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Hazlewood prefers fifth bowling option in Test line-up

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Josh Hazlewood felt a fifth bowler would allow him, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins to bowl at their best and fastest, while easing some of the load off Nathan Lyon

Daniel Brettig02-Nov-2017Josh Hazlewood’s return to fitness will mean New South Wales will field Australia’s Ashes bowling attack against Western Australia in the unassuming surrounds of Hurstville Oval from Saturday, though the tall fast man admits he would like to see some extra bowling cover in the Test squad when it is finally announced.The certainty around the shape of Steven Smith’s top four bowlers and top five batsmen is in sharp contrast to the vast speculation about who will fill the spots at Nos. 6 and 7, in recent times nominally the preserve of an allrounder and a wicketkeeper. Australia’s selectors will not be unveiling their Gabba squad until the day after the third round of Sheffield Shield matches on November 17, having gained precious little relevant information from the first, floodlit fixtures.Returning to the state team following a side strain in Bangladesh and a 10-over spell in Sydney club cricket on the weekend, Hazlewood said he would like to see a fifth bowling option present in the Australian Test side. That balance would aid him, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in bowling at their best and fastest, notwithstanding the outstanding recent displays of the spin bowler Nathan Lyon. Moises Henriques is the allrounder for NSW, while Hilton Cartwright and Marcus Stoinis seem the most likely contenders to fulfill that role in the Test team.”It’s always nice having that allrounder to maybe bowl five or six overs throughout the day,” Hazlewood said. “I think the way Gaz has bowled over the last 12-18 months has been fantastic and he’s been shouldering the workload if it does get put upon the quicks. But for balance you want runs and wickets from that No. 6 batter … you could go either way.”It’s always great to have a full-strength NSW side, a lot of Test experience, the skipper and vice skipper there as well, so yeah really looking forward to getting out there. Western Australia are really strong at the moment in all formats, so looking forward to a good game.”It’s usually one or the other [of Starc or Cummins] at different stages, so it’s great to get them together. We’ve got a pretty good record when we’re all together bowling. We’re pretty used to bowling together these days, whether it’s for Australia or NSW, so we’ll just take it as another game and try to get those 20 wickets.”In making his recovery from the side strain, Hazlewood was several weeks behind Starc’s own rehabilitation from a foot problem, meaning he was unable to play in the first Shield round. This means he will play consecutive Shield games before the Gabba Test, creating a delicate balance between the demands of Smith, the selectors and medical staff trying to manage his workload.”The other guys played last week and this week and I think they’re having a rest for game three,” Hazlewood said. “I’m playing game three since I missed the first one. It’s a good build-up, two Shield games before the first Test, and hopefully get through the first Test as well. Ideally you’d want to play the same as Mitch and Pat, the first two, but I don’t see it as much of a big deal, we’ll just bowl a little bit less in the nets leading into it if we bowl a bit more in the game.”It feels really good, it’s got better every session from when I started bowling probably four or five weeks ago, it feels good now, nice and strong, so hopefully it stays that way. Very close to, if not, 100%.”Another contender for the Ashes, Nathan Coulter-Nile, has been bizarrely withdrawn from WA’s Shield team to face NSW at Hurstville and will instead bowl a limited number of overs for an invitational XI against the Englishmen in Perth on November 4 and 5. Hazlewood, who has himself had his bowling load closely managed over numerous years, took the view that it was a chance for a speedy compatriot to place some early doubts in the minds of the touring team’s batsmen.”I see it more as a positive I think, that he can maybe crack open a few of them early and create a few scars in their top order and middle order maybe,” he said. “Disappointing he’s not playing in the Shield game against us, but he’s had trouble with injuries in the past few years so that’s the reason he’s playing there.”Their top order, it’ll be their first hit on tour, and to have a guy there like Coults there to warm them up I guess to maybe create a few scars would be nice. That’s their plan too, to start with the bounciest, quickest wicket and get used to that straight away.”Elsewhere, the national selectors named the Cricket Australia XI squad to face Joe Root’s England tourists in a pair of Ashes warm-up matches, first in Adelaide (November 8-11) and then Townsville (November 15-18). The experienced Tim Paine and the NSW seamer Gurinder Sandhu add experience to the side, which also features the more youthful talents of Will Pucovski and Jason Sangha.Cricket Australia XI squad: Jake Carder, Jackson Coleman, Michael Cormack, Daniel Fallins, Ryan Gibson, Nick Larkin, Simon Milenko, Tim Paine, Will Pucovski, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha, Matthew Short.

