Fifties from Javed Ahmadi and Rahmat Shah, and the all-round brilliance of Rashid Khan, consigned Zimbabwe to a 146-run loss

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAFP

Fifties from Javed Ahmadi and Rahmat Shah, and the all-round brilliance of Rashid Khan, powered Afghanistan to a 4-1 series win in Sharjah. Their margin of victory – 146 runs – was their second highest in ODI cricket. Their biggest had come in this series as well, in the first game.After opting to bat, Afghanistan had a steady start with Ahmadi and Rahmat putting on 129 for the second wicket following the early dismissal of Mohammad Shahzad. Their partnership contributed 54% of Afghanistan’s total. Ahmadi was particularly fluent against spin, scoring 55 runs off 53 balls. Rahmat hit Chisoro for 30 runs off 23 balls but Sikandar Raza had him slicing a catch to long-off for 59. Rahmat ended the series as the top-scorer with 272 runs in four innings at an average of 68. Three overs later, Ahmadi was run out for 76 off 87 balls. From 142 for 1, Afghanistan slumped to 177 for 7. Rashid’s 29-ball 43, though, hauled the team to 241 for 9.In reply, Zimbabwe collapsed to 95 all out in 32.1 overs with only two of their batsmen passing 20. Rashid took 3 for 13 to finish as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 16 wickets, at an outstanding average of 7.93.Brendan Taylor (27) and Craig Ervine (34) rebuilt the chase briefly with a 46-run stand, before Zimbabwe imploded. They lost their last eight wickets for 23 runs with 16-year old Mujeeb Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Nabi, and Rashid sharing the spoils. Rashid took three wickets in six balls to wrap up the tail.

The board, however, is yet to enter into talks with the South African Cricketers’ Association, despite the current MoU expiring at the end of April

Firdose Moonda04-Mar-2018Cricket South Africa has committed to maintaining a revenue-share model with its players as it enters negotiations over a new memorandum of understanding with the South African Cricketers’ Association.The current MoU, which has been in place since 2014, expires at the end of April and is redrafted every four years and has always included a revenue-share model But, in December last year, acting CEO Thabang Moroe and president Chris Nenzani told journalists they might consider rethinking the structure of their player contracts.At the time, Moroe made several suggestions of how CSA could shake up contracts including awarding them across different formats and mentioned that the revenue-sharing model would be re-examined. However, at a board meeting on Saturday, CSA backtracked from that and resolved to keep the financial model, which will go some way to easing player concerns over their financial futures.”We remain committed to the revenue share model,” CSA president Nenzani said. “We are a big employer with many constituencies and have sought over the past few months to engage with them with a view to preparing for the negotiations with SACA. The collective agreement ends in April this year. We will be ready to commence negotiations in advance of that date.”However, that does not mean the situation between CSA and the players has been completely resolved. ESPNcricinfo understands that CSA have yet to hold an official meeting with SACA over the status of the MoU and have delayed talks by at least a month. Usually, meetings between CSA and SACA take place in the first week of February but, to date, there has been no sit-down between parties.A concern for SACA is that the window for contracting franchise players opened on March 1 and will close at the end of April and a delay in talks could hamper the process of completing these contracts. Franchise players were believed to be so unhappy with the lack of clarity over the MoU that they were considering boycotting some parts of the first-class competition, which is in its final three rounds, unless some progress was made.CSA has appointed a four-man task team to deal with the negotiations for the MoU. Franchise CEOs Jacques Faul (Titans), Nabeal Dean (Cobras), Greg Fredericks (Lions) and provincial CEO Thando Booi (Border) will look into how a collective agreement with SACA can be reached.

