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New Zealanders showed positive intent with the bat against a non-threatening Mumbai attack on a non-threatening track on the first day of the warm-up game in Delhi

The Report by Sidharth Monga in Delhi16-Sep-2016
ScorecardSuccessful overseas batsmen in India have often been successful by lofting the ball over the infield. Even in the days of in-and-out fields, when Alastair Cook scored 562 runs including three hundreds in 2012-13, the most runs by a visiting batsman in a four-Test series in India, he relied on the lofted shots both for runs and also to get rid of the close-in fielders. On their first day of play on the Indian tour, New Zealand batsmen used the loft liberally to suggest it will be the shot they will go to often in the Tests.Albeit on a non-threatening track against a non-threatening attack, New Zealanders made their intent clear as everybody apart from Martin Guptill got a hit in in their score of 324 for 7 declared. There was no hanging about either as they gave Mumbai 13 overs to play before stumps, and took a wicket during that period. The declaration gave them a good chance of having a proper second innings.Two of the wickets were retirements to allow others a chance to bat. Incidentally, the two who gave up their batting, Tom Latham and BJ Watling, were the ones who batted at a more sedate pace. Apart from the two, and Henry Nicholls, everybody struck at more than 70. Apart from Guptill, who scored 15, everybody crossed 20, including fifties from Kane Williamson and Latham. Targets in particular were the spinners, whose 49 overs were taken for 230 runs. Two of these spinners were part-timers, and two others yet to make their first-class debuts.Another heartening news for New Zealand will be that their lower order and lower-middle order – crucial on raging turners – was among the runs. Watling looked comfortable in his 21, Mitchell Santner and Mark Craig ran away to 45 and 33 not out, and Ish Sodhi scored a slightly streakier 29.Every batsman that faced spin played the lofted shot early in the innings. That leaves out Guptill, who got out even before spin came on, but he had started the day with a hooked six in the first over of the match. A Mumbai attack missing its spearhead Shardul Thakur and with left-arm spinner Vishal Dabholkar – average of 31 – as its best spinner was then punished. Williamson stepped out repeatedly to loft Dabholkar over mid-on. He went back to taking singles once the fielder was pushed to long-on, but went aerial again as soon as Dabholkar called the fielder back up. Latham once swept Dabholkar for four from way outside the off stump. The intent – on a friendly surface against friendly bowlers – was clear.Balwinder Sandhu, with healthy swing but at a gentle pace, was the only shining light for Mumbai. He got the wickets of Guptill and Williamson in the first session with outswingers. As the day wore on, though, Mumbai made more and more use of spinners. Ross Taylor made use of the cut shot before lofting legspinner Parikshit Valsangkar into the sightscreen. Facing his first over of spin, Nicholls came down the wicket to loft left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil for two fours. Santner did the same to Gohil as soon as he came out to bat. Craig reserved the same treatment for Dabholkar.New Zealand had just one three-day warm-up game to get used to the conditions before going into the first Test in Kanpur. As has become the norm world over, the hosts did them no favours by giving them a pitch that looks nothing like the raging turners that teams expect in India nowadays. Also they had a second-string Mumbai side to face with their best players playing for India A in Australia. New Zealanders’ success with their ploy of using their feet and the lofted shots needs to be seen in that light, but one thing was clear: they showed enough signs they are not here to play passive cricket, which South Africa, at times, might have been accused of in India’s last home season.

James Vince notched his maiden LV= County Championship century of the season before the bowlers lead Hampshire well on the way to a crushing victory at the Ageas Bowl

09-Aug-2015
ScorecardJames Vince, seen here in England Lions action, made his first Championship century of the summer•Getty Images

James Vince notched his maiden LV= County Championship century of the season before the bowlers lead Hampshire well on the way to a crushing victory at the Ageas Bowl. Captain Vince amassed 1525 runs last season and seemed on the brink of an international call-up but bar three figures in a university match he has struggled in red ball cricket.His ton was followed up by a team effort with the ball as Liam Dawson and Fidel Edwards both snatched two each with Hampshire needing four wickets on the final day for their maiden home win of the season.Vince, with batting partner Michael Carberry, began the day as they ended the previous in glorious touch – the pair amassing 180 for the second wicket. Both went past 50, Vince in 105 balls and Carberry in 120 deliveries – with the former smashing a six over midwicket – as the hosts scored quickly.

Hampshire in false position – Brown

Warwickshire director of cricket Dougie Brown said: “If we’re totally honest we have been short in both disciplines, bat and ball. With the ball we have tried really hard but they have outplayed us.
“This game shows where the Division One Championship is at the minute: there are a lot of good teams. The position Hampshire are in in the Championship belittles their ability.”

