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Neser and Johnson hold nerve at the death to lift Heat to fifth

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Tim David couldn’t haul the chase across the line as Hobart Hurricanes’ season was left hanging by a thread

Tristan Lavalette20-Jan-2023A resurgent Brisbane Heat continued their charge for a BBL playoffs berth while denting Hobart Hurricanes’ chances with a pivotal 12-run victory at the Gabba.Defending 163, Heat were in the box seat after outstanding bowling from Michael Neser before surviving a late onslaught from big-hitter Tim David.Three straight wins has lifted Heat firmly into playoffs calculations, while Hurricanes are currently outside the picture after being unable to break their drought on the road.

Neser shines, Johnson holds nerve

Heat needed early wickets to defend what seemed a modest total at the traditionally batting-friendly Gabba. Neser obliged with the wickets of struggling Ben McDermott and Zak Crawley as he produced a slew of outstanding outswingers in his two-over burst. .But with David looking ominous, Neser returned in the 15th over after Hurricanes took the power surge and he bowled well under pressure. He then bowled the penultimate over and removed Mitchell Owen, but a first ball six from Faheem Ashraf breathed life into the contest.With Hurricanes needing 18 runs off the final over, left-arm quick Spencer Johnson kept his cool against a rampant David with superb clutch bowling as Heat held on to move into the all-important top five for the first time this season.Related

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Wade, David unable to lift Hurricanes

After Hurricanes slumped to 14 for 2, they needed a spark from skipper Matthew Wade who had been in a form slump with just 68 runs in his last five innings while battling controversies.Wade made his move in the fourth over with a couple of boundaries off Johnson and unleashed trademark inventiveness against spin. But he fell for 45 in the 13th over with the burden falling on David, who put the foot down in the 18th over with two sixes off spinner Matthew Kuhnemann.His gamble to decline singles briefly paid off, but ultimately it proved too tough a task for David as Hurricanes lost their seventh straight game on the road.

Heat overcome struggles from their stars

Captain Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne haven’t been able to fire for Heat on their returns.Khawaja made 18 before spooning a return catch to Faheem, while Labuschagne lacked fluency in his 25-ball 28. Having only played one T20I in his career, Labuschagne has been out to prove his formidable longer format game can translate into success in T20 cricket.But he did little to ease the doubters with a scratchy innings, where he struggled for timing, before falling after the drinks break at a pivotal juncture.Heat appeared set to fall well short of a competitive total before solid knocks from Matt Renshaw and Sam Hain powered them to respectability.

Recalled Paris rediscovers his miserly best

Hurricanes’ attack hoped for a bounce back after being thumped by in-form Scorchers batter Aaron Hardie, who in fairness has been dismissive of most bowlers this season.It was a task made more daunting without injured spinner Paddy Dooley, who has enjoyed a breakout season to emerge as an unlikely talisman of the attack.Frontline quicks Riley Meredith and Nathan Ellis were expensive, but an outstanding performance from left-arm seamer Joel Paris helped restrict Heat. Paris has been in and out of the line-up and before this match claimed just three wickets from five innings at an economy rate of 8.56.But he conjured swing during the powerplay and then dismissed Labuschagne in the 11th over. Paris also bowled a clutch over at the death to finish with figures of 2 for 15 in four overs in his best performance of the season.Faheem was also accurate to frustrate Heat, who failed to hit a boundary for six overs at one point. Sharp catching capped a notable improvement in the field for Hurricanes.

