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Mashonaland Eagles are Zimbabwe’s national one-day champions after a narrow two-wicket victory over Matebeleland Tuskers in the Pro50 Championship final

The Report by Liam Brickhill10-Mar-2019Mashonaland Eagles are Zimbabwe’s national one-day champions after a narrow two-wicket victory over Matebeleland Tuskers in the Pro50 Championship final played at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.Chasing Tuskers’ sub-par 202, Eagles were given a rapid start by Tinashe Kamunhukamwe’s boundary-laden 73 but it was the cool head of Regis Chakabva which got them over the line after Tuskers’ bowlers kept their team in the game until the very end.Kamunhukamwe and Cephas Zhuwao are one of the more destructive opening pairs in local cricket, but Chris Mpofu’s response to the menace of Zhuwao was to dig the ball and push him back with pace and bounce. Charlton Tshuma did even better, getting a length delivery to nip in and take the inside edge of Zhuwao’s swiping bat on its way through to the keeper.Kamunhukamwe, however, soon began to make up for the loss of his senior partner. He played some dazzling strokes, the pick of the bunch being an inside-out six over cover off Tshuma, and brought up a 30-ball fifty by lofting Ernest Masuku over long on in the 10th over.Kamunhukamwe ensured that Eagles took 80 from the Powerplay, and they were well placed before Ainsley Ndlovu snapped up three wickets in the space of seven deliveries after the drinks break. Those dismissals included that of a tiring Kamunhukamwe, who missed a sweep to be trapped in front for 73. With Elton Chigumbura soon run out as a result of a calling mix-up with Chakabva, Eagles were 138 for 6 in the 23rd over and the match was back in the balance.Eagles were in even more trouble at 155 for 6 when Patrick Mambo feathered an edge into the wicketkeeper’s gloves off Sean Williams, and with only the tail for company, the chase now rested entirely upon Chakabva. Runs came in ones and twos amid great tension, Tuskers’ attack keeping things tight and the batsmen unwilling to take any risks.After 10 overs together, Chakabva and Tapiwa Mufudza had put on 20 runs safely and taken the score to 175 with 28 still needed. Their first boundary came a few balls later, as Chakabva cracked a short ball from Masuku through the covers for four. Two overs later, he drove the same bowler wide of mid-on for another boundary.With just six needed for victory, the tension had all but dissipated but an overeager Mufudza then went for a big drive and sliced a leading edge to Tshuma at point to be caught for 17. Chakabva and No. 10 Daniel Jakiel scrambled to take five runs from the next two overs, and Chakabva then clipped Masuku through square leg for the quick single that sealed the titles for Eagles.While Masuku didn’t have a good day with the ball, giving away 62 runs in 8.1 overs, his fighting fifty earlier in the day had helped Tuskers to limp past 200.On a hot and largely sunny morning, Eagles, as they almost invariably seem to do on their home ground, won the toss and sent Tuskers in to bat on a good-looking pitch. After an hour and a half of play, the match seemed as good as over, with Tuskers floundering at 102 for 6 with all their specialist batsmen gone.The trouble started early as Brian Chari chopped Richard Ngarava’s fourth ball on to his own stumps and Jakiel trapped Ncube lbw in the sixth over. Williams then joined the in-form Craig Ervine at the crease. Ervine made back-to-back unbeaten hundreds in the lead-up to this match, but his dismissal was a soft one, the left hander dabbing a ball from Mambo straight to slip. Just as the partnership between Williams and Charles Kunje was beginning to develop, Williams slashed at a ball from Chamu Chibhabha well outside his off stump and was caught at the wicket. Tuskers were now 88 for 4.Tendai Maruma then fell in embarrassing fashion, letting a ball from Chibhabha through to the keeper standing back, and then thoughtlessly taking a step out of his crease, only for the alert Richmond Mutumbami to throw the stumps down and reduce Tuskers to 91 for 5 in the 18th over. When Kunje was trapped lbw for 31, Tuskers were six down and sinking fast.But Masuku started to turn things around with Chris Mpofu for company. While Mpofu blocked resolutely, Masuku brought up a 60-ball fifty – his first for Tuskers – and added 82 with Mpofu before he was run out taking a risky second run in the 42nd over. The end came quickly for Tuskers thereafter, and John Nyumbu was the last man out when he holed out to long off at the start of the 46th over.Had they been able to bat through their innings, Tuskers might have found enough runs to put Eagles under serious pressure, but they were always the underdogs for this match, having only three victories against two defeats behind them compared to Eagles’ five victories out of five. In the event, they did well to push Eagles so hard, but the hosts had enough in the tank to raise the title later in the afternoon.

