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Chris Woakes claimed four wickets as England closed in on victory but there were again concerns about the vulnerability of the tourists’ top order

George Dobell in Adelaide10-Nov-20170:41

An (unofficial) appeal from the ECB

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEngland are doing everything by the book at the start of their tour of Australia. Unfortunately, the book is .Not read it? It’s a Hemingway short story about a couple stranded while on safari in Africa. The man has sustained a leg injury that has turned gangrenous and they both know help won’t arrive in time to save him. His last moments are spent observing the howls of the approaching vultures and hyenas. It’s not full of belly laughs.The mood on this England tour is starting to feel similarly gloomy. The loss of Ben Stokes might, in time, be considered the fatal blow. But the succession of injuries to a high number of seamers who might have found themselves in the side has further debilitated the team. Meanwhile Mitchell Starc and co are howling in the distance, hungry for meat.

James Anderson on…

England’s collapse “It’s not ideal is it? Hopefully we’re getting it out of the way before the Test series starts but that’s something we’ve got to look at and probably have a chat about after the game. Why it happened and what we could have done differently to stop it happening. And stop it happening again.”
Bairstow’s half-century “Brilliant. Jonny does that really well. When the team needs runs, he’s the guy who stands up more often than not. I thought Mason [Crane] batted really well with him as well. That was an absolutely crucial partnership and hopefully that’s a sign of things to come from Jonny.”
Woakes’ bowling “He’s got better and better every spell he’s bowled. I thought today he was brilliant. He deserved his four wickets and could have had more. He was back to his absolute best.”
Missing next game? “Potentially, yes. The other bowlers we have here looking towards that first Test – with Jake’s fitness and things like that – some bowlers could get too much bowling. We don’t want them tired going into that first Test. Stuart [Broad] will play next week.”

The main issue is the relentless stream of injuries. England are currently awaiting the results of a scan on Jake Ball’s injured right ankle. The suspicion at this stage is the injury – perhaps minor ligament damage – is not tour-ending but may keep him out of action for another week or so.With that in mind, there is talk of sending for more cover. One of the bowlers with the Lions, who are due to arrive in Australia on November 15, could well be asked to fly a few days early and join the Ashes squad on a short-term basis ahead of the warm-up match in Townsville. But while Tom Helm has declared himself fit, he only bowled off his full run for the first time at Loughborough on Thursday and England have concerns about his readiness.With Mark Wood (heel/ankle) also not deemed fully fit – both will travel with the Lions but do not appear to be in the reckoning for a call to the full England squad – the options are becoming more limited by the moment.As a result, it seems England will look to youth to help them out. George Garton, a 20-year-old with nine first-class matches behind him, is one candidate, while 19-year-old Josh Tongue, a veteran of 15 first-class matches, is another. Both are blessed with pace – they would be the quickest bowlers in the England party – and Garton, with his left-arm, whippy action, has bowled at the England squad several times in the nets. They would not become permanent members of the Ashes tour party, just provide some cover in Townsville.Liam Plunkett is currently playing in Bangladesh and may not be considered for that reason. But should Ball’s injury be worse than feared – or should anyone else suffer an injury – Plunkett will come into the equation.With so many injuries around the squad, there may be a temptation to look at the conditioning – or the technique – of the bowlers. And in the long-term, no doubt, there are issues to consider in terms of the stress fractures, in particular. But the injuries suffered on this tour – a bowler landing badly in delivery (Ball) or twisting his knee while batting (Steven Finn) – are simply bad luck.As if all this wasn’t trying enough, England suffered a batting collapse on the third day in Adelaide. After a solid start, they lost 7 for 47, which included going from 121 for 3 to 124 for 7, as an inexperienced Cricket Australia XI gave them some uncomfortable moments.These things happen, of course. With the floodlights on for much of an unusually humid day, the ball nipped around more than at any stage of the game and batting was not straightforward. England still have more than enough to win this match – particularly having retaliated by reducing the CA XI to 25 for 7 under lights and requesting the extra half hour in pushing for a three-day victory.But these games aren’t really about the result. They are about finding form ahead of the Test series. And, with their batting in particular, England look ominously fragile.Most worrying is the form of Alastair Cook. Cook has endured fallow patches before, of course, and in the grand scheme of things this run of low scores – he hasn’t made 35 for six first-class innings – amounts to very little. He has earned an extended spell of patience and there is reasonable confidence he will turn things around.His innings of 32 here was his highest since a double-century against West Indies at Edgbaston in August and the third-highest score of a day on which the ball dominated. But it would be wrong to interpret that as something of a return to form. He was beaten like a snare drum, survived several huge leg before shouts and an edge between the keeper and third slip. He scored only one from his first 23 deliveries and his first boundary came from his 72nd ball.A man with a vast number of Test runs currently looks as uncomfortable at the crease as a cow asked to knit a jumper. While skiing. In the dark. Underwater. Backwards.James Vince is a bit of a concern, too. He plays some lovely strokes, certainly, but there are so many vulnerabilities – so many ways to get him out – that the decision to bat him at No. 3 in the Test series looks a huge risk. Here, with the ball nipping around, he survived several very good leg-before calls before he was beaten on the inside edge as he attempted to drive one that would could have been best negated with a defensive bat. Darren Lehmann, watching from the home dressing room, will have noted all this with interest.Chris Woakes was immediately among the wickets•Getty Images

