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“Tamim and Litton were fantastic, but fifties and forties won’t give you enough runs”

Mohammad Isam25-Jun-2022It was another case of one step forward, two steps back for Bangladesh. They were bowled out for 234 in the first innings in St Lucia, a vast improvement from the same position in Antigua a week ago, but still not enough to put a dent in West Indies’ confidence. The home side raced to 67 for no loss in reply, courtesy openers John Campbell and Kraigg Brathwaite. Their run rate of 4.18 was much higher than that of their partnership, which is 2.74 on an average, underlying the pitch’s quality for batters.Batting coach Jamie Siddons therefore, wasn’t too impressed with his charges, particularly those who got out after getting good starts. Litton Das top scored with 53 but in a bid to farm the strike with No. 9 Ebadot Hossain, holed out to mid-on. Tamim Iqbal got off to a quick start, hitting nine boundaries, but was undone by Alzarri Joseph’s extra bounce shortly before lunch.Related

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“(West Indies openers) were aggressive today but I don’t think we bowled well in the first ten overs,” Siddons said. “Tamim (Iqbal) too was aggressive. It probably says a bit about the pitch but once you have seen couple of balls you feel quite comfortable. Tamim felt very comfortable but got one that bounced on him a little bit.”Tamim and Litton were fantastic, but fifties and forties won’t give you enough runs. They need to go on when they get their starts. Couple of the younger players were really impressive but again, they got out. Couple of umpiring decisions were very close but it didn’t go our way. But (after making) 230, we are struggling at the moment.”Siddons said that the top four showed a lot more discipline with deliveries outside the off stump, which was the real improvement from the first Test. But the visitors lost five for 60 from a comfortable 105 for two. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the last recognised batter for Bangladesh on the day, fell with the score on 165. The tail wagged after a long time, taking them to a respectable total.”We were a lot more patient today. I thought we left the ball really well. We worked on it over the last week. We played at too many balls in the first Test. They bowled really well, but we didn’t bat as long as we would have liked. I don’t think 230 is good enough on that wicket.”When you bat first there’s a bit of pressure to get the game underway. We handled that okay. Our opening partnership was good. We were 2 for 100, staring at a total of 400, but at 230 we are well short of what we should have achieved today,” Siddons said.He stressed on the need to bat for time, which Bangladesh have failed to do for all but one Test match in 2022. In overseas Tests, their only 300-plus this year was in the miraculous Mount Maunganui Test. They also haven’t got a 300-plus score in the West Indies in the last nine innings spanning back to 2014.”We just need to bat longer,” Siddons said. “In Test cricket, you have to bat for a long time. You have to be there at the end of the day. Then we have to be looking to bat on tomorrow. We are failing to do that at the moment.”

Nick Browne 49 sets visitors off well but Northamptonshire bowlers do some damage

ECB Reporters Network26-Sep-2022Northamptonshire’s seamers shared the spoils as they helped rout Essex’s batting line-up and hold the visitors to 220 for 8 on a rain-affected opening day of this LV= County Championship clash at Wantage Road.But despite wickets falling in clumps, a captain’s knock of 55 from Tom Westley helped keep Essex in the contest in a ninth-wicket stand of 68 in 20 overs with Ben Allison (37).Earlier, Ben Sanderson struck twice in two balls to arrest a lightning Essex start to the day which saw Nick Browne and Sir Alastair Cook plunder 68 runs off the first 13 overs.But when Cook fell for 31, it precipitated the first mini collapse of the day as four wickets went down in 45 balls, two of them to Sanderson and Essex went into lunch on 107 for 4 before rain prevented any play in the afternoon session.When play resumed after tea, Westley and Feroze Khushi looked fluent as they rebuilt in a stand of 47 before Essex collapsed again losing four wickets for nine runs in 32 balls. Tom Taylor picked up three wickets amid the carnage before Westley and Allison made sure honours were even at close of play.In the morning, Northamptonshire’s decision to insert Essex after winning the toss was called into question as opening pair Browne and Cook unfurled a string of boundaries.Cook found the ropes three times in Jack White’s fifth over, playing some trademark backfoot punches and cuts. Meanwhile Browne also hit a trio of boundaries off Tom Taylor’s first over, driving sweetly through the covers.Both batters had their share of luck though when Emilio Gay shelled two chances at second slip denying Gareth Berg a pair of wickets. First Gay put down a straightforward chance offered by Browne before missing a more difficult one to his left when Cook edged wide of the cordon.Taylor finally accounted for Cook when he got one to nip back and hit the stumps. The former England captain now needs 44 in the second innings to reach 1,000 runs for the season.Sanderson’s return to the attack soon reaped dividends when Browne chipped to midwicket and Dan Lawrence was bowled through the gate first ball. Gay could finally breathe a sigh of relief when he pouched a chance offered by Critchley who edged to the slips to give White his first wicket.In the evening session Khushi who hit 118 against Northamptonshire in the Royal London Cup last month looked to pick up where he had left off, driving pleasantly through extra cover and down the ground. His departure for 26, when he edged Taylor behind to keeper Ricardo Vasconcelos, sparked a further clatter of wickets.Michael Pepper was next to go when he played an extravagant shot to Berg which flew at a comfortable height to Will Young at first slip. Next Simon Harmer prodded at one from Taylor and was caught behind before White got one to nip back and castle Shane Snater to leave Essex reeling at 152 for 8.Westley though was in defiant mood, reaching his half-century off 122 balls and finding a willing partner in Allison. The Essex skipper struck six boundaries, slapping White through cover and whipping Sanderson and Berg through midwicket.Allison had a reprieve on 17 when he hooked Berg and was dropped in the deep by Sanderson but he and Westley have given Essex renewed hope after it seemed they would be bowled out well short of 200.

