All posts by n8rngtd.top

Shardul Thakur dominated with the ball, Virat Kohli with the bat and India cruised to an eight-wicket win in Centurion, taking the six-match series 5-1

The Report by Nikhil Kalro16-Feb-2018Confidence and form are two of the most influential factors in batting. They often dictate timing and placement – requisites for scoring runs. South Africa have lacked both after their sub-par performances this series. Therefore, in good batting conditions in Centurion, South Africa’s batsmen grappled with their own lack of confidence and India’s disciplined bowling, resulting in another mediocre total. Shardul Thakur, playing his first match of the series, led another clinical display from India with figures of 4 for 52 as South Africa were bowled out for 204.On the other end of that form spectrum lies Virat Kohli. With 429 runs in five games prior to the final ODI, Kohli was oozing confidence. Against a jaded bowling attack, and with all that belief, his 35th ODI hundred was almost a formality. It helped India coast to an eight-wicket win, and take the six-match series 5-1. Kohli finished with 558 runs in six matches, the most by a batsman in a bilateral series.Just like in the second ODI at the same venue, South Africa began cautiously to suss out conditions early. What their openers, Hashim Amla and Aiden Markram, found was a surface that was sluggish, with strokes on the up taking the inside and outside halves of the bat. In the thin air of the Highveld and under some pressure, Amla saw an opportunity to hit Thakur over fine leg for six in the seventh over. His attempt to pull, from bottom to top to get underneath the ball, cost him a fraction of a second, and he could only strangle a leg-side delivery to the keeper.Markram played some fluent strokes, including a well-timed six over square leg, but like in Port Elizabeth he was caught in the circle trying to force the pace. He was caught, looking to clear cover, a shot that was preceded by two languid drives off overpitched deliveries that found the same fielder.South Africa’s best period of batting followed, with AB de Villiers and Khaya Zondo attacking India’s wristspinners. In the 18th over, de Villiers hit Kuldeep for three successive fours – a drive through point, an inside-edge just past the stumps, and a reverse sweep. Zondo pulled Yuzvendra Chahal for two sixes over midwicket in the next over. They had added 62 off 65 balls before de Villiers missed a straight, flat delivery, trying to cut.Zondo and Heinrich Klaasen, after the loss of South Africa’s best ODI batsman and with a fragile middle order to follow, were overly cautious, accumulating 30 in 58 balls. Klaasen then drilled a slower delivery to short cover. Farhaan Behardien, playing his first match of the series, holed out to third man in the next over. Zondo’s spirited fight ended when he chipped Chahal to sweeper cover, for 54. South Africa’s score hadn’t progressed much since de Villiers’ dismissal and their momentum had been sucked out.Andile Phehlukwayo and Morne Morkel pleased the sparse Centurion crowd with an exciting 36-run partnership, the second-highest of the innings. Then Morkel scythed a cut to sweeper cover, and Imran Tahir and Phehlukwayo were caught off slower balls. Even though they did reasonably well against the wristspinners – scoring 89 runs for three wickets off 20 overs – South Africa fell well below the target they must have aimed at, ending up with 19 unutilised deliveries.Fresh off a match-winning hundred, Rohit Sharma began the chase with a few exquisite cuts behind and in front of point. South Africa’s short-ball ploy worked as he gloved a bouncer from Lungi Ngidi to the keeper. They persisted with that length thereafter which, on a slow pitch, was always fraught with risk.Kohli pounced on that length. With attacking fields and the short deliveries sitting up, Kohli laid into cross-batted strokes on either side of the pitch. He blazed away to 38 off 25. Dhawan, on the other hand, struggling for timing, was 14 off 30. Dhawan’s 34 ball struggle ended when he nailed a cut to backward point, for 18, South Africa’s last moment of respite in an effortless chase.Kohli and Rahane added an unbeaten 129 off just 117 balls. Rahane contributed 34 off 50 balls, playing adeptly around the belligerence of Kohli. In stark contrast to his usual mode of operation in ODIs, Kohli’s ton was filled with boundaries: 19 fours and two sixes, making up 68.21% of his runs. The trouble he faced in mustering all those runs, though, was nearly zero.

