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Pakistan need to regroup even as rain forecast swirls around second ODI

Matt Roller09-Jul-2021

Big Picture

It’s a week short of two years since England played an ODI at Lord’s, and barring a 500-plays-500 tie, it’s hard to see how Saturday will match their last outing there. The euphoria on London’s streets in the past two weeks as England’s footballers edge closer and closer to European Championship glory has rarely been matched in terms of scale, but the scene in Trafalgar Square on July 14, 2019 was as close as another sport has come to replicating it in recent memory – limbs flying and beer thrown when Jos Buttler ran Martin Guptill out three miles away as England won their first 50-over World Cup.Needless to say, Saturday’s cast will be much-changed from the group that lifted the trophy, with only two of the 15 World Cup winners involved in both squads. In the aftermath of that final, the idea of Ben Stokes captaining England in an ODI in 2021 would have involved Eoin Morgan retiring prematurely and an injury to Buttler as a bare minimum, but these are unprecedented circumstances. Stokes’ involvement in Thursday’s thrashing at Cardiff was minimal, bowling a single over and being unused as a batter, but he can expect a greater role on Saturday.The other survivor is James Vince, whose international career looked as good as over until sporadic namechecks from Morgan while he was scoring freely in the BBL over the winter and this week’s last-minute recall. Vince was on the field as a sub fielder for Mark Wood during the Super Over two years ago, but one intervention he made in the final is little-known. With two required off the last ball, Vince came out as 12th man with a towel and a drink. “‘I think we win if we get a single,’ Vincey told me,” Stokes recalled in his book – mercifully, he checked the details with Marais Erasmus, rather than clipping a single into the leg side and celebrating with open arms on reaching the non-striker’s end only to find out there was still work to do.Much as Lord’s holds fond memories for Stokes and Vince, England have not been hugely successful there over the last six years. Since the start of the 2015-19 World Cup cycle, Lord’s is the only home ground where they have lost as many games as they have won, including a heavy defeat to Australia in the tournament itself. In his book , England’s white-ball analyst Nathan Leamon puts this down to two things: there has been more lateral movement for seamers at Lord’s than any other ground in ODIs, and overall scoring rates have been the slowest of any venues. Neither of those suits their batting-heavy strategy.Pakistan, by contrast, have won four of their last five ODIs at Lord’s, including victories against South Africa and Bangladesh in the 2019 World Cup. They will have a returning home crowd to content with – an English cricket ground will be at 100% capacity for the first time since 2019 – but a significant proportion will be made up of the Pakistani diaspora from around the UK.There is plenty to be said for Shahid Afridi’s advice to Pakistan this week – “We should forget this match as soon as possible!” he tweeted – given their recent record in 50-over cricket. They had lost one (two including a Super Over against Zimbabwe) of their last dozen ODIs heading into this series, and while a heavy defeat against a second-string side was humbling, it seems unlikely that Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam will fail to score a run between them for the second game in a row. England have won four consecutive tosses in their home ODIs this summer – if their luck finally runs out, Pakistan will be keen to bowl first under dark skies.

Form Guide

England WWWLW
Pakistan LWLWT

In the spotlight

Cardiff’s short straight boundaries are unforgiving for spinners, not least when bowling from the River Taff End when the risk of being chipped into the drink is all too real. As a result, Matt Parkinson‘s returns – 2 for 28 from seven overs – in the first ODI were pleasing for England. That said, while conditions were not conducive to legspin, the game situation meant he was not put under pressure by any recognised batters, and Saturday will probably be a bigger test. Discussion around Parkinson revolves around his pace (or lack thereof) and his struggles to left-handers, given his googly is still a work in progress; a strong series against a good batting line-up would help him answer both questions.Babar Azam‘s superlative record in England – 1006 ODI runs at 47.90 in 24 innings – was dented by his second-ball duck on Thursday, playing away from his body as he searched for bat on ball against the fiery Saqib Mahmood, but it is rare for him to fail twice in a row. His three ODI innings at Lord’s to date have brought scores of 30, 69 and 96, and he will be keen to consolidate his position as the ICC’s No. 1-ranked batter in the format, too.

Pitch and conditions

Saturday’s forecast for NW8 is not ideal, with dark clouds and persistent rain due throughout the morning, but the suggestion is that it should clear up in time for long enough to avoid a no-result. Lord’s has been relatively high-scoring in this year’s T20 Blast, with the three teams batting first posting 223, 183 and 166, but with the current batch of white balls swinging for prolonged periods at the start of an innings, conditions are likely to suit seamers early on.

