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Keemo Paul was dropped twice at crucial stages of West Indies’ chase, and Mashrafe believed the hosts could have pulled things back had the catches been held

Mohammad Isam12-Dec-2018Bangladesh came away from their four-wicket loss to West Indies in the second ODI ruing two dropped catches at crucial stages of the game, which Mashrafe Mortaza felt affected the confidence of the bowlers.Keemo Paul was the batsman to benefit from both chances, in the 44th and 48th overs, and the fielder on both occasions was substitute Nazmul Islam. In the first instance, Paul was on 6 when Nazmul rushed in to catch a mis-timed slog sweep but couldn’t hold on to it. Then, with West Indies needing 23 off 13 balls, Nazmul overran Paul’s full-blooded pull but managed to stop a boundary. Paul’s unbeaten 18 was a perfect foil for Shai Hope during their 71-run unbroken seventh-wicket that helped the visitors level the ODI series.”We definitely suffered due to the dropped catches especially when we dropped Paul twice,” the Bangladesh captain said. “If Kemar Roach had come to the crease, it would have been slightly more difficult for them to rotate the strike. [Rubel] did get hit for a six first ball but he came back in the last four balls. He created two chances, and if that catch was taken off his bowling, the last ball would have been a dot. These small moments give confidence to bowlers.”We had two fielders [Liton Das and Imrul Kayes] outside today. We had Ariful [Haque], our best fielder, when Imrul left the field. [Nazmul Islam] Apu is the quicker of the two. He was having trouble seeing the ball on that side, although you can’t give excuses at this level.”Nazmul wasn’t the only one to put down chances on Tuesday. Imrul Kayes dropped a sitter at short fine leg before Shimron Hetmyer had opened his account. While it didn’t really hurt Bangladesh at that stage, as Hetmyer fell a couple of overs later, it brought to attention their fielding mixed-bag during this ODI series.While Tamim Iqbal took one of the best catches of the year in the first ODI, Ariful Haque, Rubel Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim dropped catches. Darren Bravo was given reprieves on 13 and 18, after Ariful dropped a sitter at point while Mushfiqur was stretched by a chance that wicketkeepers usually want to take. Rubel dropped Rovman Powell’s skier off Shakib and although it didn’t affect the fielding side in terms of runs, the lapses brought unwanted focus on an area that has seen improvements in recent months.”You have seen the type of training we do. We do fielding drills every day, even on days when we don’t bat or bowl,” Mashrafe said. “But it is about confidence in the field. When you are uneasy dropping a catch, you tend to drop an easy one. It is totally about one’s mentality.”We missed a number of catches in these two matches, but we still want to move from this game with the positive things.”In the second ODI, Bangladesh were also slowed down by wickets right when they were looking to accelerate. Tamim and Mushfiqur fell in the space of a few overs after they had added 111 runs for the second wicket, and scored fifties. Mahmudullah fell in the 41st over, at the start of his favoured time in an innings. Shakib also fell three overs before the end.”We should have scored 15-20 runs more. We may have reached nearly 300 had Tamim and Mushfiqur batted longer. If the Shakib-Riyad partnership would have extended by 6-7 overs, we may have at least reached 270-280, which would have definitely helped the bowlers,” said Mashrafe.

A century stand from Yorkshire’s newly minted opening partnership began the long climb in pursuit of Surrey’s first-innings 592

Alan Gardner at The Kia Oval13-Sep-20171:36

The latest shifts of fortune encapsulated in our Specsavers Championship round-up