Woakes, Wood and Brook keep England's Ashes hopes alive

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Batters clinch three-wicket victory in white-knuckled run chase at Headingley

Matt Roller09-Jul-2023The Ashes are still alive. England’s batters clinched a three-wicket win in a white-knuckled run chase at Headingley, led by Harry Brook’s 75 on his home ground before Chris Woakes and Mark Wood took them across the line.Australia, who would have sealed a first away Ashes win since 2001 with victory, struck regularly on the fourth day to leave England in serious trouble at 171 for 6. Mitchell Starc was the spearhead, taking two wickets either side of lunch – including the middle-order engine room of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow.Brook and Woakes added 59 for the seventh wicket, England’s highest partnership of the match, before Starc’s fifth wicket – Brook top-edging to cover – gave Australia another sniff. But Wood, whose five-wicket haul in the first innings set the game up for England, joined Woakes and iced the run chase.Wood hooked Pat Cummins over fine leg for six, then cleared his front leg to blast Starc through cover and take the requirement down to single figures. With four to win, he survived a top-edged swipe off Starc, Alex Carey unable to cling on after scrambling back towards the boundary rope and diving at full stretch onto his front.Then, with scores tied, Woakes opened the face and scythed Starc through point for four, holding his arms aloft in celebration before embracing Wood. The pair’s all-round exploits over the last four days have kept England alive in the series: they are two-one down heading into the fourth Test at Old Trafford on July 19.There is a nine-day break before the start of that Test, one for which both teams will be grateful after another exhausting, exhilarating day which saw both teams let control of the game slip from their grasp. Australia were behind for much of the game but it took until Brook’s partnership with Woakes for England to assert their dominance on the chase. Even then, there was a twist – but it came late enough for them to scrape home.Mitchell Starc made crucial breakthroughs either side of lunch•AFP/Getty Images

England needed a further 224 runs to win at the start of the fourth day but lost a wicket in the fifth over of the morning: Ben Duckett was smashed on the shin by Starc, falling over to the off side. His review could not save him, with ball-tracking projecting that the ball would have crashed into his leg stump.Unexpectedly, it was Moeen Ali who walked out at No. 3, after Brook had deputised for the injured Ollie Pope in that role in the first innings. The experiment did not last long – Starc ripped out Moeen’s leg stump with a 90mph/144kph rocket – but gave the illusion of extending England’s batting line-up and crucially, allowed Brook to return to No. 5.Related

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  • Crazy things do happen at Headingley and sometimes crazy is good

Joe Root traded boundaries with Zak Crawley either side of drinks but never settled, and a change of ball in the 19th over brought a wicket in the 20th. Crawley crunched Mitchell Marsh through the off side with a trademark cover drive, but Marsh’s next ball was a fraction shorter and drew the outside edge.Brook played positively from the outset, spanking Scott Boland through cover-point for consecutive boundaries, but his stand with Root was a brief one. Cummins dug one in short, angling down the leg side, which Root attempted to pull but gloved through to Alex Carey. It was not Cummins’ best ball but extended his remarkable dominance in his head-to-head battle with Root.Stokes, no stranger to a Headingley run chase, calmly worked his first ball away through the leg side for four but was strangled down the leg side in the second over after lunch, flicking Starc through to Carey to fall for just 13. Starc smiled wryly, exerting his considerable influence on a second successive Test.Bairstow joined Brook, who had reached 42 after a handful of false shots early in his innings, but did not last long. He inside-edged his sixth ball for four, past his leg stump, then chopped his eighth onto his middle stump, beaten by Starc’s movement back into him; after 78 on the opening day of the series, Bairstow has added 63 runs across his next five innings.Jonny Bairstow looks back after dragging a drive onto his stumps•AFP/Getty Images

Australia sensed an opening. They were four wickets away and Woakes hardly exuded calm early on, regularly playing and missing and picking up boundaries via both edges of the bat. But with Cummins reluctant to introduce Todd Murphy – who bowled only two overs on the last day – Australia were reliant on their three main seamers.Brook brought up a 67-ball half-century, his second in successive Tests, but both batters continued to keep Australia’s fielders interested, particularly when facing the short ball. Top-edges looped up tantalisingly without going to hand, and ball regularly beat bat before the drinks break.Brook crunched boundaries away through point off Cummins and the lesser-spotted Murphy, but was rushed by Starc’s short ball and spooned a catch to cover via the top edge, trudging off with 21 runs still required. But It took England only 14 balls to knock them off.Murphy’s brilliant parry on the midwicket boundary denied Woakes a certain boundary, but Wood – fuelled by adrenaline – took on Cummins’ bouncer and swiped him into the Football Stand for six. When Wood crunched Starc through cover, England were close; when Woakes slashed him through point, they had their first Ashes win in four years.