Draw remains favourite, though there’s still ample time for final-day frolics

David Hopps13-Jul-2022In the land of the Kiss-Me-Quick hat, Yorkshire and Surrey have been squeezing each other slow. In the first 263 overs of the match, Yorkshire strutted their stuff with 521 and Surrey winked back with 515. Both sides have scored at around four an over and, although the draw remains favourite, there is still ample time for final-day frolics.Adam Lyth and George Hill set a more puritanical tone in Yorkshire’s second innings and seemed set to survive the final 20 overs of the day only for Jamie Overton to take two wickets in the penultimate over as he had Lyth caught off a glove with one that bounced and left him and added the nightwatcher, Dom Bess, lbw for nought to the second ball he received. A markedly inexperienced batting line-up still has a big job to do.This is another excellent Scarborough surface. It is more batter-friendly than some of recent vintage, but it offered pace and bounce on the first day and, as the sun has shone down, it has begun to offer a little grip for seamers and spinners alike.In place of Adam Lyth and Jonny Tattersall, Yorkshire’s providers on the first two days, Surrey offered their own opening batter and wicketkeeper combination in Rory Burns and Ben Foakes. Only Foakes was denied a hundred and he was unfortunate because he hardly put a foot wrong in making an unbeaten 86 from 156 balls.Burns began the third day on 94 and he reached 132 (260 balls) before Shannon Gabriel, the West Indian quick, squeezed the ball through the smallest gate from around the wicket to clip his off stump. Hashim Amla was beaten on the drive by Jordan Thompson, who also claimed Will Jacks to a dirty drag-on. At 303 for 5, still 218 behind and the second new ball only eight overs old, Yorkshire might even have imagined enforcing the follow-on, but Aaron Hardie and Overton hit about then on either side of tea to dispel the notion. A rumbustious last-wicket stand of 48 between Foakes and Dan Worrall then let Surrey back into the match.Yorkshire’s fight was led by Bess, who appears to be in his best rhythm of the season, and who was rewarded with 5 for 125, including three stumpings for Tattersall on his return to the side. There was also an excellent arm ball to Jamie Smith – a catch, on this occasion, for Tattersall – and perhaps a bit of fortune as Conor McKerr was ruled to be caught at the wicket as his bat scraped against the ground. He has had to fulfil a holding role for much of the summer and he adapted well to a surface offering some turn. He is beginning to look a more seasoned bowler after the disruption of his early England experience.There was also a brief moment of concern when Thompson injured himself in the field. No player embodies Yorkshire county cricket these days more than Thompson – Lyth perhaps? – and the Vitality Blast finals day is on Saturday at Edgbaston. There was every reason to sub him for a while and check him over. That is not Thompson’s way. He is as robust as they come and, after a once-over from the physio, he yanked his freshly-awarded county cap a little further down his head and tested his fitness by a dash and dive after the next ball.Down on the sea front, Scarborough was basking in one of its most golden days of the summer. On South Bay you could never give global warming and the cost-of-living crisis a second thought with temperatures a balmy 20C and stalls offering five doughnuts for £3; cash preferred. Even reports of gull muggings are down, although the giant ones hanging around malevolently outside a tattoo parlour were so menacing that they looked capable of stealing not just your fish and chips but your wallet.The Terror Tower offered the chance to TOUR THE FILMSETS OF THE CHILLER MOVIES, even though it was only a little place and it was difficult to believe that you could cram Pinewood Studios sets into somewhere so small. But then exaggeration is only to be expected in Scarborough. No less a staid body than English Heritage likes to claim that the castle has a 3,000-year-history on the grounds that someone once found a bit of ancient pottery on a site that is more accurately dated to Medieval times.North Marine Road needs no exaggeration. “Finest cricket ground in t’world,” White Rose loyalists regularly sigh, although Yorkshire’s long list of absentees might have contributed to thinner-than-normal attendances. Who knows, there might even be a bit of sulking going on about the off-field struggles that have bedeviled the club in the past year. Hampshire are along in a fortnight and it will be school holidays and they will hope for the stands to be better populated.At times like this, the appointment of Ottis Gibson as head coach seems to be a masterstroke. His geniality and authority bring hopes that a happier future – one built on equal opportunities for all – is achievable. Many Yorkshire players are out of contract at the end of the season and he deserves a young squad to pin their faith in his leadership. Some of them, even, before Yorkshire head for Finals Day.Before play began, old men watched him suddenly break off from his supervision of Yorkshire’s preparations to call over a young lad on the terraces for a couple of impromptu catching routines. When it was over, the youngster remembered to shout “thank-you”, Gibson signalled recognition of his good manners and the old men burst into slightly self-conscious applause.Surrey, with a 17-point buffer over Hampshire, in second, would leave the East Coast relatively satisfied with draw points, but with Hampshire seemingly destined to beat Warwickshire and Lancashire positioned to put Somerset under pressure on the final day, their nearest challengers are both capable of overhauling them as they seek to win only their second title in 20 years.

