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Smriti Mandhana leads Indian batting effort again, just two days after retiring hurt when she was struck by a Shabnim Ismail bouncer

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2022India beat West Indies in their second warm-up fixture ahead of the Women’s World Cup, and now enter the main tournament on the back of successive warm-up wins after also beating South Africa on Sunday. While half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma set them up for a total of 258, a solid all-round effort with the ball ensured West Indies stopped at 177 for 9.Mandhana and Deepti added 117 for the second wicket after Shafali Verma fell for a second-ball duck, the opener’s relatively dry recent run continuing – she made 0 and 9 in the last two ODIs against New Zealand last week after having hit a 57-ball 51 in the third game, her first score of note in some time.Related

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But India would be relieved with Mandhana’s innings, as she cracked 66 from just 67 balls just two days after being forced to retire hurt when she was hit in the helmet by a Shabnim Ismail bouncer that caused “a mild soft tissue injury to her left earlobe which caused discomfort while batting”.Mithali Raj and Yastika Bhatia also chipped in with decent hands, of 30 and 42 respectively, after Cherry-Ann Fraser dismissed Mandhana and Deepti. Despite the good contributions, it was a worry for India as they slipped from 142 for 2 in the 27th over to 195 for 5 by the 37th. Fraser finished with 2 for 24 from five overs.Karishma Ramharack and Hayley Matthews picked up two wickets apiece too, but West Indies’ batters didn’t quite come to the party during the chase, losing their top four with just 53 on the board.Pooja Vastrakar struck twice up top, while Deepti and Meghna Singh picked up a wicket each. A brief recovery between Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle took West Indies to 122, before Meghna got rid of Matthews for 44 in the 38th over.By then, West Indies’ required rate had shot up, as they needed another 137 from the remaining 73 deliveries. And Vastrakar pretty much sealed it for India after she bowled Campbelle for 63.Sophie Devine smashed 161 not out in just 117 balls•ICC via Getty

New Zealand chased down a steep target of 322 seemingly with ease against Australia, getting to 325 with nine wickets in hand and nearly seven overs to spare. Captain Sophie Devine led the show with an unbeaten 161 off just 117 balls, an innings that featured 23 fours and four sixes. She got great company from fellow opener Suzie Bates, who hit 63 in a stand of 119 for the first wicket.There was no respite for Australia even after Alana King got rid of Bates, as Amelia Kerr continued her excellent form to remain undefeated on 92 from just 75 balls, cracking 13 fours on her way. The New Zealand batters took a special liking for Annabel Sutherland, smashing her for 41 in three overs, and Ashleigh Gardner, who went for 34 in her three.Before that, four half-centuries from Australia’s top six took them to what seemed like a winning total of 321, with captain Meg Lanning leading the way with 87 at just over a run-a-ball. Opener Alyssa Healy hit 64 and Beth Mooney struck a 51-ball 55, but the real impact came from Gardner at No. 6, as she clattered 60 from only 32 balls with six fours and four sixes.But Hannah Rowe, with 4 for 49, cleaned up Australia middle-order to help bowl them out with three balls left.In the end, though, the total wasn’t enough for Australia, who had beaten West Indies in their first warm-up. New Zealand, meanwhile, hit their straps after losing to Pakistan on Sunday. They will play the tournament opener against West Indies on Friday.

The fast bowler’s remarkable catch to remove Liton Das added to an impressive list in Wellington

