An unbroken 133-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane – the first century stand of the series – deflated South Africa after Morne Morkel had given them a sliver of hope with three early top-order wickets

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy05-Dec-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:50

Manjrekar: Kohli’s batting in difficult conditions showed his class

An unbroken 133-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane – the first century stand of the series – deflated South Africa after Morne Morkel had given them a sliver of hope with three early top-order wickets. India were 57 for 4 when Rahane joined Kohli early in the post-lunch session. They were still in command, their lead a healthy 270, but South Africa were eyeing the possibility of having less than 400 to chase. When bad light brought day three to a close with nine overs still to be bowled, Kohli and Rahane were still unbeaten, on 83 and 52 respectively, India’s lead now a mighty 403.Morkel took wickets off successive deliveries in the first session to leave India 8 for 2, yorked Shikhar Dhawan soon after lunch, and continued to threaten with pace and reverse-swing to end the day with figures of 3 for 29 from 17 overs. The rest of the attack did their job too, but their efforts seemed to have a tinge of futility to them, thanks to the disappointing performance of their batsmen on the second day. Getting bowled out for 121 and conceding a 213-run first-innings lead was always going to leave South Africa chasing the game.Still, India had to fight hard. Dhawan had batted as cautiously as he had done in the first innings, leaving resolutely outside off stump, had taken a couple of blows, off awkwardly bouncing deliveries from Kyle Abbott and Imran Tahir, and had moved to 21 off 85 when Morkel speared a full, fast ball under his bat from around the wicket.Cheteshwar Pujara, who had mirrored Dhawan’s struggle at the other end, fell three overs later, bowled for the third time in successive innings. This time it was Tahir who rattled his stumps with a flatter, quicker legbreak that left Pujara going back rather than forward, playing the trajectory rather than the length. India were now 57 for 4.Kohli and Rahane had looked the most assured batsmen in India’s first innings, and they continued to bat fluently, timing their shots better than the top order had done. But South Africa’s bowlers still made them work hard for their runs. Though their partnership run-rate of 2.66 was significantly better than the 1.97 achieved by the previous-highest stand in the innings, between Dhawan and Pujara, it was still slow going by their standards.Even Tahir, erratic all through the tour, found his rhythm, bowling with accuracy and keeping the batsmen guessing with his variations. A big-spinning legbreak to Kohli seemed to have given him his second wicket when umpire Bruce Oxenford upheld the South Africans’ caught-behind appeal, but a check for no-ball showed Tahir’s heel to have landed marginally, but decisively, beyond the crease. Further replays also suggested Kohli hadn’t edged the ball. Kohli survived, but might still face censure from the match referee for his reaction to the initial decision: he refused to walk off for a few seconds, glaring at the umpire and muttering under his breath.M Vijay too might have gone into the match referee’s notebook, when Kumar Dharmasena gave him out caught behind off Morkel. That wicket, in the fifth over of India’s innings, came off a snorter of a bouncer, angling into the batsman and forcing him to lift his gloves and bat instinctively to shield his face. Given out, Vijay’s first reaction was to point at his arm guard. He was right that the ball had struck him there, and therefore unlucky to be given out, but gesturing to the umpire was an ill-advised step.That was the last ball of Morkel’s third over. First ball of his fourth was pitched at a near-perfect spot, on an off-stump line and the fuller side of a good length, and it straightened to hit the top of off stump after beating the outside edge of India’s No. 3. It was Rohit Sharma, rather than Cheteshwar Pujara, who occupied this slot.Initially it seemed that the promotion came about because Pujara had suffered a bruised hand while fielding at short leg on day two, but then it seemed it might have been tactical, when Pujara walked out at No. 4. Either way, it ended a horrendous Test with the bat for Rohit – he holed out to long-on for 1 in the first innings, and followed that with a golden duck in the second.Rahane had a couple of nervy moments against the spinners, preferring to play them off the back foot, as he had done in the first innings, but not playing as steadfastly straight. Looking to pull Tahir, low bounce forced him to bottom-edge the ball into the flap of his pad and balloon in the air. Only Rahane’s own physical presence prevented Dane Vilas from diving forward from behind the stumps and completing the catch. A few overs later, sharp turn from Piedt made Rahane jam his bat down awkwardly and squeeze the ball into the on side, after initially looking to cut him against the turn.But it was Morkel who continued to pose the most problems. Coming back for his third spell, he reversed a 45-over-old ball away from Rahane to produce a massive caught-behind appeal. It was turned down, rightly so, with replays showing the ball missing his outside edge and flicking his back pad. In his next over, he bent the ball into Rahane twice, and the batsman left the ball on both occasions. The first one narrowly missed the top of off stump, the second hit Rahane’s front pad, height preventing another full-throated appeal from being upheld.By tea, though, both Kohli and Rahane had settled in and were batting with a fair degree of comfort. Barring an inside-edge from Rahane off Abbott that narrowly missed leg stump, South Africa didn’t pose too many problems to the pair in the middle.Kohli scored at a fairly good clip, though not with his usual array of leg-side whips and cover drives; with the pitch throwing up occasionally uncertain bounce, he played later than he often does, letting the ball come on and picking up a number of boundaries with controlled dabs to the third-man region. Rahane was more sedate, scoring 9 runs off the first 42 balls he faced in the session before changing gears with a powerfully swept four off Tahir.Starting with that shot, Rahane picked up three fours in five overs, and soon reached his half-century, completing an emphatic turnaround in form. Having started the series with scores of 15, 2, 13 and 9, he was ending it with a century and a fifty in the same match.