Gore's unbeaten fifty guides Falcons to first win of season

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Despite strong spells from Warrican and Mujeeb, fielding lapses cost Royals in a tight finish

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2025Karima Gore continued his superb form in CPL 2025, scoring his second consecutive half-century to guide Antigua and Barbuda Falcons to a commanding six-wicket victory over Barbados Royals on Saturday. Chasing 152, Falcons rode on Gore’s unbeaten 64 to claim their first points of the tournament in front of a home crowd.After a disappointing loss against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in their season opener – despite Gore’s 61 – Falcons bounced back with a disciplined all-round performance. Winning the toss and opting to field, the Falcons bowlers kept Royals in check for most of the innings. Quinton de Kock provided a brisk start with a fluent 57, and captain Rovman Powell added a late flourish with a powerful unbeaten 51 off just 24 balls to take Royals to 151 for 6. Jayden Seales was the pick of the bowlers for Falcons, returning 2 for 15 in an economical spell.In response, Falcons lost a couple of early wickets, but Gore held the innings together. Batting at No. 3, he anchored the chase, rotating strike effectively and finding the boundary when needed. He scored 39 off his first 41 balls, and by the end of the 16th over, Falcons still needed 45 off 24. Gore then accelerated, smashing 19 runs off his next six deliveries – including two consecutive sixes off Eathan Bosch in the 18th over – to ease the pressure. Eventually, it came down to six off the final over, and Gore sealed the chase with two balls to spare.Royals will be left ruing their missed opportunities in the field. Several dropped catches and missed run-out chances allowed Falcons and Gore to flourish. The fielding lapses not only released pressure but also gave Gore at least two reprieves, which he capitalised on to steer the game in Falcons’ favour.Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman conceded just 43 runs from their eight overs combined and picked up a wicket each, but it wasn’t enough to contain Falcons.

'I owed Madhya Pradesh the trophy that I missed out 23 years back'

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Reactions from former Madhya Pradesh players after the team’s maiden Ranji Trophy victory

Shashank Kishore, Nikhil Sharma and Afzal Jiwani26-Jun-2022Chandrakant Pandit, title-winning coach of Madhya Pradesh (as told to the BCCI website)
“It is becoming a little emotional because missing out when I was captain to win this trophy on the same ground after 23 years. Some say father could not do it but son has done it. Aditya Shrivastava has done it. I owed Madhya Pradesh the trophy that I missed out.”I used to play for Madhya Pradesh in ’94-’96 [1994-95 to 2000-01]. Almost six years I played. The offer [to coach them] came to me in March and I didn’t hesitate. Before that I had a couple of offers and then I thought about going back to Madhya Pradesh because I had left something 23 years back. Probably God willed me back to the same place and we came back to play the final at Chinnaswamy Stadium.”I would definitely say Aditya Shrivastava has been an outstanding captain with his plans and strategy. Whatever we discussed, I think he has never hesitated to implement on the ground. The captain makes the team win 50% according to me and that is what I wanted him to do. He has done a fantastic job and though he wasn’t getting runs I always had confidence in him. At the same time, Rajat Patidar, Shubham Sharma, Kumar Kartikeya, there are many many guys – young guy Akshat Raghuwanshi – has also come out well for MP.”Jalaj Saxena, former Madhya Pradesh allrounder
“It’s been seven years since I moved from playing first-class cricket for Madhya Pradesh but my heart has been pounding away watching the final. The only thought that kept playing in my mind at the start of the day were the memories of 1998-99, where we took a lead and had the final under control before one bad session cost us the game. I’m so happy to see how calmly they approached it.”When I started for MP 17 years ago, it was a dream to play in a Ranji final. We had talent but as a group, winning remained just a dream. To see these guys lift the trophy is a gift to the entire cricketing fraternity in MP. It has the potential to open several avenues.”Coaches and talent scouts will keenly look out for talent from MP even more now. We’ve already seen so many names coming through – Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh Iyer, Avesh Khan, Kumar Kartikeya. Many more could emerge. These guys have all been trendsetters for the younger players. So many youngsters in MP are now encouraged by seeing these guys perform on the big stage, and a platform like the IPL only magnifies your performances and provides a lift to the region.”We always knew MP had a strong team, but it was always a question of being able to hold our nerves on the big stage. After this win, that perception is bound to change. This win has the power to transform the direction of MP cricket for the better.