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-2021Denesh Ramdin, 2013
Boult has done it again, this time in the field! Anderson was certain that was going to be a boundary as Ramdin got up on his toes to play a rasping cut shot but Boult leaps up and was horizontal with the ground as he reaches his left hand out and grabs an absolute stunner! The entire team mobs Boult as Ramdin walks back and the West Indies tail is exposed.Ajinkya Rahane, 2014
Boult has done it again! What is with him and one-handed screamers! It was a fullish delivery with just a bit of room. Rahane makes his own by staying leg side of the ball and lofts it. But he hasn’t got hold of it. it’s a skier. It was always going to need some catching. Boult was hurtling in from the boundary, dives forward and to his right and sticks out his right hand and clings on! Terrific catch to end a terrific innings as the New Zealand players come and shake hands with RahaneKumar Sangakkara, 2015
Boult has just taken a stunner. And should you be surprised? Ends what has been a truly fantastic innings from Sangakkara, who is accepting all the congratulations from the on-field players. This is definitely an early candidate for best catch of 2015 as Boult leapt high to his left to pluck this in mid-air at backward point, before crashing to the ground.Trent Boult claims a stunning return catch to remove Mitchell Marsh•Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh, 2016
How about that for a disgruntled fast bowler? If DRS denies me, I’ll pluck a one-handed, rip-roaring catch all by myself. Falls face-first into the pitch and then comes up with an expression of utter disbelief. Mouth agape in a big ‘O’ and eyes wide as saucers. This was fuller, but might have just held in the pitch considering Marsh was sucked into the drive and was trying to check it. Boult was in his follow through, stuck out his right hand and it was just too magnetic. He has a knack for picking up screamers. Took one that made it to Sportscenter’s Plays of the Year, if I’m not wrongLiton Das, 2021
Trent Boult has pulled off a blinder. A length ball outside off, Liton went for the pull only to top edge it towards third man. Boult ran to his left, dived full length and plucked it out with his outstretched left hand. Fingertips. Henry cannot believe it as he picks up his third wicketVirat Kohli, IPL 2018
Get out of here Trent Boult! Someone check if that isn’t a robot there! This is sensational. A one-handed leap to his right at deep square after being wrong-footed to his left, then a landing backwards and a cobra pose to keep his chest from touching the rope! Soft signal out. Replays say – OUT. Wow. Unbelievable. It’s a full toss on the pads and it’s flying, flat over Boult’s head because Kohli has got good power on that flick. It’s a stunning recovery from Boult. A leap backwards, holding on with the right hand, landing on his stomach and then stopping all that momentum to complete it. Gets back on his feet and even he’s in shock.

Bangladesh, Afghanistan progress to quarter-finals; Pakistan crush PNG

Sreshth Shah23-Jan-2022Opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi struck 144 and No. 4 Raj Bawa smacked 162 to give India the second-biggest win in the history of Youth ODIs as the Covid-hit team trounced Uganda by 326 runs in their final Group B encounter in Tarouba. The pair’s partnership of 206, that propelled India to post the tournament’s first 400+ total, was also the highest third-wicket stand in Under-19 World Cup history.Related

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The 16-year-old Raghuvanshi started attacking the Uganda bowling right from the first over when he cut one square for four, and then dominated a 40-run opening stand with Harnoor Singh by playing the short balls offered by the Uganda bowlers on both sides behind square. He displayed his wristwork by flicking shots off his toes through midwicket and playing strong drives down the ground to reach his fifty in 49 balls.Raghuvanshi, on 50, was joined by Raj Bawa after Nishant Sindhu fell for 15, and together they dominated for the next 22.4 overs where they scored 206 runs together. Bawa started his innings by putting away a low full toss through midwicket, and after a short period of quiet batting till the 21st over, the duo broke free.The 22nd over went for 20 runs as Raghuvanshi hit two fours and Bawa smacked back-to-back sixes, the 26th had Raghuvanshi playing two sweeps for four and one drive past the bowler, and in the 27th over, Bawa played a sublime punch through deep cover and followed it up with pull to the long-on boundary to push India to 172 for 2. Bawa reached his fifty in 44 balls in the 28th over in style slog-sweeping a six over the leg side and by the end of the 30th over, India had breached 200.Raghuvanshi reached his 93-ball century next over by pulling a short ball for four, and with at least one boundary coming off their bat till the 34th over, India’s run rate was hovering near seven and the chances of a 400+ score was looking like a reality for the first time in the innings.Bawa then tore into Uganda bowler Joseph Baguma by hitting consecutive sixes off full-tosses and on 90, offered the first real chance when he edged a shot past the vacant slip cordon for four. He followed it up to move to 98 with a square cut that raced through the carpet. He reached his century in only 69 balls with a single to midwicket.With both batters in triple digits, it appeared like the duo had shed all inhibitions and looked to tonk every ball out of the ground. Raghuvanshi went 6, 4, 4 in the 38th over, however, he was out on 144, top-edging a swipe to the wicketkeeper.Bawa, though, was not going to stop, and he brought up India’s 300 in the 40th over with a six over extra cover. He kept finding the boundaries with ease and buried a six down the ground to reach his 101-ball 150 by easily flicking a shot over deep midwicket.With Kaushal Tambe not lasting long, Bawa needed someone from the other end to also bring out the fireworks to help India breach 400, and wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana offered that aid by hitting a quickfire 14-ball 22. Bawa then saw off the innings in Aneeshwar Gautam’s company as their six-run 50th over took India to 405 for 5.Uganda did not get going in their chase at all, with six batters failing to score a run. Rajvardhan Hangargekar rattled the top order with his two wickets and the stand-in captain Nishant Sindhu, who had bowled tight through the tournament but without the wickets to show for it, then ran through the middle order with a four-for, including the scalp of Uganda captain Pascal Murungi (34). Vicky Ostwal and Vasu Vats, drafted into the India squad hours before the match, took a wicket apiece to complete the rout. India will next play Bangladesh in the quarter-finals.Mahfijul Islam cuts off the backfoot•ICC via Getty Images

