Fit-again Hales in line for West Indies tour recall

Hales, who missed out on selection for the original squad after sustaining a broken bone in his right hand during the ODI series in India, is due to have a scan on the hand on February 27

George Dobell in Basseterre23-Feb-2017Alex Hales is set to join England’s ODI tour of the Caribbean.Hales, who missed out on selection for the original squad after sustaining a broken bone in his right hand during the ODI series in India, is due to have a scan on the hand on February 27. If that scan shows nothing untoward – as is expected – he will fly out to join the squad in Antigua next week.Even if the scan suggests he is not quite ready for a return to action, it is likely that Hales will continue his rehab with the squad in Antigua and Barbados.Hales scored three ODI centuries in 2016, including an England-record 171 against Pakistan at his home ground of Trent Bridge.His place in India was taken by Sam Billings, who is also expected to open in the tour’s two warm-up matches in St Kitts. That could leave the tour management with a tricky decision over whether to recall Hales, who will not have played since January 19, for the ODIs or allow Billings the opportunity to stake his claim on the position. The first ODI takes place on March 3.The management are certainly keen to find a way into the side for Billings. But with Hales having formed a strong opening partnership with Jason Roy, it may well be that Billings requires an especially persuasive performance in the warm-ups to win a longer stay in the side.They have a similarly tough decision to make about Jonny Bairstow. He was called into the side in place of the rested Joe Root for the final ODI in India and responded with a half-century. But, with Root back and England’s middle-order of Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes looking relatively settled (though each of them will float up and down the order as the situation demands), Bairstow finds himself battling for selection once more.He has, at least, excellent memories of the St Kitts ground where England begin this tour. It was here, almost two years ago, that he unveiled his new stance and back-lift for the first time. Drafted into a weak-looking St Kitts Invitational XI to provide tougher opposition for England, he responded with 98 against an attack that included James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes. He has subsequently averaged 63.36 in first-class cricket with 25 scores of 50 or more in 55 completed innings.”Yes, it all started here,” Bairstow said as he looked out across the ground on Thursday. “Well, here and in the indoor nets at Headingley.”But match-wise this was the first place I took the leap and tried something different and I’ve stuck with it. It was the first time with my new technique and I scored 95 [actually 98]. I ended up playing against the lads and things kicked on from there. So I’ve good memories of coming back here.”Such competition for places bodes well for an England team with realistic hopes of winning their first global ODI title when the Champions Trophy takes place later this year.”We know if we put the performances together like we’ve been doing 80-90 percent of the time, there’s no reason why we can’t go and win the Champions Trophy and a World Cup,” Bairstow said. “I firmly believe we’re a special squad.”I don’t know how I nail a place in the team. I’ve said as long as I can get into that XI, I don’t care where I bat. I’d like to think the form I’ve been in over the last 18 months is strong enough to push my case.”Meanwhile, Paul Collingwood is with the squad in the role of fielding coach. The Durham captain, still playing at 40 years of age, was captain of the only England men’s team to have so far won a global limited-overs tournament (the World T20 in 2010), and joins up with Graham Thorpe (batting coach) and Paul Farbrace, who assumes the role of head coach from the rested Trevor Bayliss.Jonny Bairstow was speaking on behalf of Waitrose, official team sponsor of the England cricket teams.George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo. He will be covering England’s tour of the Caribbean in association with Smile Group Travel

Kerala upset Baroda in last-over thriller

Kerala upset favourites Baroda, notching up a thrilling four-wicket win in a Group A clash of the Super League at the Wankhede Stadium

The Report by Nagraj Gollapudi at the Wankhede16-Jan-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Irfan Pathan’s unbeaten 35 and two wickets went in vain for Baroda•BCCI

