The quick’s five-for won the day for the hosts despite Brendan Taylor’s fighting century

Danyal Rasool30-Oct-2020
Pakistan withstood a stunning fightback led by Brendan Taylor to hang on for a thrilling win in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi on Friday. Shaheen Afridi was the architect of the victory, carving chunks out of the Zimbabwean batting line-up when the others appeared to have run out of ideas, and finishing with yet another five-wicket haul, while Wahab Riaz chipped in with four wickets to stop the visiting sides 26 short.The result might appear somewhat routine, but it was anything but guaranteed when Taylor was at the crease, on his way to stroking a glorious century that, alongside a fighting half-century from Wesley Madhevere, took Zimbabwe to the brink of a famous win. But, as the final five overs loomed and the asking rate began to creep up, Madhevere chopped Riaz on to end a 119-run fifth-wicket partnership. Taylor was undone by a slower Afridi delivery soon after, and things unravelled quickly thereafter.Zimbabwe were bowled out for 255, and in a game of fine margins, Pakistan’s wagging tail earlier on made all the difference.Set 282 to win, Zimbabwe looked to have a structured sense of pacing the chase, going hard in the powerplay at debutant Haris Rauf, undeterred by the loss of Brain Chari in the first over. While Afridi, who was tremendous throughout the innings whenever called upon, gave them little to attack, some loose deliveries from the other end were all they needed, and Chamu Chibhabha, followed by Craig Ervine and Taylor, made the most of the fielding restrictions, speeding to 56 in the powerplay. It was well over what Pakistan had managed, and set Zimbabwe the base from which they moulded their chase.Brendan Taylor drives on the up•PCB

While Taylor looked comfortable for much of the innings, Ervine found himself flustered by Pakistan’s tightness in the middle overs, and a rash reverse sweep spelt the end of him. Sean Williams never looked up to the mark on the day, meaning 20-year-old Madhevere was tasked with being the support act for Taylor. He did that with immense class, showcasing an attractive batting technique and, when things got hairier, a certain steel that bodes well for the career that lies ahead of him. The punches off the back foot against pace were especially eye-catching, and out of nowhere, it seemed, he had brought up a half-century.By this time, Taylor had found the zone he occasionally enters, which marks him out as one of the most inventive shotmakers of this generation. The uppercut off the short ball was nigh-on perfect each time, while a scoop over short third-man off a 149kph Afridi yorker is destined to be one of the shots of the series, and when he brought up his 11th ODI hundred, Zimbabwe looked like they were ahead of the chase.That’s when Riaz returned to show why he still remains a firm part of Pakistan’s plans, his sheer pace accounting for Madhevere before the Afridi show took over. Once Sikandar Raza was felled by Riaz, Afridi took charge against the tail, removing Carl Mumba to complete a five-for he richly deserved. By this time, the game was done, and Pakistan would walk away with a win, and a bit of a scare.Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and batted, but the rustiness of not having played an ODI for 13 months was evident. They stuttered their way to 281 for 8, getting there in the end thanks to some untidiness on the part of the visitors at the death after an exceptionally disciplined bowling performance for the best part.Imam-ul-Haq and Haris Sohail finish up at the same end•AFP via Getty Images

Half-centuries from Imam-ul-Haq and Haris Sohail kept Pakistan chugging along without ever really moving through the gears. Zimbabwe picked up wickets quietly from time to time, and, all of a sudden, Pakistan found themselves six down for 205, and facing a battle to post a total their bowlers would feel comfortable defending.They had opted for the more circumspect Abid Ali in place of Fakhar Zaman at the top, and as such, while they made a solid start, there was no evidence of the powerplay aggression that has become the norm for successful ODI sides. It helped Zimbabwe that Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani – back after two years away from the national side – were very disciplined, giving little by way of extras or loose deliveries to either batsman. And when Ali tried to play across the line to Mumba, he was trapped in front.What would – or should – disappoint Pakistan is their overall approach. For all the talk of this series being the beginning of the next four-year ODI cycle, there are few signs that with it has come a change in their philosophical approach to the format, and the lack of intent in the first ten overs was followed by similar wariness through the middle overs. Only Babar Azam tried to up the ante, but crucially for Zimbabwe, he wasn’t at the crease for long, a poke at an outswinger from Muzarabani bringing about his downfall.Thereon, Zimbabwe were on top as Pakistan went into a shell that they really should have stayed away from for much of the innings. Imam and Sohail began a rebuild that ended in a mix of farce and comedy when they found themselves at the same end, both diving to get ahead of the other and survive at the keeper’s end while Raza whipped off the bails at the other. Imam was the unlucky one, allowing Sohail to anchor the innings as Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan came and went.Despite all that, Pakistan ended with a decent total, with the late sloppiness from the Zimbabwe death bowlers proving decisive. At 203 for 6, getting bowled out was a keen possibility, but Imad Wasim and Faheem Ashraf ensured a sharp uptick in runs that seemed to ward off any Zimbabwean ideas of aggression, sending them into run-preservation mode instead. That allowed Pakistan to get to their final tally, setting up a win that might provide them more relief than delight.