A round-up of the final day of group play from the 2016 Nagico Super50 in Trinidad & Tobago and St Kitts

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-20162:46

Bishop: T&T’s slow bowling was disappointing

Needing a win to secure a spot in the Nagico Super50 semi-final round, Barbados knocked off previously undefeated Trinidad & Tobago by three wickets on Sunday at Queen’s Park Oval. Barbados sent the hosts in and held them to 226 thanks in large part to captain Jason Holder’s 4 for 35.Only three batsmen reached double digits for T&T, but each made an important contribution. Foremost among them was Darren Bravo who top scored with 82 after coming back into the lineup for the first time in the tournament since returning from the Test tour of Australia. He received quality support from Kjorn Ottley, who made 38, but more significantly Denesh Ramdin, whose 57 was part of an 89-run fifth-wicket stand with Bravo.Though no one reached 50 for Barbados in reply, every member of the top seven contributed a double-figure score. Kraigg Brathwaite was the best of the lot with 48 off 87 balls as he teamed with Shai Hope for a methodical 62-run second-wicket stand to get the chase going in the right direction.Holder and Shane Dowrich added another 54 for the sixth wicket before Rayad Emrit intervened with wickets off back-to-back balls to nab Holder for 26 and Carlos Brathwaite for a golden duck to set up a hat-trick ball with Barbados still 28 short of victory. Dowrich managed to see off the threat though and carried Barbados across the line with an unbeaten 29 off 50. Emrit took 3 for 45 in defeat, though T&T still finished atop Group A. As a result, they will face Windward Islands, who finished second in Group B in one semi-final next week while Barbados will play Guyana in the other knockout contest.Jamaica survived an upset scare from ICC Americas, scratching out a one-wicket win earlier in the day, a result which meant Barbados had to beat T&T in order to avoid a net run rate tiebreaker coming into play to decide the last semi-final spot. ICC Americas won the toss and elected to bat first, posting their best score of the event and third-highest for any team at this year’s tournament in making 253 for 8.Ruvindu Gunasekera blasted 87 at the top order to underpin the innings. Gunasekera added 99 for the third wicket with Nitish Kumar, who made 43. Though Gunasekera fell in the 42nd over just 13 short of a ton, the strong platform he laid allowed the middle order to play aggressively in adding 95 over the final 10 overs. Srimantha Wijeratne led the surge with 45 off 28 balls while Hamza Tariq cracked a rapid 35 off 14. Sheldon Cottrell had a mixed day, getting hit hard by Gunasekera before claiming three wickets at the death, including Wijeratne and Tariq, to end with 3 for 57 in seven overs.Jamaica started the chase in aggressive fashion in pursuit of a bonus point which would have put added pressure on Barbados, but their eagerness backfired in the face of a disciplined ICC Americas attack. Hammad Shahid struck in the first over to remove Jermaine Harrison before Ali Khan trapped Trevon Griffith at 23 for 4. Captain John Campbell made 82 off 74 balls, including fifty-plus stands for the third and fourth wickets