In what was a virtual pre-quarterfinal match, defending champions Bangladesh rode on the back of a complete bowling performance in a rain-hit Group A game to secure their passage into the final eight by beating UAE by nine wickets.Right-arm seamer Ripon Mondol took 3 for 31 while Ashiqur Zaman and Tanzim Hasan Sakib took two wickets apiece to bowl UAE out for 148. UAE had three batters getting starts, with Punya Mehra top-scoring with 43, but they lost their last six wickets for 46 runs, with Mondol causing maximum damage.A rain-break changed the 149-run target to Bangladesh requiring 107 in 35 overs, and their openers set up the chase with an 86-run opening stand. Mahfijul Islam hit six fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 69-ball 64 and was assisted by Iftakher Hossain’s 70-ball 37. No. 3 Prantik Nawrose Nabil then gave Mahfijul company through to the end as Bangladesh wrapped up the nine-wicket win by the 25th over to finish second, behind England, in the group.Seam-bowling allrounder Muhammad Shehzad took a five-wicket haul while conceding only seven runs to set up Pakistan’s demolition of Papua New Guinea and help his side finish table-toppers in Group C. Their nine-wicket win now sets up a quarter-final date against Australia.Shehzad was the first-change bowler, and he had middle-order batters Aue Oru and Patrick Nou caught behind first up. He then returned to pick up the wickets of Sigo Kelly, Rasan Kevau and Karoho Kevau – all three for ducks – to bowl PNG out for 50 in 22.4 overs.Shehzad’s bowling form, however, could not convert into a good batting show for him personally. He was out for a duck as opener, but the other opener Abbas Ali scored 27 in 32 balls in the company of the captain Hasebullah Khan (18*) to leave Pakistan with a perfect Group C record of three wins in three games.In a must-win game for both sides, Afghanistan rode on the back of their captain Suliman Safi’s 111 and an all-round show from Nangeyalia Kharote to pip Zimbabwe to the second spot in Group C with a comprehensive 109-run win. Afghanistan will now participate in an all-Asian quarter-final against Group D toppers Sri Lanka.The left-hand opener Kharote hit a 45-ball 50 to build Afghanistan’s foundation, but it was Safi’s century from No. 4 that took them to 261 for 6. Safi hit 14 fours and three sixes in his 118-ball 111, dominating a 108-run fifth-wicket stand with Mohammad Ishaq where he made just 39. Although expensive, Zimbabwe seamer Alex Falao took a three-for.Zimbabwe made a promising start to the chase, putting up 49 in their opening stand, with Matthew Welch making most of the runs. However, Kharote’s left-arm spin then ran through the middle order, helping him finish with 4 for 30, which also included the wickets of Zimbabwe’s top-scorer Welch (53), the captain Emmanuel Bawa, and David and Brian Bennett. Sandwiched between his wickets was the run out that Kharote effected to send Connor Mitchell back for a duck, and leg spinner Izharulhaq Naveed made short work of the tail. The other left-arm spinner Shahidullah Hasani took two top-order wickets too, and Zimbabwe folded for 152.