Team news

It would be harsh for England to discard any of the side that routed Pakistan so comprehensively in Cardiff, though with three matches scheduled in six days, they may opt to give one of the seamers a rest, with Tom Helm, Jake Ball and David Payne the candidates to come in. With the bat, they will surely want to give Ben Duckett an opportunity at some stage in the series, but John Simpson can expect to keep the gloves on his home ground.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt, 2 Dawid Malan, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 James Vince, 5 Ben Stokes (capt), 6 John Simpson (wk), 7 Lewis Gregory, 8 Craig Overton/Jake Ball, 9 Brydon Carse/Tom Helm, 10 Saqib Mahmood, 11 Matt ParkinsonPakistan were blown away so quickly that it was difficult to evaluate any individual performers on Thursday, and they are likely to stick with the same core and balance. Debutant Saud Shakeel was one of Mahmood’s four victims and it would be harsh to dispense with him after a single game, while the recalled Sohaib Maqsood showed a glimpse of his power-hitting when flogging Carse over cover for six. Haris Rauf bowled with good pace but was relatively expensive, and Mohammad Hasnain is waiting in the wings for an opportunity.Pakistan: (possible) 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Sohaib Maqsood, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris Rauf/Mohammad Hasnain.

Stats and trivia

• Ben Stokes will become the 25th England player to reach 100 caps in men’s ODIs, drawing level with Nick Knight. Eoin Morgan, the man he is standing in for, has the most, with 223 (and a further 23 for Ireland).
• Fakhar Zaman is the third-highest run-scorer in men’s ODIs this calendar year, with 349 runs in four innings. Mushfiqur Rahim (407 in nine) and Paul Stirling (546 in eight) are the two men ahead of him.
• Dawid Malan has made two fifties in his first four ODIs. If he can continue his run-scoring form, he is in with a chance of becoming the second England player to score an international hundred in all three formats, after Heather Knight.
• A comfortable win would see Pakistan leapfrog Australia and Bangladesh (on net run-rate) to go second in the World Cup Super League table.
• Zak Crawley has scored 378 runs in three innings against Pakistan in all formats, compared to 384 runs in 22 innings against all other international opponents.
  

  Quotes

  “Within sport we’re slightly in a different place to the public and having to be pretty careful with regards to Covid and not picking it up. It is slightly strange being stuffed in your hotel rooms when a lot of people are roaming around free but equally, it allows us to play in front of full houses and have this opportunity.”
  
  “It wasn’t a shocker but one bad day. Every day isn’t the same so I have a full confidence and belief on my boys and I will still tell them not to worry. There are ups and downs but you have to learn quickly from your mistakes. We will try our best to bounce back and not repeat our mistakes.”

The hosts have their senior group back, while BPL experience should stand the visitors in good stead

Mohammad Isam22-Feb-2022

Big picture

ODI cricket is always welcomed with open arms in Bangladesh, and the three-match series against Afghanistan couldn’t have come at a better time. Super League points are at stake for both teams, but for the home side, there’s more: Bangladesh are trying to turn a corner after a difficult couple of years; the Miracle in Mount Maunganui was a huge respite, but it’s now in the past, and this ODI series could be the start of some course correction.Bangladesh’s series-winning run at home stretch back four years; they have lost just one bilateral series at home in eight years now. The Bangladesh selectors, already armed with all the senior players returning to the side, have also brought in a raft of recent (T20 and Test) performers, and the four uncapped players – Yasir Ali, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Ebadot Hossain and Nasum Ahmed – are likely to feature at different times in the series.Afghanistan, who have played only a single bilateral ODI series this year – against Netherlands, with the previous one coming in January 2021 against Ireland – have their task cut out. But they have a reputation in Bangladesh – especially after their breakthrough win against the home side in the 2014 Asia Cup, they are regarded as dangerous opponents in these shores. They played a three-match ODI series in Bangladesh in late 2016 too, but lost 2-1.Cricketers from Afghanistan are regulars in the BPL. During this season’s tournament, the Minister Group Dhaka team selected only Afghan players as their overseas picks.The visitors have Mohammad Nabi back in the ODI fold, and that will give them 30 overs of spin (with Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman). Mujeeb will feel good about himself too, having last week helped Fortune Barishal to the BPL final. Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmat Shah and Najibullah Zadran are there to marshal the middle-order, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz is expected to give them fast starts.Bangladesh have Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim back, which will give them middle-order firepower. Shakib and Mehidy Hasan Miraz should be a handful with the ball, while Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman will lead the pace attack.