with Andre McCarthy and Jermaine Blackwood, but when he fell at 148 for 4 in the 25th over, the chase for the bonus point came undone.Kumar’s part-time offspin caused major problems for Jamaica in claiming not just Campbell but also Jermaine Blackwood and Devon Thomas to put Jamaica in strife at 218 for 7 in the 35th. Four balls later, Kumar was responsible for a frantic run-out of Brandon King – chasing a legbye after an unsuccessful leg before shout by Khan – by charging in with an underhanded strike from midwicket. Khan yorked Damion Jacobs for a duck in the same over to complete a stretch of three wickets in seven balls for no runs to make it 218 for 9 with Jamaica still 36 runs adrift of the target.Though the pursuit for the 40-over bonus point had to be ditched, the last man to the crease Marquino Mindley came to Jamaica’s rescue with an unbeaten 24 off 37 as the ICC Americas unit spent the next 10 overs unable to dislodge Mindley or his partner Aldane Thomas. With scores level, a boundary to start the 46th ended the match, sending the ICC Americas squad home empty-handed.Windward Islands held on by five runs to defeat Leeward Islands in St Kitts, in a match reduced to 49 overs following early morning rain. Sunil Ambris continued his fine tournament with 74 off 84 balls in the Windwards total of 243 for 6. Ambris followed a 75-run stand with Tyrone Theophile for the fourth wicket by adding another 82 with Andre Fletcher and eventually fell to Daron Cruickshank at the start of the 45th. Cruickshank also claimed Fletcher to finish with 2 for 47, while Quinton Boatswain took 2 for 31, for Leewards.In reply, Orlando Peters made 77 at the top of the Leewards chase, but no one came close to following his lead. Nkrumah Bonner made 35 and added 65 for the fourth wicket with Peters but by the 42nd over, both men had left with Leewards needing 56 off the final 7.1 overs with five wickets in hand.It was not an unwieldy equation and by the start of the final over, 13 were still needed to win. After a single and a four off the first two balls, Jeremiah Louis was run out attempting a second run, leaving seven needed off the last three. A dot and a leg by followed to put the No. 11 Boatswain on strike for his only delivery with six needed to win but another dot followed to end the match. Delorn Johnson took 3 for 36 for Windwards.Guyana completed the highest successful chase of the tournament in tracking down a Combined Campuses and Colleges total of 254 for 7 to win by five wickets at Warner Park. Rovman Powell and Anthony Alleyne both made fifties for CCC to set Guyana a stiff target but it ultimately was not enough.Assad Fudadin struck the tournament’s third century and carried his bat in making 103 not out off 136 balls for Guyana. The opener added 90 for the second wicket with Leon Johnson, whose 56 was the other major score in the chase. After Royston Crandon retired hurt on 29 off 27 balls, Steven Jacobs came in to hit 15 not out as he and Fudadin helped Guyana to victory with three balls to spare.

The most notable feature of India’s series will be the return of Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh, while Shaun Tait is back for Australia, all three after years away from the international game