The partnership was ended out of nowhere when England and Ireland international Boyd Rankin found an edge before Tim Ambrose pulled off an eye-catching catch behind – Carberry departing for 91, his second dismissal in the 90s this season. Will Smith came and west for two before lunch with a loose cut shot – another bowled Rankin, caught Ambrose.After lunch, Vince reached his lavish century from 170 balls – which included 11 fours and a six. Vince and Gatting scored quickly putting on 79 runs in 9.5 overs before the former called the sides off to give Warwickshire almost five sessions to either chase 444 or find a draw.And the quest to avoid defeat started badly when Varun Chopra was leg before to a Gareth Berg ball which nipped back and stayed low. Laurie Evans was then bowled by Jackson Bird – the ball pinging back the batsman’s off peg for a duck – and Jonathan Trott’s continued a horrendous week against Hampshire by departing lbw for 5. Wickets continued as Sam Hain was leg before to first innings star Edwards.Ian Westwood provided a minuscule of personal delight with his fourth fifty of the season – from 108 balls – but the next ball he looped a push to Will Smith at short leg. Former Test duo Tim Ambrose and Rikki Clarke delivered some resistance in the twilight with a sixth wicket stand of 64.Clarke became the second Warwickshire player to reach 50 in the match, coming in 55 balls, and brought up with a clanging pull in front of square. Wicketkeeper Ambrose prodded to Vince at first slip off the West Indian Edwards – as he ended the day with figures of 2 for 25, Dawson 2 for 34.

None of the teams in Group A are through to the Super Six stage of the Women’s World Cup yet, as they head into the final round of league matches

Abhishek Purohit in Mumbai04-Feb-2013Sri Lanka have never beaten India in women’s cricket. They hadn’t beaten defending champions England either, until three days ago. No wonder India captain Mithali Raj was wary of Sri Lanka going into their final group game of the tournament, especially given the flat pitch at Brabourne Stadium, which has produced big totals in all but one of six innings so far.”Next game is a do-or-die game for us and we are not going to take Sri Lanka lightly,” Raj said. “On such a wicket, especially, it could be anybody’s game and they have done well against England.”Raj said India’s unbeaten record against Sri Lanka wouldn’t make any difference to their approach. “This is a World Cup. We definitely don’t look down upon any team as such. So we are going to take them as another opponent that we need to win against to qualify for the Super Six. That’s our aim now.”All four teams in Group A have a victory each. While the two sides that win on Tuesday – England play West Indies in Mumbai as well – will proceed to the Super Six, the final spot will go to the losing team with the better net run-rate. Sri Lanka’s NRR nose-dived after their heavy defeat to West Indies, but their captain Shashikala Siriwardene was hoping to beat India so that her side wouldn’t have to depend on the other game’s result. Siriwardene also felt India’s batsmen wouldn’t be as big a headache as Stefanie Taylor and Co proved to be, given they don’t have the powerful hitters West Indies did.In all four games played so far in Mumbai, teams have bowled after winning the toss but of those sides, only Sri Lanka ended up victorious, that too, off the last ball against England. India lost to England after asking them to bat, but Raj said she would still choose to field, if given a fresh pitch.Tuesday’s game between India and Sri Lanka will be played under lights, just like the tournament opener between India and West Indies. The India bowlers got consistent movement, in the air and off the pitch, and the West Indians found batting difficult in the evening.England captain Charlotte Edwards pointed out that difference between morning and afternoon starts, but Raj was clear what she would do.”I will [have to] see if we are getting a fresh wicket. If it is the same condition I will still opt to field because the way Jhulan [Goswami] bowled in the first spell [against England], she was brilliant. So I wouldn’t want any other pacer to get that kind of an edge so I will still go for fielding if we win the toss.”India had stuck early against England, but following a steady century partnership between Edwards and Sarah Taylor, they conceded too many runs in the latter half of the innings. Raj was hopeful of avoiding a repeat of that against Sri Lanka. “The kind of start the bowlers have given us, getting us the first breakthrough, I only hope that we don’t give away too many runs in the Powerplay or in the last session.”That’s where I guess we were a little lost [against England] so probably that wouldn’t be happening in the next game. In the last session we seemed a little lost in terms of bowling and [giving away] few boundaries. I guess we will try and minimise the boundaries.”To achieve that, India could take a look at the way England have tackled the benign conditions. “I think we have adapted well,” Edwards said. “It is important that we bowl wicket-to-wicket stuff. That is something we have tried to talk about. Any width on these wickets is just a free hit.”

