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Sunny Dhillon was charged in September 2023 and is the latest to be banned from the Pune Devils franchise

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2024Sunny Dhillon, a former assistant coach with Pune Devils franchise in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, has been banned from all forms of cricket for six years by the ICC. It was found that Dhillon breached the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code.Dhillon was among eight individuals charged last year, including Bangladesh allrounder Nasir Hossain, for breaching the anti-corruption code during the Abu Dhabi T10 in 2021 for alleged attempts to influence the outcome of matches during the tournament. The others charged at the time also included two of Pune Devils’ co-owners (Krishan Kumar Chaudhary and Parag Sanghvi), two domestic players, their batting coach (Ashar Zaidi) and team manager Shadab Ahamed.While Hossain was banned in January this year for two years, Zaidi, Sanghavi and Choudhary were handed bans in August 2024, after they admitted to corrupt activities and breaching the ECB anti-corruption code.”These efforts were disrupted by the ICC and the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (DACO) for the purposes of the ECB’s Code for the tournament,” an ICC release said. After a full hearing and presentation of written as well as oral argument, Dhillon was found guilty of:

• Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.
• Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
• Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

Dhillon’s ban has been back-dated to September 13, 2023, the date he was provisionally suspended.The 2021 edition was the last time Devils were part of the tournament. They finished last with just one win in six matches.

231-run stand between 36-year-old club captain and 20-year-old rookie sets up home win

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay20-Aug-2025Tom Westley and Charlie Allison chalked up career-best List A scores while posting a 231-run third-wicket partnership that underpinned Essex’s third successive Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory.The Essex captain’s 141 was his eighth List A century, while Allison’s 131 was his first in the white-ball format but his fourth of a summer in which the 20-year-old has established himself as a forceful and elegant middle-order stroke-maker. As a statistical curiosity, both players’ innings lasted 113 balls.Allison slammed five sixes and 15 fours, while Westley chipped in with 16 fours and three sixes. Simon Harmer made sure the target was beyond Glamorgan with a 22-ball cameo including four sixes in 42 and then ripped through the visitors’ brittle batting with best bowling figures of 5 for 47.Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson smashed four sixes in a defiant 36-ball 64, and Asa Tribe a pedestrian 71 from 79, but it only delayed the inevitable in a day-night match that barely reached nightfall. The reigning champions, still without a win this season, succumbed to 181 all out to lose by 190 runs inside 33 overs.Having elected to bat on a well-used hybrid wicket, Essex lost both openers inside the first eight overs. Matt Critchley attempted to loft Zain ul Hassan straight down the ground, instead hitting high but barely clearing the square, before Robin Das fizzed a delivery from Ned Leonard low to backward point.However, Essex’s tentative start gave way to a free-flowing partnership. Both batsmen dealt almost exclusively in boundaries for a spell, Allison hitting three in an over from Dan Douthwaite. He also added back-to-back fours off Carlson, the first through extra cover, the second a very late cut, before launching the off-spinner over long-off for six.Westley was no less aggressive, whipping Leonard through midwicket, driving the same bowler through the covers and next ball hooking a third boundary.
Allison brought up the century partnership with a second six over long leg off Ben Morris. A third six over extra cover off Asa Tribe took Allison beyond his previous best of 85 as well as marking the pair’s 150-run stand. Soon after, he turned Leonord off his legs to reach a 92-ball hundred.Neither player gave a chance until Westley, on 99, drove uppishly to short extra cover where he was dropped by a leaping Henry Hurle while reaching three figures from 93 balls.Eddie Byrom dropped Allison at deep square leg on 126 but made amends shortly after when he held on at cow corner to give Tribe the first of two wickets in four balls. Luc Benkenstein sliced to long-off to give Hurle some compensation.Westley added two more sixes but fell to a similar catch in a similar position to the same fielder as Allison to complete the symmetry of their respective innings.Harmer kept up the barrage before he was caught in the deep from the last ball of the innings to give ul Hassan a third wicket.Jamie Porter struck with his first ball in Glamorgan’s reply when he had Byrom edging to slip and Shane Snater upped the pressure when Hurle nicked behind in only the fifth over.However, Kiran Carlson took up the challenge almost single-handedly. He dominated the first fifty runs of the 78-run third-wicket stand, to which Tribe contributed just seven, and reached his own half-century from 31 balls with an audacious reverse-sweep off Harmer for his third six. A fourth maximum, to cow corner off Benkenstein, followed before he fell, driving Harmer to mid-off.Then the collapse began in earnest. Will Smale lasted just four balls before attempting a lavish sweep against Benkenstein and was lbw. Billy Root didn’t hang around much longer, sweeping Harmer to the square-leg boundary, while ul Hassan’s three-ball stay ended when he was caught behind. Harmer claimed a simple caught-and-bowled to remove Douthwaite and then bowled Tribe for his fifth wicket.

