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The team is set to depart for Sri Lanka to play three Tests, five ODIs and a T20I

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2017

Tour schedule

• First Test: July 26-30, Galle

• Second Test – August 3-7, SSC

• Third Test – August 12-16, Pallekele

• First ODI: August 20, Dambulla

• Second ODI: August 24, Pallekele

• Third ODI: August 27, Pallekele

• Fourth ODI: August 31, Khettarama

• Fifth ODI: September 3, Khettarama

• Only T20: September 6, Khettarama

India’s full tour of Sri Lanka, which features three Tests, five ODIs and a T20I, will begin in Galle on July 26, according to an SLC press release.No practice matches have been announced so far, but the internationals themselves go until September 6, when the T20I is scheduled to be played at Khettarama.After the first Test in Galle, the action moves to the SSC in Colombo, before the final Test is set for Pallekele – a venue that has never hosted an India Test. One ODI is scheduled for Dambulla, and two each for Pallekele and Khettarama. No matches are due to be played in Hambantota, which is presently hosting the last three Zimbabwe ODIs.Sri Lanka last hosted India in 2015, though that was only for a Test series, which India won 2-1. Sri Lanka have since slipped in the rankings, sliding to seventh in Tests, eighth in ODIs, and eighth in T20Is, where India are first, third and fourth respectively.

Holders Warwickshire were eliminated from the Royal London Cup as Derbyshire again made runs for fun

ECB Reporters Network10-May-2017
ScorecardBen Slater managed another big Derbyshire total [file picture]•Getty Images

The international experience of Jeevan Mendis took Derbyshire to a four wicket victory that knocked holders Warwickshire out of the Royal London One-Day Cup.The Sri Lankan all-rounder hit six fours and a six in an unbeaten 44 off 23 balls to steer Derbyshire home with two balls to spare to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top three of the North Group.The visitors’ 292 for 7 was built on Sam Hain’s highest one-day score of 109 and Ian Bell’s 93 but Ben Slater set Derbyshire up with 82 before Mendis carried the home side to 296 for 6.Four times in less than a fortnight Derbyshire have recorded scores that all rank in the top 20 they have ever made in one-day cricket.Warwickshire first team coach Jim Troughton admitted: “We knew we wanted 20 extra runs which would have given us a cushion for a little cameo there from Mendis who played exceptionally well. When you lose by a small margin it’s a tough one for the guys to take.”His side would have expected to go past 300 when Hain and Bell accumulated steadily after Jonathan Trott had played on to Ben Cotton in the eighth over.Although only 43 came from the opening Powerplay, conditions were good for batting under a cloudless sky and runs came more freely as Hain and Bell relied on placement rather than power.Hain’s second 50 came from only 38 balls but when he gave himself room to drive Thakor through the covers, he lost his middle stump which ended Warwickshire’s highest stand for any wicket against Derbyshire in one-day cricket.Bell’s run out four overs later, going for a second on a misfield, meant Warwickshire had two new batsmen in and the innings stalled against tight bowling backed up by sharp fielding.Rikki Clarke went cheaply against the club he used to captain and, although Tim Ambrose dented Ben Cotton’s figures by pulling him for two consecutive sixes, he was lbw hitting across the line at Thakor.When Hardus Viljoen conceded only four off the bat in the final over, Warwickshire had been restricted to 44 from the last seven although Derbyshire still needed to make their highest one-day score against them to win.They were given a solid start by Slater and Billy Godleman who made 46 before he was sent back and run out for 46 in the 18th over as the spinners checked the home side’s progress.Clarke profited when he returned to have Thakor caught at deep mid on for 20 and although Slater pulled Ateeq Javid for six, he was bowled attempting the same shot at Patel two overs later.When Wayne Madsen was lbw to Keith Barker, Derbyshire needed 120 from the last 15 overs but Daryn Smit pulled Mark Adair for four and six to reduce the target to 84 from 10.Alex Hughes helped add 62 in nine overs before Mendis took over, clubbing Clarke for six before he sealed victory with a drive down the ground off Barker.Mendis said: “I wanted to play a good innings for Derbyshire but this was a team effort. The senior players have done well and it gives the younger players a boost to help them in the future.”Every time I go out to bat I get nervous and batting at No 7 is hard because you get few balls to play yourself in so you get little time to get going.”