With Joe Root trapped by one that nipped back and Craig Overton falling for a pair on his maiden England appearance – 00verton, the wags were calling him – England were grateful for an eighth-wicket stand of 66 between Jonny Bairstow and Mason Crane. Bairstow’s dominance was no surprise, bringing up his 50 with a six and generally looking in control of things, but Crane was admirably defiant and showed, again, the character that the England management so respect.Rather deliciously, his innings ended when he was caught Short. Simon Milenko, no more than medium-pace but nipping the ball around and maintaining a nagging line and length, finished with the third five-wicket haul of his career to follow a first-innings half-century.There was some better news for England. Mark Stoneman, unfussy and assured, made his third half-century of the tour in as many innings, Moeen Ali returned to bowling without reporting any adverse consequences and James Anderson was confirmed as the team’s vice-captain for the series. Or at least until Stokes returns, anyway.Most of all, Chris Woakes seems to have found his rhythm. In a super opening burst, Woakes claimed 4 for 12 as he exploited the helpful conditions and a tentative batting line-up with hard hands. The record for the lowest first-class score on the ground – Western Australia’s 41 against South Australia in the 1989-90 season – appeared to be in danger for a while.Woakes’ form could be a vital part of this Ashes series. If he can gain movement and bowl at the pace he managed in his magical series against Pakistan in 2016, he will prove a real threat. If not, England will be hugely over-reliant on Anderson and Stuart Broad. Here he looked sharp and menacing and, with Overton and Anderson nagging away outside off stump like a late tax return, a green-looking CA side were fortunate to take the game into the final day.But the success of the bowling shouldn’t mask the flaws in the batting. The hyenas are licking their lips.

Graeme Cremer’s efforts with the bat somewhat covered up for Zimbabwe’s top-order failure in the first Test. With the team management insisting on consistency in selection, there’s an opportunity for them to make a mark in the second Test

The preview by Shashank Kishore05-Nov-2016

Match facts

November 6-10, 2016, Harare
Start time 10.00 am (0800 GMT)Sean Williams’ dismissal for 40 on the final day of the first Test hastened Zimbabwe’s loss•Associated Press