An autumnal chill blew through The Oval, even as the sun shone and the pitch played true. There are things still to be decided in the Championship but they will be decided in their own good time. As Somerset’s rally continued in the west country, Yorkshire fans may have begun to study the table in a little more detail – though they could take some solace from a century stand from their newly minted opening partnership as they began the long climb in pursuit of Surrey’s first-innings 592.It was May 2012 when Yorkshire last began an innings without one of Adam Lyth or Alex Lees taking guard (Joe Root and Joe Sayers, for the record). With Lees having dropped down to No. 3 in Yorkshire’s last outing and Lyth absent here due to the birth of his daughter, Tom Kohler-Cadmore was given the chance to step in alongside the experienced Australian Shaun Marsh. He duly compiled his first Championship half-century for Yorkshire since moving from Worcestershire in mid-summer.Kohler-Cadmore has already built a reputation as a buccaneering white-ball batsman but this was a different kind of test, one centring on how hard he could concentrate rather than how hard he can hit. Yorkshire must mount a substantial response if they are to avoid being dropped into the bottom two at the end of this round (Uxbridge’s poor drainage may also help in that regard) and a partnership of 162 between Kohler-Cadmore and Marsh provided something to keep out the cold.Although this was Kohler-Cadmore’s first innings as an opener in first-class cricket, it is a position he views himself as ready to fill. His only regret was in not being able to go out again and continue in the morning, after “slashing at a wide one” and being caught at point five overs from the close. “It’s something that I want to do and I’ve been lucky enough to get the opportunity this week, with Adam having his baby girl,” he said. “So it was nice to get the nod and put a good stand on with Shaun.”I think a lot of people look at your red-ball stuff because they see white ball as kind of, well, the way I play, you come off or not. Whereas red ball, you have to really work hard, you can’t go out and try and hit every ball for four – though I’d like to. It’s about building your innings and setting up the game, which for us was getting to the close with as few wickets down as possible.”With England’s national selector, James Whitaker, watching on, it was a timely display of patience and technique from Kohler-Cadmore. There are a plethora of England squads to pick these days, including the Lions and Performance Programme, and Whitaker may have made a note in his black book. He would doubtless have enjoyed the performance of another young England candidate in the morning, too, as Ben Foakes recorded his first Championship hundred of the season.Kumar Sangakkara returned to inflict more pain•Getty Images

Foakes has been tipped as the likely understudy for Jonny Bairstow in England’s Ashes party and, with a first-class average above 40, he could also provide competition for a batting spot. A princely straight drive in the morning welcomed Tim Bresnan into the attack and he went on to complete a century that was both unobtrusive – a good quality for a wicketkeeper – and fluent, slipstreaming the outgoing great, Kumar Sangakkara, as Surrey piled up the runs.Being unobtrusive is more straightforward when Sangakkara is batting at the other end, of course. This was the seventh hundred of what is to be his final first-class season, as he popped back in from a few weeks at the Caribbean Premier League (where he was the second-leading scorer) to resume filling his Championship boots.For Surrey, the summer of Sanga has been both richly rewarding and slightly underwhelming. When they beat Warwickshire by an innings in the first round of the Championship (Sangakkara contributing a modest 71), Surrey were touted as potential champions. They have not won a four-day game since.That is reflective of Surrey’s bowling, more than anything else. Their two leading wicket-takers – Tom Curran (away with England) and Mark Footitt (who left in mid-season for Notts) – are not playing here and, as this match has so far showed, The Oval can produce surfaces that swiftly reduces an attack to a defence. This will be their tenth draw if they cannot convert scoreboard pressure into the currency of 20 wickets.Sangakkara, in his final first-class season, has done everything possible to leave Surrey fans wanting more. Yorkshire will probably be pleased to see the back of him, however. In three innings against them this season, Sangakkara has made scores of 121, 180 not out and 164. Those innings have come while facing three different coloured projectiles: pink, white and red. Yorkshire do not like to hand over candy so readily.His stand with Foakes yielded 258 as Yorkshire’s bowling creaked – at least until Jack Brooks produced some welcome zip during a four-wicket spell. That and the youthful promise of Kohler-Cadmore’s 78 just about kept the visitors from seizing up.It is barely 12 months since Yorkshire were battling out for a third title in succession, a three-way tug-of-war that also featured Middlesex and Somerset. Those three teams are now locked in a battle to avoid joining Warwickshire (most likely) in relegation to Division Two. Winter is coming for someone.