A number of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises have raised concerns over the PCB’s decision to allow contracted players to play in the T10 League, which starts in the UAE on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Dec-2017A number of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises have raised concerns over the PCB’s decision to allow contracted players to play in the T10 League, which starts in the UAE on Thursday.The franchises fear the league could emerge as a potential threat to the value of the PSL itself. A central point in their concern also revolves around Salman Iqbal, owner of the Karachi Kings franchise, who is president of the T10 League and whose broadcast company is part of the management, while Quetta Gladiators owner Nadeem Omar was not allowed permission by the PCB to launch his own league in association with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).Current PSL champions Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi was most trenchant in his criticism, who as champions have the most to lose if the PSL is adversely affected. “It’s the PCB’s responsibility to improve the PSL and protect the stake of Pakistan cricket,” Afridi told ESPNcricinfo.”Franchises are not the rights holders of the league but we are the important entity running the show and signed to do so for ten years. We worked so hard to build this brand collectively. If the PCB will not protect our interest, then who will?”How can the PCB undermine its own league and kill the hype of its own tournament by allowing top contracted players to play in another league taking place at the same venue just a month earlier? It might work well for some individuals but it does not help Pakistan cricket at all. There is a value of our players and you cannot sell out our players in bulk. There is a big possibility it will come back to bite us.”PCB chairman Najam Sethi had broached the subject first in a routine meeting with PSL stakeholders last month. He reportedly asked each team if they had any concerns, only to found out that a majority of the teams did. A basic presentation by Iqbal was rebutted by Islamabad United owner Ali Naqvi, while Lahore Qalandars questioned the support given to a league mainly backed by non-Pakistani investors.During another meeting, there was a suggestion that a vote be carried out to determine a future course of action, only for the idea to be dropped after the majority of franchises expressed reservations in allowing players to participate in the T10 League. Sethi, however, had the authority to take the final decision as PCB chairman, and allowed players to participate. He assured teams that they would continue to monitor the T10 League and promised the PCB would withdraw its support should the PSL be threatened.A PCB spokesman said the PCB had been assured there was “no conflict of interest with the PSL”. He also said the date of the T10 tournament had been changed from February to December after the PCB said the former was not acceptable to them. “The organisers wanted the PCB to issue NOCs to Pakistan players free of cost, like it’s done for other boards. But since no reciprocity was involved in their case, the PCB demanded a hefty fee in exchange and obtained $400,000.”Lahore Qalandars – as well as Peshawar – also confirmed that they were indirectly approached at a very early stage in the inception of the league and offered to become a party in it. But the business proposition was turned down because it was understood to be counter-productive to their brand. Iqbal was himself initially against allowing Pakistan players in the T10 League.”There are genuine concerns raised by a majority of PSL teams and the issue needs to be sorted with due diligence,” a Qalandars official told ESPNcricinfo. “Allowing marquee players into other leagues that have the potential to undermine the PSL is a point of concern.”Quetta’s owner, meanwhile, had been seeking permission from the PCB to buy a team in the Emirates League in the UAE but had not received permission. During the meeting, the owner of Gladiators didn’t object to supporting the T10 League, but underlined the PCB’s “double standard” in not allowing one owner to buy a team, and discouraging another for associating with other leagues in the UAE.Not least of the impacts of the league will be that the final round of Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, will be played without a number of big names who will be playing in the UAE this weekend. Pakistan players in the T10 League include Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal and Hasan Ali.The final QeA round begins on December 15 with eight teams competing for a place in the final.

ESPNcricinfo looks ahead to the prospects of Dhaka Dynamites, Rajshahi Kings and Khulna Titans and Rangpur Riders in the 2016-17 Bangladesh Premier League season

Mohammad Isam02-Nov-2016

Dhaka Dynamites

Big pictureDhaka will bank on the experience of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Shakib Al Hasan in their bid for the BPL title for the first time as the Dynamites franchise. They have a good mix of allrounders and big-hitters in the side including Evin Lewis, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo and Ravi Bopara while among the local players, Nasir Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain and Sanjamul Islam will be be crucial.The likes of Mehedi Maruf, Irfan Sukkur and Mohammad Shahid would ultimately have to balance out the side, and their contribution could end up being the difference between a champion side and one that doesn’t go through to the last four.Position in BPL 3FourthKey playerDhaka has an experienced squad with Jayawardene and Sangakkara in the mix, but it will be Shakib Al Hasan whose T20 skills and experience will be vital to their title push.CoachKhaled Mahmud will once again have to juggle his many roles in Bangladesh cricket, after being appointed head coach of the Dynamites. He has had recent success, domestically, leading Abahani Limited to their 18th Dhaka Premier League title last season.One that got awayThe absence of Mustafizur Rahman could be hard to fill. Mustafizur was an important part of Dhaka’s progress last season, but is out injured this time. It will be up to Wayne Parnell and Mohammad Shahid to fill his shoes. It won’t be easy.Below the radarTanveer Haider is an experienced first-class cricketer but this will be a chance for him to showcase his batting and leg-spinning abilities on a bigger stage. He impressed in the practice match against England last month, and it is known that Bangladesh team management is quite keen on his development.

Rajshahi Kings

Big pictureThe Rajshahi team returns after missing the 2015 tournament, this time with a new owner and a new monicker – the Kings. They have picked some experienced overseas players like Darren Sammy, Mohammad Sami and Samit Patel, while Upul Tharanga and Milinda Siriwardana will also be important contributors when they eventually join the team.There will be a lot of interest in Mehedi Hasan, who won the man-of-the-series award in his debut Test series against England. He will have to contribute with the bat too for Rajshahi, while the likes of Mominul Haque, Sabbir Rahman, Farhad Reza and Rony Talukdar would also have to step up to get them into the last four.The Rajshahi Kings have picked up experienced foreigners, but all eyes will be on wonderkid Mehedi Hasan•AFP

Key playerSabbir Rahman will once again be the most important player for his franchise, and Rajshahi would like him to come to the party, like he did for Barisal last season. Sabbir’s effervescence in the field would also be important for the new franchise as they look for momentum from the get-go.CoachVeteran Sarwar Imran will be in charge of the Rajshahi franchise this year. He was with the Barisal and Sylhet teams in previous BPL editions and delivered mixed results. But he is regarded as a quality coach in the Bangladesh scene, having also worked with the senior team on a number of occasions.Below the radarEbadot Hossain has been attracting attention since he emerged out of the Pacer Hunt programme earlier this year. A Bangladesh Air Force employee, Ebadot has pace to burn and impressed in the practice match against England, and the High Performance programme.

