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Bangladesh’s four seniormost cricketers came to the fore to deliver them a 163-run win – their biggest in ODIs – over Sri Lanka in Mirpur

The Report by Mohammad Isam19-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAFP

Bangladesh’s four seniormost cricketers came to the fore to deliver them a 163-run win – their biggest in ODIs – over Sri Lanka in Mirpur.It was a wretched performance from Sri Lanka all around. In the face of a daunting Bangladesh total of 320 for 7, their batsmen lasted just 32.2 overs. And their bowlers hardly tested Bangladesh’s line-up.Each of Bangladesh’s batting core came good. Tamim Iqbal made 84 off 102 balls. Shakib struck an aggressive 67 at more than a run a ball. And Mushfiqur Rahim blasted 62. All of that meant Bangladesh managed good partnerships through their innings. Their first three pairs, involving Tamim, Anamul Haque, Shakib and Mushfiqur, each strung together 50-plus partnerships, only the second time that their first four batsmen have made such a productive start.Tamim and Anamul began by putting on 71 for the first wicket, before Shakib joined Tamim for a 99-run stand. It laid a solid foundation as a 300-plus total looked imminent very early.It wasn’t all smooth sailing, however. Anamul survived three chances – two catches and a stumping – on his way to 35. Tamim was slow off his blocks, but opened up after notching up a second successive fifty. Tamim took a particular liking to the short stuff dished out at him. Not even getting struck on the helmet twice could deter him. In all, he struck seven fours and two straight sixes, both off successive Gunaratne deliveries.Shakib was more forthcoming against the short ball, hammering boundaries through midwicket and square-leg. He was equally effective in pinching the singles with well-timed pull shots.Mushfiqur made sure to keep up the good work during his 57-run third-wicket stand with Shakib. After Shakib’s dismissal, he kept Bangladesh ticking with a 42-ball half-century that pushed the total towards the 300 mark.Cameos from Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman capped off a strong batting performance, although Sri Lanka reined in the home team with three quick wickets in the last five overs. The penultimate over from Thisara Perera was especially impressive, with Perera consistently finding the lengths he was looking for. But Sabbir and Mohammad Saifuddin made up for some of the lost ground in a 19-run last over that had Lakmal giving away three fours and a six.Sri Lanka had no such flourish when they replied. Mashrafe Mortaza shut out any chances of a brisk start in a fine opening spell. Kusal Perera fell in the third over, and by the end of the first Powerplay, they had lost both their openers and only three fours had come off the bat.Mashrafe, who bowled a first spell of eight overs, had Tharanga caught at mid-off before sending back Kusal Mendis in similar fashion in the 14th over.Dickwella, who came in for the injured Angelo Mathews, was bowled by Mustafizur Rahman in the 19th over, before Shakib’s brilliance on the field sent Sri Lanka plummeting further – a direct hit from mid-off catching Dinesh Chandimal short of his crease in the 25th over.Shakib removed Gunaratne and Wanindu Hasaranga off successive balls in the next over. Thisara Perera unleashed a burst that was all-too-short, lashing Shakib for two fours and as many sixes in the 30th over, but fell later in the same over, caught at long-off attempting another ambitious stroke.Rubel Hossain ended the procession with wickets in successive overs as Sri Lanka folded in the 33rd over. He finished with two wickets, as did Mashrafe, while Shakib took three wickets to go with his 67.

Tabraiz Shamsi’s best haul in the tournament limited Warriors to 143 before Aiden Markram and AB de Villiers helped themselves to half-centuries and eased Titans to a win

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2017Gallo Images/Getty Images