Big Picture

In July, Zimbabwe hosted New Zealand for two Tests in Bulawayo. Considering this is only the third time in 11 years that they’re playing four Tests in a season at home, Sri Lanka’s tour ought to have provided continuity. Instead, the players were involved, not for the first time, in a protest with Zimbabwe Cricket over non-payment of match fees. When matters were temporarily resolved in September, the board was grappling with issues surrounding their annual audit which was yet to be submitted to the ICC more than three months after it was due.That delayed the appointment of a new head coach. When Heath Streak finally took over from Makhaya Ntini, who briefly held the role after Dav Whatmore’s sacking, he had a little over three weeks to prepare a side that that was once again short on cricket in the lead-up to a major series, with the domestic season yet to be finalised. Considering all this, Zimbabwe’s performance in the first Test, also their 100th overall, in Harare was seen as a massive improvement even though they eventually lost by 225 runs.They batted close to 200 overs in the Test – something they’ve done just twice in the last five years – and took it into the final hour before Sri Lanka dug deep into their reserves to eke out a win. The resistance in both innings was led by Graeme Cremer, the captain, who followed-up his maiden Test century with a gritty 43 in the second dig. It somewhat made up for the top order’s inability to build on starts, something the team management would have taken note of.The one aspect that has always been encouraging – even in Zimbabwe’s cricketing decline over the last decade-and-a-half – has been the fielding. That came a cropper in Harare – as many as seven catches were dropped in the first innings. Their bowling effort, typically restrictive, was led by debutant medium-pacer Carl Mumba, who took four wickets in the second innings. The other bowlers were largely ineffective. Therefore, a shot at equalling the series seems far-fetched for Zimbabwe, although walking away with a draw is possible, like they showed last week.For Sri Lanka, time spent in the middle here will take them a step closer to narrowing down on their combination for the bigger battles in South Africa next month. Strong performances from Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga will add to a healthy selection dilemma once Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, the designated captain, return from injuries.Rangana Herath’s delayed declaration in the second innings may have been scrutinised had Zimbabwe managed to hold on. For now, it’s a decision that can be firmly put on the back-burner as Sri Lanka aim for a clean sweep to cap Herath’s first – and possibly last – series as captain.The implementation of DRS, for the first time in Zimbabwe, will add an element of intrigue. Zimbabwe have been at the centre of a number of poor umpiring decisions in recent times.

Form guide

ZimbabweLLLLL (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka WWWWDDilruwan Perera’s utility could be tested on surfaces that don’t turn as much as the ones in Sri Lanka•Associated Press

In the spotlight

Malcolm Waller came into the fray for selection for the first Test on the back of 37 and 87 for Zimbabwe A in a four-day fixture against Pakistan A. Prior to that, he recorded three successive half-centuries in the 50-over format. He made scores of 22 and 0 in the first Test; the timing of his dismissal in the second innings even as Zimbabwe fought to save the Test was crucial. With Tarisai Musakanda, who also made runs against Pakistan A, breathing down his neck, there could be pressure on Waller to make a significant score here.Dilruwan Perera‘s utility in this Sri Lankan line-up, especially at home, can’t be understated. He’s a more-than-capable lower-order batsman, and a tidy offspinner. But on surfaces that aid swing and seam movement, like Sri Lanka could encounter in South Africa, it remains to be seen how effective he would be. Perhaps another solid performance in the second Test could go a long way in convincing the team management that he could be a contender for a spot even if Sri Lanka decide to play an extra fast bowler.

Team news

Streak and Tatenda Taibu, the selection convenor, have spoken of the need for continuity, which means Zimbabwe are likely to field the same XI despite their top-order batsmen failing to convert starts. That could mean Musakanda, who made 87 against Pakistan A to earn his selection in the Test squad, may have to wait longer for his first Test cap.Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Tino Mawoyo, 2 Brian Chari, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Sean Williams, 6 Peter Moor, 7 Malcolm Waller, 8 Graeme Cremer, 9 Donald Tiripano, 10 Carl Mumba, 11 Chris MpofuSri Lanka picked up 20 wickets, but were stretched a fair bit. With the top order among the runs in both innings, there could be a temptation to bring in left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan to boost their bowling stocks. That could mean Asela Gunaratne, who made 53 and 16 not out, may have to make way.Sri Lanka: (probable) 1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Perera, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Upul Tharanga, 6 Dananjaya de Silva, 7 Dilruwan Perera, 8 Rangana Herath, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Lakshan Sandakan/Asela Gunaratne 11 Lahiru Kumara

Pitch and conditions

A similar pitch to the one last week is expected, which points to another workout for the bowlers. There is solace, though, in the fact that conditions are expected to be a lot cooler following intermittent spells of summer rain since the conclusion of the first Test. There could be brief rain interruptions from time-to-time in this Test.

