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Essex trampled all over Kent in front of their own fans for a derby hammering that soured a truly exceptional night of revelry.

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Canterbury22-Jul-2016
ScorecardRavi Bopara’s all-round excellence kept Essex alive in the tournament•Getty Images

On a night when one campaign would be reignited and another shelved, Essex trampled all over Kent in front of their own fans for a derby hammering that soured a truly exceptional night of revelry. It was standard English T20 fare: ale in the air, kids playing in the array of green nooks that Canterbury has to offer and unhindered sun cheering even the most straight-laced Kent fan lamenting a season in which a side that promised so much has delivered so little.Before the match Ravi Bopara was not entirely sure what Essex needed for a quarter-final spot. Having called the toss correctly, he assumed winning every match might do it. Opting to bat, both he and Tom Westley notched their first half-centuries of the competition to post 190. A turn with the ball, removing Alex Blake and then running out James Tredwell with a direct hit, showed that Bopara was at least up to scratch with the short-term needs if not the bigger picture. He’ll be pleased to know that they now sit in fourth, with their fate in their own hands.With a plethora of English talent on show, Andy Flower was present to soak in an evening when the ground was bursting at the seams with a crowd that pushed the 6,000 capacity to its limit. There was not a seat nor a patch of grass spare on the bank. Standing space, too, had to be earned. The food village at the Nackington Road End was a sweaty mosh-pit of pad thai at the interval. Flower opted for the sedate order of the Sainsbury’s next to the ground.As it happens, he would have made all if not most of his notes of praise during Essex’s innings, as Kent Spitfires’ chase stuttered every few boundaries. Sam Northeast, with 994 Championship runs and, now, over 403 in the T20 Blast, was snipped after 12 balls at the crease, just as he was starting to threaten a thrilling star turn. The returning Lions fared no better: Daniel Bell-Drummond gifting David Masters a high return catch before Sam Billings, given a WWE-style fanfare when he strode to the crease, made a more sombre return walk after just two balls for Masters’ second.Westley shone brightest, coming in during the fifth over and batting right through to the end for 74 off 49 balls. It was typically Westley – a wrist-heavy affair that was more kiss-kiss than bang-bang. He took a particular liking to Darren Stevens, at times allowing deliveries to sit up, on a pitch that responded well to variety, to find gaps on both sides of the wicket.The half-century came off 33 balls, by which point, in the 15th over, Bopara had just 12 from 17 balls. A post-fifty acceleration from Westley allowed his captain the chance to settle before thrashing 15 off the 20th over, bowled by David Griffiths. Bopara’s own half-century saw him redress his stodgy start with 31 off the last 15 balls. Together, they put on 119.Tonight also marked the return of Matt Coles. Since being made unavailable for selection after an indiscretion during the Championship game against Glamorgan in Cardiff last month, the rumour mill has been turning. It is familiar territory for Coles, who is Kent through and through but will find it harder to command the goodwill of a fan base starting to lose their patience with him.News of Coles’ return to the side had not reached those at the ground until the toss, many of whom had already sussed his presence, a spitting burly figure throwing down stumps with Kagiso Rabada in the warm-ups. Brought on after four overs, he conceded consecutive boundaries off his first two balls back but finished the over with the wicket of Nick Browne – caught well by Rabada at deep midwicket- before undoing Dan Lawrence with a change of pace.A penny for Flower’s thoughts: it was he who ejected Coles from a Lions tour in 2013, along with Ben Stokes, as his visit to the camp in Australia coincided with their drunken misdemeanours. Stokes has made his peace by becoming one of the game’s most exciting allrounders as Coles battles on to find his.He needs time to get back to where he wants to be – in cricket and in life. In so many ways, it is hard not to look at Coles and, even considering the self-inflicted nature of his misdemeanours, label him “unlucky”. As one member of that 2013 Lions tour put it: “it’s not that Colesy got drunk – it’s that he got caught”.

