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Australian star Ellyse Perry hit an unbeaten 78 and took two wickets to take Loughborough Lightning to their first Kia Super League win of 2017

ECB Reporters Network20-Aug-2017Ellyse Perry hit an unbeaten 78 and added a couple of wickets for good measure•Getty Images

Australian star Ellyse Perry hit an unbeaten 78 and took two wickets to take Loughborough Lightning to their first Kia Super League win of 2017 with an emphatic 50-run victory over Lancashire Thunder.It keeps alive the Lightning’s hopes of making Finals Day on September 1. It was a third successive defeat for the Thunder and eliminates them from the competition after another collapse when chasing left them well short of the required 141-run target.Their chase got off to a bad start, as Perry removed both opener Emma Lamb and the key wicket of England star Sarah Taylor, both for just four runs in her first two overs.The Thunder needed someone to play the Perry innings in their ranks and New Zealander Amy Satterthwaite looked like she could take on the role.But Satterthwaite was beaten by Lucy Higham and stumped by Abigail Freeborn for 21 and that triggered a major Thunder collapse for the second consecutive match.They lost six wickets in 33 balls for 27 runs to leave the score at 71 for 8 with another 70 runs needed from 31 balls.A late cameo of 18 from Ellie Threlkeld, only the third to make double figures, dragged the total up but two quick wickets ended the innings with Lancashire all out for 90 and the Lightning winning with 2.4 overs to spare.Beth Langston finished with the pick of the figures, taking 3 for 14 from her two overs.Perry at the crease after just five balls of the Loughborough innings when her international teammate Elyse Villani was dismissed by Kate Cross for six. She struck a boundary from her first ball and began to build a partnership with 18-year-old opener Sarah Glenn.Spin was to be Lancashire’s key weapon once again. Danielle Hazell finished with the pick of the figures with 2 for 16 from her four overs and she removed Glenn for 22 – a second catch for Lamb.Perry would find partners hard to come by. England international Georgia Elwiss came and went for 5 before Sonia Odedra was on her way for one from 10 balls, bowled by Ecclestone.That left Loughborough 81 for 4 in the 13th but Perry carried on relentlessly, bringing up her half-century from 41 balls with two boundaries off Cross.Lancashire would rue Sarah Taylor’s missed stumping of Perry in the 16th over as she went on to share an unbroken stand of 39 with Freeborn, hitting the last two balls of the innings from Sophie Ecclestone for four to post a total of 140 for 5 which was well out of reach of the Thunder.Loughborough face Surrey Stars at The Oval next Saturday.

Australia batsman Adam Voges has backed the concussion subs idea, in the wake of his own recent head injury during a County Championship match

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2016Australia batsman Adam Voges has backed the idea of allowing substitute fielders for players who may be suffering a concussion as a result of a head injury on the field of play. His comments came as he recounted how his freak head injury during a recent County Championship match between Hampshire and Middlesex had left him feeling like he had a “hangover” for 10 days thereafter.”The fact that you get pulled out of the game immediately and you don’t have any say in that, is one factor in it,” Voges said. “I understand the argument that, if you allow a sub for concussion, why wouldn’t you allow a sub for other injuries. It could be a bit of a grey area. I understand that. But I am in favour of the sub rule.”Voges had been struck at the back of his head, while fielding, by a ball thrown back towards the wicketkeeper after Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry had hit a boundary. Voges fell to the ground immediately, before being helped off the field by two physios and taken to hospital with a suspected concussion.”I was standing at slip, just contemplating a fielding change, or a bowling change, I can’t quite remember,” he recalled. “I didn’t really pay attention to where the ball had gone or when it was coming back. It wasn’t until very late that the keeper realised the ball was going over his head and it hit me straight in the back of the head. It was just a freak accident really.”This was the first time Voges had been forced from the field due to a head injury. Though he was hospitalised only briefly, he said that he felt groggy and unwell for several days after the incident.”I was a bit groggy for a week, week and a half after that and missed the next game,” Voges said. “It was probably my first experience with it. It felt like I was waking up with a hangover. It wasn’t until 10 days after it that I started to feel right again.”In May, Cricket Australia had proposed trialling the concussion subs idea for two years in domestic first-class cricket, but the ICC cricket committee, which met in early June, argued that “the current laws and playing conditions allow players to receive the best possible medical treatment and further change to the regulations in this area is not required at present”.