Sanjay Jagdale, former MP cricketer and veteran administrator
“Two years ago, I heard from Kiran More [former India wicketkeeper] that Chandrakant Pandit was looking for a team. I immediately conveyed to Sanjeev Rao (MPCA secretary and former MP player) that we should immediately get him on board. When his name was doing the rounds, there was a lot of opposition in MP, particularly Indore. The opposition, I felt, was personal. But they somehow moved past that and brought him on board.”Chandu’s only condition was he needed a free hand when it came to cricketing matters, and if that was met, he was ready to come on. He knows which player should be put under pressure, which player needs to be spoken to with love. After his arrival, we’ve seen a great transformation in the team’s body language and attitude, because he has built that kind of confidence in them. There is proper role clarity.”The biggest change is how teams are selected. Earlier in MP, selection used to be a big headache. Things happened differently. Since he is the coach, he sits in selection meetings, and he comes prepared. He clearly states what he wants. No deserving player has missed out in his time so far.”Akshat Raghuwanshi, for example, wasn’t even with the Under-19 team last year. He single-handedly brought him on board; look at the way he has responded: three fifties and a century, a match-turning knock in the semi-finals. When he picks a young player, he backs him, gives him the security.”What also makes him stand out is he takes responsibility for failure. If something is unsuccessful, he takes the responsibility and when some players do well, he gives them the credit. Few people can do this. If his strategies or decisions fail, he doesn’t play the blame game. He gives credit to the guys who do well. Players now know if Chandu has picked you, you will have his full backing.”Devendra Bundela, former MP captain and third-highest run-scorer in Ranji history
“I followed every moment of the game. It’s a brilliant feeling to see MP dominate and win the Ranji Trophy. I can say for sure the best squad was picked. Their methodical approach was outstanding. The effort of many years has finally borne fruit.”I was part of that 1998-99 final and can tell you how much of a heartbreak it was. That is still fresh in my mind, but seeing these guys take a step further makes me feel very proud. This group has the potential to dominate for the next three-four years. It’s largely a young team. Someone asked me if we’ve hit a purple patch. I said, ‘no, this is a purple batch.'”

India coast to big win after spinners rule roost over Thailand

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Rana, Deepti and Gayakwad shared seven wickets between them as Thailand were skittled for 37

