All posts by h716a5.icu

South Africa made 98 for 3 in 52 overs after debutant Niroshan Dickwella’s enterprising half-century had taken Sri Lanka to 421

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran25-Jul-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
2:44

Fernando: Dickwella handled mental challenges well

Flattest track in the world, eh? Ask the South Africa batsmen. They started to bat at the SSC midway through the second session of the second day, and during the 52 overs till stumps the run-rate never crossed two. Sri Lanka’s trio of spinners teased and probed, Suranga Lakmal extracted some reverse swing, and the bad balls were virtually non-existent.Rangana Herath needed five balls to get his first wicket. Offspinner Dilruwan Perera needed only three. If South Africa’s batsmen did not already know they were in for a thorough interrogation of their technique against spin, the first hour of their innings made it absolutely clear.Like Sri Lanka on Thursday, South Africa lost lost two wickets early. Sri Lanka had responded by caning the spinners to the tune of 4.86 an over during a 99-run stand between Mahela Jayawardene and Kaushal Silva. There was no similar response from South Africa after their lost their openers early – Alviro Petersen to a soft caught-and-bowler and Dean Elgar bat-pad. Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla showed immense concentration and patience as they ground out 58 runs in nearly 30 overs.There wasn’t massive turn yet from the track, but Sri Lanka could turn to a variety of spinners who posed different challenges. Left-arm spinner Herath got the new ball and tested out the rough against the left-hand batsmen. Perera bowled conventional offspin with a pleasingly conventional action and should have had Amla caught-behind in the 26th over, only for the debutant keeper Niroshan Dickwella to miss a tough chance. Ajantha Mendis, playing only his third Test in more than three years, didn’t have the same accuracy as the other two but his variations were enough to keep the batsmen guessing. Sri Lanka could even call on the part-time legspin of Kithuruwan Vithanage – he got some turn and several leading edges.It was finally Lakmal who ended the du Plessis-Amla stand, though, when Dickwella took a superb one-handed catch diving to his left to send back du Plessis for 36.South Africa still have their two best batsmen in the middle, but after 52 overs of bloody-minded resistance, they are still only 98 for 3. At the same stage, Sri Lanka were 205 for 3. What that punishing pace of scoring from Sri Lanka has done is allow them plenty of time to grill South Africa.Sri Lanka maintained a similarly cavalier rate of scoring in the morning. Dickwella, who was in England earlier this week with the A side and not even in the Test squad, struck an enterprising debut half-century that drove Sri Lanka past 400. He is a schoolboy star like the man with whom he put on a century stand – Mahela Jayawardene – to ensure the first day’s advantage was not squandered.Jayawardene began the day unbeaten on 140 at his favourite ground, and Dickwella was in his first Test innings facing the pace of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, but it was the youngster who dominated the opening hour.There were plenty of signs of his confidence on the big stage. In the 97th over, he played a deliberate upper cut over slips off Morne Morkel on seeing that third man was square. The next delivery was tucked to the fine-leg boundary. As Dickwella ambled down the track keeping his eye on the ball, he bumped into Morkel, who responded with a shove. Dickwella doesn’t even reach shoulder high for the towering Morkel, but his concentration didn’t waver even after that encounter.He skipped down the track to launch Vernon Philander over mid-on, and a delivery after Imran Tahir got the ball to rip from the rough, Dickwella countered with the reverse-sweep.At the other end, Jayawardene was continuing with his silken batting – the blade barely passed the vertical as he coaxed a full ball from Steyn to the long-on boundary. Fifty-six runs came in the first hour, and South African spirits were beginning to sag.As has been the case so often, South Africa got a lift with an outstanding bit of fielding. Petersen fired in a direct hit from fine leg to catch Jayawardene short on 165. A stylish innings ended with Jayawardene on his knees and desperately scrambling to complete the second.That wicket seemed to affect Dickwella; he went loose outside off, repeatedly chasing wide deliveries. He survived till lunch, though, but after the break South Africa mopped up the tail quickly to end Sri Lanka’s innings at 421. Tahir ended a 315-ball wait for a Test wicket by getting Perera to clip a ball to wide mid-on, Dickwella was run-out by Quinton de Kock while attempting a leg-bye and Philander soon had reward for his consistent bowling.That only set the stage for a harrowing examination against spin. Three more days of that stand between South Africa and the No. 1 ranking.

