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Dattani, Dottin send Thunder to crashing victory over Diamonds

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Duo put on 98-run stand after Dattani’s four wickets keep target modest

ECB Reporters Network11-Jul-2023Naomi Dattani starred with bat and ball as Thunder registered their first win of this season’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy with a six-wicket victory over Northern Diamonds in York.Dattani claimed four wickets to help bowl Diamonds out for 167 and played a crucial innings of 46, sharing a 98-run stand with Deandra Dottin – who made 54 not out – as Thunder completed their run chase with 12.2 overs to spare.Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scored for Diamonds with 33, but their total never appeared enough as the defending champions slipped to their fourth defeat of the competition.The Diamonds’ innings was a story of wickets falling at regular intervals as Thunder produced an excellent display with the ball and in the field.Openers Winfield-Hill and Sterre Kalis began patiently but solidly, reaching 37 without loss after 10 overs having been asked to bat first.Winfield-Hill looked set for her fifth half-century of the competition as she began to move through the gears, but she was the first wicket to fall – superbly caught behind by Ellie Threlkeld to hand Dattani her first wicket.Kalis departed six balls later, bowled by Laura Jackson for 21, to leave Diamonds 58 for 2 after 14.1 overs.From there, the hosts struggled to build any momentum as Thunder kept things under control with regular breakthroughs.Hollie Armitage fell for 6, bowled by Dattani, before Emma Marlow was well run out for 9 by Liberty Heap to make it 88 for 4.Diamonds reached the halfway stage on 102 for 4 and Bess Heath and Chloe Tryon both began positively.But Thunder were impressive in the field and Dottin ran Heath out as she attempted a second run to fall for 17 before Tryon was bowled by Fi Morris for 14.Leah Dobson also started brightly, launching a couple of excellent boundaries, but Heap struck twice in the 36th over to dismiss her for 13 and Lizzie Scott for 6 to leave Diamonds struggling on 136 for 8.Morris bowled 10 excellent overs on the bounce, taking 1 for 27.Katie Levick tried to offer late impetus with two boundaries off Dottin, but Dattani returned to wrap the innings up, having Levick caught by Morris for 11 before Grace Hall edged behind for 13 as Diamonds were all out in the 44th over.Thunder began their chase of a modest target with intent, reaching 32 for one after five overs – Seren Smale perishing a ball earlier, bowled by Scott for a brisk 15.Diamonds were sloppy with the ball, conceding 13 extras in the first seven overs and that allowed Thunder to take charge at 52 for after 10.England opener Emma Lamb, omitted from the ODI Ashes squad named on Monday, was key to Thunder’s hopes and she looked in good touch. But the introduction of spinner Levick turned the tide in Diamonds’ favour. First Lamb was trapped lbw for 21 and Morris went for a duck three balls later as Thunder were suddenly 58 for 3.Thunder’s pair of Dattani and Dottin found runs hard to come by but had ticked their side on to 85 for 3 after 20 overs, before there was a 12-minute rain interruption. At the halfway mark, Thunder were 93 for 3, needing another 75.Dattani and Dottin appeared to have assessed their low required run rate and a tricky pitch, batting with great patience to edge towards their target.Dottin reached her half-century from 88 balls in the 37th over before Dattani was trapped lbw by Tryon to end their decisive stand with just 12 more needed.Ellie Threlkeld hit the winning run as Thunder ended their wait for a win.

