lot of boys being asked to play leagues right bang in the middle of our season. We’ve seen what that’s done to West Indian cricket, and I would definitely not want Indian cricket to go that way. It would certainly affect our Ranji Trophy; it would affect Test cricket. Indian boys playing Test cricket is pretty important for the Test game as well, I would think.”England’s captain Jos Buttler was also asked about this, but he quickly went on to praise Alex Hales, who ran away with the chase on the night. “I think Alex would have played as much Big Bash cricket as anyone, and his performance tonight was amazing,” Buttler said. “I think it’s some huge strengths of his, square of the wicket, which obviously today on this kind of grounds really is great. No, he’s a tough guy to bowl at. He’s been obviously performing really well for a long period of time. Unfortunately hasn’t been able to get back in due to other players playing brilliantly well as well. A few circumstances and that opportunity has arisen, and he’s come in, and the last three matches especially, his form has been brilliant.”The topic of participation in overseas T20 leagues has been a sticky one in Indian cricket. The bigger fear perhaps is that even if the BCCI allows only those with no ambition for a place in first-class cricket to play these T20 leagues, it will result in more and more players opting not to play first-class cricket, thus weakening the structure that has resulted in a formidable Test side. Other teams do have to deal with this friction, too, but the demand for Indian players for commercial reasons would be much higher.

Veteran seamer helps run through Worcestershire as Middlesex wrap up 127-run victory on final day

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2019Veteran paceman Tim Murtagh steered Middlesex to their first Specsavers County Championship victory of the campaign, a 127-run success against Worcestershire, with a six-wicket haul at Blackfinch New Road.Murtagh, who is 38 in August, struck twice before lunch, produced another triple breakthrough after the resumption and he went on to finish with figures of 6 for 51 and a match analysis of 35-16-76-8. Worcestershire, who had been set a 353 target after Middlesex declared overnight, were bowled out for 225 in 73.3 overs.It was the perfect return to county action for Murtagh after his recent international commitments with Ireland and the 33rd five-wicket haul of his career.Middlesex fully deserved their 20-point haul and fit again captain Dawid Malan produced the game’s outstanding batting performance with scores of 45 and 124 on a wicket where the ball nipped around over all four days.For Worcestershire, opener Daryl Mitchell made a return to form for the home side with a defiant 129-ball half-century and Ross Whiteley also produced strong resistance with a late order fifty. But for the home side it was a second successive setback following the defeat at Lancashire and they were second best with bat and ball for the majority of the game.Middlesex declared at their overnight total of 287 for 6 with John Simpson unbeaten on 30 and Toby Roland-Jones 11 not out.Murtagh took the new ball and struck in successive overs. Tom Fell was undone by a ball which bounced on him and nicked to Sam Robson at first slip with 5 on the board. Then George Rhodes departed lbw for a duck to a Murtagh delivery which nipped back sharply.Mitchell and Callum Ferguson tried to rebuild the innings and the latter needed 21 balls to get off the mark before reeling off a succession of boundaries. They steered Worcestershire to 91 for 2 at lunch but Murtagh came back into the attack after the resumption to re-assert a position of authority for Middlesex.Ferguson went for a drive to his first delivery of the afternoon from Murtagh and was pouched by Steve Eskinazi who held onto a head high catch at second slip. Two balls later Riki Wessels pushed forward and only succeeded in finding Malan in the gully region.Mitchell went to his half-century – containing nine fours – with a single off Murtagh but in his next over dragged a delivery on to his stumps.Murtagh had Whiteley dropped on 11 at third slip and the left hander profited from his let-off, mixing defence with some trademark attacking strokes.The wickets continued to tumble at the other end with Ben Cox and Ed Barnard both caught behind off Tom Helm and Toby Roland-Jones respectively. Victim number six for Murtagh came when he defeated the defensive push of Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach who was bowled.Whiteley’s half-century came up from 90 deliveries with seven fours. But the end came quickly as Josh Tongue was taken at second slip off Helm and finally Whiteley, whose 112-ball knock contained nine fours, edged James Harris to first slip with 22.3 overs remaining.