Australia Women’s spin duo of Jess Jonassen and Erin Osborne shared seven wickets between them to orchestrate a batting collapse at Lord’s, giving the visitors a 27-run win in the first ODI

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2013
ScorecardJess Jonassen took 4 for 38•PA PhotosAustralia Women’s spin duo of Jess Jonassen and Erin Osborne shared seven wickets between them to orchestrate a batting collapse at Lord’s, giving the visitors a 27-run win in the first ODI. Chasing 204, England Women progressed steadily to 99 for 1 but lost their last nine wickets for 77 runs.After opting to bat first, Australia got off to a shaky start, losing Rachel Haynes in the first over, caught and bowled by Katherine Brunt. Brunt returned to dismiss Jess Cameron, caught at square leg. Opener Meg Lanning gave Australia the platform with a half-century, adding 74 for the third wicket with the captain Jodie Fields. Lanning hit eight boundaries in her 56 before she was dismissed by Laura Marsh, caught at mid-off. Marsh dismissed Fields for 32 shortly after, caught at the same position, leaving Australia at 113 for 4.The middle and lower order chipped in to push the score past 200. Jenny Gunn, the right-arm seamer, became England’s leading ODI wicket-taker when she had Sarah Coyte caught, claiming her 103rd victim and going past Clare Taylor.England’s openers, Charlotte Edwards and Arran Brindle, started steadily, adding 63 in just under 20 overs. Offspinner Osborne struck by getting rid of Brindle for a watchful 21 off 72 balls. Edwards and Sarah Taylor took the score to 99 before the left-arm spinner Jonassen claimed the first of her four victims, trapping Taylor lbw. She struck again soon after, dismissing Lydia Greenway.Edwards held the innings together with a half-century, but her dismissal in the 38th over, caught behind trying to cut Osborne, marked the turning point. The spinners chipped away in tandem, as England lost their last six wickets for 34 runs.Australia took the lead in the Women’s Ashes points table with four points, while England still held two from the drawn Test.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has barred an Indian national from entering any stadiums in the country after he admitted to being a bookie

Mohammad Isam12-Feb-2013The Bangladesh Cricket Board has barred an Indian national from entering any stadiums in the country after he admitted to being a bookie.A resident of Hyderabad, Durga Prasad was seized by security staff while seated in the international gallery of the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur during the BPL matches on Monday evening. “We accosted Mr Durga Prasad inside the stadium,” BCB’s head of security, Col (retd) Mesbahuddin Serniabat, told ESPNcricinfo.”We followed him and found that he was sending a lot of text messages. After speaking to him, we found out that he is a Hyderabad resident who had come to Bangladesh on February 2.”Serniabat said Prasad had later “admitted that he is a bookie. He earns money from betting. We have banned him from the Shere Bangla National Stadium because betting is illegal in the country.”Prasad he said had given an undertaking to not enter any stadiums in Bangladesh.This is however not the first time a man has had to be ejected from Mirpur during the BPL. In the tournament’s first season, a Pakistan national named Sajid Khan was handed over to the police for suspected involvement in match-fixing after he was stopped from trying to enter the players’ zone.

Worcestershire bowler Joe Leach celebrated his best match figures but Will Smith and Adam Wheater’s fifties saved the game for Hampshire as the sides drew at the Ageas Bowl