Kerala upset favourites Baroda, notching up a thrilling four-wicket win in a Group A clash of the Super League at the Wankhede Stadium. Chasing 161, Kerala were only 51 for 2 at the halfway stage.However, with 26 needed from the last two overs, Padmanabhan Prasanth landed the crucial blows, changing his bat midway through the 19th over and clubbing Munaf Patel for successive sixes over wide long-off and long-on. Prasanth had also been influential with his left-arm spin, picking up two wickets while conceding only 15 runs from his four overs.With the equation now down to 11 off the last over, allrounder Raiphi Gomez picked up two doubles before hitting a low full-toss from the left-arm seamer Rishi Arothe past a sprinting sweeper cover fielder. Gomez ended the match with a six over long-on to finish unbeaten on 47 off 21 balls.It was the 45-run partnership between Gomez and Prasanth, which came off only 17 balls, that turned the match. But credit must also go to Kerala captain Sachin Baby, who stood solid and stitched a valuable 59-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Nikhilesh Surendran after Baroda seemed to have gained an upper hand with wickets in the first two overs for Irfan Pathan and Munaf.Irfan had got Sanju Samson leg before with a beautiful inswinger off the first delivery of the chase before V Jagadeesh played on off a seaming delivery from Munaf. Rohan Prem, the tournament’s highest run-maker, was Irfan’s second victim, the Kerala batsman playing all over an angled delivery.Irfan would have been most disappointed with the result, considering his all-round contribution to Baroda’s cause. Baroda scored 69 runs off their last five overs, with Irfan remaining unbeaten on 35 off 18 deliveries. His 33-run partnership with Deepak Hooda (32 off 16) for the fourth wicket helped Baroda inject urgency into an innings that had slowed down in the middle overs.Eventually, that phase of their innings proved crucial to the eventual defeat handed to them by Gomez and Prasanth.

Compton's triumph is shortlived

Nick Compton lifted Somerset with a half-century that guided them to a tense four-wicket win at Derby and left Derbyshire bottom of the LV= Championship First Division.

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2013
ScorecardNick Compton’s joy at Somerset’s victory was tempered by England fears•Getty Images

Nick Compton lifted Somerset with a vital half-century that guided them to a tense four-wicket at Derby and left Derbyshire bottom of the LV= Championship First Division.But Compton found bad news almost as soon as he left the field. While Somerset celebrated their first Championship win of the season, Compton was omitted from the England side to face Essex in an Ashes warm-up at Chelmsford at the weekend. Joe Root was chosen to open the inningsCompton made 56 in front of National Selector Geoff Miller but even as he did so the ECB was preparing a statement carrying Miller’s assertion that Root, not Compton, was the opener best suited to join Alastair Cook at the top of the order.Derbyshire’s problems were compounded when they were bowled out for 94 early on the final day. Jon Clare took 5 for 29 in eight overs to launch a fightback, but Somerset reached their target of 145 to get a disappointing season underwaySteve Kirby had earlier taken 4 for 18 and Craig Meschede 3 for 17 as Derbyshire lost their last eight wickets for 56 to be bowled out for 94 and remain at the foot of Division One.They had gone into the fourth day strongly placed with a lead of 86 and eight wickets intact but only two more runs had been added when Somerset got the big wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who dabbed Alfonso Thomas into the hands of third slip.It was a poor stroke by the experienced West Indian but there was plenty of seam and swing movement to make life difficult for the batsmen and Meschede blew away the middle order with a burst of 3 for four in 12 balls.Billy Godleman was caught behind as he pushed forward, Ben Slater was bowled first ball, and Richard Johnson gave Alex Barrow another catch to leave Derbyshire in deep trouble at 54 for 6.The next blow was self-inflicted as Clare wandered down the pitch and was run out by Jamie Overton’s direct hit from mid-on but former Somerset batsman Wes Durston and Tony Palladino gave Derbyshire hope by nudging the lead towards 150.They added 26 in nine overs but the introduction of Kirby at the City End saw the last three wickets fall for just four runs. Palladino edged to second slip, Tim Groenewald could only fend a lifting ball
to first slip and after Durston carved Overton over the slips for four, he was bowled going for a big drive.It had been an impressive morning’s work by the Somerset seamers but their batsmen knew the target would not be a formality in conditions that favoured the bowlers.Derbyshire knew they needed to strike early to spark panic in the visiting camp but Marcus Trescothick and Compton reduced the target by 30 in five overs before lunch, with Compton pulling Mark Footitt for six.The pair took their stand to 60 before Trescothick was caught at cover off a leading edge off Clare and although Compton was looking increasingly assured, it was a different story at the other end.Dean Elgar flashed at Clare and was caught at first slip, James Hildreth offered no shot and was lbw for three and although Craig Kieswetter drove his first ball through the covers for four, he was caught behind off the next to leave Somerset wobbling on 102 for 4.When Compton edged a big drive at Clare to first slip seven runs later, Derbyshire sensed they could still pull off an unlikely victory but Peter Trego settled Somerset’s nerves with some aggressive strokes to carry his side home with 41 overs still to bowl.Somerset took a vital 20 points to ease their relegation worries, while Derbyshire collected just five.