Chris Gayle continued his rich vein of form in Twenty20 cricket, blasting 105 off just 57 deliveries to set up Jamaica Tallawah’s 50-run victory against Trinidad & Tobago at Sabina Park

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Chris Gayle drilled six fours and nine sixes during his century•Caribbean Premier League

Chris Gayle continued his rich vein of form in Twenty20 cricket, blasting 105 off just 57 deliveries to set up Jamaica Tallawah’s 50-run victory against Trinidad & Tobago at Sabina Park. Gayle’s assault, his seventh 50-plus score in nine matches, also lifted the hosts up to second in the table, level on points with Barbados Tridents, who have played a game more, while Red Steel were left rooted at the bottom.Gayle came into the match boasting scores of 92, 151*, 85*, 90*, 72* and 64* for Tallawahs and Somerset in the last couple of months, and he did not take long to get going on Thursday, swinging Jacques Kallis for six over long-on off just the fourth ball he faced. Gayle launched two more sixes in the next over, by Johan Botha, before carting three fours off an over from Dwayne Bravo as Tallawahs raced to 70 inside seven overs. Gayle’s opening partner Chadwick Walton contributed just 13 in that stand.Suliemann Benn briefly halted the flow of runs, dismissing both Chris Lynn and Mahela Jayawardene in the 11th over, but Gayle continued to shred the Red Steel bowling, hitting a total of six fours and nine sixes to end with a strike-rate of 184.21. Gayle received ample support from Jermaine Blackwood, with who he added 68 for the fifth wicket off just 42 balls. Gayle eventually fell in the 19th over, but Blackwood’s 28-ball 38 took the team to 180 for 6, Tallawah’s highest of the season. It also meant that Gayle had accounted for more than half his team’s score.Red Steel never really got going in the chase and lost wickets right from the off, with three top-order batsmen getting out for ducks. Kallis top-scored with 46, but received little by way of support from his team-mates, as Krishmar Santokie (3 for 27), Daniel Vettori (2 for 22) and Jerome Taylor (2 for 21) struck at regular intervals to keep the visitors to 130 for 9.

New Zealand paid the price for trying to be too aggressive without earning the right to, in the first Twenty20 in Durban, according to their new captain Brendon McCullum

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Dec-2012New Zealand paid the price for trying to be too aggressive without earning the right to, in the first Twenty20 international in Durban, according to their new captain Brendon McCullum. The visitors collapsed for 86 and were beaten by eight wickets in the opening fixture of their tour of South Africa.”We obviously wanted to be aggressive today, and we wanted to put South Africa under pressure right from the get-go, but we learned a lot about earning the right to do so first,” McCullum said after the game. “Ensure that you stick to your fundamentals, and first and foremost give yourselves that opportunity to be able to be aggressive. I think one thing we’ll definitely take out of this game is that we were just a little over-keen to try and put some pressure on South Africa from the outset.”We 100% believe that we can win the next game, we’ve just got to fine tune a couple of areas. I can’t fault people for being overly keen to want to get into a series. It’s just that we didn’t quite earn the right to be as aggressive as we wanted to be and put South Africa under pressure. And we’ll ensure that in 48 hours time, we’ll definitely put up a much better performance …”After choosing to bat at Kingsmead, New Zealand had slumped to 36 for 6 by the ninth over, with only Colin Munro making it to double figures among the top-seven batsmen. Munro was one of four debutants New Zealand included in their XI. Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell McClenaghan were the others.”It was a bit two-paced,” McCullum said of the pitch. “I think some balls were keeping a little low, especially the cross-seamers were keeping a little bit low, and some kicked a little bit … We just played too many out-shots early on when we weren’t quite set. We didn’t get the pace of the wicket, so that’s something we can definitely learn from.”Faf du Plessis, the South Africa captain, said his team had learned from the mistakes New Zealand’s batsmen made. South Africa achieved the target in the 13th over, with du Plessis top-scoring with an unbeaten 38 at No. 3. South Africa also had three debutants – Henry Davids, Chris Morris and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock – and du Plessis was pleased with the attitude of the new-look Twenty20 side.”We put a lot of emphasis on that we’re a young side, so we want to have a lot of energy and we want to have a good presence,” du Plessis said. “That’s what I was telling the guys, we’ve done an excellent job of doing that. He [Quinton de Kock] surprised me. As a young guy coming in, you’d think that he’d be a little bit more nervous but he made it look easy. That’s what we strive for as a team, and so he did very well.”South Africa and New Zealand will play the second Twenty20 international in East London on December 23.