Stokes 'definitely on course' to bowl in first Ashes Test

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England captain did not bowl a ball in victory over Ireland and was in clear discomfort after taking a catch

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-2023Ben Stokes insists that England fans have “nothing to worry about” as he continues to manage a chronic left knee issue ahead of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on June 16.Stokes became the first man in Test history to captain a side to victory without batting, bowling or keeping wicket in England’s 10-wicket victory over Ireland at Lord’s, and was in clear discomfort on the third afternoon in the field.He appeared to jar his left knee – which he has had to manage carefully for several years – when taking a catch at short fine leg to dismiss Curtis Campher, and was restricted in his movement in the field for the rest of Ireland’s second innings.Related

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“I actually didn’t pick it [the ball] up, and I actually landed quite awkwardly on it [my knee],” Stokes said at the post-match presentation, when asked about the catch. “My weight went on the inside of my knee, like I hyper-extended.”Stokes insisted on the eve of the Test that he was fit to bowl against Ireland, though he added that there should not be “doom and gloom” if he did not. He briefly bowled in the warm-ups on the third morning with bowling coach David Saker watching on, and said he was “really happy” with how it felt.”I bowled this morning – the first time I’d bowled since being back from India, so it would have been about four weeks actually,” he said. “I got through that and was really happy with where I was. So no, nothing [for England fans] to worry about.”He later suggested that his grimaces after completing the catch owed mainly to his age. “I was really happy with how I bowled [before play],” Stokes said. “I bowled for about 20 minutes and I got through that really well. Obviously I have got time to build up before I push back into flat out, but I just landed quite awkwardly when I took that catch.”I didn’t quite see it so had to adjust myself and landed on my left leg and it twisted in a really strange way. It was fine, I just don’t know what really happened. It was one of those things – but I am 32 tomorrow so that probably explains it.”Asked if he would consider leaving himself out of the starting XI at any stage of the Ashes – a policy that Eoin Morgan occasionally took during his tenure as white-ball captain, though never at a major tournament – Stokes’ response was blunt: “No, of course not. That’s not even something we’ve even spoken about because I’m fully prepared to be bowling at Edgbaston.”Speaking to the BBC’s , Stokes added that he was “taking the positives” and that he “wouldn’t have bowled in this match… unless everyone else went down”.Stokes was given plenty to think about in the field•Getty Images

England named an unchanged 16-man squad for the first two Ashes Tests on Saturday afternoon, which will report to Birmingham on June 12 before training on June 13, three days before the start of the Edgbaston Test.In the meantime, Stokes is among a number of players due to travel to Scotland to play golf next weekend, while Australia are playing India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval.”The new way is you get as ready as you possibly can and whatever you do, you just get yourself in the right frame of mind for the games you’ve got coming up,” Stokes said. “This was obviously a great opportunity for us to get back together as a group and we’ll be doing that again before the Ashes.”We’ll get together and spend some quality time together as a group and have some fun together before the big Ashes series starts. We’re really looking forward to it.”

Josh Tongue, Dillon Pennington agree three-year deals with Nottinghamshire

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England fast bowler and county colleague to move on from Worcestershire at end of season