The Barbados and West Indies captain had no idea that Dottin was going to retire in the middle of the Commonwealth Games

Valkerie Baynes04-Aug-2022Barbados and West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has said she had no warning that Deandra Dottin was planning to retire from international cricket midway through the Commonwealth Games, and is planning to discuss the matter with her team-mate now that their campaign in Birmingham is over.Matthews, who was appointed as West Indies captain in June, said she was as surprised as anyone by Dottin’s shock announcement via Twitter on Monday, citing concerns over the team environment.Related

• Stats – Deandra Dottin, West Indies' six-hitting all-round superstar

• Deandra Dottin announces West Indies retirement

• Matthews, Taylor and Dottin to lead Women's CPL teams

“Thankful to Deandra for everything she’s done for West Indies cricket,” Matthews said when asked about her reaction to Dottin’s decision. “She’s obviously been a wonderful player for us over the last couple of years, and it’s sad to see her go, but at the same time if it’s something that she’s ready for, then supporting her 100%.”Matthews said she hadn’t spoken to Dottin before the announcement and that she had “no interpretation” of Dottin’s comments about the team culture and environment.”[I’m] obviously down here representing Barbados and everything, so probably not looking to speak too much on that at the moment,” Matthews said on Wednesday after her side suffered a 100-run defeat against India in their final Group A game. “But yeah, I definitely would have a chat with her and see how things go.”Barbados won their opening match of the Commonwealth Games against Pakistan by 15 runs before losing by nine wickets to gold-medal favourites Australia on Sunday.The following day, Dottin published a letter addressed to Cricket West Indies on Twitter announcing her “formal retirement from the senior women’s West Indies team effective 1st July 2022”. Dottin, who has a contract to play in the Hundred for Manchester Originals and will captain Trinbago Knight Riders in the Women’s CPL, also said that she was “looking forward to playing domestic cricket around the world”.Deandra Dottin in her retirement note said she was looking forward to play domestic cricket around the world•BCCI

“There have been many obstacles during my cricket career that I have had to overcome, however, the current climate and team environment has been non-conducive to my ability to thrive and reignite my passion,” Dottin wrote in her announcement. “With much sadness but without regret, I realise that I am no longer able to adhere to team culture and team environment as it has undermined my ability to perform excellently.”Dottin, the scorer of the fastest century in Women’s T20Is and West Indies’ most-capped international cricketer, having played 124 T20Is and 143 ODIs for them, had a lacklustre Commonwealth Games. She played three T20Is for Barbados, scoring 8, 8 and 0, and taking 1 for 65 from six overs in the tournament.When she juggled a catch running from point to short cover, the ball bouncing out of her hand and onto her chin before she held on at the second grab to dismiss India’s Taniya Bhatia off Matthew’s bowling on Wednesday, the Barbados team-mates shared a laugh and a warm hug.While Matthews said she was “a bit disappointed with the result” against India, she was proud of what her team had achieved with a mix of seven West Indies-capped players among a clutch of players without prior international experience.”I think we put up a really good fight,” Matthews said. “The highlight was our first game against Pakistan and winning one out of three I think is better than a lot of people expected us to do. So although we didn’t have the result we wanted today, I still think we had a great tournament, and the girls were able to learn a lot for sure.”Hopefully spurs West Indies and the entire Caribbean to want to put more into women’s cricket within the Caribbean. I think they’re doing a great job now. We just had our regional tournament, and if over the next couple of years we can continue to grow our domestic set-up, hopefully, we can see some younger players that we had today being able to compete at the highest level.”Having had her first taste of international captaincy with Barbados, who secured a place at the Commonwealth Games on the strength of being T20 Blaze champions in 2019, Matthews was keen to carry on with West Indies.”I would have learned a lot just throughout these three games, taking responsibility and working with a lot of the younger players who weren’t as experienced at this level,” she said. “The support I’ve gotten from the team has been amazing.”You probably think that the pinnacle of the career is if you can lead out your nation or your country, so I think [it was] definitely something I eyed up. But [I’m] just grateful that I’ve been given the opportunity to lead not only Barbados but the region as well and really humbled by it.”