Phil Mustard struck his first first-class century for five years as Gloucestershire took control against Derbyshire at Derby

ECB Reporters Network01-Sep-2016
ScorecardPhil Mustard returned to form of old [file picture]•Getty Images

Phil Mustard’s first century in first-class cricket for nearly five years put Gloucestershire on course for victory in the Division Two match against Derbyshire despite a five wicket haul from Tony Palladino.Mustard’s unbeaten 107 and 94 from Chris Dent lifted Gloucestershire to 331, a first innings lead of 89, and at the close of day two Derbyshire were in deep trouble at16 for 2.Palladino took his 350th first-class wicket and finished with 5 for 74, the 13th time he has taken five wickets in an innings, but it was Gloucestershire’s day.Derbyshire would have been the side looking to take control when Tom Milnes struck in the second over of the morning before Gloucestershire had added to the overnight total.Will Tavare was trying to take his bat away but edged to Harvey Hosein and with the inexperienced George Hankins in the middle against a ball only 14 overs old, Derbyshire had the chance to make significant inroads.But Hankins showed good judgement and sound temperament to stay with Dent for 15 overs until he was bowled by an arm ball from Callum Parkinson for 34.Gloucestershire were still a long way behind when Hamish Marshall was lbw to Palladino shuffling back and across six overs before lunch but Derbyshire had to wait another 24 overs for the next wicket.Billy Godleman switched his bowlers around but Dent and Mustard showed patience and selectivity to add 85 for the fifth wicket before Dent tossed away the chance of a century.He had dispatched Wayne Madsen way back over long on to move into the nineties but when he tried to reach three figures with another big shot off Parkinson, he top-edged to mid on.Dent knew he had let Derbyshire back in but Mustard and Jack Taylor tilted the advantage towards the visitors with a stand of 74 before the second new ball gave the game another twist.Taylor chipped to midwicket to give Palladino his milestone and the seamer found just enough away movement to bowl Craig Miles before David Payne edged a drive into his stumps.When Liam Norwell chased a wide one from Will Davis, Mustard was in danger of being stranded but he pulled Davis for his 13th four to reach an excellent hundred.Josh Shaw helped add a precious 31 runs before he became Palladino’s fifth victim, leaving Derbyshire seven overs to negotiate and they lost Ben Slater lbw to Payne in the first before Billy Godleman edged Norwell to Mustard in the penultimate over.

Sandeep Patil, India’s former chairman of selectors, has said “there were lots of discussions” around MS Dhoni’s limited-overs captaincy around the time he retired from Test cricket in December 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2016Sandeep Patil, India’s former chairman of selectors, has said “there were lots of discussions” around the future of MS Dhoni’s limited-overs captaincy around the time he retired from Test cricket in December 2014. Dhoni’s unexpected exit from the longest format mid-way through India’s Test series in Australia came as a “shock”, Patil said, but he was happy that Dhoni decided to move on when he realised his mental and physical fitness were not up to scratch.Patil, whose four-year term as chief selector ended today, said his panel deliberated making a leadership change in ODIs then, but eventually decided not to, keeping in mind the 2015 World Cup was only a couple of months away at the time. “Absolutely [Dhoni’s captaincy was under threat]. There were lots of discussions that happened regarding that, [and] it’s not like they happened once, they happened a lot,” Patil told ABP News. “There was discussion about his one-day captaincy, there were discussions on his finishing…”But we selected him because… a time had come, the World Cup had come – [if] you try, before the World Cup, giving a new player the captaincy seat, [you should] give him a good run. But that opportunity didn’t come to the selectors. We didn’t have enough time to experiment.”Dhoni, who still captains India in ODIs and T20s, had announced his retirement shortly after the Boxing Day Test ended in Melbourne, with the team trailing 2-0 after three matches with one to play. Patil said that Australian tour was a tough one for the team and Dhoni’s decision was “sudden”, but he was best placed to decide on his future. “I wouldn’t want to say… that it was a sinking ship, but it was a tough series. Our players had to face quite a few difficulties there, the performance wasn’t quite right, save for Virat Kohli.”In such a situation, for a senior player to take this decision – to suddenly take this decision – was shocking. There was a lot of discussion even among us [selectors], ‘How did this happen?'”But it was his decision. What the player is thinking and understands… his body, his thinking, his fitness, only he can decide on all those things. Selectors can’t decide that. I feel that Dhoni understood this and took the right decision at the right time.”Patil said the selectors did ask Dhoni about the timing of his retirement when the panel next met to select an ODI squad. But, in the end, the decision was a selfless one, he said. “[Since it was mid-way through a series], we questioned him and his response was that ‘this is the level of contribution that should be coming from me to the team, when that wasn’t happening, then I myself felt that I should be out’. Very few players can take a decision like that. Very few players can think like that. Everyone generally thinks I should play more, let me play one more series, let me play for another year…”The other big retirement Patil’s panel had to deal with was even more high-profile: the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar. Patil recollected the precise moment he first had a chat with Tendulkar about his plans for the future, in December 2012. Patil said Tendulkar made the decision to quit ODIs after he and fellow selector Rajinder Hans had that chat with him during the Nagpur Test against England. The selectors, Patil said, did not force anything on Tendulkar.”I remember, it was a Test match in Nagpur, December, 2012. After Sachin got out, that was when we, the selectors, decided that we will go to Sachin and ask him what his intention is. And that was a job I did, because I was the chairman, and Hans was also with me, and we spoke to him to know what he had in mind.”We have never told any player, let it be Sachin Tendulkar or any other player, ‘that is enough, now we are going to drop you’. We wanted to ask ‘what’s the plan in your mind’. [And] Sachin wanted to focus more on Test cricket. So when we spoke – and it was quite an open discussion – he decided that he will retire from one-day cricket and, in front of me, he called Sanjay Jagdale, who was the [BCCI] secretary then. He himself said ‘I don’t want to play one-day cricket now’. I felt that was a very good thing, what Sachin did.”Tendulkar’s Test retirement came a year later, following a farewell series against West Indies in November 2013.Former India opener Virender Sehwag, who had previously told ESPNcricinfo that he was “hurt” by the manner in which the selectors dropped him in 2013, more recently said it would have been nice if the selectors had offered him a farewell Test as well. Patil said while he empathised with the players, it was not their right to ask for a farewell match. “If you decide that everybody should get a farewell, then it becomes wrong. And this decision is not the player’s, it’s the BCCI’s. I can understand how it feels, because I too have come through that phase. You talk of Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar… The farewell that Sachin got, that was different.”But, perhaps, after that, the expectation went up among the rest that ‘I too should get one’. But it didn’t happen, and they felt unhappy, became annoyed. And I understand why they became displeased, but the sport is such that when you… retire, many things come out; many things that you shouldn’t say, you end up saying, and later there is repentance. But we don’t place much importance on these things.”