Zimbabwe’s will chase a daunting 305 on the final day with eight wickets in hand, after Doug Bracewell made two crucial breaches in an intense start to the fourth innings in Bulawayo

The Report by Nitin Sundar04-Nov-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKyle Jarvis impressed with his ability to deliver inswingers at a sprightly pace, as he picked up his maiden five-for•AFP

Zimbabwe will chase a daunting 305 on the final day with eight wickets in hand, after Doug Bracewell made two crucial breaches in an intense start to the fourth innings in Bulawayo. Bracewell’s double-strike, including a wicket in the final over of the day, left Zimbabwe hamstrung at the end of a day when they had fought admirably for the most part.Earlier, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor struck contrasting half-centuries to provide the ballast for New Zealand, who had to overcome a combative bowling display led by Kyle Jarvis before declaring 365 ahead.Jarvis’ effort forced New Zealand to spend more time than they would have wanted at the crease, but they took the field energised in the final session. Chris Martin got the new ball to buzz in at pace, giving both the openers, Tino Mawoyo and Vusi Sibanda, sore toes. Bracewell too hunted for wickets, with conventional seam movement either way. He trapped Sibanda with one that came in, before Hamilton Masakadza gifted his wicket with an avoidable cut, leaving Zimbabwe at a jittery 61 for 2.The frustrated faces on the Zimbabwean balcony as the players trooped in exemplified just how drastically their day had unravelled. Zimbabwe had enjoyed what were in isolation a good couple of sessions in the field thanks to Jarvis, who chipped away at the middle order with his sprightly inswingers. Jarvis’ breakthroughs came after New Zealand had laboured to 83 runs in the 30 overs before lunch, though Williamson and Taylor stepped on the gas thereafter.With the sun out and the pitch offering little assistance, Zimbabwe’s seam trio stuck to disciplined lengths in the morning. Their effort was initially aided by New Zealand’s surprisingly defensive outlook, engendered by their use of a nightwatchman on the third day. Jeetan Patel’s prolonged presence at the crease would have benefited Zimbabwe more than New Zealand, but four overs into the day he was cleaned up by Jarvis.Zimbabwe’s deficit, however, meant they couldn’t afford to attack for long. Njabulo Ncube settled into a monotonous spell where he was consistently well wide of off stump, with a packed field in the covers. Williamson led New Zealand out of the mini-crisis, cover-driving languidly every time he was offered width, and defending well when he wasn’t. The lack of movement meant Ray Price was introduced early, and Taylor checked in comfortably against his quick-arm flat deliveries. The odd ball that he spun in the morning, such as the ripper that veered away from leg stump in the 20th over of the innings, did too much to take the edge.Taylor tried to force the pace in the second hour of play, but nearly perished in the process. He steered Ncube behind point for four before edging another wide ball past slip. Ncube then trapped him palpably in front with an indipper, convincing everyone except the umpire Marais Erasmus that it was out. Inevitably, Price too switched to a negative line from over the stumps, but that didn’t faze Williamson. When he wasn’t padding Price away or receding into the crease to glance him fine, he was trotting out to the flight and going over the top.Price’s leg-stump trajectory was straight up Taylor’s alley, and he unleashed his patent slog-sweep to take the lead past 200. The acceleration continued into the middle session, with Williamson nudging Chris Mpofu to the fine-leg boundary to reach his half-century. He celebrated the landmark by sweeping Price for a six and a four, forcing the last of the close-in fielders into the deep. Taylor brought up his own fifty in more subdued fashion, before swat-flicking Jarvis over midwicket for a furious six as Zimbabwean shoulders began to slump in the mid-afternoon heat.Jarvis wasn’t to be discouraged, though. He kept bustling in with intent, bounding close to the stumps and getting every other ball to jag in sharply off the seam. Both Williamson and Taylor were caught by surprise when Jarvis sneaked indippers onto their pads. In between those two lbws, Price got a leading edge out of BJ Watling to carry to slip. Brendan Taylor dropped Daniel Vettori in the slips, but the miss didn’t extend Jarvis’ wait for his maiden five-for by much. Dean Brownlie perished to his stock ball too, losing off stump as he played back to yet another quick inswinger.New Zealand batted on after tea, and Taylor called them in seven overs into the evening session, off which Vettori and Reece Young looted 40 runs. In hindsight, it was a pretty well-timed declaration, since it affords New Zealand a second go with a still shiny ball on the final morning.