Cricket Kenya and Supersport have agreed terms for the broadcaster to televise the East African Premier League and East Africa Cup in 2012 and 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2012Cricket Kenya and Supersport have agreed terms for the broadcaster to televise the East African Premier League and East Africa Cup for the next two years.The continuation of the partnership will see Supersport broadcast coverage of the Twenty20 and 50-over competitions in 2012 and 2013. Supersport will show comprehensive live coverage of both the competitions and look to build on their additional coverage which included a weekly magazine show featuring highlights, features and player profiles in the inaugural season.”The extension of our broadcast agreement with Supersport is testimony to how successful the first year of the East African Cricket Competitions has been,” explained Tom Sears, Cricket Kenya’s CEO. “The Supersport coverage has generated enormous interest all over Africa and the feedback we have had is incredibly encouraging. To have East African domestic cricket broadcast all over the continent gives the game wonderful exposure and presents fantastic opportunities to commercial partners.”We are delighted with how the first year has gone, weather interfering with the finals aside, and we are currently reviewing ways we can further improve the competitions for 2012. The East African Cricket Competitions are a key part of our strategy for the future development of cricket at all levels in the region and Supersport’s endorsement of what we are striving to achieve is enormously encouraging.”

In Makhaya Ntini’s farewell game, it was Rohit Sharma and Morne van Wyk, two players who weren’t supposed to be there, who shone brightest

Sidharth Monga at Moses Mabhida Stadium09-Jan-2011Neither Rohit Sharma nor Morne van Wyk were supposed to be here. Yet both of them shone on Makhaya Ntini’s big day, his farewell.Rohit was a last-minute addition to the Indian touring party after Virender Sehwag was forced to miss the ODIs as a precautionary measure for his dodgy shoulder. Still, Rohit would have only been a back-up man had not a bruised, battered, but successful Gautam Gambhir not left for India. van Wyk only came in because Graeme Smith had another hand injury to tend to.However, the two adjusted the best to the slow and low conditions at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, scoring fine fifties in front of the biggest crowd gathered to see cricket in South Africa.Rohit did much as he does in Twenty20s. He didn’t look to hit the ball too hard, waiting for it to arrive and then lofting it square or straight. His driving on the slow track stood out. His knock set up India’s innings, after which Suresh Raina provided the important runs in the final few overs. If signs were to be looked for, these can’t be bad for a man trying to force his way back into the national side.”It was important to start on a good note,” Rohit said after the game. “And I am thankful it came off at the right time. I will take every opportunity as it comes. I do not want to put pressure on myself. I have played the IPL here before, and know the conditions here. The wicket was on the slower side. I took my time knowing that we had a good batting line-up.”For the 31-year-old van Wyk, who seems destined to end up a journeyman cricketer, this was an even bigger opportunity. He grabbed it with both hands, running back from mid-off and then diving nearly to a full stretch to remove M Vijay. Then came his batting.van Wyk is an interesting batsman with an interesting back lift. The bat reaches his ear as he waits for the ball, and the face is always open, showing the maker’s name to the point fieldsmen. By the time it comes down, though, the bat is straight, and there is no problem in closing its face too. As he demonstrated to Munaf Patel, hitting him over midwicket, through point and over mid-on in the same over. Munaf seemd to be at the wrong end of van Wyk today: when he came back for another spell, he found van Wyk flicking him over long leg and squeezing a yorker between the two point fieldsmen.By the time van Wyk got out for 67, South Africa had scored only 92, showing how he was the only man who adjusted well to the conditions. “Definitely, when Morne was going pretty well for us, we were up with the rate, ahead of it actually,” South African captain Johan Botha said. “But as soon as the rate went high, it was difficult to come back. We can’t expect Nos 8, 9, 10 and 11 to get more than 10 an over in the end.”Two men least likely to make an impact in the limited-overs leg of the tour a week ago have made the most impact in the first game. It will be interesting to see if they can carry it into the ODIs.

Wasim Akram has expressed surprise over the appointment of Eric Simons as bowling consultant for the Indian team

Cricinfo staff20-Jan-2010Wasim Akram has expressed surprise over the appointment of Eric Simons as bowling consultant for the Indian team. “Who is this guy? I never heard of Simons before,” Akram told PTI. “I read his [Simons’] name in the morning papers and was surprised at the choice. I don’t know if he possesses any exceptional coaching skill. If he does, then it’s good for India.”The BCCI had appointed Simons only for the two Tests in Bangladesh and the subsequent home-series against South Africa. Akram questioned the decision to award Simons a short-term contract, which he believes will not be of much benefit to the team.”These short stints will certainly not help the players. If I tell a few things to the players for a period of two weeks, then I will have to ensure that they are followed or implemented for some time. Only then a coach will get the desired results,” Akram said. “I feel a coach should stay with the boys for a minimum period of six to eight months and only then the bowling will show improvement.”Akram was also critical of the trend of sub-continental teams looking for foreign coaches and specialists. “I don’t understand the fact why do Asian teams employ foreign coaches? And if a South African coach is appointed then why does he bring along a South African guy for the fielding or bowling coach’s role,” Akram said. India is currently coached by Gary Kirsten, a South African, while Paddy Upton, a prominent member of the support staff is also from the same country. In addition to Simons, Allan Donald, former South African fast bowler, was also in the fray for the bowling consultant role.”A home coach can not only impart good knowledge to the players but can also gel with the players and talk to them in their own language,” Akram said.