Usman Khawaja replaces Travis Head as the one change for Australia at the SCG

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jan-2022Scott Boland has retained his place in the Australia side for the fourth Test at the SCG after it was decided against risking either Josh Hazlewood or Jhye Richardson.Hazlewood, who misses out on his home ground, has not quite recovered from the side strain he picked up at the Gabba and will now target a comeback in the final Test in Hobart.Australia are also continuing to manage Richardson who reported some leg soreness after the Adelaide Test which kept him out of Melbourne.”Joshy had a few bowls and Jhye a bit similar, just not quite up to 100%,” Pat Cummins said. “We gave Joshy every chance we could, just felt like he couldn’t quite bowl at full tilt yesterday.”Cummins confirmed Hazlewood would have played if fit but any difficult conversation with Boland has been delayed by at least a week after his stunning 6 for 7 secured the Ashes at the MCG.”It would have been a shame to see Scotty not to play this week after his efforts last week so it’s unfortunate for Josh, I feel for him, but really glad he gets another crack at it,” Cummins said. “I doubt it will be 6 for 7 but I did say nothing more than last week, don’t try any harder.”On a surface that Cummins did not believe would offer much help for the quicks, despite a decent covering of grass that may provide some early assistance, Boland’s skillset could be important.”There’s not a lot of swing, not a lot of bounce, you need that bulldozer bowler who will give you 50 overs if you need it of economical, challenging fast bowling that will challenge the knee roll of the batter,” Cummins said. “That suits him to a tee.”It is the first time in the series that Australia have named an unchanged attack from one match to the next having cycled through six fast bowlers in the first three games due to Covid and injury issues. Michael Neser has not been able to earn a second cap after his debut in Adelaide.The only change for Australia is Usman Khawaja replacing Travis Head who was ruled out of the match after testing positive for Covid-19. It will be Khawaja’s first Test since he was dropped midway through the 2019 Ashes, but it is likely to be one-off comeback with Head set to return for the final Test.Cummins also said there was never a realistic chance of legspinner Mitchell Swepson making a debut adding that currently he did not see any conditions around Australia that would warrant two spinners.”I don’t think anywhere in Australia that I’ve played on in the last few years has dictated a two spinner,” he said. “We’d love to have that option, he’s a class bowler, itching to get him in the side one day…we think he will debut one day, probably most likely with the amount of subcontinent tours coming up that will be his opportunity.”Australia XI 1 David Warner, 2 Marcus Harris, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Usman Khawaja, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland

The left hander is currently showing strong form for Gloucestershire after losing his Australia spot last season

Andrew McGlashan10-May-2022Marcus Harris is on a 12-month mission to press his case for next year’s Ashes series in England but is realistic that it may be some time before there is a vacancy for him to return to Australia’s Test side.Harris was the fall guy to accommodate Usman Khawaja’s stunning return to Test cricket after his twin centuries in Sydney made him undroppable. The selectors’ solution was to promote Khawaja to open alongside David Warner which meant Harris became surplus to requirements just two games after a vital 76 on a tricky pitch at the MCG.Khawaja’s brilliant form continued through the Pakistan tour where he was Player of the Series and the combination with Warner would appear set in stone for some time barring injury, although with both aged 35 it may not stretch a long way into the future.Related

• Versatile Renshaw rising back up Australia's ranks

• Aussies abroad: Warner and Hazlewood continue to shine while David's form adds to mystery