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale25-Jan-2016

Match facts

January 26, 2016
Start time 1908 local (0838 GMT)3:17

Australia’s batting bench-strength very healthy – Finch

Big Picture

Remember Twenty20 internationals? Australia’s players vaguely do, though the memories are hazy. Two entire Big Bash League seasons have been played and won since Australia last played a T20 international at home. In fact, since November 2014, they have played only one T20 match anywhere in the world – a one-off game in Cardiff against England that followed last year’s Ashes series. In 2014 they played 14 matches in the shortest form, though there was a World T20 that year, but 2015 was all about the World Cup and its preparations, then the Ashes and its preparations. But now another World T20 is around the corner, to be held in India in March, and Australia suddenly need to think about the shortest format again.India played a handful more T20s last year, but still not that many. And a 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe followed by a 2-0 loss at the hands of South Africa does not suggest they will click back into T20s straightaway. But, like Australia, they need to use these matches wisely to prepare for the World T20, finding both form and their preferred XI. Perhaps the most notable feature of India’s series will be the return of Ashish Nehra, who has not played an international since the semi-final of the 50-overs World Cup in 2011, and Yuvraj Singh, who last played for his country in the final of the previous World T20 in Bangladesh in April 2014.Both teams also have four potential T20 debutants, and will want to give almost everyone a chance during the three games as they prepare for the World T20. Whatever happens on Tuesday, one of these teams will finish their national day with reason to celebrate – January 26 is Republic Day in India as well as Australia Day.

Form guide

Australia: LWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: LLLWL

In the spotlight

At his peak, Shaun Tait was one of the fastest bowlers in the world, but his star shone only briefly in international cricket. He retired after the 2011 World Cup but now finds himself back in the national squad as the selectors search for quick options ahead of the World T20. Whether Tait can follow the likes of Brad Hogg and Brad Hodge in making a World T20 squad long after his international career appeared to be over depends on how he goes in this series.Yuvraj Singh‘s last appearance for India was not a happy one: he soaked up 21 balls to make 11 in the final of the World T20, which India lost to Sri Lanka. But his overall international record speaks for itself, and his 346 runs at 69.20 in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy – India’s domestic one-day tournament – convinced the selectors he still had something to offer. Now to justify that faith.

Team news

Good luck trying to predict this XI after Australia’s selectors have picked a squad of 17 for the team’s second T20 in more than a year. Some players, including Steven Smith and David Warner, will head to New Zealand on Saturday to prepare for the ODI series there, which means they will not be available for the third and final T20 against India. That in turn could mean some of the more fringe players might have to wait until then for their opportunity. What is known is that Glenn Maxwell has a hamstring niggle and will not play game one.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Steven Smith, 4 Chris Lynn/Travis Head, 5 Shane Watson, 6 James Faulkner, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 John Hastings, 9 Nathan Lyon, 10 Cameron Boyce, 11 Shaun TaitSimilarly, it is not easy to know who India will opt for, but MS Dhoni hinted after the ODI series that some of the newcomers would be given an opportunity in the T20s.India (possible) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin/Harbhajan Singh, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Ashish Nehra

Pitch and conditions

The average first-innings score in BBL matches at Adelaide Oval this summer was 167, and there was no particular advantage to batting first or second.The forecast for Tuesday is for a top temperature of 31C, and no rain is expected.

Stats and trivia

• Michael Di Venuto will be Australia’s acting coach while Darren Lehmann receives treatment for his deep vein thrombosis
• The ICC’s T20 rankings are so fluid that both Australia and India could finish this series as high as first or as low as eighth
• There are four players in each squad who are yet to make their T20I debuts: Rishi Dhawan, Jasprit Bumrah, Gurkeerat Singh and Hardik Pandya for India, and Nathan Lyon, Travis Head, Andrew Tye and Scott Boland for Australia

Quotes

“Hopefully we can get everyone one or two games at least, to give them a chance. There’s a big carrot at the end of this with the World Cup team being picked, and you can only pick 15 people. We want to give people opportunities to see what they can do.”
“I think every game from here on till the World T20 will be extremely important. It gives you a chance to try different players and see what combination works best for you.”

Scott Boland’s figures of 5 for 38 helped Victoria bowl South Australia out for 224 and attain a 101-run first-innings lead at the Adelaide Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Scott Boland took 5 for 38•Getty Images and Cricket Australia

Scott Boland, the pacer, took 5 for 38 as Victoria bowled South Australia out for 224 to take a 101-run first-innings lead at the Adelaide Oval.Boland, who made his ODI debut during the home series against India last month, dismissed five of their top seven after South Australia had started the day at 2 for 42. Chris Tremain and Clint McKay helped keep the pressure from the other end with timely strikes that nipped out South Australia’s middle order.Sam Raphael (48) and Jake Lehmann (41) were South Australia’s top scorers.In response, Victoria lost three wickets, with Adam Zampa, the legspinner who earned a call-up to Australia’s World T20 squad, picking up two wickets. Victoria ended the day at 3 for 72, with an overall lead of 173.