“Everything was in our favour,” said the allrounder, lamenting their collapse to 106 all out on the first day in Dhaka

Mohammad Isam24-Oct-2024Bangladesh’s batters were under the scanner after South Africa completed a seven-wicket win on the fourth morning of the Dhaka Test. The top four contributed 105 runs in the match, their worst showing this year. Bangladesh’s collapse on the first day of the match haunted them for the rest of it, with only the lower order, led by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, ensuring that there wasn’t an innings defeat.Mehidy, whose 97 in the second innings forced South Africa to bat again, said that the pitch and the conditions were to their liking and even the toss went their way but the top-order’s failure on the first day took them out of the contest too early and there was no coming back.”Everything was in our favour as we won the toss and decided to bat first,” Mehidy said. “It is hard to bat on the fourth day on this wicket so we prepared ourselves in that way. We couldn’t score runs, unfortunately. If we could have scored our second innings runs in the first… We were in the back foot in the first innings. We were bowled out before the second session on the first day. 106 all out. First innings runs are very important in Test cricket.”Related

• Cricket and chaos – Bangladesh are used to it, but Shanto wants out

• Another crisis situation, another Mehidy rescue act

• Rabada sets up South Africa's first Test win in Asia since 2014

• Markram hopes Mirpur win will end South Africa's Asia hoodoo

Mehidy said that Bangladesh’s batters must improve their decision-making out in the middle. Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the only member from the top four to make any kind of contribution (30 and 40). Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto failed in both innings. However, each of those three players still have at least one recent innings of note under their belt. Shadman scored a crucial 93 in the first Test against Pakistan, while Mominul scored a century in Bangladesh’s previous Test in Kanpur. Shanto made 82 in the Chennai Test.”I think decision-making is an important aspect [of batting],” Mehidy said. “We would do better as a team if the top order starts contributing again. We did it in Pakistan where the top four were contributing to the total. When the openers start well, it makes life easier for the rest of the batters. When the No. 5 and 6 batters are playing against the new ball, life becomes hard. We are working on how to improve the top order. I am hopeful that we will figure out where to improve in the coming matches.”Batters have to take more responsibility. Lack of runs on the board makes life difficult for the bowlers. We bowled well despite all the pressure. Taijul [Islam] bowled really well. We discussed that not all the batters will score every day. But at least three or four batters should turn their starts into big ones.”Mehidy is leading Bangladesh’s batting charts in this World Test Championship cycle.”I always try to enjoy pressure situations,” he said while trying to explain his success. “I see it as an opportunity to become a hero. I am happy to be making use of opportunities. I bat in a difficult position. I know that if I bat well from my position, the team may do well. If I don’t do well, the team won’t get a result. I am mentally trying to prepare myself to score runs. I am always trying to get better. I started with a 1.5 batting average. I have improved quite a bit now.”I have worked at batting against the new ball because sometimes I have to bat against the second new ball. I have worked on surviving as a batter, how to score runs and then how to dominate the bowlers. I have shared my thoughts with those who are less experienced in the dressing room, just like my seniors shared ideas with me.”Mehidy, however, isn’t keen on the comparison with Shakib Al Hasan, who was supposed to play his farewell Test in Dhaka. He said that he is trying to get a few years of consistency going before accepting such lofty accolades.”Everyone says I will take Shakib ‘s place. He is a legend who has achieved a lot over 17 years. He batted higher up the order. He has been scoring runs since early in his career. I have started scoring runs consistently in the last one or two years. I bat at No. 7 or 8. Shakib is in his place, I am in my place. I think it’s best not to compare us,” Mehidy said.Bangladesh have four days’ time to do some soul searching ahead of the Chattogram Test. The batters haven’t contributed much this year, but they have one last opportunity to get a score in familiar conditions before they hit the road for assignments in the UAE and the West Indies in the next couple of months.

