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Given their already-strong net run rate, a win here will prop up West Indies’ semi-final chances

Sruthi Ravindranath09-Oct-2024

Bangladesh vs West Indies

Dubai, 6pm local timeBangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha BiswasWest Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (vice-capt, wk), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa CraftonTournament guide: After a win in their first match against Scotland, Bangladesh crumbled to a loss against England on a surface that aided spin. West Indies, meanwhile, lost their first match to South Africa but bounced back with a dominating win against Scotland thanks to an all-round show from Chinelle Henry.Related

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News brief: Left-arm spinner Zaida James suffered a blow to the jaw while fielding off her own bowling in the match against South Africa and subsequently missed the Scotland game. A West Indies statement said she “fortunately does not have breaks and fractures” and continues to be monitored by the medical team.West Indies earned a massive net run rate boost after their win against Scotland, and winning this match will strengthen their semi-final chances. If Bangladesh lose this match, their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals will take a big hit given their negative NRR. This will be West Indies’ first game of the tournament in Sharjah.Despite being used to spinning tracks back home, Bangladesh – after a fine outing with the ball – were undone by England’s quality spin attack in the previous game in Sharjah. This match, too, will come down to how well the teams counter spin. The average first-innings total at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium this tournament is 119, and only twice have teams won chasing.Player to watch: Bangladesh’s batting unit has not been up to mark in both games, but one player who’s stood out is Sobhana Mostary. She helped Bangladesh put up a competitive total scoring 36 against Scotland, and once again top-scored with 44 against England. Coming in after an early wicket against England, she dropped anchor as regular wickets at the other end piled the pressure on her. She hit a four and a six in her 48-ball stay on a slow surface against tight bowling and kept at it till the 19th over, but the target of 119 was too much of an ask in the end.

Rovman Powell will lead the team, with Alzarri Joseph named vice captain

Nagraj Gollapudi03-May-2024Shimron Hetmyer has been named in West Indies’ 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Shamar Joseph, the 24-year-old fast bowler who has played only three T20s and is yet to make his international debut in the format, has also been called up.Alzarri Joseph has been named deputy to captain Rovman Powell, while Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell and Jason Holder have all made the squad.Hetmyer was dropped from the 2022 T20 World Cup squad after he missed his flight. He played in the series against India and England last year before he was dropped for the final two T20Is of the England series and was subsequently left out of the white-ball squads for the Australia tour.West Indies, who have won the T20 World Cup twice (2012 and 2016), have had an underwhelming run in the last two editions of the tournament. In 2021, led by Kieron Pollard, they failed to make the knockouts after winning just one match in the group phase. A year later in Australia, they failed to make the main round under Nicholas Pooran’s captaincy. They also missed out on qualifying for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India after failing to progress through the Qualifier.”I’m making it very clear to everybody that whatever team that you hear us put out today, that team we feel is going to win the World Cup,” Desmond Haynes, West Indies’ chairman of selectors, said after the squad announcement.Hayes pointed out that while the selectors had jotted down names for the reserves, a final list would be worked out post West Indies A’s tour of Nepal and the home T20I series against South Africa. A preparatory camp is set to be held in Antigua from next weekend for the South Africa series. White-ball head coach Sammy also said CWI has requested the BCCI to release West Indies players from the ongoing IPL as soon as possible.

Why was Shamar Joseph included?

Haynes said that the inclusion of Shamar and Hetmyer was role-specific, something Daren Sammy had stressed upon.”You really can’t question Shamar Joseph’s skills,” Haynes said. “You saw him in Australia. We were looking at someone up front bowling the first powerplay and he ticks the boxes.”Shamar Joseph was named the Player of the Match in his second Test, helping West Indies win at the Gabba•AFP/Getty Images