Form guide

Bangladesh WWWLW
Afghanistan WWWWWAfghanistan will hope Rahmanullah Gurbaz gives them good starts•Abu Dhabi Cricket

In the spotlight

Afghanistan will hope that Rahmanullah Gurbaz, their hottest new T20 property, comes good at the top of the order. Gurbaz made a century against Netherlands in their last ODI series, and has been scoring heavily in the PSL. He has some experience of playing in Bangladesh, having played in the 2019-20 BPL.There is a lot of hope around Mahmudul Hasan Joy, and even Tamim Iqbal has backed the young man to be the next big thing, in both in the top and the middle-order. Mahmudul, who broke through with his 78 against New Zealand in the Mount Maunganui Test in January, is likely to bat at five or six in the ODIs. He has shown a bit of white-ball promise in the BPL too, so managing expectations could be one of his first tasks.

Team news

Mahmudul seems in front of Yasir to win a middle-order place in the first ODI. Bangladesh are also likely to field a three-man pace attack, in which case Shoriful Islam may get the nod over Ebadot because of his left-arm angle.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Litton Das, 2 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudul Hasan Joy/Yasir Ali, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanFor Afghanistan, Riaz Hassan is likely to hold on to his spot after the half-century in the third ODI against Netherlands. Nabi will be a shoo-in at No. 6, while Yamin Ahmadzai is likely to replace Qais Ahmad, pace for spin.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Riaz Hassan, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 9 Yamin Ahmadzai, 10 Fareed Ahmad, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Pitch and conditions

The 11am start time suggests that the Bangladesh team management didn’t want to take a chance with the famed dew at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The average first-innings score in the last five ODIs at this venue is 254. The weather should mostly be dry.

Stats and trivia

• Afghanistan have won each of their last six ODIs, making it their longest winning streak in the format.
• In the last ten years, Bangladesh have a win-loss record of 6-1 in ODIs in Chattogram. Their only defeat came against England in 2016.

Quotes

“We have always done well against them (Afghanistan) in ODIs. There’s no doubt that they are a good side. They have a good bowling attack, but we have done well against them. Those who will play tomorrow, everyone is in good form.”
“To be honest, we think about the whole team. We plan for everyone (in the Bangladesh team). We know their strength and weak points. We are working on it. (But I mainly) care about our strengths, our boys, my team. We have a good team here. I have confidence in all our departments.”

Buttler pounds 162* as Malan and Salt also notch tons and Livingstone adds rapid 66

Valkerie Baynes17-Jun-2022If the Netherlands needed to enhance its long-held reputation as a prime party destination, it had only to look to Jos Buttler and his mates who strode in, set the records spinning, tore the place up and left their hosts wondering what on earth had just happened here.An ODI world-record total of 498 for 4, built on Buttler’s brutal 162 not out and further centuries from Dawid Malan and Phil Salt before Liam Livingstone smashed 66 from just 22 balls, left Netherlands facing an implausible target after winning the toss on an exceptional surface.It beat England’s own record for the highest ODI total of 481 for 6, made against Australia in 2018, and, despite spirited knocks from Max O’Dowd and Scott Edwards, who helped them come within two balls of seeing out their 50 overs, Netherlands lost by 232 runs.Following Jonny Bairstow’s jaw-dropping example to win the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, Buttler plundered his score off just 70 deliveries with no part of the VRA ground or its surrounds safe as he launched the ball into trees, onto the Pavillion roof, over the commentary tent and onto the neighbouring hockey fields.Buttler scored England’s second-fastest hundred in ODIs, smashing his way to the mark off 47 balls. He now holds his side’s top-three fastest, his 46-ball effort in 2015 and 50-ball knock in 2019, both against Pakistan, bookending this one. In all, he struck 14 of England’s world record-breaking 26 sixes for the innings.Jos Buttler acknowledges the applause for his hundred•Getty Images