After Marcus Stoinis’ spell of 3 for 11 restricted the Melbourne Renegades to 6 for 155, the Stars chased the score down with rather ease, led by Kevin Pietersen’s unbeaten 67

The Report by Will Macpherson in Melbourne09-Jan-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA week (that feels like a lifetime) ago, Chris Gayle was a columnist for Fairfax Media. In his final column – he has since filed a defamation case against the company for allegations made in its pages – he claimed he and Kevin Pietersen were the Melbourne derby’s big draws, but Pietersen was no match for him. This week, with all the build-up surrounding Gayle for the wrong reasons, Pietersen did as Pietersen does, and stole the show in style.There was only ever one way Gayle could have responded to an eye-popping week with anything approaching elegance. It is now his bat that has to do his talking, as have ruled out any further involvement in their coverage, and he won’t speak to media again during the competition, even if he scores a century. From his first ball, when he miscued a slog sweep off Michael Beer, it was clear that he knew this.After losing his opening partner Tom Cooper early, this mis-hit caused Gayle to go into his shell (if he has one), with seven of his next eight deliveries dots. That was until Adam Zampa entered the attack. Gayle rocked back and sent his second delivery into the second tier, and three balls later, he had six more in a similar region. But the introduction of Marcus Stoinis ended Gayle’s tired innings just as it looked like waking up, as he swatted a short ball to long-on. Gayle’s meaningful contributions were done, and many would have been relieved to note the evening even passed without any overt “Stand by Gayle” moments among the crowd of 43,176 as there had been on Wednesday when the MCG confiscated banners.Vocal distaste was shown towards Cameron White, who moved across town this season, not Gayle. But after a sprightly innings from White, in which he sent the first two balls from the unusually expensive John Hastings for six then four, he fell the ball after Gayle, edging behind when looking to glide Stoinis to third man. When Peter Nevill was run-out in extraordinary fashion at the non-striker’s end off his own bat and Adam Zampa’s nose, and Aaron Ayre was lbw first ball, the Renegades were in deep trouble at 5 for 78.Dwayne Bravo marshalled the rebuild with some fine hitting. He shared 66 with Tom Beaton, who cut powerfully and was strong through square leg and also fell to Stoinis; a clever, looping slower ball sneaking under his bat. Bravo had gone after Hastings, taking him for 23 from 10 balls, including three fours in an over, and a six in the last over almost spectacularly saved by Stoinis at long-off, and the Renegades ended on 155 two balls later.After the second innings of the match was delayed by lingering smoke from ill-advised fireworks involved in the half-time entertainment, the Stars flew out of the blocks. The first three overs cost 32, with Stoinis looking in sublime touch, with drives and pulls through the leg side. Luke Wright had four fours of his own by the end of the third over, and the Renegades managed just four dots in that time. Bravo, and a wonderful trickily disguised slower ball, saw Stoinis bowled behind his legs. Wright continued upon his merry way, before slapping youngster Cameron Stevenson to cover for 37.For Stars, this was barely a speedbump, but Renegades, who are all but out of contention having only taken 22 wickets in six games, were profligate. Pietersen, who offered a tough return catch to Bravo on 7, was joined by Peter Handscomb, who timed his pull shots wonderfully from the start, and the pair ran brilliantly between the wickets. In consecutive overs, with the Renegades in the last chance saloon, Pietersen skied Bravo into the off side and substitute Ben McDermott, running in from deep cover, and White, running back, let a catch fall between them, and soon Bravo let a Handscomb swipe through his hands for six on the midwicket fence.Much in the manner of Wright and Glenn Maxwell a week ago, the pair just calmly chipped away at their total. There were fireworks, a pair of magnificent Pietersen sixes over long-on for instance, but this was the calculated, efficient and ruthless unpicking of an inferior team. Stars are missing big names but, as they cruise towards the finals after their horror start, have plenty left in reserve.