Adi Birrell to take over in 2025 as Hampshire strengthen ties with local Hundred team

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2025Stephen Fleming has stepped down as Southern Brave’s head coach in the men’s Hundred, citing family reasons. Fleming replaced Mahela Jayawardene in the role ahead of the 2023 season and twice led the Brave to the knockout stages, losing the eliminator in his first year in charge and the final last season.He will be replaced by Adi Birrell, the Hampshire head coach, for the 2025 season, with Hundred franchises growing stronger ties with their host clubs as part of the ongoing privatisation process. Birrell has enjoyed recent success in franchise cricket, leading Sunrisers Eastern Cape to back-to-back SA20 titles.Birrell will become the first county head coach also taking charge of a men’s Hundred team, though several have served as assistant coaches. He will be replaced as Hampshire coach during the Metro Bank Cup, the 50-over competition which runs parallel to the Hundred, but remains in charge for the County Championship and the T20 Blast.Fleming’s resignation avoids a situation in which he would coach a team part-owned by a rival IPL franchise, given his long-running association with Chennai Super Kings. Hampshire were sold to the GMR Group – co-owners of Delhi Capitals – last year and are set to become majority shareholders in the Brave this year.Related

• Richard Gould: ECB 'unapologetic' about attracting top talent to Men's Hundred

• GMR Group 'keen' on Southern Brave investment after securing Hampshire deal

He has coached Chennai since 2009, and has also taken charge of their affiliated franchises in Major League Cricket (Texas Super Kings) and the SA20 (Joburg Super Kings), where he is currently. Fleming said in a statement that stepping down from his role with the Brave would allow him to spend more time at home.”I absolutely loved my time at Southern Brave, working in the Hundred and working with a great group of people at Utilita Bowl,” Fleming said. “We got close to winning a couple of times so it’s difficult to step down but for family reasons I need to be able to dedicate more time to being at home this season. I wish everyone at Southern Brave the best for 2025.”Giles White, who is director of cricket at the Brave and Hampshire, said: “Stephen created an excellent environment for the players and it has been an enjoyable and successful stint with us… In his place we are delighted to welcome Adi Birrell and look forward to seeing him build on the team’s success in 2025.”White and Birrell have until February 24 to work out the core of their squad for 2025, with each team permitted to retain up to 11 players (including one designated central contract player). These can include one direct overseas signing for 2025, with the ECB hopeful that a new top men’s salary of £200,000 will attract some of the world’s best players to the Hundred.The Brave are the fifth Hundred team to recruit a new coach this winter. Justin Langer has replaced Trevor Bayliss at London Spirit’s men, while Ali Maiden (Birmingham Phoenix), Michael Klinger (Manchester Originals) and Lisa Keightley (Northern Superchargers) have taken over from Ben Sawyer, Stephen Parry and Dani Hazell respectively in the women’s competition.

Uganda beat PNG for their first World Cup win but the co-hosts will present them with a much stiffer challenge at the Providence

Srinidhi Ramanujam08-Jun-20241:56

Badree: Shamar and McCoy can rattle Uganda

Match details

West Indies vs Uganda
June 8, Providence, 7.30pm local

Big picture: Uganda’s players take on their heroes

It’s strange and beautiful that Uganda’s third T20I against a Full-Member nation – they first beat Zimbabwe in Africa Qualifiers to reach the T20 World Cup and then lost to Afghanistan on their World Cup debut – is against West Indies. Irrespective of the result, Saturday will be celebrated and cherished not just in the Ugandan dressing room in Providence but also back home. Some Ugandan players’ role models are West Indians. In batter Simon Ssesazi’s words, some of them “only support West Indies in any format of the game” and it’s a “blessing” to play against them. There is so much love and admiration for the co-hosts of this World Cup – Frank Nsubuga, 43, had named his son Pollard after a certain West Indian legend.West Indies are coming into this game on the back of five successive wins and will be keen to extend that streak. Though they were given a scare by Papua New Guinea (PNG) in their opening match, West Indies eventually got home thanks to Roston Chase’s cameo in the chase.As for Uganda, they are history-makers. They are fighters. Back home, they don’t even have a floodlit facility for practice and so they are not used to playing under lights. Treading in this uncharted territory in their first World Cup appearance, where all of their four Group C matches are played under lights, they suffered a heavy defeat to Afghanistan in their opener. However, Uganda were quick to adjust to the conditions as they overcame PNG in a low-scoring thriller in their next game to secure their first victory in the World Cup.Related

• Nsubuga's bowling, not his age, takes him into the record books

• Uganda's bowlers. Riazat seal their first win in T20 World Cup history

For them, facing co-hosts West Indies will be a much stiffer challenge. If Uganda have played a total of 93 T20Is so far, Nicholas Pooran alone has featured in 89 T20Is. The biggest concern for Uganda going into Saturday’s game will be their batting after they had been bowled out for 58 against Afghanistan and lost seven wickets in a chase of 78 against PNG. Can they challenge the power-packed West Indies at the Providence?