Sruthi Ravindranath10-Oct-2022India strolled to a nine-wicket win against Thailand in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup after spinners Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad shared seven wickets between them. Thailand were restricted to 37, their third-lowest total in the Asia Cup, which table-toppers India then chased down in six overs, losing just one wicket.Thailand started off cautiously, moving to just 16 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. The collapse began with Naruemol Chaiwai’s run-out in the seventh over following which Thailand lost their last eight wickets for just 17 runs.Thailand openers cautious
Smriti Mandhana, playing her 100th T20I, once again stood in for Harmanpreet Kaur – who was out of the last game with a niggle – and opted to bowl keeping the damp conditions in mind.Thailand openers Nannapat Koncharoenkai and Natthakan Chantham started off watchfully as Deepti straightaway found sharp turn, and took just one run off the first over. Koncharoenkai broke the pressure with a drive to the boundary off quick Meghna Singh, who was swapped for Renuka Singh for this match, and in the following over Chantham brought out the sweep and got a boundary against Deepti, showing positive intent.But a couple of balls later, Chantham was deceived by the turn and was bowled.The collapse begins
Koncharoenkai and Chaiwai continued their cautious approach, not taking any risks, and that resulted in Thailand playing out 27 dot balls in the powerplay. With Thailand having lost the prolific Chantham early, the onus was on captain Chaiwai to push them to a respectable total. But a quick throw from Meghna fielding at point resulted in her getting run-out for three in the seventh over.Rana struck the very next ball, sending Chanida Sutthiruang back for a duck with a delivery that turned in sharply from outside off stump. From there on, wickets fell regularly. Koncharoenkai’s carelessness resulted in her being run-out, and Gayakwad and Rana ripped through the middle order to leave Thailand reeling at 28 for 8 by the end of the 12th over.Nattaya Boochatham and Thipatcha Putthawong managed to stay at the crease for 17 balls but Deepti returned to break the ninth-wicket stand. Meghna accounted for the last wicket to fall in the 16th over.An easy win for semi-final bound India
It was a straightforward chase for India. Following a quiet first over – India scored just three runs – from Boochatham, Sabbhineni Meghana and Shafali Verma managed to hit a boundary each in the next couple of overs. Following Shafali’s departure in the third over, Pooja Vastrakar joined Meghana at the crease and steered India to 22 for 1 in five overs. They finished the match in the sixth over, hitting four fours – two each – off Putthawong to guide India to a resounding win.

Jhye Richardson out of IPL 2023, likely to miss Ashes too

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The fast bowler, who was due to join Mumbai Indians, undergoes surgery in an attempt to fix his hamstring issues

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Mar-2023Jhye Richardson will miss the IPL and is all but sure to be out of contention for the Ashes after undergoing surgery to overcome his hamstring issues.Richardson suffered a recurrence of the injury playing club cricket last week as he attempted a return to action after initially pulling up in the BBL. He was ruled out of the ODI series in India and the surgery option was taken in a bid to find a long-term solution.He was due to line up for Mumbai Indians in the IPL for what would have been his second stint at the tournament following a season with Punjab Kings.”Injuries are a big part of cricket, that’s a fact,” Richardson tweeted. “Frustrating? Absolutely.”But I’m now in a scenario where I can get back to doing what I love and work bloody hard to become an even better player than before. One step back, two steps forward. Let’s do this.”Richardson has been let down by his body over the last two seasons having previously undergone major shoulder surgery in 2019, which ruled him out of that year’s ODI World Cup and Ashes.He took a maiden Test five-wicket haul against England in Adelaide in December 2021, his first Test since injuring his right shoulder, but a nagging heel injury ruled him out of the next match and he has not played Test cricket since.He played in the T20I and ODI series on the tour of Sri Lanka in June of 2022 but then had an interrupted pre-season for WA. A number of soft-tissue concerns limited him to just two Sheffield Shield games and one Marsh Cup game prior to the BBL.”Obviously it’s devastating that he has re-injured that hamstring again and he is going to miss a significant amount of time to get his hamstring right,” Western Australia coach Adam Voges said. “We all feel for Jhye and we’re hopeful that whatever they come with as a solution can fix his hamstring and we get him back out there because it has been a tough 12 months for him.”

