ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the third T20 between West Indies and England

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2014Contrast of the dayAfter six overs in the second T20 England were 30 for 3. This time they found their mojo with Michael Lumb, especially, cutting loose as they were 64 without loss in the field restrictions. The openers enjoyed three overs of pace, in the absence of Samuel Badree, before confronting Sunil Narine and although there was not quite the six-hitting frenzy that West Indies can produce, 11 fours in the six overs was certainly an improvement.Slower ball of the dayKrishmar Santokie found the going tougher early on in this match than he had done two days ago, but came back superbly in the latter part of the innings. He removed the dangerous Jos Buttler, however the highlight was his slower ball that confounded the out-of-form Ben Stokes. The ball gripped on the surface, turned and sailed through the considerable gap left by Stokes’ lunge forward. Just to cap it off for Santokie, the middle stump was flattened.Salute of the daySheldon Cottrell was a soldier before being an international cricketer. He used to stand guard at Sabina Park when matches were being played. Now, when claiming wickets on his T20 debut – Michael Lumb and Alex Hales in consecutive overs – he saluted his team-mates in a reminder of his former profession.Catch of the dayTowards the end of the match a rainbow appeared in the sky about Bridgetown. It would not have been out of place landing on Chris Jordan, because everything he touched turned to gold. First came the runs, then the wickets. But just to round it off he also pulled off a superb outfield catch, running around from deep midwicket, to remove Dwayne Bravo.Non-wide of the dayInstinct took over for Darren Sammy on the last ball of the match. Knowing West Indies needed six for the win, after a wide the previous delivery from Jade Dernbach, he went after the next ball which, if he had not got the toe-end of the bat on it, would also have been signalled a wide and given him another chance of launching one out of the ground. Still, with the series wrapped and at the end of a highly entertaining content, he was still able to draw a wry smile.

Stats highlights from Australia’s 62-run win against South Africa in Harare

S Rajesh02-Sep-201462 The margin of victory for Australia; also the number of runs they scored in the last four overs of their innings, which propelled them from 220 after 46 overs, to 282 after 50. Australia scored the following number of runs in each of the last four overs: 21 off Dale Steyn, 16 off Ryan McLaren, 9 off Morne Morkel, and 16 off McLaren.3 The number of times a South African No. 3 batsman has scored more than 126 against one of the top seven Test-playing teams, excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Including all opposition, du Plessis’ knock is the eighth-best score for a South African No. 3 in ODIs.57.3 The percentage of South Africa’s runs scored by du Plessis, which is the third-best for South Africa in a completed ODI innings. The two higher ones are Gary Kirsten’s unbeaten 188 out of South Africa’s 321 in the 1996 World Cup against UAE, and Herschelle Gibbs’ unbeaten 59 out of 101 against Pakistan in Sharjah in 2000.86 Mitchell Marsh’s score, the third-best in ODIs by a No. 6 batsman against South Africa, after Chris Cairns’ unbeaten 102 and Ajay Jadeja’s 92.168.6 Marsh’s strike rate in his innings of 86 is the fourth-best – and the best by an Australian – for a batsman at No. 6 or lower in an ODI innings in which he faced at least 50 balls. The best is Shahid Afridi’s 124 off 60 balls (strike rate 206.66) in Dambulla in 2010.3 The number of sixes that were hit off Dale Steyn in the 47th over of the Australian innings. It was the first time Steyn’s disappeared for three sixes in an over in international cricket. He has been hit for two in an over five times in ODIs, three times in Tests, and twice in Twenty20 internationals.5 The number of times Steyn has gone at more than seven runs an over, when he has bowled at least eight overs in an ODI. The last such instance was in November 2010 against Pakistan in Dubai, when he conceded 79 from 10 overs.60 The number of instances of batsmen getting out hit-wicket. Du Plessis’ score of 126 is the highest among those 60 instances. The only other batsman to get out in this manner after scoring a century is Virat Kohli, for 107 against England in Cardiff in 2011.133 The margin by which Zimbabwe need to beat South Africa to eliminate them from the final, if Zimbabwe bat first and score 250. If South Africa bat first and score 200, Zimbabwe will need to chase the total down in about 23.3 overs.