Shamar, who made his name with a stunning seven-wicket haul that helped West Indies seal a historic Test win at the Gabba, is one of several West Indies players at the IPL. He was signed by Lucknow Super Giants as a replacement player, but had a difficult debut, where he conceded 47 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders. In his three T20s, he has conceded 9.91 runs an over and is yet to take a wicket.Sammy said that picking the squad was “difficult” as they had several contenders to parse through. One of them was fast bowler Matthew Forde, who made his West Indies debut against England in the home white-ball series following a successful 2023 CPL. However, Sammy echoed Haynes’ comments on how Shamar had pipped other new ball contenders including Forde.”Shamar Joseph has the pace, he has skills with the new ball,” Sammy said. “Not saying Matthew Forde doesn’t, but when you look at the role, it makes it easier for us to now pick the personnel to fit that role.”

Haynes: ‘Very close decision between Hetmyer and Kyle Mayers’

Haynes admitted that it was a “very close decision” picking Hetmyer over Kyle Mayers, who has been a regular opener in the past while doubling up as a handy medium-pace bowler. The selectors felt having a finisher was more important than a top-order batter like Mayers, who is currently in IPL as part of LSG.Left-arm spinner Fabian Allen, who is playing in Nepal with the West Indies A team, is another player West Indies selectors have their eye on.Sammy also said that Brandon King, who missed West Indies A’s ongoing tour of Nepal due to knee injury, will be playing the T20 series at home against South Africa which will serve as preparation for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup starting from June 1. In case King remains unfit, West Indies have until May 25 to make changes to their provisional 15.As for the inclusion of Roson Chase, the lone offspinner in the squad, Haynes highlighted that numbers proved he was the “most economical bowler” in addition to being a capable allrounder and can play a “similar role” to Marlon Samuels when West Indies won the T20 World Cups.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Sammy had ‘conversations with Narine’

When asked whether Sunil Narine was in the running considering his outstanding all-round form in the ongoing IPL, West Indies head coach Sammy said: “Ever since I became coach I have had conversations with all players who took part in (2023) CPL that I thought that could have an impact for us this World Cup. So yes, I had conversations with Narine. (But) as the news clearly stated, Narine is retired.”

Sammy: ‘Have 15 X-factors’

Sammy was the captain when West Indies won the T20 World Cup, first in Sri Lanka in 2012 and then in India in 2016. Johnson Charles and Russell, who returned to play for West Indies during the Australia series in January after a long hiatus, were both part of those wins. Sammy admitted he was motivated by the prospect of becoming the first team to win a T20 World Cup at home.Asked who he would single out as an X-factor player in the West Indies squad, Sammy said: “This period here reminds me of when I was captain, Ottis Gibson or Phil Simmons was coach, sitting down in selection, having a healthy performance squad to pick from and you look at all angles, which 15 men you put on the park, and what every single angle could give you an advantage. I have 15 X-factors there. Dessie [Desmond Haynes] reminded me in the meeting we have matchwinners, And the world knows it.”

West Indies schedule for group phase

West Indies are in Group C along with Papua New Guinea (PNG), Uganda, New Zealand and Afghanistan. Their first two games are in Providence, Guyana, against PNG on June 2 and against Uganda on June 8. They then play New Zealand at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on June 12, before their last group game against Afghanistan on June 17 in St Lucia.

West Indies squad for T20 World Cup

Rovman Powell (capt), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford

But Essex sweat on possible points deduction after Feroze Khushi uses oversized bat