Tabraiz Shamsi produced his best performance of the tournament so far to bowl Titans’ into the Ram Slam final, which they will host at SuperSport Park. Titans beat Warriors comprehensively by eight wickets to re-affirm their dominance in the tournament, which began with six victories in their first eight matches (with two wash-outs) but started to wane when they emptied their bench in the final week of the league stage before coming full circle on Wednesday night.Titans held the upper hand despite going into the knockout without Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel and lost senior batsman Henry Davids to injury four minutes before toss.
Their attack dismissed Warriors for a below-par score of 143 before AB de Villiers and Aiden Markram helped themselves to a half-century apiece to wipe out the target inside 16 overs.Warriors were not able to give coach Malibongwe Maketa, who will now join the national team as Ottis Gibson’s assistant, a festive farewell, and could not repeat their heroics of last season, when they reached the final. They were on the back foot early, at 17 for 2 after two overs, but then rallied through Colin Ingram and Colin Ackermann, before Shamsi dismantled them, and de Villiers and Markram finished off the chase.Wayne Parnell, on loan from Cobras, returned to Warriors’ top two but was bowled by Albie Morkel for 4. Jon-Jon Smuts followed in the next over, caught by Morkel at cover point off Lungi Ngidi. Ingram and Ackermann shared a third-wicket stand of 63 but were separated in the 10th over when Markram had Ingram caught at point, again by Morkel.Enter Shamsi, who took two wickets each in his third and fourth overs. Though he was the one holding an imaginary phone to his ear, it was Warriors who should have called for help. Shamsi later explained his signature celebration as a “bit of fun because sometimes they phone the third umpire to check.”The only thing Shamsi needs to check is how far he is ahead of the chasing pack in the wicket-takers’ list. He has 16 scalps at 13.68, four more than his nearest challenger, Dane Paterson.Warriors did not last their full 20 overs and were dismissed with 11 balls remaining in their innings. They would have known the total was far from enough but had some early hope when Quinton de Kock’s lean run continued and Davids’ replacement, Heinrich Klaasen, managed 24. Titans were 44 for 2 after five overs but there was no stopping them after that. De Villiers and Markram put on an unbeaten 101-run stand and treated the sizeable crowd to some sensational shots to win with 4.4 overs to spare.The final, on December 16, will be played between Titans and the winner of the Dolphins versus Cape Cobras semi-final, to be held on Thursday.

Now for South Africa, who have no time for England’s gap-year levels of rediscovery, writes Vithushan Ehantharajah

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Aug-2022″It’s the last time I will ever write on a whiteboard, because I needed to ask how to spell ‘environment’.”Who’d have thought we would see the day when Ben Stokes is at the front of the class, pen in hand, not writing lines on a board. Instead, here he was on Sunday in the home dressing room at Lord’s, giving his teammates a refresher of the values outlined and abided by during the first four Tests of the summer. Values created in his own image that led to four bombastic wins against New Zealand and India and re-instigated a nation’s love for Test cricket.”I don’t think it was a necessity,” said the men’s Test captain on the meeting, almost regressing to the cool kid who didn’t want to be seen as the square. “It was a case of getting everyone back together and going over, in smaller detail what we spoke about before we played that first game against New Zealand.”When we get together as a group we have our environment, our way of playing and getting that message across to everyone that we are back in this dressing room with our way of playing and thinking about the game.”All present were aware of how important this session was. The 43 days between the last day of the India Test and the first day of the South Africa series at Lord’s on Wednesday have felt twice as long. But even packed to the brim with the demoralisation of limited overs series against India and the Proteas and the distraction of the men’s Hundred has been an anticipation of getting back to the five-day stuff. And in the 10 minutes that Stokes spent up there in front of the whiteboard, the mood in the room was of a group of players and staff glad to be back in each other’s company and well aware of how they will continue to extol the virtues established at the start of the international summer.Related

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• Ben Stokes lets South Africa do the 'Bazball' talking as England double down on mindset

• Elgar hopes boards 'give players more safety' during scheduling conflicts

In a different era, certainly under a different captain, this might have been a long, more numbers-orientated exercise. It is wrong to assume this is a group who aren’t bothered by data, especially when coming up against a Proteas side with plenty of new faces. But this is a squad that has, ultimately, been brought out of their shell by focusing on their personalities and strengths rather than their statistics and weaknesses. Where there might have previously been a check on the robustness of the algorithms, now there is a top-up of the good vibes.Importantly, though – the best way to test the robustness of “good vibes” is by exposing it to bad ones. Finally, after a relatively docile three Tests against New Zealand, and a one-off anomaly against India comes three against a South Africa side who simply have no time for England’s gap-year levels of rediscovery of self and purpose.Ben Stokes lines up with his side for a team photo ahead of Wednesday’s first Test against South Africa•Getty Images