Form guide

West Indies WWWW
Uganda WLWLWMeet 43-year-old Frank Nsubuga, the oldest player in the 2024 T20 World Cup•ICC via Getty Images

In the spotlight – Roston Chase and Riazat Ali Shah

Andre Russell isn’t the only West Indian allrounder Uganda should be wary of. Roston Chase 2.0, has been in exceptional form since being recalled to the T20I side this year. In 2024, he has bowled full quota of four overs in three of the four T20Is, picking up four wickets and conceding less than six runs an over. With the bat, he has scored 37, 32*, 67*, 42* – at a strike rate of 154.78.Riazat Ali Shah, one of Uganda’s most promising talents, made a cautious 33 off 56 to steer a tricky chase after an early collapse against PNG. He has a strike rate of 122.7 in 59 T20Is and will look to find a higher tempo against West Indies.

Team news

West Indies couldn’t accommodate fast bowler Shamar Joseph and batter Shimron Hetmyer in the XI against PNG. Instead, they continued to back Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford. They might stick with the same XI against Uganda.West Indies (probable XI): 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Brandon King, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Rovman Powell (capt), 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh MotieUganda made three changes for the second game from the XI that played the opener with Ronak Patel (opener), Henry Ssenyondo (left-arm spinner), and Bilal Hassan (medium pacer) sitting out. They brought in two pace options in Juma Miyagi and Kenneth Waiswa and a spin allrounder in Nsubuga. Both Miyagi and Nsubuga played key roles in Uganda’s win against PNG and are likely to retain their spots.Uganda (probable XI): 1 Roger Mukasa, 2 Simon Ssesazi (wk), 3 Robinson Obuya, 4 Riazat Ali Shah, 5 Dinesh Nakrani, 6 Alpesh Ramjani, 7 Juma Miyagi, 8 Brian Masaba (capt), 9 Kenneth Waiswa, 10 Cosmas Kyewuta, 11 Frank NsubugaRovman Powell’s West Indies will look to click into top gear against Uganda•Getty Images

Stats that matter: Pooran hot on Gayle’s heels

• Nicholas Pooran needs 25 runs to surpass Chris Gayle’s tally of 1899 and become West Indies’ highest run-getter in men’s T20Is.
• Pooran and Russell have hit 786 sixes between them in T20s since 2019.
• Uganda’s Alpesh Ramjani has 13 wickets in in six T20Is this year at an economy rate of 4.3.

Pitch and conditions: Another sluggish surface on the cards

The surface in Providence is expected to be slow, so scoring might not be easy once again. Saturday might be cloudy with temperatures hovering around 23 degrees in the evening but there is no threat of rain or thunderstorms.

Quotes

“My game was always one [where] I could always rotate the strike and turn over the strike in the middle overs. But my game has evolved where I have learned and I’ve been practising to finish the game in the back end in terms of the power-hitting and getting stronger and stuff. So, I think that’s what really helped my game to evolve. So that’s made me a better player, yes.”
“Getting our first win against PNG is a dream come true. We never thought we’d win any game and everyone was like, ‘I think they’re just going to play and just come back and sit’. But putting in that good effort against PNG on the big stage, it has been mind-blowing. Kampala is just booming since the day we won, everyone is just calling us legends. I don’t know if we’re legends but yeah, it’s exciting.”

England still need 210 but Brook and Root have added 58 in the last ten overs, after India’s early incision

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2025

There’s never a shortage of belligerence when Harry Brook’s batting•AFP/Getty Images

Lunch Harry Brook launched an exhilarating counterattack to help England recover from the loss of two wickets on the fourth morning, keeping the fifth Test in the balance. India were on top when Mohammed Siraj trapped Ollie Pope lbw, leaving England 106 for 3 in pursuit of 374, but Brook and Joe Root added 58 in 10.3 overs to put their seamers back under pressure.Brook made the play, and was given a life on 19: he picked out long leg with a miscued pull off Prasidh Krishna, only for Siraj to step on the advertising toblerone on the boundary rope after completing the catch. He continued to attack, lashing Prasidh through cover and cutting him past gully having cracked back-to-back boundaries off Akash Deep’s previous over.It was Prasidh who struck the first blow of the morning, dangling a carrot outside off stump which Ben Duckett snatched at. He was drawn into driving at a fuller ball in the channel, and KL Rahul made a sharp chance at second slip look straightforward. India came out fired up, their close fielders vocal, and regularly beat the bat in the first hour.