ESPNcricinfo staff and ECB Reporters Network08-Apr-2024Sam Cook spearheaded Essex’s 254-run win over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, taking 6 for 14 on the final day to go with his first-innings hat-trick. Cook finished with match figures of 10 for 73, dispelling concerns about his effectiveness with the Kookaburra ball which is being used in four rounds of the 2024 County Championship season.”I am pretty chuffed with the way the ball has come out this week, particularly with it being a Kookaburra,” Cook said. “There have been some questions about what I could do with a Kookaburra ball… I’m desperate to play for England and hopefully that performance is something towards that.”But I’m trying to concentrate on playing for Essex and enjoying taking wickets for Essex. In the past, I’ve probably been guilty of chasing it a bit too much and getting caught up in that, but in the last six months I’ve tried to go back to basics and concentrate on what I do well.”Cook is a traditional English seamer who bowls at speeds closer to 80mph than 90mph, but has a phenomenal first-class record with 275 wickets at 19.48. Following Stuart Broad’s retirement, he could come into contention to play Test cricket this summer and Anthony McGrath, Essex’s head coach, believes he could thrive.”Some people have said he couldn’t bowl with a Kookaburra and I think that performance puts that argument to bed,” McGrath said. “England’s best bowlers over the last how many years have been Broad and [James] Anderson. Obviously they are legends of the game but in the last couple of years they have not had blistering pace.”They’ve just been metronomic in what they do, highly skilled in swing and seam and Sam has that in abundance. I think he’s quick enough… You saw out there today that not many other bowlers got as much out of the pitch as he did, particularly in that second innings when he was absolutely relentless and bowled some magic deliveries.”Cook, who played in the SA20 earlier this year, is targeting a Test call-up•SA20

Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 80 in their fourth innings, having been set 335 to win in 88 overs after Essex declared early on the final morning. Cook’s strike partner Jamie Porter took 3 for 43 to deliver a 20-point victory – though they now face an anxious wait to see if they will suffer a points deduction.Feroze Khushi, their opener, failed an on-field dimensions check during their second innings and they could be liable to lose up to 16 points. In 2022, Durham were docked 10 points after Nic Maddison’s bat failed to fit through the measurement gauge routinely used by umpires in English cricket.”We don’t know yet where we are with that,” McGrath said. “The match referee and the umpires were involved after the incident and now it will go to the ECB. We’ll await news on that. They have got the bat in question and will go through whatever the process is involved and hopefully we will get to know within the next couple of days.”On the final morning, Essex declared their second innings closed after adding 45 runs in six overs to their overnight 329 for 8. Shane Snater was the only batter dismissed, caught at long leg for 47 off 46 balls, as Adam Rossington overcame a finger injury to finish unbeaten on 39 off 49.Ben Duckett was bowled for 5, beaten on the outside edge for the second time in the match as Porter angled one in that straightened off the pitch. Haseeb Hameed followed in the next over, as Cook sent his off stump cartwheeling, before Ben Slater edged the same bowler to second slip.Related

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Joe Clarke and Matt Montgomery held things together for the next 45 minutes, but when Clarke bottom-edged Snater into his stumps just before lunch, Nottinghamshire were 39 for 4 at lunch and their hopes of saving the game unravelled very quickly after the interval.Montgomery was bowled by Cook, shouldering arms to a delivery that jagged back appreciably to take his off stump, Jack Haynes was pinned in front by another nip-backer, this time from Porter, before Cook removed Calvin Harrison (leg before) and Brett Hutton (comprehensively cleaned up) in the space of four deliveries to complete his 13th first-class five-wicket haul.Cook struck for the sixth time to have Pennington edging to first slip. Dane Paterson then picked up six from one lusty blow at Porter, before losing his middle stump attempting another as Essex wrapped up their victory at nine minutes to three. “We’ve made a statement as a team in the way we achieved the win,” Cook said.”The way the last day unfolded doesn’t really reflect the first three days of the game, in which the sides were pretty evenly matched. But the way we were so ruthless today says a lot about how we want to go about our cricket.”

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.”