A warm, fine day began brightly enough for the hosts, when Jason Roy fell to his cousin, Shane Snater, on the seventh ball he faced, bowled through the gate by a fuller delivery that caught the inside edge before rattling the stumps and England were 1 for 1.Salt, playing his fourth ODI, scored his maiden international century with an assured knock, reaching 122 from just 93 balls. He signalled his intentions with a gorgeous cover drive to the boundary off Logan van Beek then launched him for six over midwicket.He should have been out for 40 when he hit Bas de Leede straight to deep backward point, where Snater shelled the chance, and he rammed home the mistake by cracking de Leede for four over wide long-on two balls later.Malan survived an lbw decision attempting a reverse-paddle off Pieter Seelaar on 25, his review showing that while the ball struck the front pad low and in line with middle stump, it was tracking past the top of leg.Salt took the lead role, bringing up his second ODI fifty off 39 balls with a four off Seelaar fine of long-off and he powered to 71 with six off van Beek over cow corner.Malan was somewhat becalmed after the powerplay but he raised the tempo by striking Aryan Dutt for four through point and Phillippe Boissevain for six down the ground. His subsequent six off Seelaar hit a tree over long-on and bounced back into the ground, unlike the one he struck in the ninth over that had to be fetched from the woods. He ended up sharing a 222-run stand with Salt, who finally fell top-edging van Beek to Boissevain at point.No matter for England as Buttler arrived at the crease and proceeded to reduce the Netherlands attack to cannon fodder.Buttler was virtually trading in boundaries alone as he reached a 27-ball fifty, including five sixes and two fours. Three of his maximums came within four balls from Seelaar, the first just clearing the rope after Vikramjit Singh had moved in from long-on followed by two more – increasing in distance – over the same area.To make matters worse for Netherlands, Buttler struck the next ball down the ground only for it to pop out of the hands of Musa Ahmed. And, of course, his half-century came up from another six as he muscled a Snater slower ball over long-off.Malan became only third English player behind Buttler and Heather Knight to score a century in each format when he dabbed a leg-side single off Boissevain. Malan’s innings ended when he eventually holed out to deep backward square leg off Seelaar, having notched up 125 off 109 balls and added 184 runs with Buttler, who contributed 139 of those.Liam Livingstone slammed 66 off 22 balls•Getty Images

Eoin Morgan then fell to a first-ball duck, lbw off Seelaar who managed to overturn his initial not-out decision and continue a lean run for Morgan, who has been troubled by injuries this year and managed just one international half-century in 18 months.Livingstone saw off the hat-trick ball nurdling a single through midwicket and, as another renowned heavy hitter in the England line-up, he completed Netherlands’ demoralisation, pummelling 32 runs off the next over from Boissevain.Livingstone raced to 46 off just 13 balls and was within reach of AB de Villiers’ 16-ball record for fastest ODI fifty but he managed just two runs while being dropped by Boissevain at deep square leg off Snater then faced two dot balls. He sent Snater’s next delivery into the sightscreen for six to reach the milestone from 17 balls, narrowly missing de Villers’ mark but claiming the England record for fastest ODI fifty.With the mystical 500-run mark still in England’s sights in the final over, Buttler took them past their world-best score with six off Snater’s third ball. But when Livingstone could only manage four off the penultimate delivery the well-oiled crowd groaned, realising it was now out of reach. Livingstone launched the final ball for six over deep midwicket, leaving them just two runs shy.When cameras panned to masses of schoolchildren at hockey practice next door, it was somewhat reassuring that Netherlands were batting by that stage. That was before O’Dowd got in on the act and became the first player to smash something other than a record when his straight six off Adil Rashid torpedoed into the press box window.O’Dowd was assertive in reaching a run-a-ball 55 but he fell charging at Reece Topley, who pinged the top of off stump. O’Dowd had helped steady the innings with an 80-run stand alongside Ahmed after Netherlands lost Singh in the third over.And so it was that as Netherlands batters made a starts, England’s bowlers plucked them out, sharing the wickets. Edwards was another exception, compiling an unbeaten 72 off 56 balls.Sam Curran made encouraging steps in his return from a back stress fractures, claiming two wickets from his nine overs. Livingstone, meanwhile, left the field twice during Netherlands’ reply suffering from some calf tightness and it fell to Malan to bowl the final over of the match – his first in ODIs. Malan secured his maiden wicket when he had last man out Boissevain caught behind by none other than Buttler.

