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The USWNT midfielder scored a big goal as she continues to put this summer's disappointment behind her.

After deploying a super strong team in a 3-0 rout against China over the weekend, Twila Kilgore shook things up on Tuesday. In a match against the same opponent, Kilgore gave some new faces a chance, with varying success.

In the end, it resulted in a 2-1 win over China, one that saw the U.S. women's national team come from behind to seal the win. It wasn't nearly as one-sided as the first match, but it was equally impressive, as the USWNT eventually figured out China's low block to erase any frustration from a lackluster first half.

In the end, several newer faces stole the show. Both goalscorers are players that were not part of the World Cup squad, but will now have realistic Olympic dreams. Those preparations remain ongoing but, for a few players in the team, this will have been a big step forward on the road to next summer's tournament.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Toyota Stadium…

GettyWINNER: Sam Coffey

In the months leading up to the World Cup, USWNT fans were all left wondering: where is Sam Coffey? When the actual World Cup started, those questions grew louder. Given the team's issues in midfield, how could Coffey be left out?

Well, Coffey is continuing to make the outside world wonder "what if". More importantly, though, she's continuing to prove that the past is the past, and that she should be part of the USWNT's present and future.

The goal was an obvious exclamation point, one that left even Coffey stunned. The smile on her face said it all and, after the match, she admitted that she couldn't even fully remember how it all happened. Coffey was as shocked as anyone after scoring her first USWNT goal.

She doesn't get many, and that's not why she's here. Coffey is with the USWNT to help run the midfield, and she's shown she can do that a bit too.

The question is if she can do it as a single No. 6. Played next to Emily Sonnett here, can Coffey hold things down in a way that allows Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle to bomb forward? We'll find out eventually, as it seems Coffey is here for good after being left out for far too long.

AdvertisementLOSER: Ashley Hatch

Hatch is in something of a weird spot. With a legend like Alex Morgan and young guns like Sophia Smith and Mia Fishel behind her, Hatch is a player caught between two generations, in a way.

Because of that, Hatch faces something of an uphill battle for an Olympic spot, and that battle didn't get any easier after Tuesday night. Hatch provided plenty of energy and enthusiasm, making some things happen in her 45 minutes. She couldn't quite get the goal, though, and that will be held against her once again.

Fairly or unfairly, Hatch's history shows that she hasn't quite been able to bring her NWSL goalscoring to the USWNT. She's held to a tough standard, considering those around her, and it'll take something special for her to hold off a rising star Fishel, given what we've seen. With roster spots at a premium and time running out ahead of the Olympics, Hatch will need to start 2024 on fire to keep her name in the mix for a spot up top.

GettyWINNER: Jaedyn Shaw

She may only be 19, but Shaw seems ready for whatever the USWNT can throw at her.

That's two goals for her now, both in memorable stadiums. The first came in front of her club's hometown crowd and the second came in front of her actual hometown crowd. If the World Cup final was in a city that meant something to Shaw, history shows that no one would be able to stop her!

The goal was a cool one for the youngster, who really placed her shot to win the game. It was, however, not her only moment as Shaw showed signs throughout her time on the field. In the first half, she seemed oh so close, having a few good moments just failing to come off right at the end.

It all worked out eventually, and, so far in her USWNT career, everything seems to be going Shaw's way. It won't always be that way but, despite her age, Shaw's showing she has more than enough to her game to contribute in the short term, not just the long term.

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LOSER: Emily Fox

Not a loser in the traditional sense, as Fox's stock didn't drop in the slightest. No, Fox is a loser because, physically, she's gonna feel this one for quite a while!

In a personal sense, every player on the field will have gone into this one looking to avoid injury. It's the last game of 2023, after all. After this, each of these players will go on a well-deserved vacation to get some much-needed rest ahead of a huge 2024. Fox, though, will start that vacation a bit beat up.

The fullback was fouled har several times, taking a beating throughout her 45 minutes. She nearly came out early after having her legs swiped on the edge of the box and ultimately did come out of the match at halftime due to concussion protocol.

Overall, it was a tough one for Fox, who didn't get the send-off she deserved after a fantastic 2023.

