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.

While England are waiting to find out the seriousness of the injury to captain Eoin Morgan which ruled him out of the T20 in Melbourne, stand-in captain Jos Buttler hoped a change of scenery would help them revive their tri-series campaign when they cross

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2018England were waiting to find out the seriousness of the injury to captain Eoin Morgan which ruled him out of the T20 in Melbourne, but stand-in skipper Jos Buttler hoped a change of scenery would help them revive their tri-series campaign when they cross the Tasman, and give them the chance of seeking revenge on Australia in the final.Morgan picked up a groin strain at training on Friday, and Buttler was told on the morning of the match that he would take charge, with James Vince coming into the side. It was a tough day for Buttler and the team. Although he top-scored in England’s laboured innings, Buttler couldn’t find his usual timing during his 46 off 49 balls, and then watched as Australia hurtled to the target with more than five overs to spare, and finished their home season in style.The result, which followed England’s defeat in Hobart, leaves them in a straight shootout with New Zealand for a spot in the final at Eden Park on February 21, after Australia secured their place with a third straight victory. England play New Zealand twice next week, starting in Wellington on Tuesday, but it remained uncertain whether Morgan will have recovered in time. While it is not quite a must win at the Westpac Stadium, a defeat would leave England’s progress out of their hands, with New Zealand also having a game in hand against Australia.”The beauty of a tri-series is we still have a chance to make the final,” Buttler said. “It will be a nice change of scene in New Zealand. We haven’t showcased our ability as we can, and there are guys who are determined to come back strong.”After a poor performance in Hobart, we were determined to show what we are capable of tonight, but we weren’t able to do that. We didn’t soak up the early pressure and lost wickets. The game plan was to back it up to the end and go well. I never got going and we were never able to get to a defendable score.”It was an unusually subdued innings from Buttler. He arrived when England had lost three wickets inside the first four overs, and nudged just above a run a ball early in his stay, but struggled to up the tempo against Ashton Agar, Marcus Stoinis and the slower-ball variations of AJ Tye. He managed one further boundary, an edge wide of Alex Carey, but could not provide the late onslaught.”Losing three early poles, I felt the best way was to then to take some balls and kick on at the end, but that never really happened,” he said. “I struggled, I was trying hard and it didn’t manage to work. I was hoping to be better than a run-a-ball with five overs to go and then really kick on, but it never happened. I’ll have to improve and look at where I went wrong.”

In the thrilling relegation play-off match which had all the emotion of a contest for survival, Brothers Union hit a six off the final ball to beat Agrani Bank in Savar

The Report by Mohammad Isam04-Apr-2018Nazmus Sadat’s scooped four off Rishi Dhawan’s final ball of the match earned his team a spot in the Dhaka Premier League for next season. In the thrilling relegation play-off match in BKSP which had all the emotion of a contest for survival, Brothers Union defeated Agrani Bank by four wickets.Needing nine runs off the final over, Sadat took a single off the first ball before Debabrata Das fell next ball. He had made 73 off 62 balls with six fours and three sixes, one of four fifties that propelled Brothers Union to 335 for 6.After Das’ dismissal, Sadat took a two and a single off the next two balls, before getting the strike back for the last ball with four runs needed to keep his club afloat. His audacious shot sunk Agrani Bank who had only earned promotion to the DPL this year. They now join Kalabagan Krira Chakra as the two clubs demoted to the Dhaka First Division Cricket League in the 2018-19 season.Brothers Union’s win also put to shade Soumya Sarkar’s blazing 154 off 127 balls that contained 11 sixes and nine fours, his first century in any competitive match in nearly three years. Soumya and Dhawan added 171 runs for the fifth wicket, which took Agrani Bank to 307-5 from a precarious 136 for four.Dhawan made an unbeaten 65-ball 80 that had nine fours and a six, but he saw helplessly as Agrani Bank’s last five wickets fell in the last 18 balls, adding just eight runs. In all the big-hitting carnage, Sohrawordi Shuvo and Shakhawat Hossain took three wickets each.The Brothers Union openers Mizanur Rahman and Junaid Siddique added 121 runs in just 13.4 overs before Mizanur fell for 62. He struck nine fours and two sixes in his 45-ball knock. Junaid, who top scored with 83, then added 77 runs for the second wicket with Myshukur Rahman. Junaid hit eight fours and two sixes but even after he fell in the 29th over, Myshukur and Das continued the onslaught. They added 88 runs for the third wicket with Myshukur making 82 off 95 balls with five fours and a six.The three partnerships took Brothers Union to within 49 runs of Agrani Bank’s 334, which they toppled thanks to Sadat’s cool thinking in the last over.The thrilling encounter sets up the DPL’s finale nicely, as Abahani Limited and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club have all to play for in the final day of matches in Mirpur and BKSP.