The rematch of the 2012 final is likely to devolve into West Indies’ batsmen v Sri Lanka’s bowlers and if that is the case, Angelo Mathews and his team would sorely miss the injured Lasith Malinga

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu19-Mar-20164:45

Jayawardene: West Indies have match-winners

Match facts

Sunday, March 20, 2016
Start time 1930 local (1400 GMT)

Big Picture

Sri Lanka have been happy to fly under the radar. As a matter of fact, they are the defending champions, but they cling to the underdog tag like it’s a life vest. Just as well, because they are heading straight into a storm.Chris Gayle is in his home town – A cosy little realm of flat pitches, short boundaries and spoilt fans called Bangalore. Gayle loves it here – he hit 175 at the M Chinnaswamy and has it emblazoned on his RCB jersey – and the fans love him right back. Of course, that does not mean they will stop expecting him to hit another 175.So do Sri Lanka have a sufficiently skilled kill joy among them? Nuwan Kulasekara has the wiles. Angelo Mathews can certainly annoy. Rangana Herath has to have a magic wand stowed somewhere on his person. But there is a name missing from that list. A man who can remove the 22 yards from the equation, match the West Indian gunslingers’ for firepower. What’s more, he had done it all before too. Lasith Malinga was part of a Mumbai Indians line-up which forced Gayle to plod on for 10 off 24 balls in a chase of 210 in April 2015. He won’t be part of the Sri Lanka team tomorrow, a proper blow considering the rematch of the 2012 final is likely to devolve into West Indies’ batsmen v Sri Lanka’s bowlers.

Form guide

West Indies WWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka WLLLW

Watch out for

Marlon Samuels is one of eight men still standing from West Indies’ title triumph in 2012. And it was his innings that refused Sri Lanka the joy of becoming world champions at home. A man capable of taking your breath away with his strokeplay and tear your hair out when he is out of form, Samuels continues to be an enigma 15 years since his debut.Dinesh Chandimal is remaking himself as a T20 opener. Some of that is because most reckon he can slip into Mahela Jayawardene’s shoes. While that can be a heavy burden, Chandimal can turn it to his advantage. Presently he tries to hit the ball a bit too hard. For a batsman whose skill lies in timing and imagination, he does not need to rely on such crude tactics. Jayawardene certainly did not.

Team news

Indications from West Indies’ training session on the eve of the match are that they would keep to the same XI that played England. They might be tempted to find a way to include Jason Holder, who had come out as an opener during the warm-up stage.West Indies (probable) 1.Chris Gayle, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Dinesh Ramdin (wk), 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Darren Sammy, 8 Carlos Brathwaite, 9 Samuel Badree, 10 Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn.Sri Lanka do have plenty of bowling options, and that is bound to come useful. They may retain the same XI that beat Afghanistan last Thursday.Sri Lanka (probable) 1.Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 3 Lahiru Thirimanne, 4 Milinda Siriwardana, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Thisara Perera, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Shehan Jayasuriya, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Rangana Herath.

Pitch and conditions

Dharamsala and Nagpur have been slow on the take. Mumbai has been in the batsmen’s pockets, and if history is anything to go by, Bangalore will be too. There was a tinge of green to the pitch at M Chinnaswamy stadium, but it is unlikely to hinder strokeplay. If anything, it might help the ball come onto the bat quicker. Chasing has been the favoured route here, even without the complication of dew. The forecast is for a clear day, but a cloudy night.

Stats and trivia

• Chris Gayle averages 54.37 and and strikes at 168.84 at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. He has three hundreds, eight fifties, 115 fours and 132 sixes.
• Nuwan Kulasekara is Sri Lanka’s third highest wicket-taker in T20Is – but his tally of 56 is well short of Malinga’s 78

Quotes

“It’s a plus for us. Chris has played, I think five IPL seasons here in Bangalore. I played here last year. We have a lot of knowledge of the conditions here in India”
“Very often when you have this kind of tournament, the defending champions have that burden of defending the title. The high expectations of media and fans does create extra pressure. In quite a nice kind of way, quite a lot of that is not present at the moment. With a younger group it’s quite nice not to have that pressure.”