New Zealand quicks make deep inroads into South Africa

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Trent Boult and Neil Wagner picked up five wickets between them to leave South Africa at 236 for 8

The Report by Alagappan Muthu19-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe first day of Test cricket in August at Kingsmead felt like a play. There was the roguish charmer, Trent Boult, making the new ball weave shapes the batsman couldn’t fathom. There was the graceful warrior, Hashim Amla, finding the boundary with the softest of touches. There was the man who defies pain, Neil Wagner, summoning bouncers late in the day. There was guts from Temba Bavuma. And finally there was Mitchell Santner, the sneaky saboteur who ensured the curtains came down with New Zealand smiling.South Africa, having opted to bat, lurched from 102 for 2 to 160 for 5 and were finally holding on at 236 for 8 at stumps, with Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn at the crease.There was a distinct narrative in each session of play. The first was for the purists, and for those moved by drama, for Boult was slaying an old demon. Ever since a back injury in June 2015, he had looked a paler force. His average bobbed over 36, he leaked three runs an over, and some were worried he had lost his inswing. Considering a stress fracture to his back had threatened his career before it even began – he was set to make his Test debut as a 19-year-old in Australia in 2009, instead he spent two years out of the game – Boult running in and hunting for the top of off stump at 140 kph was a pleasing sight. His first spell of eight overs included three maidens, plenty of jaffas, and the wicket of opener Stephen Cook.In walked Amla. The ball cringed at the sight of him and hid beyond the boundary every chance it could. He looked in such ominous touch that his batting average of 18.62 at Kingsmead, his home ground, seemed like a computer error. He had contributed 40 of the 53 runs South Africa accumulated in the ten overs leading to lunch, favouring the cover drive. Six of his ten fours came in that region as New Zealand attempted to stay off his pads and ended up overcompensating.So Kane Williamson called on Boult again, who promptly confounded the opposition’s best batsman. An inswinger demanded Amla come forward – he couldn’t – nibbled on the inside edge and settled in wicketkeeper BJ Watling’s gloves. Boult wasn’t able to turn the tide like that on the tours to Australia in late 2015, nor was he his usual self in the home Tests that followed. But at Kingsmead, he pitched the ball on off stump with remarkable precision and the batsman did not know whether it would carry on with the angle or veer back at him. He was a sitting duck.So it was important that South Africa took the time to find stable ground. That responsibility fell on Temba Bavuma and the stand-in captain Faf du Plessis. The runs came at a trickle but their 54-run partnership was the second-biggest of the day. South Africa had expressed a desire not to accept mediocrity on the eve of the match and though each of their specialist batsmen spent at least 30 minutes at the crease it wouldn’t please them that only one managed a fifty. Bavuma came within four runs of the mark, driving serenly and pulling authoritatively. But he was trapped lbw by Santner soon after Quinton de Kock ran down the track and spooned a catch to cover.New Zealand had been patient, they had strangled run-flow when wickets weren’t forthcoming and gave themselves the chance to pounce at the slightest opening. Literally, as it turned out.In the fourth over after tea, Williamson flew to his right at gully and came up with a one-handed screamer to dismiss du Plessis. The bowler was Wagner, who had already caused frustration for South Africa and in particular JP Duminy by bouncing him out minutes after lunch. No one springs the leg-side trap quite like Wagner, going wide of the crease, summoning effort from some secret dimension very few fast bowlers have access to. He surprised Philander with another short one on what became the fourth over before bad light ended the day.Things were tough at the start too. Like freshmen at a college party, Cook and Dean Elgar had spent the first several minutes assessing conditions. They tried to keep to their little corner and hoped they eventually would feel comfortable enough to shake a leg or two. Boult hit the perfect spot in the 14th over. Cook was caught in the crease, defending inside the line and with soft hands. Had that ball carried on with the angle, he would have been safe, but Boult brought it back in and claimed the edge. Quite unplayable.Elgar was worked over in a similar manner by Doug Bracewell, who switched around the wicket to draw the batsman into pushing outside his off stump and edging to second slip. Williamson at gully put his head down and clapped his hands hard. He had said his bowlers had to be “creative” to get their wickets in Zimbabwe a few weeks ago. Nothing of that sort was required at Kingsmead, where the red ball swung just enough to play on the nerves of a top order that hadn’t played Test cricket in seven months.