Fatima five-for restricts Ireland before batters complete comfortable chase

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2022Ghulam Fatima’s maiden ODI five-wicket haul backed up by half-centuries from Sadaf Shamas and Bismah Maroof helped Pakistan secure a comfortable five-wicket win over Ireland and complete a 3-0 series sweep in Lahore.Batting first, Ireland started strongly with Leah Paul and Gaby Lewis adding 84 runs for the opening wicket. Fatima removed Lewis, but Paul recorded her third ODI fifty to keep Ireland going. She got good support from Amy Hunter with the duo adding a 65-run stand for the second wicket.It was Fatima who once again broke the stand, getting rid of Hunter, whose wicket signalled an Irish collapse. Paul fell soon after for 65 while Orla Prendergast too did not last long as Ireland slipped from 149 for 1 to 161 for 4. There was brief resistance from Eimear Richardson, but once she fell in the 44th over to Fatima, the visitors lost their way again.They lost their last six wickets for 23 runs to be bowled out for 225 in 49.5 overs. Fatima with 5 for 34 was the star of the show with the ball.Pakistan’s chase then got off the wrong foot with both openers falling cheaply. Prendergast castled Muneeba Ali for 12 before Jane Maguire sent back the in-form Sidra Ameen for 10. However, Maroof and Shamas made sure the chase never got out of hand. Shamas, playing just her second ODI innings, recorded her maiden fifty while Maroof too chugged along.The duo added 124 runs for the third wicket in quick time before both fell in quick succession, but their stand had ensured the chase was on solid ground. While Shamas was stumped off Richardson for 72 off 80, Rachel Delaney brought about the downfall of Maroof for 57.There were no alarm bells for Pakistan though as Omaima Sohail, Aliya Riaz and Sidra Nawaz all chipped in to take their team over the line in 47.1 overs.Fatima was named Player of the Match while Ameen, having scored 277 runs in the three-match series, was named Player of the Tournament.

He produced a knock for the ages in conditions favouring the fast bowlers but fell five short of what would have been a maiden ODI century

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jan-2024In only his second ODI, Janith Liyanage produced a match-defining performance, one that took his side to a thrilling win against Zimbabwe in Colombo on Monday. His 95 off 127 balls was by far the highest individual score for Sri Lanka in the second ODI, the next-best score being 21 as the hosts sneaked home by two wickets.Liyanage did, however, fall five runs short of a maiden international ton, when he attempted to thump Blessing Muzarabani down the ground for six in the 43rd over, and was caught at mid-off instead. On the surface, it appeared an unnecessary stroke as Muzarabani was one of Zimbabwe’s most threatening bowlers, and Sri Lanka still had 46 balls in which to get the 37 runs they needed. What’s more, Liyanage’s departure left Sri Lanka with only two wickets remaining and put Zimbabwe again into the ascendancy.The hosts would hobble to their target of 209 eventually, as rainfall intensified in the roughly half hour of play. Liyanage explained that it was the rain – rather than the scoreline, or the desire to reach a century – that forced him to take the risk in the 43rd over.Related