Warwickshire and Hampshire settled for a draw at Edgbaston after a final day which had promised much but delivered only stalemate

Press Association22-Apr-2015
ScorecardVarun Chopra marshalled Warwickshire through the final day•PA PhotosWarwickshire and Hampshire settled for a draw at Edgbaston after a final day which had promised much but delivered only stalemate.At start of play both sides had a sniff of victory as Warwickshire resumed on 47 without loss, needing another 332 to reel in their target of 379, while Hampshire had to find 10 wickets. A Hampshire win was unlikely, their bowlers’ task made difficult by a slow and flattening pitch which offered little turn throughout.It was Warwickshire, their innings given a brisk start by Ian Westwood the previous evening, who appeared to be in a position from which to push for victory but they never sought to accelerate, finishing on 244 for 5.Captain Varun Chopra, on 10 when the last day began, batted through the day to record his 17th first-class century, a rock-solid if colourless composition which brought him an unbeaten 119 from 309 balls with 14 fours.After three days of interesting, fluctuating cricket, the fourth amounted to disappointment for the spectators as the match petered out into a draw from which Warwickshire took 10 points and Hampshire 11.The visitors struck an early blow when Andre Adams trapped Westwood lbw but Chopra and William Porterfield ensured there was no early clatter of wickets, adding an unbroken 60 in 30 overs, hitting just one boundary apiece up to lunch.The second-wicket pair showed no more adventure after the interval and had ground out 68 from 34 overs before Porterfield edged a fine delivery from James Tomlinson to the wicketkeeper.The impressive Tomlinson collected a deserved second wicket when Laurie Evans lifted the ball to mid-on and when Liam Dawson had Sam Hain caught at short leg, it was 145 for 4 and Warwickshire were wobbling.But Chopra remained and went into tea on 70 from 216 balls, just four of which he had hit for four, resuming afterwards with concentration undiminished. He found an equally obdurate partner in Tim Ambrose who was batting with a runner after suffering a gluteal strain.The wicketkeeper, a century-maker in the first innings, dug in again for 29 to snuff out any lingering Hampshire hopes of inducing a late collapse.Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams was pleased with his side’s performance, and said: “At the start of the last day I thought a draw was probably the least likely result.”But Varun played very well and it was a pretty good wicket which offered only a little bit of turn and didn’t go up and down like both teams thought it might. I don’t think we could have asked an awful lot more from our bowlers. They kept it tight and didn’t give anything away.”The previous evening at the start of their innings Warwickshire had got away from us a little bit and if they had started the same way today then things could have been a lot different. But the guys bowled well and I am really happy with the way we played over the four days.”

On a challenging track in Lahli, the match between the Haryana and Punjab seems to be heading for an exciting finish after the hosts finished the second day 96 runs ahead in their second innings

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2013
ScorecardSanjay Budhwar picked up four wickets•ESPNcricinfo LtdOn a green track at Lahli, the match between hosts Haryana and Punjab seems set for a close finish. At the end of the second day, Haryana have a 96-run lead but are also five wickets down and the Punjab pacers, particularly, Sandeep Sharma and VRV Singh will be looking to knock the side over quickly on the third morning.No one team could claim the honours on the second day. Punjab began at 50 for 3 but lost overnight batsmen Sandeep and Uday Kaul off consecutive deliveries to pacer Sanjay Budhwar. Taruwar Kohli followed suit with only 11 runs added to the scoreboard.A doughty 86-run stand between Mayank Sidhana and Gurkeerat Singh rescued the innings and, more importantly, helped them take a small lead over Haryana. Gurkeerat raised his maiden first-class fifty, scoring 51 off 48 balls with eight fours, while Sidhana collected a 91-ball 43 with seven fours. Once Gurkeerat fell, however, the Haryana pacers wrapped up the last four wickets for 10 runs and Punjab were dismissed for 184, a lead of 21 runs. Seamer Harshal Patel picked up three of the last four wickets to finish with 4 for 60 and Budhwar also finished with a four-wicket haul.Haryana’s batsmen once again found themselves struggling against Sandeep as the pacer quickly dismissed Abhimanyu Khod and Rahul Dalal. Avi Barot was on his way to a second fifty in the match and was involved in a promising stand with Nitin Saini before Sandeep struck again, dismissing him for 31. VRV Singh added another blow to Haryana, dismissing Saini for 25. By close of play, Sachin Rana and Amit Mishra had added 31 for the sixth wicket. The pair carry the hopes of a Haryana line-up that will be looking to set a challenging target as they seek their second win.