Ed Cowan recounts being dragged out of the bar to field as a substitute in a Test, picks his best pub quiz team, and lists his various nicknames

Interview by Jack Wilson16-Oct-2014You have played 18 Tests. How do you feel your Test career has gone?
In a few words: not as good as it should have. It is bloody hard work and I loved every moment. If I had my time again I would have changed a few things, but one thing I do know is I can look myself in the mirror and know I gave every ounce of effort to every minute of my 18 Tests.Where do you see your chances now?
I am of the opinion that if you score enough runs, you can make any case an irresistible one. But I think in my case that needs to be a lot of runs. I am enjoying the challenge of rising to that benchmark.Do you take heart from the fact that Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin – four years older than yourself – are still playing?
Absolutely – as I said, it is hard to argue with big runs regardless of age.Your maiden Test ton was watched by a special fan. What was it like scoring a century in front of your daughter Romy?
Not just little Romy but my whole family, including my late mother. It was a huge treat to have them there and be able to share the moment with me. They, after all, are the ones who have sacrificed as much as I had to to get there.Tell us about the time you fielded as a substitute for Australia. You were in the SCG members’ bar when they called you up.
Despite it being 11 years ago, people love to ask this question. Yes, I was in the bar but, of course, was only drinking lemon, lime and bitters. Who drinks beer at the cricket?And you didn’t keep the gear, I gather?
No, I always feel even training gear is sacred to the team. It symbolises who they are and the work they put in together. It wasn’t for me to swan in and take the gear.On a night out, which of your team-mates would be the last at the bar to buy a round?
The last at the bar to be “able” to buy a round would have to be Daniel Marsh. He drinks pints to my 10oz when we have a beer together. But who has the shortest pockets? That honour is undoubtedly reserved for Tim Paine.

“Alex Doolan reads and religiously and has incredible knowledge on all things that I deem irrelevant”

Who is the worst person to share a room with?
Thankfully I am wise enough to call ahead and take the lottery out of it, ensuring that I always room with Alex Doolan. He buys the chocolate and I do the washing.The short straw in the Tasmania team rooming list is always James Faulkner. There’s too much chat in the third person to keep anyone sane.If you needed four team-mates, past or present, to make up the best pub quiz team, who would you choose?
Greg Mail, the former New South Wales opening batsman and the smartest cricketer I have played with. Alex Doolan reads and religiously and has incredible knowledge on all things that I deem irrelevant. Pat Farhart, the former New South Wales physio, for his ’80s music “title and artist” ability and, to round it out, Jordan Silk for his deep love of sports statistics.And who would be the furthest away from it?
Sam Rainbird. Not much behind the great salad.Which team-mate would you least like to be stuck in a lift with?
Probably Hilfy [Ben Hilfenhaus]. He can’t sit still for more than ten seconds without getting bored.Who has the worst habits?
Probably me, to be honest. I have a terrible habit of being incredibly messy in the changing room and taking over people’s space. As well as losing my phone. And my wallet. And my keys.If you were stranded on a desert island and could take three items with you, what would you bring?
A fridge, a pack of never-ending Tim Tams, and a snorkel.If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
To be in two places at once. Then I could play cricket all year and be at home with my beautiful family.Where did the nickname Fred come from?
It isn’t my nickname. A bit like when ESPNcricinfo had me down as an offspin bowler and 175cm tall. I am at least 178cm. I get Teddy a lot, and a new one this year that is a little random: “Spicy”.Who is the toughest bowler you have ever faced?
Probably Morne Morkel. I didn’t feel like I could really score unless he bowled one on my hip.Who is the best batsman you have seen?
Hands down, Ricky Ponting.If you were selecting a dream T20 team, who would be the first name on the team sheet?
Seriously? Considering I came fifth in the official BBL fantasy cricket competition last year? The big show Glenn Maxwell.In all your years playing first-class cricket, you have bowled 24 balls. Describe your bowling to us.
I should have had two wickets: Heath Streak lbw to a zooter and Jesse Ryder caught at mid-off. Instead, the next five balls went for 28 to ruin my economy. I apologise to all four captains for letting me bluff them into giving me a bowl. My first over in first-class cricket was legspin but then the other three were to left-handers so I bowled slow medium-pace.

Also, most runs in boundaries in a Test innings, and ODI debuts in the World Cup

Steven Lynch09-Dec-2014There were 396 runs in boundaries in New Zealand’s total in Sharjah. Is that a record for a Test innings? asked Steve Rafferty from Hong Kong

New Zealand’s 690 against Pakistan in Sharjah recently included 66 fours and a record 22 sixes, a total of 396 in boundaries. It turns out that there have been four higher boundary-counts in all Tests: India hit 101 fours and a six (410 runs) in their 705 for 7 dec against Australia in Sydney in 2003-04; Pakistan’s 643 against New Zealand in Lahore in 2002 included 422 in boundaries; and Australia’s 735 for 6 dec against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04 featured 434 runs in fours and sixes. But the record was set by Sri Lanka, in the course of making the Test-record total of 952 for 6 dec against India in Colombo in 1997: their batsmen struck 109 fours and two sixes, or 448 in boundaries. For the full list, click here.Thisara Perera is approaching 1000 runs, after 87 one-day internationals, and has already reached 100 wickets. What is the record for the fastest double? asked Ali from the United States