Mignon du Preez’s 80 took South Africa to their first ever win against New Zealand, and levelled the series at 1-1

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Mignon du Preez’s 80 helped South Africa level the series•ICC/Getty Images

Mignon du Preez’s 80 led South Africa Women to their first-ever win against New Zealand Women, in the second ODI in Kimberley. She struck ten boundaries in her 112-ball knock to help South Africa level the seven-match series at 1-1.This after Lizelle Lee, who was promoted to open, made a run-a-ball 42. Morna Nielsen, the left-arm spinner, pegged South Africa back with her third ODI five-wicket haul, and was New Zealand’s only wicket-taker till Holly Huddleston, the fast bowler, removed du Preez with five to get. But there were no more hiccups as South Africa completed their four-wicket victory with five balls to spare.Earlier, New Zealand’s top order showed more resolve than in the first ODI after being put in, led by captain Suzie Bates who top-scored with 66. She put on 68 for the opening wicket with Rachel Priest, and 72 for the second wicket with Amy Satterthwaite, who scored 47. However, the middle order failed once again as they slipped from 140 for 1 to 168 for 5 in a span of 7.3 overs. The collapse strangled New Zealand, and the last 12 overs fetched only 54.Medium-pacer Marizanne Kapp was at the centre of this collapse, as she removed Sattherwaite and Katie Perkins in consecutive overs. She finished with 3 for 41 in nine overs before contributing 27 in a 49-run fifth-wicket stand with du Preez.The win brought South Africa within one point of fourth-placed New Zealand in the ICC Women’s Championship table. A win on Thursday -only the first three ODIs count towards the championships – will help the hosts jump into the top four.

Sourav Ganguly’s thoughts on various hot topics surrounding the India-England Tests

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2016‘I’m a huge fan of Virat Kohli’
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly says he sees a lot of similarities between Virat Kohli’s leadership and his own brand of aggressive captaincy.0:44

Ganguly: I’m a huge fan of Virat Kohli

‘Pandya must think like an allrounder’
India are trying to “create” a Test allrounder out of Hardik Pandya, says Ganguly, which is not a bad thing, but Pandya now has to be smart about the role and learn to balance his workload.0:48

Ganguly: Pandya must think like an allrounder

Ganguly picks his India XI for Rajkot
Three spinners, or two? Who will make it into the former India captain’s XI if he were playing in Rajkot?0:30