Persistent opposition from the BCCI to the recommendations made by the Lodha committee have provoked the Supreme Court to observe that public functions relating to cricket can be taken over by the government

PTI14-Apr-2016Persistent opposition from the BCCI and its member associations to the recommendations made by the Lodha committee have provoked the Supreme Court to observe that public functions relating to cricket can be taken over by the government, with the enactment of a law in parliament.”Why can’t the public function of BCCI be taken up by parliament?” the two-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice Ibrahim Kalifulla, asked. “The question is if the activity of organising cricket matches, sending and picking up national team, can be taken up by the parliament.”Suppose a law by which the Indian team can be selected by Indian parliament.”The remarks from the bench came after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), raised opposition to the “one state, one vote” recommendation made by the Lodha panel.Sibal said there is no restriction on the state to take over activities of the game but it will require a change in the bylaws. He was also of the view that it may not be favourable for parliament to take over the cricketing body.The same issue was also raised by the bench when the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) made its submission against the recommendation of the “one state, one vote” policy.The senior advocate representing the MCA also responded to a query from the bench on the recommendation by the Lodha panel to prohibit ministers and government officials from becoming cricket administrators.The MCA, headed by Sharad Pawar, favoured the involvement of politicians in sporting bodies, saying their presence helped the associations get work done for big sporting events, which require security arrangements from police.”That is the reality,” the MCA’s advocate said, in response to the bench’s specific query: “Can we only have politicians as advisors? Shouldn’t the system also function without any politician?”Sibal also faced some sharp questions from the bench about lack of initiative by BCCI on the development of the game in northeastern states like Manipur and Mizoram, as also about the discrimination in allocation of funds to cricket associations of states like Bihar.The case’s next hearing is scheduled for April 18.

Both Alastair Cook and Steven Smith have said the Ashes does not need to include a day-night Test but Cook believes boards should continue exploring the format

Andrew McGlashan08-Jun-20162:31

Ultimately day-night Tests means more viewers – Sutherland

Alastair Cook believes that boards should continue to explore the notion of day-night Test cricket but has echoed the views of his Australia counterpart, Steven Smith, in saying that the Ashes does not need such a concept.South Africa have now agreed to play a floodlit Test against Australia in Adelaide later this year, having initially been reluctant about the idea. This means there will be two day-night Tests in the Australian season, with Pakistan also playing under lights at the Gabba.England look set to play their first floodlit Test next year, against West Indies at Lord’s or Edgbaston, although the ECB did approach the Bangladesh Cricket Board about the possibility of playing one on the tour to Bangladesh in October.

ACA chief wants day-night conditions worked on

The Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Alistair Nicholson has called for Cricket Australia find ways to optimise the conditions and tools required for day-night Test cricket, so that the quality of the cricket is not compromised.
“Over the next five months Cricket Australia needs to invest time and money to develop the best quality ball and the best wicket so we get the highest quality of Test cricket,” Nicholson said. “That’s what the players want and the fans deserve.”
He stressed that the players’ views have to be taken seriously. “The concerns of the players run deep, and with Alastair Cook’s comments we see they also run internationally. When the best players in the world are all expressing concerns they must be listened to and their concerns must be addressed.
“The message from players all over the world is clear: ‘We want the best quality Test cricket. To achieve this there is a lot of work to be done on the pink-ball format.'”