After 87 matches (I’m writing after the third game of the current series against England), Thisara Perera was 51 runs short of completing this double – he’s already got 108 wickets. He’s not going to beat the overall record: Shaun Pollock completed the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in his 68th one-day international, Abdul Razzaq of Pakistan did it in 69 matches, and Pollock’s South African team-mate Lance Klusener in 70. Six other players got there in fewer than 87 matches. However, Perera should comfortably set a new record for Sri Lanka: currently their fastest double was achieved by Farveez Maharoof, in his 99th match. Of the 56 players who have done this double so far, the slowest was Sourav Ganguly, who completed it in his 311th and last match, in November 2007.Brendon McCullum’s triple-century against India earlier this year came in his side’s second innings. Has anyone ever done this before in a Test? asked Michael Phillips from New Zealand

Brendon McCullum’s 302 against India in Wellington earlier this year was only the second Test triple-century in a side’s second innings. The first was scored by Hanif Mohammad, who made 337 to stave off defeat after Pakistan followed on 473 runs behind against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1957-58. Someone who came very close was Martin Crowe, with 299 – New Zealand’s previous-highest Test score – in the second innings against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 1990-91. There have been only 32 scores of 200 and above in Test second innings. Only five of those have come in the fourth innings, in which George Headley’s 223 for West Indies against England in Kingston in 1929-30 remains the highest.Taijul Islam took a hat trick on his one-day international debut recently. Has anyone ever done this before? asked Cherise Asha Clarke from Trinidad

Slow left-armer Taijul Islam, playing against Zimbabwe in Mirpur last week, took the 36th hat-trick in one-day internationals – the fourth for Bangladesh – but the first by anyone on debut. The Pakistan paceman Jalal-ud-Din’s hat-trick – the first in one-day internationals – against Australia in Hyderabad in 1982-83 came in only his second match. Australia’s Anthony Stuart took one in his third ODI – against Pakistan in Melbourne in 1996-97 – and rather surprisingly never played another one. Three bowlers – Maurice Allom (England), Peter Petherick (New Zealand) and Damien Fleming (Australia) – took hat-tricks on their Test debuts.Is Mohammad Hafeez the first player to be dismissed in the 190s twice in Tests? asked Ibrahim Kamara from Sierra Leone

There have been 72 scores between 190 and 199 in Tests now, eight of them not-outs. Mohammad Hafeez – who followed 196 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2012 with 197 against New Zealand in Sharjah recently – is the 13th to register two, after Mohammad Azharuddin, Ian Chappell, Rahul Dravid, Herschelle Gibbs, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar (one not out), Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell (both not out) and Younis Khan. But there are three batsmen who have three to their names: Mohammad Yousuf was out for 192 against England, then 192 and 191 against West Indies, in the space of four Tests in 2006; and Kumar Sangakkara was out for 192 against Australia in Hobart in 2007-08, then made 199 not out and 192 in successive Tests against Pakistan at Galle and Colombo in 2012.Are there any players who have made their ODI debut in the World Cup? I can’t think of any from India, asked Anurag Manke from India

There have actually been 194 players whose first official one-day international has come during a World Cup. Most of those are either from early on, when there weren’t many ODIs going on elsewhere – there were 39 debutants in the first World Cup in 1975, and 27 in the second in 1979 – or come from Associate teams, which didn’t have a programme of matches outside the World Cup until quite recently. Things have settled down now: in 2007, the only debutant from anywhere was the West Indian Kieron Pollard, while in 2011 there were seven – Devendra Bishoo, Kirk Edwards and Andre Russell of West Indies, the Canadian pair of Tyson Gordon and Karl Whatham, Imran Tahir of South Africa, and Holland’s Berend Westdijk. Overall, six players from India have made their ODI debuts in the World Cup, but none since 1992: Mohinder Amarnath, Anshuman Gaekwad and Karsan Ghavri in 1975, Surinder Khanna in 1979, Navjot Singh Sidhu in 1987, and Ajay Jadeja in 1992.

Stats highlights from yet another day of a commanding batting performance from Pakistan in Abu Dhabi