Pope, England’s stand-in captain, hit three boundaries in an over off Prasidh to pass 300 runs for the series, but was trapped plumb in front by Siraj’s nip-backer and took a review with him. He has only reached 50 once since his first-innings century in Leeds, and incredibly, the 27 was his second-highest score in the fourth innings of a Test.Root started uncharacteristically skittishly, surviving a tight lbw shout from Prasidh, but steadily grew into his innings. He was happy to play in Brook’s slipstream, and is the key wicket for India as they bid to square the series.

With two third-innings wickets still to prise out, South Africa already need to pull off the fourth-highest successful chase at Lord’s

Firdose Moonda12-Jun-20252:38

Cummins: Reaching 300 wickets a sign of durability and resilience

For two hours in the middle of day two, Australia had one hand on the WTC mace after taking a 74-run first-innings lead at Lord’s. For the next two, South Africa did their utmost to prise their fingers from it, and for the one after that, Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc fought them off with a 61-run eighth-wicket partnership. As things stand, Australia still have a few fingers on the mace after a gripping day of Test cricket.It was, once again, a day for bowlers. Fourteen wickets fell on day two, the same number as the first day, for a total of 28 wickets in six sessions.Related

• Latest collapse turns up heat on Australia's top order

• South Africa 'very confident' of chasing down target

• Cummins eighth Australia bowler to reach 300-wicket milestone in Tests

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Pat Cummins stole the early headlines when he became the first visiting captain to take a five-for at Lord’s and then went on to pluck his 300th Test wicket. Then it was over to Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who had Australia 44 for 3 before Lungi Ngidi, back in the Test side after ten months and coming off a poor first innings, redeemed himself with three wickets in a nine-over spell that broke Australia open.Where things stand at the end of the day is that South Africa will already have to pull off the fourth-highest successful chase at Lord’s, and do it against Australia’s unrelenting attack. That means it’s probably still advantage Australia after a breathless seven-and-half-hours in a final that has hit fast-forward.South Africa resumed the day on 43 for 4, 169 runs behind Australia’s 212, and on a go-slow. Temba Bavuma had laboured his way to 3 off 37 overnight as South Africa’s innings ground to a halt, but he showed more initiative on the second morning. He struck two glorious lofted drives in Mitchell Starc’s second over of the day and looked to be finding his touch. Bavuma was on 17 before he was given out lbw off a Josh Hazlewood delivery that nipped in and struck his back pad, and he reluctantly reviewed. To everyone’s disbelief including Bavuma’s, Snicko showed an inside-edge. Bavuma went on to drive Hazlewood and Starc over the covers and pull Cummins into the stands for six in what looked like an increasingly authoritative stay at the crease.1:46

‘South Africa got to keep their foot behind the line’

His partnership with David Bedingham grew to 64 and it took a moment of magic in the field to separate them. Bavuma drove Cummins in the air and to the right of Marnus Labuschagne, who dived full length at cover and pouched it with both hands.Bavuma’s dismissal sent South Africa back into their shell. Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne scored 17 nervy runs in the next 52 balls and both looked vulnerable: Bedingham was drawn into a false stroke by Hazlewood and Verreynne was on 1 when he edged Beau Webster just short of Smith at second slip. But the moment of controversy came when Bedingham edged Webster onto the flap of his pad. Alex Carey moved towards him in an attempt to take a catch and the ball bobbled into and then out of Bedingham’s pad flap. At that moment, Bedingham reached for the ball and dropped it close to his foot. Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith began appealing for obstructing the field, and there was some excitement before it was decided the ball was dead. Bedingham responded by hitting the next ball, a half-volley, for four and South Africa went to lunch on 121 for 5, 91 runs behind.More drama ensued after the break when Cummins hit Verreynne on the pad as he shuffled across, and the ball deflected to fine leg. Verreynne attempted a run, Cummins turned to appeal, and the pair collided, by which point a throw had come in and there was also the chance of a run-out. Cummins asked for a review on the lbw and replays suggested the ball would have gone on to hit leg stump. Three balls later, Jansen handed Cummins a simple return catch, and at 126 for 7, South Africa were in disarray.Cummins completed his five-for when he had Bedingham caught behind off a thin edge three overs later and then got his 300th when Rabada nailed a pull to Webster at deep square. Cummins finished with 6 for 28 in a final analysis that included six maiden overs out of 18.1 and barely a bad ball. Crucially, he gave Australia an important lead that could still have a decisive say on this game.1:26

Bedingham: ‘Way I picked up the ball came across dodgy’