The key aim of the day-night Tests is to attract more spectators, when they are able to attend after work, but both Cook and Smith think current crowds for the Ashes are strong enough to stay with tradition.”A lot of the games have really good attendances and it’s probably not a series where you need to do it exactly at this time,” Cook said.Smith agreed. “I think it works pretty well with the red ball. Playing against England, we always get the viewers and the crowds out, so I don’t think there is any issue there.”Cook said the key to the format’s success in the longer term remains the quality of the pink ball. For the inaugural day-night Test in Adelaide last year, when Australia faced New Zealand, extra grass was left on the pitch in a bid to ensure the ball retained its colour.Cook has experience of facing the pink ball when he played for MCC in Abu Dhabi in 2015 and does not feel it has the same qualities as the red ball.”No disrespect to the guys who make it, but on the two occasions I’ve played it doesn’t seem to behave the same way as the red ball,” he said. “I’ve got no idea why. But it’s one of the great things about Test cricket, sometimes the ball swings conventionally, sometimes it doesn’t, sometimes it reverses, but my occasions with the pink ball it didn’t do any of that, then it nipped all over under twilight. The quality of the ball is vital.”My general view of day-night Tests is that it’s definitely something cricket authorities need to keep looking at because it’s the way to keep the game moving forward with the times, making it more possible for spectators to come and watch.”Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland however said having day-night Tests in the Ashes would be a “natural progression” and would also attract more audience in the UK because of more suitable timings.”I respect the views of Steven and Alastair… the Ashes is a great contest and will no doubt attract a huge audience both at the grounds and on television, but the facts of the matter are by playing day-night Tests, we’re going to get even bigger audiences at the game and on television,” Sutherland said.”We’ve played one day-night Test match and this summer we have two in the schedule, so I think there’s a natural progression for us to get to a point where Ashes Test matches are played as day-night games. The Ashes series is still a long way off and we want to get through this summer first, but we will play somewhere between zero and two day-night Tests during the Ashes in 18 months’ time.”The time [of day-night Tests] shifts games into a more appealing time of day in the UK. We all need to stay very open-minded to this [and] continue to progress and build everyone’s confidence.”Sutherland also said there will not be any changes to the format of matches in Sydney (traditionally the venue of the New Year’s Test), Melbourne (traditionally the venue of the Boxing Day Test) and Perth. “There’s no doubt from our point of view Sydney and Melbourne are landmarks in the calendar and they work very well as day games at that time of year when everyone is on holiday. Perth is already time-shifted into the eastern states with the three-hour time difference.”

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club prevailed in a four-run win (Duckworth-Lewis method) over Gazi Group Cricketers as the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match finished on the reserve day in Mirpur

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2016Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club clung on for a narrow four-run win (Duckworth-Lewis method) over Gazi Group Cricketers as the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match finished on the reserve day in Mirpur.When play was called off on Wednesday, Gazi Group were 83 for 3 in 16.1 overs, chasing a D/L-adjusted target of 196 in 38 overs and they had to wait for 2 hours and 15 minutes on Thursday morning for the match to begin.The chase went down to the final over, bowled by Mahmudullah, with Gazi Group needing 10 runs for their fifth win of the tournament. Farhad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman ran hard to take five runs off the first four deliveries but, off the penultimate ball, Farhad meekly pulled a half-tracker down Sohag Gazi’s throat at short midwicket and was dismissed on 53. His wicket ended Gazi Group’s innings at 191 runs in 37.5 overs. Anamul Haque also made 53 while medium-pacer Muktar Ali finished with 4 for 37.Earlier, Mohammad Sharif got his first hat-trick in the Dhanmondi innings, which was limited to 168 for 9 in 38 overs on the rain-hit day. The medium-pacer became the third bowler after Rubel Hossain and Tapash Baisya to achieve the feat since the tournament was granted List A status in 2013. Abdullah Al Mamun top-scored for Dhanmondi with 69 off 86 balls.

Joe Leach made a valuable half-century and then took three wickets to give Worcestershire the better of the opening day at Wantage Road as Northamptonshire closed 64 for 3, trailing by 213

ECB Reporters Network10-Jul-2016
ScorecardJoe Leach starred with bat and ball to revive Worcestershire•Getty Images