Shiva Jayaraman09-Nov-2014178 Runs Pakistan’s openers added before Mohammad Hafeez was out for 96. This is Pakistan’s highest for the first wicket against New Zealand, beating the 172-run stand between Rameez Raja and Shoaib Mohammad in Karachi in 1990.13 Number of 150-plus partnerships by Pakistan’s openers. Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad’s latest entry was Pakistan’s fourth-highest for the first wicket in Tests. Pakistan have had three double-century opening partnerships, with the highest being the 298-run stand between Aamer Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed against West Indies in Karachi in 1997. This was also Pakistan’s highest opening stand in over 14 years. Imran Nazri and Mohammad Wasim had added 219 runs against West Indies in Bridgetown in 2000.10 Century partnerships by Pakistan’s top-two in the first innings of a Test. Hafeez and Shehzad’s was the second-highest opening partnership for Pakistan in the first innings of a Test, after the 249-run stand between debutants Abdul Kadir and Khalid Ibadulla in Karachi over 50 years ago. The last century stand at the top for Pakistan was in 2005, when Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed added 102 runs against Australia at the SCG.3 Centuries for Shehzad in eight Tests. Before Shehzad, no Pakistan batsman had managed to hit three tons by his eighth match as an opener. Shehzad has scored 575 runs in 13 innings this year at an average of 47.91. Among openers, only David Warner has more centuries than him.2 Instances since 2000 that a Pakistan opener has batted through the first day of a Test. Before Shehzad today, it was his opening partner, Hafeez, who had been unbeaten on 172 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2012. Mudassar Nazar has achieved this the most often for Pakistan – five (excluding rain-curtailed days) times.96 Runs Hafeez scored before getting dismissed – his first fifty in his last 14 innings as an opener. He had scored only 150 runs in 13 innings at an average of 11.53 since his last fifty at the top of the order. Overall too, Hafeez was having a bad run coming into this Test, averaging just 16.43 since 2013 with one fifty from 17 innings.101 Dots bowled by Ish Sodhi in 23 overs (138 balls) he bowled in Abu Dhabi. He finished the day with a respectable economy of 2.95. Sodhi and Mark Craig bowled 40 overs of spin in the day giving away 127 runs at an economy of 3.17. In contrast, Australia’s spinners had conceded 146 runs for one wicket in 36 overs on the first day of their Test against Pakistan at the same venue last month.248 Balls Corey Anderson went wicketless between dismissing Hafeez and Marlon Samuels, his last Test victim at Seddon Park in December 2013. Anderson’s 12 Test wickets have come at 30.58 runs apiece and at a strike rate of 63.5.8 Number of times Pakistan’s openers have scored 90 or more in an innings. Before today, the last instance came at the Oval in 2006. On that occasion though, neither man could get their centuries with Hafeez, again, getting dismissed on 95 and Imran Farhat on 91.14 Hundreds by Pakistan’s top-order in 2014 with Shehzad’s unbeaten 126. This is the second-highest ton tally by their top-order in any calendar year after the 19 centuries scored in 2006.4 Times since 2000 that Pakistan have got to 250 runs before the fall of their second wicket. Before today, the last time was against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2012 when their second wicket fell at 365. Overall there have been 17 such instances for Pakistan.

The pain of this defeat will haunt Scotland all the more with their future participation at World Cups under threat

George Dobell in Dunedin26-Feb-2015When Majid Haq is an old man, dozing by the fire, he will still wake in a cold sweat replaying chance.When memories of his fine innings have faded, when he has forgotten about the two good catches he took or the fact that he bowled his first nine overs for just 26 runs, edge will still be looping its way to him. He will still move for it, still feel he has it covered. And the ball will still end up on the grass next to him.Regrets, like tattoos and former partners, can linger long after their charm has gone.Samiullah Shenwari had scored 20 when he edged Richie Berrington to Haq at slip. It is often said that no slip catch is easy, but this was the exception. Mark Waugh might have taken the ball behind his back. With one hand. Blindfolded. On a unicycle. Afghanistan would have been 88 for 5 had it been caught.Shenwari went on to make a match-defining 96. To add to Haq’s woes, Shenwari thrashed him for three sixes in the bowler’s final over. It ruined his figures and put Afghanistan back on track.It is pointless to deny it: had Haq taken the catch, Scotland would surely have won. But you lose, as you win, as a team. And if each man in Scotland’s side is honest, they will reflect that they were the architects of this defeat.

Mommsen praises ‘brilliant’ Shenwari innings

Amid the pain of defeat, Preston Mommsen found warm words for his Afghanistan opponents as they celebrated their first World Cup victory.
“I am pleased for them,” he said. “We have huge amounts of respect for the Afghanistan national team and the pride they have and the way they go about their business and the journey that they’ve gone on and are still going on. We respect what they do.
“We threw everything at them to try to get those [last] three wickets and we just couldn’t. It was obviously credit as well to the way Shenwari played. He had a serious knock and individually he’s got them over the line.
“We were trying to manage the innings, but somehow Shenwari managed to manage things better than us. He just kept on top, and kept up with the run rate. He managed to find a way to keep in there. It was a brilliant innings by him.”