Mohammad Kaif, the former India batsman, will lead Ranji Trophy debutants Chhattisgarh in the 2016-17 domestic season

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2016Mohammad Kaif, the former India batsman, will lead Ranji Trophy debutants Chhattisgarh in the 2016-17 domestic season. The announcement was made by Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh at a press conference in Raipur, also attended by newly-appointed head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni.Kaif’s two-year contract with Andhra, which could have been extended by a year based on performance, wasn’t renewed after the 2015-16 season where the side finished bottom of their group to be relegated to Group C for the upcoming season. Kaif endured a lean season with the bat, scoring 330 runs in 13 innings at 27.50.Prior to his association with Andhra, Kaif, who played 13 Tests and 125 One-Day Internationals, was an integral part of the Uttar Pradesh set-up for close to a decade-and-a-half since making his first-class debut in 1997-98. He was instrumental in UP’s march to their maiden Ranji Trophy title in 2005-06, where they beat Bengal on the basis of a first-innings lead in Lucknow.Renowned for being a gritty batsman and an excellent fielder, Kaif has 9974 runs in 177 first-class matches at an average of 39.89.The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh, which was an associate member of the BCCI, was elevated to full-member status after a special general meeting in February this year, paving the way for their Ranji Trophy debut in the forthcoming season. They will be the 28th team to feature in the tournament’s 83rd edition, and will be the tenth team in Group C.

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, has said the win in the first Test in Galle has helped his side regain confidence and got rid of the nervousness they felt ahead of the series

Umar Farooq in Colombo24-Jun-20151:24

We were nervous to begin with – Misbah

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, has said the win in the first Test in Galle has helped his side regain confidence and got rid of the nervousness they felt ahead of the series. He also said that offspinner Mohammad Hafeez, who was reported for a suspect action in the first Test, could still have a significant role to play in Colombo.”We got a lot of confidence from the first Test and we just want to carry that momentum in the second Test here,” Misbah said. “Every series and match is on a new day and you can’t just live in the past. From two years, we were playing good cricket but we haven’t been able to win here, so with the victory in Galle all the nervousness is gone.”You can’t just change many things in just two days but regardless of anything we all know that Sri Lanka is a tough competitor at their home ground and we are not taking them lightly. There is no sense of complacency at all and we can’t even afford that. We still have a winning spirit but at the same time we have to be wary about the opponent.”Misbah said it was frustrating to see Hafeez being reported yet again though he recently cleared his action. However, he will play in Colombo before being released for the third Test in Pallekele. “The good thing is he can still bowl in this Test match and that’s the plus for us, but it’s really disappointing that he just came after clearing his test and now is again on the radar.”I mean this will go on like that if we don’t have technology to assess the bowler’s action during the game as there would be a lot of ifs and buts in the bowler’s and the team’s mind questioning what’s going on. We are again relying on the naked eye so sometimes it could be frustrating for a player being called again. But Hafeez still has a role to play and we are looking forward to it.”Until the Galle Test, Pakistan’s last win in Sri Lanka was in 2006. Last year, Rangana Herath alone outclassed them. Pakistan, though, responded well against him in the previous Test, not only by giving him just one wicket but also scoring briskly against him. But Misbah said he knew Herath could be a threat and that his team will have to guard against complacency.”We have to respect him and everybody knows that he [Herath] is a top performer,” Misbah said. “He could be a threat, it’s a new game and we have to start over again, tackling him with a more focused technique. We know that we can’t take him for granted merely on the basis of the Galle Test so we have to be careful, as we know he is capable of making a strong comeback.”The pitch at the P Sara Stadium is one of the best pitches in South Asia in terms of obtaining results over the past 20 years. Each of the last eight Tests at the venue have led to results, and only one of the past 12 matches has ended in a draw. The pitch until the eve of Test had a lot of grass on the top, appearing supportive for the seamers but likely to offer turn for the spinners as the game progresses.Pakistan’s bowlers looked threatening in the first Test with Junaid Khan being the only weak link, but Misbah said he had no confusion with the make-up of his side ahead of the match.”I haven’t had a final look at the pitch. Yesterday it looked like a good pitch and we know that it helps the seamers but it also has something for the spinners as well. But let’s see how it goes and we will take a decision after giving a final look. But at the same time there is no confusion, we are very clear what we have to do.”There is always a surprise factor when a bowler plays for the first time against any opponent. This is exactly what happened in the first Test as both Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah were playing for the first time against Sri Lanka and that really made a difference.”Misbah paid tribute to his team-mate Younis Khan, who will play his 100th Test, in Colombo. “He is the backbone and a very special member of the Pakistan team. Playing 100 Tests is a huge achievement whoever you represent. He is a top batsman for Pakistan at the moment and brings a lot of value to the team. He brings a lot of good, positive energy and has given great performances for the country.”