Adam Zampa also collected three wickets, before Steven Smith batted in T20 mode to finish off the match in less than 43 overs

Andrew McGlashan30-Aug-2022Australia raced to an eight-wicket victory in Townsville as the second ODI lasted less than 43 overs after Mitchell Starc had blown Zimbabwe’s top order away to leave him on 199 wickets, and the visitors dismantled for 96.On a pitch that offered considerable help to the fast bowlers, Starc claimed 3 for 15 in his first five-over spell, and would have become the fastest to 200 wickets had Glenn Maxwell held a sharp chance at backward point offered by Luke Jongwe late in the innings. However, he still has two matches in hand to beat Saqlain Mushtaq’s mark of 104 games.Richard Ngarava struck twice in his second over of the defence, including the wicket of Australia captain Aaron Finch for another low score, but the home side needed just 14.4 overs, with Steven Smith playing the “free” T20 mode he spoke about the day before the match as he finished unbeaten in the 40s again.After a few early wides, Starc found the target with a pinpoint yorker to remove Innocent Kaia and then swung one back into Wessly Madhevere to remove the top-scorer from the previous match for a duck. His third wicket was not quite a classic though, as Tadiwanashe Marumani flicked a ball off his pads straight to square legAt the other end, Josh Hazlewood and been miserly with the new ball, and found significant movement off the seam to cause a host of problems which continued when he changed ends to replace Starc. Briefly, he was put under pressure when Sikandar Raza, who had been on 7 off 33 balls until then, pulled him through midwicket and then drove the next ball over long-off for a spectacular six.But two deliveries later, he top-edged a short delivery to deep square leg to remove one of Zimbabwe’s best hope of making it a contest. Speaking the day before the game, coach David Houghton had said he wanted his side to stitch together runs throughout the order, having had various parts of it perform in different matches; but this would not be the day for it.Steven Smith finished unbeaten in the 40s again•Getty Images

Batters continued to struggle to find the balance between attack and defence, as captain Regis Chakabva followed a couple of handsome shots down the ground by picking out mid-off against Ashton Agar, who had been recalled in place of the injured Mitchell Marsh.Cameron Green, who took a five-wicket haul in the opening match, was the sixth bowler used, but it only took him three deliveries to make an impression with a lifting ball which found Tony Munyonga’s outside edge.Sean Williams, back in the side after an elbow injury kept him out on Sunday, tried to hold the innings together but got a thick edge to short third. That was the first of three quick wickets for Adam Zampa, who helped wrap things up in the 28th over.There appeared to be a Snicko failure when Brad Evans reviewed his lbw, but replays suggested he hadn’t hit it anyway.In the run chase, David Warner was in the mood to get things done quickly but carved down to deep third where Brad Evans held an excellent catch running in. Two balls later, Finch fenced outside off stump and was held at the second attempt by Raza at first slip to once again leave the focus on the captain’s form.There were a few uneasy moments for Smith and Alex Carey as the ball continued to move for the seamers, but the target was quickly hunted down. Smith played one of the shots of the day when he carved a six over deep point and continued to pepper the boundary, but couldn’t take advantage of a free hit from what became the last ball of the game to reach fifty, as it scuttled for four byes.Those attending the final match of the series on Saturday will hope for a better contest, which may require Australia to bat first if they win the toss.