Renshaw's chance to push Ashes claims, eyes also on Hardie in New Zealand

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Australia A will face New Zealand A in two four-day matches over the next couple of weeks

Andrew McGlashan31-Mar-2023Alongside those appearing at the IPL and preparing for spells in county cricket, there is a group of Australian players across the Tasman looking to make an impression on the national selectors.The Australia A squad that faces their New Zealand counterparts over two four-day games in Lincoln – using the Dukes ball to replicate Ashes conditions in the UK – is a combination of players close or recently in the Test team, some with a realistic chance of pushing for a place in the near future, a few reasonably experienced domestic cricketers and those at the younger end of their careers.It is not what an Australia A squad would look like if everyone was available – anyone with a county deal was not considered because they will already be playing in UK conditions – but Matt Renshaw and Mitchell Swepson are included from those recently in India. Peter Handscomb was in the original group but withdrew after getting his deal with Leicestershire.Related

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It will be an important couple of weeks for Renshaw who is viewed as a serious candidate to open again for Australia in the long term when a vacancy arises. However, India was a difficult tour for him where he missed out twice in the first Test in the middle order, having been preferred to Travis Head, then fell cheaply again in Delhi after being called in as David Warner’s concussion sub.He is likely competing with Handscomb, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris for a spare batting spot in the Ashes. One thing in Renshaw’s favour is his versatility of being able to cover any position in the top six.Swepson, meanwhile, faces an interesting time in his career having been overlooked for the three Tests in India where he was available (he missed the Delhi Test to fly home for the birth of his child). With Australia’s next subcontinent Test tour not until visiting Sri Lanka in early 2025, it is difficult to see where Swepson’s chance to add to his four caps will come.Outside Renshaw and Swepson, the only other member of the squad previously capped by Australia is pace bowler Wes Agar who played two ODIs on the 2021 tour of West Indies when a number of first-choice players were not available.Matt Renshaw will still hope to be in Ashes contention•Getty Images

The name closest to breaking through to international level is Western Australia allrounder Aaron Hardie. He made an important 45 in last week’s Sheffield Shield final, and claimed four wickets, but his overall batting returns for the season with an average of 29.07 were probably a little below expectation.Hardie was touted as a possible replacement for Cameron Green when he was injured during the Australian season and is the closest like-for-like available, although Mitchell Marsh could yet come back into the frame if he is able to bowl substantially after his ankle surgery. Hardie and Nathan McSweeney will share the captaincy in New Zealand.With an eye on the Ashes, the selectors will need to consider how to provide wicketkeeping cover for Alex Carey. They could use Handscomb as was the case in India, but if they wanted a full-time keeper as back-up, Queensland’s Jimmy Peirson has a strong case to be considered although Josh Inglis likely remains in pole position. Over the last three seasons, Peirson has made 1337 Shield runs at 37.13 with five centuries (Inglis has averaged 51.56 in his 14 matches for WA in the same period) and he also impressed on the Australia A tour of Sri Lanka last year.However, the most intriguing name in the squad is left-arm quick Spencer Johnson whose remarkable rise continues after a season that brought BBL and Shield success for Brisbane Heat and South Australia respectively, including six and seven-wicket hauls for the latter.With Joel Paris, the WA quick, having withdrawn through injury, Johnson is now the one left-arm fast bowler in the squad and while it remains unlikely he will get an immediate international call-up, he could well be back-up to Mitchell Starc across formats.Elsewhere in the squad, there is a collection of top-order batters in the 18-25 age group with an eye on the future. The most exciting of them is 18-year Teague Wyllie, another from the WA production line, who made a maiden Shield century this season and was unbeaten in the chase to secure the title.Mitch Perry, a talented allrounder from Victoria, Xavier Bartlett and Jordan Buckingham (who replaced Parris) are pace bowlers who should enjoy the chance to operate with the Dukes ball.New Zealand’s resources are also stretched due to the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, but the side features a number of players with international experience, including Doug Bracewell and Scott Kuggeleijn who have played Tests this season and left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel. They will be captained by Tom Bruce who has 17 T20I caps.New Zealand A squad: Tom Bruce (capt), Adithya Ashok, Doug Bracewell, Henry Cooper, Jacob Duffy (game 1 only), Dean Foxcroft, Cam Fletcher, Mitch Hay, Scott Kuggeleijn (game 2 only), Cole McConchie, Robbie O’Donnell, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Brett Randell, Sean SoliaAustralia A squad: Wes Agar, Xavier Bartlett, Jordan Buckingham, Aaron Hardie, Caleb Jewell, Spencer Johnson, Campbell Kellaway, Nathan McSweeney, Mitch Perry, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Tim Ward, Teague Wyllie