Despite messages from the hierarchy within the South Africa camp not to be drawn into discussing the dreaded “B-word”, players and coaches have been coerced into addressing it in their various media commitments over the last month. Captain Dean Elgar, fiery quick Anrich Nortje and grizzled coach Mark Boucher have all had their say – they’re not fans – with Boucher taking the lighthearted route, pre-empting questions in Monday’s press conference by saying anyone who mentions it needs to do a shot of tequila. And thus, he got off lightly, with only two questions relating to the buzzword. Elgar’s presser on the eve of the first Test brought a few more. By now the Proteas have sipped right down to the scorpion.There is a lot to praise of the mood around this England side, particularly how it has been maintained during this Test hiatus. A format that was once a grind now feels like a laugh, even for a 40-year-old like James Anderson who has seen it all but still feels a unique urge in his 20th home summer: “It feels like we can carry on doing special things in the future. So you want to be around that as much as possible.”Since playing his last competitive match on July 19 – his ODI swansong – Stokes has kept a few plates spinning. Beyond resting to ensure his body – specifically left knee – was primed for the rigours of three Tests in four weeks, there have been regular check-ins with those under his watch or others wanting to be. There have been encouraging messages for performances – both in private and over Twitter – as well as checking in on the likes of Zak Crawley who left the first portion of the Test season with a few more doubts than the rest. Even those currently injured who have yet to play in this revamped team, such as Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, have had a check-in from their captain.Even without the captaincy, Stokes would probably have done all those things as the senior man. But there is clearly a growing sense of acknowledgement from him that he is the key part of all this. He has quietly become one of the most powerful voices in English cricket and appreciates the clout he now wields.Zak Crawley gets another opportunity at the top of the order•Getty Images

During a County Championship match between Durham and Middlesex at Chester-le-Street at the end of July, Stokes mentioned that Mark Ramprakash, former England batting coach, now a consultant at Middlesex, picked Stokes’ brain for the benefit of those under his care. “He (Ramprakash) was asking me what he needs to tell his players about what we want to see from players to get noticed,” revealed Stokes.Head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key did as much last week with the Lions, along with assistant coach Paul Collingwood who assumed the main coaching role. A debrief at the start of the week of their tour match with South Africa, along with conversations throughout, inspired an innings-and-56-run victory that suggests the next crop are all in.”[It’s about] not just keeping everything in our dressing-room here, because at the moment if lads want to get into this England team it’s unfair for us not to deliver the message to those guys who are representing Lions.”If you’re leaving lads unsure about what’s expected of them to get into the team, that’s unfair on players because we have a certain type of way of playing and everyone trying to push for this England team needs to know that.”A wider buy-in is essential if this mindset is to last – there’s a reason the most “successful” cults have the most followers. And from Stokes’ sermons alone, he can gauge there is “more excitement than normal” because players now won’t get a “slap on the wrist for playing a stupid shot”. It is the exact kind of rhetoric that is music to the ears of batters up and down the country.All told, it is not for South Africa to believe. But it will be wrong to totally dismiss their annoyance as refusing to address what England are doing.So much of what the hosts have concocted is built on forgetting their doubts, moving away from conservatism and ignoring risk. Ultimately, disregarding the three aspects of this format of the game that have made some legends and destroyed countless others.Over the last month, South Africa have been quietly pinpointing ways to make England acknowledge them once more. And perhaps one of the key weapons at their disposal is that, for all the love from the home fans, there remains a typical British cynicism that is never too far from the surface. They saw that first-hand during the limited-overs series. Victory in the T20s and a 1-1 stalemate in ODIs led to questions over Jos Buttler’s captaincy and a sudden apathy towards a charismatic white-ball team. A Test side that came into this summer with one win in 17 has shakier foundations and much less credit in the bank.”What I will say is they’ve had more time to prepare than New Zealand or India have, because they’ve seen what we’ve done in four games,” said Stokes, when asked if South Africa carry any fear. “They might have more ideas as to how to stop Rooty (Joe Root) or Jonny (Bairstow) when they get going.”This is a rivalry that has always had plenty of niggle to accompany the hard-fought cricket. And on the eve of what should be another cracker to add to its long history, as both Stokes and Elgar speak of only being concerned about what they themselves are doing, it is amusing to think of this as a battle to see which is the least bothered by the other. With all the talking done, we’ll finally get our answer.

Two new faces named in 15-man squad to take on Pakistan in the UAE later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2017Uncapped batsmen Sadeera Samarawickrama and Roshen Silva have earned call-ups to the Sri Lanka Test squad touring the UAE.Back in the fray, meanwhile, are two relatively experienced hands. Lahiru Thirimanne, who last played a Test in June 2016, has been recalled, as vice-captain no less. Opener Kaushal Silva, whose most recent Test was in South Africa in January, is also in the squad.Among those absent are Asela Gunaratne and Kusal Perera , who remain unavailable through injury, and Upul Tharanga, who has ruled himself out of contention from Test cricket for six months. Angelo Mathews will also miss the first Test, at least, due to a calf injury.On the bowling front, Sri Lanka have opted to omit the pace of Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara, and will instead rely on seam movement and control. Leading the quicks will be Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal, who had both performed creditably on Sri Lanka’s most recent tour to the UAE, in 2013-14. Left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando, and Lahiru Gamage – who is uncapped in Tests – are the other frontline seam options.Sadeera Samarawickrama bats for Sri Lanka Under-19s•ICC