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“More than the century, what I wanted was to get the team to victory,” he said. “At that time, we were about five runs behind the DLS score. So I thought if I hit a six in that over, we’d be able to win even if the match stopped because of rain. All I thought of was winning the match, and I’m glad we were able to get there.”Liyanage had also earlier put on a 56-run seventh-wicket stand alongside Maheesh Theekshana, to lift Sri Lanka from a scoreline of 112 for 6. Theekshana contributed only 18 to this partnership, which saw Liyanage bat more aggressively than he had earlier in the innings. But he chose his targets carefully.”When Maheesh and I were batting, they [Zimbabwe] were bowling their best bowlers, and they only had a few overs left,” Liyanage said. “So our plan was to get two or three runs an over off their best bowlers, then take the game into the last five or six overs, and score our runs there. “The rain had been in the air for much of the chase, with it forcing a long delay 13 overs into Sri Lanka’s innings. The moisture had assisted Zimbabwe’s quicks, according to Liyanage.”We lost two wickets at the start, and with the rain, the ball started to move a bit. So I thought at time that they’ve got two fast bowlers, so I’ll defend against them and if I bat for a while and get set, I could bat till the end. Their tall quicks got a bit extra out of the conditions with the rain.”

Jon Filby says non-Test grounds will seek independent financial advice over Hundred future

ESPNcricinfo staff08-May-2024Sussex’s chairman has insisted that the prospect of the biggest counties launching a breakaway league to replace the Hundred is “completely not to be feared” and is not a realistic outcome from discussions over the tournament’s future.The ECB and the 18 first-class counties (plus MCC) have met regularly in recent weeks to discuss the details of proposed changes to the Hundred’s ownership model. There is broad agreement that the eight teams should be opened up to private investment, with 51% of shares being transferred from the ECB to the host county (or MCC) and the other 49% sold, with revenues distributed across the game.But the counties have not yet agreed on the way those revenues should be shared. The ECB initially asked counties to agree on a general direction of travel by May 10, but the 11 non-host counties are collectively seeking independent advice which could delay the process significantly.”The non-host county position is that, as in any financial arrangement of this type – and you’re talking hundreds of millions of pounds – that we would have our own proper, impartial advice and that’s what we’re now seeking,” Jon Filby, Sussex’s chairman, told the BBC’s podcast. “We’ll get that and then I’m sure a deal will very quickly follow.”The published excerpts of a leaked email from Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, to counties on Tuesday in which he warns: “Neither current hosts nor current non-hosts are particularly enamoured with the capital structure of the deal… if we lose momentum now then parties will simply be arguing for a larger percentage of a rapidly shrinking pie.”Related

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Filby added: “I think it’s very important that we’re not rushed into it, but equally, I understand that there is a window of opportunity to get a clear position on this by the time that the Hundred comes around towards the end of this season, and that can then be a shop window for that competition. I get all of that, and I’m sure we’re on track for that.”The prospect of a breakaway by the Hundred-hosting counties has reportedly been raised, with the existing framework agreement expiring at the end of the year. Sean Jarvis, the Leicestershire chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo last week that English cricket was facing “our Premier League moment” and said that “it’s the top six or seven clubs that call the tune”.But Filby said that the non-hosting counties should hold firm. “I think a breakaway’s completely not to be feared,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll happen. Who do the teams think they’d play against, and who do they think would play for them? I don’t think it’ll happen, no.”

Ghulam and Rizwan added 81, but Pakistan were eventually out for 211 on opening day

Danyal Rasool26-Dec-2024South Africa did to Pakistan what they always do to Pakistan at Centurion, blitzing them with the ball in the second hour of the first session before skittling them out for 209. Corbin Bosch and Dane Paterson cashed in after a superb opening hour of bowling from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, which openers Shan Masood and Saim Ayub rode their luck to survive. A couple of partnerships for Pakistan were more than offset by the wickets Paterson, who ended up with five, and Bosch, took in clumps, and just after the third session began, Pakistan had folded for 209, Kamran Ghulam’s half-century the only real source of resistance. Pakistan responded gamely with the ball in hand, puncturing South Africa with three wickets, but having added 82, South Africa will feel they have had the better of the day.The story of the opening session changed the moment Temba Bavuma through the ball to debutant Bosch. He began with a loosener well outside off stump. Masood, who had been forced to deal with an unerring fourth stump all of the first hour, had his eyes light up as he slashed at it, with a thick outside edge carrying to Marco Jansen at third slip to give him a first-ball wicket.All of a sudden, the good balls that kept missing edges started to find them. Paterson nipped one away to Ayub, who was uncharacteristically defensive, accumulating a painstaking 14 off 35 balls. It kissed the outside edge, and both openers were back in the pavilion. Paterson wasn’t done, because Babar Azam, returning to the side, also had a prod at one well outside off stump, the tentativeness of his stroke revealing his lack of confidence; it was meat and drink for the slips again.Related