Bawne had refused to leave the field after his dismissal against Services, causing a 15-minute delay

Shashank Kishore23-Jan-2025Maharashtra batter Ankit Bawne has been handed a one-match suspension for dissent. The decision was communicated to the team ahead of the side’s Ranji Trophy sixth round Group A fixture against Baroda in Nashik.Bawne’s refusal to leave the field after being given out in their fifth-round game against Services, prior to the white-ball season, created a flutter, even though there appeared to be conclusive evidence that the ball had bounced before Shubham Rohilla completed the catch at slip off left-arm spinner Amit Shukla.Bawne, who was the stand-in captain in that game, couldn’t opt to review the decision as the match was only on a livestream and not televised, which meant there was no infrastructure for DRS to be in place. His refusal to leave the field led to play being suspended for nearly 15 minutes, before the game resumed upon the intervention of match referee Amit Sharma and Maharashtra coach Sulakshan Kulkarni.Related

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After the incident, Kulkarni had lashed out at the umpiring standards in domestic cricket. “Players are subject to fines and reprimand, what about proper assessment of umpires,” he had said. “Why do the same erring umpires continue to officiate and play spoilsport? When there are blunders of this nature, the anger is justified.”At the time, Maharashtra’s regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, too, had posted replays of the dismissal. Gaikwad was playing for India A in Australia at the time.Bawne has been Maharashtra’s leading run-scorer this season, with 361 runs from five matches at an average of 51.57. He has scored one century and two fifties.Maharashtra are second from bottom in Group A and are already out of the reckoning for a playoff berth as they can reach a maximum of 22 points. As things stand, there are already two teams in the pool – Baroda and J&K – with more points.

Prasidh Krishna beat India C’s defiance with three quick wickets to secure the win

Shashank Kishore22-Sep-2024With 4.1 overs left and the light fading slowly, Prasidh Krishna beat India C’s defiance with three quick wickets to seal India A’s title triumph at the season-opening 2024-25 Duleep Trophy in Anantapur. Prasidh, playing his second straight first-class game after a long injury layoff, dismissed centurion B Sai Sudharsan, Baba Indrajith and Anshul Kamboj to secure victory.Sai Sudharsan, who had battled hard and defied the bowlers to make his fifth first-class century, fell for 111 when he was out attempting a scoop. In Prasidh’s next over, the 80th, he had the injured B Indrajith, who came out to bat only because a draw had seemed a possibility.But in trying to defend a short ball aimed at the ribs, Prasidh had Indrajith caught at leg slip, who had been specifically brought in for the short ball. And then, with a brand new ball taken at the first available opportunity in the 81st over, Prasidh bowled full and straight to dismiss Kamboj lbw to close out the game.Related

• Arshdeep Singh's career-best of 6 for 40 gives India D consolation win

While Prasidh did the late demolition job, it was young Uttar Pradesh seamer Aaqib Khan who did the early damage, nicking off Ruturaj Gaikwad with a superb outswinger, and then having Rajat Patidar bowled.Once those breakthroughs were achieved, Agarwal summoned his spinners on a final-day surface, which had begun to take turn, but not to the extent that made stroke-making impossible. Offspinner Tanush Kotian removed Ishan Kishan and first innings top-scorer Abhishek Porel, while his Mumbai team-mate Shams Mulani dismissed Manav Suthar to open up the possibility of victory.Until that point, it didn’t seem like India B would have the services of Indrajith, who had retired hurt on 34 in the first innings because of a hamstring injury. But with the possibility of a draw looming, he walked out to a packed close-in ring, but only lasted two deliveries. That strike turned a hopeful bunch boisterous as Prasidh and India A then picked up the final wicket after a tense few deliveries of playing and missing to seal the match.That India A were in a position to win outright was largely down to a superb back-to-the-wall century from Baroda’s Shashwat Rawat, who made 124 in the first innings to set up the game on the face of a batting collapse. Then in the second, he struck a half-century along with Riyan Parag to set up a declaration, which eventually helped them build scoreboard pressure on the final day.