The former Pakistan captain and coach has inked a two-year deal as head coach of Bangladesh Premier League franchise

Umar Farooq15-Mar-2018Waqar Younis, the former Pakistan captain and coach, has inked a two-year deal as head coach of Bangladesh Premier League franchise, Sylhet Sixers. He will replace Jafrul Ehsan in the BPL for 2018 and 2019.Waqar is presently working with Pakistan Super League franchise Islamabad United as director – cricket and bowling coach. Along with Dean Jones, he has led the side to the top of the table, the first team to make their way into the playoffs.”Bangladesh is a passionate cricketing nation and it really fun working in the circuit,” Waqar told ESPNcricinfo. “Bangladesh has emerged among the top-eight countries now. They are playing top-class cricket and it’s really satisfying for you as a coach to help them grow.”Sylhet Sixers have been in transition since last year, with new owners among other changes. “We are honoured to have a legend in our team,” Yasir Obaid, their chief executive, said. “We had him as ambassador and mentor last year, and were always [keen] to have him in a full-time role. We couldn’t be happier that he finally agreed a long-term deal with us as head coach.”Waqar had two stints as head coach of Pakistan, which followed two stints as bowling coach after his international retirement in 2004. He had also worked as bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad during the Indian Premier League in 2013.

Bangladesh women bowled out for their second sub-100 score as they go 3-0 down in the five-match series

ESPNcricinfo staff09-May-2018
ScorecardGetty Images and Cricket Australia

Bangladesh women are yet to bat out 50 overs on tour in South Africa. On Wednesday, they were bowled out for their second sub-100 score after which the dominant hosts, riding on an unbeaten 51-ball 44 from Lizelle Lee, cruised past the target of 72 in just 14.4 overs. The victory gave South Africa an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-ODI series.Barring Nigar Sultana, who occupied the crease for 122 minutes to make an unbeaten 97-ball 33, none of the other Bangladesh batsmen made much of an impression. Panna Ghosh’s 12 at No. 8 was the second-highest score of the innings that lasted 36.5 overs.The top four were blown away inside four overs by the new-ball pair of Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp, who picked up two wickets apiece in their first spell. The 23-run stand that followed between Jannatul Ferdus and Sultana was the highest of the innings.Khaka, who was in line to record her ODI best, finished with her second successive three-for, while Kapp didn’t add to her first-spell tally. There was a wicket apiece for Masabata Klaas, Chloe Tryon, debutant Zintle Mali and Raisibe Ntozakhe.Bangladesh struck in the seventh over of the chase when left-arm spinner Nahida Akhter removed Andrie Steyn, but that would be their only consolation on the field. Trisha Chetty finished 15 not out to Lee’s 44, which contained five fours and a six.The fourth ODI will also be played in Kimberley on Saturday.

England missed crucial chances on the second day to leave themselves well behind in the opening Test

