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Khurram Manzoor hit a century as Pakistan A reached 238 for 7 on the first day of the second unofficial Test against West Indies A at the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2010Pakistan A 238 for 7 (Manzoor 130, Permaul 3-56) v West Indies A

ScorecardKhurram Manzoor hit a century as Pakistan A reached 238 for 7 on the first day of the second unofficial Test against West Indies A at the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent. After the visitors chose to bat, the Pakistan openers, Manzoor and Umair Khan, started solidly adding 68 for the first wicket. David Bernard dismissed Umair for 41, but Manzoor, in the company of No. 3 Shan Masood continued to play fluently as the duo put on 111 runs. Manzoor, who made a hundred in the first Test, finally fell to the offspin of Veerasammy Permaul for 104 which included 16 boundaries. Pakistan then lost momentum, losing five wickets for just 59 as they crumbled from 179 for 2 to 238 for 7. Permaul was the most successful West Indies bowler with figures of 3 for 56. The first Test at the same venue ended in a draw after it was badly affected by rain.

After a disastrous Australian tour, Pakistan’s confidence will not have been helped as they were overcome by an inexperienced Pakistan A in their warm-up game ahead of the twenty20 series against England.

Cricinfo staff17-Feb-2010
Scorecard
After a disastrous Australian tour, Pakistan’s confidence will not have been helped as they were overcome by an inexperienced Pakistan A in their warm-up game ahead of the Twenty20 series against England. Abdul Razzaq’s rollicking unbeaten 39 boosted Pakistan to 143 for 8 after they were put in to bat, but well-paced innings from Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq set up a seven-wicket victory, achieved with three balls to spare.Hafeez, who is captaining Pakistan A, was named Man of the Match for his efforts in this game, which included two wickets for only 21 runs in four overs of tight offspin and a vital 41 in Pakistan A’s chase. Hafeez, who has not played international cricket for more than two years, brought himself on early in Pakistan’s innings and was soon rewarded with Imran Farhat’s wicket.Imran Nazir fell soon after for a pedestrian three runs from 10 balls, and though Khalid Latif and Umar Akmal consolidated with a 33-run partnership, Pakistan struggled to score quickly in the first half of the innings. Latif and Akmal fell in quick succession, and Fawad Alam and Shahid Afridi struggled to get going in their short innings.Shoaib Malik provided some impetus with a rapid 32 before he was run out by substitute fielder Abid Ali as Pakistan slipped to 109 for 7 in the 18th over. Razzaq then showed his extensive experience at the end of the innings with a typically aggressive knock, smashing two fours and three sixes to add 34 for the eighth wicket with Yasir Arafat, who was out off the last ball after contributing just three runs to the partnership.Pakistan A lost Shahzaib Hasan early in their chase, but Hafeez and Shafiq steadied the innings with a 67-run partnership – the highest of the match. Hafeez struck five fours and a six before he was bowled by Arafat, who was impressively economical in his four overs, conceding only 17 runs to go with his wicket.Shafiq was in sight of a maiden twenty20 half-century, having muscled his way to 48 with six fours and a six, but edged Wahab Riaz to Sarfraz Ahmed with 23 still needed in under three overs. Umair Khan and Naeem Anjum, who both made their twenty20 debuts against England Lions last week, were up to the task, however, hitting three fours and a six between them to seal the win in the final over.

New Zealand Under-19 coach Chris Kuggeleijn hopes home advantage will give them the edge in the Under-19 World Cup beginning on Friday

Cricinfo staff13-Jan-2010New Zealand Under-19 coach Chris Kuggeleijn hopes home advantage will give them the edge in the Under-19 World Cup beginning on Friday. New Zealand had finished third in the previous edition in Malaysia in 2008, but this time their form has been patchy – they lost a home series 1-2 to 2004 and 2006 champions Pakistan, while they lost to Bangladesh and beat England in their warm-up games.”We got a few things right (against England) but we’ve just got to string it together,” Kuggeleijn told . “We’ve got to think how can we turn that around after such a bad performance the day before … but if we play to our potential and get things right, then we’ll go pretty close.”The contracted first-class players in the current New Zealand squad – Corey Anderson, Harry Boam and Doug Bracewell – would be crucial in ensuring success, according to Kuggeleijn. It will also be the second under-19 World Cup for Anderson, Boam, and Michael Bracewell, who were part of the side in 2008.”They’ll be key figures for us with their performances on the field and within the group,” said Kuggeleijn. “A guy like Corey, he’s a fine talent and really clean striker of the ball who can take the game away from an opponent.”Kuggeliejn reckoned Pakistan and India were the two favourites – the two teams have won the three last three editions between them – but said Bangladesh were also a good outside bet. Reflecting on their loss to Bangladesh in the warm-up match Kuggeleijn said, “They look very well prepared, a very organised team. They go hard early with the bat and play with a lot of intent, and we just couldn’t pull them back.”The hosts have been placed in Group C of the tournament alongside Canada, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, and kick off their campaign against Canada at Lincoln 3 on January 16.