Gloucestershire captain Michael Klinger registered his fourth County
Championship century of the summer to set up a potentially thrilling finish on the final day of the Second Division match against Kent at Cheltenham.

12-Jul-2013
ScorecardBen Harmison made a century before a result was set up•Getty Images

Gloucestershire captain Michael Klinger registered his fourth County
Championship century of the summer to set up a potentially thrilling finish on
the final day of the Second Division match against Kent at Cheltenham.Klinger posted an unbeaten 102 as Gloucestershire made 237 for 1 declared in
their second innings. He has now scored more than 1,000
runs in all cricket this season.Bottom-of-the-table Kent will bat tomorrow having been set a target of 411 to
win in a minimum 96 overs. Klinger and Kent skipper James Tredwell struck a deal during the lunch
interval, contriving imaginative declarations in order to arrive at a meaningful
finale.Although only nine wickets had fallen in seven previous sessions, unsuspecting
Festival-goers still looked mystified when Kent declared their first innings on
389 for 5 in the 101st over, forfeiting a fifth batting bonus point in favour
of giving themselves an opportunity to win a four-day game for the first time in
nine attempts this season.Having agreed not to enforce the follow-on, Gloucestershire commenced their
second innings 173 runs ahead with the intention of setting Kent a target to
chase on the final day.Left-hander Chris Dent picked up where he had left off in the first innings,
playing shots all around the wicket and threatening a second successive century,
albeit it against declaration bowling. Even in the circumstances, Dent was doubtless bitterly disappointed to
offer a return catch to occasional spinner Sam Northeast after rushing to 82
from 75 balls and helping himself to 13 fours.Having served as junior partner in an opening stand of 151, Klinger accelerated
during the final hour to raise three figures from 118 balls with nine fours and
a six.Ben Harmison earlier became the fourth batsman to post a hundred on a flat
College Ground pitch, realising the landmark from 141 balls in a
near-faultless innings that included 12 fours and a six. He shared in stands of 103 and 74 with Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones for the
fifth and sixth wickets respectively and helped guide the visitors clear of
danger after they had slipped to 212 for four in the morning session.Brendan Nash was bowled off his pads by slow left armer Tom Smith in the act of
sweeping for 9, while Northeast was brilliantly caught down the leg side by
wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick off the bowling of Craig Miles just six runs short
of a century.But veteran county campaigner Stevens slammed the door shut on
Gloucestershire’s hopes of enforcing the follow-on, crashing 75 runs off 71
balls in a forthright innings that yielded nine fours and two sixes.

All of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma, currently participating in the Hundred, would be joining next week

Annesha Ghosh10-Aug-2021A group of 30 India players would be assembling in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening for a camp ahead of the multi-format tour of Australia that kicks off next month. The five India players – Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma – currently participating in the Hundred in the UK would be joining the camp starting next week.ESPNcricinfo understands India are due to depart for Australia from Bengaluru either on August 29 or 30 before entering a mandatory two-week quarantine. A trimmed, final squad for the tour would be selected from the pool of 35 players – including the Hundred returnees – called up to the camp.Related

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The 30 players initially gathering in Bengaluru comprise the core of the 21-member squad that toured the UK in June-July as well as the one that was picked for the preceding limited-overs home series against South Africa in March. While the BCCI is yet to make any official announcements regarding the camp, it is learnt that Railways fast bowler Meghna Singh is among those who have been asked to join. Haryana quick Mansi Joshi, who featured in three ODIs against South Africa, couldn’t make the cut. But Chandigarh captain Amanjot Kaur, who formerly represented Punjab and plays as a top-order batter and medium pacer, is among the uncapped probables headed to the camp.Match simulation, skills-based training and fitness would be the focus of the camp with intra-squad pink-ball matches also likely to be held in order to help with preparations for the Australia tour that consists of three ODIs, a day-night Test – India’s first – and three T20Is.The last league-stage match of The Hundred is scheduled for August 18 and will be followed by the eliminator on August 20 and the final on August 21. All five teams represented by the Indians – Southern Brave (Mandhana), Northern Superchargers (Rodrigues), London Spirit (Sharma), Birmingham Phoenix (Verma), and the currently bottom-placed Manchester Originals (Kaur) – remain in contention for a playoffs berth.A Cricket Australia release in May stated that the ODIs would be played starting with one at the North Sydney Oval on September 19, followed by those at the Junction Oval on September 22 and 24, before the caravan moves to Perth for the standalone Test, scheduled from September 30. The tour will conclude with the T20Is at the North Sydney Oval on October 7, 9 and 11, with Australia then set to break for the WBBL, which will also have Indian representation.Australia are the reigning T20I champions, having beaten India in the final of the 2020 edition. Also, they are on a 24-match winning streak in ODIs.India, meanwhile, lost the multi-format points-based series against England 6-10 with a solitary win apiece in the three-match T20I and ODI series. They drew the tour-opening Test, their first appearance in the longest format since 2014. Earlier in the year, in Lucknow, they had lost 1-4 to South Africa in the ODIs and 1-2 in the T20Is that followed.