Sahara bids $9.4m for four-year Bangladesh sponsorship deal

Sahara Matribhumi, the Bangladesh subsidiary of Sahara group, has made an offer of approximately $9.4 million for a period of four years for the sponsorship of the Bangladesh cricket team

ESPNcricinfo staff30-May-2012Sahara Matribhumi, the Bangladesh subsidiary of Sahara group, has made an offer of approximately $9.4 million for the sponsorship of the Bangladesh team for a four-year period. The bid was substantially higher than the $ 3.4 million offered by the previous sponsors, Grameenphone, and $4 million offered by Robi, another telecom company.BCB president Mustafa Kamal said that while no decision has been made yet on which offer to accept, Sahara’s bid of approximately $2.3 million a year, if finalised, would be beneficial for Bangladesh cricket.”The national team sponsorship, which is the main component of the tenders that we had invited, has been offered 2.3 million dollars per year by Sahara,” Kamal said. “We expect the revenue to be around Tk 110 crore during this four-year period. It was unimaginable a few years ago but more than the money, I think it will be a turning point if we can have Sahara with us.”All the tenders are for a four-year period. I hope that we can finalise the deals in the next few days. We haven’t made a decision on the tenders; I’m just letting you know what is the highest we’ve got.”Apart from the national team sponsorship, Sahara was the only company to bid for the sponsorship rights of the National Cricket Academy at a price of $130,000 per year.Last week, Sahara group chairman Subrata Roy had said in Dhaka that his company was interested in investing in Bangladesh cricket. Speaking at an event, he said that it ‘may be possible’ for Sahara to sponsor the Bangladesh team. “The Sahara logo is seen on the jerseys of Indian cricket team,” he said then. “Though I am not announcing it right now, but I can say it may be possible to see the same logo on the jersey of Bangladesh cricket team.”

Mumbai edge past Kolkata in last-ball finish

Kolkata Knight Riders had their Champions League debut all but booked when they began the last over with 21 to defend

The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga22-May-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
James Franklin followed up his two wickets with a match-winning 45•Associated Press