Australia’s Test team convened without Ricky Ponting in Hobart on Monday evening

Daniel Brettig10-Dec-2012Australia’s Test team convened without Ricky Ponting in Hobart on Monday evening. Barring reasons of injury or personal leave, this is the first time such a state of affairs has existed since 1999.The space left by Ponting will be felt as much in the dressing room as out in the middle, for while his run-making trailed off badly towards the end, his contribution to the team’s development as a mentor and example was seldom stronger.Phillip Hughes occupies Ponting’s place on the team sheet, but all will be expected to take up the considerable hole left by his presence. Apart from the captain Michael Clarke, the most senior members of the squad to play at Bellerive are Michael Hussey, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson.Their insights and examples will be critical to younger team-mates, and so too will the personal experience of Ed Cowan. Having benefited greatly from the time he spent around Ponting both before and after his elevation to the national team, Cowan will now be expected to show that example.”It’s an odd situation in that one of the guys that has been inked into the top order, but more so inked into the culture of the change room, will be missing,” Cowan told ESPNcricinfo. “So there are two ways to look at it. One is to reminisce and think what a hole he’s going to leave. The other side of the coin is that it’s an opportunity for guys to step up, not only as players but as leaders around the change room, and that’s an opportunity for a number of guys to combine together and try to fill the void of his presence.”I think cultures evolve, and the culture of this team has evolved since Michael’s taken the captaincy, so it’s a question of guys being willing like Ricky was to give of themselves to the team like no other. Put the team first, play to win, and make sure the change rooms are a better place when the next person steps into it. A massive loss off the field, but the identity of this team has been growing since Michael took over the captaincy, and that growth’s been pretty evident in the results.”That those results did not culminate in a series victory over South Africa was down to a major malfunction at Nos. 3 and 4 in the batting order – of which Ponting was of course a part – the toll of three Tests on the hosts’ bowlers, and the resilience of the seasoned visitors. Cowan enjoyed a productive series personally, making his first Test century and looking comfortable at other times, but the most resounding lessons of the series were of the five-day game’s unremitting nature.”From a team point of view it was a great lesson that Test series are exactly that,” Cowan said. “It’s not one or two days of really decent cricket, to beat the best you have to be consistent for 15 days. As a group we felt as though we dominated them for eight or nine days of the series, maybe had points decisions on two or three days and only lost two or three days to them, and you end up losing the series. So it was a great lesson for us that the great teams soak up pressure when they have to and have an ability to really nail you when they have that momentum.”They were due to have a good day. That was in the back of everyone’s mind that they’d been pounded and pounded and pounded and yet it showed 0-0, and it took a toll on our bowlers a bit more with both quicks sitting out [Perth]. So we were up against it when our top three quicks were all unavailable for what was a grand final, so it was always going to be hard work. We had our opportunity after day one with the bat to really nail them and we didn’t take it, then with the ball we let things slip, and in a matter of hours the series was prettymuch gone.”Having said that, deep down we knew we gave it a massive shake. The best team in the world had come here with the intention of proving how good they were, and we flexed a few muscles and showed how good we were over the course of the series, but didn’t come away with the biscuits.”Ponting’s retirement and its associated melancholy appeared to add a mental toll to the physical strain evident after the sapping conclusion to the Adelaide Test. Cowan said the start of a new series would allow the start of a new and fresh chapter, without anything like the pathos that enveloped Australia at the WACA ground – there will certainly be fewer tears shed this week, both in private and in public.”It was tough mentally, and physically because it was a back-to-back Test,” Cowan said. “Now we’ve had a chance to refresh, take stock and move forward. Phil Hughes is coming into the side off a lot of runs and we’re pretty confident that everyone can contribute to the team moving forward. We’re now missing Australia’s greatest modern batsmen, but it’s an opportunity for guys to step up. It puts expectation on other guys to fill the void. That’s the only way.”