'Much better if he did another job' – Hasaranga slams umpire over non-no-ball call

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Umpire Lyndon Hannibal not penalising Wafadar Momand’s high full toss to Kamindu Mendis did not go well with Sri Lanka’s captain

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Feb-2024Sri Lanka’s T20I captain Wanindu Hasaranga has said outright that umpire Lyndon Hannibal should find another job, after Hannibal had deemed a high full toss as a legal delivery during a tense final over in the third T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla.Hasaranga’s scathing comments came after Hannibal, the square-leg umpire, did not call a no-ball when a Wafadar Momand delivery passed batter Kamindu Mendis well above waist height without pitching. Kamindu had shuffled down the pitch, but the delivery nevertheless would have likely arrived higher than his waist had he been standing upright at the popping crease. This would constitute a no-ball as per the ICC’s playing conditions.Still, Hasaranga was extraordinarily critical, though he did not refer to Hannibal by name.”That kind of thing shouldn’t happen in an international match,” Hasaranga said of the incident. “If it had been close [to waist height], that’s not a problem. But a ball that’s going so high… it would have hit the batsman’s head if it had gone a little higher.Related

  • Gurbaz, spinners give Afghanistan winning end to tough tour

“If you can’t see that, that umpire isn’t suited to international cricket. It would be much better if he did another job.”Sri Lanka needed 11 runs off the last three balls when this occurred. As the delivery was deemed legal, and Kamindu made no contact with the full toss, they ended up needing 11 off the last two.After the umpires deemed it a fair delivery, Kamindu was seen asking for the no-ball, and is understood to have also requested a review. However, the current ICC playing conditions do not allow player reviews for umpire decisions that do not involve potential dismissals. In fact, umpires themselves cannot initiate third-umpire reviews on no-balls, unless there is a dismissal at stake.”There was a situation where you could review those calls before, but the ICC has got rid of that,” Hasaranga said. “Our batsmen tried to review that. If the third umpire is able to check the front-foot no-ball, he should check this kind of no-ball as well. There’s no reason why they can’t. They didn’t do even that, so I’m not sure what was going on in his (the square-leg umpire’s) mind at the time.”The ICC’s playing conditions define this kind of no-ball as: “Any delivery, which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease…”Sri Lanka went on to lose the match by three runs to give Afghanistan their only victory of the tour, although the hosts won the series 2-1.

Athapaththu 102 helps Sri Lanka seal T20 World Cup Qualifier final

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Scotland’s chase never took off as spinners and Prabodhani helped Sri Lanka defend 169

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2024Captain Chamari Athapaththu’s 102 off 63 balls helped Sri Lanka win the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier against Scotland in Abu Dhabi.As a result, Sri Lanka will slot into Group A alongside Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan, while Scotland will be part of Group B alongside South Africa, England, West Indies and Bangladesh in the World Cup proper in October.After Scotland asked Sri Lanka to bat, Athapaththu lost her opening partner Vishmi Gunaratne in the third over. Harshitha Samarawickrama was the next one to depart in the sixth over, after being pinned in front by Katherine Fraser. Kavisha Dilhari at No. 4 then contributed 15 off 13 balls before being stumped off Abtaha Maqsood.Athapaththu, meanwhile, continued to pile on the runs single-handedly, contributing 83 runs in her 106-run stand with Nilakshika Silva. She brought up her century in the 19th over, off 60 balls. Athapaththu hit 13 fours and four sixes in her 63-ball stay before falling to Rachel Slater with four balls remaining in Sri Lanka’s innings. A six by Silva off the penultimate ball then set Scotland a target of 170.In return, Scotland got off to a decent start in the chase, with openers Saskia Horley and Megan McColl hitting three fours between them before the collapse began. After Horley was run-out in the third over, left-arm medium pacer Udeshika Prabodhani produced a double-wicket maiden in the fourth.Sri Lanka’s spinners then took over, stifling Scotland in the middle overs. Priyanaz Chatterji fought hard with a 34-ball 30, but didn’t find much help at the other end, as Scotland eventually fell 68 runs short.Before they met on Tuesday, both Sri Lanka and Scotland had already booked their spot at the T20 World Cup proper, set to be played in Bangladesh later this year, after beating UAE and Ireland, respectively, on Friday.