Kolkata Knight Riders had their Champions League debut all but booked when they began the last over with 21 to defend. Three edged boundaries off L Balaji and two missed yorkers later, James Franklin and Ambati Rayudu had seen Mumbai Indians to a highly unlikely win, breaking their three-match losing streak. The win set up a repeat clash between the two teams in the eliminator, an equivalent of a quarter-final.In all the chaos of the last over, which stunned the full house at Eden Gardens, Chennai Super Kings emerged the biggest gainers. Had Kolkata won the game, which they should have despite all those edges, Chennai would have finished third, and would have had to win two games in order to make the final. Now they need win only one of the two.Mumbai gained too: they needed to finish the chase off in 5.1 overs to make it to the top two, but by beating Kolkata they could have ensured a psychological advantage in their eliminator. For the best part of their 19 overs of batting, Mumbai scarcely looked like a team that could do so. Iqbal Abdulla removed T Suman in the second over, the pinch-hitter Harbhajan Singh managed 30 off 29, and Rajat Bhatia’s leg-rollers broke the batting order’s back with thee wickets in three overs.At 96 for 4 in the 13th over, it seemed too much was left for Kieron Pollard and Franklin. Pollard lived up to that expectation, but Franklin kept the fight up mostly with well-placed couples. A six and a four in between meant Mumbai were not completely out of it even when Balaji ripped Pollard’s leg stump out with 40 required off 15.If this was robbery in broad floodlights, Kolkata weren’t the most vigilant victims either. As much as the edged boundaries in the last over, Kolkata will also look back at little moments towards the end that proved to be decisive. Balaji bowled a wide with one ball left in the 18th over, and Ambati Rayudu lofted the compensation delivery over extra cover for a six. It wouldn’t be Rayudu’s last six of the night.The last ball of the 19th over hit Rayudu in the pad and rolled towards the keeper. The batsmen had all but stolen a leg-bye when wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami went for a direct hit, and conceded an overthrow. That kept Franklin – 28 off 18 now – on strike for the last over. L Balaji went for a wide yorker first ball, and a thick edge off the low full toss went between the keeper and the short third man. A slower bouncer followed, and the tope edge cleared the keeper again. Thirteen off four now looked so much more gettable.Balaji went back to the wide-yorker plan, and Franklin smacked the next low full toss past extra cover for four. Under pressure and in the face of some ill luck, Balaji was just not landing them right. The next ball was a low, wide full toss again, and another thick edge beat third man to make it five of two. The next low full toss found extra cover, and brought Kolkata some relief. However, just then Balaji chose to bowl the worst delivery of the over – a high full toss on the pads – and Rayudu helped himself to his second, and decisive, six.The stunned Eden gardens crowd could scarcely believe what they were seeing after they had cheered their team all night to what looked like a comfortable win. Most of it was thanks to Jacques Kallis who batted solidly at first and rapaciously towards the end. Along the way he was helped by breezy 30s from Manoj Tiwary and Yusuf Pathan, but it was Kallis who provided the innings the final impetus with 19 off the last five balls he faced. It was fitting then that the man who minimised the damage with the wickets of Kallis and Yusuf was none other than Franklin.

Windies save face in high-scoring draw

Playing out the final day was more of a formality for South Africa as the second Test ended in a high-scoring draw, confirming what many would have feared five days ago on taking a look at a road of a pitch at Warner Park

The Bulletin by Kanishkaa Balachandran22-Jun-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outGraeme Smith was positive during his innings of 46•Associated Press