The BCB announced the allrounder had sufficiently recovered from his finger injury and is expected to arrive in Colombo on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2018Shakib Al Hasan will join the Bangladesh squad on Thursday, ahead of the final league match against Sri Lanka, the winner of which will progress to the final of the Nidahas Trophy. The BCB announced Shakib had recovered sufficiently from his little finger injury, and is expected to arrive in Colombo on Thursday afternoon.Shakib’s return will bolster the Bangladesh line-up, particularly the bowling attack which has looked threadbare in all three games. He will also take over the captaincy from Mahmudullah, who was filling in as T20I captain during the tournament.Shakib had hurt his finger during the January 27 tri-series final against Sri Lanka, after which he missed the Tests and ODIs against them at home. He also missed the Pakistan Super League, as well as the first three games in the Nidahas Trophy.During this time, he saw specialists in Thailand and Australia, before taking up gym and training sessions in Dhaka earlier this week.

Deusdedit Muhumuza, the last Uganda batsman dismissed, was adjudged run-out, though replays showed the ball never actually hit the stumps

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Kuala Lumpur29-Apr-2018
Peter Della Penna

WCL Division Four hosts Malaysia avenged a thumping defeat 11 months ago at Division Three, with a dramatic last over run-out to clinch a nine-run win over Uganda at the Kinrara Oval. However, the finish was shrouded in controversy, with Uganda questioning the validity of the run-out, as Suhan Alagaratnam’s underarm throw from cover never actually hit the stumps at the striker’s end. Video evidence viewed afterward by ESPNcricinfo supported their claim.Chasing 209, Uganda needed 16 off 24 balls with two wickets in hand. But Malaysia’s spinners built up the pressure with a tight infield ring that cut off runs. It resulted in Bilal Hassan forcing a pull off a good length ball from Muhammad Syahadat, and dragging it onto his stumps for 10.With 10 needed off the final over, and the set Deusdedit Muhumuza off strike, Henry Ssenyondo nudged a good length ball from left-arm spinner Virandeep Singh into the covers. Alagaratnam swooped in and threw underarm into the ground, the ball bouncing five times before skidding toward the stumps. However, video replays showed that the ball never deviated after crossing the stumps, and instead carried on along its path towards fine leg, whereas a natural deflection off the stumps should have taken it to midwicket.Square-leg umpire Isaac Oyieko of Kenya upheld Malaysia’s appeal and ruled Muhumuza out, prompting the batsman to hurl his bat across the pitch. The implication from the video replay is that Malaysia’s wicketkeeper Shafiq Sharif may have inadvertently knocked a bail off when making contact with the stumps. Sharif was credited for the run-out by the official scorers, though he never came in contact with the ball, further clouding the picture.The ending marred what was a thrilling chase that Uganda arguably gave away with some poor shots on a flat surface. Man-of-the-Match Syahadat struck the telling blow, when he pinned Fred Achelam, playing around his pads for 36, ending a 54-run stand with Muhumuza. Syahadat then burrowed through the tail, ending with figures of 4 for 21.Earlier, Alagaratnam and Ahmed Faiz had set up Malaysia for a defendable total with a pair of half-centuries, after Malaysia chose to bat under clear skies.

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.