The same could be said of South Africa’s collapse. They lost 5 for 12 in 35 balls; Australia had lost 5 for 20 at around the same time on day one.South Africa came out looking flat as Labuschagne took Rabada’s opening over for seven. Rabada and Jansen bowled three no-balls in the first four overs, but started to find their rhythm when Rabada hit Labuschagne on the pad in his third over and then induced an outside edge.In the next over, Jansen thought he had Khawaja caught behind and Bavuma burned a review to see daylight between bat and ball. It took until the 11th over for things to start happening for South Africa. For the second time in the match, Rabada struck twice in an over, against the same two batters. Khawaja was caught behind poking outside off and Cameron Green edged to third slip. Smith sought to restore order with a straight drive that went for four. Australia went to tea on 32 for 2, 106 ahead.As was the case on day one, the evening session could only be described with one word: mayhem. Jansen bowled a marathon spell either side of the break and was into his eighth over when he offered Labuschagne a full one that was just short of driving length, and he nicked off.2:11

Should Khawaja’s pattern of dismissals worry Australia?

Khawaja, Labuschagne and Green had collectively scored 49 runs in this match, the worst return by an Australian top three since 1890.Then came Ngidi. After three unspectacular overs post-tea, he went fullish and straight. Smith missed and was hit on the back pad and Bavuma was convinced to review again and was successful this time. Ngidi then hit Webster on the back pad with a ball that tailed in and the No. 6 reviewed unsuccessfully. In the next over, Wiaan Mulder beat Travis Head’s inside-edge and the ball ricocheted off his pads onto the stumps, and then came the delivery of the evening: Ngidi’s yorker to Cummins. It thudded into middle and off and Australia were 73 for 7.But just as South Africa may have started to sniff something special, their momentum drained away. Carey and Starc put on 61 for the eighth wicket at a good clip – 4.31 runs an over – before Rabada had one last word on the day. He got the ball to move back into Carey from around the wicket and had him out lbw in an over peppered with no-balls. All told, Rabada bowled five on the day and six in the match and South Africa have overstepped 19 times.They’ll worry about that as much as what could have been in the final over when Jansen dropped Starc at gully, off Mulder, off the third-last ball of the day. By then, South Africa had moved the fielders behind the bat closer in, as several balls had dropped short, and Jansen’s attempts to juggle were not as successful as they had been on the first day. Australia go into the third day with a lead of 218 runs and two wickets in hand.

A round-up of the first day’s action of the seventh round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2009-10