Stats and trivia

• Herath will surpass Anil Kumble and have the second-most number of wickets by a spinner in his first 75 Tests if he takes nine wickets in the match. Kumble had 346; Herath, after 74 games, is on 338. Muttiah Muralitharan tops the list with 420 wickets after 75
• Cremer aggregated more than half of his career runs (258 runs in 26 innings) in the first Test alone through scores of 102* and 43

Quotes

“We know that we can’t control what decisions go our way, but as long as we’re playing that positive brand of cricket then hopefully a few things will go our way. We’ve just got to do the best we can with bat or ball.”
when asked about his team being rather luckless with umpiring decisions in the first Test”From the beginning it was a different challenge and a different experience but I’ve enjoyed every moment. I’ve had a lot of confidence from my playing career, so that has helped as well.”

Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen completed 8000 first-class runs but missed out on a century in his 100th Championship match on the second day of the Division Two game against Leicestershire

ECB/PA23-Sep-2015
ScorecardWayne Madsen fell five runs short of a century (file photo)•PA Photos

Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen completed 8000 first-class runs but missed out on a century in his 100th Championship match on the second day of the Division Two game against Leicestershire at Derby. Madsen made 95 from 154 balls but played on to Ollie Freckingham who finished with 3 for 64 as Derbyshire closed 281 for 7, 48 behind on first innings.Zak Chapple followed his 96 on day one by claiming a maiden first-class victim when he dismissed Ben Slater for 70 but Derbyshire were well placed until they lost 2 for 4 in 22 balls before bad light ended play.Leicestershire’s hopes had briefly soared at the start when Rob Taylor trapped Billy Godleman lbw with the last ball of the fourth over but the rest of the day was hard work for a team that was without two main strike bowlers in Charlie Shreck and Clint McKay who between them took 115 Championship wickets this season.Chesney Hughes was dropped by Niall O’Brien on 6 before he was yorked by Freckingham’s first ball for 14 but from then on, Derbyshire accumulated steadily on a pitch that had become easier to bat on. Slater pulled Ben Raine for a big six behind square on his way to his first Championship 50 since May and with Madsen added 89 in 29 overs for the third wicket before he drove Zak Chappell loosely to cover.The bowling lacked consistency in the afternoon session and Madsen drove Mark Cosgrove for three fours in an over to reach 50 from 98 balls and with Wes Durston quick to take advantage of any width, it was looking good for Derbyshire until Raine struck.Durston was beaten as he went forward and Freckingham again repeated his earlier success when he was recalled at the Racecourse End and ended Madsen’s hopes of a century. The Derbyshire captain had reached a personal milestone when he got to 89 and looked set to celebrate with three figures until he dragged Freckingham into his stumps.Tom Knight marked his first Championship appearance for four years by taking three fours from a Freckingham over before 80 minutes and 11 overs were lost to bad light. Even with the floodlights on it was still murky when play resumed at 5.45pm with Tom Poynton lbw to the fifth ball from Raine and Knight was bowled by Freckingham three balls later before the light closed in for the last time.”Maybe we are just slightly ahead after those last few overs,” Freckingham said. “If we can knock the last three wickets over for less than 300 tomorrow morning I think we will be ahead of the game.”Madsen admitted the day had ended disappointingly. “We had a pretty good day up to then so to go back out there for three overs and lose those couple of wickets was frustrating,” he said. “It was never going to be easy batting if we did get back out there and that proved to be the case.”

The organisation of the upcoming World Twenty20, scheduled for March next year, received a major logistical boost after the Bangladesh government granted land for an international stadium in the town of Cox’s Bazar

Mohammad Isam28-Feb-2013The organisation of the upcoming World Twenty20, scheduled for March next year, received a major logistical boost after the Bangladesh government granted land for an international stadium in the town of Cox’s Bazar.During an inter-ministerial meeting for the global event on Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed the civil aviation authority to hand over the coastal town’s golf course to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Many BCB presidents have sought land in the country’s most popular tourist destination.”The decision to build a stadium in Cox’s Bazar was among the primary decisions taken during the meeting,” sports secretary Noor Mohammad said. “The land belongs to the civil aviation authority, so the BCB will sit with them to build the ground. They will understand the technical issues better. The sports ministry will also assist in whichever way necessary.”The BCB will be looking to host the women’s section of the World Twenty20 in Cox’s Bazar, particularly because of the number of hotels already existing in the town that is famous for having the longest sea beach in the world.The BCB has recently had to deal with hotel shortage in Khulna where three international matches and some BPL games were held since November last year. Bangladesh have traditionally used two cities during an international series at home, but with plans to develop the new stadium in Cox’s Bazar as a major venue, it could only help in the country’s cricket depicting a more exotic picture.