The bowlers will know that, in conceding 11 extras in no-balls and wides, they donated runs that might have cost the game. Calum MacLeod will know that, by steering a long-hop to backward point, he gave his wicket away softly. Matt Machan will know the shot that cost him his wicket – an awful attempted smear through the off side – displayed a lack of composure and match awareness that may have defined the game.Kyle Coetzer will be cursing the lack of foot movement that left a gate so large, Dawlat Zadran could have driven a truck through it and Iain Wardlaw will be ruing the leg-side full toss that allowed Shapoor Zadran to flick the fate-sealing boundary.Even from the penultimate ball of the game, victory was there for the taking. Had Machan, tearing in from square leg, hit with his throw from a few feet, Shapoor would have been run out.Scotland may never have a better chance to win a World Cup game. In their third appearance in the tournament, in their 11th match, they had this game in their grasp. When they claimed the eighth Afghanistan wicket, their opponents were still 79 runs from victory.”We didn’t play our best cricket, but it’s still a game that we should have won,” Preston Mommsen, the Scotland captain, said. “Both with the bat and with the ball we got into winning positions, but we couldn’t find the killer punch, which is regrettable.”We managed to gain quite a bit of control when we got to 93 for 3. Then soft dismissals just handed it back to them.”We had the opportunity to really nail it. So that is disappointing. That is something that we need to look at as a batting group. Guys are getting in, doing all the hard work, and then not going on to make it count.”Six guys getting in and no one getting to 50, well, that’s not something that we’re proud of.”What was the most galling aspect of this defeat?Was it that Scotland performed so admirably in clawing their way back into the contest? Was it that, after losing an important toss on a pitch offering Afghanistan’s potent attack substantial assistance, they earned a good foothold in the game, first through Machan and Mommsen and then through Haq and Ali Evans?Haq and Evans’ partnership was little short of heroic. Adding 62 for the ninth wicket, they demonstrated composure and game awareness in simply picking off the singles, benefiting from Afghanistan’s porous fielding – certainly the weakest aspect of their game – and picking off the odd bad ball. But it was also a stand that showed up the profligacy of their top order.And then, later, Evans in particular bowled an immaculate first spell to put the brakes on Afghanistan before Berrington, the weak link in the bowling attack, really, claimed career-best figures in a demonstration of skill and nerve.But the most galling part may be that, in essence, this match Scotland’s World Cup. This was their opportunity – possibly their last opportunity – to demonstrate the progress they have made. This was their most realistic opportunity to win a game. This was their opportunity to show the ICC, and the watching world, that they belonged.Richie Berrington’s four-wicket haul was not enough to secure Scotland a maiden World Cup win•AFPOh, yes. will know it. Keen followers of Associate cricket will know it. But the rest? In years to come, they may leaf through the pages of Wisden and view this Scotland team in the same way we view the East Africa team that contested the 1975 World Cup. Something of an oddity. Arcane. No-hopers. And they are much, much better than that. Cricket can be cruel.”Experience is a huge thing,” Mommsen continued as he tried to make sense of the loss. “Particularly as a global event. We are still new boys. Maybe that showed today.”The answer, clearly, is to provide more opportunities. To nurture and encourage cricket in Scotland. To help it flourish and grow. But the current ICC doesn’t see it like that and, as things stand, Scotland may struggle to pass this way again. Life doesn’t always provide second chances.It will be no help right now but, in years to come, Scotland’s players might console themselves in the knowledge that they were involved in one of the great World Cup encounters. One of only five one-wicket margins in the tournament’s history. They may, in time, also take consolation in the joy of their Associate brothers from Afghanistan. No-one could begrudge them their maiden World Cup victory – the first of many – or fail to enjoy the uninhibited passion with which they play.This was a good day for cricket. It showed, for the second day in succession, that Associate nations enrich the World Cup. It provided an eloquent case for their ongoing inclusion. It may, sooner rather than later, become impossible for the ICC to deny it.But none of that will matter to Scotland right now. They’ve squandered a chance that may never come round again. And they know it.

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2015David Warner, though, remained unfazed and punished the short-pitched bowling by using the pull to maximum effect•Getty ImagesHe raced to 100 off 92 deliveries•AFPSteven Smith provided ample support at the other end, as the pair added 260 runs, Australia’s highest ever ODI partnership•Associated PressDavid Warner’s 178 was the highest individual score by an Australian in World Cups•Getty ImagesAfghanistan finally saw the back of David Warner when he skied a Shapoor Zadran delivery to Mohammad Nabi, but he had laid the platform for a late flourish•AFPSmith too fell five runs short of his fourth ODI ton, as Afghanistan looked to limit the damage•Getty ImagesBut that was always going to be difficult once Glenn Maxwell got going. He smashed 88 off 39 balls, entertaining the WACA crowd to a range of innovative shots. Australia compiled 417 for 6, the highest score in a World Cup•Associated PressAfghanistan failed to gather any momentum in the chase, and lost half their side for just 94 runs•Getty ImagesNawroz Mangal gave the Afghanistan fans something to cheer about when he hit back-to-back sixes off Mitchell Marsh•AFPBut he had to depart after Finch pulled off a stunner at slips•Associated PressMitchell Marsh and Steven Smith narrowly avoided a collision while taking a catch at third man•Getty ImagesNo Afghanistan batsman offered a resistance, as Australia wrapped the game up with 12 overs to spare, winning by 275 runs, the second largest margin in ODI history•Getty Images

MS Dhoni’s batting has shown signs of decline. The big hits have grown less frequent and there is a definite sense that we are seeing a most singular career winding down