As it had threatened to do the weather had the final say in Port-of-Spain and end the prospect of a fascinating finish

The Report by Andrew McGlashan19-Apr-2012Australia 311 (Hussey 73, Watson 56, Roach 5-105) and 160 for 8 dec (Ponting 41, Roach 5-41) drew with West Indies 257 (Chanderpaul 94, Lyon 5-68) and 53 for 2
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Hilfenhaus made early inroads for Australia before rain closed in for the final time•AFPAs it had threatened to do the weather had the final say in Port-of-Spain and end the prospect of a fascinating finish after both captains took up each other’s challenge to force a positive result. Michael Clarke declared to leave West Indies a target of 215 in 61 overs then Darren Sammy promoted himself to No. 3 as the hosts reached 53 for 2 when they were forced off which meant Australia retained the Frank Worrell Trophy.The initial asking rate for West Indies of 3.52 was considerably more than had been managed for a sustained period at any stage of the game. However, Sammy’s attacking mindset put his team ahead of the rate as he took on Australia’s bowlers, especially Ben Hilfenhaus who he hit for 14 off three deliveries.Hilfenhaus, though, had also given Australia their opening with a strong new-ball spell. He trapped Kieran Powell lbw, after he had been promoted to open, with a delivery that swung back (for the second time in the game Powell made the wrong decision over a review) then removed Adrian Barath with one that climbed from a length and took the edge to first slip.But from 13 for 2 Sammy responded with two early boundaries off Shane Watson to show his mind was not turning towards the draw although some of his earlier fielding settings had suggested otherwise. Darren Bravo, who could have provided an anchor to the innings, was content to play quietly alongside his captain before the clouds rolled in.Smart stats

Kemar Roach became the first West Indian since Curtly Ambrose and the fifth West Indian overall to pick up a ten-wicket match haul against Australia. Ambrose had done so in Adelaide (1993) when West Indies won by one run.

Roach also became the fourth West Indian and the 11th bowler overall to pick up a ten-wicket haul in Trinidad. The last West Indian to achieve the feat was Ambrose in 1994 when West Indies bowled England out for 46.

It is also the 17th occasion that a West Indies bowler has had twin five-wicket hauls in a Test. Kenny Benjamin was the previous bowler to do in Nottingham in 1995.

Roach’s 5for 41 is fifth on the list of best bowling performances by a West Indian bowler against Australia in Trinidad. The best is Vanburn Holder’s 6 for 28 in 1978.

Australia declared their third innings on 160 for 8. It is only the third time that Australia have declared at a total below 200 with seven or more wickets lost. However, on the previous two occasions they won the match.

There were ten leg-before dismissals in the match. It is the seventh time in a West Indian-Australia Test that there have been ten or more lbw dismissals.

Australia’s run-rate in the match (2.39) is the second-lowest for them in a Test against West Indies since 1990 (min 1000 balls bowled). The lowest (2.30) in the same period also came in Trinidad in 1991.

Australia had signalled their intent immediately after lunch when Michael Hussey lofted the first ball of the second session over long-off against Narsingh Deonarine then slog-swept another boundary to signal the intent. Sammy immediately set his field deep as Hussey and Matthew Wade started to play tip-and-run cricket.Hussey dragged Kemar Roach into his stumps, as he tried to glide the ball to third man, and three balls later Hilfenhaus had his off stump pegged back as Roach became the first West Indies bowler since Curtly Ambrose in 1993 to take ten in a match against Australia.The visitors had found progress hard going during the morning session and after losing Clarke and Ricky Ponting in quick succession had to guard against a more damaging collapse. Australia’s first boundary did not come until the 10th over of the day when Ponting flicked Fidel Edwards to fine leg and two balls later Ponting hooked a well-directed bouncer straight to deep square-leg.It was due reward for Edwards, who had toiled without luck during this match while Roach picked up the wickets, and meant Ponting did not covert his hard work. His 41 was more than he had made in his previous eight international innings combined but the mode of dismissal was likely to start more debate.Two overs later West Indies’ morning got even better thanks to spark of fielding brilliance from Sammy. Clarke pushed fractionally early at a delivery that may have stopped in the surface, sending the ball back down the pitch but fair distance to Sammy’s right in his follow through. However, Sammy stuck out his hand and with the ball almost past him clung onto the catch before a nonchalant celebration.It left the intriguing situation of Australia being 149 ahead with 82 overs left in match and also having an injured James Pattinson in the dressing room. Shillingford began his latest exacting spell of the match as he teased and tested Hussey and Wade. The ball beat the outside edge and took the inside edge but nothing quite went to hand for West Indies.Shortly before Australia started to release some of the pressure as Wade pulled Sammy for a boundary and Hussey swept Shillingford and that was sign of things to come but in the end the efforts of both sides were futile.