On a day when most of Australia’s Test batsmen failed around the country, Steven Smith’s 59 was a rare highlight

Brydon Coverdale at Bellerive Oval17-Nov-2010On a day when most of Australia’s Test batsmen failed around the country, Steven Smith’s 59 was a rare highlight. The first Ashes Test at the Gabba is eight days away but Smith does not expect his performance, which came in difficult seaming conditions against a quality England attack, to propel him into the top six.”The selectors have a fair indication of what they’re going to go with in Brisbane,” Smith said, on a day when Michael Hussey, Marcus North, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and Simon Katich all made low scores. “Some people fail on wickets if they’re green around the country. I guess you can’t really take too much out of what’s going to happen this week.”Even so, Smith’s innings will impress the selectors, as it began watchfully after England reduced Australia A to 5 for 66, and became gradually more attacking as Smith became used to the conditions. But there remains doubt over what role Smith is best suited to at the Test level; he played as the main spinner against Pakistan this year when Nathan Hauritz was injured, but is also an impressive striker of the ball.”Down the track I’d definitely like to be a middle-order batsman,” he said. “I work just as hard on my batting as I do on my bowling. Down the track I would like to be a genuine allrounder; whether the selectors see it that way at the moment or not, I’m not sure.”Smith was helped by England’s short-pitched attack, which suited his swatting style of pulls and hooks. Steve O’Keefe also handled the bowling well in making 66, but the rest of the batsmen struggled.England’s bowlers, led by Chris Tremlett with 4 for 54, mixed controlled aggression with good, fuller balls that facilitated swing and seam. It’s a plan that the Test team should expect from James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn, who are already in Brisbane adjusting to the conditions.”When you come out to Australia and you play on these wickets, you hope that your attributes will play a part,” Tremlett said. “At 6 feet 8 myself and the other guys are pretty tall as well, definitely that is the plan, to intimidate guys and get in their faces a little bit.”Everyone put their hand up. Everyone got a couple of wickets, apart from Monty. But even though he didn’t get a wicket, he put the pressure on and bowled really well. I think as a group, it was a very good bowling performance.”It was Tremlett’s first match for England in two years, and although he began nervously with a wayward first over, he quickly found his radar and picked up the first wicket in his next over. He said there had been a major change in the squad’s attitude since he last played, which could augur well as they aimed to retain the Ashes.”I haven’t been involved for a couple of years, and I have come in and noticed a difference in confidence within the side,” Tremlett said. “I guess that comes from winning a lot of series and a lot of games back to back. Hopefully we’ll take that on to Brisbane and go from there.”Tremlett also insisted he had not given up on hopes that he might be part of the team for the first Test at Brisbane. “It is maybe not set in stone, the first-Test squad. All you can do is when you get your opportunity, try your hardest – and you never know; you might have put your name in the hat. Getting some wickets builds your confidence – and if my opportunity does come along, my confidence will be high.”

Gerald Majola has hailed Makhaya Ntini’s career as the fast bowler reached 100 Test caps in the opening encounter against England in Centurion

Andrew McGlashan in Centurion16-Dec-2009Gerald Majola, the Cricket South Africa chief executive, has hailed Makhaya Ntini’s career as the fast bowler reached 100 Test caps in the opening encounter against England in Centurion.”Makhaya Ntini’s 100th Test match for South Africa marks a major milestone in one of the most incredible journeys yet undertaken in world cricket,” he said. “Makhaya rose from being a herd boy in the tiny village of Mdingi in the Eastern Cape to being rated as one of the world’s best fast bowlers and becoming the most popular sports person South Africa has known.”He has stridden the world cricket stage like a colossus since making his Test debut at the age of 20,” he added. “His 10 wickets against England at Lord’s in 2003 also stands alone in the South African record books at the home of cricket.”Majola praised the impact that Ntini has had within the sport and the way he has played the game over an 11-year career. “For more than a decade, Makhaya has been the face of South African cricket wherever the game is played,” he said. “His has been the face of friendship, enjoyment and a fierce will to win for his country.”Ntini himself has spoken of the pride of reaching his hundred milestone and admitted he never thought he would get the chance to represent his country. “For me, playing 100 times for my country – from a time when you thought, as a black cricketer, it wouldn’t be possible to penetrate and be successful among a white-dominated sport, it gives a lot of inspiration to younger people. If I can do it, so can they.”Ntini will have an even more important role to play in his 100th Test after South Africa lost the services of Dale Steyn shortly before the toss. Steyn pulled up during the warm-ups with a recurrence of the hamstring injury that has troubled him since the third ODI in Cape Town.He had appeared on course to make the Test after coming through South Africa’s training camp in Potchefstroom and his absence leaves Graeme Smith short of his main strike bowler. It also meant a last-minute debut for 29-year-old Friedel de Wet who had been kept with the squad on standby.Graeme Smith, the South African captain, said it had been a privilege to have had a part in Ntini’s career: “He’s a great success story, and he has worked very hard for this honour. He has always been an important part of the team – his work ethic, his commitment, his energy and his vibrant personality. I wish him every success in his 100th match.”He’ll tell you that his success is down to a lot of hard work. He’s had his ups and downs, but he’s always met them with 100 percent commitment,” he added. “Makhaya has become the spearhead of our attack and I’ve been very grateful for his energy and commitment as a leader.
He’s a vibrant person and he’s played a prominent role, not just in this team, but in South Africa.”