Ray Price, the Zimbabwe left-arm spinner, has retired from international cricket

Liam Brickhill at the Harare Sports Club28-Jul-2013Ray Price, the Zimbabwe left-arm spinner, has retired from international cricket. Price, 37, was included in Zimbabwe’s squad for their ongoing one-day series against India but won’t be travelling with the team to Bulawayo, the venue for the last two games.It was widely suspected that this series would be Price’s last for Zimbabwe, but with national contracts expiring after India’s visit, he has decided to call time on his career mid-series. “I was going to wait until my contract expired to call it a day but, yes, I’ve decided to retire from international cricket,” Price told ESPNcricinfo. “I won’t be going with the guys to Bulawayo. I’m retired.”There had been some confusion over Price’s place in the squad before the series because he wasn’t named in the initial list, but coach Andy Waller insisted that he had always been part of the team. Price was ever present during Zimbabwe’s net sessions in the lead-up to the India series, and it had been thought that he would be given a chance to bid farewell with one final match.That was not to be, however, and he will finish with exactly 100 wickets in 102 ODIs, to go with his 80 dismissals in 22 Tests and 13 scalps in 16 Twenty20 internationals.”Pricey’s called it a day,” Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said. “If he was going to play it was going to be here in Harare. We’re going to miss his experience, but in saying that it does give our young spinners who are coming through a great opportunity.”Price’s career straddled two distinct eras in Zimbabwean cricket. He debuted as a 23-year old in the third Test of the series against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club in 1999, but just as he established himself in the national side he threw in his lot with Heath Streak and the rebel cricketers and found himself ostracised. He left Zimbabwe for England and spent three and a half seasons with Worcestershire.His refusal of a new county contract in 2007 surprised many, and in November of that year he came out of exile and returned to Zimbabwe in the series against West Indies. Having left as something of a fringe player – particularly in one-day cricket – Price quickly re-established himself as a canny and economical bowler in ODIs.In 2009, he picked up 44 wickets at 20.61 and ascended to second in the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers. He remained Zimbabwe’s senior bowler for several years, and was their leading performer at the 2011 World Cup in India with nine wickets at 18.77. His last match for Zimbabwe was the Bridgetown Test against West Indies in March this year, in which he took just one wicket as the team suffered a heavy defeat.As important as his bowling was the spirit Price brought to a team struggling to find its way after all the upheavals in Zimbabwean cricket. A fierce adversary, Price bowled left-arm spin with the attitude of a fast bowler, refusing to back down no matter who the opposition and helping instill some backbone in the side.”He’s a hell of a competitor,” Taylor said. “He’s a guy that plays with his heart on his sleeve. He leaves nothing out on the field, he’ll give you everything and he’s a real team man. Unfortunately age is not on his side anymore, and he’s moving on with his family.”We’ll miss him, but I’m sure he’ll still be in the picture with our young spinners coming through and I’m sure he’ll always be contributing somewhere along the line.”Though he will no longer be part of the national side, Price will still be a regular at Harare Sports Club. He runs the sports equipment shop at the ground, and will divide his time between the shop, his family and one of his favourite pursuits: fishing.