Pakistan smashed their highest-ever ODI score and then won by the second-biggest margin in terms of runs

Danyal Rasool20-Jul-20181:08

By The Numbers – Pakistan’s run-fest thrashes Zimbabwe

Who knew there were so many layers to rock bottom? In every game this series, it has appeared it couldn’t get any worse for Zimbabwe, or easier for Pakistan. It seemed impossible there could be a nadir beyond what transpired in the third ODI, with Pakistan bowling Zimbabwe out for 67 and chasing it down in 9.5 overs. But the chasm grows wider by the game.On Friday, after winning the toss and deciding to bat, Pakistan began to put statisticians around the world on notice. Pakistan plundered 399 – their highest ODI total – while Fakhar Zaman made a brutally destructive 210 not out off 156 balls as Pakistan pulverised Zimbabwe by 244 runs.Along with Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar smashed a slew of records against – it has to be said – a poor, second-string Zimbabwean side who had a terrible day. Even so, their powers of concentration, their hunger for runs, and refusal to be complacent hint at traits even the best batsmen in any generation struggle to master.Zimbabwe never appeared to have the conviction or the resources to begin an attempt at a chase, a pretty cameo from their captain Hamilton Masakadza notwithstanding. Playing his 289th match, he overtook Grant Flower as the most experienced Zimbabwean international. His experience would have been vital for a young Zimbabwe side if they were to post a more respectable total. But once he holed out to midwicket, this slipped into a no-contest zone.The noteworthy performances came from Fakhar and Imam, who brought up their third hundred partnership in four games. Once again, there never seemed to be any hint of a wicket-taking threat in the hosts’ line-up. Even Blessing Muzarabani, far and away Zimbabwe’s best bowler in the last two series, was strangely erratic.Fakhar brought up his third ODI hundred in the 31st over, carving Wellington Masakadza away between cover and point to the boundary. Two balls later, he muscled the bowler over wide long-on for six, serving everyone notice he was about to properly cut loose. And cut loose he did.AFP

At some point, it becomes churlish to harp on about the lamentable performance from the hosts, so if you wanted uplifting, you needed ignore what went on at the bowler’s end and simply watch Fakhar playing like a child on his favourite ride in Disneyland. Without a care in the world, the left-hander batted like it was the day he had given up on everything else to become a cricketer. It could not get easier, or more fun. After he had raced to 150, he was standing well outside off, exposing all three stumps, to open up that midwicket area he will probably cherish more than his first-born.Nothing the bowlers did provided him any semblance of a challenge, and as he bolted along, it became obvious Saeed Anwar’s 24-year record – the highest score for a Pakistan batsman in ODIs was under serious threat. A hoick to midwicket (where else?) for four knocked Anwar off that perch, to be replaced by this 21st century left-handed opener. A few balls later, he had become the eight man to reach 200, getting there off just 147 balls.Meanwhile, Imam, by no means sedate but made to look so by Fakhar, brought up his third century in just his eighth ODI as Pakistan’s opening partnership left record after record tumbling in their wake. The highest opening partnership in Pakistan history? Gone. The highest opening partnership for any country in ODI history? See you later. The first 300-run opening partnership? Easy peasy.Zimbabwe conceded 304 in 42 overs before they had a wicket; Imam perished while attempting yet another slog over the leg side, as Zimbabwe avoided the ignominy of becoming the first side in history to go wicketless right through an innings. But that brought the explosive Asif Ali to the crease, and he, along with Fakhar batting like a man possessed, pillaged 90 runs off the last eight overs. By this time, Asif had taken over from Fakhar, and found enough time to bludgeon 50 off 22 balls, and helping bring up Pakistan’s highest ODI total.Zimbabwe tried to begin as brightly as they could, but without any belief they couln’t have dared to even get near They were also up against arguably the best bowling attack in the world. Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, opening with his captain, isn’t exactly a household name yet. By the time Masakadza was dismissed, Kamunhukamwe and Tarisai Musakanda had already perished. To their credit, both young batsmen were trying to be selfless, playing attacking shots instead of conservatively looking to muster up a respectable personal score.After the top order was back in the pavilion, the run rate dropped like a stone; any pretence of seeking to hunt down the target had been abandoned. Peter Moor and Ryan Murray consolidated, but there was a nihilistic feel to the contest by that point. Elton Chigumbura and Donald Tiripano cobbled together a 67-run partnership, but there was no reason for joy to be found there, so little could be read into it. There is still no indication Chigumbura can continue to be the attacking threat that made him so dangerous an option for Zimbabwe over the years, and Tiripano bats far too high at No. 7 despite top-scoring with 44.The only reason for uplift from a Zimbabwean perspective was listening to the deep passion for the game in the voices of the tiny crowd who bellowed the hymn-like Zimbabwean anthem proudly from the bleachers. They have seen this before, and become almost inoculated against their side as it perilously lurches from crisis to crisis. They will be back. Whether Zimbabwean cricket can reward them with performances their loyalty and passion deserves is a very different question, with no comforting answers in sight.