Ganguly picks his India XI for Rajkot

Can England tackle the spin challenge?
R Ashwin will make life very hard for the England batsmen, especially the left-handers in the squad, Ganguly believes.0:30

Ganguly picks his India XI for Rajkot

Ganguly on Harbhajan’s pitch jibes
Recently Harbhajan Singh had said his and Anil Kumble’s wicket tallies would have been “something else” if they had bowled pitches similar to the ones India have played on of late. His former captain says Harbhajan was a “champion bowler”, but should move on.0:45

Ganguly on Harbhajan’s pitch jibes

Centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and M Vijay led India’s response to England’s 537 on an engrossing third day in Rajkot

The Report by Sidharth Monga11-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:13

Ganguly: Pujara is a must for India at No.3

Cheered on by his passionate but impassive father and his much more demonstrative wife, Cheteshwar Pujara scored an emotional century in the debut Test for his home ground of Rajkot. M Vijay complemented him with a more temperate defensive display of 126 off 301 balls to take India closer to safety after they had conceded 537 in five sessions on a pitch expected to become difficult as the game progressed. The 209-run partnership between Vijay and Pujara made them the most prolific duo for India since the start of 2010.The pitch didn’t deteriorate as much as expected, but to look at scores of 537 and 319 for 4 and conclude that it was a featherbed that produced boring cricket will be a disservice to the batsmen and bowlers who showed a lot of discipline and persistence. There was turn on offer but not variable, and there was a bare patch on a good length for seamers to work with. While for most periods of the day the England’s bowlers kept the batsmen honest without necessarily threatening them, they will be disappointed the quicks failed to generate reverse and the spinners got cut and pulled regularly.There was always something to work with, but whenever the bowlers got it right, Vijay and Pujara, who came together when Gautam Gambhir’s feet got him into a messy tangle to the seventh ball of the day, worked hard to thwart them. Especially while having to go through almost scoreless periods against the seam of Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad. In the first session Woakes tested them with a five-over spell of six runs and three body blows for Pujara. In the second session Broad went 5-4-1-0, targeting that bare patch just short of a driving length. In the final session Broad and Ben Stokes asked questions with the new ball.During the Woakes spell in the morning, 14 runs came in 10 overs. While Broad charged in mid-afternoon, 10 overs yielded 18 runs and a chance shelled by debutant by Haseeb Hameed at short cover. Unlike Pujara, Vijay had driven on the up to a ball that landed in that dry patch, and was reprieved on 66. India then welcomed DRS when Pujara successfully reviewed an lbw call when on 86, with extra bounce helping overturn the on-field decision.While England didn’t give the batsmen much to work with, the batsmen were good enough to recognise spells of play they could exploit. Scoring happened in spurts. Pujara came out and attacked Moeen Ali – out twice to the offspinner in 53 balls before this Test, he used his feet to disrupt his length. India had added 41 in nine overs to their overnight 63 in this period as Pujara raced away to 25 off 29.Then came Woakes. He didn’t just bowl short at Pujara, he bowled an excellent line, straight at his lid. Pujara, committing to the front foot almost every delivery, kept taking his eye off the ball while trying to sway. To his credit, Pujara never threw his hands up in self-defence, which would have brought the glove or the edge into play. Arvind Pujara, his father who was a wicketkeeper for Saurashtra, watched on without emotion. Puja, his wife, looked concerned.Ben Stokes gave England a much-needed wicket•Associated Press