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Chennai10-Apr-2015It was a chest-high short ball on an off-stumpish line, quick and skiddy. MS Dhoni, shaping to pull, was late on his shot and the ball hit the sticker of his bat and rolled to mid-on.A few years ago, he might have picked up the length a fraction earlier, and given himself time to swing his entire body through the shot, the vicious force of it lifting both his feet off the ground. The ball might have hit the sweet spot of his bat with a resonant crack and sped away through midwicket.Four overs earlier, Dhoni had played that trademark pull, but against the gentler pace of Albie Morkel. Now he was facing the genuinely quick Nathan Coulter-Nile.The next ball was slower, and Dhoni couldn’t muscle it past mid-off. Coulter-Nile then speared one very full, almost in the blockhole, and Dhoni clipped it straight to midwicket. This was the 18th over of Chennai Super Kings’ innings and Coulter-Nile had sent down three straight dot balls.Scattered applause rang out in the Upper G stand of the MA Chidambaram Stadium. It is a cliché to call the Chennai crowd ‘knowledgeable’, but here was evidence that they still appreciated good cricket from an opposition player, even in the hyper-partisan IPL era. This was uncomfortable watching for the mostly yellow-clad spectators, but it was good bowling, and they recognised it.They may have wondered, though, if a younger Dhoni might not have sent that last ball soaring over wide long-on with that famous whip of his bottom wrist. They may have wondered when they had last seen their hero play the helicopter shot.Such thoughts had seemed farthest from their minds when the stadium announcer called out the XIs after the toss. They had greeted the other names – notably Suresh Raina’s – with raucous cheers, but they didn’t even wait for Dhoni’s to be called out before they exploded.And that was nothing compared to the reception they gave him when he stepped over the boundary rope in the 13th over, at the fall of Faf du Plessis’ wicket. It was a wraparound wall of noise, broken only by the I, J and K stands that had been left vacant because the Supreme Court had ruled they had violated safety norms. It took until Dhoni had faced a couple of balls and picked up a nurdled single and a late-cut two off Amit Mishra for the whistles and insistent chants of ‘Dhoni, Dhoni’ to subside.But now they had gone quiet. Coulter-Nile bent his back and pounded the ball into the middle of the pitch. It leapt over Dhoni’s shoulder before he could swivel around fully to hook it. A leg bye the next ball took Dhoni to the non-striker’s end. He was batting on 15 off 21 balls, and had faced five balls in the 18th over of a Twenty20 innings without managing a run off the bat.

They found their voice again when Dhoni hit Coulter-Nile for two sixes in the final over, but there was a flatness to the noise they made, a recognition that these were fortuitous runs

R Ashwin hit the last ball of the over for four, simply standing tall and caressing it into the gap between point and third man, and picked up three intelligently placed twos in the next over, the 19th of the Super Kings innings. Ordinarily, the Chennai crowd would have grown restless at Dhoni being kept off strike at this stage of the innings, but now they may have almost been thankful for it.They found their voice again when Dhoni hit Coulter-Nile for two sixes in the final over, but there was a flatness to the noise they made, a recognition that these were fortuitous runs. The first one was an attempted leg-side slog that went off the top edge and carried all the way over the backward point boundary. The second was a slower ball that Dhoni swung too early at, and met much further in front of his body than he intended. Dhoni fell away to the leg side and his bottom hand came off the handle, but he made good enough contact for the ball to sail over the straight boundary.He skied the next ball into mid-off’s hands off the top-edge, late on another pull against another well-directed short ball. He had made 30 off 27. It was an un-Dhoni-like innings, but he’s played plenty of them in recent times.There were two innings at the World Cup that resembled this one against Daredevils. India batted first both times, and their top order had laid the perfect platform for a final flourish.Against Pakistan, Dhoni walked in to bat in the 46th over, and kept finding the fielders on his way to 18 off 13 balls. Against South Africa, he entered in the 45th and made 18 off 11. He punished the wayward Wayne Parnell for three successive fours but struggled against Morne Morkel’s pace and bounce. Both innings – like the one against Daredevils – ended with top-edged pulls.Dhoni could have been out to a top-edged pull even in the semi-final against Australia. On 42 he was rushed by an accurate short ball from Josh Hazlewood, but Michael Clarke put down the skied chance at midwicket. Dhoni had walked into a desperate situation, and winning seemed out of the question, but the discomfiting thing about his innings was the sense that none of the bowlers seemed particularly scared of bowling to him. That was never the case a couple of years ago, no matter what the situation was.The feeling of watching a fading Dhoni subsided when Super Kings were on the field. Here were the comfortingly familiar idiosyncrasies of his captaincy. Here were the traffic-policeman-like gestures to his fielders. Here were the weird field placements – leg gully made an appearance; mid-on stood directly in line with long-on when Ashwin bowled to Morkel; two backward points prowled within handshaking distance of each other when Dwayne Bravo bowled to Yuvraj Singh and Morkel. Here was the feeling of certainty that Ravindra Jadeja would not get a bowl as long as any of the left-handed trio of Morkel, Yuvraj and JP Duminy were at the crease. Here was the Dhoni you knew and despaired over and maybe even loved.Dhoni has retired from Test cricket. He has said he will think about his ODI future after the World T20 next year. Going by that, we might see him play for India for a while yet. “I’m 33,” he had said after India’s World Cup exit. “I’m still running, I’m still fit.”That he is. But his batting has shown signs of decline. The big hits have grown less frequent, as have the fire-and-ice finishing knocks. He may yet play one or two during this IPL season and dispel thoughts of his cricketing mortality for a while, but there is a definite sense that we are seeing a most singular career winding down. Enjoy him while he’s still around.