Former allrounder set to take charge at Chelmsford after leaving MCC role

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2021John Stephenson has been appointed as Essex’s new chief executive officer. Stephenson, the former Essex allrounder who has spent the last 17 years working for the MCC, will take charge at Chelmsford in October.Stephenson, who played one Test for England, came through at Essex and had two spells at the club, between 1984-1994 and 2002-2004. His post-playing career began as MCC Head of Cricket, eventually becoming the club’s Assistant Secretary (Cricket). He steps down from the role, to be replaced by Jamie Cox.His appointment follows a lengthy process to find a successor for Derek Bowden at Essex. Bowden announced his intention to retire in October 2020, shortly after the club had lifted the Bob Willis Trophy, and Essex are believed to have been hit hard financially by the effects of the pandemic.Related

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“I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to come back to Essex as the club had a big influence on my professional career,” Stephenson said. “Having spent over a decade with the club as a player, I couldn’t pass up the prospect of taking on this fantastic role.”The club means so much to so many people and has a key role to play in the wider Essex community. One of my main objectives is to continue and build on the recent success that the club have experienced both on and off the field. With the support of the members, fans and the team, I believe we can continue to compete and bring silverware back to Chelmsford.”Having spent more than a decade largely confined to Division Two of the County Championship, Essex claimed their first title in 25 years in 2017, a season after being promoted. They were Division One champions again in 2019, as well as winning the T20 Blast, but failed to qualify for the top tier from this year’s Championship conference stage, meaning they won’t be in the running to defend either red-ball title in September.Essex’s executive chairman John Faragher said: “After an extensive interview process involving some very high-calibre personnel, John was clearly the outstanding candidate for the position at Essex. His exceptional skillset together with his appreciation of the modern game and the challenges facing cricket in the future were key credentials in making our decision.”He will lead the executive team on our journey to the next level in performance both on and off the field. Although we continue to face numerous problems brought about by the pandemic, we continue to be very focused on the future.”These are exciting times for the club and the board looks forward to supporting and working with John.”

Preview for the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals in Bangalore

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran19-Apr-2013

Match facts

April 20, 2013
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

A joke doing rounds in social media is that Royal Challengers Bangalore fans have no finger nails left. Four of their six games have gone to the final over, including two Super Over finishes. While it’s all fine for the viewers, it’s not the healthiest trend from the team’s point of view. Royal Challengers are a spot behind second-placed Rajasthan Royals, their next opponents, but their journey so far has been a bit too dramatic for their own good. They made heavy weather of their chase of 153 against Delhi Daredevils when they were cruising with 24 needed at a run-a-ball with seven wickets in hand (with no help from Chris Gayle). Though Royal Challengers passed the finish line after the Super Over, captain Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were humble enough to admit that they needed to learn to close out games better.Royal Challengers are yet to settle on a consistent opening combination. So far, Gayle has opened with Tillakaratne Dilshan, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. With Dilshan back in the mix after recovering from injury, they will have to let go of another overseas player, possibly Andrew McDonald, to get him in. Saurabh Tiwary, the left-handed batsman, is also back from injury, to widen their options.Royals on the other hand are fresh from thumping Mumbai Indians, reducing a fancied batting order to 92 in one of the most one-sided games of the tournament so far. After piling on 179, Royals made Mumbai struggle early by getting the spinners on and taking the pace off the ball. At 10 for 2 in the chase, the game was all but over. Rahul Dravid, the Royals captain, said the team’s positive energy made the difference. In Bangalore, they will be up against a team that’s yet to lose a home game this season.

Form guide

Royal Challengers Bangalore WLWWL
Rajasthan Royals WWLWW

Players to watch

Virat Kohli was named the Royal Challengers captain this season and the additional responsibility hasn’t had any negative effects on his batting, as he currently holds the Orange Cap (leading run-scorer) with 321 runs. Just as compelling as his batting is his on-field body language, which has added more spice to the tournament; his verbal face-off with Gautam Gambhir topped it all. Kohli never holds back his emotions, be it swinging his bat at thin air when dismissed, or refusing to take his pads off while sitting at the dugout. Whether it can be deemed as acceptable behaviour from a person of authority is another debate – Kohli gets fans talking, one way or another.Ajinkya Rahane has shown that he can bat in two gears when needed. Against Kings XI Punjab, on a seaming pitch, he took on the responsibility of batting through the innings, remaining unbeaten on 34 off 42 balls in his team’s successful chase of a small target. It was not the most entertaining knock, but given the conditions, it was the best knock of the evening. Against Mumbai, in a relatively pressure-free scenario, he batted through the innings and remained unbeaten on 68 off 54 balls. Two contrasting knocks, both matchwinning ones. Royal Challengers will be reminded of the century he scored against them last year when the teams met at Chinnaswamy.