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2023Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington have both signed for Nottinghamshire on three-year deals, and will leave Worcestershire at the end of the 2023 season.Tongue, who featured in the second Test against Australia at Lord’s last week, after claiming a five-for on the same ground during his England debut against Ireland, now has 172 first-class wickets at an average of 26.02.And as revealed by ESPNcricinfo in June, he was a prominent target for rival counties after the expiration of his Worcestershire contract.”When I found out Notts were interested, I was delighted,” Tongue said. “From what I see and hear, it is a really well-run club which places a big emphasis on player progress, which is what I want right now.”I’ve worked a little bit before with Kevin Shine, and he is a big reason for joining, as I know he’ll help me to kick on. He and Pete have made it clear that they see me getting better here, which is nice to hear.”The Notts squad is also full of international experience and I am looking forward to watching and learning from these players in practice as well as in games.”Whilst I have had a bit of success recently which is really rewarding, I still want to keep improving and developing to be the best player I can be.”I know that’ll take hard work, but the prospect of taking my cricket to the next level is something I really embrace.”Pennington, meanwhile was Worcestershire’s leading wicket-taker in the LV=Insurance County Championship last season, with 44 scalps from 12 appearances. He now has 119 first-class wickets, plus a further 52 in the T20 format.”I’m really excited for this move,” Pennington said. “I’ve thought at length about how best to develop as a cricketer to achieve the ambitions I have in the game, and coming to Notts felt like the best way for me to do that at this point in my career.”It is a brilliant set-up, with a strong squad who I will benefit from playing alongside. Both learning from the quality in the bowling group and practicing against some of the best batters in the country will stand me in good stead.”The opportunity to work with the coaching team here also stood out as a big factor, particularly Kevin Shine.”With what he has done so far at Notts and the people he has worked with throughout his career, I am really looking forward to the chance to spend some time with him over the winter and into the season.”I know the move is a challenging one, but that’ll keep pushing me to keep getting better and better, and that’s ultimately the reason for the move.”Between them, the pair have over 380 wickets across 180 games in all formats at the senior professional level.”Dillon and Josh are already highly skilled bowlers though it is their potential to improve further that really excites us” Peter Moores said.”Dillon is someone who is still early in his career yet has already gained extensive experience in both the red and white-ball formats of the game and his ceiling is extremely high.”Likewise, Josh has taken the international game by storm in the last few months, overcoming various setbacks early in his career to enjoy his current success.”That shows real character and determination on his behalf, which are traits all players need if they are going to become the best they can be.”It’s a huge compliment that both players see us as the best place to continue their development and I know how excited our bowling coach Kevin Shine is about getting stuck in and working with both of them in the future.”We take great pride in helping all our players maximise their potential, so that they are in the best position to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them across the game.”We know we already have a strong group of seamers though this season more than ever has shown the need for depth in our bowling resources.”The schedule can be brutal for bowlers at different times and the ability to keep players fresh is key to staying competitive in all competitions.”Both players will join Notts when their existing contracts expire at the end of October.

Pant: I've found happiness in even being able to brush my teeth

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India wicketkeeper is working up to “being able to walk properly again” after serious car accident

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2023Rishabh Pant is “making some good progress with my recovery” after suffering a serious car accident in December 2022. The India wicketkeeper is expected to be out of action for most of 2023 after tearing three key ligaments in his knee, but is hopeful that “with the grace of God, and the support of the medical team, I will be fully fit very soon.”Pant’s influence on the Indian team has grown over the last few years, especially since his heroics during the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy. He has been their highest-scorer in Test cricket over the past two years and would have been a shoo-in to take the gloves during the ODI World Cup which India will host in October 2023.The accident, however, has complicated matters. Sourav Ganguly, who has a management role with Pant’s IPL team the Delhi Capitals, believes it might take two years for him to be back playing again.

Earlier this month, Pant tweeted a picture of himself walking with the help of crutches, his right leg in a bandage, and in an interview with spoke about the changes he has had to deal with recently.”It is hard for me to say if everything around me has become more positive or even negative. However, I’ve gained a fresh perspective on how I view my life now. Something I value today is enjoying my life to the fullest and this includes the smallest of things that we ignore in our daily routine. Everyone today is hustling and working extremely hard to achieve something special, but we’ve forgotten to enjoy the little things which give us joy every single day.Related

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  • Pant undergoes knee ligament surgery in Mumbai hospital

  • Pant expected to be out of action for most of 2023

“Especially after my accident, I’ve found happiness in even being able to brush my teeth every day as well as something like sitting under the sun. While trying to achieve our goals, it seems like we’ve taken the regular things in life for granted. My biggest realisation and message would be that feeling blessed every day is also a blessing, and that’s the mindset I’ve adopted since my setback and being able to enjoy every moment which comes my way is a takeaway I have for myself.”Pant’s routine now includes three sessions of physiotherapy a day. “I do have my daily fruits and fluids in between them. I also try to sit under the sun for some time, and this process will continue until I’m able to walk properly again.” He misses cricket “because my life literally revolves around it, but I am focusing on getting back to my feet now and I cannot wait to get back to doing what I love the most.”Capitals are yet to take a decision on who will captain them in Pant’s absence. Their first game of IPL 2023 is on April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants.