Cricinfo staff15-Nov-2009Group BAn astonishing 16 wickets fell on the opening day at the Jinnah Stadium
as the Rawalpindi right-arm seamer Mohammad Rameez took 6 for 43 to send Sialkot crashing to 107. The hosts found themselves at an embarrassing 53 for 9, but Naved Arif scored 49 at No.10 to push the score past 100. Only three Sialkot batsmen went past double figures as Rameez wreaked havoc. Rawalpindi made a more assured start but lost four wickets – Arif chipped in with two – and took the first-innings lead.The opening day at the National Ground
between the hosts Islamabad and Peshawar was all about three players – Ali Sarfraz, Riaz Afridi and Azam Khan. The ball dominated the bat with 12 wickets falling, and the only batsman to make a significant contribution was Sarfraz, who scored 96 in Islamabad’s total of 256. Afridi, the right-arm seamer took five wickets while Azam, another right-armer, took four to support Afridi. Islamabad’s lower order chipped to beef up the score after a disappointing 111 for 6. Peshawar lost their openers in reply and ended the day at 47 for 2.A combined bowling effort by Lahore Ravi helped bowl out Quetta for 220 at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground.
Shahzad Tareen top scored with 68 but he didn’t get decent support from the rest. His knock came off 110 balls with nine fours. Mohammad Irshad was the leading wicket-taker with three wickets while Waqas Ahmed, Junaid Zia and Aamer Hayat took two each. The Lahore openers were unbeaten at stumps.Continuing his good form from the previous game, where he scored an unbeaten 200, Abbottabad captain Adnan Raees made an unbeaten 101 as his team finished on 279 for 9 against Multan in Okara.
Opener Fawad Khan also made a significant contribution – 89- and shared a stand of 97 for the third wicket with Mohammad Kashif, before Raees joined him for a bigger stand of 112 for the fifth. When Fawad was dismissed by Ansar Javed, Multan fought back to pick up quick wickets. Javed ended the day with 3 for 65.Group AHabib Bank Limited grabbed the advantage on the first day against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in Islamabad. Half-centuries from opener Naeemuddin and captain Azhar Shafiq had taken SNGPL to a comfortable position at 149 for 2, but a collective bowling display from HBL saw to it that the opposition was bowled out for 245. Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman starred with 4 for 59, and was backed up by fast bowler Sarmad Anwar (3 for 47) and Mohammad Aslam (2 for 37). The trio, with their burst of wickets, caused a collapse, as eight wickets fell for 96 runs. In reply, HBL were in a spot of bother, with opener Shan Masood retiring hurt and Saleem Elahi falling to Asad Ali; they were 10 for 1 at stumps.Water and Power Development Authority held the edge against Karachi Whites at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex. In an admirable bowling effort, WAPDA bowled out Karachi for 170, thanks to three-wicket hauls from fast bowlers Shabbir Ahmed and Azharullah. It could have been worse for Karachi, for they were reeling at 101 for 8 at on stage. A 67-run stand between Akbar-ur-Rehman (58) and No.10 batsman Tabish Khan (21) saved their blushes somewhat. It was Tabish again who led the fight in the WAPDA reply, taking three wickets to put them in a spot of bother at 86 for 4. However, Jahangir Mirza (34 not out) and Ali Azmat (25 not out) stabilized the innings in an unbeaten 42-run stand to steer their team to 128 for 4 at stumps, still 42 runs adrift.Khan Research Laboratories reached a comfortable position against National Bank of Pakistan in Rawalpindi. Driven by half-centuries from Saeed Anwar jnr, Bazid Khan and Zahoor Elahi, KRL reached 319 for 7 at stumps. NBP, boosted by Wasim Khan’s three-for, had limited KRL to 115 for 4, but a 165-run stand between Bazid and Elahi turned the balance in their favour. However, KRL received a setback towards the end of the day, for they lost three wickets for 21. But with Elahi still at the crease on 76, and Jaffar Nazir (14 not out) supporting him in an unbeaten stand of 18, KRL are in with a chance of extending their advantage much further.Sui Southern Gas Corporation dominated Lahore Shalimar on the opening day at the Gaddafi Stadium. Opener Azeem Ghumman smashed an unbeaten 143, laced with 11 fours and a six, to mark a productive day for SSGC, who were boosted by four important partnerships. The lowest stand of the day was between the openers, and it yielded 59 runs. Ghumman then added 79 with Imran Abbas, followed by 65 with Bilal Asad. He signed off day one with an unbeaten partnership of 94 with captain Saeed Bin Nasir (57 not out) to take his team to 297 for 3 at stumps. Lahore face the possibility of an imposing first-innings score, and will have to strike early on the second day to give themselves a chance.Pakistan Customs walked away with first-day honours against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited at the Marghzar Cricket Ground. Debutant Ahmed Jamal (4 for 61) and Tahir Mughal (3 for 46) shared seven wickets between them to leave ZTBL at 224 for 8 at stumps. The pair got into the act from the outset, with Mughal dismissing opener Inam-ul-Haq for a duck. Opener Zohaib Khan resisted with a 175-ball, barring a 55-run stand for the fourth wicket, there wasn’t much support from the other end. But the lower order stepped up to the task after Zohaib fell; Mohammad Khalil chipped in with 22 and Kashif Daud made a handy 18 to rally around wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who remained unbeaten on 59. From a precarious position at 116 for 6, ZTBL recovered to a more respectable position, though Pakistan Customs still hold the cards going into the second day.

Vidarbha’s Aditya Thakare got 4 for 59, as India B folded for 115 in pursuit of 373

Shashank Kishore22-Sep-2024Arshdeep Singh’s first-class career-best of 6 for 40 helped deliver a consolation win for India D in the final round of the Duleep Trophy 2024-25, in Anantapur. Set 373 for victory in a little over two sessions, India B folded for 115 in just 22.2 overs, with Arshdeep and Vidarbha seamer Aditya Thakare, who got 4 for 59, picking up all ten wickets between them.Arshdeep’s strikes across both innings included the big one of Suryakumar Yadav, who only managed scores of 5 and 16 in his first first-class fixture in over a year. Left-arm seamer Arshdeep, who picked up only his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, finished with a match haul of 9 for 90.India B’s allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was the only batter to offer any semblance of resistance, remaining unbeaten on 40 when Arshdeep fittingly picked up the final wicket to clinch a 257-run victory before tea on the fourth and final day.As well as Arshdeep contributed, it was batter Ricky Bhui who was named the Player of the Match. Bhui top-scored in the second innings with an unbeaten 119, going with 56 in the first, to swell the lead after India D found themselves in trouble at 18 for 3 in the second innings. Bhui, who began the day unbeaten on 90, completed his 20th first-class century quickly as India D added 59 more to their overnight 244 for 5 even as spin-bowling allrounder Saransh Jain didn’t come out to bat due to an unspecified injury.India B’s hopes of going after the target needed a stable base from the top order, but that wasn’t to be, as they quickly found themselves three down inside eight overs. Musheer Khan, who had opened the tournament with a backs-to-the-wall 181, was out for his second duck in four innings since, to end a tournament that had promised much more.Nitish, who himself hadn’t contributed as much as he would have liked with the bat, ended the tournament on a brighter note, albeit in a losing cause. He managed two wickets with the ball during the competition, where he showed the ability to bowl long spells and move the ball both ways at a brisk pace.Arshdeep aside, Saurabh Kumar, the left-arm-spinner, enjoyed a productive outing; his five-wicket haul in the first innings setting up a 67-run lead for India D. In other positives for them, Shreyas Iyer, who was leading the side, hit 50 off just 40 balls in the second innings, while Sanju Samson, the first-innings centurion, played a cameo in the second to set up a total they were able to eventually defend.For India B, Abhimanyu Easwaran was among their bright spots. Having begun the tournament with two very uncharacteristic dismissals, he bounced back with twin hundreds in his subsequent outings. However, a loss in the final game ended his side’s chances of clinching the Duleep Trophy, as India A are all but certain to gain three points from their ongoing fixture against India C.