Usman Khawaja has gotten leaner and fitter in the past few months as he looks to get into the best physical shape ahead of Australia’s tour of the UAE later this year

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2018Usman Khawaja says he’s lost up to seven kilos since Australia’s ill-fated tour of South Africa to get into the best fitness of his life ahead of the next stage of his career. Khawaja, 31, has only played 33 Tests since making his debut to much fanfare in 2011, and even though he has been more of a regular over the past three years, he doesn’t want to leave anything to chance.”I wanted to get fitter, lose a bit of weight and keep my strength,” Khawaja told . “I’d found it a bit difficult in the past few years, especially after coming back from my [knee reconstruction], to get in the work. It’s always hard coming back from a major injury and it’s only the last 12 months I’ve felt in a good place again, ready to go a bit harder.”The last few months have seen a clearing out in Australian cricket, with three players with whom Khawaja would normally be jostling for places – Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft – banned for up to a year for the ball-tampering controversy that marred the tour of South Africa in April. There’s also a new coach in charge, with Darren Lehmann having left to be replaced by Justin Langer, and though Khawaja wasn’t selected for the ODI tour of England – Langer’s first assignment in charge of the national team – he feels confident about making the squad to play against Pakistan in the UAE later this year.”We had long conversations,” Khawaja said. “He knew I was disappointed. We had some really good chats. I know the expectations, and I know where I stand.”So Khawaja’s gone back to what he can control – his own fitness – and as far as that goes, he feels he’s getting better results than he’s ever previously had. “I’ve dropped seven kilos since South Africa – I’m down to 77kg. I got just about 7:30 in my 2km time trial, which is a personal best. I did jump testing the other day and I jumped higher than I have before. So all the markers have been better than I’ve had for at least the last five years.”I did it all on my own pretty much. I had a month-and-a-half on my own (after South Africa) just doing fitness stuff, going to the gym. I had a space downstairs where I’ve set up my own gym now, I invested some money in that and it’s great. I can just walk downstairs now, do what I want to do.”Khawaja is part of an Australia A tour of India, which is effectively an audition ahead of the Pakistan tour. Asia has not been a happy hunting ground for Khawaja, with the left-hander averaging just 14.62 from nine innings in the region. Walking into a team where he played a Test before any of the current Australian squad, he will need to bear a greater share of the responsibility if Australia are to overturn what has been a wretched recent record away to subcontinental sides.But it isn’t just in physique where Khawaja feels he is lighter than ever; he’s not placing too much psychological pressure on himself either. After having let the pressure get to him a number of times in the past, he’s not obsessing over how the next few months’ work out.”You do have to enjoy what you’re doing. I remember working my arse off before the 2013 Ashes and I went there and only scored one fifty and didn’t play well, and got dropped. But I probably wasn’t in a good space (mentally); if you’re doing fitness work, you’re starving yourself and you’re in a bad headspace, then I don’t reckon you’re going to score runs – no matter how fit you get.”But this is the first time I haven’t really given a crap about what anyone else thinks – I’m doing this for myself, trying to be the best version of myself, and I’ve been enjoying it. Hopefully I can go out there and do really well in the ‘A’ stuff and the rest will take care of itself. But if I don’t, I know it’s not the end of the world.”He isn’t looking too closely at all that’s changed around him in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, which saw three key players get hit with long bans and the coach resign.”JL (Langer) is my fifth coach of Australia now [after Tim Nielsen, stand-in Troy Cooley, Mickey Arthur and Darren Lehmann]. I’ve been through it all, I’ve seen a lot of different coaches, and I’ve been in and out of the team a lot – especially in my younger years. I’ve learnt to just realise there are some things you can’t control.”What he can control, though, he appears to have been doing very well indeed lately.