Khulna Titans

Big pictureMahmudullah’s new role as aggressor and finisher will be at the forefront for the returning Khulna Titans•Getty Images

Khulna is another BPL returnee franchise, having missed the previous edition. They return as the Titans, and have put together a balanced squad with Mahmudullah leading some BPL veterans like Kevon Cooper and Lendl Simmons, and a few talented first-timers like the big-hitting Hasanuzzaman and fast bowler Abdul Halim.Benny Howell, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Asghar and Ben Laughlin are interesting picks in the bowling department while among the local players, Alok Kapali would provide some meat in the middle-order.Key player
Khulna would be keen to see Mahmudullah bring the same verve into their franchise as he did for Barisal Bulls last season. His changed batting approach and recent transformation as Bangladesh’s finisher in the shortest format will fit into his team’s plans.CoachStuart Law returns to Bangladesh cricket after helping the Under-19 team to their first semifinal at the World Cup, earlier this year. This will be his second BPL stint as head coach, having been in charge of the (now defunct) Sylhet Royals in 2012. Law’s knowledge of Bangladeshi players will go well with his own experience as an ex-international.Below the radarYoungster Hasanuzzaman played only a few matches for Kalabagan Krira Chakra in the Dhaka Premier League last season but he did enough to impress Mashrafe Mortaza. Now he will be playing for Khulna after also performing well for ULAB in a T20 university-level tournament in Sri Lanka recently.

Rangpur Riders

Big pictureIt is an exciting squad, particularly in the top order with Mohammad Shahzad, Sharjeel Khan, Soumya Sarkar, Nasir Jamshed and Gidron Pope in the mix. The likes of Babar Azam, Shahid Afridi, Dasun Shanaka and Rubel Hossain will also be heavily relied upon, though fitting in so many big-hitters may become a selection issue.Local players like Sohag Gazi and Ziaur Rahman would remain in contention though Elias Sunny and Muktar Ali also have decent experience playing T20s.Position in BPL 3ThirdKey playerIf Mohammad Shahzad gets in his groove, the BPL could become entertaining. The Afghanistan opener is a big hitter, and will be itching to give a good performance in his first BPL. His wicketkeeping will also be handy.CoachIt raised a few eyebrows when Rangpur announced former Bangladesh batsman Javed Omar as their head coach, particularly given his lack of experience at this level. But Javed is a character who has served Bangladesh cricket for a very long time, and his inclusion in the BPL is welcome.One that got awayShakib Al Hasan will certainly be their biggest missing star this season, and they will have to make up for it with the combination of their overseas and local players. Shahid Afridi’s involvement will be key.Below the radarThere might be a case for Pinak Ghosh to get a few games, given his immense talent as an opener, but a top-order place could be hard to find for this youngster. He will be well-served by the experience of mingling with some of the most experienced players in the world.

Scotland captain Preston Mommsen admitted his side was feeling the after-effects of the World Twenty20 Qualifier, but said he was relieved after Scotland’s tense three-run win over Nepal on Wednesday

Peter Della Penna in Ayr30-Jul-2015Scotland captain Preston Mommsen admitted his side was feeling the after-effects of the World Twenty20 Qualifier, but said he was relieved after Scotland’s tense three-run win over Nepal on Wednesday.”There’s no doubt we were under pressure,” Mommsen said after the win. “They certainly put us under pressure. They batted well and they ran well. I think it was a combination of a few things and one of those things was fatigue and the end of a long campaign. Today that was always going to be a challenge for us, getting up for this game. We wanted to make sure we didn’t take this Nepal team lightly. We know they are capable and they showed that they are capable today. We’ll have to go away and do some more homework and make sure we come back even stronger on Friday.”Nepal were in the middle of a 139-run partnership with eight wickets in hand in the final two overs needing 25 to win before Gavin Main sparked a slide of three wickets in four balls by removing Nepal captain Paras Khadka for 70. It was 20-year-old Main’s maiden List A match and his freshness proved to be the key after having sat on the bench during Scotland’s entire World Twenty20 Qualifier campaign. Mommsen said despite Nepal’s strong position he was confident Scotland’s experience would help them in the end.”I think there were certainly signs of tiredness toward the end,” Mommsen said. “It’s been a long three or four weeks for us and I think at the end of the day we are just very happy to get the points and move on. I didn’t ever feel like we were going to lose the game, but it was far too close than we would have liked. I still had faith in our bowlers to come back and nail our plans.”Mommsen, who scored 78 off 62 balls, credited Con de Lange, who scored his maiden 50 for Scotland, with propping the team up after Nepal had Scotland in trouble at 101 for 5. Their 113-run sixth wicket stand lifted Scotland out of trouble and took them to a winning score as the hosts scored 86 runs in the final seven overs to finish on 235 for 7 in 36.”Obviously it was a slightly tricky period when I came in so to get through that initial bit of hard work was good and then to try to capitalize toward the end. I thought Con also batted nicely and together we put on quite a nice partnership there. That was his first 50 for Scotland so he batted well and adapted really well to conditions. I think we did really well in the end to post the score that we did.”Khadka said after the match that he felt Nepal’s cautious start did not cost them in the end. Opener Anil Mandal scored 100 in 93 balls, with his second 50 coming in just 32 deliveries. However, Mandal and Mahesh Chhetri only scored one boundary in the opening seven-over power play of the chase, reaching 24 for 0.”We had a plan that we’d build up the innings slowly but steadily and accordingly move from there,” Khadka said. “It could be a slow start, it could be a fast start but in the end it was a matter of one ball. Had the result gone in our favor, things would have gone well and we wouldn’t be talking about that. This is what it is. As long as you play the game we have to take the other side of the story and today unfortunately we couldn’t cross the line.”The Nepal captain was reasonably positive though despite the defeat. After a rough tour of Ireland where they secured a lone victory over USA in their opening match of the World Twenty20 Qualifier, taking this match to the end was an indication that his side had greater confidence in their skills in the 50-over format.”We came very close. It was a very good game altogether. I think both teams played equally well. Scotland after being [101] for 5 managed to put up a decent score and we put up a fight until the last ball but unfortunately we couldn’t pull it off in the end. It was just a matter of one ball. Sometimes I’d say this is what cricket comes down to. When you play good teams, it’s just a matter of those small margins.”