Playing out the final day was more of a formality for South Africa as the second Test ended in a high-scoring draw, confirming what many would have feared five days ago on taking a look at a road of a pitch at Warner Park. The surface hadn’t deteriorated enough over four days to give the bowlers any sort of advantage, so it would have been ridiculous to expect at least ten wickets going down to constitute a result.South Africa had all ten wickets in hand this morning when they took guard, and predictably went through the motions, with the aim of getting extra batting practice ahead of the final Test. It was, in other words, more of a televised nets session, with both teams resigned to the conclusion that no result was possible. The pitch was a poor advertisement for Test cricket, and the last two days in particular were completely overshadowed by other world sporting events viewers would have turned to – one in London and the other in South Africa.Despite the result, or the lack of it, West Indies had more to gain. Their batting was a shambles in Trinidad and perhaps a flat wicket here in St Kitts was the best thing for them to get their confidence back. In overhauling South Africa’s 543, they gained a moral victory, though the manner in which they got there was a topic of debate. The sudden shift of tactics from urgency to obduracy was questionable, but at least they ensured they wouldn’t lose. In their defense though, run-scoring on the fourth day wasn’t the easiest, with the left-arm spinner persisting with an over the wicket line to the right-handers.South Africa lost just three wickets till the final hour after tea, when the captains expectedly decided to call it off. But the extended morning session – to make up for lost time due to rain yesterday – wasn’t boring or lacking in action. Shane Shillingford got the ball to turn and bounce, there was a dropped catch, couple of confident appeals and a referral which was turned down. The batsmen weren’t too cautious either and weren’t afraid to reach out to the ball, even if the strokes weren’t convincing.Graeme Smith looked solid during his 46. He was positive against the spinners as well, rocking back to cut if it was slightly short. In one over, he chipped down the track to Shillingford and lofted it crisply over long-on and then leant forward to crunch one past covers. But Shillingford hit back by getting one to turn from middle and induced a thick edge from Smith, trying to cut.Smith’s opening partner, Alviro Petersen, was watchful and looked in control. He had a slip, silly point and silly mid-off but successfully negotiated the spinners, even reverse sweeping them. Hashim Amla, however, didn’t look so assured. There was a puff of dust when Shillingford landed it on the rough outside off and Amla was circumspect against the turn and bounce.Amla ought to have been dismissed on 21 when Bravo fluffed a sitter at slip, off Sulieman Benn. He managed five convincing boundaries against the spinners on both sides of the wicket, but perished to the impressive Shillingford, tucking it to backward short leg. Dwayne Bravo then ended the session in style by flattening Petersen’s off stump with a yorker.No wickets fell in the post-lunch session as the Test meandered towards a predictable draw. Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers went through the motions and built a steady partnership which extended to 104.Kallis began the second session in style with a couple of straight-driven boundaries off Shillingford. The offspinner, who took two wickets in the opening session, changed his line of attack to round the wicket to the right-handers as a very defensive option. The South Africans gave no chances, save for a run-out attempt at de Villiers – Roach’s throw from square leg missed the stumps at the bowler’s end. Kallis was solid as ever against the seamers, driving Bravo off the front foot and also pulling him for a powerful six. He reached his fifty with a clip to the on side just before the tea break.South Africa declared an hour after the tea break and the relief was palpable at the early finish to the game. The best the players can hope for is a sporting track at the Kensington Oval for the deciding Test.

Harrison Ward does it again as Sussex make it five wins from seven

Sam Billings fifty in vain as Kent lose fourth game on the trot

ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2024 Sussex 201 for 7 (Ward 61, Lamb 40, Parkinson 3-31) beat Kent 170 for 7 (Billings 51, Bell-Drummond 37, Evison 34*, Lamb 3-37) by 31 runsSussex Sharks made it five wins out of seven in the Vitality Blast when they defeated Kent’s Spitfires by 31 runs at The 1st Central County Ground in Hove. But for Kent this was a fourth defeat in as many games.Kent’s challenge, to score 202, was always a daunting one, the more so after Zak Crawley was bowled by Ollie Robinson for 4 in the opening over – the England opener’s sixth consecutive failure to reach double figures. Robinson was also unlucky not to have Marcus O’Riordan lbw in the same over.But when O’Riordan was out in the second over, edging Nathan McAndrew to first slip, everything appeared to depend on Daniel Bell-Drummond and skipper Sam Billings, because there was a lack of experience in Kent’s late middle-order.Bell-Drummond and Billings looked the part as they added 93 for the third wicket. And when James Coles went for 19 in one over, and also dropped Bell-Drummond, a steepling catch, it looked a possible turning point. But Sussex captain Tymal Mills responded by bringing himself on at the other end and immediately bowled the Kent batter.That moved Billings firmly centre stage. But in the next over he sent a lofted drive to Robinson at wide long-off and the match looked over, despite a spirited knock from Joey Evison and a quick 18 from former Sussex player Harry Finch. Danny Lamb completed an impressive all-round match with figures of 3 for 37.Earlier Kent, who chose to field, made a good start when they conceded just three runs off the opening two overs. But the next four overs went for 19, 13, 16 and 17 as Sussex reached 68 without loss from the powerplay.In those six overs Daniel Hughes faced just nine deliveries. But Harrison Ward, showing form and confidence after his 68 at Chelmsford on Friday, made up for at the other end. He reached his fifty from just 24 balls, with some long hitting, both straight and to the short boundary on the left-hander’s leg side.Kent broke through in the seventh over when Hughes, who had swung Matt Parkinson for two sixes, was well caught by Bell-Drummond at long-leg as he attempted a third. Ward followed in the next over, caught by Finch on the deep midwicket boundary. He had made 61 off 28 deliveries, with six fours and five sixes.The Kent fightback continued when Beyers Swanepoel bowled John Simpson for three in the ninth and in the next over Tom Alsop was lbw to Parkinson for just 2, a very tight decision. When Coles gave Parkinson his third wicket, also lbw, for 21, Sussex had lost five wickets for just 36 runs.But some late hitting by Lamb, who managed 40 from 32 balls, saw Sussex past 200. Kent, for the most part, bowled well in discouraging conditions. But Swanepoel (1 for 53) and Grant Stewart (0 for 51) were disappointing.