The hosts are one of just two clubs never to have won the BBL, but have been the best side this season

Andrew McGlashan26-Jan-2025

Big picture: A first for Hurricanes, or Thunder’s great revival?

Whoever prevails in the BBL final, the first to be hosted in Tasmania, it will be a terrific story. Hobart Hurricanes have never won the title, while Sydney Thunder, under the captaincy of David Warner, have gone from the wooden spoon last year to their best run in nine seasons.Hurricanes have been the standout team this summer, something that looked unlikely after their first game when they were skittled for 74 by Melbourne Renegades. From there, however, Hurricanes were unbeaten through the next eight matches, losing only to Melbourne Stars when they were assured of hosting the Qualifier final. In that match, they overturned Sydney Sixers to earn hosting rights for the final.Hurricanes have a very well balanced side, even if they have occasionally looked a batter light. Mitch Owen has been the season’s breakout star after being elevated to opening the batting, responding with an eye-watering strike-rate of 191.11. Tim David has been a vital cog in the middle order, especially on home soil, with Hurricanes unbeaten in Hobart through the campaign.Related

• Warner 'still the best by a country mile' as he leads Thunder to final

• Thunder one step away from BBL title as Billings, spinners shine

• Bowlers take Hobart Hurricanes to their first BBL final in seven years

But it has been their pace attack which has often set them apart. Riley Meredith has bowled with impressive pace (as did Billy Stanlake before injury), while in captain Nathan Ellis and overseas signing Chris Jordan, Hurricanes have two outstanding death bowlers, with their impact never clearer than in the Qualifier against Sixers.But it hasn’t quite been such a seamless run for Thunder, who had started strongly with four wins in five games before stumbling a little. By finishing third, they had to reach the final the hard way, but did it impressively with victories over Stars and Sixers. A potentially pivotal point in Thunder’s season came on the night of the horrific collision between Cameron Bancroft and Daniel Sams, which left the pair in hospital and their team-mates shaken. But somehow, Thunder were able to get over the line against Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium, their fortress. It reinforced the close-knit nature of the squad.Injuries, a Test call to Sam Konstas, and the usual coming and going of overseas names have tested Thunder’s depth, but they have found answers at each turn. Warner is now one win away from having a very significant moment in his career after the leadership ban was overturned ahead of the season.”This year challenged us in every way – injuries to key players, the demands of international tournaments, and the introduction of new faces to the team,” Thunder coach Trevor Bayliss said. “But each time, the team rose to the occasion without making excuses. You can’t ask much more of your team than that.”Tim David could be a huge figure in deciding the final•Getty Images

Route to the final

Hobart HurricanesLost to Renegades by six wickets | Beat Scorchers by eight wickets | Beat Strikers by 11 runs | Beat Sixers by 50 runs | Beat Strikers by five wickets | Match abandoned vs Thunder | Beat Thunder by five wickets | Beat Renegades by four wickets | Beat Heat by five wickets | Lost to Stars by 40 runs | Beat Sixers by 12 runs
Sydney ThunderBeat Strikers by two wickets | Lost to Sixers by five wickets | Beat Stars by 18 runs | Beat Renegades by eight runs | Beat Scorchers by four wickets | Lost to Heat by five wickets | Match abandoned vs Hurricanes | Lost to Hurricanes by six wickets | Beat Scorchers by 61 runs | No result vs Sixers | Beat Stars by 21 runs | Beat Sixers by four wickets

Players to watch: Tim David and Tanveer Sangha

Tim David has been the power surge king this season. He has scored 95 runs from 33 balls in the two-over period of fielding restrictions without being dismissed. The next best is Max Bryant’s 68 off 30 deliveries with one dismissal. Particularly when chasing at their home ground, David’s power means Hurricanes are never out of the game. The role he plays when batting first can be flexible depending on the base the top order has provided.Tanveer Sangha forms part of a strong Thunder spin attack•Getty Images

Tanveer Sangha has bowled very nicely since returning to the side after injury. In his three recent outings, he has figures of 1 for 18, 2 for 31 and 0 for 26. During the last of them, against Sixers, he dropped Moises Henriques, but deflected the ball on to the stumps to run Josh Philippe out. It will be a challenge for Sangha on a smaller playing area at Ninja Stadium, with some strong hitters likely to target the shorter boundaries. But Sangha has some tricks up his sleeve as well.