A round-up of the Qaid-e-Azam Trophy matches

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2013
Scorecard
Abbottabad picked up their first win of the competition, beating Faisalabad in a low-scoring game that finished in two days. Abbottabad justified their decision to field first by bowling out the opposition for 92 in the first innings, with legspinner Yasir Shah taking six wickets. But Abbottabad themselves didn’t have much of an edge at the end of their innings, as they were skittled out for 135. Yasir Hameed made 49 and Yasir chipped in with 26, but there wasn’t much they could do against Waqas Maqsood, who took 7 for 40.A second batting failure, however, proved too costly for Faisalabad. Yasir was among the wickets again, taking his match tally to 12, to keep Faisalabad to just 152. Ammar Mahmood made 49 but there wasn’t much support from the rest. Set just 110 to win, Abbottabad achieved their target for the loss of just two wickets. Hammad Ali Shah made 56.
ScorecardLahore Shalimar’s collapse in the first innings proved to be the difference as they lost a low-scoring match to Rawalpindi by a narrow margin. Shalimar had bowled Rawalpindi out for 157 after putting them in, with seamers Aizaz Cheema and Zia-ul-Haq sharing seven wickets between them. But in response, Shalimar started poorly, losing two early wickets, and then crumbled to 116 all out. Only opener Umar Siddiq was able to put up a resistance with a 145-ball 46. Left-arm seamer Nasir Malik did most of the damage with four wickets, but it was Hammad Azam who picked up the crucial wicket of Siddiq and helped wrap up the innings quickly.Shalimar opening bowlers responded with three quick wickets, but a 98-run fourth-wicket stand between Awaiz Zia and Haseeb Azam proved to be crucial in the context of the match as the two took Rawalpindi’s lead past 150. Once the partnership was broken, Cheema and Zia-ul-Haq ran through the rest of the batting order to keep the target to a tricky 240.Unlike their first innings, all Shalimar batsmen got starts but were unable to construct big partnerships. The only notable stand was the one between Umar Akmal and Salman Ali which gave the team a good platform. But Rawalpindi bowlers attacked in a pack, with Saad Altaf, Hammad and Haseeb Azam, all picking up three wickets, and picked up the last six wickets for 37 to clinch a tight win and remain on the top of the Group II table.
ScorecardCenturies from Rizwan Ahmed and captain Aqeel Anjum, and nine wickets from offspinner Nasir Awais took Hyderabad to a commanding innings-and-46-run victory against Bahawalpur at the Bahawal Stadium. The collective bowling effort, led by Awais, helped them bowl Bahawalpur out for less than 200 in both their innings, after Hyderabad’s mammoth first-innings score of 513 for 9.After being put in to bat, Hyderabad’s openers began positively. Rizwan and Anjum consolidated on the strong start, and from 175 for 3, they added another 192 runs as their team took a strong hold on the contest. Their bowlers kept a tight leash on Bahawalpur, who collapsed for 194 and were forced to follow on. Besides Usman Tariq, who scored a half-century, no one scored more than 26. Awais, Nauman Ali and Zahid Mahmood took three wickets.Bahawalpur’s batsmen struggle against Hyderabad’s bowlers in their second dig too. Awais, who eventually took six wickets in the innings, helped reduce them to 65 for 6, before a fightback from lower-order batsman Ansar Javed delayed the inevitable.Hyderabad, however, still remain at the bottom of the Group II table.
ScorecardA knock of 150 from Mohammad Waqas helped Karachi Blues gain a crucial 47-run lead – and thereby three points – against Multan in a closely fought drawn contest at the Multan Cricket Stadium.The top order, led by Waqas, took them to 322 for 4, before the rest of the batsmen fell relatively cheaply to Zulfiqar Babar’s offspin. Multan replied strongly to Blues’ 410, and after a poor start strung together productive partnerships. Saeed Anwar jnr, Sohaib Maqsood, Naved Yasin and No. 9 Rizwan Haider scored half-centuries to get Multan close to their opponents’ score, but the lack of a big innings hurt them as they fell short of gaining the lead, scoring 363.Blues’ batsmen prevented the chance of an outright result by consuming the final two days in their second innings, batting at a considerably slower rate than in their first innings.The result consolidates their position at the top of the Group I table, while Multan lie second from bottom.
ScorecardPeshawar, bottom-placed in Group I, stayed dominant throughout the match against Sialkot, but were unable to force a result at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. The home team chose to bat first and was in some trouble at 115 for 4 before wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan scored only his second first-class century to revive the team to a good first-innings total.The Peshawar bowlers, led by Afaq Ahmed, then responded with regular wickets and helped their team to a 77-run lead. The scoring rates of both teams, however, remained slow, and by the time Sialkot ended their first innings, only a day remained in the match.Peshawar were then given a scare as they lost the openers with only nine runs on the board. On the fourth day, the home team continued to add runs at a slow pace. By the time Peshawar declared their innings – after batsman Aftab Alam got to his century – not much time was left in the match to force a result and the match petered to a draw.