Harmeet Singh goes first in MLC Draft to Seattle Orcas; Ali Khan and Unmukt Chand snapped by LA Knight Riders

Former NZ allrounder Corey Anderson and England international Liam Plunkett picked up by San Francisco Unicorns

Peter Della Penna20-Mar-2023A former India Under-19 World Cup champion from 2012 went first overall in the 2023 Major League Cricket domestic player draft held at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on Sunday night, but not the one some people might have expected.Harmeet Singh, the 30-year-old left-arm spinning allrounder formerly of Rajasthan Royals who last played first-class cricket in India for Tripura in 2020 but has since migrated to the USA, was the first overall selection by Seattle Orcas. Harmeet has made a name for himself on the cricket scene in the city after captaining Seattle Thunderbolts to the Minor League Cricket T20 championship last August.Harmeet was one of six players taken in the first round, all priced in a fixed $75,000 draft slot for the round. He was followed by a team-mate of his on the Thunderbolts, former South Africa Under-19 wicketkeeper Andries Gous taken by Washington (D.C.) Freedom.Related

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Former USA captain Steven Taylor went third overall to Mumbai Indians New York. It was a sign of things to come as MI New York wound up taking six USA national squad players, far and away the most of any franchise. J Arunkumar, who served as USA men’s head coach from April 2020 until December 2022, now serves as an assistant coach for Mumbai Indians and had been on hand in Houston throughout the week leading up to the draft to continue scouting local talent.Former New Zealand allrounder Corey Anderson, who married an American and migrated to her home state of Texas in 2020, was taken fourth overall by San Francisco Unicorns. Los Angeles Knight Riders took USA fast bowling superstar Ali Khan with the fifth overall pick in the first round, maintaining continuity with a player who has been a squad member with Kolkata Knight Riders, Trinbago Knight Riders and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Rusty Theron, who previously represented South Africa prior to moving to the USA whom he subsequently debuted for in 2019, went with the final pick in the first round to Team Texas, the franchise affiliated with Chennai Super Kings.Unmukt Chand, who gained fame in India for captaining India to the 2012 Under-19 World Cup, was LA Knight Riders’ second pick in a round valued at $65,000. In the third round ($50,000), Knight Riders also snapped up USA wicketkeeper Jaskaran Malhotra, who became the fourth player to hit six sixes in an international match in 2021 in an ODI against Papua New Guinea, as well as former Canada captain Nitish Kumar in round four ($40,000).One of the other most notable headline names in the league joined Anderson at the Unicorns in round two. Liam Plunkett, whose final match for England was the 2019 World Cup Final at Lord’s where he took three wickets in the epic super over win over New Zealand, was the ninth overall selection. After wrapping up his English domestic career with Welsh Fire in The Hundred competition in 2021, Plunkett moved to suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his American wife’s hometown.Unmukt Chand was LA Knight Riders’ second pick•Unmukt Chand/Twitter