Liam Livingstone expecting ECB clearance for IPL by this weekend

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England allrounder could return to action from injury against Gujarat Titans on April 13

Matt Roller06-Apr-2023Liam Livingstone will miss Punjab Kings’ fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday but could arrive in India in time to make his comeback from injury against Gujarat Titans on April 13.Livingstone has not played a competitive match since making his Test debut for England against Pakistan four months ago in Rawalpindi, when he jarred his knee in the outfield. In recent weeks, he has also suffered a flare-up of the ankle injury he sustained in the Hundred last year, which has kept him out of Kings’ opening fixtures.ESPNcricinfo understands that Kings are expecting Livingstone to arrive on April 10, the day after their fixture in Hyderabad, while Livingstone said on Thursday afternoon that he is hoping to get clearance to travel from the ECB “over the next 48 hours or so”.”[I’m] getting there, finally,” Livingstone said on LancsTV’s coverage of Lancashire’s opening County Championship fixture against Surrey. “It’s been a long road: three or four days a week at the gym over the last three or four months. Maybe towards the end of this week, or start of next week, I’ll fly out to India and get going again.”Feeling much better. I had some injections midway last week. It’s settled it down a lot, finally been able to get outside and do some running and get back to proper cricket stuff. That’s probably been about four or five days now, so just trying to build back up to match fitness now.”I got over my ankle to play in the World Cup, then my knee has been a bit of a niggly one. I finally sorted that out and my ankle flared up again. Hopefully they’re both under control now and it’ll be nice to get back playing finally. It’s been a difficult couple of months, but finally now I’m like a little kid wanting to get back playing cricket again.”

Livingstone said that detail of his specific travel plans is “the million-dollar question” but that he is hoping for ECB clearance imminently. “Hopefully over the next couple of days, I’ll get the clearance to head out there,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to getting back out, getting back playing, and hopefully over the next 48 hours or so I’ll finally get that.”Livingstone was retained on a contract worth INR 11.5 crore (£1.15m approx.) after a strong first season with Kings in 2022, in which he scored 437 runs with a strike rate of 182.08 and chipped in with six wickets, and is expected to slot into their middle order.Kings have won their first two games in IPL 2023, beating Kolkata Knight Riders in Mohali and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, and have fielded the same four overseas players in both fixtures: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran and Nathan Ellis.Kagiso Rabada has arrived in India this week and will be available for Sunday’s fixture in Hyderabad, while Matt Short – who replaced the injured Jonny Bairstow in Kings’ squad – is the other overseas player they have available to them as things stand. Franchises are allowed up to eight overseas players in their squad, but Kings signed only seven for 2023.Rajapaksa retired hurt on Wednesday night after he was struck on the forearm by a shot from Shikhar Dhawan, while standing at the non-striker’s end, but should be available on Sunday if required. He tweeted later that night: “The X-rays have cleared me of any broken bones/fractures! Plenty of ice needed but I’m doing fine.”Livingstone has become an important part of England’s white-ball set-up over the last two years and is likely to feature in their defence of the 50-over World Cup in October-November. He believes that exposure to Indian conditions will come in handy ahead of that tournament.”You’re seeing so many English lads in the IPL at the moment, gaining great experience,” he said. “I spoke to Sammy [Sam Curran] last night actually, after the game. He said the ball was like a bar of soap, and you don’t quite realise at the time but that’s such a good experience for not only Sam but for England moving forward in eight months’ time; it might be like that in a World Cup semi-final or whatever.”It’s a great experience for the lads that are out there at the moment. Hopefully that sets us up well; we’ve got loads of lads out there which is great: we’ve got a really well-balanced team at the moment, we’ve got a lot of talent within our group. We’ve got a great environment and everyone loves being around each other, so hopefully, India will be good towards the end of the year.”