It took England 55 minutes of intense drama but they achieved victory without major damage

The Report by Sidharth Monga09-Dec-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Ian Bell saw England through after an early wobble•BCCI

It took England 55 minutes of intense drama but they achieved victory without major damage. They got the last Indian wicket for eight runs added to India’s overnight lead of 32, but their top order batted with a bit of complacence and a bit of nerves to be reduced to 8 for 3 before Ian Bell and Nick Compton eased the situation with sensible batting. This is the first time since 1999-2000 that India have been beaten in back-to-back home Tests.England began the day with a three-over old ball. R Ashwin, who batted well for his overnight 83, refused singles twice off the first four balls of the first over, bowled by Steve Finn, but when the field came up he pierced it for boundaries off the last two balls. James Anderson, though, tickled Pragyan Ojha’s off bail with the fourth ball he bowled.Ashwin came back to bowl his hat-trick ball, which Alastair Cook took a single off. However, in the same over, Cook tried to loft Ashwin over long-off and was stumped only for the second time in his career. Pragyan Ojha built pressure from the other end with maidens. He got Jonathan Trott plumb lbw with a ball that didn’t turn. Kevin Pietersen soon edged Ashwin to MS Dhoni, and the 33 remaining runs felt like 99.However, Ashwin released the pressure with a full toss – an attempted carrom ball – to Bell, who flicked it away for four through midwicket. How symbolic then that the lack of patience eased England’s nerves. Bell hit two more pretty boundaries, and Compton remained solid, showing no hurry whatsoever to get off the park. Along the way, the two ran well and exposed once again the poor fielding of the tired Indian players.Bell finished it off with a push to square leg, pumped the fist for a second, kicking off scenes of jubilation in the dressing room. The England players soon went on a victory lap to acknowledge the great support they get from their fans in foreign lands, and India were left with a lot of soul-searching.

The PCB coach hunt committee has decided on its choice for head coach and specialised coaches, but will make a formal announcement after the Bangladesh tour

Umar Farooq05-Dec-2011The PCB coach hunt committee has decided on its choice for head coach and specialised coaches, but will make a formal announcement after the Bangladesh tour, with the incumbent in place for next January’s series against England. Dav Whatmore is seen as the front-runner for the top job with Mohsin Khan, Aaqib Javed and Julien Fountain tipped to get the batting, bowling and fielding roles.Col Naushad Ali, a member of the committee and currently assistant manager of the national team, said the committee had made its decision. “The person we have picked as head coach is very well suited to Pakistan,” Ali said. “He is the one who suits the temperament of Pakistan cricket and [that] of its team.”Whatmore, currently coach of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, was linked with the post on an earlier occasion, when the PCB eventually picked Geoff Lawson. This time, his name is believed to be favoured by the committee members – Ali, Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas and Ramiz Raja (though the last-named has been out of loop while on tour as a commentator).When contacted by ESPNcricinfo, Whatmore refused to shed any light on the issue. “I can’t say anything,” he said. “I am in no position to say anything.”The committee – which is believed to favour home-grown batting and bowling coaches, given Pakistan’s traditional strengths in those disciplines – is yet to conduct a formal interview with any of the candidates, but is understood to have been in touch through mail and phone. It is believed the PCB had set up a meeting between Alam and Whatmore under the Ijaz Butt regime but it was cancelled following the change in administration.The appointment of a coach will fill a slot that’s been lying vacant for the past five months, since Waqar Younis stepped down on health grounds. Mohsin Khan was named interim coach and it’s understood he wants to continue in some coaching capacity rather than return to a selectorial role.”I think I have done fairly a good job,” Khan told ESPNcricinfo last month. “I haven’t applied for the coaching job but if they [the PCB] ask me to carry on, I’d love to do so.”