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando25-May-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDon’t act too surprised, but Pakistan have played their second consecutive day of consistent, sober, intelligent cricket. For their reward, they have a 166-run lead with two wickets in hand – though one of those batsmen may not return due to injury.England, meanwhile, were shabby on occasion, missing four catches in the day – two in the space of four balls – and missing one tough run out chance. Their bowlers did not succeed going full as Pakistan had, perhaps because the pitch has settled slightly, but also because Pakistan were more skillful on day one.Ben Stokes did lead one resurgence either side of tea, finding success with a series of brutish bouncers. But then the lower order stood firm for Pakistan. They quickly pushed the lead beyond 150. Nos. 9 and 11 even saw out 4.1 overs before stumps.Three partnerships, involving six different batsmen, built this innings. Up the top were the overnight pair, Haris Sohail and Azhar Ali. Adding a 37 together on the second morning, they brought up their partnership tally to 75, withstanding the worst of England’s swing bowling.Haris fell for 39, edging Mark Wood behind. Azhar continued to his half-century, having batted a little more positively in this session, after having scored only 18 off 72 the previous day. He was out lbw, to a seaming delivery from James Anderson.In the afternoon, Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam – two men in need of runs for different reasons – took control of the game, and produced Pakistan’s best partnership, amounting to 84.Shafiq, once an excellent No.6 batsman, has seen his average retreat over the past 18 months when he has more often been asked to bat at No. 4. Babar, a blinding limited-overs talent, is yet to crack the Test format, averaging less than 25 before this match.Together, though, the quelled the last of the swing England were able to generate, saw through one short-ball burst from Mark Wood, and batted positively against Dom Bess, the 20-year-old debutant offspinner. Babar’s innings contained some of the regality that has made him a short-format force: the back-foot punches and cover drives in particular were in alluring flow. Shafiq, a little less flash, but more assured at the crease, strode purposefully along.They both made smart fifties. Shafiq was out to a snorting Stokes bouncer on 59, able only to spasm evasively at a ball that was hunting his throat, the resultant catch off the shoulder of the bat floating to the cordon. Babar had moved to 69 when he too was victim to a Stokes bouncer, but in different fashion – the ball hit the bony part of his unprotected forearm as he attempted to duck beneath it. He went off the field, apparently unable to hold the bat, but did not go for an x-ray while play was on.Stokes had also had Sarfraz Ahmed caught at fine leg, hooking irresponsibly just before tea to prompt a frustrated shaking of the head from coach Mickey Arthur on the balcony. But although three batsmen had fallen to stokes in relatively quick succession, a young, inexperienced lower order pair put on Pakistan’s third excellent stand of the day.Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf didn’t just resist England; in fact, they actively attacked. Their 72 runs together came off 92 balls. This was all the more impressive for having come against a mostly-new ball – England’s seamers getting less seam movement this evening, than they had on day one.Anderson had success late in the day, dismissing Ashraf and later Hasan Ali, while another sharp Stokes bouncer had Shadab caught down the leg side for 59. But England’s bowlers will largely be disappointed at having allowed the lead to swell this much. The pitch is flattening out gradually, but they were especially innocuous for stretches. Bess, bowling offbreaks on a still-green surface is yet to impose himself on the game too – his 17 overs have gone for 59 runs – no first Test wicket so far.

Usman Khawaja became the first Glamorgan player to hit hundreds in his first three Championsip figure – then a familiar figure rudely interrupted

ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-20181:34

Surrey hit with five-run penalty

ScorecardUsman Khawaja made history on the second day of Glamorgan’s Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Northamptonshire at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.But there was also a century for Northamptonshire’s opening batsman Ben Duckett, as he guided the visitors to 169 for 0 at the close, a sizeable second innings lead of 196. They are in firm control after a lacklustre bowling and batting display by the Welsh county, with the notable exception of Khawaja.After showing glimpses of his best form in Northants’ opening win of the season, this was Duckett at his most destructive and suggests better times ahead for a player who was in England’s thoughts only recently.Khawaja’s 103 made him the first player in Glamorgan’s history to score a century in his first three Championship matches for the county, surpassing the two consecutive hundreds achieved by Javed Miandad (in 1980) and Shaun Marsh, earlier this season, with Khawaja adding to his centuries against Warwickshire (125) at Edgbaston and Derbyshire (126) at Swansea.”I wasn’t expecting the record at all,” Khawaja said. “There were even ifs and buts whether I’d get here at all because I was still waiting for a visa in India. I got over here with not too much time to spare and to get that first hundred alone… It’s nice that it’s flowed on a little bit from there.”The Australian left-hander brought up his century from 138 deliveries, striking 16 fours and two sixes, before he was caught at fine leg by Richard Levi off Hutton for 103, as Glamorgan were dismissed for 254, 27 runs behind in the first innings.Earlier in the day, Luke Procter had taken two Glamorgan wickets in the first session as the Welsh county battled to 115 for three in their first innings reply to 281. Nick Selman was first to depart, touching an outswinger to keeper Adam Rossington off Ben Sanderson for 29.
Jack Murphy was then trapped lbw for 21 from Luke Procter’s second delivery of the day before Owen Morgan was caught behind for 20, having struck four fours. Kiran Carlson, off the mark from the sixteenth delivery he faced, was struck in front by Sanderson, who bowled Chris Cooke two balls later before Andrew Salter was lbw to Brett Hutton, with Glamorgan in trouble on 195 for 6.Ruaidhri Smith was dropped by Richard Levi at second slip on two, before Nathan Buck took three wickets in successive overs, getting Smith caught behind before bowling both Prem Sisodiya and Timm van der Gugten. Khawaja was eventually dismissed for 103 as Glamorgan were all out for 254, a first innings deficit of 27.Northamptonshire’s openers Luke Procter and Ben Duckett started their second innings and the final session aggressively, building a valuable partnership and making Glamorgan’s bowlers suffer as they built a sizeable lead.Duckett brought up his half century from 52 deliveries and his century from 92, as the visitors continued to dominate late into the day. Procter also posted a half-century as the visitors looked to build a comprehensive lead.After completing his 14th first-class century for Northamptonshire, Duckett said, “Tomorrow is massive. In the past, we’ve been on the opposite end of days like this where sides have really hammered us. I think it’s really important for us to do the same in the morning.”