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.

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

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“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.

Tournament to kick off in Dubai; final of UAE’s new T20 league likely to be on February 12

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2022The UAE’s new International League T20 (ILT20) is set to begin on January 13 in Dubai, with the final likely to be contested on February 12. The six-team ILT20 is expected to have 34 matches, with each team playing the others twice before four playoff matches.The tournament is set to clash entirely with South Africa’s new T20 league, the SA20, which has announced fixtures running from January 10 to February 11, 2023. Australia’s Big Bash League will also be on at the time – it starts in December and runs till February 4. The 2023 season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), meanwhile, is set to begin on February 9, and the Bangladesh Premier League is also expected to be played somewhere in the same window.Related

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• PSL looks to expand salary caps to stay ahead in T20-league game

• Russell, Moeen, Hasaranga among big-ticket sign-ons for ILT20

• Moeen Ali tussle epitomises arms race as ILT20, SA20 compete

• UAE T20 league sets $450,000 contract for top players

While all this adds up to huge competition to attract the best players and also broadcast audiences, the ILT20 will take comfort in the fact that it has a strong roster of players committed to the tournament, including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Trent Boult, Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Sikandar Raza.Several of the ILT20 franchises are owned by Indian companies, including those that own the IPL’s Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. The owners of Manchester United FC, Lancer Capital, are also on the list. The contracts of top players in the cash-rich league are expected to be in the region of USD 450,000 per season, making it the second-most lucrative T20 league behind the IPL.

Captain makes 30 from 14 balls after taking four wickets to seal six-wicket victory

ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-2021South East Stars 108 for 4 (Smith 30) beat Lightning 107 (Smith 4-15) by six wicketsCaptain Bryony Smith shone with bat and ball as South East Stars began their Charlotte Edwards Cup season with a comfortable six-wicket win over Lightning at Trent Bridge.The 23-year-old, eager to add to her four England caps, took four for 15 with her off-breaks as Lightning were bowled out for 107 in 19.1 overs before launching the run chase with 30 off 14 balls as the Stars cruised home with 41 balls to spareLightning struggled against the Stars’ spinners, who claimed seven wickets between them, Smith’s fellow off-spinner Kalea Moore taking 2 for 20 and leg spinner Dani Gregory 1 for 22, with only Beth Harmer (34) and Abbey Freeborn (30) making any impression with the bat.Opting to bat first, Lightning lost Sarah Bryce second ball when she hit Alexa Stonehouse straight to backward point but Beth Harmer, fortunate to survive a fumbled run-out chance on three, gave the Powerplay momentum with back-to-back boundaries off Stonehouse’s left-arm medium pace before pulling right-armer Grace Gibbs for six and four, but Sonia Odedra chopped on to Emma Jones, leaving Lightning 34 for two after six.But Moore and Gregory reduced them from 43 for 2 to 54 for 5 with three wickets in as many overs, Harmer, Kathryn Bryce and Michaela Kirk all beaten by flight and turn.Freeborn injected some pace with successive fours off Moore and another off Smith but the Stars skipper had her revenge, switching to round the wicket to bowl the Lightning batter.Smith then held a return catch to remove Kirstie Gordon and had Teresa Graves caught at wide mid-on in the 18th over, Sophie Munro was run out by Aylish Cranstone’s throw from point in the next before Nancy Harman also hit Smith to wide mid-on as Lightning’s last four wickets fell for 11 in 12 balls.Smith raced to 30 off 13 balls to give the Stars’ chase a flying start, hitting four fours and two big leg-side sixes but was out attempting a third as Kirk leapt to hold a superb catch on the boundary at wide long-on. But the Stars had 64 of the 108 needed by the end of the Powerplay.Alice Capsey picked up three nice-looking boundaries but mistimed one from Sophie Munro (1-25) to be caught at mid-off, Cranstone skied one to mid-on and Gibbs miscued to point to give Kathryn Bryce a second wicket but Phoebe Franklin’s 24 off 29 balls finished the job.