Team news: Teams may ponder batting depth

Hurricanes juggled their batting order again for the Qualifier, with Matthew Wade moving to No. 3. Chris Jordan potentially feels a place high at No. 7, leaving the onus on the top six to get the job done if that balance is retained.Hobart Hurricanes (possible): 1 Mitch Owen, 2 Caleb Jewell, 3 Matthew Wade (wk), 4 Ben McDermott, 5 Tim David, 6 Nikhil Chaudhary, 7 Chris Jordan, 8 Nathan Ellis (capt), 9 Cameron Gannon, 10 Peter Hatzoglou, 11 Riley MeredithJason Sangha had a significant impact as he slotted back into the side at the top of the order, although Thunder’s batting still looks a little thin. There may be a debate over whether three spinners is the way to go in Hobart, although overall, Hurricanes have the third-lowest run rate against spin this season, compared to the highest against pace. Warner confirmed that Ollie Davies would be in the squad, having overcome a thigh injury.Sydney Thunder (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Jason Sangha, 3 Matthew Gilkes, 4 Sam Billings (wk), 5 Hugh Weibgen/Ollie Davies, 6 Chris Green, 7 George Garton, 8 Nathan McAndrew, 9 Tom Andrews, 10 Wes Agar, 11 Tanveer Sangha

Pitch and conditions

The pitch for the Qualifier was on the slower side of what has been produced this season. Chasing has been the preferred option, but Hurricanes won against that script against Sixers. The forecast is for a warm day and a chance of a thunderstorm, although they are expected to clear by the evening. There is a reserve day for the final, but the first aim would be to complete a five-over match on Monday.

Pakistan do enough to beat Netherlands, a Dharamsala-Delhi double-header looms on Saturday, while Shubman Gill is in doubt to face Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-20231:28

Where did Pakistan falter with the bat?

—Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament Index

Top Story: Saud Shakeel gets Pakistan off the mark despite Bas de Leede heroics

It wasn’t the perfect performance but, at the moment, good enough will do for Pakistan, and good enough is exactly what they achieved. In a staccato showing where bursts of inspiration were interspersed with spells of shaky mediocrity, Babar Azam’s side eventually eased to an 81-run win over the Netherlands despite Bas de Leede’s all-round heroics. The 23-year-old allrounder was at times a one-man bulwark against Pakistan, but thanks to fifties from Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan managed 286. Pakistan had enough bowling firepower to overwhelm Netherlands, with Haris Rauf blowing the game open through the middle overs and always leaving the game just out of Dutch hands.Click here for the full report

Match analysis: Pakistan go Saud to find middle-order fix

Until recently – that is, until very recently – Saud Shakeel was perceived to be a one-format batter. He had cracked Tests, but on Friday in Hyderabad, he walked in to bat with Pakistan tottering at 38 for 3 in their World Cup opening game, which was only his seventh ODI. It’s far from the ideal scenario he had hoped to have come in at.Yet, it was an opportunity to prove his batting chops by walking the tightrope. Counterpunching isn’t part of most batting DNAs in such situations, most definitely not if you are on World Cup debut. This is why Shakeel’s knock, a stroke-filled 52-ball 68, was refreshing.At 28, he would know the challenges late bloomers like him face – for one, fewer chances of comebacks if you mess up. To recalibrate to the demands of his role in such a high-stakes environment spoke volumes about his clarity and calmness.Click here to read the full analysis from Shashank Kishore in Hyderabad

Must Watch: Wasim Jaffer and Dale Steyn were impressed by Netherlands’ performance1:34

Jaffer: Netherlands can spring more than one surprise

News headlines

• India opener Shubman Gill is unwell, having tested positive for dengue, but hasn’t yet been ruled out of India’s opening World Cup game against Australia in Chennai on Sunday.
• England fast bowler Mark Wood refused to blame England’s limited preparations for their chastening nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand in Ahmedabad and said they will show their “resilience” when they play Bangladesh in Dharamsala next week.