Harris, who missed out on the Sheffield Shield final for Victoria when he caught Covid on his return from Pakistan, is currently playing county cricket for Gloucestershire where he has made two centuries in four matches and next month will be part of the Australia A squad in Sri Lanka having dropped out of the main group.”With the way things have gone recently, obviously last summer having fallen out of the side, Uz to his credit has gone really well and Davey is still going well, I’m aware that I’m not going to be opening the batting for Australia for a little while,” Harris told RSN radio.”But by being over here and playing, then going to Sri Lanka in a couple of weeks, hopefully having played a lot of cricket by the time the Ashes rolls around next year I’ll be front of mind for selection…I’d love to be playing in that series but there’s a bit of water to go under the bridge before then.”Harris played three Tests of the 2019 Ashes but, as with Warner, had his technique picked apart from the round-the-wicket attack of England’s quicks and made just 58 runs in six innings. He was dropped for the following home season before making a comeback in the final Test against India at the Gabba in 2020-21. He retained his place after Australia’s long absence from the format to play the first four matches against England last season.He added that the selectors have been really clear with him over where he stands and that he is a victim of circumstance rather than anything he has failed to do. With that in mind, and having carried the drinks as the spare batter in Pakistan, he views it as a potential benefit to be involved with the Australia A squad instead which means he is far more likely to get time in the middle.”That was the messaging from Bails [national selector George Bailey], that…they haven’t changed what their view is of me,” Harris said. “But like I said to Bails, I’d rather play the Australia A series, then come back to England, rather than running drinks knowing I probably won’t play with it being a two-Test series. It’s probably worked out better for me not being in the squad.”

Nikita Miller took his 26th five-wicket haul and nine wickets in the match as Jamaica completed a win inside three days against Trinidad & Tobago in the WICB Regional Four-Day Tournament to move up to second

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-2017Nikita Miller’s five-wicket haul in the second innings, and match haul of 9 for 84 , bowled Jamaica to an 87-run win over Trinidad & Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain and move to second place. In a low scoring match that had only four half-centuries, Jamaica made identical scores of 201 in both innings. T&T responded with 174 in their first innings, conceding a first-innings lead of 27, before being bowled out for 141, chasing 229.After being asked to bat, Jamaica were troubled by Sheldon Cottrell, who took three wickets upfront. They were lifted by contributions from Jermaine Blackwood (68), while Derval Green struck an important 53 at No. 10 that lifted them from 150 for 9. Legspinner Imran Khan, who scythed through the lower order, finished with 4 for 28.In response, Kyle Hope, the T&T captain, held firm with 67 opening the innings, but T&T lost wickets around him. Yannic Cariah partnered his captain for a fourth-wicket stand of 88, but T&T collapsed after the stand was broken, losing their last seven wickets for 37 runs. Miller took four wickets, while legspinner Damion Jacobs finished with three scalps.T&T were set 229 after Cottrell and Rayad Emrit snared six wickets between them in Jamaica’s second innings. They could have been chasing a lot lesser had it not been for contributions from the lower down. Fabian Allen led the way with 60, batting at No. 7, as Jamaica were lifted from 66 for 5.T&T lost Jeremy Solozano early in the chase, before a 51-run second-wicket partnership between Kyle Hope (35) and Isaiah Rajah (23) steadied them. However, T&T slid drastically thereafter, losing four wickets for eight runs as Jacobs and Miller strangled the middle order. Marlon Richards, who came in at 68 for 6, scored 47 off 42 balls. But Miller took out the lower order, taking his 26th five-wicket haul in the process. T&T eventually folded in the second session of the third day, bowled out for 141 in 43.5 overs.