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With Pakistani defenses going haywire, Saud Shakeel went for the other extreme, looking to take every ball on, but it was just six deliveries before that strategy ran out of road. He gloved a hook through to the keeper, with South Africa successfully reviewing to send him on his way.It will be all the more frustrating for Pakistan after a magnificent first hour of South African bowling went unrewarded. With Kagiso Rabada and Jansen nipping it around, it was obvious why Bavuma had opted to put Pakistan in, but somehow, they had gritted out a way to see off the two leading bowlers.An 81-run stand between Ghulam, who scored an entertaining half-century, and Mohammad Rizwan looked to have dragged Pakistan out of the hole they were put in during the morning session. Rizwan and Ghulam had been building up the partnership the other side of lunch, and continued in similar vein. But with the clouds menacingly moving right overhead, the luckless Rabada was brought in for another excellent but fruitless spell. It produced the most engaging cricket of the day, with both KGs locking horns on more than one occasion; Rabada grew increasingly frustrated with Kamran Ghulam’s stubborn resistance and got close enough to tell him, with Ghulam responding in less than family-friendly terms to go back to the bowling crease.Kamran Ghulam was out for 54 off 71•AFP/Getty Images

With the crowd engaged, Ghulam edged one to the slips that Jansen shelled, and brought up his half-century, but South Africa would not be denied. Ghulam slogged Paterson, only to top-edge him to fine leg, where none other than Rabada stood to take the catch that sent a full SuperSport Park into a frenzy.
One wicket brought more for South Africa before lunch, and so it proved again. Rizwan nicked off in the next Bosch over before Salman Ali Agha and Aamer Jamal set about another rebuild. With ten minutes to tea, the duo was closing in on another 50-partnership, but one more South African burst would prove the knockout blow.South Africa had put down a couple of chances in the slips off the outside edge, so Bosch found the inside edge of Jamal as he chopped on, before a surprise bouncer from Paterson saw the back of Agha.Once Pakistan had wrapped up, there was enough time for the story of the day to be rewritten, and Khurram Shahzad threatened to do precisely that when he cut Tony de Zorzi in half with perhaps the ball of the day. Constantly threatening both edges of the bat, he found Ryan Rickleton’s outside edge to reduce South Africa to 24 for 2, and wrest momentum back to take into the second day.His peers, however, couldn’t sustain that quality, and South Africa settled. Aiden Markram has been under fire lately for getting out after getting in, and was brave enough to be positive all the same, never letting Pakistan put too much pressure on the batters. That was crucial, especially with Tristan Stubbs looking less than assured at the crease. His manner of dismissal, though was unfortunate, as one appeared to hit a crack and make a beeline for his front shin, giving Pakistan encouragement to take from a day that, thanks to Paterson and Bosch, South Africa will claim as theirs.

CSA is working to reassure Sri Lanka Cricket that its bio-bubble arrangements are secure