Spidercam 'shouldn't be travelling head height' – Nortje after being hit while fielding

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Nortje brushed aside concerns after being knocked down by the contraption and hurting his left shoulder and elbow

Alex Malcolm27-Dec-20222:14

Nortje: ‘My role is to be aggressive, try and speed it up’

Cricket Australia’s host-television broadcaster Fox Sports has apologised to Anrich Nortje and the South Africa team after the fast bowler was knocked down by the flying spidercam while fielding on the second day of the ongoing second Test at the MCG.Nortje confirmed after the day’s play that he was fine, despite being hit on his left shoulder and elbow. He was able to bowl – at high pace – after being hit. He was in the outfield at the time, shortly after lunch, when he was knocked to the ground by the mobile camera as it was zipping along at head height.CA confirmed that Fox Sports had admitted it was an error by the operator. The camera was not in use for the rest of the day but CA confirmed that spidercam would be in operation on day three with some extra safety measures in place to ensure such an incident doesn’t happen again.Related

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“I didn’t know what hit me, to be honest,” Nortje said. “So far so good. It just knocked the [left] shoulder and the [left] elbow. The elbow is a bit sore but otherwise seems to be okay. I’ll just monitor it and see how it goes with the [doctor].”I saw cables and then I turned around or moved my head and then I saw the camera, but I was a little bit too late. It was quite quick. It didn’t really change my mindset or anything. I tried to stay focused.”I think the one thing we’ve spoken about earlier is how low it is and it probably shouldn’t be unless [it needs to be] for certain interviews or something. But I don’t think it should be travelling head height. That’s just my opinion. And then for Marco [Jansen] as well, they must take him into consideration [for his height].”Rough day for South Africa on the field
It added insult to South Africa’s injury on a brutal day in the field. They took just two wickets in 37-degree heat, including one via a run-out, as Australia piled up 341 runs in 79 overs with David Warner making a spectacular 200 before retiring hurt.Warner survived a blistering spell from Nortje just after lunch. Nortje was consistently bowling at speeds of over 150kph, including one delivery at 155kph. He had hit Warner in the helmet earlier in the morning and hit him on the index finger during that spell. Nortje also hit Cameron Green on the index finger later in the day, drawing blood and forcing Green to retire hurt and head off for a scan.Nortje finished with just one wicket for the day, that of Steven Smith for 85. He was frustrated to have bowled so well for so little reward.”It happens,” Nortje said. “You’re in the heat, you’re trying all the things with the ball, you’re trying a different grip, try this and that. But it happens, it’s part of cricket. They batted really well.Anrich Nortje bowled at blistering pace, but only had the one wicket to show for it•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

“I thought they controlled the situation really well. They calmed it down when we were not on top of them, but when we were hitting our areas and then maybe when the guys were a bit tired or when it was a little bit later in the day, the ball wasn’t doing much, then they tried to dominate again.”Nortje wants batters to do their bit
South Africa are a long way behind in the game, trailing by 197 runs, and the series but there is one small glimmer of hope with Australia potentially two bowlers down in the second innings. Both Green and Mitchell Starc have suffered injuries to their bowling fingers. Starc will only bowl again in the game if required and looks in doubt for the Sydney Test, while the outcome of Green’s blow is still unknown.Nortje said it would be critical for South Africa to bat as long as possible second time around.”The more overs the bowlers are going to bowl, the more maybe a back-up bowler or someone who doesn’t really come on would have to apply themselves,” Nortje said. “So that’s going to be a crucial stage for us. Hopefully, we can have a lot of batters in hand and work through the difficult stages with our top order and then try and cash in a little bit later on.”

WPL: Jonathan Batty, Lisa Keightley, Hemlata Kala, Biju George in Delhi Capitals coaching staff

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Batty will head the set-up, with Kala and Keightley his assistants, while George will be the fielding coach, like he is with the Capitals men’s side

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2023Delhi Capitals have roped in former Surrey, Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire wicketkeeper-batter Jonathan Batty as their head coach for the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL).Former India international Hemlata Kala, and Lisa Keightley, the former Australia cricketer with vast coaching experience, have been named the team’s assistant coaches. And Biju George, who has previously worked with the India women’s team, has been named the fielding coach. He is also the fielding coach of the Capitals men’s side.Batty has extensive coaching experience when it comes to women’s cricket. He coached Oval Invincibles to the title at the women’s Hundred in 2021 and 2022, and has also been head coach at Melbourne Stars in the WBBL and the Surrey women’s side.Related