ECB/PA03-Jun-2015
ScorecardJoe Leach ended with nine wickets in the match•Getty ImagesWorcestershire bowler Joe Leach celebrated his best match figures but Will Smith and Adam Wheater’s fifties saved the game for Hampshire as the sides drew at the Ageas Bowl.Leach returned figures of 4 for 89 after collected a five wicket haul in the first innings – to end with match figures of 9 for 152.But heroic rearguard action from Smith and Wheater meant that both captains shock hands on a draw at 5.40pm with nine scheduled overs to play.Hampshire started their day of blocking in the worst possible way when they lost opener Liam Dawson to the 18th ball of the day as Leach produced a snorting delivery to create an edge for wicketkeeper Ben Cox.Michael Carberry lasted 18 balls before he was caught at short leg off Jack Shantry for a disappointing six – completing a forgettable game for the former England Test batsman, after he had scored 14 in the first innings.James Vince used up 50 deliveries but departed five minutes before lunch to debutant Barnard for 12.Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams had lead from the front in the morning session to reach a patient 47 but Leach had him leg before to the final ball of the morning – five balls after Vince had got out.Wheater scored a second first-class fifty of the season but his wicket just before tea kept Worcestershire well on top at the Ageas Bowl.Wheater – who was off the field earlier in the match having an x-ray on his finger – made his fifty in 95 deliveries. He hadn’t past 14 in the Championship since making 74 at Warwickshire in April and when moving past 44 reached his 4000 career first-class run.But Leach picked up his eighth wicket of the match by bowling a leaving Wheater, to end a frustrating spell for the visitors, as the wicketkeeper and Smith put on 68 for the fifth wicket.And Sean Ervine was Leach’s ninth victim as the Zimbabwean tamely chipped up for a simple catch for Tom Fell at short extra cover.Like Wheater, Smith also had time off the field on the second day, but looked healthy as he batted the whole afternoon and evening sessions for a sturdy unbeaten 31.The sparsely populated temporarily stands came to life when Gareth Berg pushed Hampshire into a second innings lead, mean Worcestershire would have to bat again to win.The second new ball was the last chance of hope for a Worcestershire victory – and Charlie Morris managed to find some extra bounce with the very first delivery with the new cherry, to catch the shoulder of Smith’s bat but it dropped agonisingly short of second slip Mitchell. Smith who ended on an unbeaten 64 – who was given a county cap on the opening morning -continued in his trademarked style of watchfully waiting for the bad delivery to move to his fifty from 133 balls – before both sides agreed to a draw.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the BCCI’s interim president, has said that the board will accept the Decision Review System (DRS) only when the technology used is “fool-proof”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2013Jagmohan Dalmiya, the BCCI’s interim president, has said that the board will accept the Decision Review System (DRS) only when the technology used is “fool-proof”. Dalmiya said that the DRS has created confusion in its current form and the BCCI would adopt the technology once the system was “100% correct”.”We will accept DRS when technology is foolproof. There’s nothing in between. Full stop,” Dalmiya told the . “Let them come up with a system which is 100% correct. They couldn’t fix the Duckworth-Lewis problem in 15 years, what guarantee do we have about an error-free DRS? The Duckworth-Lewis method is beyond most of the players and administrators, let alone the common fans. I am still trying to figure out how a team total is increased on the basis of projection. The whole process is very complicated and confusing. And rather than solving the riddle, DRS creates more confusion in its present form.”Dalmiya also said that he had expected India to be isolated on the DRS matter at the ICC’s annual conference earlier in the year, but had not faced any opposition from other members.”Before going to the ICC meeting I was a bit iffy as I was told by some quarters that India would be completely isolated on the DRS issue,” Dalmiya said. “But after I was done with my presentation on that day, there was not a single voice of protest.”India were a part of the first-ever Test series in 2008 which featured DRS. But the team voted against the use of the system and the board decided to back the players. The BCCI also declined the recommendation of the ICC’s cricket committee to embrace the DRS in all formats of the game at the international level.

Mark Vermeulen could play his first Test in more than 10 years after being included in Zimbabwe’s 25-man training squad for the visit of South Africa following his impressive form for the A team.