Sandip Maniar took five wickets and Saurashtra forced Mumbai to follow-on despite hundreds from Suryakumar Yadav and Hiken Shah

Nagraj Gollapudi in Rajkot08-Dec-2011
ScorecardFile photo: Suryakumar Yadav’s rapid fire hundred did prevent Mumbai from having to follow-on•Fotocorp

Saurashtra achieved the enviable honour of inflicting the follow-on for the second time in three years against Mumbai, who finished 220 runs short of their opponent’s first-innings target on the penultimate day. Mumbai, who had lost two early wickets in the six overs before stumps on the second day, lost a further two inside the first thirty minutes on Thursday morning, finding themselves in a precarious position at 30 for four.That they didn’t fold immediately thereafter was down to the resolute efforts of Hiken Shah and Suryakumar Yadav, who made contrasting centuries to ensure the match wouldn’t be completely one-sided. Still Saurashtra, lead by their veteran seamer Sandip Maniar, who grabbed a deserving five-for, ensured the hosts would finish the match with at least three points.Wasim Jaffer, the Mumbai captain, has struggled so far this season and disappointed once again. Playing across a Maniar delivery, which had cut in after pitching on the off stump, Jaffer was caught plumb in front of the stumps. Then Kaustubh Pawar went chasing an away swinger from Maniar, but could only edge it to the wicketkeeper. Yadav, too, had nearly booked his written ticket when he flashed at an angled delivery from Jaydev Undakat, the left-arm seamer, but Bhushan Chauhan dropped an easy catch at second slip. Yadav was on six at the time and made good use of the life he was granted.So far this season Yadav’s modus operandi has been to hit the ball, good delivery or bad, if he feels he can hit it. His first onslaught came against Siddharth Trivedi, who was hit for four successive boundaries in his first over: a steer, then two punched straight drives followed by a pull that brightened Mumbai’s dressing room. Yadav took just 35 balls to make his third half-century of the season.He then took fancy to the left-arm spin of Nayan Doshi, whose first over was ransacked for 22 runs including a six and four fours featuring a cover drive, a loft, a sweep and a paddle sweep. In Doshi’s third over, Yadav stepped out twice, on the fourth and then the final delivery, to club two handsome sixes, the second of which got him to this second century in successive matches. His 77-ball hundred had come up inside the two-and-a-half-hour first session and Yadav promised a big score for a second week in a row after his 200 against Orissa in the last round.Still Yadav needed to exercise caution only because he had missed out on two centuries in the first two rounds, against Railways (88) and then against Rajasthan (87), by playing the wrong shots. In their efforts to dry up the runs, Saurashtra captain Jaydev Shah spread the field and asked Kamlesh Makwana, the off spinner, to attack Yadav’s off stump. Yadav stayed quiet for an over, but attempting a slog sweep, he top-edged to Shah, who had smartly pushed himself back from leg gully to short fine-leg.Luckily for Mumbai, Hiken, playing his first match for Mumbai in three years, did not lose focus. He had played for Jammu & Kashmir in the 2009-10 season, but returned home and spent the mandatory cooling-off period of one year playing in the Mumbai leagues. He had come into this match on the back of three back-to-back centuries in the Police Shield.In the second session, Saurashtra mostly deployed spinners, which was to Hiken’s liking. He brought up both his fifty and his hundred with fours. The half-century came when he cut Makwana past the point boundary. Then on 96, he lofted Trivedi over the bowler’s head. It was his second Ranji, and first-class, century, coming four years after his first.
Unfortunately at the start of the final session Hiken tried to uppercut a Maniar short-pitched delivery, which was brilliantly snapped by Kotak, the lone slip, who leapt into the air, raised both his hands and made a difficult catch look easy.Coincidentally, the last match Hiken played for Mumbai was against Saurashtra in the 2008-09 season in Rajkot and Mumbai had been forced to follow-on in that game too. Hiken said it was bittersweet moment for him that despite his century he could not save Mumbai’s blushes.

The Ashes contest lived up its billing of being too close to call on a fluctuating day at the Gabba

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan26-Nov-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMichael Clarke was given a torrid working over before falling to Steven Finn•AFP