James Pattinson has been recalled to Australia’s ODI squad at the expense of Ryan Harris after proving himself fit to return from more than a month out of action due to a foot injury

Daniel Brettig28-Feb-2012James Pattinson has been recalled to Australia’s ODI squad for the final phase of the triangular series at the expense of Ryan Harris, after proving himself fit to return from more than a month out of action due to a foot injury.Having delivered a hostile display for Victoria’s Futures League team against South Australia in Adelaide, where he returned match figures of 6 for 37, Pattinson was deemed the right man to replace Harris, who has struggled for rhythm during his ODI appearances in the triangular series.However John Inverarity, the national selector, stressed that Harris remained a part of Test match plans for the forthcoming tour of the West Indies in April. He was subsequently named as part of the Queensland squad for Thursday’s Sheffield Shield fixture against New South Wales at the SCG.

Australia ODI Squad

Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, Peter Forrest, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner

“James Pattinson is fit again and after impressive recent form in a Futures League match in Adelaide, comes into the squad at expense of Ryan Harris, who has been dropped,” Inverarity said. “Ryan remains strongly in contention for selection for the Test matches on the tour of the West Indies.”Pattinson was a staunch performer for Australia in the home Tests, winning match awards in Brisbane against New Zealand and Melbourne against India for his fast, aggressive outswing bowling and tidy lower-order batting.However, he complained of foot soreness during the SCG Test and missed the remainder of the India series as medical staff took care to ensure his stress hot spots did not bloom into fractures.The other quandary facing the selectors is whether or not to play the captain, Michael Clarke, in Friday’s final round-robin fixture against Sri Lanka in Melbourne.Clarke missed Australia’s previous match against India in Sydney due to a back complaint, and after Shane Watson led the side ably at the SCG there may be cause to let Clarke rest until the first final on Sunday in Brisbane.Inverarity said another player may yet be called into the squad if the circumstances dictated it.”Michael Clarke is making a good recovery and is likely to resume on Friday,” he said. “The selectors will consider adding an extra player to this squad for the Finals matches, if conditions warrant it.”Edited by Brydon Coverdale

JP Duminy orchestrated a fightback which hauled South Africa to a challenging total before India’s batsmen, barring Virat Kohli, folded on a sluggish Port Elizabeth pitch

The Bulletin by Siddarth Ravindran21-Jan-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Virat Kohli batted fluently but kept running out of partners•AFP