Wan Julia’s maiden half-century for Malaysia went in vain

S Sudarshanan20-Jul-2024It was not the perfect game but Thailand got their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 campaign off to a winning start, keeping their perfect record over Malaysia in T20Is intact.Thailand missed a couple of key batters due to injuries, and were being led by a new, young captain Thipatcha Putthawong. But thanks to wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai’s 35-ball 40, they managed to post a challenging 133 for 6 after opting to bat. And then, despite a 68-run opening partnership by Malaysia, they beat them by 22 runs.Despite the win, it was a day to forget for Thailand in the field as they spilled two catches and were a tad sloppy overall.

Thailand’s attacking ways pay off

Under the previous coach Harshal Pathak, Thailand developed an attacking game, packing their side with strokemakers. In their first Asia Cup game under new head coach Nitish Salekar, they continued in a similar vein even if the personnel were slightly different. In the absence of Natthakan Chantham, out with an ACL injury, the other regular opener Nattaya Boochatham set the tone early. She got going with three fours in the opening over. No. 4 Putthawong also struck one off the second ball she faced. This was when Malaysia’s seamers were getting plenty of swing.Koncharoenkai also found the gaps regularly, hitting two fours in three balls off Suabika Manivannan to keep the momentum going. Even though Thailand lost two wickets in the powerplay, they managed to hit eight fours and score 44 in that phase. In comparison, Malaysia scored 36 for 0 and hit only five fours in their batting powerplay.Koncharoenkai never let her intent dip, even when offspinner Mahirah Izzati Ismail was bowling in excellent rhythm. That confidence rubbed off on Phannita Maya, who also kept the scorecard moving. Koncharoenkai’s 48-run fourth-wicket partnership with Maya set the platform for Thailand’s score that proved enough.

Ismail impacts the middle overs

Ismail was introduced right after the powerplay and she struck immediately by deceiving Putthawong in flight. Putthawong went for the sweep but the ball was too full to do so, and was trapped lbw.Wan Julia’s maiden half-century went in vain•ACC

In her third over, Ismail struck twice in three balls. She got the set Koncharoenkai to mistime a cut to backward point, and then flighted the ball to Chanida Sutthiruang, who chipped it straight to cover. Despite Thailand’s attacking ways, Ismail managed to hold her own. She conceded just one boundary in her four overs and finished with 3 for 16.

Julia, Duraisingam and Malaysia flatter to deceive

Malaysia had never beaten Thailand in four T20Is before Saturday. And without Mas Elysa, one of only two Malaysia batters with 1000-plus runs in the format, in the side, their hopes rested on their experienced openers Wan Julia and captain Winifred Duraisingam. They did their bit, stitching together a steady partnership.Duraisingam used the crease well to pierce the gaps in the powerplay. Julia used her power more, using the cuts and slashes. But with the Thailand bowlers not offering a lot of boundary opportunities, the pair had to rely on the running between the wickets. They took Malaysia to 59 for no loss after ten overs.But Duraisingam fell in the 12th over in a bid to attack offspinner Onnicha Kamchomphu. In the following over, Elsa Hunter also fell trying to attack legspinner Suleeporn Laomi. Even though Julia brought up her maiden T20I fifty – becoming Malaysia’s first half-centurion at the Asia Cup – Malaysia were waging a lost battle. Apart from their openers, no one else entered the double digits and Thailand flexed their bowling muscles aplenty to walk away with a win.