“I don’t have a lot of symptoms except fever since the day before yesterday,” Haque says

Mohammad Isam10-Nov-2020Mominul Haque, Bangladesh’s Test captain, tested positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms. The news came out just two days after Mahmudullah tested positive, which ruled him out from appearing for the Multan Sultans in the PSL playoffs next week.”Mominul is coronavirus positive with mild symptoms,” Dr Debashish Chowdhury, the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s chief physician, told the news website .Haque, meanwhile, said that he learnt about it on Tuesday. “I don’t have a lot of symptoms except fever since the day before yesterday,” he said. His wife has also tested positive, and both have quarantined themselves at home.Like most of the top players, Haque has also been in all of the BCB’s camps since September and has also been training individually since June. He played in the BCB President’s Cup last month and remains in line to be drafted in one of the five teams for this month’s Bangabandhu T20 Cup.Previously, Abu Jayed, Saif Hassan and Mashrafe Mortaza had also tested positive, and have since recovered. A few cricketers and coaching staff from the Under-19 camp had also tested positive last month.According to the official figures, there have been 421,921 Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh, with over 6000 deaths.

Marnus Labuschagne bagged a duck while Matt Renshaw approached a hundred

Andrew McGlashan08-Nov-2020A batsman who looks increasingly under pressure for his Test place made a low score, one who is among the most prolific players in the world bagged a duck and two former Test batsmen filled their boots on the opening day at Glenelg.Usman Khawaja probably won’t come into consideration for Australia’s Test squad, and Matt Renshaw certainly won’t, but the former made his first century since February 2019 and the latter closed within touching distance of his first for two-and-a-half years.Joe Burns’ hold on the Test opening berth appears more tenuous by the day – across town Will Pucovski piled up another big hundred – as he fell for 10 in the sixth over, given caught behind via an inside edge although he did not seem thrilled by the decision.Marnus Labuschagne then bagged his second consecutive duck, walking into a wide delivery and edging to slip, to leave Queensland 2 for 11. Khawaja and Bryce Street added 128 for the third wicket followed by a 103-run partnership between Khawaja and Renshaw, before the day was capped by a boundary-studded half-century from Jimmy Peirson.Khawaja was the aggressor in Queensland’s early recovery as Street took 107 balls to reach double figures. Street had started to make progress when he fell to a stunning short leg catch by Henry Hunt who parried the ball up then held the rebound.That gave Lloyd Pope his lone success of the day but it was another tough outing for the legspinner who conceded a run-a-ball. Khawaja, especially, enjoyed his regular loose offerings while Renshaw did not miss out on many.Khawaja’s previous century had been his Test hundred against Sri Lanka in Canberra and he reached three figures off 149 balls against the first delivery of the evening session. He eventually fell to the deserving Wes Agar, edging to Callum Ferguson at first slip in his last first-class match, but Queensland rattled along in the final session which brought 159 runs in 38 overs.Peirson was largely responsible for that, hitting 48 off his 60 runs in boundaries, and the stand with Renshaw was unbroken on 89 on another tough day for the South Australia attack.

Allrounder was subbed out of Australia A game due to concussion scare

Alex Malcolm14-Dec-2020Australia coach Justin Langer is hopeful that Cameron Green could be available to make his Test debut in Thursday’s first Test against India in Adelaide.Green suffered a mild concussion and was subbed out of the Australia A game against India when he was struck on the side of the head by a fierce straight drive from Jasprit Bumrah.Green flew to Adelaide on Monday with the Test squad members who were involved in the Australia A game that concluded on Sunday in Sydney. The selectors also called up Moises Henriques to join the Test squad on Monday as cover for Green.Related

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Langer met with Green after he arrived and said on Monday night that he was optimistic about his availability.”Fingers crossed,” Langer told . “The guys from Australia A arrived a couple of hours ago. He turned up with a big smile on his face. [There’s a] massive opportunity potentially ahead for him to make his Test debut. He looks in really good spirits. He’s got training tomorrow and Wednesday. Fingers crossed he’ll be right to go – he’s a real talent.”Langer would not be drawn on who would open the batting, given the form issues of Joe Burns and the absence of David Warner and Will Pucovski.”Wait and see on Thursday,” Langer said. “We’ve got a very got team no matter which way we go.”Dave Warner no doubt was a huge loss for us a few weeks ago, but I’m really confident that we’ve got enough batting to make a big difference in this series.”The majority of the Australian squad that didn’t play at the SCG held a rare centre-wicket practice on the Adelaide Oval under lights.”It was almost a luxury,” Langer said. “To be under lights, centre-wicket – it was a real treat for us. There’s some life in the wicket though, so it should be a great Test match.”

Bumrah was seen clutching his abdomen repeatedly on the third day of the Sydney Test

Shashank Kishore12-Jan-2021India’s tryst with injuries continues as they look to put together a fit XI for the series decider at The Gabba. A day after Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the tour on Monday, and it emerged that Hanuma Vihari (right hamstring injury) and R Ashwin (back tweak) batted through pain to save the Sydney Test, there is an injury cloud over Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the fourth and final Test starting January 15.Bumrah was seen clutching his abdomen repeatedly during Australia’s second innings on the third day’s play in Sydney. He even left the field once for medical attention. However, he bowled 25 overs in all, in a total of 87 overs that India sent down before Australia declared.Bumrah has had the most workload among fast bowlers among both sides, bowling 117.4 overs across the six innings so far in the Tests. Bumrah, who was rested for the T20I leg of the tour to play India’s warm-up fixture in Sydney, has so far featured in each of the three ODIs and the three Tests.Related

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While the physio may have to work overtime to get him ready, India’s already inexperienced attack will further be depleted if he is ruled out. If that happens, Mohammed Siraj – all of two Tests old – will be the spearhead, alongside Navdeep Saini and one of the uncapped T Natarajan or Shardul Thakur. India have one other reserve fast bowler in the squad – rookie Kartik Tyagi – who has been used as a net bowler. Tyagi, however, featured in the first warm-up fixture.Meanwhile, if Ashwin too is deemed unfit, India may have to turn to Kuldeep Yadav, the left-arm wrist-spinner, or allrounder Washington Sundar, who stayed back to assist the side after being part of India’s T20I series win in December. Kuldeep, who was one of India’s finds of their tour in 2018-19, was left out of the five of the six white-ball matches and went wicketless in his only first-class game on tour in Sydney.

The opener will make his return in the one-day match against South Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2021David Warner will make his Sheffield Shield comeback against South Australia after returning to New South Wales colours in the Marsh Cup match in Adelaide on Thursday.Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are also back for the four-day match but Pat Cummins, who will captain the one-day side, has been rested.Warner played the last two Tests against India while still significantly hampered by the groin injury he sustained in the ODIs at the end of November which ruled him out of the rest of the white-ball matches and first two Tests.Speaking on commentary of the New Zealand-Australia T20I series last week, Warner said how he expected to feel the effects of the injury for up to nine months but he is hopeful that it can be managed.Related