Hurricanes in sixth place with three wins from eight games after six-wicket defeat

AAP07-Jan-2023Sam Harper made a stunning return to form with a career-best innings to lead Melbourne Renegades to a six-wicket BBL win over Hobart Hurricanes.Harper had struggled in five previous digs this BBL season, averaging 5.40 with three ducks to his name. His latest effort got off to an inauspicious start when his indecision led to returning Test squad member Marcus Harris being run out.But he quickly refocused and settled into a groove at Marvel Stadium, blasting 89 off 48 deliveries. The innings included seven sixes before Harper was eventually out caught by Tim David off Nathan Ellis.Jon Wells and Will Sutherland guided Renegades home with 11 balls to spare.The result lifted Renegades into the top half of the ladder as they chase a finals berth after three consecutive wooden spoons, while Hurricanes are slipping further away.Harper was given a lifeline on 59 through Riley Meredith’s dropped catch – Hurricanes’ 15th in eight matches. They were made to pay as Renegades took the power surge the next over, in which Harper whacked 26 off Joel Paris.

Finch left baffled as ball-tracking goes missing

Earlier, there was drama in the second over of the match when Renegades thought they had Hurricanes opener Caleb Jewell trapped lbw by Mujeeb Ur Rahman.They went upstairs for a review when the batter was given not out and snicko confirmed there was no bat involved. But the third umpire said ball tracking was not available, meaning the on-field call stood.Jewell, who was on 1 at the time, survived and Renegades stand-in captain Aaron Finch was left bewildered. “It just doesn’t make any sense, does it? I don’t know how to explain that,” Finch said during the Fox Sports broadcast.Two balls later, Jewell rubbed salt in Renegades’ wound when he smacked Mujeeb for six.Jewell eventually fell to Tom Rogers, top-scoring with fellow opener Ben McDermott. Rogers was also damaging in the field, running out the dangerous Matthew Wade and Tim David with direct hits, while Kane Richardson bowled superbly.Hurricanes suffered a pre-match blow when they lost left-arm spinner Patrick Dooley to a finger injury during warm up. Dooley – Hurricanes’ leading wicket-taker and most economical bowler this season – was sent for an X-ray. Paris was called in as his replacement.

Former cricketer feels he might be able to help the out-of-form Kohli “particularly with regards to that off-stump line”

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-2022Virat Kohli is desperately searching for big runs, and has developed an “anxiety to play at every delivery” as a result, Sunil Gavaskar feels.Kohli ended the white-ball leg of the England tour without a half-century. In the two ODIs, Kohli was out nicking behind off left-arm quicks Reece Topley and David Willey, and had scores of 16 and 17. In the two T20Is, he scored 1 and 11. In the Test match at Edgbaston earlier, Kohli chopped on in the first innings, and was out poking to the slip cordon in the second innings, returning scores of 11 and 20. Kohli’s century drought across formats has now extended to 79 innings.Related

• Ricky Ponting on Virat Kohli: 'If I was India, I would keep pushing with him because I know the upside'

• Ganguly says Kohli 'has to find his way' to score again

• Problem of plenty: How do India fit Kohli in their T20I XI?

“Having been an opening batter, having been troubled by that line, there are certain things that you try and do.” Gavaskar told . “It goes back to the fact that his first mistake turns out to be his last.”Again, just because he is not amongst the runs, there is this anxiety to play at every delivery because that is what batters feel, they have got to score. You look to play at deliveries that you otherwise won’t. But he has gotten out to good deliveries as well on this particular tour.”Gavaskar said he was open to helping Kohli work on his weakness.”If I had about 20 minutes with him, I would be able to tell him the things he might have to do,” Gavaskar said. “It might help him, I am not saying it will help him, but it could, particularly with regards to that off-stump line.”1:48

Does Kohli walk in to India’s full-strength T20I XI?

Kohli has been rested from India’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean. India’s next assignments after that is a short tour of Zimbabwe, followed by the Asia Cup T20s, possibly in the United Arab Emirates in August.Several former players, most notably Kapil Dev, have questioned Kohli’s place in the side, even as some younger players have stirred selection debates with their consistent performances. All through, the Indian think tank has backed Kohli, with Rohit Sharma, the captain, batting for him despite his form slump.”He [Kohli] has played so many matches. He is playing for so many years. He is such a great batsman, so he does not need reassurance,” Rohit said after the second ODI. “I pointed to this in my last press conference, too: form goes up and down, that is part and parcel of any cricketer’s career.”So, a player like him, who has played for so many years, who has made so many runs, who has won so many matches, he only needs one or two good innings [to bounce back]. That is my thinking, and I am sure all those who follow cricket will think similarly.”