Leg-spinner’s 4 for 23 proves decisive after Ami Campbell’s fifty

ECB Reporters Network09-Jul-2022Sarah Glenn played a starring role as Central Sparks inflicted a 22-run defeat upon Western Storm in a sun-drenched Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy encounter at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium.Chasing a target of 207, Storm came up short at 184 for 9, their cause fatally undermined by the 22-year-old leg-spinner from Derby, who took 4 for 23 from 10 overs. New ball bowler Grace Potts weighed in with 2 for 33 and seamer Elizabeth Russell took 2 for 48 as the top and middle order were blown away. Only tailenders Lauren Filer and Sophia Smale offered any kind of resistance, these two contributing 58 not out and 32 respectively, and staging a defiant ninth wicket stand of 73 by way of consolation.Ami Campbell proved the mainstay of Sparks’ innings, top-scoring with 50 from 75 balls, while captain Evelyn Jones and wicketkeeper Abi Freeborn grafted their way to 44 and 35 respectively in a total of 206 all out from 50 overs after the visitors had won the toss.Impressive with the new ball and again at the death, Lauren Filer claimed 3 for 36 from 10 overs and was ably supported by Niamh Holland, who took key wickets during the middle overs to return figures of 2 for 17.But Storm lacked the application required with the bat on a typically slow and low Bristol pitch to follow up last week’s opening win over Lightning, handing their opponents the opportunity to atone for defeat at the hands of Southern Vipers in their first game.The game was all but over as a contest when Storm lurched to 48 for 6 inside 14 overs, the victims of poor shot selection and some outstanding bowling.Potts set the tone, having Georgia Hennessy caught at the wicket without scoring and then inducing Alex Griffiths to hole out to mid-off as the hosts forfeited both openers inside seven overs with 17 runs on the board. Fran Wilson was next to go cheaply, bowled playing back to Elizabeth Russell and missing a straight one, at which point Storm were 31 for 3 in the tenth over.A difficult situation became positively parlous when Sophie Luff and big-hitting Dani Gibson succumbed to the first and sixth balls of Glenn’s opening over from the Ashley Down Road End. Caught in two minds, Luff was pinned lbw, while Gibson played across the line and was bowled. When Nat Wraith edged a catch behind off Russell in the next over, Storm were in dire straits.There followed 18 dot balls, a passage of austerity that culminated in Glenn having Holland held at slip. Katie George was then bowled by Glenn, terminating any fanciful notion Storm supporters might have harboured of an against-the-odds triumph.Understanding the risks associated with pushing too hard on a worn surface, Sparks’ top-order batters had earlier demonstrated a willingness to graft for their runs, a quality that set them apart from their opponents.Filer served early notice that this was far from a batting paradise, mustering impressive rhythm and pace from the Bristol Pavilion End to remove Davina Perrin and Thea Brookes while the fielding restrictions were still in place.Campbell rode her luck against Storm’s main strike bowler, cutting hard to backward point and being put down by Wilson before she had scored. She certainly made good her escape, the left-hander surviving a sticky start to match Jones blow for blow in a stand of 64 for the third wicket as the visitors reasserted themselves.Prepared to wait for the bad ball, these two were severe on anything short or wide, advancing the score to 109 for 2 at the halfway stage of the innings. Just when a half-century appeared to be hers for the asking, Jones blotted her copybook, playing across the line to a straight delivery from off spinner Chloe Skelton and departing bowled for 44.Skelton’s clever variations on pace and flight almost produced another wicket, but she was unable to hold onto a hard return catch offered up by the fortuitous Campbell, who went on to raise 50 from 74 balls, with eight fours.Dropped catches looked likely to cost Storm dear when George fumbled at deep square leg to allow Freeborn a life on three, much to the chagrin of the returning Filer. Yet partial salvation was at hand for the home side in the form of Holland, who claimed two wickets in the space of 13 deliveries after being introduced in the 34th over. Campbell clipped a swinging ball to Skelton at short fine leg, while Glenn was bowled for two as Sparks were reduced to 156 for 5. Ria Fackrell contributed 16 in a partnership of 32 in seven overs with Freeborn before being bowled by Gibson as Storm turned the screw.As Sparks attempted to accelerate, so Filer struck to remove Freeborn, caught at the wicket by Wraith having hewn 35 from 58 balls. Gibson ran out Georgia Davis and then bowled Potts, while Wraith ran out Hannah Baker off the final ball of the innings.Campbell’s demise in the 35th over proved a turning point, Sparks adding a mere 63 runs for the loss of six wickets in their final 15 overs thereafter. Yet once Glenn went to work, it proved more than enough.