Pujara scored 6 off 32 in these 10 overs. Once Woakes was done, England went to the man who makes things happen for them. This follow-up after that stranglehold was crucial with half an hour to go to lunch. Stokes, though, began with a half-volley second ball. Pujara’s intent meant he was on to it to drive it to the cover point boundary. Then a straight ball was glanced away, and Pujara had found his flow again. From 118 for 1, India added 44 in this period of eight overs to own the session. In the space of 25 balls, Pujara hit six boundaries to double his score of 31.Vijay at the other end had his own flow. For long periods of time you only noticed him when a possible two was kept to one because Pujara is not the quickest runner. Otherwise he would be leaving balls outside off, defending those at the stumps, and taking ones or twos only when they were too short or too straight. Vijay was there for his partner, though. After Pujara had been hit for the third time, he got right behind a ball in defence. At the non-striker’s end, Vijay’s bat went in the air, and the glove knocked it in applause, reassuring his partner that he just needed to get through that period of play.This amount of concentration can be exhausting especially when you are going at a little better than a run every three balls like Vijay was. Vijay, though, had one tool at his disposal: the lofted shot against the spinners. Every now and then, without any rhyme or reason, never ostensibly looking for a release, he would step out to spinners and languidly chip them back over their head. He attempted it six times, hitting two sixes each off Moeen And Zafar Ansari, and a four each off Ansari and Adil Rashid. Those 32 runs were the lubricant for his innings, the final session of which he spent hobbling after being hit in the knee.There was no spurt in the middle session in which 66 runs came. The drama in the middle session belonged to the Pujara family. Ansari’s reintroduction brought the first bit of natural variation. Pujara was caught right in front, but given the bounce in the pitch – earlier a Rashid googly had failed to draw an lbw verdict because of that reason – and also with the reviews to be reset in 10 overs, he challenged the decision. Finally Arvind showed emotion, that of visible relief as his son, whose cricket has been his preoccupation for more than a decade, was allowed to go for the 14 runs needed to bring up his century.Pujara gave everybody a nervous few minutes, spending eight balls on 99 before coming back after tea to score the 100th run. Then, against the run of play, Pujara steered the first ball of a new Stokes spell straight to first slip to be dismissed for 124. England still had an hour and a half to make further inroads. The plans and their execution was spot-on. The seamers bowled consistently around the sixth stump to Kohli, but the India captain seemed determined to not go after them even if it meant scoring just 1 run off the first 16 balls he faced.If there was one criticism of Vijay’s batting and Cook’s captaincy, it revolved around Rashid. Cook underused his most threatening spinner of the day, and Vijay – for some strange reason, despite being such a good player of spin – played the wrong ‘uns off the pitch. In what turned out to be the penultimate over of the day, Rashid got Vijay caught at short leg with a googly followed by Ansari snaring the nightwatchman Amit Mishra.Not that it mattered now, but India ended the day 19 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

Mohammad Nawaz came to the fore on the final day of the warm-up match in Cairns, taking three wickets to help skittle Cricket Australia for 109 in 27.3 overs

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2016
ScorecardRahat Ali finished with a match haul of five wickets•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz came to the fore on the final day of the warm-up match in Cairns, taking three wickets to help skittle Cricket Australia for 109 in 27.3 overs and complete a 201-run win for the Pakistanis. Rahat Ali and Mohammad Amir took two wickets each, while Wahab Riaz and Azhar Ali claimed one apiece.The lid had been ripped open by the new-ball pair of Rahat and Amir, who reduced CA XI to 4 for 27 in the chase of 311. Nawaz, who had bowled only five overs in the first innings for no wicket, then claimed the wicket of Matthew Short before going on to add the scalp of Arjun Nair, who top scored with 42, to his bag. No other CA XI batsman made more than 20 against the pink ball in the second innings.”For me to express my skills out there was a good opportunity. It felt good out there, decent deck, and to score some runs was a good, positive end to the game,” Nair said. “For me, it’s about building my own game, so getting runs was a good confidence-booster and something for me to work towards in the future. Batting against quality bowlers like Mohammad Amir, top class, and for us to come against those bowlers was a good experience. It’s about taking this experience and learning.”The third and final day of the practice game had begun with the Pakistanis on 5 for 124, with Azhar Ali unbeaten on 44. Azhar went on to make 82 not out and contributions from the lower-middle order took the score to 6 for 216 before the declaration came.”As a batsman, you want to spend time in the middle and get used to the conditions,” Azhar said. “As a bowler, you have got to get used to the lengths according to the pitch, so everyone tried to get the best out of this game.””And, obviously, playing the pink ball in Australia is different to playing in Dubai. During the night, when the lights come on, it starts to do a bit more. I think we are very satisfied with what we got. The wicket was not as quick as we thought it would be, still it was good time in the middle.Azhar also had a word of appreciation for the fielding. “We really worked hard on our fielding. As a team, we want to improve in that regard. Fielding is really important. In Test matches, if you catch well, you generally end up on the winning side.”Cairns has been a lovely experience. The hospitality has been brilliant. We were welcomed here, and obviously enjoyed the game as well. We’re looking forward to the Gabba. Obviously, it will be hard work, but as a batting unit we’re really confident that we have the capability to deliver in these conditions.”The first Test between Pakistan and Australia – a day-night fixture in Brisbane – begins on December 15.