Captain becomes first player in 45 years of Youth ODIs to hit a century and take a five-for in the same game

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2022
Riding on captain Qasim Akram’s all-round heroics, Pakistan thrashed Sri Lanka by 238 runs to win fifth place at the Under-19 World Cup. The 19-year old became the first player in the 45-year history of Youth ODIs to hit a century and pick up a five-wicket haul in the same gamePakistan posted a massive 365 for 3, courtesy Qasim’s 80-ball 135, opener Haseebullah Khan’s 151-ball 136 and Muhammad Shehzad’s 69-ball 73.Coming in at No. 3, the captain shared a 229-run stand with Haseebullah after the 134-run opening stand was broken by Raveen de Silva.With his offspin, Qasim (5 for 37) broke through the Sri Lanka line-up to leave them reeling at 41 for 5 and they never recovered. Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 127 with No. 9 Vinuja Ranpul top-scoring with an unbeaten 53 off 58 balls.Qasim’s talent is well known in Pakistan circles. The teenager generated a lot of interest among not one but two champion teams at the PSL. Islamabad United had him on their wish list but in the end, he went to Karachi Kings, where he will be joining the senior national captain Babar Azam.Dewald Brevis has had a stunning Under-19 World Cup•ICC via Getty

Brevis ton powers SA to win

In the other match of the day, Dewald Brevis continued his fine form to help South Africa chase down Bangladesh’s 293 for 8 with two wickets in hand in the seventh-place Playoff in Coolidge.With a tally of 506 in six matches, Brevis now holds the record for most runs scored in an Under-19 World Cup, overtaking India’s Shikhar Dhawan. His 130-ball 138 was instrumental in South Africa pulling off the second-highest chase in Youth World Cup history. The innings consisted of 11 fours and seven sixes. South Africa still needed a little help from somewhere else to get across the line and that came from Matthew Boast as he hit 41 off 22 to seal a narrow win.Meanwhile, batting first, Ariful Islam notched up his second straight ton for Bangladesh, scoring an almost run-a-ball 102 to propel Bangladesh to a competitive total. As was the case in their last match too, Ariful’s ton went in vain. For South Africa, left-arm pacer Kwena Maphaka took 3 for 55 while left-arm spinner Liam Alder took 2 for 46.

Alastair Cook and Joe Root fell cheaply but there were half-centuries for four of the top six on England’s first day of tour action

George Dobell in Perth04-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt didn’t take long for any thought that England might ease their way into the Ashes tour to be dispelled. Just two balls into the first game, Alastair Cook had gone for a duck.It was Cook’s misfortune to receive the delivery of the day. Drawn into a tentative, indeterminate prod at a delivery angled across him from the impressive Nathan Coulter-Nile, Cook was undone by both the pace of the ball and that bounce for which Australian pitches – and Perth in particular – are known. It meant that Cook has been dismissed three times from his last four deliveries in games here following his first-ball second innings dismissal in the Ashes Test of 2013-14.”He just played at one he shouldn’t have,” Coulter-Nile said. “He usually smashes me so it was good to get him.”These things happen, of course. And while the average age of this Western Australian side is just 22, Coulter-Nile is a terrific bowler who, but for injuries, could well have played Test cricket. Aged 30, he may yet. He got through 16 overs, hardly bowled a poor delivery and, at times, generated sharp pace. “The body feels surprisingly good,” he said afterwards.But if England are to have any chance in this Ashes series, it is surely vital for the experienced pair of Cook and Joe Root to score heavily. So it would have been mildly disconcerting for England to lose both cheaply here.Root was probably unfortunate. Certainly he didn’t think he had edged the ball that dismissed him – replays suggested it hit his back thigh though it was unclear whether there may have been some inside edge on it first – and he has plenty of opportunities to find form before the first Test.Cook does, too. But he has an intriguing record in Ashes series. This will be his fourth in Australia and, while he averaged 127.66 in 2010-11, his numbers were 24.60 in 2013-14 and 27.60 in 2006-07. Only once in his three series in England has he averaged over 30, too.Any concerns that England could be embarrassed by this young Western Australia side were allayed by a second-wicket stand of 153 between Mark Stoneman and James Vince. Stoneman, in particular, was impressive. He looked unflustered by Coulter-Nile’s excellent opening spell and subsequently unveiled fluent strokes off front and back foot on the way to a 64-ball half-century.”Obviously it wasn’t Test-level bowling,” Stoneman said. “And there are far tougher tests ahead. But it was good to spend some time out there. It helps you settle in to a tour and make sure you can deal with any technical or mental things you may have going on.”We were clinical in the way we did things. You’d get a few down the leg-side and then one right on the money so you had to concentrate. We’re pretty happy with that as a first day.”Vince was less convincing. He was dropped three times – on 47 and 63 he edged attempted cuts only to see Coulter-Nile, at first slip, put down the chances, while on 67 he was dropped by Kyle Gardiner at midwicket off a full-bloodied pull – and eventually flicked one to midwicket. He puts away the bad ball with a style granted to few – some of his cuts and cover drives here were simply beautiful – but it is unthinkable he will be given so many chances in an Ashes Test.The England pair were treated to a fair few bad balls in that first session. Eight bowlers, three of them spinners, were called into the attack before lunch (by which time England had moved to 131 for 1) as a combination or nerves and inexperience produced a smorgasbord of long-hops and full tosses that raised questions as to the usefulness of this match as an exercise. It was like preparing for a fight with Wladimir Klitschko by playing Twister with Ronnie Corbett. As Coulter-Nile put it: “They faced a lot of bowling they won’t in Test cricket.”They tightened up markedly after lunch. Stoneman, who had survived a tough chance in the gully off Aaron Hardie on 54, pushed at a decent ball from Lance Morris and edged to slip, while Root was given few opportunities when he came to the wicket. “Hardie was probably the only one to hit a good line and length consistently,” Coulter-Nile said. “I guess they’ve found out what they need to do if they want to go to the next step in the game.”Perhaps the most impressive batting of the day came from Dawid Malan. Having drilled his first delivery – the first he had ever faced in Australia – through mid-off for four, he looked fluent on front and back foot and as tight outside off stump as anyone.With Gary Ballance, his rival for the No. 5 position, he added 104 for England’s fifth-wicket before both were retired to provide opportunities for other batsmen. But while Ballance was generally sound, withstanding something of a barrage from Coulter-Nile, he too gave a chance when edging to second slip on 36.That provided just enough time for Jonny Bairstow – who looks in fine form – to come in and make an increasingly dominant 36 not out.So, while England would have wanted Cook and Root to enjoy more time at the crease, they will have been encouraged by the fact that four less heralded members of the batting line-up made half-centuries.