JP Duminy orchestrated a South African fightback to level the series after India had seemed set for a maiden series win in the country. The hosts had collapsed to 118 for 5 through a combination of some headless-chicken running and constricting bowling from India’s part-time spinners. But Duminy’s responsible knock hauled South Africa to a challenging total before India’s batsmen, barring Virat Kohli, folded on a sluggish Port Elizabeth pitch.On a blustery day, Hashim Amla returned to his awesome run-scoring form. He took his time initially assessing the pitch in the early overs, but soon unfurled his full range of strokes to pick up plenty of boundaries. Zaheer Khan was punched past backward point and later pulled to midwicket, Munaf Patel was crunched past mid-off while Ashish Nehra was caressed past extra cover. A slash to third man off Yuvraj Singh brought Amla his 12th half-century, during which he broke Zaheer Abbas’ 28-year record for the fastest man to make 2000 ODI runs.Graeme Smith rarely found the middle of the bat or his timing and finally miscued an attempted swat to mid-off. Morne van Wyk, a surprise pick in South Africa’s World Cup squad who was playing his first one-dayer in more than three years, proved a more solid partner to Amla. Yuvraj Singh and the other part-timers were getting the ball to turn, though it was slow spin, but one of those deliveries moved enough to take the outside edge of van Wyk’s bat to fly to first slip.South Africa were 106 for 2, but India edged ahead when a mistimed pull from Amla trickled towards short fine leg, just outside the inner circle – Amla went for a suicidal second run and it ended in suicide, as he was caught well short.The worries increased for South Africa when Yuvraj prised out another big wicket in the next over, that of AB de Villiers, adjudged caught-behind though it was unclear whether he edged the ball, but he can’t complain much as he was stumped as well off that delivery. The misery continued when Faf du Plessis, who made such a composed half-century on debut on Tuesday, perished to some senseless running.Duminy and Johan Botha then set about ensuring South Africa built a competitive score. Duminy cut out the Hollywood shots and nudged the ball around for singles, while Botha hit a series of leg-side boundaries, the pick of which was an effortless flick off Zaheer. Yuvraj ended that stand at 70, getting his third wicket with a tossed-up delivery that beat Botha’s sweep.Eyebrows were raised when left-arm spinner Robin Peterson was picked ahead of highly rated legspinner Imran Tahir, but he responded with an important 31, which ended with him sacrificing his wicket to save Duminy.Duminy, meanwhile, had brought up his fourth half-century in five innings with a gorgeous off-drive, and eased South Africa’s concerns over the performance of their lower-middle order. With four wickets still remaining heading into the batting Powerplay, Duminy helped plunder 45 runs off the final five overs and India’s batsmen had a challenge ahead of them.The Indian chase got off to a dreadful start as Rohit Sharma’s batting woes continued, chasing and missing the first two deliveries from Lonwabo Tsotsobe, being carving the third to backward point. The other opener Parthiv Patel, who has had only one net session to adapt to South African conditions after flying in as a replacement for Sachin Tendulkar, was in far better touch but in the 10th over he was lbw missing a full delivery from Tsotsobe.Kohli was the bright spot of the day for India, playing one of his finest international innings. He started with a couple of classy extra cover drives and was rarely troubled on a track where most found shot-making difficult. He was a touch tied down against the quicks , but opened out against the amiable left-arm spin of Peterson. Kohli hammered Peterson for 32 runs off 21 deliveries, including two effortless sixes over long-off.While Kohli was crafting a stunning innings which will further his case for a starting spot in the World Cup, the rest of the middle order stuttered. Yuvraj fell to an outstanding diving catch from Smith after top-edging a paddle-sweep, Suresh Raina hung around for a while without really convincing , before missing an arm-ball from Peterson. India’s hopes evaporated when MS Dhoni was dismissed after scratching around for eight balls, and lower-order game-changer Yusuf Pathan lasted all off three balls.At 128 for 6, even with Kohli unbeaten on 76, the game was up for India. The climax was drawn out by a 50-minute rain interruption ,after which there was eight balls of play before the showers returned and South Africa were declared winners on the D/L method.The series-levelling victory sets up a decider in Centurion on Sunday, though that match could be affected by rain.

Craig Kieswetter’s maiden ODI hundred laid the platform for England as they secured a series whitewash with a comfortable 45-run victory at Chittagong

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill05-Mar-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Craig Kieswetter started slowly, but eventually struck nine fours and three sixes in his 107•Getty Images