He had tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, but is now clear to play the Karachi Test

Umar Farooq10-Mar-2022Faheem Ashraf has cleared his rapid antigen test for Covid-19, less than 24 hours after he was found positive for the virus. Ashraf, who had tested positive on Wednesday, was initially supposed to undergo a five-day isolation period, but has now been given the go-ahead to join the Pakistan squad ahead of the second Test against Australia in Karachi.Ashraf, an integral part of the Test side, had missed the first match in Rawalpindi due to a hamstring injury he picked up towards the end of his PSL season with Islamabad United. With him back in the fold, Pakistan will have more balance in their XI, as Ashraf can bat at No.7 and provide handy support to their four-man attack.Ashraf’s absence in the Rawalpindi Test was one of the main reasons Pakistan opted to tweak the pitch, as they looked to nullify Australia’s pace attack.Pakistan called up Iftikhar Ahmed and Naseem Shah in the first Test to cover for the absences of Ashraf and Hasan Ali – the latter, a key member of their pace attack. Hasan missed out because of an adductor strain, which he also picked up during the PSL. Both Iftikhar and Naseem played, though the former — likely a direct replacement for Ashraf – only bowled three overs.With Ashraf joining the squad, Pakistan are confident that Hasan will also be fit for the second Test, allowing them to bring back an opening pair that took over 80 Test wickets in 2021 and were the second and third-highest wicket-takers for the year. The rest of Pakistan’s squad returned negative tests, meaning that Haris Rauf is back in contention for selection. Rauf missed the first Test after testing positive for Covid-19.Ashraf has played 13 Tests at an average of 35.11 scoring 4 half-centuries including his 91 against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui and taking 22 wickets at a bowling average of 34.09.

“I look forward to that challenge and test my body, physically and mentally”

Alex Malcolm24-Jan-2022Keeping wicket and opening the batting in Test cricket has been, arguably, the toughest juggling act in the history of the game, but Alyssa Healy is adamant that she wants to do the job again in the women’s Ashes Test starting on Thursday in Canberra.Healy has opened in her last two Test matches, but her returns across the four innings have given a clear indication of how difficult the task of opening and keeping is in the longest format. She made 58 in her first Test innings as an opener in the 2019 Ashes but it was the first innings of the match, giving her the chance to start fresh. She then kept 107 overs before walking straight back out to bat, and made 13 in the second innings.Related

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In her last Test, against India earlier this summer, Australia fielded first and Healy kept for 145 overs before walking out to bat under lights against the pink ball. She made 29 from 66 deliveries and then made just 6 in the fourth innings after keeping for 37 more overs in the third innings of the match.”There’s obviously ongoing chats about it,” Healy said. “I think the approach we took in that last Test match we played was we’ll see how we go. I mean, if things don’t quite go to plan, we’re out in the field for an extended period of time and I am feeling fatigued then we make that call on the fly and maybe I don’t open the batting. But I’m always going to stick my hand up and say I’m ready to go and ready to contribute whether that be at the top of the order or with the gloves, so I’m sure it will be okay.”Hopefully, we get the full four days in and I’m out there for all four days. I look forward to that challenge and test my body, physically and mentally. The chats are being had but at this point in time, considering it’s such a one-off event for us, I want to be involved as much as I can.”Only five wicketkeepers in the history of women’s Test cricket have averaged more than 30 while opening the batting, with England’s Betty Snowball the only one to average more than 40. Snowball is the only women’s player to make 400 runs in the dual role, averaging 66.57 with one century and three half-centuries.Betty Snowball keeping during England’s tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1934-35•National Library of Australia