Annabel Sutherland stars with ball and bat to give the Stars a last-ball win over the Renegades

AAP13-Nov-2022Alyssa Healy notched her fifth WBBL century, crunching a boundary from the final ball to deliver Sydney Sixers victory over Perth Scorchers to keep them on top of the ladder.Chasing the Scorchers’ 4 for 176 at Junction Oval, Healy was battling on 1 off 10 balls. But the new Australian vice-captain found her groove to finish on an unbeaten 107 off 64, pairing with Ellyse Perry for a 154-run stand that powered the Sixers to within 20 of the target with two overs to bowl.After going for 17 runs off her previous over, Scorchers captain Sophie Devine had Perry (48 off 40) dismissed and Healy dropped in a fine 19th over that left the Sixers still needing 14.Healy watched from the other end as Ashleigh Gardner hit the first two deliveries for six. She was bowled from the next ball and Piepa Cleary was on a hat-trick after claiming Erin Burns next ball. Nicole Bolton chipped that delivery just short of deep midwicket for a single and then, with one to win off the final delivery, Healy gave herself room and calmly dispatched the winning runs to the cover boundary, letting out a boisterous cry in the process.No other player has scored more than three WBBL hundreds, Healy’s century coming off 62 balls and featuring a one-handed six over mid-off.Victory keeps Sixers on top of the ladder. Scorchers, who beat them last week, could have jumped above them from fourth with victory.Earlier, Beth Mooney and Marizanne Kapp put on 97 off 58 balls to continue their own stellar form. Their stand came a day after combining for a devastating 123-run partnership in just 56 deliveries, Mooney also scoring an unbeaten 99 against the same opponents last week.But Gardner (2 for 30 from four overs) helped slow them just enough, moving to the top of the competition wicket-takers’ board in the process.Annabel Sutherland smacked 62 not out off just 29 balls•Getty Images

All-round Sutherland keeps Stars’ hopes alive

Annabel Sutherland hit three sixes in the final over to deliver a stunning last-ball win for the Melbourne Stars over the Melbourne Renegades.Needing 23 to win from the final over, 21-year-old allrounder Sutherland held her nerve and swung freely to bring to life a chase that looked futile. Sutherland (62 not out off 29) cleared the boundary twice off Sophie Molineux’s left-arm spin, the bowler’s knee buckling as she delivered the second of those deliveries. Molineux was assisted from the ground and Georgia Prestwidge was thrown the ball for the first time with nine to get off three balls.A wide was followed by another strong-armed six by Sutherland, who then took a quick single and watched captain Nicole Faltum clear the off-side field for the winning runs. Sutherland also took three wickets in the win that kept the Stars’ finals hopes alive.Earlier, Sarah Coyte hit two sixes in a six-ball knock that pushed the Renegades to a respectable total, wicketkeeper Josie Dooley’s 54 anchoring their innings. Stars spinner Sasha Moloney took 4 for 15 from her four overs before Coyte put the clamps on the Stars’ batters. Sutherland wasn’t deterred, though, her innings featuring five sixes and coming with no other team-mate able to strike above 106.

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-20232:53

Have England failed to plan well for this World Cup?

—Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament Index

Top Story: England’s title defence suffers another crushing blow as Sri Lanka coast to victory

England’s World Cup defence is not dead yet. And more’s the pity, to judge by this latest hollow-eyed display from Jos Buttler’s ex-worldbeaters. The humiliations are coming so thick and fast that they are losing their shock factor but, suffice to say, this latest crushing loss – by eight wickets and in just 59 overs of the match’s 100 – was neither the largest nor the most shocking of an abject campaign.It was, however, the one that confirmed beyond any lingering doubt that this team of genuine England greats no longer has any miracles left within its dressing-room. The match-up was nominally eighth versus ninth in the tournament standings, but by the time Pathum Nissanka had slammed Sri Lanka’s winning six over long-on with a massive 148 balls remaining, you were left to wonder whether this England team, in this miserable mood, could even have matched their conquerors’ achievement of making out of the qualifying tournament in July that did for the likes of West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.Click here to read the full report

Match analysis: England’s lurching between attack and defence leaves them in no man’s land

There was more gloom heading Jos Buttler’s way who once again fell for a low score•Associated Press

The light at the end of the tunnel was a train. England have spent the last four weeks travelling around India talking about responding to setbacks and awaiting the statement performance that has never arrived. If their defeats to New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa were bad, this might have been the worst of the lot.The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was a venue that should have suited England perfectly. In the first of five effective must-win games, they chose to bat first on a flat pitch with short boundaries, rattled along to 44 for 0 after six overs and could finally afford to dream big: would 350 be enough to flatten Sri Lanka, or should they eye 400?Click here to read the full analysis from Matt Roller in Bengaluru