A familiar trio form the slow-bowling contingent: left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan has been picked alongside fingerspinners Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera. There is no place, however, for Malinda Pushpakumara, the left-arm spinner who debuted during Sri Lanka’s home series against India in August.Samarawickrama’s call-up was somewhat expected, given his returns in the Premier League Tournament this year. He topped the Tier A run-charts, hitting 1016 runs at an average of 59.76, while also keeping wicket for Colts Cricket Club. In February, he had also made 185 against an England Lion’s attack featuring Toby Roland-Jones and Tom Curran, in Dambulla. Even if Niroshan Dickwella – the other wicketkeeper-batsman in the squad – takes the gloves, Samarawickrama could be in line for a middle-order position.While this is Samarawickrama’s first entry into the national squad, Roshen Silva had been in a Sri Lanka Test squad last year, though without breaking into the XI. He has also been selected on the basis of solid first-class performance. He scored 614 runs at 55.81 in this year’s Premier League tournament, and has maintained an average of 48.19 over 156 first-class innings, typically batting in the middle order.Places for these two batsmen means Dhananjaya de Silva – who had been so impressive in 2016 – no longer even finds a place in the main squad. He is among five players who are on standby – the others being spinners Akila Dananjaya and Jeffrey Vandersay, allrounder Dasun Shanaka, and fast bowler Kumara.Sri Lanka are set to depart for the tour on Sunday, and will begin their first Test in Abu Dhabi from September 28. The second Test, in Dubai, will be a day-night encounter.Sri Lanka squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Rangana Herath, Lakshan Sandakan, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Gamage

But several logistical hurdles will need to be overcome for it to host matches

Peter Della Penna25-May-2022Oakland Coliseum, home of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Oakland Athletics and formerly the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, has emerged as a potential venue for the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies. The ICC CEO Geoff Allardice and development head Will Glenwright met with USA Cricket officials in California recently where the idea – rumoured since last year – gained traction.Though the Oakland Coliseum, which opened in 1966, lacks many of the luxury amenities found in most outdoor American stadiums built since the turn of the millennium, it has two major features which appeal to cricket administrators. The location, in the East Bay of northern California just north of the Silicon Valley, is home to a burgeoning local grassroots cricket scene as well as a deep-pocketed expatriate cricket fan base that administrators are hoping to tap into.Another attraction is that the stadium could hold up to 53,000 fans, more than twice as many as any currently available purpose-built cricket venues in the USA. Those include venues in consideration for hosting T20 World Cup games, such as Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, which is slated for an expansion to hold approximately 4,000 fans; as well as USA’s two ODI venues located in Lauderhill, Florida, and the Houston suburb of Pearland, Texas, both of which have 10,000 capacity (but which could expand to approximately 15,000-20,000 with temporary seating). Other venues which do not have ODI status but could be in consideration are Prairie View Cricket Complex – in suburban Houston – and AirHogs Stadium just outside of Dallas, which is yet to break ground on renovations since a lease was acquired in 2020.However, for the Oakland Coliseum to host matches several logistical hurdles will need to be overcome. Its location in the Pacific time zone means it would be unlikely to host an India-Pakistan match because an 8pm primetime start on TV in India would mean a 7.30 am start in California. But the venue could be an ideal choice for the late game in a double- or triple-header on a given day, which could possibly feature another heavyweight clash such as England-Australia to suit UK primetime.Another obstacle is the June slot currently scheduled for the event, which falls right in the middle of baseball season. It would mean that the Coliseum’s availability would be dependent on the Athletics and MLB agreeing to schedule a 10-14 day road trip for the Athletics around that time to allow cricket officials time to ready it for the T20 World Cup, including the installation of a drop-in pitch. That timeline would allow no more than two or three matches at the venue.This would not be the first time in recent years that a baseball stadium is utilised to host a high-profile cricket event. The Cricket All-Stars T20 exhibition tour headlined by Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne in 2015 was played using drop-in pitches at New York’s Citi Field (home of the New York Mets), Houston’s Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Those venues were chosen to lure fans to venues which had seating capacity that far exceeded those at cricket-specific venues such as Lauderhill. All three venues are purpose-built for baseball with limited foul area territory and seats located close to the field, which consequently meant some extremely short boundaries square of the pitch.However, Oakland Coliseum’s original design as a shared baseball and football facility means that for baseball purposes, it has by far the largest foul territory in MLB with the closest seats scaled back a considerable distance from the field. For cricket purposes, it means that square boundaries would be right on the borderline of satisfying the ICC’s minimum boundary dimensions of 55 meters. If a more thorough inspection determines that the boundaries wind up just short of the ICC minimum, officials may appeal for an ICC exemption in the same manner as Auckland’s Eden Park for what would be a one-of-a-kind opportunity to host an unprecedented number of fans for a match in America.To demonstrate the viability of Oakland Coliseum, local administrators are exploring the idea of potentially hosting exhibition matches before the end of 2023. If such an exhibition were to go ahead, it would most likely be held in the October-November window following the conclusion of the baseball season, though no firm plans have been made at this stage.