A round-up of the sixth round National Cricket League matches

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2012
ScorecardDhaka Division opened up the title race for the National Cricket League by beating leaders Khulna Division by five wickets in Rajshahi. The seven points from the game put them just four short of Khulna in the points table.Put into bat first, Khulna were bowled out for 171 runs in 59 overs with Mosharraf Hossain taking seven wickets with his left-arm spin. Only Nazmus Sadat stood firm with the bat, scoring 53 off 138 balls. Dhaka took a 58-run lead as Khulna hit back with four wickets coming through their left-arm spinner Murad Khan and three from seamer Robiul Islam.Imrul Kayes hit a century in the second innings but only Mithun Ali contributed with a half-century as the rest of the batsmen failed against Shahadat Hossain and Mosharraf, who took three wickets each. Dhaka were set a target of 211 runs on the final day, which they reached in 40.2 overs, despite Robiul’s four-wicket haul.
ScorecardLast four season’s winners Rajshahi Division have given themselves an outside chance of retaining the title with a 10-wicket win over Sylhet Division in Savar. The win put them on 26 points and if Khulna and Dhaka both fail to pick up points in the last round of matches and Rajshahi win with the maximum of nine points, they could win the title.Sylhet, after being put into bat, were stung by Farhad Reza’s four-wicket haul on the first day and were bowled out for 218 runs. Rajshahi replied handsomely, taking a 172-run lead. Sabbir Rahman top-scored with 136 and there were some useful contributions down the order that helped Rajshahi stretch the lead, despite Enamul Haque jnr’s six wickets.In the second innings, Rajshahi left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took the first five-for of his career as Sylhet were bowled out for 202 runs. Rajshahi picked up the 31 runs required early on the fourth morning.
ScorecardChittagong Division picked up their second win in the competition after they beat bottom-placed Barisal Division by eight wickets in Sylhet. Batting first, Barisal made 204 runs with Salman Hossain scoring 98.Chittagong replied with 296 runs, helped mainly by Faisal Hossain’s unbeaten 123 and 72 by Nazimuddin, who returned to form this season. Pace bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi took five wickets for Barisal, while left-arm spinner Monir Hossain picked up four.Barisal replied poorly as they were bowled out for just 163 runs in 71 overs. Legspinner Noor Hossain took only his second five-for in his career, giving Chittagong a target of 72 runs, which they completed late on the fourth afternoon.

The fast bowler Mark Gillespie has been ruled out of New Zealand’s Test series against West Indies due to an ongoing ankle problem, further depleting a squad already hit by injuries

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2012The fast bowler Mark Gillespie has been ruled out of New Zealand’s Test series against West Indies due to an ongoing ankle problem, further depleting a squad already hit by injuries. The captain Ross Taylor hurt his shoulder during the first Twenty20 in Florida on Saturday and is in doubt for the rest of the tour, while Jacob Oram (knee) and Ronnie Hira (dislocated finger) have also been sidelined so far on the trip.Gillespie, 32, was New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker during the Test series against South Africa in March, in what were his first international appearances in three years. Despite his success, Gillespie missed out on a national contract last month and has been battling ankle trouble, which the national selection manager Kim Littlejohn said had ruled him out of the Caribbean tour.”Mark unfortunately has had to withdraw from the upcoming Test series against the West Indies having not responded to treatment in time to be fully fit,” Littlejohn said. “As a precautionary measure, Mark feels that it would be the right decision to stay in Wellington to continue working on his rehabilitation.”No decision has been made on who will replace Gillespie, although one option would be to retain Tim Southee, who is in the squad for the one-day internationals but was left out of the Test group. The absence of Gillespie will boost Neil Wagner’s chances of making his Test debut, while his fellow left-armer Trent Boult will also come into calculations to join Chris Martin and Doug Bracewell in the pace line-up.New Zealand lost the two Twenty20s in Lauderhill on the weekend, and are now preparing for a five-match ODI series that begins in Jamaica on Thursday. The two Tests, in Antigua and Jamaica, run from July 25 to August 6.