Only six wicketkeepers in the history of men’s Test cricket have made more than 400 runs opening the batting with India’s Budhi Kunderan the only one of those to average more than 40 (43.46).Healy has had remarkable success opening the batting in the shorter formats and suggested that it remained, to her mind, the best place to bat in in Test cricket too.”I still think opening the batting is the best time to bat in any format,” Healy said. “It’s going to be a little bit tricky, obviously with the new red ball, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge that the England attack are going to throw at us.”Healy was keen for some time in the middle coming off one of her leanest WBBL campaigns. In her last nine matches, including in the WBBL, the WNCL and the first T20I against England, she has only reached double-figures four times and passed 20 once, scoring 51 for NSW against Victoria.But Healy does have a history of coming off lean spells and delivering on the big stage, having starred in the 2020 T20 World Cup after a horror spell in the lead-in.”I’m actually a little bit quietly excited about the opportunities of some slightly longer-format cricket, obviously the Test match and then the one-dayers leading into a World Cup,” Healy said. “I feel like everything’s back where it should be for me at the crease, and whilst it may or may not have looked like it in the first T20, I feel like I’m in a really good place with my batting again.”So I’m really excited for the opportunity to spend a bit of time out in the middle and, hopefully, get my team into a really good position to win whether it be a Test match or a one-dayer.”The identity of Healy’s opening partner remained a mystery, with Beth Mooney pushing to be fit to play despite fracturing her jaw last week. Rachael Haynes has also put her hand up to open, after having missed the Test against India because of a hamstring injury.”Absolutely no idea. We haven’t even had that discussion yet. We were just trying to get through these T20s. I don’t know the chat around Moons, I’m not really sure where they’re at with her, whether or not she’s playing, not going to play, likely to play, so I can’t really answer that question,” Healy said. “But I’ve got no doubt that we’ve got a lot of coverage here and obviously with the Aussie A squad around, someone would come in and do a really good job. Whoever it might be, I’ll just welcome them to the crease like I did Meg [Lanning] the other night.”

“Our bench strength has been as strong as it has ever been. That’s a great sign for Indian cricket”

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2021The 3-1 victory against England was Virat Kohli’s 10th series win in a row at home as India captain. It extended India’s dominance at home to 13 straight series wins with their last home defeat coming against Alastair Cook’s England in 2012.The manner in which India dominated England, especially in the last three Tests – they won the pink-ball ball Test in two days and the fourth Test in three days – no doubt pleased Kohli. According to him, the biggest strength India showed was their “comeback” after losing the series opener in Chennai by massive margin of 227 runs. Following are the key men and points Kohli pointed out during the presentation that played a key role in India winning the series and booking a berth in the World Test Championship final.On the two key match-winners: R Ashwin and Rohit Sharma
“Ashwin has obviously been a banker for us in the past six-seven years in Test cricket. His numbers speak volumes of what he has done in the last few years.Related

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“Rohit’s knock was the defining moment in us coming back into the series. Getting 160 (161) on that pitch is as good as getting 250 on any good batting wicket. It is definitely one of his best Test knocks, if not the best. That gave us the kind of momentum we needed as a side and it really got us into the contest. So, yeah, it was an outstanding innings.”He batted really well at the top of the order throughout the series, he gave us important knocks, important partnerships as well which is unnoticed when you don’t get those three figures.”On what pleased him the most after the first Test defeat
“The comeback pleased me the most. The first game was a bit of an aberration in the way that we play as a team – that was just a hiccup. England outplayed us. The toss became very crucial because of the way the pitch played on the first two days; I don’t think the bowlers were in the contest at all.3:22

What made Axar Patel so effective?

“From the next game onwards it was more exciting cricket and we got into the game early. Even in the second innings (of the first Test) in Chennai we bowled and fielded with a lot more intensity. So for me the comeback was way more pleasing and the way we batted in the second Test match in Chennai.”On Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar making an impact when it mattered
“Our bench strength has been as strong as it has ever been. That’s a great sign for Indian cricket. The idea was exactly this: to have youngsters who come in and perform with fearlessness, take the situations on so that when the transition happens eventually it is not difficult for Indian cricket and the standard does not fall below what we have set in the last few years.”It is up to the individuals as well, like taking the situation on, like Rishabh and Washy did with that game-changing partnership and then Axar as well – a 100-run partnership. These are the kind of situations where individuals stand up and say: ‘okay, I’m going to make a mark and be that player who can be counted on.’ That is what exactly what they have done.”On India’s 13-series winning streak at home
“You obviously are happy when you are winning so many series but there are always things to improve. Like, after the first game in Chennai, we had to pick up our body language. We spoke about the fact that nothing is a given whether you are playing at home or away because every team at international level is a quality side and we need to be at our A game to be able to beat them. And that is exactly what our mindset is. I know in the future as well we’ll have hiccups, we’ll have a few things that will be a concern, but we will have to keep ironing them out and that’s been the hallmark of our team.”