Stats and trivia

• Shane Watson needs two more sixes to become the leading six-hitter for Royals. He is currently on 60, behind Yusuf Pathan (now with Kolkata Knight Riders).
• Royal Challengers lead the head-to-head record with five wins, while Royals have four.

Quotes

“I specifically told the management that I wanted Ravi in the side because he can be deadly with the bat too.”
“We don’t have big names in our side, we don’t have guys who can demolish teams in T20 cricket, but we are a unit that is very balanced.”

NZ make enterprising declaration after stalemate looked set following third-day washout

Alan Gardner06-Jun-2021There are often many different ways to end up at the same destination. The first Lord’s Test in two years had seemed destined for a draw after losing the entire third day to rain, and drawn it surely was as the teams shook hands at just gone 7pm on the final evening.But there was peril and intrigue along the route, as New Zealand sprung a declaration on England after a brief shower brought about an early lunch. The carrot of chasing 273 in 75 overs had been dangled, though England were clearly wary of the offer. The home side looked outmatched for much of this first Test and the nerves were palpable when they fell to 56 for 2 shortly before tea, a wicket away from their youthful middle order being exposed.In the end, there was not enough life in the pitch nor sand in the hourglass for New Zealand to make a concerted victory push. Dom Sibley batted more than five hours for a barnacle-encrusted half-century, as he and England’s captain, Joe Root, ensured against jitters with an 80-run stand that stretched into the evening session.Even if there was no great final-day drama, the crowd were nevertheless keen to get in on the act, cheering the sweaty indefatigability of Neil Wagner – who went against type to crowbar out Rory Burns, England’s first-innings centurion, and Root across two canny spells of searching swing bowling – as well as Sibley’s almost heroically shot-shy approach to accumulation. Sibley ended a run of six consecutive innings without reaching double-figures to record his highest score since making 87 in Chennai earlier this year.New Zealand have only won once before at Lord’s, during their previous series victory in England back in 1999, but they resolved to give themselves a chance of another after resuming their second innings with a lead of 165. They took that on by more than 100 for the loss of four wickets during a lively morning session, which was curtailed by the arrival of rain, and then chose to set England what would have been the third-highest chase on the ground.With Sibley searching for form and Burns playing in typically lugubrious fashion, the opening pair signalled England’s intent. If not exactly shutting up shop, they were certainly prioritising a stock take out the back. Signs of variable bounce did little to coax greater intent, and Burns was struck a painful blow on the hand when Tim Southee got the ball to kick up from a length.England had taken more than 23 overs in adding 49 for the first wicket when Wagner broke through. Following the blow from Southee, Burns almost fell to the same bowler when he gloved the ball just short of slip, and the introduction of Wagner’s left-arm angle of attack only played on his uncertainty. After nine dot balls, which included an unsuccessful swipe, Burns fenced uncertainly to send an outswinger low to second slip.With the atmosphere getting tense, Sibley edged Wagner through the cordon for four, and then with tea approaching Zak Crawley threw the bat to be caught in the gully. As in the first innings, he had fallen for 2 driving ambitiously at a full, wide delivery from Southee.That left New Zealand needing eight wickets going into the final session, with England notionally looking to score 217 from 43 overs. Root eked his way to 4 off 38 balls, confirming that there would be no attempt to ruffle Kiwi feathers, and although he fell to Wagner, pinned on leg stump despite a review with the shadows beginning to lengthen, New Zealand could muster no further inroads.The morning began with Wagner in the thick of the action, too, as New Zealand’s nightwatchman carved and clipped a pair of boundaries in Stuart Broad’s opening over. Wagner fell in the next, top-edging a pull to give Ollie Robinson his seventh wicket on debut, but frustration began to mount for Broad, who had gone five consecutive innings without success, as he saw Tom Latham dropped by the diving Crawley at midwicket. He soon had a moment of succour, though, when trapping the New Zealand opener lbw for his first dismissal in 488 deliveries.With the watchful Latham gone, Ross Taylor upped the tempo during an innings of 33 off 35 that saw Robinson swung into the Tavern Stand and Mark Wood sliced over the rope at third man. Another swipe at Wood resulted in an edge behind, and with the players staying out during a rain shower, Henry Nicholls also fell trying to lift the scoring, as he gloved a reverse-sweep off Root’s offspin. New Zealand’s declaration was another enterprising move but the series will now be decided by the next week’s encounter at Edgbaston.