Part two of ESPNcricinfo’s four-part Ranji Trophy team previews

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2013Mumbai: Likely to face a challenging seasonBy Nagraj GollapudiWhere they finished
As Ranji Trophy champions. However Mumbai’s journey was not a smooth one: they could muster only two outright victories in eleven matches.Abhishek Nayar is establishing himself as Mumbai’s go-to man•BCCIBig Picture
Until Zaheer Khan delivered an inspired match-winning, and season-turning, spell against Madhya Pradesh in the penultimate group match, Mumbai’s ride last season had been wobbly. Once they reached the semi-finals, however, Mumbai’s determination and much-talked-about aura was restored as they cruised to win the 40th Ranji title comfortably.Their troubles have not been washed away in the new season. If Mumbai are honest, they will admit this is likely to be one of their most challenging seasons. Their weakest suit is their bowling. Ajit Agarkar’s retirement and Ramesh Powar’s decision to play for Rajasthan has left a void that cannot be filled immediately. In the last decade, Agarkar and Powar were pillars on which Mumbai’s success story was built. Both men not only bowled tireless spells, but also returned to the crease to deliver match-saving cameos and, occasionally, match-winning ones. Along with another stalwart, Wasim Jaffer, the trio was the bridge that connected the new generation to the ethos of Mumbai cricket: cuss out the opposition.So far only Dhawal Kulkarni, from among the newer lot, has shown the capability of coping with the rigours of domestic cricket. However, Mumbai’s chief concern will be their inexperienced spin attack led by the left-arm spinners, Iqbal Abdulla and Vishal Dabholkar. Abdulla, three short of 100 wickets for Mumbai, has remained inconsistent despite chances over the last few years while Dabholkar has just played four matches so far. It is something opponents will aim to capitalise on.Mumbai would do well to take advantage of the presence of Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane and gain early momentum in the group stage.Players to watch
He is not attractive, but he can get under your skin – with bat, ball, and with his blunt sledges. A quiet man off the field, Abhishek Nayar showed his ability to make big noise when he finished as the second-highest scorer in Ranji Trophy with 966 runs and 19 wickets. So far this season, he scored two fifties and a century against the A teams from New Zealand and West Indies and also hit a fifty in the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy. In the absence of established players like Zaheer, Rohit and Rahane – due to fitness issues or national commitments – Nayar is steadily growing into the go-to man for Mumbai.Team speak
“To do well in Ranji Trophy, it is all about consistency. Along with that fitness and how we perform in the away games will be the three goals we will need to meet.” Abhishek Nayar, Mumbai vice-captain.Click here for the full squad.

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Punjab: Young and well-roundedBy Nikita BastianWhere they finished
Semi-finalists, after topping Group A.VRV Singh, returning from back injury, could be the ‘surprise package’ for Punjab this season•ESPNcricinfo LtdBig Picture
After a couple of ordinary seasons, when they finished in the lower halves of their groups, Punjab were arguably the most dominant side in the group stages last year. They won four of their first five games – two by an innings, one by eight wickets and the other by nine – and despite not winning any of their remaining group games finished almost 10 points clear of the next team. In the quarter-final, they piled up a whopping 699 for 3 with Taruwar Kohli hitting an unbeaten triple.Punjab’s strength was that, in a batsman-dominated competition, their bowlers were very successful. In their ten games, they managed to bowl out the opposition for below 300 eleven times. They took full advantage of the traditionally seamer-friendly conditions in Mohali, winning all their home games. Among the tournament’s top five wicket-takers, two were from Punjab. Siddarth Kaul was second on the table with 44, and Sandeep Sharma was No. 5 with 41.That’s not to say the batting was far behind. Three of their batsmen scored over 500 runs – Mandeep Singh (595), Uday Kaul (652), and the tournament’s leading run-getter, Jiwanjot Singh (995). The only glitch in their season was being bowled out for 59 against Mumbai, when Ankeet Chavan ran rampant with a nine-for.Coach Bhupinder Singh, the medium-pacer who played a couple of one-dayers for India in the mid-90s, said last year offered valuable experience for what is a “young team”. “This is a young bunch and they played good cricket last year, and they are richer by one year’s experience. I hope we are able to take the next step now, past the semi-finals.”Missing from Punjab’s squad is batsman Karan Goel, who’s out with a shoulder injury, but should be fit later in the season. Legspinner Rahul Sharma has also not made it for the first match, with Bhupinder saying Punjab has him in the reserves but views him primarily as a limited-overs option. Left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma has been dropped and is likely to shift to Himachal Pradesh. Then there’s Yuvraj Singh, who, while not named in the squad for the first game, “has promised to play if he’s not part of the Indian Test team [for the West Indies series]”. If Yuvraj plays, he will be the go-to man for the team’s young batsmen, while captain Harbhajan Singh will mentor the bowlers.Players to watch
The squad’s big addition this year is pace bowler VRV Singh, who last played first-class cricket in the 2007-08 season before being sidelined by a back injury. VRV Singh, 29, who has played Tests and ODIs for India, underwent surgery on his back, and returned to competitive cricket last year when he played in the domestic T20s. Since then, Bhupinder said he has been easing his way back into cricket, playing for longer and longer periods. “He’s bowling well and I think he can be my surprise package this year,” Bhupinder said. “He seems in good shape and is generating good pace.” Given that India always seem lacking on the bowling front, and that before the injuries arrived he was impressive enough to earn praise from the likes of Ian Bishop, the Indian selectors might well be keeping a quiet eye on how he does.Jiwanjot Singh, 22, was the tournament’s top-scorer in his debut season. He has since made it to the India A team and the North Zone team for the Duleep Trophy. He has played 15 first-class matches, but not a single recognised limited-overs game. That, Bhupinder said, is down to his style of play: “Jiwanjot is more suited to the longer version. He’s more into technical correctness. Batsmen from five, seven, ten years back, he’s more in that mould. Plays very straight and has a good defence.”Click here for the full squad.