David Willey revelled in his role as Yorkshire’s stand-in captain to leave a winner-takes-all clash against Notts on Friday night

ECB Reporters Network16-Aug-2018
Scorecard
David Willey and Adam Lyth delivered a crushing seven-wicket win for Yorkshire with over four overs to spare at Northamptonshire to keep the White Rose on course for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals.Set 163, Willey and Lyth shared 150 for the second wicket in 80 balls. Neither could see Yorkshire over the line as Willey fell for 79 from 44 balls and Lyth 66 in 41 but the damage was done as the visitors won with 27 balls to spare.Yorkshire now face Nottinghamshire in their final game at Headingley knowing victory will guarantee their place in the last four.Josh Cobb was the only batsman to show for Northants with 68 not out as the home side posted 162 for 8 having won the toss but not for the first time in the competition, the Northants’ attack struggled as Lyth and Willey hammered the bowling around Wantage Road.Lyth got down one knee to slog-sweep Ben Sanderson for six before taking 22 from the fifth over of the innings bowled by Richard Gleeson. He advanced down the wicket to lift a six then four over extra-cover, carved four over point, glanced another boundary past the wicketkeeper before driving four more past mid-on. It ensured Yorkshire raced to 74 in the Powerply for the loss of Tom Kohler-Cadmore caught at point first ball.

Yorkshire sign Ravel

Yorkshire have signed New Zealand international Jeet Raval for the final four Specsavers County Championship fixtures. He has also flown in early as cover for compatriot Kane Williamson who has been nursing a bruised finger on his left hand. Raval, 29, has made 11 Test appearances since 2016 and this will be his first stint in county cricket.
Yorkshire’s director of cricket Martyn Moxon said: “We are delighted that Jeet has agreed to join us, initially as cover for Kane Williamson. Jeet will take over from Kane after the Somerset match and be with the squad until the end of the season.”

Having passed fifty in 26 balls, Lyth again went down on one knee to this time slog-sweep Luke Procter for six but trying to finish the game, miscued a drive to extra-cover.Willey was again in great touch against his old county. He flashed his opening boundary off the back foot past extra-cover, pulled Hutton over deep-square for six and sliced Sanderson over point. He swung Cobb’s off-spin over long-on for six more and struck a third six down the ground off Seekkuge Prasanna.Yorkshire were cruising at 113 for 1 after 11 overs and Willey slogged Brett Hutton for consecutive sixes before slog-sweeping Graeme White for another maximum in an over that cost 21. But he pulled Sanderson to deep midwicket shortly before Gary Balance struck the winning runs.Yorkshire were on top from the start as Matt Fisher removed both Northants openers in his first over both for 16 and both to leading edges. With his first ball, Charlie Thurston edged to third man where Kane Williamson ran in to take a smart catch and with the final ball of the over, Ben Duckett edged to backward point where Lyth leapt above his head. The wickets ensured it was Yorkshire’s Powerplay as Northants reached 35 for 2.Cobb drove his opening boundary past extra-cover but then pulled off a top-edge perfectly between the wicketkeeper running back and long leg running in. At 50 for 2 after eight overs, Northants were bumping along and Cobb cleared his front leg to smash Tim Bresnan’s first ball over deep midwicket and, as Bresnan went too full, struck a second six over long-on as the home side reached the half-way point at 72 for 2.Alex Wakely, after a patient start, flicked Liam Plunkett wide of midwicket for four but chipped the same bowler later in the same over to mid-on to fall for 14. Steven Crook arrived and immediately struck both Lyth and then Plunkett straight down the ground for six, edged Plunkett for four but holed out to deep cover for 18. And when Prasanna swung and missed at a Jack Brooks slower ball and lost his leg stump, Northants were 106 for 5 in the 15th over.Cobb pulled Bresnan for four wide of long-on before heaving Willey for consecutive sixes out of the ground to pass fifty in 32 balls. He opened the blade to steer Bresnan for four to begin the 18th over which cost 16.But just when Northants had built some momentum, Willey bowled an extraordinary triple-wicket maiden in the 19th over. He had Procter caught behind and then White caught at deep square next ball before Hutton hooked at the fifth delivery and gloved it behind. Two sixes in the final over boosted the Northants total but it was nowhere near enough.