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“It’s an incredible time to be involved in Women’s cricket and the WPL has the potential to transform the landscape of women’s professional sport globally,” Batty said in a statement.Kala played seven Tests, 78 ODIs and one T20I and has also been chief selector for women in the past. “I am looking forward to putting together our squad ahead of the inaugural edition of the tournament, which I am confident will be a gamechanger for women’s cricket,” she said of the player auction.Keightley, the current Sydney Thunder head coach, played nine Tests, 82 ODIs and one T20I in a decade-long career. She was at the helm of the England team when they made the final of the 2022 ODI World Cup, before stepping down in August last year. She has also been head coach of Perth Scorchers in the past.”I’m very excited to be involved with the Delhi Capitals and to be working with so many different players and staff from around the world,” she said. “WPL is a game changer for women’s sports around the world, and we have the opportunity to showcase cricket to a new audience.”The player auction ahead of the inaugural WPL will be held on February 13 in Mumbai, while the tournament will be played between March 4 and 26. All the matches will be held in Mumbai.

Live Report: England v Pakistan

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An archive of our rolling Live Report, featuring news, updates, statistics, graphics and insight from our reporters at Headingley for the second Test

The Live Report by Andrew Miller01-Jun-2018Welcome to our new rolling report. This page will keep you up to date throughout the match, with updates from our team at the ground, stats and graphics, end-of-session reports, and more (if you don’t see the blog immediately, please hit refresh). But don’t worry, you can still follow traditional ball-by-ball commentary as well

Tahlia McGrath blitz seals small chase to put Australia in semi-finals

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Georgia Wareham pegs back South Africa after good start to leave hosts’ fortunes in balance

Srinidhi Ramanujam18-Feb-2023Tahlia McGrath’s 33-ball 57 propelled Australia to a commanding six-wicket victory in a low chase against the hosts South Africa in Gqeberha, and helped the team qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.It was Australia’s fourth successive win in the competition and their sixth victory against South Africa in as many matches at T20 World Cups. South Africa have now endured their second defeat in three matches and sit third in Group 1 behind Sri Lanka. They will have to win their next game against Bangladesh and hope Sri Lanka lose to New Zealand on Sunday to qualify for the semi-finals.

Brits-ering start for SA

After being put into bat, South Africa made a brisk start, courtesy Tazmin Brits. Laura Wolvaardt was dropped on 13 and struggled to get going as Brits played the role of an aggressor. The duo stitched together a 54-run partnership for the opening wicket, South Africa’s highest for the first wicket at this World Cup.Brits made good use of the field setting in the powerplay and used her feet well to come down the track and hit boundaries to keep ticking. After Ellyse Perry removed Wolvaardt in the ninth over for a 28-ball 19, she punished Annabel Sutherland in the next over for a six and four to ensure South Africa didn’t slow down. Brits eventually was out five short a half-century – her best score of the tournament – hitting six fours and a six.

Wareham, pacers pull things back

Australia fought back after the ten-over mark with regular wickets to keep South Africa at bay. After scoring 65 runs in the first ten for the loss of one wicket, South Africa could muster only 59 in the final ten, losing the plot as well as five wickets.Legspinner Georgia Wareham’s first over shifted momentum toward Australia as she removed both Brits and Chole Tryon in the space of five balls. Sune Luus and Nadine de Klerk chipped in with 20 and an unbeaten 14 respectively, but the knocks weren’t enough to lift the hosts to a competitive total after a good platform laid by Brits.Ashleigh Gardner picked up her 50th T20I wicket when she bowled Luus out in the final over. Darcie Brown, and Megan Schutt also accounted for a wicket each for Australia.