Must Watch: Shane Bond on England’s unwillingness to adapt

2:23

Bond: England showing no willingness to adapt

News headlines

• Jos Buttler said that England’s performance at the World Cup has been “a huge disappointment” and “a shock to everyone” within their set-up, after an eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in Bengaluru left them on the brink of elimination with four group games remaining.
• Shakib Al Hasan returned to Bangladesh’s World Cup camp in Kolkata on Thursday evening, cutting short his three-day Dhaka trip to two days. Shakib had gone to Dhaka on October 25 to have a nets session with his childhood mentor Nazmul Abedeen Fahim.

Match preview

Pakistan vs South Africa, Chennai (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEDT2:59

Bavuma: There is a temptation to chase in Chennai

As one campaign unravels, another gathers full steam. It’s a familiar theme for Pakistan and South Africa across much of ICC tournament history. While South Africa have often looked among the most formidable sides in the early stages of these tournaments, Pakistan stutter and stall until they’ve left themselves with no margin for error, and then they roar into life. This fixture, timed to coincide with that point of crossroads in the World Cup group stages, gives that narrative the extra thrust for South Africa to be that little bit warier, and Pakistan slightly more optimistic.But South Africa are looking to make history at this World Cup, while Pakistan are in danger of being consigned to it. The ferocious brilliance of South Africa has combined with clinical effectiveness, lending that side a steel and ruthlessness they have often been accused of lacking. The team might always look a batter light with Marco Jansen in at seven, but with nearly all of the top six in such glistening form, no side bar Netherlands have been able to burrow their way deeper into that line-up until explosive damage has already been done.Click here for the full previewTeam newsPakistan: (likely) 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq/Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Usama Mir, 9 Mohammad Wasim Jnr, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris RaufSouth Africa: (likely) 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Tabraiz Shamsi, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi/Lizaad Williams

Analysis: How Heinrich Klaasen bosses spin with a destructive quasi-pull

A rendition of the pull that has brought Heinrich Klaasen so much success against spin•ICC/Getty Images

When is a pull no longer a pull? If you’re the kind of person who spends an unhealthy amount of time dwelling on the precise meanings of cricketing terms, you might find yourself pondering this when you watch Heinrich Klaasen play the pull.Defined most simply, the pull is a horizontal-bat shot hit across the line of a short-pitched ball. Klaasen’s pull, particularly against spin bowling, routinely fails to check all three of those boxes.Read the full analysis from Karthik Krishnaswamy

They need to win the two ODIs to give themselves the best chance of qualifying directly for the World Cup in India

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-2023Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada have been selected in a full-strength South Africa squad to play two crucial ODIs against Netherlands on March 31 in Benoni and April 1 in Johannesburg. Both fast bowlers were rested from the recent ODI series against West Indies, which was drawn 1-1 with one match washed out.This series will be the first time South Africa are facing Netherlands since they lost to them and were eliminated from the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. If South Africa win both ODIs without over-rate penalties, they will qualify directly for the World Cup in India this year if Ireland lose at least one ODI against Bangladesh in a three-match series in May.South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma will have a fitness test on Tuesday to make sure he has recovered from the hamstring niggle he picked up during his hundred in the second ODI against West Indies on March 18.”We have named our strongest possible squad for these games given the importance of these matches in the context of qualifying for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup,” South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter said. “We have a job to do and I am confident that with this group of players we can get the job done.”With the second ODI on April 2, Quinton de Kock (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Sisanda Magala (Chennai Super Kings), Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Hyderabad), David Miller (Gujarat Titans), Lungi Ngidi (Delhi Capitals), Anrich Nortje (Delhi Capitals), and Kagiso Rabada (Punjab Kings) will be able to join their IPL franchises only on April 3 at the earliest.South Africa squad for Netherlands ODIs: Temba Bavuma (capt), Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