The series will comprise three ODIs and a one-off T20I, all at Sabina Park

Matt Roller06-Dec-2021West Indies will play three ODIs and a T20I against Ireland in Jamaica from January 8 to 16, the CWI has announced, with the possibility that the standalone T20I will be used as a farewell match for Chris Gayle.Gayle confirmed after West Indies’ exit in the T20 World Cup that he had played his last game in a major tournament but revealed his hope that CWI would “give me one game in Jamaica to go in front of my home crowd… then I can say ‘hey guys, thank you so much.'”Related

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• Kevin O'Brien omitted from Ireland's T20I squad for USA-West Indies tour

• Chris Gayle reveals he hasn't retired yet, hopes for farewell game in Jamaica

While Gayle will not be part of the ODI squad, with the series counting towards 2023 World Cup qualification through the Super League, the one-off fixture at Sabina Park could be used as his farewell game. ESPNcricinfo understands that a decision has yet to be made on Gayle’s inclusion but that the issue will be up for discussion at the next meeting of CWI’s board of directors later this month.”It’s whether collectively we all feel that it’s appropriate for him to have one last game at home to say farewell in a one-off game,” Johnny Grave, CWI’s chief executive, told the Mason and Guest radio show in Barbados last month. “That Ireland series would represent that opportunity.”It would certainly be appropriate, as far as I can see it, to treat our players and give them the opportunity to bow out – especially players like Chris who have had unbelievable careers and won trophies for the West Indies.”

West Indies vs Ireland fixtures

January 8 – 1st ODI
January 11 – 2nd ODI
January 14 – 3rd ODI
January 16 – Only T20I (D/N)

Ireland will travel to the Caribbean on December 31, immediately after their series against USA which starts on December 22 and comprises two T20Is and three ODIs. They have already named their squads for both tours, with Kevin O’Brien left out and David Ripley taking temporary charge as interim head coach.Ireland last toured the Caribbean in 2020, drawing the T20I series 1-1 and losing the ODI series 3-0. Sabina Park was also the venue for one of the finest moments in Irish cricketing history, their victory over Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup on St Patrick’s Day.”We are pleased to be returning to the Caribbean where we have so many great memories,” Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s performance director, said. “The World Cup Super League is a crucial set of fixtures for Ireland as we attempt to qualify for the next Cricket World Cup, and – if the series in 2020 is anything to go by – we look forward to a highly competitive series in January.”

Blast’s all-time leading scorer quits captaincy after seven seasons in charge

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2022Luke Wright, the leading run-scorer in T20 Blast history, has stepped down as Sussex’s T20 captain after seven seasons in the role.Sussex have been one of the leading T20 sides in the country under Wright’s leadership but have not managed to convert a strong win/loss record into a trophy, and lost to eventual champions Kent in last season’s semi-finals.They have lost several key players – most recently Chris Jordan and Phil Salt – in recent seasons, and Wright spoke out against the talent drain on the eve of Finals Day last year, saying: “It’s absolutely not impossible to keep your best players.””It’s something from the club’s point of view that we need to look at because we can’t be losing our best players all the time,” he added. “Our recruitment process has got to be really strong and it’s something that probably hasn’t been as good as it should be at this moment in time.”Sussex said in a statement that they were “naturally disappointed” that Wright had asked to step down as captain but that they “respect his decision after 104 T20 games in charge.”Related

• Sussex sign Pujara for English summer

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• Rizwan signs Sussex contract for Championship, Blast

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• Wright: 'We can't be losing our best players all the time'

“It has been a huge honour to captain Sussex, the club I love so much,” Wright said. “However, I feel it is the right time to step down. I will continue to give my all to help Sussex as I have over so many years.”Rob Andrew, their chief executive, said: “We respect Luke’s decision to step down as captain and we will work with him to move forward and focus on the future with his successor at the helm.”Luke has been a fantastic captain, leading the team to the knockout stages of the T20 Blast in five of his seven seasons as captain, including two Finals Day appearances in 2018 and 2021. The experience and knowledge he will be able to share with his successor will be invaluable.”Wright has been preparing for his career after cricket of late, completing a Masters of Sport Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan University this winter, but is under contract at Sussex until the end of the 2023 season.He was released by his Hundred team, Trent Rockets, after spending the inaugural season of the competition on the bench but is expected to be signed in April’s draft.Sussex have recruited a handful of new signings for this season’s Blast, with Rashid Khan due to be available throughout the group stages with Mohammad Rizwan and Josh Philippe splitting the second overseas spot. Steven Finn and Fynn Hudson-Prentice were also recruited at the end of last season.