Six wickets for Mohammad Abbas has left a tense third day ahead at Grace Road between two sides in the top four

ECB Reporters Network20-Aug-20181:43

Moeen and Mitchell leave Yorkshire feeling Toxic

ScorecardMohammad Abbas took 6 for 48, his best return for Leicestershire, as the bowlers continued to hold the upper hand in a Specsavers County Championship match against promotion rivals Kent that ended the second day very much in the balance at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road.The Pakistan international seamer, who was named Man of the Series after his country’s two Tests against England earlier this summer, took full advantage of the heavy cloud and used pitch to move the ball both in the air and off the seam, with only Joe Denly standing firm as visitors were bowled out for just 195 in their first innings.Kent struck back strongly however, with Ivan Thomas taking 4 for 50 as the Foxes ended the day on 126 for 5, a lead of 151 with five second innings wickets in hand.Resuming with Kent on 53 for 3, Denly and Sam Billings were made to work hard for their runs as the ball continued to swing and nip off the pitch. Abbas had beaten Billings on numerous occasions before he found the edge of the Kent captain’s bat and Ned Eckersley held a outstanding low catch diving to his right behind the stumps.Zak Crawley went the same way, feathering a thin edge off Abbas to give Eckersley a more comfortable catch and reduce the visitors to 100 for 5, but Denly was joined by debutant Ollie Robinson in building a substantial partnership for the sixth wicket, helped by frontline seamers Abbas and Ben Raine coming to the end of their spells.Denly broke the shackles by hitting four boundaries in one over from Gavin Griffiths, bringing up his half-century with a fine straight drive to the rope off the same bowler, but Raine returned to the attack to pick up three quick wickets before lunch.Robinson, on the back foot, edged an outswinger to Eckersley, and in the same over Darren Stevens glanced down the leg-side only for Eckersley to pull off another brilliant catch flinging himself to his left. In the over before the break Denly, having battled his way to 62, missed a full inswinger from Raine and was plumb leg before wicket.Abbas returned after the break to bowl Harry Podmore off the inside edge before Grant Stewart was caught at cover driving.Kent picked up an early wicket of their own when Horton was leg before to a Stewart in-swinger, but Dearden in particular was batting positively, and he and Colin Ackermann added 69 for Leicestershire’s second wicket before Ackermann went leg before to a Thomas delivery that seamed back in.Mark Cosgrove, going through a bad patch by his high standards, nicked off to Thomas without scoring, and though Dearden passed 50, he lost two further partners, both to Thomas, as Ateeq Javid was caught down the legside by Billings and Eckersley fell leg before before rain and bad light saw play close 13 overs early.