Despite getting past 30 nine times in 14 ODI innings, Travis Head has only managed a highest score of 57. With the axing of George Bailey, Head could be in line for a top-four slot against Pakistan, and with it a chance for bigger scores

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2017The No. 4 slot in Australia’s ODI side has opened up with the selectors leaving George Bailey out of the squad for the five-match series against Pakistan. Travis Head could well be the batsman promoted up the order at the Gabba on Friday, though the uncapped Chris Lynn and the returning Glenn Maxwell, who hasn’t played an ODI since June, are also in contention.”Yeah, there’s great opportunity at the minute,” Head said after Australia’s training session on Wednesday, when asked if the dropping of Bailey and the opener Aaron Finch represented a changing of guard in the ODI team. “I guess they rewarded me a little bit [after] some okay performances in South Africa. I was able to get some back-to-back scores but probably wasn’t able to get that big score that I was looking for, so yeah, given an opportunity in this series, I’ll be looking to do that.”Head passed 30 three times in five innings on the tour of South Africa, but only made one half-century. He did better in the home series against New Zealand in December, though, with scores of 52, 57 (off 32 balls) and 37 in the three ODIs. The failure to stretch those scores into something even more substantial, though, rankles with Head. In all, he has passed 30 nine times in 14 ODI innings but has only managed a highest score of 57.”Little bit satisfied, little bit disappointed I wasn’t able to go on and get a bigger score [against New Zealand],” he said. “I think I had the opportunity to do that in a few games and wasn’t able to do that, so if I get my opportunity come couple of days’ time I’ll be definitely looking forward to it. I’m in good form and I feel really good, batting really well in the nets and, yeah, looking forward to getting back out there.”In recent times, Head’s offspin has become a useful second string. He has bowled in 11 of his 15 ODIs, picking up six wickets, and has taken wickets in each of his last three Big Bash League matches with the Adelaide Strikers.”Yeah, I guess it’s something that I’ve worked really hard on,” Head said. “I’ve got some results this year, which has been satisfying. I guess, looking into the Big Bash, I probably haven’t got the runs I would have liked, I feel I’ve been batting really well but haven’t contributed to the wins with the bat, but I’ve been able to do a job with the ball.”So I think, coming out of the Big Bash, I feel confident, with the bat and with the ball, but it’s nice to get some results with the ball, because it’s been a lot of hard work over the last few months.”In 2016, Australia passed 300 six times in eight ODIs at home, and scored 296 in one of the other two matches. This sort of run-scoring, Head felt, had something to do with Twenty20 cricket redefining the possibilities of 50-overs cricket. With the middle-order addition of Chris Lynn, who comes into the ODI squad with 309 runs – at an average of 154.50 and a strike rate of 177.58 – and 26 sixes in five BBL matches, Head said it was “scary” what a power-packed Australian line-up could achieve.”I think it’s scary now what you can get in the last 20 overs of a one-dayer if you set a great platform, which is what we’ve done against New Zealand,” he said. “We were able to set good platforms and give 25 overs to playing like T20. Yeah, it definitely brings in guys into it, a lot more than [before]. Lynny’s batting fantastic, yeah, he can clear the fence with ease, so if we build a good platform and if he’s in that middle order, it’s scary what we can get.”Asked about the possibility of a Test-match call-up ahead of the upcoming tour of India, Head stressed the importance of scoring runs “at the right time” to be in contention.”You’re going to do what you can do in Shield cricket, I guess, get runs and wickets, and if you’re performing, then I guess the next couple of one-day games, if you’re in the team and getting runs at the right time – we’ve seen with a lot of guys, runs at the right time helps, but looking forward to the next five games and trying to do my job in the side, stay in the side, and see what happens.”