The players refused to take the field for more than an hour after umpires informed them of their decision to change the ball

Andrew Fernando and Nagraj Gollapudi16-Jun-2018Sri Lanka have strongly denied any wrongdoing after being charged with altering the condition of the ball during the St Lucia Test against West Indies. Their players protested the charge – and the subsequent penalty of a ball change and the award of five extra runs to the opposition – by refusing to take the field at the start of the third day’s play. The match eventually resumed after a two-hour delay, but Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have said the players are effectively continuing with the game “under protest”.ESPNcricinfo understands that umpires laid the charge after reviewing footage of the second day’s play, and finding evidence pointing to the application of a substance to the ball. Officials privy to the case say the incident was similar to the one involving South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who was found guilty of altering the condition of the ball during the 2016-17 Test series in Australia.

ICC laws on changing the ball

41.3.4 If the umpires consider that the condition of the ball has been unfairly changed by a member or members of either side, they shall ask the captain of the opposing side if he/she would like the ball to be replaced. If necessary, in the case of the batting side, the batsmen at the wicket may deputise for their captain.
41.3.4.1 If a replacement ball is requested, the umpires shall select and bring into use immediately, a ball which shall have wear comparable to that of the previous ball immediately prior to the contravention.
41.3.4.2 Regardless of whether a replacement ball has been chosen to be used, the bowler’s end umpire shall
– award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing side.
– if appropriate, inform the batsmen at the wicket and the captain of the fielding side that the ball has been changed and the reason for their action.
– inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what has occurred.
The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.

“The ICC can confirm the match officials in the second Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka changed the ball and awarded 5 penalty runs to West Indies,” the ICC later tweeted. “If there are any, Code of Conduct charges will follow as per usual at close of play.”The Sri Lankan board sent out a statement defending its players: “SLC advised the team to take the field to ensure the continuity of the match and wish to commend the decision taken by the team to continue with the game ‘under protest’ to ensure the upholding of the spirit of the game.””The team management has informed us that Sri Lankan players have not engaged in any wrongdoing,” a board release said. “SLC shall take all necessary steps to defend any player, in the event any unwarranted allegation is brought against a member of the team.”At close of play on day two, West Indies were 118 for 2 in reply to the opposition’s first-innings score of 253. Day three was due to start at 9.30am local time, half-an-hour early to make up for time lost to rain delays on day two.But even as the umpires made their way out to the middle, none of the Sri Lanka players joined them. Broadcaster visuals of their dressing room showed coach Chandika Hathurusingha, captain Dinesh Chandimal and team manager Asanka Gurusinha in discussion with match referee Javagal Srinath.When the players eventually came onto the field at 10.50am, West Indies were officially given five extra runs and umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar oversaw the changing of the ball. The two batsmen at the crease – Devon Smith and Shai Hope – were given the right to choose the replacement, which is the protocol under ICC Law 41.3 (see sidebar).Before the first ball could be bowled, though, the Sri Lanka players left the middle of the ground and made their way to its periphery, which became the site of further discussions among players, team management, and match officials. It took another 40 minutes for play to finally begin.Loads of people were interested in the state of the ball•AFP

An official present at the ground said one of the main reasons Sri Lanka did not take the field was because “the umpires informed them about the ball change just 10 minutes before the start today without evidence of any footage.”It is understood that the umpires were concerned about the condition of the ball at the end of the second day’s play. “We did see the umpires looking at the ball a few times yesterday, but there was no statement made at the end of the day,” the official said. “It all happened this morning.”The controversy comes at a time when SLC is under inexperienced and temporary leadership. Although CEO Ashley de Silva is still in his job, the board has no office bearers at the moment because the previous administration’s term had expired on May 31, before fresh elections could be held. A “Competent Authority” effectively appointed by the government presently runs the SLC, and sports minister Faiszer Mustapha – who was in the crisis meeting which advised the team – has himself only done his job for a matter of months.The SLC release did not confirm whether the team will officially contest the ball-tampering charge when an inquiry is held into the incident, after play on Saturday. But based on this official denial, it seems likely that the charge will be contested. Sri Lanka’s team management refused to comment when approached directly.This is the second time in two years that Sri Lanka have found themselves part of a controversy over the condition of the ball. Allrounder Dasun Shanaka was charged for a similar offence by the ICC in November 2017 and in that case the team accepted the sanction.A previous instance of a side refusing to take the field after a ball change came at The Oval in 2006, when Pakistan chose not to come out after tea on day four, after umpire Darrell Hair changed the ball and awarded five penalty runs to England. Pakistan eventually forfeited the Test.