The PCB chief selector has taken exception to rumours that he tried to abuse his position to secure his son’s selection in Pakistan’s Under-19 squad

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2018A meeting between the PCB chairman Ehsan Mani and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq would appear to have ended the uncertainty surrounding Inzamam’s role in a selection controversy that arose over the past few days. The meeting, requested by Inzamam after he took exception to rumours circulating in the Pakistani media he had abused his position to try and secure a favourable selection outcome for his son in the Pakistan U-19 squad. The PCB are understood to have given him full assurance of their trust and support.Inzamam, incensed by the accusation, released a video message categorically denying it was true, saying he would resign if that were proven. At the same time, he challenged the person responsible for the origin of the accusation to do the same if he failed to prove the claim. He is also believed to be assessing his legal options.The origin of the story appeared to be an off-the-record chat between a Pakistani journalist and former international player Abdul Qadir. According to the journalist, Qadir had said the chief selector of the Pakistan U-19 team Basit Ali had been phoned by Inzamam, who requested him to include his son, Ibtasam-ul-Haq in the side. Once the story broke, Qadir stood by this version of events, while Basit denied the conversation, either with Qadir or with Inzamam, ever took place.”I strongly refute this unfounded and malicious claim,” Inzamam wrote in a tweet on Wednesday. “For the record, no one from junior selection committee was approached and there is no truth in this. I am taking this matter quite seriously and will be meeting PCB chairman for an open inquiry on this matter tomorrow.”Nepotism is a particularly prickly issue for Inzamam, particularly in the wake of Imam-ul-Haq’s selection for the national side last year. Imam is Inzamam’s nephew, and there had been questions about whether Inzamam’s influence on selection had played a part in securing a spot for Imam. However, Imam’s bright start to international cricket – he made four centuries in his first nine ODIs, including on debut – have largely dispelled those concerns.

The axed India opener said the selectors had not spoken to him after he was dropped from the Test squad, but MSK Prasad refutes the claim

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2018Batsman M Vijay is the latest India player to speak about a lack of communication between the selectors and players who have been dropped from the squad.Vijay had made 20, 6, 0 and 0 in the first two Tests of India’s five-match series in England. He was not picked in the XI for the third Test and was dropped from the squad for the last two matches.”Neither the chief selector nor any other person spoke to me in England after I was dropped from the third Test,” Vijay told . “None of them have spoken to me since. I did have a conversation with the members of the team management in England and that’s it.”Vijay was also not picked for the ongoing two-Test series against West Indies at home. His comments came in the wake of Karun Nair saying in the past week that he had “no conversations” with the team management or selectors after he was dropped from the squad without playing a Test in England. Former India offspinner Harbhajan Singh had slammed the MSK Prasad-led selection committee and questioned their methods.”I tend to agree with what Harbhajan Singh has said about parameters of selection,” Vijay said. “I think it is important that a player is told about the reasons for keeping him out so that he knows where exactly he stands in the team managements’ and selectors’ scheme of things.”As a player it is very important that you are going to get more than just one or two games, so that you can plan better. Stability keeps doubts away. Ultimately, one has to perform and contribute to the team’s cause.”Prasad, however, rubbished Vijay’s claims, saying that Devang Gandhi, his fellow selector, had spoken to the opener after he was dropped from the squad. “All these are baseless reports,” Prasad told PTI. “With regard to the non-communication with Murali Vijay after dropping him, I am equally surprised why he has said this while my colleague and selector on call Devang Gandhi had clearly informed him about the reasons why he was dropped.”Prasad also said he had spoken to Nair after leaving him out of the 15-man squad for the West Indies Tests, and told him to keep scoring heavily in the Ranji Trophy and for India A. India captain Virat Kohli , meanwhile, distanced himself from the issue when he was asked about it on the eve of the first Test against West Indies.After being axed from the Test squad, Vijay signed up with Essex to play in the County Championship, and made scores of 56, 100, 85, 80 and 2.India’s next Test series after the one against West Indies is in Australia, and Vijay hoped to make a comeback. “I will be preparing for the Australia series too in my own manner,” he said. “I know the conditions there well, having scored close to 500 runs during the 2014-15 series. I wish to be ready if the chance comes. Ultimately it’s the runs that matter when you are trying to make a comeback.”