Struggling Morgan given a break by Middlesex

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Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain, has been given a break by Middlesex amid a form slump that has not seen him pass fifty since the one-day series against New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2015Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain, has been given a break by Middlesex amid a form slump that has not seen him pass fifty since the one-day series against New Zealand.He will miss three Royal London Cup matches and the Championship match against Sussex in a bid to recharge his batteries before the limited-overs matches against Australia which begin with the one-off T20 at Cardiff on August 31.In 15 innings since he made 113 in the fourth ODI at Trent Bridge – marshalling an England record run-chase alongside Joe Root – he has a top score of 48 and has made five ducks. His only substantial innings was a century for Middlesex 2nd XI.”Eoin has been on the go since October 2014 and is in need of a rest,” Angus Fraser, Middlesex’s managing director, said. “He has been working his socks off away from matches trying to find the form he wants and it has so far not brought the results he is looking for.”We believe a week or two away from cricket will allow him to recharge and to play the cricket he wants for the remainder of the season.”Morgan had been named England captain for the World Cup just weeks before the team left for Australia following the sacking of Alastair Cook after the one-day series in Sri Lanka last December.He endured a poor campaign during England’s early exit from the tournament – making 90 runs in five innings – and there was a suggestion he would be removed as captain, but he was given a vote of confidence by the new director of England cricket, Andrew Strauss, as soon as Strauss took the role in May.He responded with an outstanding series against New Zealand where he scored 322 runs at 64.40 with a strike-rate of 124.80 as England bounced back to win 3-2.In Morgan’s absence, James Franklin will take on the captaincy of the Middlesex one-day side.

Cook ready for 'unknown territory'

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A few weeks after leading England to an historic series win, Alastair Cook and his team are heading back to India for the demands of a one-day series

Nagraj Gollapudi02-Jan-2013There is no need to ask Alastair Cook what his New Year’s resolution is. As he walked with a relaxed stride on Wednesday evening to board the flight to India, to lead England in the one-day series, he only had victory on his mind. And nothing was going to betray his confidence.You can remind him about India being the defending world champions in the 50-over format. You can remind him about the 5-0 annihilation MS Dhoni’s men inflicted on England in late 2011, not to mention the same in 2008 and the 6-1 drubbing in 2005-06. But Cook can equally shoot back out about the historic triumph against India in the Test leg, which allowed the England players to celebrate a lovely Christmas at home. And without being combative, he could at the same time remind you that England, and not India, are the No.1 on the ODI rankings.Of course, Cook did not say any of those things at the team departure press conference. What he did say, though, was the one-day players will do well to adopt a similar approach and work ethic as practiced by the Test squad: adapt, work hard and enjoy.”We can definitely take some confidence as a batting unit, especially the way we handled their spinners after that first innings in Ahmedabad. We have got to do something like that once again in the ODIs if we want to win.”Yet Cook is aware of the challenge awaiting his team. Missing from the first-choice ODI squad are the trio of James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott ,who have been allowed to rest as part of the selectors’ plan to keep England squads competitive at all times across all formats, along with Jonny Bairstow who is on compassionate leave.”Every time you start the tour it is a huge challenge,” Cook said. “I sat here two-and-half months ago saying to win a Test series in India would be an amazing experience and to do that was a great effort by the whole squad. India in their backyard in one-day cricket is again a huge challenge for us. We lost 5-0 last time, so it will be a good measure of us as a side to see how we have improved. But again we have got a squad that is capable of doing something special.”England have done special things in the last few years but one of the key driving forces, Andy Flower, the team director, will be absent this time India. Flower and the ECB recently agreed that he had to achieve a “realistic and sustainable work-life balance”, he had to take frequent breaks. Under Flower, since May 2007, England’s ODI record win-loss record was 60-52 in 120 matches. In 2012 England won 12 ODIs and lost two with series wins against Pakistan (4-0 in UAE), Australia (4-0 at home) and West Indies (2-0 at home).To try and help ensure a smooth transition as Flower steps aside from the one-day squad, the ECB the former England left-arm spinner and current selector Ashley Giles. Asked if the relationship with Giles, with whom he has never worked in a similar manner before, would be hard to establish, Cook disagreed.He said Giles was an important influence when he entered the England dressing room for the first time in 2006. According to Cook, Giles was the facilitator, acting as the channel between the players and Duncan Fletcher, the then England coach.”He was a senior citizen of the side when I went to Pakistan. He was kind of called the dad in one way,” he said. “He was that gel in the middle of the team, always looking after players. He was the bridge between Duncan Fletcher and some of the players and I see him carrying along that kind of relationship with the players now as a coach.”Flower, Cook maintains, remains the “boss” and is just a “telephone call” away in case of any emergency. But that did not mean they would have to wait for him to take every call as it was the responsibility of him and Giles to take forward the ODI team. The key in making sure this new coaching set-up runs smoothly is to communicate openly and clearly.”It is an unknown territory and we haven’t done it before,” Cook said. “But it is a bit like the three captains. It was new, it was fresh and I thought it worked really well because of the energy those three captains brought to each different side. And I can see this having the same effect on the coaching side with Test and ODIs being split. We all will have to work hard on the relationship and we all are going to have to communicate really well to do it. But as we get used to it, the relationship will improve.”Neither does Cook want comparisons drawn between Giles and Flower. “Of course, they are going to be different because they are different characters, they are different people. What is important is all three of us work together and have a strong relationship because you do need a strong leadership. Gilo will have to get used to me as a captain and I’ll have to get used to him as a coach just like I Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss did.”Like any good forward-thinking leader, Cook did not waste time and has taken the initiative to meet Giles a “few times”, to make sure both men get acquainted to each other’s styles and thoughts quickly. The next few weeks will not define the partnership, but it will lay down some early markers.