Zulqarnain Haider confirmed that he had received threats from unidentified people following his team’s one-wicket win in the fourth ODI against South Africa and was told to get in line for the fifth match

Osman Samiuddin09-Nov-2010In his first public comments since fleeing from Dubai and arriving in London on Monday, Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has confirmed that he received threats from unidentified people following his team’s one-wicket win in the fourth ODI against South Africa and was told to get in line for the fifth match. As a result of the threats Haider – who is seeking some sort of protection in the UK – has announced his retirement from cricket.”The way my situation is right now I am retiring from international cricket,” Haider (24) said. “There is too much pressure on me, I have received threats, my family has received threats.”The issue of threats brings the matter within the ICC’s purview, and its chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the governing body was in regular contact with the PCB. “Clearly this is in the first instance a team matter for Pakistan cricket but the ICC is willing to provide assistance to the PCB and the player,” said Lorgat. “We understand his plight if reports are indeed true, but we can only help if he is willing to engage with us.”Lorgat did concede, though, that Haider erred in not informing the ACSU. “I think we have to build the confidence amongst the players that the right thing to do is to speak to the ACSU officials if they have got anything that they want to declare,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I don’t think it was wise of him to have done what he did, because it doesn’t solve the problems for him as well and the right thing would have been to speak to the ACSU.”Haider outlined his encounter with the person who approached him, without giving too much detail. “When I went out of the hotel to eat dinner once, he came up. He was alone but I felt there were two to three people behind him. I can describe him. He spoke Urdu but I cannot describe the accent accurately. He said you will make lots of money if you join us and help us. If not, then staying in the team could be difficult and we can make things difficult for you. I don’t know why I was approached and others weren’t.”Speaking to Geo, a leading Pakistani news channel, Haider was guarded about events of the previous 24 hours but seemed to indicate that he had sought some kind of “protection” from British authorities. He is thought to have been detained at Heathrow by immigration authorities for nearly four hours, before he moved to an undisclosed location.”The fourth ODI, the things I was told to do I didn’t, and the fifth ODI, what they wanted done I didn’t do,” Haider said. “That is why I did what seemed right to me and I came here. I can’t tell what kind of threats I received to the country because my family is still in Pakistan.”When asked further about the nature of these threats and who they might have come from, Haider was unwilling and unable to reveal much more. “I am not accusing anyone of being a match-fixer. I only got one guy telling me that if you can’t do this or that, there will be problems, or fix the fourth of fifth ODI. I don’t want to say who it is, neither do I know so much about who it is. I have only played two-three ODIs.” Asked specifically if he thought players within the team were involved, he said, “I am not saying they are or are not. Only God knows that. But I did what I thought was better for everyone. I just didn’t want to sell my country, my mother. The country is like your mother and if you sell that you are nothing.”Haider also confirmed that he took his passport from the team management on the pretext of buying a SIM card for his mobile and left on Monday morning. Questions have been raised by a number of former players and board officials themselves about why he didn’t approach the board first to report the threats, as is required by the anti-corruption code of conduct. “I felt if I told them, it would get worse for me and my family so I thought to come here. I know about British rules as I have been coming here for the last nine to ten years. They protect you.”If I had told the PCB or players, it would’ve gotten out and then who knows? I don’t feel it would’ve been better to tell anyone or authorities there. If I had told any of the other players, it might have put them in trouble also.”Though he didn’t confirm that he had sought asylum in the UK, he did strongly indicate that he was seeking some form of protective status. “I cannot say where I am. I am not in a detention centre. Immigration authorities helped me a lot. The British government is such that if you are on the right path, they will protect you. They have rules [as far as asylum is concerned] and you can’t enter until you have given reasons why. Immigration asked me what I would do. According to the rules they said go like this but hire a government lawyer. I don’t have money right now to hire a private one but if this is the cost of walking on the right path, then so be it, I will bear it.”As the interview went on, Haider became emotional, ending it with a plea that his family – currently in Lahore – be helped and protected. “Help my family somehow. If it can be done, send my family here. For their security. I have my daily wages from the South Africa series and that is it. I will communicate with someone to see if they can help me financially.”Haider has not yet contacted the Pakistan High Commission in London. “We are not involved. Not to my knowledge. He [Haider] has not approached us as yet,” an official at the High Commission said. When asked if the Pakistan board had approached them, he did not confirm or deny, saying that the “PCB should be handling it.”Pakistan’s sports minister Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani, however, said the country’s government didn’t support Haider’s actions. “The government will not support any move from Zulqarnain to get asylum in the UK. We don’t support his actions and believe he should have come to us if he was under threat from anyone,” Jakhrani said. “He didn’t have confidence in the national team management or board (PCB). We don’t want to interfere in the internal matters of the board but we certainly want to know why this has happened as it affects the image of the country.”ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB discussed various options of dealing with the matter, including contacting the high commission in the UK and asking them to offer Haider protection. This suggestion, however, was overruled. Haider’s family in Lahore said he has not been in touch with them since his arrival in the UK.