Sunrisers and Royal Challengers are right in the thick of it as the battle for the top four spots continues

Sruthi Ravindranath07-May-20223:08

Do Sunrisers Hyderabad need to rejig their batting order?

Big PictureThe playoffs race has started heating up and these two teams are in the thick of it. Royal Challengers Bangalore found a way to bounce back after three losses with a win against Chennai Super Kings in their previous match. Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are coming into this game losing three in a row, will be looking for that win to get back in the top four.While the Virat Kohli-Kane Williamson bromance is one part of the narrative, both the stalwarts have been enduring a rough patch this season. Their scoring rates are also hurting their respective teams. Williamson’s form has been among the major concerns for Sunrisers – he has scored 199 runs in 10 games, and his strike rate of 96.13 is the worst for a batter who has faced a minimum of 150 balls this season. And Kohli is second on this list, with a strike rate of 111.9. He has not found a way out of his batting slump yet – he has scored 216 runs in 11 games at an average of 21.60 – and has continued to struggle against spin.

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Watch Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore on ESPN+ in English and in Hindi.

If at all the previous encounter between these sides is a testament to what Sunrisers are capable of, Royal Challengers will want to capitalise on their winning momentum to seek the perfect revenge. But Marco Jansen, who was instrumental in bowling Royal Challengers out for 68 in that game has been dropped following expensive returns in the last few games. Royal Challengers have also found an able uncapped pair in Rajat Patidar and Mahipal Lomror who have spruced up the batting. Josh Hazlewood and Harshal Patel have shown great control at the death on more than one occasion. But, they will be expecting more from their captain Faf du Plessis, who has also been struggling to find consistency this season.Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli haven’t performed up to potential this IPL season•BCCI

Sunrisers have already shown how well they can bounce back. It looked like they were in for yet another dismal season when they lost their first two matches. Then they won five on the trot and became strong contenders to make the playoffs These three losses have pegged them back and it’s been largely down to their bowling unit – which has been their strength this season – not performing up to mark. Umran Malik, who was their trump card in the wins, has erred in his lengths and returned expensive figures in the last two games. They also missed the injured T Natarajan’s accuracy at the death. Among the bright spots have been Aiden Markram, who has continued to show his value in the middle order, while Nicholas Pooran hitting form has added to the positives.

In the newsWashington Sundar and Natarajan were forced to sit out with injuries in Sunrisers’ previous match against Delhi Capitals. Head coach Tom Moody said they will be reviewing Washington and “there’s a chance he will be available for the next [RCB] game”. Natarajan meanwhile is likely to be available only for Sunrisers’ match against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 14, Moody said.

Likely XIsRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Shahbaz Ahmed, 6 Mahipal Lomror, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Josh HazlewoodSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Washington Sundar/Sean Abbott, 8 Shreyas Gopal 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Kartik Tyagi, 11 Umran Malik

Strategy PuntPooran unleashed some big hits and took Sunrisers close in the previous match against Capitals, scoring 62 off 37. While he took on the quicks, he was cautious against spinners – even in the match against Chennai Super Kings where he scored 64. Royal Challengers can unleash Wanindu Hasaranga to keep Pooran quiet. While Pooran has struggled more against balls that have been spinning away from him, legspinner Hasaranga could keep him in check with his googlies. In fact, Pooran has faced just four deliveries of Hasaranga in T20s – all of which have been googlies – and has been dismissed once.

Stats that matter

• Josh Hazlewood needs to strike thrice to tally 100 wickets in T20s
• Since 2020, Sunrisers have won four of their six games against Royal Challengers
• Mohammed Siraj needs to strike two more times to tally 50 wickets for Royal Challengers in the IPL

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.”

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.”

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

• Early-season form poses tricky Test selection task – Heather Knight

• Katherine Brunt, Jenny Gunn bowl Northern Diamonds to nine-wicket victory over Sunrisers

• Emily Arlott's four-wicket over wipes out Vipers' winning start

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.

England will include debutant spinner Dom Bess and Jos Buttler at No. 7, while Pakistan face a decision over their third seamer

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan23-May-20182:58

Should Bairstow drop the gloves?