The ODIs will now be played on July 18, 20 and 23, followed by the T20Is on July 25, 27 and 29

Shashank Kishore10-Jul-2021India’s limited-overs series against Sri Lanka is now set to begin on July 18 as the BCCI and SLC announced a revised schedule “on the basis of health advisory after the Sri Lankan contingent detected two COVID positive cases.” The ODIs will now be played on July 18, 20 and 23, followed by the T20Is on July 25, 27 and 29.On Friday, Sri Lanka’s data analyst GT Niroshan was the second Covid-19 case in the Sri Lankan camp after batting coach Grant Flower had tested positive on Thursday, after their arrival from England.SLC has put together two back-up squads, one group isolating in Colombo and another in Dambulla, as part of their contingency measure to ensure the India series goes ahead. A player from the back-up squad in Colombo also tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, but it remains to be seen if it will affect Sri Lanka’s preparations.Related

• Bhanuka Rajapaksa picked for India ODIs, T20Is; Kumara, Rajitha return from injuries

• Sri Lanka allowed to come out of isolation as players return negative tests

• Player from alternative SL squad tests Covid-19 positive

• Shanaka set to replace Perera as white-ball captain

• SL batting coach G Flower tests positive for Covid-19

Meanwhile, players currently in Colombo have been forced to isolate for two more days after Niroshan and Flower tested positive for the Delta variant of the virus. This extended isolation period would have left Sri Lanka with no outdoor session before the first ODI had the series begun on July 13.”We understand that circumstances are extraordinary, but the BCCI would like to extend its full support to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) during these tough times for the smooth conduct of the upcoming series,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release. “Our medical team is in constant touch with the team of doctors at SLC and together following all safety protocols that will help the series to get underway. We are confident that both nations will put up a spirited show in the days to come and we are in for some exciting cricket.”The Sri Lankan team returned home from England after a short limited-overs tour early last week. The India series postponement is the latest issue SLC has to grapple with, even as they abruptly announced captaincy switch from Kusal Perera to Dasun Shanaka on the back of a messy contracts stand-off between the players and the board.