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2014Mark Vermeulen could play his first Test in more than 10 years after being included in Zimbabwe’s 25-man training squad for the visit of South Africa following his impressive form for the A team.The last of his eight Tests came in May 2004 against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo (a game in which Sri Lanka made 713 for 3) and the last time he appeared in any international was in November 2009 in an ODI against South Africa.That ODI appearance came shortly after he was acquitted of arson after he admitted burning down Zimbabwe’s academy in 2006 but successfully argued it was because he was suffering psychiatric problems, including partial complex epilepsy, ever since he suffered a head injury during an ODI against India in 2004.In the two recently completed four-day matches against Afghanistan, Vermeulen, who is now 35, made 107, 36 and an unbeaten 47 after beginning with a duck.In a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, he said how he was desperate to make use of whatever time he had left in the game.”I spent two years in court and another year-and-a-half out of the game so it was three-and-a-half years totally wasted, and at that time of my career that should not have happened.”I didn’t ever lose any love for cricket. I still think I have two or three years left in me and I think I will give it one last full go in the hope that I can play a Test again. I’ve become more determined because I know I don’t have many years left in me. I’ve become more focused.”The one-off Test against South Africa starts in Harare on August 9 and that is followed by three ODIs before further 50-over matches in a triangular series also involving Australia.Zimbabwe have recently gone down the route of split captaincy with Elton Chigumbura being given the ODI and T20 roles while Brendan Taylor has retained the Test job.Zimbabwe training squad Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Elton Chigumbura, Steven Chimhamhiwa, Michael Chinouya, Luke Jongwe, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirai Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Natsai M’shangwe, Cuthbert Musoko, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Prosper Utseya, Mark Vermeulen, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams

Saxton Oval will make it’s debut as an ODI venue on Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd, if the rain stays away

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran03-Jan-2014Match factsSaturday, January 4, 2014
11:00 (22:00 GMT previous day)The crowd in Queenstown had to endure a long wait for play. Will it be the same at Saxton Oval?•Getty ImagesBig PictureOne-day bilateral series aren’t something that stick in the mind of cricket fans, but Corey Anderson put this series on the front pages with a record-breaking century that it will be remembered by. Cricket fans in Nelson also won’t forget this series, as they gear up for the first one-day international in the city, with all 5300 tickets sold out. The match will also give the World Cup organisers to gauge Saxton Oval’s readiness for the global event, in which Nelson will host three matches.The main worry ahead of the game though is whether the rains will stay away. Persistent showers meant the teams couldn’t practise at the ground on Friday, with West Indies instead training at a boxing gym which had a two-lane, indoor cricket net attached. “We’re just praying for a fine day,” Nelson cricket chief David Leonard told . “I’m not unhappy to see it rain today actually, because it’s fairly rare in Nelson that we might get two days of rain in a row.”The series is level at one-all with two games to play, but New Zealand should think of themselves as favourites, given the slew of major players missing from the West Indies side. Injuries meant Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard never made the trip, Marlon Samuels joined that list soon after the Tests, Darren Bravo flew home due to personal reasons, and on New Years’ Day Darren Sammy strained his hamstring to miss the rest of the tour.Add to that, the damage caused by Anderson and Jesse Ryder’s savage centuries in Queenstown, and the chilly weather which is a far cry from a Caribbean summer. West Indies have an enormous challenge ahead.Form guideNew Zealand WLLWL(last five completed matches)
West Indies LWLWL
In the spotlightCorey Anderson will be associated with the number 36 for a long time, after his brutal hitting made him a name to watch among cricket fans around the world. The challenge now for Anderson is to make his name as a reliable allrounder, and not as a one-hit wonder.Ravi Rampaul had a nightmare New Years’ Day, thumped for 64 runs in three overs – the worst economy rate in an ODI for any bowler who has bowled more than one over. In a team sorely lacking experience, and badly needing a lift, Rampaul will need to step up his game.Team newsTim Southee rejoined the squad earlier this week after recovering from a toe injury. The rain on Friday meant he couldn’t bowl to test whether he is fully fit to play on Saturday, though Southee was confident he was good to go. “Toe is coming along alright,” he said. “Bowled a few in Queenstown and there was no pain, which is a good sign. Where they made the cut, it is still a bit raw, so a bit of blood after bowling, so let it heal and stop splitting. Would have been nice to have a bowl today.”New Zealand will also have to take a call on whether to include Kane Williamson in the XI, or to leave him out for the second game in a row.New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Ross Taylor, 4 Brendon McCullum (capt), 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Luke Ronchi, (wk), 7 James Neesham, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee/Adam Milne, 10 Mitchell McClenaghan, 11 Kyle MillsThe injuries keep coming for West Indies, with Sammy the latest to be ruled out. One option for West Indies is to bring in Kirk Edwards for Chadwick Walton to bolster their top order. In any case, they will be left with a rather lengthy tail.West Indies (probable) 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Kirk Edwards, 4 Lendl Simmons, 5 Dwayne Bravo (capt), 6 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 7 Narsingh Deonarine, 8 Ravi Rampaul, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Jason Holder 11 Nikita MillerStats and trivia Saxton Oval will become the 13th New Zealand venue to host an ODI Adam Milne has big numbers in his six ODIs so far: the batting strike-rate is 400 (just one innings), but the bowling strike-rate is a woeful 176 and bowling average is 172 as he has taken only one wicket Mitchell McClenaghan has 42 wickets in 16 ODIs. The record for quickest to 50 wickets is held by Ajantha Mendis (19 matches), and the fastest New Zealand bowler is Shane Bond (27) Quotes”It was a great knock from Anderson but we’ve been analyzing footage and studying the size of the ground. It’s going to be a different ball game. We will not be making the same mistakes twice.”

“I think they’ll (West Indies) learn from it (Queenstown defeat) – there’s no point in hanging on to it and dwelling on it, so they’ll move on. It’s another game tomorrow, a fresh start at a different ground, with different conditions.”

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2013

Arsenal were stunned in the dying moments of their last-16 Champions League clash, with Porto's Wenderson Galeno scoring a long-range beauty.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Arsenal heading towards 0-0 drawGaleno scores 94th-minute stunnerGunners have it all to do at EmiratesWHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal were heading towards a hard-earned draw on the road in a hotly-contested matchup on Wednesday evening. But Galeno took matters into his own hands in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The Brazilian picked up the ball on the left, lifted his head and curled a delightful effort out of the reach of a sprawling David Raya, in what was a stunning sucker punch to Mikel Arteta's side.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal entered the match in stunning form, scoring 21 goals across five Premier League wins in 2024. But their European curse again came back to haunt them, with an inexperienced side on the continental stage unable to see the game out. Arteta's men now have a one-goal deficit to overturn at the Emirates in two weeks' time, as they look to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2010 – when Nicklas Bendtner was leading the line at the club.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

Before that, though, Arteta's attentions will turn to catching up Liverpool at the Premier League summit, who moved four points clear with a 4-1 victory over Luton on Wednesday evening. The Gunners will hope to bounce back from this defeat and make it six league wins on the trot when they host Newcastle on Saturday.

A fine all-round bowling performance and Mohammad Shahzad’s 53-ball 56 set a thrilling five-wicket win for UAE – their first victory of the tournament – against Canada in Stirling

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Mohammad Shahzad struck two fours and three sixes in his 53-ball 56•ICC/Donald MacLeodA fine all-round bowling performance and Mohammad Shahzad’s 53-ball 56 set up a thrilling five-wicket win for UAE – their first victory of the tournament – against Canada in Stirling. Requiring 25 runs off the last two overs, the sixth wicket pair of Swapnil Patil and Abdul Shakoor struck three sixes in the penultimate over as UAE reached the target with five balls to spare.UAE got off to the ideal start after putting Canada in – getting two wickets in the first eight balls. However, a 58-run counter-attacking partnership ensued between Hiral Patel and Nitish Kumar. Patel hit five fours and two sixes in his 27-ball 45. Again the momentum shifted as UAE picked up wickets in clumps as 63 for 2 turned to 109 for 9. Navneet Dhaliwal salvaged a competitive total for Canada with an unbeaten 39, lifting the score to 132. Four bowlers picked up two wickets each with only Mohammad Naveed not getting a wicket.UAE lost Faizan Asif in the third over but partnerships of 25, 40 and 19 kept them on course. Shahzad fell in the 16th over for 56 and another wicket was taken three balls later. An equation of 33 off three overs was brought down to 25 off 12 balls. Cecil Pervez, who had figures of 2 for 11 in three overs, was tasked with bowling the 19th over, where Shakoor and Patil took him for 21 – Shakoor hitting two sixes and Patil one, effectively killing the chase.