Joe Leach made a valuable half-century and then took three wickets to give Worcestershire the better of the opening day at Wantage Road as Northamptonshire closed 64 for 3, trailing by 213.Leach’s first contribution was an unbeaten 51 to help Worcestershire post 277 – a fine comeback having been 54 for 5 in the morning session. He then removed Ben Duckett, lbw for 4, Rob Keogh, caught behind also for 4, and Rob Newton, held at first slip for 15, to ensure the visitors ended the happier of the sides after winning the toss.It was an impressive turnaround after Ben Cox and Ross Whiteley shared 129 for the sixth wicket to revive the Worcestershire innings. Having taken lunch 63 for 5, runs flowed after interval with the sun out. Whiteley was first to his fifty – his fourth of the season – brought up in 60 balls with eight fours and a slog-swept six off Seekkuge Prasanna. Cox followed in 82 balls with his seventh four, edged to fine third man.It was a positive partnership made in 30.3 overs but both batsmen fell within five overs of each other. First Whiteley was beaten by a Steven Crook delivery that clipped his off stump and then Cox was held at second slip off the third ball of Ben Sanderson’s new spell.Sanderson went on to trap debutant George Rhodes lbw for 14 and Prasanna picked up a wicket when he bowled Ed Barnard. But Leach provided a second batting point with three consecutive boundaries off Azharullah and a tenth-wicket stand worth 50 with Matt Henry. He raised a third consecutive Championship fifty in 67 balls with three foursLeach completed a handy comeback after a morning session where Worcestershire were in danger of being fired out very cheaply.Azharullah took four wickets in his opening nine-over spell. He struck with his first ball of the morning with an inswinger to take out Daryl Mitchell’s leg stump. Two misjudged pushes followed with Brett D’Oliveria caught by a diving Prasanna at square leg and Joe Clarke forcing to Saif Zaib at extra cover. Tom Kohler-Cadmore then edged an away-swinger to wicketkeeper David Murphy to give Azharullah a fourth wicket.Tom Fell looked fairly steady at No. 3 for the visitors. He took 16 balls to get off the mark but settled to drive Azharullah and then Crook for boundaries. But to the second ball of Sanderson’s new spell he shouldered arms and lost his off stump for 37. It took Cox, Whiteley and then Leach to rescue Worcestershire’s day.

Northamptonshire ended the second day in Swansea with the advantage after Rory Kleinveldt clubbed 91 before reducing Glamorgan to 139 for 5

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2016
ScorecardAzharullah made significant inroads into Glamorgan’s top order•Getty Images

Northamptonshire ended the second day in Swansea with the advantage after Rory Kleinveldt clubbed 91 before reducing Glamorgan to 139 for 5.At one stage they lost 3 for 1 in five deliveries and will hope Nick Selman, who closed unbeaten on a career-best 79, can continue the impressive form he’s showed in the last three games, and also receive support from the middle and lower order. Azharullah was the most successful of the Northants attack finishing with 3 for 34.Earlier, Northants had continued their recovery from 38 for 4 to post 321 with their stand-in captain Kleinveldt leading the way with a furious attack on the Glamorgan bowlers.He scored 91 from 88 balls, with four fours and seven sixes – four struck in the space of six balls. Kleinveldt shared a partnership of 130 in only 24 overs with Saif Zaib – playing in only his second Championship game – before the captain departed attempting to hit his eighth six.Zaib was undefeated on a career-best 65, which complemented an earlier partnership of 97 between David Murphy and Laurie Evans for the fifth wicket. Murphy made 45, and Evans, in his first innings for Northants since joining as a loan player this week, a patient innings of 74 before edging David Lloyd to the wicketkeeper.The young and inexperienced Glamorgan attack stuck to their task, despite the seven bowlers used having not taken 100 first-class wickets between them.Selman and Mark Wallace gave Glamorgan a positive start, adding 52 at four an over, before Wallace was bowled in Azharullah’s third over. Will Bragg scored a single from the last ball of the over, but was leg before to the first ball of Ben Sanderson’s next over before Jacques Rudolph was caught behind two balls later.Selman was untroubled at the other end, reaching his third successive fifty from 67 balls with seven fours, but Glamorgan soon lost two more wickets when Aneurin Donald and Lloyd were both caught in the slip cordon, driving at Azharullah’s outswing.Both teams have suffered casualties, with Rory Smith unable to bowl for Glamorgan again in the game, while Northants had two players off the field for the final half hour, with the team’s strength and conditioning coach making a rare appearance as a sub fielder.