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Jharkhand: Eager to shine in the big leagueBy Vishal DikshitWhere they finished last season
Jharkhand finished second in Group C last year. Three outright wins and as many draws took them to the quarter-finals against Punjab. They were promoted to Group A for this season.Varun Aaron’s return from a lengthy lay-off will be keenly watched•AFPBig Picture
The beginning of Jharkhand’s season will be watched for the comeback of two players who have had fleeting international careers so far – Varun Aaron and Saurabh Tiwary. While Tiwary had a shoulder operation in August, Aaron has been plagued with injuries since he last played for India in 2011. Jharkhand also have a new coach in Subroto Banerjee and two new recruits – Bhavin Thakkar and Bhavik Thaker.Middle-order batsman Thakker last played a first-class game in the 2010-11 season, for Himachal Pradesh, and averages 35.62 from 37 first-class matches. Thaker, also 31, moved from Gujarat, who did not give him a chance in the last season, and averages 40.Their bowling, an area of strength, features one of the most promising spinners in the domestic circuit. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, captain of the side, was also their highest wicket-taker in 2012-13 with 42 wickets from nine games. He will be accompanied by offspinner Sunny Gupta who took four wickets against North Zone in the recent Duleep Trophy semi-final. Shankar Rao and Ajay Yadav will handle the pace attack. While Rao averaged 24.65 last season with 26 wickets, Yadav played only five matches and impressed with 23 wickets, mainly through his haul of 11 wickets against Services and 10 against Tripura.Jharkhand began their Ranji campaign last year with an outright win – an innings and 31 runs against Jammu & Kashmir – but will face a stiffer challenge in their first game against Delhi this year. While they shone in the lightweight Group C last season, the more accomplished opponents this season will test how far Jharkhand have progressed.Key players
Saurabh Tiwary amassed 602 runs in the previous season at an average of 46.30, including two hundreds and three fifties. However, his comeback is likely to be tough. He hasn’t played a professional match in more than five months and will be facing more potent attacks this season.Varun Aaron, on the other hand, hasn’t played since IPL 2012 due to the recurrence of a back injury. The bowler recently said he had made a “slight adjustment” to his bowling action and hoped that the tweak would help him last the season. Jharkhand will be hoping it works out that way, as a fully fit Aaron will make the side’s attack formidable.Click here for the full squad