The South Africa fast bowler has partnered with a United Nations initiative for the cause

Firdose Moonda07-Dec-20216:09

Ngidi: “Will do best I can to effect change”

On average, a woman is murdered in South Africa in the time it takes for a T20 match to be played. Over the course of an ODI, two women die. Those are numbers Lungi Ngidi finds hard to ignore.”A woman is killed every four hours in South Africa. That is unbelievable. Mentally, I can’t grasp it,” Ngidi said to ESPNcricinfo. “Just hearing things like that and knowing I have my own mother, cousins, sisters and female friends, it shocks me. It’s not something that you want to be sitting worrying about every day, so something needs to be done about it.”Ngidi’s remarks have come during the annual international campaign against gender-based violence, instituted by the United Nations, that takes place between November 25 and December 10, but he has been thinking about the impact of gender-based violence for months.”This is something that really took off during the lockdown period for me. We are always so busy, we don’t really get time to read up on the stuff that’s happening in the country, but during that period this was something that was highlighted and it stuck out like a sore thumb,” he said.Related

• Ngidi says South Africa must take BLM stand

• SACA says criticism of Ngidi's BLM stance 'unfair'

• Cricket South Africa unveils plans to tackle racism in the sport

• Ngidi: 'Everyone being on same page puts us in a good position'

Many countries reported an increase in domestic abuse during the hard lockdowns of 2020. South Africa confirmed more than 120,000 cases in the first 21-day shutdown. Police figures say 53,293 sexual offences were reported in 2019-20 in the country, an average of 146 per day, up from 52,420 in 2018-19 (143 per day). Most of these were cases of rape: the police recorded 42,289 rapes in 2019-20, nearly 116 per day, up from 41,583 in 2018-19.”I felt that in some way I could contribute and I could make some sort of difference,” Ngidi said. “The main thing is trying to make sure it’s no longer just lip service and that there’s actually something being done. And those who have the power to actually make sure are being held accountable.”Ngidi will be partnering with the United Nations Women for Change programme and the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation, set up in memory of the 19-year-old student of that name who was sexually assaulted and murdered in Cape Town in August 2019, sparking nation-wide protests against the abuse of women.Mrwetyana was also honoured by Springbok rugby player Makazole Mapimpi, who wore a wristband with her name on it at the 2019 rugby World Cup. “With Mapimpi, the tribute to Uyinene was a massive statement because it happened on a stage like that,” Ngidi said. “This is why I believe sport has the ability to effect change. Just that little gesture brought a lot of attention and some people who didn’t know [now] know what happened.”Protest in sport against social discrimination has become common over the last 18 months, since the murder of George Floyd and the rise of the antiracism movement. In South Africa it was Ngidi who sparked a dialogue with the Black Lives Matter movement when he answered a question at a press engagement last July, shortly after England and West Indies became the first international teams to take a knee.”As a nation, we have a past that is very difficult, with racial discrimination, so it’s definitely something we will be addressing as a team, and if we are not, it’s something I will bring up. It’s something that we need to take very seriously, and like the rest of the world is doing, make the stand,” he said at the time.It has taken the South African men’s team 15 months and a board-mandated instruction to reach the point where they are collectively making the gesture. Through that period, Ngidi has been one of the players who has been steadfast in taking the knee on every occasion he could, and in speaking out about injustice.”The way I was raised is to speak about something if it’s not right,” he said. “I believe I have the responsibility as someone who plays for the national team. As someone who can influence change, I feel it’s one of my responsibilities to say something.”It’s not like I am out here looking for attention or trying to rally other people to do what I believe in, but this is what I believe in and I can see there’s other people affected by this as well. I will do as best as I can to try and effect some change.”Ngidi’s work against gender-based violence will focus on education and support for those who are abused, and for the perpetrators of that abuse, he said. “Fundraising is important but the main objective is to start seeing a difference in terms of what is actually being done instead of just financial donations. To actually physically do stuff is the most important.”South Africa’s statistics of violence against women are a consequence perhaps of the overarching environment of toxic masculinity in the country. Ngidi said he “could never explain” why crimes against women take place but that he wants to understand and prevent them from happening as frequently.