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Dec-2020Cricket South Africa (CSA) is working to reassure Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that its bio-bubble arrangements are secure, as SLC reconsider the forthcoming tour to South Africa over Covid-19 concerns. As things stand, SLC is considering withdrawing from the tour, or offering to host South Africa at home instead of going to South Africa.SLC’s concerns over the tour’s safety were sparked by England’s withdrawal from their tour of South Africa. It is largely the Sri Lanka board, however, rather than the players, for whom CSA’s Covid-19 protocols are a worry. Essentially, SLC cannot afford for players to come back unwell, because Sri Lanka are due to play England in a Test in Galle ten days after their scheduled return from South Africa. The England Test series, which was already postponed once, is vital to the health of SLC’s finances following a tough 2020. SLC is unwilling to risk that home series for the South Africa tour.Sri Lanka’s medical team were in touch with South Africa’s medical officers on Tuesday, in order to ascertain whether the bio-bubble arrangements in South Africa were sufficient. Sri Lanka’s team physician Dr Daminda Attanayake said that SLC’s medical staff were insisting on stricter protocols than CSA had initially planned. Medical officers from both teams spoke on Tuesday.”I have to bring the [Sri Lankan] players back from South Africa without a single positive case,” Dr Attanayake said. “We’ve requested [South Africa’s] protocols be identical to the bio-bubble protocols we have been using for the LPL (Lanka Premier League). We’ve been successful with those. Players have tested positive but they’ve been isolated. We’re requesting these protocols be followed not just by our team, but theirs as well.”In addition, Dr Attanayake said, SLC’s medical staff will ask that even the cleaning staff in the hotels the teams are staying at be placed in the bubble, so that the virus cannot be brought in from outside. In any case, even before England’s withdrawal, SLC had asked for tougher health protocols than the ECB had.SLC’s medical staff will also speak to the ECB’s medical staff on Wednesday afternoon, in order to gain a clearer picture on the nature of CSA’s protocols. SLC’s medical officers will make their recommendations on the South Africa tour to the SLC following that meeting. The board has largely been led by medical opinion during the pandemic, and have been among the more reticent in the world to resume international cricket. If Dr Attanayake and her colleagues are satisfied that CSA’s arrangements are sufficient, the tour is likely to go ahead as scheduled.On Tuesday, CSA’s acting CEO Kugandrie Govender had confirmed the boards were in touch over health arrangements: “I’ve spoken to the SLC CEO today as planned. We are obviously providing them with information to give all their stakeholders, including their health authorities, the reassurances they need,” she said.South Africa are due to host Australia and Pakistan later in the summer, and cannot themselves afford for England’s withdrawal to spiral into a string of cancellations.

Tammy Beaumont sets up comfortable 59-run win with well-worked half-century

ECB Reporters Network22-Apr-2023Off-spinner Lucy Higham played the starring role with a career-best five for 19 as The Blaze made a winning debut in regional women’s cricket, launching their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaign with a 59-run defeat of Central Sparks at Trent Bridge.Opener Tammy Beaumont top-scored with 60 for the East Midlands team, backed up by England colleague Sarah Glenn (38) and Georgie Boyce (28) and though the rebranded Lightning failed to bat out their 50 overs, Higham chipped in with 24 with the bat to give them a total of 212 to defend.England quick Issy Wong was out of sorts with the ball for Sparks, yet three wickets each for Emily Arlott, Grace Potts and spinner Georgia Davis looked to have secured a target that the West Midlands team could chase.In the event, no one could produce the stand-out performance with the bat that was needed, Katie George top-scoring with 31 at number eight as Blaze skipper Kirstie Gordon, who has taken over from Lightning captain Kathryn Bryce in the role, celebrated a winning start.After the early loss of Marie Kelly, who found short midwicket from Arlott’s first delivery to depart without scoring, Beaumont and Boyce added 66 in 11.4 overs to give The Blaze something like the start they were looking for after winning the toss.Their progress was checked by wickets in three consecutive overs by Potts, the 20-year-old right-arm seamer who was leading wicket-taker for Sparks in both 50- and 20-over cricket last season.Boyce, who had scored three of her five boundaries in a loose second over from Wong, was Potts’s first victim, leg before playing across the line, before the Bryce sisters – Kathryn and Sarah – both feathered catches to ex-Lightning wicketkeeper Abbey Freeborn.Beaumont completed a half-century from 70 balls with her ninth boundary as she and Glenn set about rebuilding the innings from 86 for four, Glenn hitting two boundaries in one over off Potts.Spinners Davis and Hannah Baker dragged the balance back towards Sparks by sharing the next four wickets, beginning with Beaumont’s dismissal for 60 after adding 45 with Glenn when off-spinner Davis struck the front pad as the opener attempted to work to leg.Davis picked up a second, holding a steepling top-edge off her own bowling to remove South Africa all-rounder Nadine de Klerk before Hannah Baker, the England Under-19 leg-spinner, turned one sharply to bowl former Sparks team-mate Glenn, who had been dropped on 22.Davis claimed her third wicket, bowling Beth Harmer middle stump, before Arlott returned to remove Gordon and Higham as The Blaze were dismissed in the 47th over.After failing to click with the ball, Wong seemed determined to make amends with the bat and, having been dropped at cover off De Klerk on two, was beginning to look a threat as she lofted Grace Ballinger for six over midwicket.But in attempting to dish out similar treatment to Glenn at the end of the England leg-spinner’s opening over she succeeded only in finding the safe hands of Higham on the boundary.After Chloe Brewer fell leg before to Kathryn Bryce, Higham struck arguably the most important blow, taking what turned into a difficult return catch as Jones – prolific in this competition in previous years – sent the ball soaring skywards off a top edge which drifted in the breeze as it came down. At the halfway point, Sparks were well off the pace at 76 for three, where The Blaze had been 130 for four.The combination of off-spinner Higham with left-armer Gordon denied Sparks the acceleration they needed and the visitors suffered further losses as Freeborn paddled straight to the fielder behind square to give Higham a second success, to which she quickly added a third, inducing Ami Campbell to offer an easy caught-and-bowled.Arlott was victim number four for Higham, via a stumping, which she raised to five by bowling Davis, either side of Gordon dismissing Davina Perrin via a catch at mid-off.George, who hit five fours in her attempt to keep Sparks in contention, fell caught and bowled by De Klerk, who completed the win by bowling Baker with the second ball of the 49th over.