Nuwan Kulasekara joins squad for ODIs

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Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lanka fast bowler, will join the national squad for the ODI series in South Africa after four months on the sidelines

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jan-2012Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lanka fast bowler, will join the squad for the ODI series in South Africa after four months on the sidelines. Lasith Malinga, Upul Tharanga and Kosala Kulasekara will also be part of the one-day leg of the tour, while Chanaka Welegedara, Kaushal Silva, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kanishka Alvitigala will not be involved after the Test series concludes.Sri Lanka picked a different spin attack to the one they played against Pakistan in the UAE, their previous one-day series. Suraj Randiv, Jeevan Mendis and Seekkuge Prasanna, who were in the squad against Pakistan, were left out, with the selectors sticking with Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis, who are already in South Africa.Nuwan Kulasekara, who has not played for Sri Lanka since picking up an injury in their home ODI series against Australia in August, was initially set to join the squad for the second and third Tests in South Africa. Sri Lanka’s sports ministry, however, vetoed his selection and the uncapped Kanishka Alvitigala was picked instead. Alvitigala did not get a game in the Test series and has now been replaced by Kulasekara.Malinga, who is retired from Test cricket, and Tharanga were the expected additions to the squad in South Africa, while allrounder Kosala Kulasekara, who played only one Test and one ODI on the tour of the UAE, retained his spot.Herath, who is considered more suited to Tests, was kept for the ODIs after he took nine wickets in Sri Lanka’s upset of South Africa in Durban. Ajantha Mendis, meanwhile, did not play a Test but was picked in the ODI squad after being dropped for the series against Pakistan. He was chosen ahead of Prasanna, who took just four wickets in five ODIs in the UAE.Squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Angelo Mathews (vc), Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Kosala Kulasekara, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dhammika Prasad, Dilhara Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne

Franklin replaces Bennett in NZ squad

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Allrounder James Franklin has been called up to replace the injured Hamish Bennett for the remaining two Tests against India

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2010Allrounder James Franklin has been called up to replace the injured Hamish Bennett for the remaining two Tests against India. Bennett, who injured his groin while bowling on the first day of the Ahmedabad Test, will return to New Zealand for further testing and rehabilitation.Doubts about Jesse Ryder’s ability to bowl in the next game also factored into the selection of Franklin, as the New Zealand selectors wanted someone who could bat and bowl.”It’s an unfortunate injury for Hamish, which will see him miss the remainder of the Test series against India, Mark Greatbatch, the New Zealand coach said. “However, it does create another opportunity for James Franklin to come back into the Blackcaps squad.”Franklin showed good form with bat and ball in Zimbabwe, where he successfully led New Zealand A to a series win.”New Zealand A won two of the three unofficial Tests they played against Zimbabwe, with Franklin making 180 runs at an average of 60, with one century, and taking 10 wickets at an average of 17.2. Franklin hasn’t played Test cricket for over 18 months though. His last Test came, coincidentally, against India in Wellington in April 2009. Over 26 Tests, he has made 644 runs at an average of 21.46, and taken 80 wickets at 32.65, with a best of 6 for 119.Franklin will arrive in Hyderabad on November 10, two days before the start of the second Test.