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.

On his 20th birthday, the legspinner struck a 32-ball 57 to breathe life into a stuttering Afghanistan innings, and then took two wickets and effected a run out, becoming Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker along the way

The Report by Mohammad Isam20-Sep-20180:58

Agarkar: Rashid proves he’s much more than a slogger

Swagger. It’s the best word to describe Afghanistan in the 2018 Asia Cup so far. They showed plenty of it on Friday, using their spin might, batting depth and new-ball craft to trounce Bangladesh by 136 runs in Abu Dhabi. The match itself may have been inconsequential, with both teams already through, but this performance was one to celebrate.And perhaps no one deserves to celebrate more than Rashid Khan. On his 20th birthday, he rescued his team with a brilliant, unbeaten 32-ball 57. It shored up a stuttering Afghanistan innings and lifted them to a competitive 255 for 7. He then tantalised with his legbreaks and googlies to snare 2 for 13 and, late in the innings, fired a direct hit to fell Abu Hider and mark the ninth Bangladesh wicket to fall. They succumbed soon, for 119. Gulbadin Naib wasn’t far behind with his allround contribution, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman started and finished Bangladesh’s batting debacle.Asghar Afghan, the Afghanistan captain, had indicated at the toss that he would be happy with a total of 250. At 160 for 7 in the 41st over, Afghanistan were far from it. But Rashid and Naib made it happen with a 97-run partnership – an Afghanistan record for the eighth wicket in ODIs. The late hitting snatched the game away from Bangladesh, even as memories must have come flooding back, of the first-ever ODI between the two sides in the 2014 Asia Cup.Even more spectacular was Afghanistan’s hold over Bangladesh in the chase, as they didn’t give away a single boundary in the first 14.1 overs. By the time Rashid joined in the fun, Naib, Aftab Alam, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi had underlined Afghanistan’s strength in defending totals.Mujeeb stifled the debutant Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who was caught off a wild heave in the fourth over, before Aftab trapped Liton Das leg-before in the next over. Mominul Haque, playing his first ODI in more than three years, tickled Naib down the leg-side. Naib had to insist on reviewing, after the umpire had called it a wide down the leg-side.After Naib’s second wicket, that of Mohammad Mithun in the 15th over, Rashid hustled and harried Shakib and Mahmudullah, Bangladesh’s last remaining hopes. Shakib was lbw to one that ripped through his backfoot defence, and Mahmudullah was bowled after missing a googly.Mosaddek Hossain was unbeaten on 26 off 60 balls – a consolation innings in an inconsequential match – as Bangladesh folded for 119 in 42.1 overs.The story would have been quite different had Bangladesh bowled better in the slog overs. But Naib and Rashid counter-attacked skillfully. Naib pulled Hider for two fours in the 42nd over, before pasting Rubel over midwicket for his fourth boundary. Rashid started off with a swept four in Shakib’s last over, before launching Rubel for a four and a six, in a 17-run 45th over. It was an over that suggested something was afoot.Rashid finished the 48th over with two fours off Mashrafe, who also went for 17, before returning for the innings’ final over that cost 19. Rashid pulled him for successive fours, before slicing the fifth ball over point to bring up his fifty and his team’s 250. The innings finished with Rashid’s eighth four, through cover; it prompted Naib to gesticulate a to Rashid for his brilliant performance.Hider had earlier removed Ihsanullah Janat, who was caught off a long-hop, and Rahmat Shah, with a peach of an in-dipper, before taking a brilliant boundary-line catch to dismiss Mohammad Shahzad. Asghar Afghan and Samiullah Shenwari couldn’t support Shahidi, who made 58 off 92 balls with three fours.Shakib removed Afghan and Shenwari to complete a four-wicket haul, before Rubel had Shahidi caught-behind in the 38th over. Mohammad Nabi, too, failed with the bat, but his dismissal was the last bit of happiness for Bangladesh in the game.Afghanistan, though, were a joy to watch.