Craig Kieswetter’s maiden hundred set up a comfortable 45-run victory in the third ODI at Chittagong as England sealed a 3-0 series whitewash over Bangladesh. Kieswetter’s 107 formed the backbone of England’s 284 for 5 after they were sent in to bat and the top order struggled for fluency on a sluggish pitch. His innings laid the foundation for Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright to play aggressive cameos, which boosted England’s total beyond the reach of Bangladesh’s abilities and the home side limped to 239 for 9.Kieswetter started cautiously and was content simply to occupy the crease after his early failures in the first two matches. Contrary to reputation, he was easily outscored by Alastair Cook at the start once again as the England captain managed three fours in his 32 before he was caught behind off Shakib Al Hasan in the 13th over. Kieswetter buckled down, overcoming another nervous start and a raucous appeal for lbw before he slowly came to term with conditions on a pitch that offered some assistance to the spinners.Kevin Pietersen was similarly circumspect against the slow bowlers when he first came to the crease. Just as he began to play with confidence he was pinned lbw for 22 by Razzak, despite his full forward lunge, as his struggles against left-arm spin continued.Paul Collingwood also struggled to time the ball, hitting just one four in his 36, but Kieswetter gained in confidence with every run, and brought up his fifty in the 33rd over with a rifling drive through the covers off Suhrawadi Shuvo. He opened up after reaching the milestone, cutting and driving crisply as he sped towards a hundred.Kieswetter reached the ton with a scampered single off Rubel Hossain, and celebrated by lofting the same bowler for a monstrous strike over long on before he went back to cut Razzak, but was cramped for room as the ball came in with the arm and ricocheted onto the stumps off the inside edge.Morgan profited from several lapses in Bangladesh’s fielding, being put down twice as he raced to 36 from 29 balls. He put on 67 in just over eight overs with Kieswetter as the pair matched each other shot for shot to take full toll of anything loose after England took the batting Powerplay in the 44th over.After Morgan departed Wright took over with a brutal display of power hitting. He stormed to 32 from just 13 balls, and closed the innings with a swipe over long off for six to take England’s total well beyond the abilities of Bangladesh’s combustible batting line up.The hosts’ run chase was soon in trouble, as Ajmal Shahzad struck with his third ball in one-day international cricket – just as he did against Pakistan on his England Twenty20 debut in Dubai last month – to have Tamim well caught by Tim Bresnan at third man as he slashed hard at the ball.Imrul Kayes briefly threatened to counterattack, but his dismissal brought Mushfiqur Rahim and Aftab Ahmed together, and both hit their strides quickly, running hard and putting away any loose balls. They added 56 with Ahmed striking successive boundaries off Liam Plunkett as Bangladesh’s chase began to gain momentum. He looked set for a half-century, but was then senselessly run out after setting off for a non-existent single and being sent back as Bangladesh tottered at 96 for 3.Their partnership was as good as it got for Bangladesh, as Rahim and Shakib fell after making good starts and the asking rate soon climbed towards ten an over. As victory came increasingly remote the run chase fizzled out with Naeem Islam and Mahmudullah soaking up 85 balls between them for 51 runs and Bresnan hastening the slide with a career-best 4 for 28.The win gives England a welcome return to dominance and will hand them the mental advantage ahead of the Test series, which begins at the same venue in a week’s time. Bangladesh will have some soul-searching to do after the nature of their capitulation, but will be also be able to take heart from some strong individual performances and their efforts to make England sweat at various stages.

The annual fixture will be played between the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025An England XI will face the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day pink-ball match in Canberra in late November ahead of the day-night Ashes Test at the Gabba.The match at Manuka Oval will take place on November 29 and 30, starting four days after the opening Test in Perth and finishing three days before the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, which this season is the venue for the day-night encounter instead of the traditional Adelaide Oval.It will provide England’s players a chance to acclimatise to the pink ball in match conditions in what was traditionally a one-day fixture before becoming a multi-day game in 2022-23 when West Indies were the opposition.Last season the game was reduced to a two-dayer against India but became a one-day contest due to rain. However, it still had a major bearing on the Test series with Sam Konstas flaying a century which played a significant part in him earning a call-up for the MCG.The PM’s XI match will be England’s only fixture outside of the five Tests once the Ashes begins. They will prepare for the series with a three-day game against England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth, although that is expected to consist more of centre-wicket practice scenarios rather than being a fully-fledged match. However, tickets for the opening day have already sold out.Unlike the two matches England Lions will play – against a CA XI and Australia A – that run concurrently with the first two Ashes Tests, the PM’s XI contest does not clash with the Sheffield Shield.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “An Ashes series is something every cricket fan looks forward to. Like many Australians I grew up admiring, and begrudging, the brilliance of players like Ian Botham, David Gower, and Graham Gooch.”I look forward to meeting with the selectors to finalise a PM’s XI squad that showcases the best available talent from across Australia to take on the strong English team.”