Karachi Kings dominated the final league game to beat Islamabad United by six wickets, thereby qualifying for the playoffs of the Pakistan Super League

The Report by Nikhil Kalro26-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIn a nutshellKarachi Kings dominated the final league game from the start to finish, completing a six-wicket win over Islamabad United that ensured they qualified for the playoffs. Rain had delayed the start by 90 minutes and considering the variables that rain brings – how the pitch will play with some moisture on it and the unpredictability of the Duckworth-Lewis Method – the toss became crucial. Karachi won it, chose to bowl and never looked back.The only phase which Karachi didn’t control was when the Islamabad openers made a steady start. Dwayne Smith and Ben Duckett added 37, but it took the majority of the Powerplay – 27 balls. Par scores in the tournament have been fluctuating as much as the games, but with not much spin on offer, Islamabad needed more than the 123 they mustered. None of Karachi’s bowlers were exceptional, but neither were they deplorable. Pace variations were used effectively, including a back-of-the-hand googly from seamer Sohail Khan that dismissed Shane Watson.Chris Gayle, dropped from the previous match, lit up Dubai in the chase. He didn’t take long to get going, striking five sixes in eight balls en route to his 17-ball 44. Not only did that blitz get him back in hitting form, it also put Karachi well ahead in the chase. It was a canter thereon. Even though the match went down to the penultimate ball, it wasn’t as close as the scoreline suggested.Where the match was wonA curtailed contest means an increased allocation of resources, but Islamabad were unable to use the depth in their batting line-up in the 15-over game – partly due to their own indecision of a par score but also because of the Karachi bowlers’ execution. Between overs 6 and 10, Islamabad scored just 27 runs and lost two wickets. Legspinner Usama Mir and left-arm spinner Imad Wasim bowled two overs each in that period and allowed just one boundary, using wily changes in length and pace.The men that won itKarachi’s playing XI. The whole team contributed at some stage. Five bowlers bowled their quota of three overs, and none conceded more than 30. The fielding remained tidy through the innings. With the bat, Gayle played the most significant hand, but the target may just have been insurmountable without the rest of the cameos.Moment of the matchKieron Pollard went 6, 6 off the final two balls to keep Karachi alive in the previous game. He almost matched those pyrotechnics in the field in the final league match. He took four catches, the last of which was possibly the moment of Karachi’s campaign. Smith, batting on 49, heaved an Usman Khan delivery towards wide long-on, where Pollard sprinted to his right. Using every bit of his athleticism, he stuck out his long right hand to pluck another grab for the Pollard scrapbook of implausible catches.Where they finishedKarachi was left with 111 to qualify for the playoffs and 124 to win. They ended up achieving both to finish third on the points table. Islamabad had already qualified for the playoffs, and finished fourth, but a win would have put them in first and given them two cracks at reaching the final by virtue of playing in the first qualifying final on February 28. Instead, Karachi and Islamabad will have a rematch in an elimination playoff on March 1. The result also meant that Lahore Qalandars were eliminated from the tournament.

New Zealand will wait until the end of the Dunedin Test before making a call on Ross Taylor’s availability for the rest of the series

Firdose Moonda in Dunedin10-Mar-2017New Zealand will wait until the end of the Dunedin Test before making a call on Ross Taylor’s availability for the rest of the series. Taylor was diagnosed with a low grade tear in the right calf on Friday morning, after he underwent scans, but returned to bat, although he appeared restricted in his movements.Taylor was helped off the field when he was on 8 on the second day and received treatment overnight. New Zealand Cricket confirmed he would bat if required in this match and, with the hosts into the lead with nine wickets down, he returned to the crease to resume his innings but admitted he did not have high hopes for a long stint in the middle, because of his inability to run.”I wouldn’t say the confidence is that high. When I was walking out to the middle I was hoping I wouldn’t get timed out,” Taylor told New Zealand after the day’s play.Despite his injury, Taylor started with a single off Keshav Maharaj and then faced six more deliveries from Morne Morkel, the first of which he slogged over the leg side for a six. “It was more of a fluke than anything, I couldn’t put any weight on it so I had to get forward and Morne worked out that he just had to bowl short,” Taylor said.Taylor was not asked whether he hoped to play any further part in the series but the indications are that he will face at least some time out of the game. At the end of the second day’s play Trent Boult said Taylor did “not look good,” but the man himself is not giving anything away. “It’s just a small tear so it was nice to contribute in some sort of way and get a lead but I am obviously still frustrated.”Taylor is New Zealand’s second-highest Test century-maker on 16, one behind his mentor Martin Crowe. Earlier this season he became their leading century-maker in ODIs, but has lost his place in the T20 side.If this Test goes the duration, there are only three days before the second Test starts in Wellington on March 16, which gives New Zealand six days to name a replacement if necessary. One man they cannot turn to is Martin Guptill, who will need six weeks of rehabilitation on his hamstring ahead of the Champions Trophy. Colin Munro, Neil Broom and Dean Brownlie are believed to be in contention for a call-up if needed.