A changed XI was not the only difference for New Zealand as they closed out the group stage under rather difficult circumstances

Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton13-Mar-20152:33

‘Found another way to win’ – Southee

There was a groan around Seddon Park when Brendon McCullum won the toss and asked Bangladesh to bat. As Trent Boult hooped the new ball the signs were it could follow a familiar pattern as New Zealand’s earlier successes, but this time the script was not pre-written and provided the co-hosts with a set of challenges they have not faced in the tournament.They were required to change the team due to an injury; took limited new-ball wickets; came under pressure at the death; bowled a full fifty overs; had two in-form batsmen go early; faced quality spin; and were left with two bowlers to finish off the chase. The fact that list was so long highlights, with the exception of the collapse against Australia, how blemish-free the group stage has been.Not every question asked of them was answered as emphatically as they would have liked – especially the late dismissals of Luke Ronchi and Corey Anderson in a messy finish – but each facet of their game has now been tested ahead of the quarter-finals. Martin Guptill has the team’s first hundred and the middle-order showed some punch. Unlike the Australia match, there was no top-order batsman present to seal the chase but hefty blows from Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee were enough.”It just shows you we found another way in a game,” Southee said. “That’s testament to the side, we were challenged in different ways and were able to come through it. It shows the qualities of the side that we can win in different circumstances.”All the guys learnt from the Aussie game and the pressure that comes with an nervous run chase. The bowlers work extremely hard on their batting in the nets. There’s a lot of faith in us so it was nice to repay that for the batsmen.”Mitchell McClenaghan bowled like a man who hadn’t played for a month•Getty ImagesThe first issue New Zealand had to confront was before a ball was bowled. They have steadfastly stood by their first XI during the tournament, which is understandable given the results, and they would not have changed here if they had not been forced to.The performance of Mitchell McClenaghan, who replaced Adam Milne when his shoulder did not recover in time, showed the other side of the balancing act between continuity and ensuring players have middle time. He bowled like a man who has not played for a month, initially whipped out of the attack after one over which went for 11 then bowled in two blocks of four, and numerous times could not stay on his feet – although that is not a new issue for him.In his 35-match ODI career, during which time he was joint second-fastest to fifty wickets, he has shown his expertise at the death but this time, through rustiness and the pressure applied by Bangladesh, struggled to stem the tide in the final ten overs. There is only so much that bowling in the nets, day after day, week after week, can replicate. By Milne being sidelined for this game it means he now will not have bowled in the middle for nearly two weeks come the quarter-final, but this was not a display from McClenaghan to prompt any late changes to the favoured first XI.There were also some curious tactics by McCullum as the innings came to a conclusion with McClenaghan’s remaining overs not fitting what were left in the innings, meaning Elliott bowled two of the last three overs. On a day where he was expensive sharing McClenaghan’s overs was understandable, but McCullum left it late. New Zealand insisted it was not a miscalculation, just an extension of McCullum’s attacking instincts. The final ten overs cost 104, not carnage compared to some matches in this tournament, especially in Australia, but the fiercest treatment New Zealand had felt.Recent history favoured New Zealand in their chase – last year they hunted down 279 against India with considerable ease – but the promised early foray by spin from Bangladesh provided handsome rewards. McCullum’s ultra-aggressive approach has carried his team, both in runs and in spirit, but this was one of those occasions when his dismissal, picking out long off, felt like a waste.A waste then became an aberration when Kane Williamson, who was laid low with a sickness bug in the lead-up to this game, cut to point. At 33 for 2, and an uncertain Ross Taylor at No. 4, the challenge was laid.Guptill, who opened his scoring with two sixes off Shakib Al Hasan, rose to it with his sixth ODI hundred and New Zealand’s first of the tournament. There was a tight lbw shout on 19 and an edge wide of the keeper on 68, but his timing and placement was otherwise immaculate.”Today was one of those days when everything went in the gap and I scored quite freely,” he said. “Those days are few and far between sometimes so when you have them to need to make the most of it. I always felt I’ve been around the corner through the whole summer. It was nice everything clicked.”Taylor was less convincing, and does not suggest a player full of confidence, with his 56 off 97 being his slowest 50-plus score in ODIs. But the stand of 131, which was New Zealand’s highest of the tournament, proved a solid riposte to the early setbacks.”Brendon and Kane are having good summers, but them getting out early and us able to put a hundred stand on – myself and Ross – then Grant coming in with the great cameo and Corey as well, just shows the depth we’ve got in the line-up and can fight in any situation,” Guptill said.Either Taylor, Elliott, or Anderson should have finished the chase and in the end it was left to Southee to strike the final blows of New Zealand’s group stage clean sweep. A day that began with groans ended with cheer. There has been plenty of it so far. Now an era-defining two weeks looms.