Gareth Hopkins and James Marshall, captains of Auckland and Northern Districts respectively, have been accused of collusion to force a result in a rain-affected Plunket Shield fixture at Colin Maiden Park

Cricinfo staff17-Dec-2009Gareth Hopkins and James Marshall, captains of Auckland and Northern Districts respectively, have been accused of collusion to force a result in a rain-affected Plunket Shield fixture at Colin Maiden Park. Both teams forfeited an innings each to set up a result on the final day, after almost three out of four days were washed out, but the captains denied any collaboration and insisted the decisions were taken independently.ND had reached 82 for no loss on the first day before rain interrupted play and prevented any action for the next two days. In a bid to speed up ND’s declaration, Auckland used part-timers like Andrew de Boorder (nine overs for 85) and Reece Young (five overs for 65), to allow ND to reach 290 for 3. They scored 208 runs in 21 overs. Once the declaration was made, Auckland forfeited their first innings, and ND their second, to set the stage for a final-day chase. Auckland, however, fell short of their target by 56 runs after facing close to 73 overs.New Zealand Cricket’s rules do not allow collaboration between captains to ensure a result but the captains said they didn’t speak to each other about the forfeits. An investigation into the matter confirmed there was no collusion.ND lead the points table with 26 points from five games but Auckland are at the bottom, with zero points. Forfeiting an innings, Hopkins, the losing captain said, was a desperate attempt to open Auckland’s account. “I was walking off the pitch thinking I can either play for the two points here, or forfeit our innings and hope James forfeits his, and play for six,” he told the . “It might have left a sour taste in someone’s mouth but it’s solely because we were on zero points and we’re trying to play catch-up.”ND captain Marshall said his decision was not unprecedented, and criticised those accusing him of collusion. “This is my 13th season and it’s not like it’s the first time it has happened in those 13 years,” he said. “Other teams have done it. The teams that might have moaned are the teams that are maybe a little bit negative about the game of cricket.”Central Districts coach and former England allrounder Dermott Reeve was among those who led the criticism. “No captain in his right mind forfeits an innings 290 runs behind if he doesn’t know that the other people aren’t going to enforce the follow-on and play ball,” he said. “It’s disgraceful. This is not playing within the spirit of the game. It could just become farcical if there’s nothing done.”Terming the NZC’s investigation into the incident as “rubbish”, Reeve added: “Auckland and ND should have come clean and said Auckland were aware that we [Northern] weren’t going to enforce the follow-on.”Wellington coach Anthony Stuart echoed Reeve’s statements. “Our jobs are on the line and you get a ridiculous game like this,” he said. “I find it incredibly frustrating. I find it hard to believe the players sat around for 2 1/2 days and didn’t discuss manufacturing a result.”However, NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said the investigations yielded no evidence of collaboration. “It was obviously unusual circumstances in terms of how the game achieved a result,” Vaughan said. “We did a thorough investigation and you’ve got to back the evidence that you receive. Certainly there was no evidence of collusion.”What can you do? Accuse them of being liars? “You’ve got to take them on their word. So as much as you may suspect something, unless you’ve got the evidence, I don’t think that you can act on anything.”