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Warner comes into the New South Wales one-day squad as a replacement for Daniel Hughes who has a shoulder injury although the opener is available for the Shield. Steven Smith remains sidelined by the elbow problem which he first felt at the end of the series against India and has since flared up during his return to domestic cricket.”We all know Davey’s quality as a player in all formats and it’s great to see him back for the Blues for this game,” New South Wales coach Phil Jaques said.”He has worked really hard on his rehab and has been great around the group when he’s been at training. It will be fantastic to have his experience around the team over the coming weeks.”Starc missed the last Sheffield Shield match against Victoria following the death if his father while Hazlewood was rotated as part of the management of New South Wales’ fast bowlers.New South Wales one-day squad Pat Cummins (capt), Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Oliver Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Liam Hatcher, Matthew Gilkes, Moises Henriques, Nick Larkin, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, David WarnerNew South Wales Sheffield Shield squad Peter Nevill (capt), Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Trent Copeland, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Daniel Solway, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

Hamid Hassan, Waqar Salamkheil and Azmatullah Omarzai are also yet to join Afghanistan’s squad

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2021Five Afghanistan players including mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, fast bowler Hamid Hassan and allrounder Gulbadin Naib await the resolution of a “visa issue”, according to an ACB release, before they can join their team-mates for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe in the UAE. The two other players on the wait list are left-arm wristspinner Waqar Salamkheil and the allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai.A 15-member squad, led by Asghar Afghan, is already in the UAE ahead of the series, which begins on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. A number of these players were involved in the two-match Test series, which ended on Sunday, with the teams winning one Test apiece.Afghanistan squad for T20I series: Asghar Afghan (capt), Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Afsar Zazai (wk), Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Amir Hamza, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Farid Malik.
Players awaiting visas: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Gulbadin Naib, Waqar Salamkheil, Azmatullah Omarzai.

Says the plan was to give him time to settle in before going after the bowling

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Apr-20211:44

Vettori: No. 5 pretty low for a player of de Villiers’ ability

The Royal Challengers Bangalore batted Glenn Maxwell at No. 4 in their chase against the Mumbai Indians specifically to give him a chance to settle in before going for his shots. Captain Virat Kohli said as much after his side chased down 160 to register victory in the IPL 2021 opening game. While things got closer than the Royal Challengers would have bargained for, and it came down to a classic AB de Villiers knock in the end, Kohli said the signs were very much there that giving Maxwell more time would be beneficial to the side.”We wanted Maxi to bat at four,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation. “The set-up was such that if we get a partnership [at the top], then Maxi comes into the game and he can do what he does [at the death]. But if we lose early wickets as well, it allows him to get into the innings and not start slogging from ball one. As a batsman, if that [hitting from ball one] doesn’t come off, it can start playing on your mind.”Today you saw the result of him playing 10-15 balls, he’s a different player then. He just took the game away from the opposition in those middle overs to be honest. His innings, I felt, in our partnership was that momentum changer and that made the job easier in the end. If he had stayed in, we probably would have finished a couple of overs earlier.”Maxwell made 39 off 28, with three fours and two sixes, and was involved in a stand of 52 with Kohli to set up the chase. This was his first game for the Royal Challengers, following a dreadful IPL for Kings XI Punjab in 2020, when he made 108 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 101.88, with not a single six to his name.When Maxwell fell, undone by a slower, short one from Marco Jansen, the Royal Challengers needed 57 off 35, and that became 54 off 30 before de Villiers went after Rahul Chahar, taking 14 off five balls against him to relieve the pressure. The Royal Challengers continued to fumble at the other end though, and another quiet over followed, leaving them needing 34 from 18 before de Villiers delivered again, this time against Trent Boult (14 more runs off five balls he faced in the over). There was still the matter of a Jasprit Bumrah over to negotiate, and de Villiers duly took two fours off it, before being run out in the final over and it all going down to the last ball for the Royal Challengers. To some, that might have been a familiar sight – de Villiers carrying the Royal Challengers in the end overs with not much support.Related

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Given how central he repeatedly is to their fortunes, did they err in shifting him down to No. 5 and not letting him bat for longer? “It’s a difficult one,” Kohli said. “AB is probably the only player in our team who is so versatile, and he can do what he did on slow pitches, today. A lot of other people will find it difficult to execute.”If there’s a partnership [at the top], you might see a totally different batting order. But in a tricky chase, you know you need experience in the back also. And a player that the opposition knows, ‘if he doesn’t get out, anything can be chased down’… Then the bowler gets into a different kind of headspace. So that’s something we want to bank on. But if Dev [Devdutt Padikkal, the Royal Challengers’ first-choice opener who missed out on Friday having just recovered from Covid-19] and me get off to a start and we bat through till nine-ten overs, we could see a totally different approach straightaway from ball one.”Kohli also expressed confidence in debutant Rajat Patidar, who batted at No. 3, making a run-a-ball 8. “Rajat is a very solid player, probably didn’t see enough of him in this game but he’s a really exciting prospect for us. He plays spin really well, good against fast bowling too. He’s going to be one to watch out for.”