Captains deny collusion in rain-affected game

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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.”

Shanto: 'We are going to Champions Trophy to become champions'

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Bangladesh haven’t had a great run in ODIs lately but Shanto believes they are title contenders

Mohammad Isam12-Feb-2025Bangladesh haven’t had a great run in ODIs lately. In addition, they have little to no prep heading into the Champions Trophy 2025. But captain Najmul Hossain Shanto strongly believes Bangladesh are title contenders.”We are going to the Champions Trophy to become champions,” Shanto said. “All eight teams deserve to be champions in this tournament. They are all quality teams. I believe our team has the ability. No one will feel extra pressure. Everyone genuinely wants (to become champions), and believes in their capabilities. We don’t know what Allah has written in our fate. We are working hard and doing our best. I believe we can achieve our goal.”Since 2023, Bangladesh have lost 24 out of the 41 matches they’ve played, which includes series losses against Afghanistan and West Indies. Shanto, too, has not been in great form, as he is coming off an injury and a string of low scores in the Bangladesh Premier League [BPL]. He also hasn’t played international cricket since November after he missed the West Indies tour due to a hamstring injury. Bangladesh last played ODIs at the start of December in 2024, which they lost 3-0.Related

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Bangladesh will also be without senior allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, although his absence was along expected lines. He has been suspended from bowling in top-flight cricket due to an illegal action and recently failed a second independent assessment of his action. When asked whether Bangladesh would miss Shakib’s presence, Shanto said that the team does not linger on hopes of a miraculous Shakib comeback, adding that it was “irrelevant” to discuss the subject before the tournament.”Of course, we will miss him but I don’t know why this question is being asked,” Shanto said. “Everyone already knows the answer, and many players have said it before. Of course, we will miss Shakib . It would have been great if he were here. This question has been answered many times. I don’t think it’s relevant to talk about this before a tournament.”So who will take over Shakib’s role in the team? “Whoever gets the responsibility will have to play Shakib’s role,” Shanto said.There are a few more big names – like Litton Das and Tamim Iqbal – missing from the Bangladesh squad, but Shanto insisted that he was happy with his team. “I am very happy and confident with the 15 players in the squad,” he said. “Anyone who plays has the ability to win a match single-handedly.”Shanto also called for Bangladesh to asses the conditions quickly and raise their game by chasing and defending 320-plus totals. Bangladesh are set to play their first match against India in Dubai before facing New Zealand and Pakistan in Rawalpindi.”I expect the pitches in Pakistan to be 300-plus wickets. If we bat first, we need to put up such scores. Even while defending, we will need to defend such scores. In Dubai, conditions vary at different times. Still, I think scores will be around 260-280. It’s tough to predict exact numbers, but historically, that’s how it has been. We will analyse how many runs are needed on a given day or how many we need to restrict the opposition to.”Shanto also hopes his bowling attack, particularly the pacers, continue to give their best, and believes Bangladesh have a “balanced team”.”Not too long ago, we didn’t have quality pace bowlers, but now we have a strong pace bowling unit,” he said. “We didn’t have wristspinners before, but now we do. Overall, we have a balanced team. If everyone fulfills their responsibilities properly, we can defeat any team at any time.”

Shami leads rout of Sri Lanka as India advance unbeaten into semi-finals

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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.

Kyle Verreynne's grandfather in hospital after falling ill in stands during Lord's Test

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Family drama unfolded in the Edrich Stand as Verreynne prepared to bat on the second day

Firdose Moonda22-Aug-2022Kyle Verreynne batted in the Lord’s Test shortly after his grandfather fell seriously ill in the stands.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Verreynne’s grandfather was struggling to breathe in the Edrich Stand and was stretchered out of the ground before being admitted to an ICU ward. He remains in hospital.Verreynne was listed on South Africa’s team sheet at No. 6 but was held back when his grandfather began having trouble and was helped by medical staff at the ground.That was shortly before Sarel Erwee was dismissed. When Erwee was bounced out by Ben Stokes, South Africa’s team management opted to send Marco Jansen in instead and inform Verreynne of the situation and he batted next.Verreynne provided Stuart Broad’s 100th wicket at Lord’s when he edged behind to Ben Foakes for 11 after spending just over half an hour at the crease. South Africa went on to win the match by an innings and 12 runs.Verreyne will remain with the South Africa squad ahead of the second Test, beginning in Manchester on Thursday.