Sri Lanka batting coach Marvan Atapattu was confident the team would put behind their dismal batting performance against New Zealand in Cardiff and bounce back in the remaining two Champions Trophy group matches

Sa'adi Thawfeeq in England12-Jun-2013Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s batting coach, is confident the team would put behind their dismal batting performance against New Zealand in Cardiff and bounce back in the remaining two Champions Trophy group matches against England and Australia.”True, we had a bad batting innings the other day,” Atapattu said. “The spirit was high and the boys were fighting, and we almost got through. But unfortunately, it didn’t happen for more than one reason.”Within the team, everyone wants to win. It’s about experience. Given the reputation of some of these guys, they want to win these two games badly. Nobody would like those reputations to be tarnished playing in England, especially.”Sri Lanka meet England at the Oval on June 13 and Australia at the same venue on June 17. They need to win both games to have a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.Against New Zealand in Cardiff last Sunday, Sri Lanka’s batting collapsed for 138 and they lost by a narrow one-wicket margin. Atapattu, a former captain and top-order batsman, summed up the team’s batting performance by saying that the batsmen needed to bring their experience into play in such situations.”We have the experience, but putting that to work is something. We have spoken about it. [From] time to time, it will happen. Hopefully we will read situations better and think 50-over cricket and bat 300 balls of the innings.”Looking at the total we got, it wasn’t satisfactory. We could have read the situation from the middle. We could have adjusted to settling down to a much lesser target, when you are looking at 230-240 at the fall of the second wicket. Then, the way the wicket behaved and the way we approached it, things went wrong for us.”He regretted the fact that Sri Lanka did not play out their full quota of 50 overs. Atapattu also said that the team had played seven batsmen against New Zealand so that they could set a suitable target but the batting order did not add substantial partnerships.”That’s really disappointing – not batting 50 overs. It’s mandatory we use the full quota of 300 balls. Not to have used it is something that we really regret as a group,” Atapattu said. “We don’t want to go back to the bowlers and expect them to do something. It’s up to the batsmen to take on the responsibility and not expect something from the tail. Everybody has been given a role. Our batsmen will not get a flying start every day. But by playing seven batsmen, we have the cushioning of one extra batsman to get to the target we wanted. We needed to have two partnerships going to get to the total we required.”According to Atapattu, the key to succeeding in English conditions was all about spending time in the middle. “It’s all about spending a little more time to get into a rhythm. As you go along and as you get a rhythm scoring runs will be a lot easier,” he said. “The basic principle of one-day cricket is that you get your best batsmen to bat early in the innings so that you give them ample time and face more balls. But in different conditions, against different oppositions, those options could vary and there are times when you need to be flexible. We are open to it. It is not something where we say, ‘No, this is our batting order.'”Given that context, he said the team had considered pushing some of the younger batsmen up the order but had decided on sticking to a settled batting line-up for this tournament.
“It’s something that we have spoken about, but that’s something that we decided to stick with for this tournament and we don’t want that to be a disturbing factor. We would like to see them batting at their positions and doing their best. If they come up trumps the other side of the coin is that the team will do well,” he said.He also admitted that the youngsters in the side needed to be pushed to perform, and it was the job of the coaches and senior players to instill a sense of professionalism in them.
“I reckon we, as coaches, become facilitators in front of senior players, and, in the meantime, be pushy with some of these youngsters,” Atapattu said. “At one point, they will realise what’s good for them and what’s not. Our system is such, compared to places like England, Australia or South Africa where you see professionalism setting in very early. For us, it won’t happen. We need to understand that and push these youngsters. Sticking to the basics is important to being a good batsman. If you have a good foundation, from there, you can modify your game to reach any level.”The former Sri Lanka captain also said that the amount of cricket played throughout the year didn’t allow players adequate time to prepare and practice. “Those days have gone. You get plenty of cricket nowadays; all sorts of formats come in. It won’t be ideal, but these guys are professionals compared to our times or 10 years ago. This is where professionalism comes into the equation,” he said.