He played 16 Test matches for Australia between 1966 and 1970

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jul-2023Former Australia and New South Wales wicketkeeper Brian Taber has died at the age of 83.Taber, who played 16 Test matches for Australia between 1966 and 1970, passed away on Friday.He made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg where he claimed seven catches and a stumping. He would go on to also face England, India and West Indies during his career.His highest Test score of 48 came against West Indies at Sydney in 1969 in a match Australia won by 382 runs.Taber was widely regarded as one of the best wicketkeepers to represent Australia and was renowned for his impeccable glovework and calm demeanour behind the stumps.In his domestic career, he played more than 100 games for New South Wales and is a member of the state’s Hall of Fame.After finishing playing, he held various roles within the game, including NSW coach and selector and manager of the Australian Under-19 men’s team.”Brian’s vast popularity among former team-mates, and all those fortunate enough to have known him, is just one indication of the impact he had on our game,” Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said.”Brian had a passion for the development of young players, and it is fitting that the Player of the Tournament at the Men’s National Under-19 Championships will continue to receive the Brian Taber Medal.”Cricket NSW CEO, Lee Germon, said: “His contribution to Australian cricket was immense, as a player, coach, manager and selector. Tabsy was universally loved for both his skill as a wicketkeeper and his character as a person. He was such a nice, genuine guy and he will be greatly missed by all.”

He took aim at the match referees and the ratings some of the pitches received at the 2023 World Cup, held in India

Sidharth Monga04-Jan-20244:08

Rohit: I want to see how the ICC rates pitches

Rohit Sharma has called out the ICC and the match referees for what he sees as double standards at rating pitches. After winning the shortest Test in the history of the game, thanks to a lottery pitch loaded too heavily in the favour of the seam bowlers, Rohit was scathing about the slander against pitches in India, which don’t go the distance.”I mean, we saw what happened in this match, how the pitch played and stuff like that,” Rohit said. “I honestly don’t mind playing on pitches like this. As long as everyone keeps their mouth shut in India and don’t talk too much about Indian pitches, honestly.”Because you come here [in Test cricket] to challenge yourself. Yes, it is dangerous. It is challenging. So, and when people come to India, it is again pretty challenging as well. Look, when you are here to play Test cricket, we talk about Test cricket, the ultimate prize, Test cricket being the pinnacle and stuff like that. I think it’s important that we also stand by it.Related

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“When you are put up against, a challenge like that, you come and face it. That’s what happens in India, but, in India on day one, if the pitch starts turning, people start talking about ‘Puff of dust! Puff of dust!’ There’s so much crack here on the pitch. People are not looking at that.”Rohit singled out the match referees and some of the ratings pitches received in last year’s World Cup, held in India. “I think it’s important that we stay neutral everywhere we go,” Rohit said. “Especially the match referees. You know, some of these match referees need to keep their eye on how they rate pitches. It’s quite important.”I still can’t believe that the World Cup final pitch was rated below average [it was rated average]. A batsman got a hundred there in the final. How can that be a poor pitch? So these are the things the ICC, the match referees, they need to look into and start rating pitches based on what they see, not based on the countries. I think that’s quite important.”So I hope they keep their ears open, they keep their eyes open and look into those aspects of the game. Honestly, I’m all for pitches like this. We want to challenge playing on pitches like this. We pride ourselves playing on pitches like this. Uh, but all I want to say is be neutral.”Rohit Sharma: “I honestly don’t mind playing on pitches like this, as long as everyone keeps their mouth shut in India and don’t talk too much about Indian pitches”•AFP/Getty Images

In the two-Test series that just concluded, South Africa didn’t bowl any spin at all. India bowled only 19 overs of it in the first Test, and none in the second innings. That is what Rohit railed against, asking why a pitch that turns on day is considered inferior to one that seams.”Honestly, I would like to see how the pitches are rated,” Rohit said. “I want to see that. Whatever… that chart, I would love to see it, how they rate the pitches, because Mumbai, Bangalore, Cape Town, Centurion, all different venues, overhead conditions are different. The pitches deteriorate quite fast when the sun is beating down that hard on the pitch.”And in India as well, we know that the conditions in India will spin without a doubt, but obviously people don’t like it because it spins from day one. But that’s not the point. If the ball seams from ball one, that’s okay, right, for everyone? That’s not fair. The ball starts spinning from ball one, it should be okay, in my opinion.”Otherwise, you stay neutral, and you start rating these kind of pitches also bad, because if you want the ball only to seam and not turn, in my opinion, that is absolutely wrong. So that’s my judgement, that’s my opinion on it. I’ll stick by it because I’ve seen enough of cricket now and I’ve seen enough of how these match referees and the ICC looks into these ratings. I have no issues in how they want to rate, but stay neutral to everything that you do.”