A significant presence of former Pakistan players now residing around the USA were taken in the draft. Hammad Azam was the first of six ex-senior Pakistan internationals now in the USA who were drafted, taken by MI New York. He was followed one pick later in the second round by Mukhtar Ahmed to Washington Freedom. Ehsan Adil joined Hammad at MI New York in round four while round five ($35,000) saw Saad Ali go to the Freedom and Sami Aslam taken by Team Texas. Nauman Anwar was the last one to go in round six ($25,000) to Seattle Orcas. Aside from those six, three other players with first-class cricket experience in Pakistan were also drafted: Shayan Jahangir to MI New York and Saif Badar to LA Knight Riders in round seven ($15,000) and Zia Shahzad to Team Texas in round eight ($10,000).Eleven other current or recent USA national team squad members were chosen, including a trio in round four – Nosthush Kenjige (MI New York), Saurabh Netravalkar (Freedom) and Cameron Gannon (Seattle Orcas) – as well as current USA men’s captain Monank Patel (MI New York) and his vice-captain Aaron Jones (Seattle Orcas) in round five.But perhaps the biggest winner of the night was 20-year-old left-arm spinning allrounder Ali Sheikh, who went to LA Knight Riders in round six. The former USA Under-19 squad member has yet to make his senior team debut, despite being in the T20I squad for USA’s 1-1 T20I series draw against Ireland in December 2021.Liam Plunkett, who last played for England during the 2019 World Cup final, was signed by Unicorns in round two of the Draft•Getty Images

But Sheikh saw his stock rise dramatically during a T20 Quadrangular series staged by MLC last week in Houston played among the pool of draft prospects in which he claimed two Player-of-the-Match awards for a pair of phenomenal death displays on both sides of the ball. On the first occasion, he took three wickets in the 20th over before top-scoring with 49 two days later, which included two fours and two sixes in the 20th over.Among other players who were picked having previously played senior international cricket for Test nations were the Sri Lankan pair of Shehan Jaysuriya (R2, Seattle Orcas) and Angelo Perera (R8, Seattle Orcas) as well as former South Africa spinner Dane Piedt (R6, Freedom).Seattle Orcas – Harmeet Singh, Shehan Jayasuriya, Shubham Ranjane, Cameron Gannon, Aaron Jones, Nauman Anwar, Phani Simhadri, Angelo Perera, Matthew Tromp (U23).Washington (D.C.) Freedom – Andries Gous, Mukhtar Ahmed, Obus Pienaar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Saad Ali, Dane Piedt, Sujith Gowda, Justin Dill, Akhilesh Bodugum (U23).MI New York – Steven Taylor, Hammad Azam, Ehsan Adil, Nosthush Kenjige, Monank Patel, Sarbjeet Ladda, Shayan Jahangir, Kyle Phillip, Saideep Ganesh (U23).SF Unicorns – Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett, Tajinder Singh, Chaitanya Bishnoi, Carmi Le Roux, Brody Couch, David White, Smit Patel, Sanjay Krishnamurthi (U23).LA Knight Riders – Ali Khan, Unmukt Chand, Jaskaran Malhotra, Nitish Kumar, Corne Dry, Ali Sheikh (U23), Saif Badar, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Bhaskar Yadram (U23)Team Texas – Rusty Theron, Calvin Savage, Lahiru Milantha, Milind Kumar, Sami Aslam, Cameron Stevenson, Cody Chetty, Zia Shahzad, Sai Mukkamalla (U23)

Messages from Kohli, Root and others lift India and England squads ahead of Under-19 final

Tom Prest and Yash Dhull reveal details of inspiring conversations with their seniors ahead of the big match

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2022Messages from the players’ senior counterparts have lifted the mood of both camps ahead of Saturday’s Under-19 World Cup final. Virat Kohli interacted with India’s players, while a host of big names – “Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Saqib Mahmood, quite a few,” according to England captain Tom Prest – did their best to gee up England’s Under-19s.”They were saying how impressed they have been with us and proud of what we have done getting to our first Under-19 final in 24 years,” Prest said in his pre-final press conference. “It’s amazing to know they have been watching and following from whatever they have been doing.”Related

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  • India eye fifth U-19 World Cup title but find an equally strong England in their way