The years of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene making millions happy together were more fulfilling than a final piece of silverware could ever have been

Andrew Fidel Fernando at the SCG18-Mar-2015The 10 balls that preceded Kumar Sangakkara’s final ODI innings were ugly. Promoted to open in the latest of Sri Lanka’s surprise moves before this quarter-final, Kusal Perera went after the South Africa quicks like a man with an axe. His innings, replete with violent swipes, a near run-out and three streaky runs, ended predictably, via an edge to the keeper. It was a horror start – a gory chainsaw killing.And so Sangakkara arrived inside the first five overs of the innings for the first time since he began his run of centuries – no visible nerves, just the regular swivel of hips with the bat horizontal in front of his chest, and the double-windmill warm-up for each arm.The last time Sri Lanka played a World Cup quarter-final, Sangakkara didn’t need to bat at all, so dominant were they in Colombo. But here, at 3 for 1, the most fluent batsman of the tournament till then had reason to be cautious. When Dale Steyn delivered a maiden to a scratchy Tillakaratne Dilshan, he had another reason. Then Kyle Abbott, the bowler Sri Lanka would have feared least, sent down the strongest reason so far. A good length ball, pitching just outside off, jagged away off the pitch like the slips had a magnet for it. Sangakkara drove and missed. He looked down at the surface, then back up at the bowler.All through his innings, Sangakkara had reason after reason to shelve the attacking cricket that has made him the world’s darling at this tournament. His outside edge was beaten again, he mishit a few, and then when he nailed one – really slammed it out of the middle of the bat – South African fielders seemed to materialise out of thin air to stop the ball inside the ring.There was no fairytale finish but their careers gave Sri Lankan fans plenty of joy over the years•ESPNcricinfo LtdUsually Sangakkara is a nervy runner at the start of his innings. In this game, he didn’t even have time to take those few characteristic steps down the pitch before being sent back, so quickly were his shots being shut down. Each failed stroke, each dismissal at the other end, was like a line of twine being thrown over him. Pretty soon he was caught in a web. His first run came off his 16th ball. The boundary that took him to 10 was hit off his 43rd.”I walked in to bat and I was trying to hit the ball into the gaps,” he said of his innings. “But sometimes you time one and it still wouldn’t penetrate the field, so it becomes frustrating. But you just make the best of that situation and keep fighting, keep working, and get to a stage where you can really launch. With the new rules, you can always catch up. You can be three and a half or four runs an over for the first 30, and the next 20 you can get 200 runs. But to do that, you have to have wickets in hand.”But as each promising partnership was cut short, as he was abandoned at the crease one by one by men who pride themselves on their big-match bottle, Sangakkara found himself cornered. Here was a batsman who had in recent years mastered the science of ODI risk-taking, made meek beyond recognition by circumstance. He hit Sri Lanka’s fastest World Cup hundred, off 70 balls, 18 days ago. Off 70 balls on Wednesday, he had only 24.Only when the web grew so dense that just slivers of light trickled through, did Sangakkara finally strike out. His ten runs off the 36th over raised the mildest hope. But for him, his team, and for Mahela Jayawardene, who will never play internationals again, a fourth World Cup semi-final on the trot was a step too far.It will seem like a sad end to a great cricketing partnership, that Sangakkara and Jayawardene were last seen on a cricket field complaining to each other at keeper and slip, than thrilling a nation at either end of the pitch. It will seem unfair, that these two, who have so deftly traversed administrative waters to keep their team afloat amid chaos, will become the first Sri Lankan greats to retire without a World Cup. Saddest of all, their last stand was a limp, inconsequential 24-ball affair, when so often their associations have been so energetic, so muscular.Against South Africa, Sangakkara’s innings was the antithesis of his dynamic latter-day avatar, but both men played innings they don’t deserve to be remembered by. But even through the obvious disappointment, there were smiles at the end of it all. Perhaps the pair will reflect in days to come that the years of making millions happy together was more fulfilling than this final piece of silverware could have been. Maybe they will know that it is the lifetime of grace and excellence they have given the game and their country that is their legacy, and not this short, stinging night.