Big Picture

The teams were jostling for the No. 1 Test ranking. Now they are battling mid-table mediocrity. Alastair Cook and Misbah-ul-Haq were the captains. Now it’s Joe Root and Sarfraz Ahmed. Younis Khan was jumping around the crease (and scoring a double century). Now Pakistan are trying to build a new middle order.It’s been less than two years since England and Pakistan last met for a Test series and much has changed. The latest series, which starts at Lord’s before continuing to Headingley, is a meeting of teams in various states of flux. England are still trying to find solutions to a number of familiar problem areas while Pakistan have lost three of their five series since taking the No. 1 spot shortly after the 2016 contest concluded with their series-levelling victory at The Oval.Pakistan are missing three men who were vital to that 2-2 scoreline – Misbah, Younis and the injured Yasir Shah – and another, Wahab Riaz, who could have added experience if not always direction with the ball. Their batting looks on the callow side and they almost came a cropper against Ireland, with much resting on Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq finding their touch quickly in a short series.With the ball, however, they will, as so often, remain a threat. Quite how much Test cricket Mohammad Amir will play remains to be seen but he bowled beautifully in Ireland and if his team-mates can catch he could run through a line-up. Mohammad Abbas will be a handful if there is any nibble on offer while Shadab Khan has immense promise and also the advantage of being new to England.For England there are subplots aplenty at the beginning of a second season in charge for Root. His own position (in the batting order, not the captaincy) is one talking point – can he settle at No. 3? – which is part of a larger reshuffle of the order. Will the punt on Jos Buttler at No. 7 pay dividends or just muddy the water more? Can Dom Bess take the most of an unexpected chance? Is Mark Stoneman facing his last chance? Can Alastair Cook go again as a Test batsman? Is there life beyond James Anderson and Stuart Broad?That’s a lot of questions. Of late, England’s Test side haven’t provided a whole lot of new answers. This season needs to change that.

Form guide

England DLLDL
Pakistan WLLWL

In the spotlight

A quick look at those who have batted at No. 7 for any significant amount of Tests (in this case at least 10 matches) and who haven’t taken the keeping gloves shows one thing: precious few specialist batmen. Yet that is, in effect, what Jos Buttler has been selected as on his return to Test cricket. Almost a wildcard pick. There was a spare slot and this is how Ed Smith and Joe Root think it’s best filled. In a perfect world, Buttler will be able to exploit tired attacks at 350 for 5 and counter-attack thrillingly at 150 for 5. In reality, it’s unlikely to be quite so simple.Two years ago Yasir Shah took 10 wickets in the match as Pakistan secured a famous win which led to celebratory push-ups on the outfield. Currently the only push-ups he’s doing are in the gym as he recovers from a hip injury. The legspin role is now with Shadab Khan who has shown terrific skills in white-ball cricket but is only just starting out in Tests. Yasir’s haul also came later in the year when the pitches were drier, but the recent warm weather in London could bring Shadab firmly into contest. And we all know about England and legspin.

Team news

England’s one decision is between Chris Woakes and Mark Wood for the final pace-bowling slot. Wood was recalled in Christchurch at the end of March and provides extra pace. Woakes provides more with the bat. There will be a debut for 20-year-old offspinner Dom Bess.England 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Mark Stoneman, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Dawid Malan, 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jos Buttler, 8 Mark Wood/Chris Woakes, 9 Dom Bess, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James AndersonPakistan also have just a single spot to decide on: whether Rahat Ali retains his place after a wicketless outing against Ireland or he’s replaced by the skiddy pace – and extra batting ability – of Hasan Ali. Judging by nets on Wednesday, Hasan was favourite to play. Babar Azam took a blow on the finger on Tuesday but was expected to be okay.Pakistan 1 Azhar Ali, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Haris Sohail, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Babar Azam, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Rahat Ali/Hasan Ali, 11 Mohammad Abbas

Pitch and conditions

The pitch had a distinct tinge of green the day before the Test, but a fair amount of that grass was likely to be removed before play starts. Last year, the surface for the South Africa Test took considerable turn although that was in July. In September there was plenty of help for the quicks when West Indies visited. The forecast for this match is for a warm few days with the chance of showers – some thundery – at various stages but also plenty of dry weather.

Stats and Trivia

• Cook will equal Allan Border’s record of 153 consecutive Test appearances. The only match Cook has missed since his debut was what would have been his third Test, in Mumbai, when he was struck down by illness.
• If Rahat Ali is dropped, Pakistan will have just four survivors (Azhar, Shafiq, Sarfraz and Amir) from the side that won at Lord’s in 2016

Quotes

“Jos at seven can be an exciting and integral part of our batting unit, to take the game to the opposition from a position of strength and make it even stronger. The way he approaches his white-ball cricket, I think a lot of that can cross over.”
“Yes, the senior players in the team have to show responsibility. Amir and I have played here before so has Azhar and Shafiq, so we are seniors and the rest of seven players will play here for the first time. We have to lead from the front, we have more responsibility to give a good platform so that new players take from there”
Sarfraz Ahmed