Mitchell Santner hit the winning runs for the visitors in a dramatic final over

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Sep-2019For the second time in succession, a substantial fourth-wicket stand swung a run-chase decidedly in New Zealand’s favour in their T20I series in Sri Lanka. Despite a drama-filled final over, in which two wickets fell, and a third should have had two fielders not collided at wide long-on, fifties from Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Bruce proved sufficient to propel the visitors to victory with two balls and four wickets to spare. New Zealand thus sealed the series, despite not having had the services of their two most prolific T20 batsmen – Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor – for this innings.The chase, which had several similarities with Sunday’s performance, was calculated. Once again, Sri Lanka took three early wickets – Akila Dananjaya striking three times in the space of seven balls. But then de Grandhomme and Bruce came together, and the pair calmly set about building a partnership, picking up the singles and twos on offer first, before taking aim at the boundary only later in their association. Like on Sunday, Sri Lanka should have had New Zealand’s eventual top-scorer dismissed for 36, but substitute fielder Lahiru Madushanka slipped beneath the high chance off de Grandhomme’s bat, and could not even get a hand to the ball. He would go on to make 59 off 46, Bruce would be out in the last over for 53 off 46, and it was their 109-run stand off 88 balls – a record for New Zealand against Sri Lanka – that formed the spine of the innings.Sri Lanka had not bowled particularly well – Lasith Malinga in particular conceded 39 runs in four wicketless overs – but still had one final chance of sneaking a victory, when legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga ran Bruce out first ball of the final over, and then had Daryl Mitchell caught at long-on next ball. New Zealand still needed seven from the last four deliveries, and should then have lost Mitchell Santner to make it three successive wickets. But Shehan Jayasuriya, who took an outstanding running catch at wide long-on, was tripped up in his stride by an oncoming Kusal Mendis, and was sent crashing into the boundary. Both fielders might have sustained substantial injuries, taking several minutes to get up. What was worse was that a ball that should have provided a dismissal had now conceded a six – Jayasuriya unable to jettison the ball in time.Earlier, Guptill had to go off the field with a sharp pain in his abdomen, and was unavailable to bat. Taylor had been ruled out of this game with a hip injury sustained during practice.New Zealand had to shuffle their top order to make up for Guptill’s absence, sending Tim Seifert in to open, and promoting Scott Kuggeleijn to a pinch-hitting No. 3. But Akila quickly sewed up the top three, having Colin Munro caught at long-on in his first over, before nailing Kuggeleijn and Seifert lbw in his second.Thanks to some early boundaries, however, de Grandhomme and Bruce had time to play themselves in. Once the Powerplay ended, they respected the spinners, until in the 12th over, against Hasaranga, they decided to hit out again. Two fours and a six from that over set New Zealand back on track with the asking rate. With regular boundaries coming after that, they would not fall behind again. De Grandhomme completed his fifty in the 15th over, and the pair’s century stand came up in the 18th. The batsmen had given their team such a cushion that even those dramatic late wickets could not sufficiently shake the chase.Sri Lanka’s own innings had been a stuttering effort, in which virtually every batsman who came to the crease appeared to go through a period of struggle. Kusal Mendis did his best to compensate for Kusal Perera’s lack of timing, hitting two memorable leg-side sixes in his 26. Even Mendis could not strike at better than 108, however, and Sri Lanka’s run rate at the end of the Powerplay was only slightly over six. It did improve through the middle period, as Niroshan Dickwella and Avishka Fernando prospered against spin in a third-wicket partnership worth 68 off 44 balls, but after those two batsmen departed – for 39 and 37 respectively – the middle order could not quite provide an explosive innings. Sri Lanka’s 161 for 9 was perhaps 15 runs short.