With a host of New Zealand’s key players still at the IPL, the start of the tri-series offers a chance for some new – and recalled – faces to impress the selectors

The Preview by Nikhil Kalro13-May-2017

Match facts

May 14, 2017
Start time 10.45am local (0945 GMT)Neil Wagner has excelled in whites and now could get his chance in coloured clothes•AFP

Big picture

New Zealand have faced Ireland just twice in their 721 ODIs. The last time was nine years ago, in 2008, in Aberdeen. Back then, Brendon McCullum strutted with blonde hair, James Marshall was his opening partner and Daniel Vettori was in charge of New Zealand. McCullum and Marshall’s massive tons led New Zealand to 402 for 2, their only 400-plus score to date. The only surviving member of that team in this squad is Ross Taylor.New Zealand will be without key personnel at least for the start of this series with Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, Corey Anderson, Mitchell McClenaghan, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Adam Milne and Colin de Grandhomme on duty at the IPL although some may filter over to Ireland as their IPL campaigns conclude. That means New Zealand have the opportunity to test the depth of their reserves in all departments.Bowling allrounders Seth Rance and Scott Kuggeleijn haven’t played an ODI. George Worker has played just two games. Stand-in captain Tom Latham, Neil Broom, James Neesham, Colin Munro and Henry Nicholls have all struggled for fluency in the format. What better way to show your mettle than perform in tough batting conditions.Ireland began the tri-series with discipline and accuracy, before rain scuppered their chances of springing an upset on Bangladesh. As has often been the case, Ireland didn’t find the penetration they needed to sustain pressure over a considerable period, letting Bangladesh recover from 70 for 4. Still, they’ll find that the experience of having played games like those against international teams will hold them in good stead.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)Ireland LLLWW
New Zealand LWLWL

In the spotlight

Paul Stirling is in the midst of a productive run in ODIs: his last eight innings have been 48, 20, 51, 28, 99, 95, 68 and 41. With an impressive strike rate in excess of 90, Stirling, more often than not, gets Ireland off to strong starts with the field restrictions. Against a relatively inexperienced bowling attack, Stirling’s attacking approach could put Ireland ahead of the game early.Ross Taylor found form in New Zealand’s home summer against Australia and South Africa. He struck two hundreds and a fifty in taxing batting conditions. Dublin’s overhead and underfoot conditions won’t suit batting much either. After recovering from the calf strain which kept him out of the last two Tests against South Africa, will he tune-up for the Champions Trophy by continuing to score tough runs?

Team news

The signs from Ireland’s bowlers were promising in the 31.1 overs possible in the first ODI. Their seamers were accurate and had Bangladesh stuttering at 70 for 4 at one point. That means Ireland are unlikely to tinker with their bowling combination. If Ed Joyce recovers from the back problem that kept him out of the series opener, he’ll slot back in for Stuart Thompson.Ireland (probable) 1 Ed Joyce/Stuart Thompson, 2 Paul Stirling, 3 William Porterfield (capt), 4 Andy Balbirnie, 5 Niall O’Brien (wk), 6 Gary Wilson, 7 Kevin O’Brien, 8 George Dockrell, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Tim Murtagh, 11 Peter ChaseThe New Zealand selectors have shown faith not just in Tom Latham’s sound technique, but also his leadership. He will be able to turn to Taylor for experience but elsewhere there will be a new-look to the side. Neil Wagner could make his ODI debut after 32 Test appearances and Hamish Bennett is in line for his first appearance since 2014. The pitch was very green for the Bangladesh game which could mean legspinner Ish Sodhi misses out. Luke Ronchi is set for another chance as openerNew Zealand (probable) 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Luke Ronchi (wk), 3 George Worker, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Neil Broom, 6 James Neesham, 7 Colin Munro, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Neil Wagner, 10 Seth Rance, 11 Hamish Bennett

Pitch and conditions

The series opener was played on a seamer-friendly, green pitch, under cloudy skies with a high chance of rain. Those conditions are unlikely to change. Rain is forecast at 2pm, around the turn of the innings.

Stats and trivia

• Only three players who were part of the previous encounter between these two sides are in either squad – Ross Taylor, Paul Stirling and Gary Wilson
• Kevin O’Brien is still three wickets away from becoming the first Ireland bowler to take 100 ODI scalps.