The Ashes contest lived up to its billing of being too close to call on a fluctuating day at the Gabba. England’s bowlers staged a spirited fightback before being quelled by a resurgent Michael Hussey, whose unbeaten 81 gave Australia the edge when bad light ended play. The hosts lost four wickets during the afternoon session as James Anderson and Steven Finn produced fiery spells, but Hussey was joined by Brad Haddin and the sixth-wicket pair added 77 to leave Australia sensing a vital lead.We’ll never know what the Australia selectors would have done if Hussey had failed in the second innings of the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria last week, where he struck a hundred after an 18-ball duck in the first innings. His first ball today was inches short of reaching second slip but that was about his only alarm during an assured display, where his attacking approach against Graeme Swann laid down a marker for the series. Five fours and a six came against the offspinner, who, along with the quicks, regularly dropped short to feed Hussey’s pull.However, England’s attack showed enough to suggest they can more than hold their own in Australian conditions with Anderson the most impressive as he began correcting a poor record down under. Not only did he claim two vital wickets, but his economy of under two meant the hosts didn’t race away. As a whole, England maintained good control when wickets weren’t falling although Finn’s two successes came at a slightly high cost.England were denied the early breakthroughs they wanted during the morning session as Shane Watson and Simon Katich rode the occasional moment of good fortune. The first major alarm came when Katich, on 22, raced off for a single into the covers, which Watson declined. A direct hit from Alastair Cook would have had Katich well short but the throw missed, while Matt Prior couldn’t reach the stumps in time.The tussle between Watson and England’s quicks was engrossing. The bowlers targeted his pads and Watson responded with handsome straight drives, but he also got into a tangle against a well-directed short ball from Broad which struck him under the arm and lobbed just clear of the stumps.

Smart Stats

• Michael Hussey’s half-century was only his third fifty-plus score after the 134 against Pakistan at the SCG in January 2010. Since January 4 2010, Hussey averages 32.81 in eight matches. He averages 62.69 against England with two hundreds and seven fifties.

• Ricky Ponting fell for only his third score below fifty in matches at the Gabba since December 2003. He has three centuries and six fifties in twelve innings at an average of 80.60.

• Marcus North fell below ten for the 15th time in 33 innings. He has been dismissed for a duck on five occasions. In the remaining innings, he has five centuries and four fifties, but is yet to score a single hundred at home.

• Shane Watson and Simon Katich were involved in their ninth fifty partnership. Among Australian opening pairs who have aggregated more than 1200 runs, they have the second highest average.

• Katich has made eight hundreds and 17 fifties in 32 matches since May 2008 at an average of 52.38. He has made a fifty-plus score in 22 out of 32 matches since May 2008. Prior to that, he averaged 36 with two hundreds and six fifties in 23 matches.

England thought they’d broken through when Katich was given lbw against Anderson but the decision was overturned on referral for height, then the visitors tried their luck with a review against Watson but it was only clipping leg stump and couldn’t be changed. By now, tensions were starting to mount – especially between Anderson and Watson – but to Anderson’s credit he kept his composure and his line as Watson edged a good-length delivery to first slip.Anderson then gave the team a perfect start after lunch when Ricky Ponting glanced an edge down the leg side. With his tail up, Anderson gave Clarke a working over and was well supported by Finn, who produced a fine spell having begun nervously on his Ashes debut.Katich had reached a nuggety half-century from 103 balls but hadn’t added to his score when he scooped a full delivery back towards Finn, who stooped low in his follow-through to hold a fine catch for such a tall bowler. Having made an impact, Finn then found Hussey’s edge first ball but the nick fell agonisingly short of Swann at second slip.England were convinced they had Clarke caught behind before he’d scored when Finn nipped one back to find the inside edge and they used up their final review after Aleem Dar said not out. However, Hotspot didn’t show an edge so the decision was upheld, although Snicko – which can’t be used as part of the UDRS – did suggest a feather from Clarke’s bat.England had a stranglehold over Australia but Hussey broke the shackles with two pulls off Finn. There was then a clear indicator for the series as Hussey took the attack to Swann – who had previously bowled two one-over spells – and used his feet to on-drive a six before cutting through the covers. When Swann continued to drop uncharacteristically short he was pulled twice through midwicket.Finn, though, returned for another spell and made an immediate impact when Clarke’s painful 50-ball innings ended with a top-edge pull. Clarke had already been struck on the helmet and the glove by Stuart Broad as he refused to attack the short ball, and his first attempt at something aggressive brought his downfall. Swann, whose first four overs cost 34, then produced his best delivery of the innings that spun to take the edge of North’s bat as he collected his latest failure which will reignite the debate over his position at No. 6.Haddin, who is playing his first Test since March following injury, immediately looked solid at the crease and after tea began to chip away at a tiring attack, while Hussey maintained his role of aggressor. Hussey’s fifty came from 85 balls and the midwicket fence continued to be his favoured location for boundaries. England were desperate to reach the second new ball, but the moment it became available the light closed in, followed shortly by rain, which meant the next key stage of this match had to wait. The morning should be compulsive viewing.

Ricky Ponting’s fifth Test double-century and Michael Clarke’s highest Test score have left Pakistan facing a mountainous task to avoid defeat over the next three days in Hobart

The Bulletin by Brydon Coverdale at Bellerive Oval15-Jan-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIsland dream: Ricky Ponting posted his third-highest Test score during a marathon performance on his home ground•Getty Images

Ricky Ponting’s fifth Test double-century and Michael Clarke’s highest Test score have left Pakistan facing a mountainous task to avoid defeat over the next three days in Hobart. Their already fragile confidence took another hit when Peter Siddle struck twice in one over and Salman Butt ran out two partners to leave them 425 runs adrift. With six wickets in hand, avoiding the follow-on looked as far away as the Australian mainland.There is every chance that, given the opportunity, Ponting will enforce the follow-on for the second time this summer as there are showers forecast over the next three days and the fast men are on the verge of a two-month break from Tests. He’ll also be buoyed by Pakistan’s ongoing self-implosion, which continued with the two run-outs.The captain Mohammad Yousuf went hard for a third, which was refused by an overly casual Butt, and turned back to be caught short for 7. Yousuf stood by the pitch glowering at Butt before walking off and Pakistan’s frustrations continued when Butt and Umar Akmal took off for a single, Butt stopped far too late, and Umar was run-out after his about-face. It was all the more disappointing after Butt and Imran Farhat reached 63 without loss.Farhat (38) drove away from his body off Siddle and was caught behind and four balls later Khurram Manzoor, the No. 3 brought in for this match, played an ill-advised cut that on the slower pitches in Pakistan might have worked, but here resulted in an ugly edge to second slip. The wickets were a timely boost for Siddle, who had only six in his previous four Tests this summer and has been by far the least potent member of the attack.But there was no doubt that the second day belonged to Ponting and Clarke, as had the first. Their 352-run partnership, which lasted 437 minutes and 626 balls, was Australia’s sixth-highest for any wicket in Test history. The stand ended when Clarke tried to pad up to the legspinner Danish Kaneria coming around the wicket but saw it take his off stump on 166.Ponting’s innings of 209 came to a close when he attacked in spite of Pakistan’s defensive wide-outside-off line and skied a catch to cover off Mohammad Aamer. The captain Yousuf took the chance, showing Aamer how it should be done after he put Ponting down at deep square-leg before he had scored on the first day. It wasn’t the most expensive miss in Test history – in 1938 Ben Barnett missed a stumping off Len Hutton on 40 and he went on to score 364 – but it was depressingly costly for Pakistan.When Ponting finally departed, fans stood all around the ground to cheer off their local Tasmanian hero, who made his third-highest Test score and his first double-ton since January 2005, the first Test double-century by any player at Bellerive Oval, and the highest Test score by an Australian since Justin Langer’s 215 in Adelaide against New Zealand five years ago. He picked up an even hundred runs in boundaries – 25 fours – in a near nine-hour stay at the crease.Ponting was given another life today on 167 when he drove Kaneria and the ball flew through the hands of Farhat at cover. But by that stage Australia were going for their shots and in truth, Clarke and Ponting were rarely troubled by a defensive Pakistan group that seemed simply to be waiting for a declaration.That didn’t come until the stroke of tea, by which time Brad Haddin had added a quick 41, Marcus North had scratched out 21, and Australia had climbed to 8 for 519. Ponting called an early end to Australia’s innings in Melbourne but here seemed intent on grinding Pakistan into the Bellerive turf, both with his own batting and his declaration. Australia have never lost a Test in Hobart and they won’t start now.

Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiles match-winning 38 as hosts hold their nerve

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Aug-2025Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiled a superb match-winning innings of 38 not out under intense pressure to carry Gloucestershire to an impressive three-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.Making only his third List-A appearance, Boorman struck two fours and two sixes and staged an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 35 in 18 balls with Craig Miles, who helped himself to a brace of sixes in making 18 not out as Gloucestershire reached their victory target of 286 with nine balls to spare.Gloucestershire appeared to be cruising when James Bracey compiled an eye-catching 96 from 106 balls and staged an opening stand of 105 with Cameron Bancroft, who contributed 40. But seamer Alex Green turned the tide back in Leicestershire’s favour, taking 5-52, dismissing both openers and dangermen Ben Charlesworth and Jack Taylor to set up a tense finale.

Peter Handscomb could count himself unlucky to finish on the losing side, Leicestershire’s skipper raising a brilliant 107 from 125 balls with nine fours and a six and sharing in a substantial partnership of 115 for the fifth wicket with Ben Cox, who contributed a run-a-ball 61, as the Foxes recovered from 76 for 4 to post 285 for 7.Liam Trevaskis produced a hard-hitting 30 not out as the visitors added 61 runs in the final five overs, but Gloucestershire seamer Josh Shaw excelled with the new ball, returning figures of 3 for 40 to keep last season’s beaten semi-finalists in check.Gloucestershire’s decision to bowl first was justified when Shaw claimed 3 for 20 with the new ball to reduce the Foxes to 22 for 3. The Yorkshireman bowled Rishi Patel between bat and pad without scoring, had Sol Budinger held at deep third via a top-edged cut and then had Lewis Hill caught at the wicket in the act of cutting, at which point he had dismantled Leicestershire’s top order in the space of 15 deliveries from the Ashley Down Road end.Having mustered just three boundaries in the powerplay, the visitors were under duress in the face of variable bounce on a slow pitch. But Shan Masood and Handscomb effected a partial recovery, staging an important alliance of 54 in 13.3 overs. The fourth-wicket partnership was beginning to flourish when Ben Charlesworth made a breakthrough with his first ball, persuading Pakistan Test captain Masood to top-edge a pull shot to deep fine leg and depart for 35 with the score 76 for 4 in the 19th.That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire. New batter Cox looked to disrupt the home side’s smooth progress from the outset, clearing the rope behind square for the first six of the innings when Matt Taylor dropped short as the Foxes reached halfway on 113 for 4.The batters managed to get on top for the first time against spinners Ollie Price and Jack Taylor, Handscomb and Cox combining excellent running between the wickets and clever placement in raising a 50 partnership from 57 balls. Averaging a half-century every four innings in List-A cricket, Handscomb went to his 42nd fifty from 76 balls, while Cox attained the same landmark via 45 deliveries with five fours and a six.Gloucestershire needed a wicket and Akhter obliged, bowling Cox to terminate a partnership that had revitalised Leicestershire. Cox had scored a run-a-ball 61 and helped establish a platform from which the visitors could launch a late assault.Matt Taylor removed Ian Holland cheaply, but there was no shifting Handscomb, the Australian going to his ninth List-A hundred by launching Akhter over long-off for six. He received staunch support from Liam Trevaskis with a quickfire unbeaten 30 from 22 deliveries in a valuable seventh-wicket alliance of 51 in 35 balls as the Foxes smashed 61 runs in the final five overs.Gloucestershire openers Bracey and Bancroft were initially circumspect in the face of the new-ball threat. But Bracey soon warmed to his task, greeting Tom Scriven with a pick-up for six over midwicket and a pull for four next ball as the home side advanced to 47 without loss at the end of 10 overs. So dominant was Bracey, that Bancroft contributed just seven runs to the 50 partnership.Bracey went to an authoritative half-century from 58 deliveries, reaching that landmark with his ninth four, causing Handscomb to turn to spin. The opening partnership had realised three figures before the Foxes made the breakthrough they so desperately needed, Bancroft edging a catch behind off Chris Wright in the 20th over.Ollie Price proved adept at rotating the strike thereafter and Gloucestershire were well-placed on 134 for 1 at the halfway stage, requiring a further 152 at 6.1 an over. These two posted a 50 partnership from 65 balls, but Price fell for 29, hitting Green straight to Handscomb at midwicket.Green then struck a telling blow, having Bracey held at deep square leg, at which point Gloucestershire still needed 108 to win with two new batters at the crease. Charlesworth hit a quickfire 19, only to succumb to a leg-side strangle as Green made another important intervention.Sensing an opportunity, Leicestershire kept up the pressure and Trevaskis dismissed Joe Phillips for 14 to further reduce the home side, still 61 short of their target with nine overs remaining.Boorman helped himself to a six and a four off Holland, but Gloucestershire’s task was made harder when Green accounted for Jack Taylor and Akhter with successive deliveries in the 46th over.Miles hit a straight six off Green and Boorman repeated the feat off Trevaskis as the eighth wicket pair held their nerve. Miles hit the winning six in the penultimate over.

DPL Week 4: Shinepukur have reached the Super League for the first time

Mohammad Isam19-Apr-2024There’s no stopping Abahani Limited – they have now crushed their closest rivals, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, to win all 11 matches of the first phase of the Dhaka Premier League. It has left them just three wins away from claiming their 22nd DPL title as the top six teams head into the Super League phase.In the match billed as this season’s biggest fixture – between the two supposedly richest teams – Abahani bowled out Sheikh Jamal for just 88 runs, their lowest-ever score in the DPL. Then they chased down the meagre target in 10.2 overs without losing a wicket.Shinepukur Cricket Club, meanwhile, have finished second on the table with eight wins, ahead of Mohammedan Sporting Club and Sheikh Jamal on net run-rate. They beat fellow Super League qualifiers Gazi Group Cricketers and Mohammedan, before polishing off Legends of Rupganj this week. Significantly for them, Shinepukur have reached the Super League phase for the first time.

Best batters

Irfan Sukkur and Habibur Rahman Sohan scored crucial runs after the Eid break to take their respective sides, Shinepukur and Gazi Group, into the Super League. Left-hand batter Irfan struck an unbeaten 106 against Rupganj after his 84 against Gazi Group, both match-winning knocks. Young Sohan struck a 55-ball 81 against Brothers Union before the unbeaten 102 against City Club that sealed Gazi Group’s Super League spot.Parvez Hossain Emon finished the first phase with the most runs, 585 at 53.18 with three centuries. He is the only one to breach the 500-run mark, while Mohammad Naim, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Saif Hassan and Tamim Iqbal are among the top-five scorers.

Best bowlers

Quick bowler Nahid Rana, who recently made his Test debut against Sri Lanka, took 12 wickets this week, including a five-wicket haul against Mohammedan and a four-for against Gazi Group. Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed took the other five-for this week.Left-arm quicks have ruled the DPL’s first phase. Gazi Group’s Ruyel Miah finished as the top wicket-taker with 25 wickets at 14.76. Abu Hider and Maruf Mridha, both left-arm fast bowlers, are among the top four, while Ifran Hossain, a right-arm quick, is in sixth place. Rishad Hossain, the legspinner, and left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam are the others in the top five.Nahid Rana is one of the big reasons for Shinepukur’s success this season•BCB

Best match

Abahani came into the week with nine wins in a row but it would all come to nothing if they couldn’t dominate fellow big-spenders Prime Bank Cricket Club and Sheikh Jamal. They racked up 341 for 4 against Prime Bank, with Anamul Haque and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hitting centuries. Towhid Hridoy struck a breezy unbeaten 65 too. Prime Bank were all out for 283 in reply after Taskin Ahmed and Tanjim Hasan Sakib took three wickets each to kill off any threat.Shoriful Islam’s four wickets, with help from Taskin and Tanjim, bowled Sheikh Jamal out for 88.

Points to ponder

An official of the cricket committee of Dhaka Metropolis, the body that runs the Dhaka leagues, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Gazi Tyres Cricket Academy, City Club and Rupganj Tigers will play in the relegation playoffs. They are all tied on four points along with Partex Sporting Club, who avoided relegation because of a higher net run-rate than Rupganj.

Players to watch

Mridha stood out among the teenaged cricketers who debuted in the DPL this season. The left-arm fast bowler took 19 wickets for Gazi Tyres Cricket Academy. Among the others, 16-year old Nuhayel Sandeed became the first left-arm wristspinner to play List-A cricket in Bangladesh. Sandeed took two wickets on debut against Prime Bank, the DPL side coached by his father Mohammad Salahuddin.