India scored 357 for 8 and then their fast bowlers routed Sri Lanka for 55 in 19.4 overs

Deivarayan Muthu02-Nov-20232:20

What sets this Indian pace unit apart from the rest?

Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah razed Sri Lanka for 55 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, sealing India’s seventh successive win of the World Cup and their spot in the semi-finals.India’s fast-bowling trio was so sensational with the new ball that the scores of Sri Lanka’s top five read like a line of binary code: 0, 0, 1, 0, 1. When Shami also had Nos. 7 and 8 for ducks with the score on 29, Sri Lanka were in serious danger of folding for the lowest total in ODI cricket. They were eventually bundled out in 19.4 overs as India completed the fourth-biggest win in the format, and Shami’s 5 for 18 made him India’s highest wicket-taker in World Cups. It was the third time that India had dismissed Sri Lanka for less than 100 in ODIs in 2023, and their second 300-plus-run victory against them this year.Related

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The very first ball from Bumrah was a portent for the carnage that was to follow. He went wide of the crease, got a full ball to angle in and then swing away late to thump Pathum Nissanka’s back pad. Siraj also struck with his first ball, pinning Dimuth Karunaratne lbw. Four balls later, with a reinforced cordon, Siraj had the in-form Sadeera Samarawickrama caught at third slip.But it was the dismissal of captain Kusal Mendis that stood out. Coaches often instruct bowlers to hit that bail-trimming length – too short to drive nor short enough to pull or cut. Siraj not only hit that bail-trimming length to beat Mendis’ outside edge, he also broke the bails. At 3 for 4, with just one of those runs off the bat, Sri Lanka’s batting line-up was also broken.Angelo Mathews and the lower order tried to fix it, but all they could do was to drag Sri Lanka to 55 – five runs more than what they had managed in the Asia Cup final at the Premadasa in September earlier this year.The performance of India’s fast bowlers overshadowed that of their batters and Dilshan Madushanka’s maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket.2:05

Hayden: We shouldn’t take this period of Kohli’s career for granted

Madushanka had hushed the Wankhede with his second ball – a Mustafizur Rahman-esque cutter that sent Rohit Sharma’s off stump cartwheeling. Four of Madushanka’s five wickets were down to his ability to roll his fingers across the ball. But the rest of Sri Lanka’s attack continued to leak runs, as has been the case throughout this tournament.Virat Kohli threatened to join Sachin Tendulkar at the top of this list with 49 ODI hundreds at a venue where a statue of Tendulkar was unveiled on the eve of this game. The Wankhede waited expectantly, but Madushanka had other ideas, dismissing Kohli 12 short of the landmark. Sri Lanka could have cut Kohli’s innings short on 10 had Dushmantha Chameera hung on to a return catch in the sixth over.Shubman Gill was also reprieved in the powerplay when Charith Asalanka dropped him on 8 at cover-point. Gill then combined with Kohli to punish Sri Lanka with a 189-run partnership on a hot afternoon.1:10

Kumble: Madushanka showing maturity at a young age

Kohli got cracking with his trademark cover-drives while Gill often stepped out of his crease to manufacture scoring opportunities. Then, when Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers shortened their lengths to Gill, he put them away with his rasping short-arm pulls. Legspin-bowling allrounder Dushan Hemantha, who is essentially a like-for-like replacement for the injured Wanindu Hasaranga, couldn’t stem the flow of runs either.When Kohli and Gill matched each other shot for shot and moved close to three figures, India’s fans were probably entertaining thoughts of double-hundreds from both batters. But Madushanka returned to the attack and didn’t even let the batters reach triple figures. The left-arm seamer then showed that he’s no one-trick pony. He bounced Suryakumar Yadav out with an on-pace bouncer.Shreyas Iyer then hit full throttle, but he, too, fell agonisingly short of a hundred. He latched on to anything that was remotely full and sent it disappearing from his sight. When Kasun Rajitha pitched one in the slot outside off, Iyer launched it over long-on for a 106-metre six – the biggest in the tournament so far. Iyer brought up his half-century off 36 balls and later lined up even Sri Lanka’s best bowlers on the day – Madushanka and Chameera. Iyer took Madushanka for 18 off nine balls before holing out.Iyer’s assault was central to India racking up 93 off their last ten overs. Ravindra Jadeja also did his bit with the bat in those slog overs, but he was barely needed with the ball on a night that belonged to India’s quicks.