Sri Lanka’s profligate use of their reviews came back to haunt them as England edged the first-day honours

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Nov-2018In general, umpires do not need an excuse to do their job badly in Sri Lanka. Over the last four years, there has been an abundance of botched decisions, over-officiousness, as well as a banning of bands in the stands while the over is in motion, so that the umpires can supposedly hear edges better. Not that stopping the bands has helped them. Replays have demonstrated several out decisions in which the bat has clearly been in a separate administrative district from the ball.In the umpires’ partial defence, they have it especially tough in Sri Lanka. The prevalence of spinners and dustbowls means there are faint nicks, bat/pad chances and lbw opportunities galore. In some games, there are almost more appeals than runs. And, although there have been none at the grounds in this series, it is possible there are wilfully insubordinate bands playing elsewhere on the island, despite being told repeatedly that they confound the umpires’ sensitive hearing, and generally confuse them. I mean, when there is a highly serious Test match being played, is it not time the ICC imposed a nationwide ban on fun?And yet, while it has been well known for some time that umpires are junkies for terrible decisions in Sri Lanka, the nation’s own cricketers have enabled them, routinely burning their two reviews early in the innings.If umpires were shoddy drivers, then Sri Lanka’s cricketers would still hand them the keys to new luxury cars and point them in the direction of the nearest power pylon. If they were known public urinators, Sri Lanka would ply them with gallons of soft drink and follow them around putting fire hydrants in their vicinity.On Friday, for the second consecutive innings, Sri Lanka lost both reviews at an unacceptably early stage of the game. In the second innings at Pallekele, they had waited with relative patience until the start of the 27th over to squander their second review. At the SSC, they were both spent before the end of the 22nd – the first on a prospective caught behind off Jonny Bairstow in the 15th over; the second being an lbw appeal against Joe Root, in which Root’s front pad was shown to be closer to his childhood home in Yorkshire than the line of off stump when it was struck.Party to both terrible review decisions was wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. With the bat, in limited-overs cricket, Dickwella is the dynamic, hyper-energetic opening batsman, sending the third ball of the match over the wicketkeeper’s head, sweeping and reverse-slapping with abandon, and generally attempting to be the man who Dickscoops his way into a nation’s hearts (the Dickscoop being his particular version of the Dilscoop). But in whites, 24 Tests in, he is yet to step up as a batsman. Worse, he is prone to fits of acute DRS fancy. If there was a Dickwella DRS flowchart, all the arrows would ultimately point to the box that reads: REVIEW IT! At nightclubs, if he hears a song he doesn’t like, you can imagine him racing up to the DJ, making a “T” with his forearms, disbelievingly shaking his head.In a series in which Sri Lanka have had dollops of bad luck, losing their captain to a groin strain, losing all three tosses, and generally being on the receiving end of the umpires’ bumbling, of course the squandered reviews would come back to floor them. Ben Stokes should have been out lbw on zero off the bowling of Dilruwan Perera, but that appeal was wrongly turned down, and Stokes would go on to smack 57 off the next 75 balls, putting up a 99-run stand with Bairstow in the process. Later in the day, Bairstow would himself miss a sweep off Lakshan Sandakan to a ball that would have taken out leg stump, but was ruled not out. In the first two sessions of day one, it seemed it would have been easier to get the umpires to sign over deeds to their houses than get an lbw decision out of them, and Sri Lanka had no recourse to challenge.Towards the end of the day, Sri Lanka’s DRS misadventures were put into sharp relief by England. In between being dropped twice, by Dickwella and Dimuth Karunaratne at slip, Moeen Ali was given out lbw twice, and overturned those calls on both occasions. Unlike Sri Lanka, England had saved their reviews until the umpires’ inevitable mistakes actually came against them.