Sri Lanka’s new Test and ODI captain, Angelo Mathews, has said he aims to arrest the team’s slide in the ICC rankings

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Feb-2013Sri Lanka’s new Test and ODI captain, Angelo Mathews, has said he aims to arrest the team’s slide in the ICC rankings, and hoped to count his side among the best in the world in both formats in the next few yearsMathews succeeded Mahela Jayawardene, who stepped down after the tour of Australia, after spending almost two years as vice captain in all formats. Dinesh Chandimal was named his deputy in Tests and ODIs and captain of the Twenty20 team. Sri Lanka have been the top-ranked Twenty20 side in the world since their run to the World Twenty20 final in September, but slipped down the Test and ODI rankings after having been second on both tables in 2009. They have also failed to win a Test series away from home since 2008, and have won only four Tests since Muttiah Muralitharan retired in 2010.”My main ambition now is to see the Sri Lankan cricket team in the top three in the next few years,” Mathews said. “We’ve dropped down to sixth place in Tests and fifth in ODIs. It won’t be easy, and it will take some time. Myself, Chandimal and the selectors will have to work closely to achieve that.”Mathews had been Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 captain since the end of the World Twenty20 in 2012, but the new selection panel, headed by Sanath Jayasuriya, opted to give that position to Chandimal instead. Chandimal has not showed great promise in the Twenty20 format, but Jayasuriya said the selectors split the captaincy in order to help build a young leadership core, as well as to ease Mathews’ burden.”We thought that it would be too much for Angelo to give him the Twenty20 captaincy as well, as we wanted to allow him to concentrate on the Tests and ODIs,” Jayasuriya said. “We thought the best person for the Twenty20 captaincy was Dinesh Chandimal, who has a long future in the game. He will also get some experience of captaining Sri Lanka in case Angelo gets injured.”Mathews’ first assignment as captain will be the two-Test home series against Bangladesh, for which the selectors named a 20-man preliminary squad. The selectors sought to create a break from the past by selecting a young squad for their new captain, but Mathews was grateful for the presence of some senior players, most notably Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan, who have all captained Sri Lanka in the past.”I think you need both experience and youth in a team, because you can’t have XI new players in a match. I think the selectors had that balance in mind when they chose the team, and they’ve done a good job of that.”Of the older players the selectors omitted, Thilan Samaraweera and Prasanna Jayawardene were the most notable exclusions. Jayasuriya was non-committal on whether there was an avenue back into the side for these players, but focused instead on the opportunity to develop fresh talent. He also said the 20-man squad would be whittled down to 15 in the lead up to the first Test.”We need to start giving the youngsters an opportunity, and a series against Bangladesh is a good one to give one or two new players a place,” he said. “Players like Kithuruwan Vithanage and Ashen Silva have been making runs in domestic cricket, and Jeevan Mendis has also scored well recently.”We want to make sure these young cricketers to experience the atmosphere in the Sri Lankan team, and this is a good opportunity to allow that, because it’s a home Test series. They can work with the Sri Lankan team until about 10 days prior to the Test, when we will name the 15-man squad.Chandimal, 23, was impressive in Tests and ODIs, but failed to make himself a regular in either side throughout much of 2012. He acknowledged the added responsibility more leadership would bring, but suggested that his new roles would be a boon to his development, rather than a hindrance.”There’s pressure every time you play a match, but I think the captaincy is a boost for me personally, and a validation of my past performances,” Chandimal said. “I’ve been a captain in Under-19 at school level as well. I didn’t think I would be captain this early in my career, but that’s a source of pride for me.”