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Haryana: Ajay Jadeja in the spotlightBy Devashish FuloriaWhere they finished
Eighth in Group B with one win in eight matches.Ajay Jadeja returns from the cold•AFPBig Picture
Last year, Haryana were bowled out for 55 on the first morning of their opening Ranji Trophy match – their lowest-ever Ranji total – against Vidarbha. In their second match, they were again bowled out for a lowly 66 but despite the batting debacles, the conversation every time teams played in Rohtak hovered around the seamer-friendly conditions in Lahli, their home ground.They say it’s the high water-table beneath the ground that provides the moisture to the pitch and open fields around the ground mean there is always the assistance of breeze. However, more often than not, it’s the traveling teams that have exploited the conditions better. It could be different this year, as the Haryana Cricket Association have roped in their former stalwart Ajay Jadeja as coach and captain.Jadeja came out of cricketing hibernation in August when he played Buchi Babu tournament for the team, at the ripe age of 42. Jadeja, and with the weight of 8046 first-class runs behind him, he will have the responsibility of not only leading the team with the bat, but also providing direction.Haryana’s first match this year will be under media glare for being the last first-class match for Sachin Tendulkar, Jadeja’s former India opening partner. For Jadeja, though, it’s a new start and he will have the tough job of setting the scene for the long season ahead.Key players
With Amit Mishra likely to be away on national duty and the batting being the weak link, Haryana will depend on key contributions from seamer Mohit Sharma, who relished the conditions at the home venue last year. He collected a rich haul of 37 wickets, that included three five-fors, at an average of 23.24. But Haryana may have to do without him for chunks of the season as he is not too far from being called up to the national team, at least for the limited-overs matches against West Indies and South Africa.Click here for the full squad.

Miguel Cummins ripped through the Trinidad & Tobago line-up to dismiss them for 110 on the first day of the regional four-day final at Kensington Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2013
ScorecardMiguel Cummins ripped through the Trinidad & Tobago line-up to dismiss them for 110 on the first day of the regional four-day final at Kensington Oval. The Barbados top order built on Cummins’ third five-wicket haul of the tournament to end the day 34 runs in front with eight wickets standing.T&T were in early trouble after Barbados chose to bowl on a grassy surface, Cummins taking four of the first five wickets to have the visitors limping at 19 for 5. He had Adrian Barath and Yannick Cariah caught off successive deliveries in his second over, and sent back Jason Mohammed in his third. At the other end, Kemar Roach accounted for Lendl Simmons.The T&T lower order fought briefly, No 9 Rayad Emrit leading the way with 34 and No 7 Stephen Katwaroo chipping in with 24. Cummins completed his five-for, removing Emrit to end the innings in the 38th over.Kraigg Brathwaite and Rashidi Boucher, with a breezy 46, put on 62 upfront for Barbados and captain Kirk Edwards followed up with 48 before falling late in the day to Simmons. Brathwaite was unbeaten on a patient 49.Cummins’ showing took the 22-year old’s tournament haul to 31 wickets, the most by a fast bowler. “Things have been going great for me this season,” Cummins said. “This is my first full season playing for Barbados at the senior regional level. I had one match last year and it didn’t work out that well, but I was determined and came back and told myself ‘this year would be my year’.”We are going to look to bat the whole day on Friday, but if we have to bowl at all, I’ll be looking to come out bowling as hard again as I did on the first day.”

A look back at the timeline of events around Gurunath Meiyappan’s alleged involvement in corruption in the IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2013Gurunath Meiyappan initially had access to the Chennai Super Kings dugout•Indian Premier LeagueMay 16
Delhi Police arrests three players – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila – for “fraud and cheating”. Amit Singh, a former Royals player, is also arrested as one of the bookies in question.May 23
A week after the arrests, the crisis takes a new twist when Mumbai Police summons Gurunath Meiyappan, top official of Chennai Super Kings and BCCI president N Srinivasan’s son-in-law, for questioning in connection with betting.May 24
Mumbai Police formally arrest Gurunath.May 30
Calls are made for Srinivasan to step down owing to a conflict of interest regarding Gurunath’s situation.June 2
Srinivasan temporarily recuses himself from the day-to-day administration of the BCCI, with Jagmohan Dalmiya put in charge of running the board’s affairs.June 4
Gurunath is granted bail on the condition that he does not leave India.July 28
A two-member panel investigation finds “no wrongdoing” by IPL owners. “There is no evidence of any wrongdoing found by the judges against Raj Kundra, India Cements and Rajasthan Royals,” Niranjan Shah, a BCCI vice-president, said.July 30
Bombay High Court rules that the BCCI’s two-member panel that investigated IPL owners was constituted illegally.August 30
The Supreme Court of India issues notices to the BCCI, Srinivasan, his company India Cements, and Rajasthan Royals on an appeal challenging the Bombay High Court order from July for not appointing a fresh committee to probe the alleged corruption in the IPL.September 21
Gurunath is chargesheeted by Mumbai Police under sections of the Indian Penal Code that deal with cheating and fraud, and section 130 of Bombay Police Act, which concerns cheating at games.