Jonny Bairstow revived memories of his brilliant England one-day debut with a maiden international fifty to set up a resounding 38-run victory against Pakistan

The Report by David Hopps25-Feb-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJonny Bairstow showed composure and judgement in his maiden international fifty•Getty Images

Jonny Bairstow revived memories of his brilliant England one-day debut with a maiden international fifty to set up a resounding 38-run victory against Pakistan under the Dubai floodlights and level the Twenty20 series at 1-1 with one to play.Bairstow’s 41 from 21 balls against India in Cardiff on a rainy night last September identified him as a one-day cricketer of immense promise but it had remained his highest score in eight innings in ODIs and T20s as England awaited confirmation that he could follow up his flash of brilliance by proving that, at 22, he was ready for the international stage.Slow Asian pitches have forced some self-analysis for Bairstow but the Yorkshireman indicated it had been time well spent as he came alive against a high-class Pakistan attack. If Cardiff had brought excitement, Dubai, with the ring of fire blazing down, confirmed that it was not misplaced. An immensely watchable series will be decided in Abu Dhabi on Monday.A dead surface made it a demanding night for batting and Pakistan, who had successfully defended 144 for 6 on the same ground two days earlier, floundered against one of the most skilful and intelligent England T20 bowling displays of recent memory. They never got close, even if while Shahid Afridi is around a distant target is seen as if through binoculars. Afridi was last out for 25, hacking Stuart Broad into the offside, kept off strike so successfully that he faced only 23 balls of the 58 delivered while he was at the crease.Pakistan lost half their side for 50 by the ninth over, leaving their captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, to try to remedy a situation that he is not really designed to address. In both matches, slower balls have not as much deceived him as stripped him bare. He has done much to stabilise Pakistan in Test cricket, but the argument for a new one-day captain is a persuasive one. Bairstow had a say in his dismissal, too, a brilliant diving catch at long-on as Misbah charged at Graeme Swann.Consolation for Pakistan came in the promise of Hammad Azam. Misbah has yet to allow him a bowl in this series, which is short-termism at its worst with World Twenty20 approaching, but even at more than 10 an over he posed a threat until a steepling blow was held at long-on by Jos Buttler, who had been off the field with an injured hand sustained when he dropped Umar Akmal at short midwicket, and who in one moment proved his fitness.But the night belonged to Bairstow. Against an excellent Pakistan attack, his unbeaten 60 from 46 balls were runs well earned. He is that rare commodity for England, a power hitter, and after he squirted Umar Gul into the leg side to secure his half-century four balls from the end of the innings, he emphasised the fact it by slapping a slow ball from Gul, a shot he did not really middle, over long-on for six.He was determined to provide impetus from the outset. A flat six into the sightscreen bolstered his confidence; in his examination by Pakistan’s spinners, he had at least gained pass marks on the subject of Afridi’s googly. His most exceptional stroke, though, was reserved for Saeed Ajmal with slick footwork to make room followed by a regal off drive. There were muscular sweeps against the spinners and there was fun, too, as he grinned at Ajmal after daring a reverse sweep. He relishes a challenge and it will serve him well.For another England batsman, life is not so grand. Eoin Morgan’s tortured tour continued. He has yet to manage a half-century and, although he briefly hinted at better with two successive cover boundaries against Gul, he poked forward to Mohammad Hafeez and was lbw. He should have been lbw the previous ball, when he was defeated on the cut, but the umpire Ahsan Raza, unsure whether the ball had hit bat before pad, gave him the benefit of the doubt. Morgan insists that playing spin is a strength of his game, but the evidence that he is deluding himself is irrefutable.When Craig Kieswetter, who had looked more threatening than at any time on tour, holed out at long-off for 31, with four wickets lost by the 10th over, England split their two greenhorns, Bairstow and Buttler, with Samit Patel, himself a veteran of only seven Twenty20s but more proven in these conditions and with a solid T20 record at Nottinghamshire behind him. Patel’s run out, eschewing a dive to the crease as Ajmal hit direct with a throw from long leg will not find favour with England’s management. It was careless from a player whose athleticism is forever in focus and whose fielding has shown signs of improvement.Gul at the death – predominantly bowling yorkers with a hint of reverse swing – was again excellent and it did nothing for the reputation of Buttler’s trademark shot, the step to leg and horizontal-bat shovel over his left shoulder. As Gul hit the stumps with a low full toss, the shot had got Buttler out on two successive occasions.England again exposed the fragility of Pakistan’s batting line-up and this time they did it with the aid of excellent catches. Hafeez made nought as a tall fast bowler, Steve Finn, was backed up by a tall first slip, Kevin Pietersen, who had received a rare invitation to the catching cordon. Jade Dernbach’s reflexes were in good order, too, as he held Asad Shafiq’s return drive and Morgan’s catch was the best of the lot, intercepted at backward point to silence the dangerous Akmal.But nothing was more impressive than the way they unravelled Awais Zia, mini Boom Boom, who had briefly flared in the first Twenty20. Zia faced 12 balls and managed only one scoring shot – a straight, length ball from Finn, just the delivery he feasts upon, which he clobbered over midwicket for six.That apart, his limitations as a legside hitter were intelligently exposed as England nullified him with width and changes of pace. It is doubtful whether he has ever gone so many balls without scoring in his life. His last shot, which fell to Dernbach at mid-off, told of his desperation. It will be intriguing to see how he responds.