Somerset well placed to consolidate second place in group after only 9.3 overs are possible on third day

ECB Reporters Network08-May-2021Rain and bad light frustrated Somerset’s push for victory with just nine-and-a-half overs bowled before play was abandoned after just 45 minutes late on Saturday at the Ageas Bowl.Hampshire closed the day on 110 for 4 in their second innings – still trailing Somerset by 147 runs – with opener Joe Weatherley unbeaten on 34 and skipper James Vince 5 not out.A heavy overnight downpour in Southampton left the outfield saturated as ground staff worked from 10am to dry off the standing water before play finally got underway at 5.30pm with a minimum of 16 overs to be bowled.Weatherley and Sam Northeast came out to bat in perfect seam bowling conditions, their side on 92 for 3 as heavy clouds enveloped the ground and with the floodlights on.The pair did well to survive some testing bowling from Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory as Somerset pushed hard for early wickets.Related

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But it was the excellent Overton who finally made the breakthrough with his fourth wicket of the innings, as Northeast mistimed a push towards mid-wicket and George Bartlett took a stunning one-handed catch at short-leg.However, the visitors’ joy was short-lived as play was abandoned by umpires Graham Lloyd and Alex Wharf due to bad light.The forecast is better for Sunday with Somerset looking well placed to consolidate their second-place spot in Group Two after leaders Gloucestershire beat Middlesex at Lord’s.

Top-order batters both score 92 after Tash Farrant’s four-wicket haul sets Stars up

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2021Alice Davidson-Richards’ highest ever List A score helped South East Stars trounce Western Storm by six wickets at the Kia Oval.The Kent-born opener plundered 92 with a six and nine fours as the hosts made light work of chasing down a victory target of 246.Davidson-Richards shared a second-wicket stand of 154 with fellow England hopeful Sophia Dunkley, who also fell for 92 shortly before victory was secured with 41 balls to spare.Related

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Earlier, England skipper Heather Knight top scored for Storm with 73, skipper Sophie Luff making 55 in their 245 for 8, Tash Farrant claiming 4 for 58.Fi Morris’ promotion to opener backfired when Farrant nipped one between bat and pad to pluck out her off-stump.Knight survived a scare when inside edging another Farrant delivery over the stumps, but that aside looked in imperious form. A gorgeous on-drive off Freya Davies and two delicate late cuts stood out as she moved to 50 from 63 balls with nine fours.Luff provided excellent support in a stand of 91, playing two glorious inside-out off drives for four through extra cover.At 124 for 1 Storm looked in command, but Davies returned to trap Knight lbw. Luff completed her half-century in 80 balls before being castled by Dani Gregory, and despite a belligerent 27, including two sixes from Anya Shrubsole, Storm’s total looked a little light.Smith began the run-chase with a flurry of boundaries only to tickle a wide one from Lauren Filer straight to leg-slip.Davidson-Richards was given a life on 17 when wicketkeeper Natasha Wraith failed to cling on to a catch down the leg side off Shrubsole. It proved a costly miss as the right-hander, helped by six fours, raced to 50 in 62 balls.Dunkley kept pace from the other end, her backfoot drive through extra cover arguably the shot of the day as the 100 partnership was raised in 122 balls.Dunkley’s own 50 came in 63 balls before Davidson-Richards thumped a Knight delivery for six over cow corner and then brought up the 150 partnership with a sumptuous cover boundary.Sadly, there would be no century as she edged behind off Nicole Harvey with 60 needed. Harvey also claimed Alice Capsey cheaply and Georgia Hennessey bowled Dunkley with the scores level, before Stars coasted home.