Club’s parent company “fully engaged in some detailed negotiations” after Delhi Capitals links

Matt Roller11-Jan-2024Hampshire have confirmed they are “fully engaged in some detailed negotiations” with prospective investors after the reported that GMR Group, the co-owners of Delhi Capitals, are in advanced talks with Rod Bransgrove about buying his share in the club’s parent company.Bransgrove, who saved Hampshire from insolvency in 2000, stood down as chair of the cricket club last year and has been succeeded by Nick Pike. But Bransgrove remains the chair of – and the majority shareholder in – Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd, the club’s parent company.Upon buying the club, Bransgrove turned Hampshire from a members’ club into a public limited company, which is valued at over £100 million but carries a debt of £61 million. In the biography by Ivo Tennant, Bransgrove said that he had turned down a substantial offer for the club in 2022 from “a very successful businessman”.The reported on Wednesday night that Bransgrove is “close to agreeing a deal” to sell his shares to GMR Group, who along with JSW Group run Delhi Capitals. GMR Group also own Dubai Capitals in the UAE’s ILT20 and are part-owners of Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket.”Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd has made no secret of the fact that it has been investigating a number of investment options for some time now and, in the course of these investigations, the Company has engaged with a number of parties under conditions of confidentiality,” a Hampshire spokesperson said.”Whilst it is true that the Company is fully engaged in some detailed negotiations regarding investment, the nature and content of any such investigations are subject to formal Non-Disclosure Agreements which the Company is bound to observe.”To date, we have concluded no formal binding agreements other than NDAs. We repeat, therefore, we can make no further comment about the status of our negotiations until such time as we have something to disclose.”Related

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The discussions coincide with other conversations about the prospect of private investment in English cricket and an ongoing ECB review into the future of the Hundred. “There’s significant money in the game now, particularly in the subcontinent,” Pike told ESPNcricinfo this week. “If we don’t recognise that, then we’re playing with our eyes and ears closed.”One proposal being discussed extensively around the Hundred involves the ECB transferring equity stakes in the eight teams to the clubs that play at their host venues. If that proposal is approved, Hampshire’s parent company would then take control of Southern Brave, who are based at the Ageas Bowl.Hampshire were previously linked with Rajasthan Royals as part of a commercial tie-in named ‘Royals2020′ which launched in 2010 but proved short-lived. They spent four seasons playing as Hampshire Royals in T20 cricket but dropped the name in 2013 and have since reverted to being Hampshire Hawks.Gordon Hollins, Somerset’s departing chief executive, outlined the background to support for private investment among several counties at a members’ forum late last year. “The big question that’s being asked around the [English] game is: in a world of flat income, high inflation and growing costs, how do we generate more investment in the game?” Hollins said.GMR Group were contacted for comment, while Bransgrove declined to comment.

Ellyse Perry made another half-century before the England spinner showed her value

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2022Sydney Sixers made it two from two early in their WBBL campaign after an all-round display led by Suzie Bates’ sizeable contribution with the bat, another half century for Ellyse Perry and a superb performance from Sophie Ecclestone.After Alyssa Healy fell in the fourth over, charging a slower ball from Darcie Brown having not found her rhythm, Bates and Perry added 131 for the second wicket in a stand that lasted until the penultimate ball of the innings.The pair never quite fully cut loose, but after Sixers ended the powerplay on 1 for 24 there was a steady build throughout the innings with the ninth over going for 15 and the 13th 16 runs. Bates had been 23 off 30 balls before latching onto Amanda-Jade Wellington’s second over.Perry’s 58 off 44 followed her 55 off 48 in the opening match against Brisbane Heat while Bates, against her former club, made her first major contribution with Sixers. Darcie Brown’s bowling stood with 1 for 20 from four overs including 14 dots. Ash Gardner faced just one ball and launched it for six.Deandra Dottin gave Adelaide Strikers a rapid start to the chase with 25 off 16 balls with three sixes before being well caught at mid-off against Ecclestone.Ecclestone then produced a direct hit from mid-on to run out the well-set Laura Wolvaardt and in her next over with the ball was rewarded for some nice flight when Tahlia McGrath drove to cover to swing the match decisively Sixers’ way.The asking rate continued to rise and the loss of Bridget Patterson and Mack in the space of three balls left far too much to do for the lower order.