Kapp, Mlaba strike early blowsMarizanne Kapp, playing her international first match at her home ground, struck as early as the fifth over to dismiss Perry, who replaced Alyssa Healy at the top. Healy was ruled out of the game “with some left quad awareness following a high workload on return to play from a significant calf injury,” according to CA. Perry hit two clean fours before being caught at first slip by Tryon.Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, who opened with the ball, then bowled Meg Lanning the next over when she tried to scoop a length ball over fine leg and missed badly. Kapp came back in the next over to trap Beth Mooney lbw with a full inswinger. At the end of the seventh over, Australia’s top order was back in the pavilion for 40 runs.

McGrath blitz takes Australia home

Gardner and McGrath then put on a match-winning 81-run partnership for the fourth wicket to blunt South Africa’s attack. McGrath was the more proactive among the two, counterattacking from the word go. She started with two fours against Nadine de Klerk in the 10th over to eventually race to a 29-ball half-century, which was also McGrath’s first fifty in this T20 World Cup.

Raj, Rodrigues help India achieve away-series double

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The pair added 98 for the second wicket to set up India’s total of 166, which they defended with aplomb courtesy three wickets each from Shikha Pandey, Rumeli Dhar and Rajeshwari Gayakwad

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2018Jemimah Rodrigues sports a smile after the practice match•ESPNcricinfo/Annesha Ghosh

A 98-run stand between half-centurion Mithali Raj and Jemimah Rodrigues, followed by an inspired effort by their bowling and fielding units, helped India complete a 54-run win in the fifth T20I and seal a first-ever away-series double. Having won the ODI series 2-1, India clinched the T20I series 3-1, bowling South Africa out for 112 in 18 overs in Cape Town.Having put India in, Marizanne Kapp removed Smriti Mandhana inside the Powerplay. Mandhana’s opening partner Raj, however, pressed on to her third half-century – a 50-ball 62 studded with short-arm pulls, sweeps and cuts that brought her eight fours and three sixes. Keeping her company for 11.3 overs was the 17-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues, whose promotion to No. 3 – which has otherwise been the slot earmarked for captain Harmanpreet Kaur in this series – paid off.Having been reprieved on 15 by wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee, Rodrigues waltzed to a 34-ball 44. Raj and Rodrigues then fell in successive overs, to Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka respectively. India were 134 for 4, with 3.1 overs left. Harmanpreet partnered Veda Krishnamurthy in a brisk 32-run stand, reeling off 27 off 17 balls courtesy a four and two massive sixes that sailed into the leg-side stands. Krishnamurthy pinched eight off the six balls she faced, before being run-out off the final ball of the innings as India finished on 166 for 4.India’s momentum, gathered through the closing overs of their innings, was kept going by their quick-bowling troika of Pooja Vastrakar, Shikha Pandey and Rumeli Dhar, who reduced the hosts to 22 for 3 inside six overs. While Vastrakar opened with a maiden over, Dhar accounted for both openers – Dane van Niekerk her first wicket upon returning to international cricket after a six-year hiatus.Pandey subsequently sent back Sune Luus, followed by the wickets of Mignon du Preez and Nadine de Klerk in the space of three balls in the ninth over. Half the South African line-up had been sniped out for 44. Chloe Tryon tried resuscitating the chase, hitting two sixes, but could not go beyond a 17-ball 25 as she holed out off Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Harmanpreet completed a regulation catch at long-off and blew a kiss as a follow-up act.That three of South Africa’s partnerships ended in the twenties, the highest being a seventh-wicket stand of 29 between Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp, underlined their inability to deal with the lack of pace from the Indian attack, aided by some agile fielding. While Harmanpreet and Mandhana prevented at least three fours by throwing themselves around near the rope, Rodrigues pulled off a stunner at the deep-square leg boundary to send back Kapp for a 21-ball 27. Rodriguez’s two-handed back-arch-and-leap act gave Dhar her third wicket before Gayakwad took out the tail; both finished with identical returns of 3 for 26, though Gayakwad bowled one over less.

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