Prest said England’s Under-19s have looked to emulate the senior team’s style of play in white-ball cricket right through this World Cup.”Yeah, we’ve tried to play that attacking brand of cricket that Eoin Morgan instilled in that squad,” he said. “Whether that is with the bat, ball or field, we always try to take the positive option. That was one of the messages they were saying in their video they sent this morning – to not back down from the big occasion in the final and still play with that positive intent.”The former England offspinner Graeme Swann, who was part of the side that won the Under-19 World Cup in 1998, is a member of the commentary team now. He also had some words of advice for the England players.”[Swann spoke about] How big momentum is in these tournaments and to not get complacent,” Prest said. “He said in our game against Canada, we won it convincingly but our last ten overs looked a bit slack because we knew we had already won the game. Hearing that from him that it didn’t look great from the outside gave us a kick in the right direction that we can’t get complacent regardless of the stage or situation of the game.”

Yash Dhull, the India captain, said Kohli – who had captained the Under-19s to the World Cup title in 2008 – had passed on advice on how to handle the big day.”He gave us his best wishes as the team is doing well,” Dhull said. “So his words will give us confidence. When a senior player speaks with the team, the team morale gets a boost. He spoke to us about some basic things such as how to play normal cricket, how to stick to our game plan etc. It was good to interact with him.”Ahead of the game, one contest that has been built up as potentially game-changing is the one between India’s spinners and England’s batters. Left-arm spinners Vicky Ostwal and Nishant Sindhu both average under 15 for the tournament while conceding less than four runs an over, and have been driving forces behind India’s progress into the final. Prest, though, believes England possess the skills to handle their threat.”They have obviously got some very good spinners but we’ve had experience playing sub-continental sides, we went to Sri Lanka just before Christmas,” he said. “We’ve all got our own individual plans, whether that is sweeping or using our feet. But we are confident we can put up a good show.”Dhull said India would be wary of England’s attacking approach with the bat.”The challenge against England is that they play in an attacking mode,” he said. “They dominate well, and they don’t let go of the attacking mode even if they lose 2-3 wickets. So we’ll try to stick to our plans and bowl as many dot balls as possible.”

Paul Coughlin, Ned Eckersley share record-breaking stand for Durham

Pair’s seventh-wicket stand of 157 comes on frustrating, rain-affected day for Derbyshire

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2020Paul Coughlin and Ned Eckersley shared a record-breaking stand for Durham on a frustrating rain-affected day for North Group leaders Derbyshire in the Bob Willis Trophy match at Emirates Riverside.The pair took their seventh-wicket stand to 157 in 49 overs, a Durham record against Derbyshire, before Matt Critchley bowled Coughlin for a career-best 90 from 146 balls.The leg-spinner then bowled Matty Potts two balls later but Eckersley was unbeaten on 78 with Durham 337 for 9 when rain arrived shortly after lunch, wiping out 57 overs from the day’s allocation.Derbyshire would have expected to restrict Durham to a lot less when the day began but their bowling lacked intensity and the second new ball failed to trouble Coughlin and Eckersley.Coughlin had set the tone by taking advantage of wide balls from Ben Aitchison to drive two fours, the second one taking him to his first 50 of the season and the eighth of his career from 75 balls.A lofted drive at Ed Barnes only just cleared a leaping Billy Godleman at mid off and Eckersley survived an lbw appeal on 40 when he played across the line at Sam Connors but there were few other alarms for the pair.Eckersley’s 50, his first of the summer, was a more sedate affair and contained only one four but it had helped shift the momentum Durham’s way after Derbyshire reduced them to 155 for 6 shortly after tea on day one.The previous highest seventh-wicket stand against Derbyshire of 130, which also featured Coughlin with Paul Collingwood three years ago, was comfortably passed and a century was beckoning for the all-rounder when Critchley was introduced two overs before lunch.His third ball tempted Coughlin into a cut but he played on and Potts went two balls later when Critchley turned one past his forward defensive push.Matthew Salisbury edged Barnes to first slip in the first over after lunch but Eckersley struck the seamer for two consecutive fours before the weather had the final say.

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