A summary of the second round of matches in New Zealand’s domestic one-day competition

Cricinfo staff17-Dec-2009Wellington have moved to the top of the points table after a comfortable six-wicket win over Central Districts at Basin Reserve. Left-arm fast bowler Andy McKay bagged four wickets, and was backed up by the rest of the bowling attack, as Wellington restricted Central Districts to 217. The score could have been much worse had it not been for Brendon Diamanti’s 68 at No.9 but his effort was in vain. Wellington faced little difficulty in scaling down the target, as James Franklin stroked an unbeaten 84 with support from Chris Nevin and Steven Rhodes to seal victory with almost six overs to spare.Powered by a strong middle-order performance, Auckland eased to a comfortable 37-run victory against Otago at Colin Maiden Park. After electing to bat, the home team lost the wickets of Richard Jones and Anaru Kitchen cheaply. Reece Young and Ravi Bopara then steadied the ship before Young was dismissed for 40. Gareth Hopkins took over the reins with a free-scoring 70, and in combination with Bopara who made 89, set Auckland on course for a sizeable score. Otago’s innings began in similar fashion with two early wickets preceding a repair job, this time through Shaun Haig and Craig Cumming. Haig top scored with 81 but the rest of middle order could not sustain the effort. Auckland’s bowlers shared the spoils as Otago were bowled out in the 48th over.Canterbury recorded their first win of the competition, overcoming Northern Districts by 42 runs at Seddon Park. Shanan Stewart smashed six fours and six sixes in his 80-ball 97 to take Canterbury to a formidable 296 for 7. Canterbury were boosted by contributions of 85 from Rob Nicol and a quickfire 46 from Kruger van Wyk. In response, ND looked good to trump Canterbury after openers BJ Watling (63) and Michael Parlane (80) added 143 for the opening wicket. But a middle-order slide and a five-wicket haul from Corey Anderson marked Canterbury’s comeback and took them to victory despite a belated lower-order recovery.

McMullen and Leask’s contributions weren’t enough for Scotland to chase down 199

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jun-2025Opener Michael Levitt’s breezy 90 helped Netherlands beat Scotland by 17 runs in a high-scoring contest in the T20I tri-series in Glasgow on Wednesday. His 57-ball innings lifted Netherlands to 198 for 7 after they were asked to bat. In reply, Scotland managed only 181 for 9 on the back of Brandon McMullen’s half-century and Michael Leask’s quickfire 46.Netherlands lost Max O’Dowd and Teja Nidamanuru inside the powerplay but it was the 75-run third-wicket partnership off 45 balls between Levitt and Scott Edwards that steered Netherlands to a competitive total. While Levitt, who had scored a T20I century before, smashed six fours and five sixes in his knock, Edwards chipped in with a 21-ball 31. Fast bowler Charlie Cassell broke the threatening stand, trapping Edwards lbw in the 13th over. Three overs late, Levitt was dismissed by fast bowler Jasper Davidson. There were also handy lower-order contributions from Ryan Klein and Roelof van der Merwe that ensured Netherlands had enough on the board.For Scotland, Cassell and Davidson shared four wickets among them.In the chase, Scotland stumbled early, when opener Mark Watt was run out in the third over for a 9-ball 6. However, No.3 McMullen and George Munsey revived Scotland briefly with their 50-run stand for the third wicket. Offspinner Nidamanuru gave the breakthrough by ending Musney’s stay in the eighth over and dismissed captain Richie Berrington in his next over. McMullen too fell after a 27-ball 51 leaving Scotland in trouble.While No. 6 Leask stood up with his 46 off 23 – where he struck five sixes and one four – Scotland kept losing wickets regularly on the other end. From 151 for 5, Scotland lost the next four wickets for 30 runs to eventually finish at 181 for 9. Netherlands’ left-arm spinner Van der Merwe, though leaked 44 runs in his four overs, accounted for two wickets in the 17th and 19th over to halt Scotland. Nidamanuru finished with 3 for 30 from his four overs while Aryan Dutt and Daniel Doram also scalped a wicket each.With this victory, Netherlands have moved to top of the points table with four points from three matches. They will face Nepal on Thursday Scotland are second with two points from three matches.