Titans look to cement top-two spot against out-of-reckoning and out-of-sorts, Super Kings

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It could be a chance for both teams to test their reserves, but for completely different reasons

Srinidhi Ramanujam14-May-20223:07

Have Titans identified their best playing XI?

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A day after their crushing defeat against Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings had tweeted: “It’s not the end of the road”. They would want to believe so after being knocked out of IPL 2022, as they look to start planning for the next season with two games remaining in this one.Super Kings and their opponents on Sunday, Gujarat Titans, are on the two extreme ends of the points table. While Super Kings, the defending champions, are placed ninth, Titans, being on top, are the only team to get into the playoffs so far.A victory at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday will assure Titans a top-two finish, while Super Kings might want to test their bench strength.

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To be fair to them, Super Kings have had a few positives. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway have enjoyed success at the top in recent times, and rookie pacers Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh have been promising, especially in the powerplay. Maheesh Theekshana, in his debut season, has 12 wickets so far, the most by a fingerspinner this IPL. And Shivam Dube, despite blowing hot and cold, has made a difference with his power-hitting.However, there are big questions. MS Dhoni, who took back the captaincy after Ravindra Jadeja stepped down, has said he will remain with the team in “some capacity” next season, but that may or may not be as a player. Dwayne Bravo, at 38, isn’t getting any younger. Where does Ambati Rayudu, who tweeted on the eve of the match – before deleting it – that this would be his last IPL, stand? Not to forget, Super Kings will also have to find an able leader next season if Dhoni decides to step aside (again).Testing the bench could be an option for Titans, too, after they bounced back against Lucknow Super Giants following two losses in a row. While they have a well-rounded bowling attack, Titans brought back Matthew Wade, who had failed at the top of the order earlier, to address their No. 3 issue and he lasted only seven balls in the previous match. Their captain Hardik Pandya’s form – or the lack of it – has not had a major impact on the team with David Miller, Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan doing the finishing act. However, going into the crucial stage of the tournament, they would want Hardik to get into the groove. At least with the bat.

In the news

Lockie Ferguson missed the last match and Hardik said the move was “tactical, considering the ground dynamics”. The New Zealand quick might come in place of Alzarri Joseph or Mohammed Shami, if Titans decide to rest him for a match or two.Chennai Super Kings have had a forgettable season and must get their plans in place for IPL 2023•BCCI

Likely XIs

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Robin Uthappa, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Ambati Rayudu, 7 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Simarjeet Singh, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Mukesh Choudhary.Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Matthew Wade, 4 Hardik Pandya (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Alzarri Joseph/Lockie Ferguson, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Sai Kishore, 11 Yash Dayal.

Strategy punt

Shubman Gill has been dismissed inside ten balls five times in 12 innings. His average of 22.3 against Super Kings is his poorest against a team in the IPL. Given that he has been dismissed by a fingerspinner twice this edition, Dhoni could bowl Moeen Ali or Theekshana at the start of the innings.

Stats that matter

  • Hardik averages 55 and strikes at 149 against Bravo in T20s.
  • Titans have hit a total of 58 sixes this season, the least by a team.
  • Choudhary has taken 11 wickets in the powerplay this season, the highest among all the teams.
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