Mickey Arthur, the former South Africa coach, has been appointed the new coach of Australia

Daniel Brettig22-Nov-2011Mickey Arthur, the former South Africa coach, has been appointed the new coach of Australia, a role with wide-ranging responsibilities after its redefinition under the recommendations of the Argus review.Arthur is the first foreign-born coach to be appointed to oversee Australia’s fortunes, and will be in place in time for the first Test between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane from December 1 to 5. Arthur’s contract will run until the end of the 2015 World Cup.”I am honoured and privileged to have another chance to coach an international team, particularly a team of the ilk of Australia,” Arthur said. “I think I bring a fresh, unblinkered eye to the role after plotting against Australia when coaching South Africa, and having now worked within the Australian system with the Warriors.”Australia has an abundance of cricket talent and I am confident the talent is there to ensure Australia is successful.”Following a thorough search that included entreaties to the England coach Andy Flower, among others, Arthur was confirmed in the job after a final round of interviews last week. Steve Rixon, Tom Moody and Justin Langer were among the other contenders for the job.Since resigning from the South Africa job, Arthur worked as coach of Western Australia, familiarising himself with the Australian game and also showing his capability for tough decisions as he worked to revitalise a state that had developed, in his words, “too many comfort zones”.Arthur had kept one eye on events at Cricket Australia since his arrival to coach WA, but said he became seriously interested in the role only after Tim Nielsen’s position was opened up to new candidates and the incumbent chose not to reapply.”Once Tim vacated the role [at the end of the Sri Lanka series] then it got serious,” Arthur said. “It was too good an opportunity not to have a look at, so I think I became interested once the advertisement went out for the post. I was really happy at Western Australia and really happy that we were trying to build something, but this job was just too good not to have a look at.”In addition to coaching Australia, Arthur will be a selector, and also the man responsible for ensuring the coaching philosophy and structure across all state sides will be consistent with and helpful to the progress of the national team. It is a commission similarly powerful to that held by Flower in England, and not dissimilar to Arthur’s in his time with South Africa between 2005 and 2010.During that tenure, Arthur formed a strong relationship with the captain, Graeme Smith, as the team rose from mediocrity to a peak that included in 2008-09 the first Test series win in Australia by any side for 15 years. Arthur acknowledged that his formation of a strong bond with Clarke, who was known to be a backer of Rixon, would be crucial to the team’s success.”I think the relationship between your captain and coach is one of the most important relationships there is in the game. It is almost like a marriage,” Arthur said. “The captain and the coach feed off each other and there can be no discrepancies. Certainly the captain and the coach need to have consistent messages they’re continually giving to the players.”But it doesn’t mean the captain and the coach can’t challenge each other, that’s all part of it and that’s done behind closed doors. I’m really excited to work with Michael Clarke, he’s an incredible talent and I’ve been very excited by the way he’s gone about his captaincy. I think since he’s taken over he’s been innovative, he’s captained with a lot of flair, and I’m really looking forward to supporting him, so he can be the best he possibly can and get the most runs he possibly can as well.”Shaun Pollock, the former South Africa captain and fast bowler, described Arthur’s role with South Africa, and his qualities as a coach. “He’s got a good understanding for the game and he will challenge the players,” Pollock said. “He’s not scared to take on and confront issues, but I think he would be defined more as a man manager.”Arthur’s appointment concluded a momentous round of changes to the structure around the Australian team, including the appointment of Pat Howard as team performance manager, the induction of a new selection panel that will now comprise the national selector John Inverarity, Clarke, selectors Rod Marsh and Andy Bichel and Arthur.The Western Australia coaching position Arthur departed from, also responsible for the Perth Scorchers in the BBL, will be taken over by his assistant Lachlan Stevens.

Marvan Atapattu, the former Sri Lanka captain and opening batsman, has been hired by Singapore as their coach till the end of 2010

Cricinfo staff22-Jan-2010Marvan Atapattu, the former Sri Lanka captain and opening batsman, has been hired by Singapore as their coach till the end of 2010. This is Atapattu’s first full-time assignment of a coach of a national side, after a short previous stint as Canada’s batting coach in early 2009, subsequently helping them qualify for the 2011 World Cup, and his main task will be the World Cricket League Division 5 in Nepal next month.”We have been looking around for a suitable person to help us move our cricket forward,” said Singapore Cricket Association deputy president Mahmood Gaznavi. “And Atapattu is definitely one who has the experience to push the team in the right direction.”Atapattu, 38, has previously also worked with the Fingara Cricket Academy, a coaching facility in Sri Lanka, for a couple of months before the Canada role. He will travel with Singapore to the six-nation tournament and fight for a place among the top two to advance to Division 4.”I am looking forward to doing all possible to help Singapore cricket,” said Atapattu, whose assignment started this week. “It is a challenge that can be realised by effort from both the players and the coach. I have seen some of the players at practice sessions and I must say I am impressed with the quality of some of these players.”Singapore won the World Cricket League Division 6 tournament last September with an unbeaten run against Guernsey, Botswana, Bahrain, Malaysia and Norway. In Nepal, they will face the hosts, Bahrain, Fiji, Jersey and the United States of America.”We have a realistic chance of doing well in Nepal,” said Singapore captain Munish Arora. “With proper application and commitment, Singapore can take on any of the other teams in Division 5. Atapattu’s engagement will be useful.”The Australian Trevor Chappell had coached Singapore for the World Cricket League Division 5 but his engagements back home did not permit him to continue with the team this year.

South Africa needed a little over two sessions to bundle Zimbabwe out and win by an innings

Himanshu Agrawal08-Jul-2025A complete mismatch of a Test in Bulawayo ended within two sessions on the third day, as Wiaan Mulder alone scored only 23 runs lesser than what Zimbabwe’s entire line-up managed across two innings. But even that happened when, at nine wickets down after being asked to follow-on, an outside edge off Wellington Masakadza dribbled away for four wide of the slips.The tenth-wicket stand between Masakadza and Tanaka Chivanga frustrated South Africa for nearly nine overs, but couldn’t prevent an innings defeat. South Africa comprehensively won by an innings and 236 runs to wrap the series 2-0 after confining Zimbabwe to their heaviest defeat by runs in the first Test of the series. It was South Africa’s tenth Test win on the trot, including their victory over Australia in the WTC 2025 final last month.Related

• Matigimu fined, handed demerit point for throwing the ball and hitting Pretorius

• Mulder: 'Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be'

• Mulder makes 367*, the fifth-highest individual Test score of all time

Zimbabwe started day three of the Bulawayo Test trailing by a massive 405 runs, with nine wickets in hand. While an innings defeat was inevitable given the deficit and the time remaining in the Test, a middle- and lower-order collapse of 6 for 31 after lunch hastened the eventual result.But before that, overnight batters Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Nick Welch negotiated the seven overs from Codi Yusuf and Corbin Bosch to start play by mostly blocking and leaving the deliveries. The first over of spin, though, got South Africa the breakthrough. Off his second ball, Senuran Muthusamy had Kaitano chipping to cover for 40 in the 24th over.Welch, at the other end, struggled to tick along. His first 45 balls fetched him only 14 runs, and one of his two boundaries came earlier in the day when he outside-edged Yusuf between third slip and gully. In the 26th over, however, Welch swung Muthusamy for a huge six down the ground. Next ball, he went for a hoick across the line, and the ball missed both the bat and the leg stump.But that didn’t prevent Welch from keeping his counterattack going. He punched Mulder wide of gully for four, had a difficult chance dropped by David Bedingham at backward point off Muthusamy, was beaten and nearly stumped next ball, and repeated his massive hit for six off Muthusamy – all these in the space of facing nine balls.It was Mulder’s Test, though, and come the 29th over, his heel was just within permissible limits as he cleaned Sean Williams up for 11. Welch slowed down after that wicket, looking content to push for singles and bat time. He raised his fifty just before lunch when he flicked Prenelan Subrayen for two to fine leg , before both Welch and Craig Ervine went unbeaten at the interval. At the time, Zimbabwe were still another 313 runs behind South Africa.However, Welch and Ervine didn’t last long enough. Muthusamy got a leading edge from Welch, who was caught by Mulder at slip for 55 in the third over after lunch. That began the slide, as 153 for 3 soon turned out to be 184 for 9. Yusuf got among the wickets when he trapped Wessly Madhevere in front for 5 in the 53rd over. Ervine and Tafadzwa Tsiga strung together plenty of dots as the scoring stalled, before Yusuf had Tsiga chipping to short midwicket to end his stay on 1 off 20 balls.At six down, Masakadza joined Ervine, and kept South Africa waiting for more. Masakadza edged one just short of second slip off his first ball, and had a tight stumping decision go his way. It was Bosch who ended the five-run union in almost six overs when he had Ervine edging behind for 49 to start the 65th over. Three balls later, Bosch bowled Kundai Matigimu for a duck to bag his third wicket. In the 69th, Bosch had Blessing Muzarabani edging to third slip without scoring, with Zimbabwe trailing by 272 runs.It was a matter of time before South Africa wrapped up victory, but while last man Tanaka Chivanga had some fun, Masakadza too hung around to annoy South Africa. Chivanga scored 22 off 26 balls, with three boundaries and a six, but was the last man to fall when Muthusamy had him top-edging to slip. Fittingly, it was Mulder who took the winning catch, having stood in as captain for this Test, and being named Player of the Match for his marathon 367* and Player of the Series for scoring 531 runs overall and bagging seven wickets.

Shreyanka has fractured the fourth finger on her left hand

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jul-2024Shreyanka Patil has been ruled out of the women’s Asia Cup after picking up an injury to her left hand. A press release from the Asian Cricket Council on Saturday said the 21-year old India offspinner “sustained a fracture to the fourth finger of her left hand.”Shreyanka took a full part in the team’s only game of the tournament so far, against Pakistan on Friday, bowling 3.2 overs and picking up 2 for 14. She was not needed to bat with India wrapping up the win in 14.2 overs and with seven wickets to spare. Tanuja Kanwar, the uncapped 26-year-old left-arm spinner who plays for Gujarat Giants in the WPL and Railways in domestic cricket, has been called up as replacement.Shreyanka made her debut for India in December 2023 on the back of impressive performances in the WPL. This year, she went on to become champion with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a season where she took 13 wickets – the most by any bowler – at an average of 12.07 and an economy rate of 7.30. Shreyanka has played 12 T20Is for India and has gone wicketless in only two of those games. She’s also represented her country in three ODIs.Kanwar, born in Himachal Pradesh, also made a big splash in the WPL. She was bought by the Giants in 2023 for INR 50 lakh. A week before that auction she had starred with 3 for 26 for Railways in the One Day Trophy final to finish the tournament with 18 wickets while averaging 11.16 and conceding just 2.43 runs an over. Kanwar finished the 2024 WPL season with 10 wickets from eight matches at an average of 20.70 and an economy rate of 7.13. She is known for a variation where she bowls her left-arm spin from well behind the popping crease.India’s next match at the women’s Asia Cup is on Sunday against the UAE in Dambulla.

Duckett, Crawley reach fifties as England close in on Ireland’s modest first-innings total

Valkerie Baynes01-Jun-2023 is a TV quiz show in which contestants must guess the most obscure answer to each question, an answer that’s right but which no member of the public surveyed by the show has thought of. But it was Stuart Broad who provided the most obvious solution of all amid the murmurings that there was little point to this Test – as evidenced by Ireland’s undeniable focus on World Cup qualification and England’s understandable caution with their thinning seam-bowling stocks and eagerness to experiment in that department.It would be impossible to argue to Broad that a third five-wicket haul at Lord’s – his first at this ground in a decade – carries zero meaning, just as it would be to tell England that any kind of rehearsal for their upcoming Ashes campaign is pointless. In the same way, it would be futile to tell Ireland that if they are to boost their Test experience – still only seven matches old – that there’s no point turning up. The international season has to start somewhere, so it might as well be here and now, right?Broad’s 5 for 51 restricted Ireland to 172 after they were sent in to bat under overcast skies by a side that loves to chase. The total fell short of Ireland’s first innings the last time these sides met at Lord’s, four summers ago, when they then bowled England out for 85 in their reply before capitulating for just 38 in the fourth innings and the hosts won by 143 runs.Related

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By stumps on the opening day, after the cloud cover had given way to baking sunshine by lunchtime, England had closed the gap to just 20 runs in assertive fashion with nine wickets in hand. Zak Crawley reached fifty off just 39 balls before he perished to a juggled return catch by Fionn Hand, on debut as Ireland’s third seamer, Crawley’s 11 fours comprising some exquisite cover drives interspersed by some streaky inside edges. Ben Duckett reached his own half-century off 53 balls and remained unbeaten on 60 at the close, joined by Ollie Pope on 29.Broad took a flurry of three wickets in the space of eight balls to leave Ireland floundering at 19 for 3 early in the morning session and claimed two more, shortly after lunch and early in the evening session, as James McCollum, Curtis Campher and Paul Stirling all made it into the 30s but failed to press on. McCollum was patient, Campher spirited and Stirling enterprising but the task was too big, and arguably made even bigger by the well-publicised absence of Josh Little, their best bowler who is resting after the IPL and before next month’s 50-over World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe as well as the European T20 World Cup Qualifier in Scotland a month later.With his usual new-ball partner James Anderson sitting out to manage his return from a groin problem ahead of the Ashes, Broad opened the bowling with Matthew Potts and while the latter probed impressively, it was Broad broke through with the second ball of his third over, a fuller one which pitched a fraction outside off stump then angled back beautifully as PJ Moor walked across his stumps and was struck halfway up his front pad in line with middle and leg.Crawley pulled off an excellent dive from second slip to snaffle Andy Balbirnie’s outside edge as the Ireland captain departed for a five-ball duck and Broad claimed his second. Harry Tector followed two balls later, advancing to Broad and tucking the ball straight to Potts at leg slip.Broad thought he had a fourth wicket immediately, as did umpire Paul Wilson, when he struck Stirling flush on the front pad as he played across the line, but Stirling survived on review when ball-tracking showed it to be missing leg stump by a whisker.Debutant Josh Tongue, the Worcestershire seamer originally drafted as injury cover for Anderson and Ollie Robinson, who is also being kept on ice after hurting his ankle playing for Sussex, replaced Broad from the Pavilion End in the 11th over and tested McCollum immediately, sending down twin maidens to begin with. He conceded 40 runs off 13 wicketless overs but he bowled excellent line and length while finding extra bounce and carry.Stuart Broad leads England off the field•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

McCollum survived an England review for caught behind off a Tongue short ball which beat his inside edge, nipped back sharply and just evaded the bat as it sailed over the stumps, brushing his thigh pad instead. By lunch, he had faced 93 deliveries for his 29 not out, whereas Stirling reached 30 off 35 balls, including back-to-back fours off Tongue among his five boundaries, before he shaped to sweep Jack Leach and the ball looped off his glove to a waiting Jonny Bairstow, back behind the stumps after nine months out of international cricket with a broken leg.Broad struck again in the fifth over after lunch as McCollum edged to Joe Root at slip and he bowled Mark Adair with an excellent inswinger that clipped the top of off stump as Ireland lurched to 169 for 8 shortly after tea.Campher fell advancing on Leach and missing as the ball rattled his stumps to give the England spinner his third and Potts claimed his second wicket, having broken a 38-run stand between Campher and Andy McBrine, when he had Hand caught behind to wrap up the innings.