All three part of a 14-man squad for the first Test against Pakistan in Perth with Boland and Morris with Lyon replacing Murphy as the only change from the last Ashes Test

Alex Malcolm02-Dec-20231:44

Malcom: Lance Morris will bring the x-factor

David Warner is on track to get the Test farewell he desires while Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green have both been named in Australia’s 14-man Test squad alongside Western Australia speedster Lance Morris for the first Test against Pakistan.Australia’s selectors pulled no surprises naming 10 of the 11 that played in the last Ashes Test back in July, with Nathan Lyon replacing Todd Murphy after recovering from his calf injury. Green has been selected as the extra batter/allrounder and two extra fast bowlers in Morris and Scott Boland have also been named in the squad for the first Test against Pakistan at Perth Stadium starting on December 14.As was expected, Alex Carey has retained his place as the first-choice Test wicketkeeper despite losing his ODI place to Josh Inglis at the start of the World Cup. But the selectors still see him as the clear-cut Test wicketkeeper and he tuned up for the series with a classy 81 for South Australia in their tight loss to Victoria last week.Related

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• Johnson lashes out at Warner, asks if he 'warrants a hero's send-off'

• Australia's Test squad takeaways: Warner remains, Marsh vs Green, blooding new quicks

Morris is the only player who was not part of the Ashes squad having been rested over the winter after concerns over his back and his workload coming back from the tour of India. His addition to the squad was long expected though as Cricket Australia’s medical team has carefully managed his domestic summer so far in conjunction with the WA selectors.He has played just two Marsh Cup matches and three of the six Sheffield Shield games, with no back-to-back fixtures. He was rested from WA’s last Shield game against Queensland and instead played club cricket for Scarborough in Perth where his overs were carefully managed across two weekends. He is being groomed as Mitchell Starc’s understudy as the strike weapon in Australia’s Test attack. Morris’ careful management was designed to have him fit for the start of the Test summer as the fitness of Starc was set to be an unknown coming out of the long World Cup campaign. Starc suffered lingering groin soreness after the Ashes series, where he was named Australia’s player of the series, but he managed to play 10 of Australia’s 11 World Cup matches.Warner had long forecast the series against Pakistan, and specifically the third Test in Sydney as his desired farewell from Test cricket. His Test form over the last two years, even with a lone double century against South Africa last year, has raised questions as to whether he deserved to go out on his own terms. But Australia’s selectors believe he is one of the best two openers in the country and has been named for the first Test, having made a half-century in his last Test innings at the Oval and come off a stunning World Cup in India.Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft are the three main candidates to replace Warner either before Sydney or for the two-Test series against West Indies in mid-January. The selectors opted not to promote any of them ahead of time. All three will instead play for the Prime Minister’s XI against Pakistan in Canberra starting on Wednesday.Chairman of selectors George Bailey suggested there was scope for any players performing in that game to be added to the Test squad at any stage.”As ever, there will be opportunities in the short to medium term to break into this squad and we look forward to seeing the continued strong performances from players who have been performing domestically, many of whom will get a tremendous opportunity in the PM’s XI fixture against Pakistan later this week,” Bailey said.Green is the only player in the 14-man Test squad who will also play for the PM’s XI. He is coming off 96 for WA against Queensland in his first red-ball innings since he was dropped for the final Test of the Ashes series. Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald suggested last week that there was a way Green and incumbent allrounder Marsh could play in the same side later in the summer if they were to shuffle the batting order post-Warner’s exit but it seems likely that Green will have to bide his time.Australia’s first Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Lance Morris, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner