All posts by n8rngtd.top

The popular former Australian opener was known as a courageous, obdurate player who was held in incredibly high regard by both teammates and opponents

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2024Former Australia batter Ian Redpath has died at the age of 83.Redpath, who became known as an obdurate opener, played 66 Tests and five ODIs in an international career that ran from 1964 to 1976.He came close to a century on Test debut against South Africa at the MCG when he was bowled by Joe Partridge for 97. “I hit an off-drive for four and there was another one I thought was in the same spot, and I licked my chops. Beautiful follow-through, it was,” he recalled to newspapers last year.It was not until February 1969, against West Indies at the SCG, that he made his maiden century with 132 in the second innings against an attack of Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Garry Sobers and Lance Gibbs.Seven more centuries would follow, with a career-best 171 against England at Perth in 1970, and he closed out his Test career with three in four innings against West Indies in 1975-76. On the first of that trio, at the MCG, wrote: “Although Redpath was at once subjected to plenty of short stuff, he ducked and weaved in his own effective way and went on to complete an important century for Australia and one which underlined the value which he has been to Australia over many years.”Despite clearly still being good enough, Redpath retired to work full-time for his antique business in Geelong. However, he would be lured back to the game a year later by an offer to play World Series Cricket where he featured for two seasons although missed most of the first one due to injury.In a piece for the last year, Gideon Haigh wrote: “As there’s precious little footage of Redpath, how to picture him? He was a hard man to dismiss: he knew where his off stump was; he played straight, with a short pick-up, mainly off the back foot; he was a swayer and a ducker of bouncers rather than a hooker in those pre-helmet days. On his Sunicrust cricket card, he was pictured playing a leg glance.”Early in his international career he had been the last Australian to play as an amateur when he turned down his match fee in 1963-64 in order to maintain his amateur Australia Rules Football career.He was vice-captain to both Ian and Greg Chappell, batting alongside the latter when he brought up a century on debut against England in 1970-71.”My first innings in Test cricket was, as you might expect, a trying experience, but proved to be one of the best cricket lessons of my career, thanks to Ian Redpath,” Greg Chappell later wrote, “…Fortunately we both succeeded and our partnership put us into a sound position, but from my point of view I had received an invaluable lesson in what Test match batting was all about from one of the most courageous batsmen ever to play for Australia.”Redpath retains the record of scoring the most runs off an over by Australian: in 1969-70 against Orange Free State he took 32 (four sixes and two fours) off Neil Rosendorff. However, his first six in international cricket did not come until his penultimate Test against West Indies.In 1975 Redpath was awarded an MBE and would go on to coach Victoria. In January 2023 he was indicted into the Cricket Australia Hall of Fame. In 2024, the Geelong Cricket Club renamed their scoreboard in honour of Redpath.”Ian was a much loved and revered figure and everyone in Australian cricket will be enormously saddened by his passing,” CA chair Mike Baird said. “As a fine opening batter, Ian was a mainstay of the national team through one of the great eras of Australian cricket and beloved by many throughout the world for his courage, impeccable sportsmanship and wry humour.”We were privileged to hear Ian speak of the wonderful experiences and relationships cricket had provided upon his induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2023 and this deep love of the game was manifest in his enormous contribution to cricket at first-class and community level.”The thoughts of everyone at Cricket Australia are with Ian’s family and many friends at this sad time.”Cricket Victoria chair Ross Hepburn echoed those sentiments.”This is enormously sad news as we farewell one of the greats of our game and a very proud Victorian in Ian Redpath,” Hepburn said. “On behalf of Cricket Victoria, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to Ian’s family, particularly to his four children and many friends and team mates from across a generation of cricket.”Ian’s talent on the field and leadership saw him contribute to one of the great eras of Australian cricket and he leaves behind a remarkable legacy to the game at national, state and local level.”‘Redders’, as we affectionately knew him, was a gifted storyteller with a wonderfully wry sense of humour. His friendship and presence will be missed by many in our cricket community.”

Motie and Shepherd picked up three wickets each to set up the game for West Indies; Hope and Carty then did the job with the bat

Himanshu Agrawal29-Jul-20231:23

Jaffer: Suryakumar will probably get one last chance in the third ODI

West Indies beat India in an ODI for the first time since December 2019, the six-wicket win in the second of three games their first after nine defeats in a row. The win helped West Indies level the series 1-1 after losing the first ODI on Thursday.After Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd got three wickets each and Alzarri Joseph picked up two to bowl India – they had rested Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – out for 181, captain Shai Hope and the inexperienced Keacy Carty took care of the chase, which was completed with more than 13 overs to spare.It was comfortable in the end for West Indies, but didn’t come without its share of hiccups – they slipped from 53 without loss in the ninth over to 91 for 4 after 17, Shardul Thakur the main reason for it. That must have raised India’s hopes, but Hope and Carty ensured smooth sailing after that. Hope scored 63 not out, and put up an unbroken stand of 91 with Carty (48 not out) for the fifth wicket.The pitch in Bridgetown offered grip and turn throughout the game, with the spinners’ economy rate across two innings being 3.89 as against the pace bowlers’ 5.20. However, before Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja tested West Indies’ middle order – Jadeja was fast and flat; Kuldeep was slow while getting more turn – it was Thakur who removed the top three batters in the space of 25 balls to open the game up.Once they got together, Hope and Carty were content to do it in singles after Kuldeep had cleaned Shimron Hetmyer up with one that was quicker and skidded through to hit off stump.1:40

Should Axar Patel have bowled more for India to defend 181?

Carty got to a patient 48 off 65 balls, opening up only after the job was almost done and smashing consecutive boundaries off Hardik Pandya to finish the game off. But the fact that West Indies had only 182 to chase was down to a collective bowling effort, along with a combination of a helpful pitch and refreshing athleticism from the fielders.India, asked to bat at the toss, suffered two collapses of their own. First, from a solid 90 for 0 to a dicey 113 for 5, and then from 146 for 5 to 181 all out. These came either side of a lengthy rain break. West Indies sensed an opportunity in the absence of Rohit and Kohli, and they pounced. It all started in the 17th over, when a full, tossed-up delivery from Motie had Shubman Gill lofting to long-off for 34, his highest score in seven international innings across formats since June.For a change, West Indies also put up an impressive fielding and catching display•AFP/Getty Images

That got West Indies going, and in the 18th over, Alick Athanaze dived to his right at point to send Ishan Kishan back for 55. It was Kishan’s second successive half-century in the series. Two overs later, Shepherd got one to rise sharply at Axar Patel, promoted to No. 4, and he was cramped for room with the ball angling in from around the wicket. Axar tried to drop his gloves, but still ended up tickling to the wicketkeeper.Jayden Seales then got his only wicket of the day when a shoulder-height bouncer to Hardik had him pulling straight to midwicket, before Yannic Cariah foxed the comeback man Sanju Samson with turn and bounce. Landing one on a good length around off stump, Cariah got the legbreak to jump as well as move considerably away from the batter, who edged it to slip.India were sliding, and then came heavy rain. When Suryakumar Yadav and Jadeja added 33 to signal a brief recovery after the stoppage, it seemed like the break had come as a blessing for them. But West Indies seized control again, picking up the last five wickets for just 35 runs.Shepherd pitched short at Jadeja, having him top edge a pull to fine leg in the 32nd over. Motie, getting turn and bounce, had Suryakumar slashing to point after an entertaining 24. Soon after came another moment of spectacular fielding from West Indies, when Carty rushed in and dived forward from deep square leg to send back Umran Malik in the 38th over.Motie wrapped the innings up when he got last man Mukesh Kumar in the 41st, finishing with 3 for 36. As a result, West Indies now have a shot at a first ODI bilateral series win against India since May 2006.

The Pakistan captain has had some time to reassess his career and he is looking forward to leading the team during the three Tests in the Caribbean in April

Umar Farooq18-Feb-20171:11

‘Enjoying the game again’ – Misbah-ul-Haq

Pakistan tour of WI 2017

1st T20I, March 31, Port of Spain
2nd T20I, April 2, Port of Spain
1st ODI, April 7, Providence
2nd ODI, April 9, Providence
3rd ODI, April 11, Providence
Tour game, April 15-17, Trelawny
1st Test, April 22-26, Kingston
2nd Test, April 30-May 4, Bridgetown
3rd Test, May 10-14, Roseau

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan Test captain, has said he is “most likely” to be on the tour to West Indies in March with the PCB open to his playing another series before taking a call on his retirement.Misbah has been under immense scrutiny having led the team to six successive defeats in Test cricket, although it was under him that Pakistan were ranked No. 1 in the format last year. A dip in his batting form and his being 42 years old added to the drama that reached its peak after the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne last year when Misbah admitted to being unsure about his future as a cricketer. He has since had time to reassess and is in a better frame of mind.”It was tough on me recently with my form but now overall everything is going well so far,” Misbah told ESPNcricinfo. “I am spending time in middle, hitting the ball pretty well. Played practice matches before the PSL started and had sessions of range hitting so getting confidence with every passing game.”I am also enjoying the game so it’s most likely that I am going to the West Indies. I always believed if had to go [and play cricket] then I have to go with form and confidence otherwise there was no point of going.”ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq are putting plans in place for a smooth transition by which Pakistan can move on from the senior players like Misbah and Younis Khan. Recent meetings between the board and the selection panel have indicated their preference for having one captain for all formats but Shaharyar Khan, who has the constitutional right as PCB chief to appoint the captain, is happy to leave the call with Misbah himself. “We will respect Misbah’s decision, whatever it is. But if he is willing to play then he is my captain.”Misbah has led Pakistan in more Tests than any other player, and the 24 wins in his tenure is a national record as well. However, in comparison with some of his peers – Imran Khan or Javed Miandad – he has also lost a lot more matches. Misbah’s contribution as batsman has been significant. Since he took charge of Pakistan in 2010, he averages 50.55 which is on par with the best in history.Head coach Mickey Arthur has been in talks with Misbah as well regarding his future. Both of them are currently in the UAE for the Pakistan Super League. “I am scheduled to have another chat with Misbah next week and we will see how that all transpires. The one thing that for certain is Misbah has been fantastic for Pakistan cricket. He has been a great leader and he has been a great servant and he deserves all the accolades that he will get eventually whether that is now or whenever he does go. So I can’t shed any more lights on that because I don’t know and I am not even sure that Misbah knows it himself.”

India captain Virat Kohli praised Yuzvendra Chahal as someone who “never says no” to bowling in any situation after the legspinner took 6 for 25 in India’s 75-run win over England at Bangalore

Deivarayan Muthu in Bangalore01-Feb-20172:05

‘We fought fire with fire’ – Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli has hailed the emergence of his side’s youngsters after they trampled England by 75 runs in the decider of the three-match series in Bangalore to add the T20 trophy to the Test and ODI series wins over the past three months.”We got the results we wanted,” Kohli said. “Obviously winning all three series feels really, really good right now because we’re up against a top-quality side. We understand that and to come on top after the end of all three series is a great feeling altogether knowing that we didn’t have that much experience in our teams.”The Test team is almost as good as new. Even in the one-day circuit, we have 3-4 experienced guys, but rest of the guys who stepped up are all youngsters, which is, I think, is a massive, massive boost for Indian cricket.”Kohli singled out wristspinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who led the hosts to a series win in Bangalore with figures of 6 for 25, an Indian record, for special praise. He was also pleased with the depth in the spin group, led by R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who were both rested for the T20 leg.”The key today was to take wickets in the middle overs,” Kohli said. “Chahal didn’t do such a bad job with that. I always back someone like Chahal. In the IPL too, I use him in most of the matches. He never says no to bowling with the new ball or bowling in the middle overs, so I mean having a guy like this is great. He doesn’t say no to any situation.”It was Amit Mishra who set the stage for Chahal by removing Jason Roy with a loopy legbreak in the seventh over before finishing with 1 for 23. Mishra’s last over in the 13th, which cost India just three runs, preceded Chahal’s third over in which the latter took down England’s big guns – Joe Root and captain Eoin Morgan. Kohli said that the wicket-taking ability of Chahal and Mishra would allow the management to rest Ashwin and Jadeja “whenever” they want.”See guys like Chahal and Mishy, who has done well for us in limited-overs and in Tests also,” Kohli said. “Jayant [Yadav] too came in beautifully and did very well for us in the Tests. It gives us an opportunity to rest Ashwin and Jadeja whenever we want. There is no harm in using them as Test specialists and keeping them fresh. Guys like Chahal and Mishra and even [Parvez] Rasool are bowling so well. So we have a lot of spinners who are not only run-containing bowlers but also wicket-taking bowlers.”Chahal and Mishra both have an attacking mindset. All I tell them is go for the wickets, even if you get hit for a six, no big deal. Having them as the next line of spinners is a great thing for us.”Suresh Raina, arriving in the second over of the match after Kohli was run-out for 2, showed that attacking mindset with the bat to lay the groundwork for India’s score of 202 for 6. He set off with a flair-dripping inside-out six over the cover-point boundary and often flitted around the crease to throw the bowlers off their lengths, a departure from India’s recent safety-first approach with the bat in T20s.”The way we batted was again a revelation,” Kohli said. “Even after me getting out initially, Raina and KL [Rahul] didn’t stop their instincts, which is needed in T20 cricket. To reveal themselves, to find their characters, players need to play that way. They don’t need to think about what has happened. They need to keep thinking and looking ahead. That’s exactly what we did this game.”Kohli also credited MS Dhoni and senior seamer Ashish Nehra for offering their inputs during various stages of the limited-overs series.”I take a lot of advice from MS and am always speaking a lot to Ashish Nehra too,” Kohli said. “In the ODI series, I was talking to MS a lot. Although I have captained in the Test format for a while, ODI and T20 games move very fast. So to take advice from a person who has captained the side at this level for so long and understands the game really well is never a bad idea in crucial situations.”Kohli revealed that he was looking to squeeze an over from allrounder Hardik Pandya and widen the equation further after exhausting Chahal’s quota, but instead turned to a strike bowler in Jasprit Bumrah after discussing with Dhoni and Nehra. Bumrah responded by sewing up the game and the series with two wickets in three balls.”Bringing on Bumrah right after that over from Chahal, I was thinking of giving [Hardik] Pandya another over instead,” Kohli said. “[Dhoni and Nehra] suggested that let’s not wait till the 19th over and instead bring on the main bowlers. So these things really help when you are a new captain in the limited-overs format. But again, I am not new to captaincy, but there has to be a balance between understanding the skills needed to lead in shorter formats. MS has been helping a lot on that front.”

Australia’s No. 3 was happy to acknowledge Broad won the early round

Andrew McGlashan26-Jun-2023Marnus Labuschagne believes the slowness of the Edgbaston pitch played a part in him being drawn into twice edging Stuart Broad during the first Ashes Test but while he is looking at some technical adjustments it isn’t something he will dwell on for long.Labuschagne nicked deliveries outside off stump in both innings – the first against the outswinger Broad said he developed especially for him and Steven Smith – with Australia’s batting coach Michael Di Venuto saying he had never seen that happen before.Labuschagne netted extensively at Lord’s over the weekend in preparation for the second Test which starts on Wednesday, at the venue where his Test career took off in 2019, with the Sunday session watched by Ricky Ponting, the pair sharing the occasional word.Related

• Cummins and Australia will stay true to their approach

• Root snatches World No. 1 status from Labuschagne in Test batting rankings

• 'An appetising thought' – Australia's warning after Labuschagne and Smith's lean Test

• 'Hopefully he is back on track' – Labuschagne works to overcome technical glitch

• The permanence of Nathan Lyon: a special century beckons at Lord's

While he did not want to divulge everything he had learnt from his twin dismissals, Labuschagne put some of it down to the conditions although did suggest Broad may have out-thought him in the first innings.”When you get out first ball you just throw it in the bag. Potentially I thought that they were going to come straight and then he got a nice ball that swung in the right area,” he said. “With a lack of bounce at Edgbaston, it sucks you in to thinking you can hit the ball a bit more and I just made a few poor decisions [against balls] that were really wide. They’d be eighth or ninth stump, some of those deliveries.”They were very uncharacteristic dismissals to how I’ve usually played, that’s why I was pretty frustrated with myself to get out that way and asked myself the question, ‘why did I play at those deliveries?’.”I’ve come up with my own summation of what that is. Now it’s if there’s anything I can do tactically or technically to make sure it doesn’t happen again. It’s a rarity that I’d play at those balls so it’s not something I’m going to overthink, but I hold myself to a much higher standard than those dismissals.”Labuschagne was happy to acknowledge the skill of Broad for having the better of him in the first Test. The only previous occasion he had been dismissed by him was the bizarre occasion when he walked across his stumps in Hobart and ended up flat in the crease.”He’s 2 and 0 now so he’s done his homework,” Labuschagne said. “That first [and only] ball I got in the first innings was a very nice ball. I haven’t faced Stuart Broad where he’s really been able to swing it away. He usually angles in, and that one definitely swung.”First ball, most of the time you just play and miss at that then you go ‘okay’, you can make the adjustments out there. I said this about [R] Ashwin, guys who take the time to do the homework, understand the game, and work out how they’re going to get certain guys out, I’ve got so much respect for them so if they’re putting the time and effort in and it pays off, that’s a credit to them.”On the flip side, Labuschagne was confident that he has the body of work to show he can respond to the challenge, which his batting coach Neil D’Costa had earlier told ESPNcricinfo was part of the “arm wrestle” that everyone enjoyed watching in Test cricket.”I’ve tried to make my game as adaptable as possible, so I don’t have one way of batting,” he said. “Some people play their whole career and bat one certain way and have one method that works… I’m always working on my game and working on my technique to think of ways I can score runs.”

He had only recently begun training at full intensity following back-to-back hamstring injuries. To come good on the back of that was very satisfying for the New Zealand opener

Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton01-Mar-2017″Decent stick I’ve got, I’ll put that one on ice until next time,” Martin Guptill said about the bat that helped him pile up his series-levelling unbeaten 180 against South Africa.It was a performance he rated as probably his best ODI innings, which would put it ahead of his 237 in the World Cup quarter-final against West Indies, because it came off the back of a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. That was a sentiment supported by his captain Kane Williamson who termed it a “world-class” innings.Guptill had only begun netting a week ago, and the session the day before the fourth ODI was the highest intensity he had trained at since injuring his hamstring before the one-off T20I against South Africa, which followed a previous hamstring strain during the home Chappell-Hadlee series. In all, Guptill has only batted three times in 2017, twice for New Zealand and once for Auckland: his scores 112, 61 and 180 not out.He had spoken before this match of hoping that he could regain the rhythm he had earlier in the season. The outcome was a magnificent display of clean hitting which included 11 sixes and left him with New Zealand’s three highest scores in 50-over cricket.”It’s pretty up there, possibly No.1. I’m reasonably happy with how today went without a lot of preparation,” he said. “It was difficult to bat all round, two-paced, turning, slower balls gripping, it wasn’t easy, and I wanted to create a good partnership. I did that reasonably well and fortunately I was able to get a few out of the middle.”He had immediately jumped in an ice bath after the match and said his hamstrings were “a bit tight” but nothing that wasn’t to be expected.The two camps differed somewhat on how the conditions panned out with AB de Villiers believing the surface eased, starting at the back end of South Africa’s innings when they scored 100 off the last eight overs, but Williamson supported Guptill’s view that it remained a tricky pitch throughout.”I said to Martin when he came off, that’s probably his best, and he’s done it a few times to be fair so there are a few tight comparisons,” Williamson said. “In a chasing effort on what wasn’t an easy surface and to hit the ball the way he did and play with the freedom we know he can and do something special against the best team in the world was a special, world-class effort.”In a chase of 280, Guptill inside-edged his first ball from Kagiso Rabada past the stumps, played out a maiden from Wayne Parnell in the second over and was 2 off 10 balls when he connected with a stinging pull shot off the left-arm quick for the first of his sixes. The splits for his fifties were 38 balls, 44 and 41 with his last 30 runs taking 15 deliveries.”I wanted to give myself a chance really, have a look at what it was doing,” he said. “I got a few away and developed a strike rate early at the top and carried it through.”Guptill’s innings continued an upturn in his fortunes against South Africa. In the previous one-day series between the teams, Guptill scored his first hundred against them in the second match in Potchefstroom having had a previous best of 58 from 12 innings at an average of 14.50. In the space of three innings, the average against South Africa has lifted to 35.92.”I’ve always rated him as a player, he’s had to work through a few things,” de Villiers said. “I was always hoping this day would never come, where he’s figured out his game, playing it nice and late and he’s moving well. I could sit here for quite some time and talk about that knock. It was a very special innings.”

Match referee Chris Broad noted how the fifth ball of the match threw up a puff of dust and kept deteriorating further

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-20233:27

Chopra: If every Test lasts only two-and-a-half days, there is a problem

The pitch at Indore used for third Test between India and Australia has been rated “poor” by the ICC with Holkar Stadium handed three demerit points.The Test ended midway through the first session of the third day with Australia winning by nine wickets in a game dominated by the spinners.”The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball, favouring spinners from the start,” ICC match referee Chris Broad said.”The fifth ball of the match broke through the pitch surface and continued to occasionally break the surface providing little or no seam movement and there was excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match.”

The ICC rates a pitch as poor if any of the following criteria apply

The pitch offers excessive seam movement at any stage of the match

The pitch displays excessive unevenness of bounce for any bowler at any stage of the match

The pitch offers excessive assistance to spin bowlers, especially early in the match

The pitch displays little or no seam movement or turn at any stage in the match together with no significant bounce or carry, thereby depriving the bowlers of a fair contest between bat and ball

The pitch displays excessive moisture making its playing characteristics unpredictable, or excessive dryness leading to the surface to deteriorate.

BCCI now have 14 days if they wish to appeal against the sanction. A venue will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months if it accumulates five or more demerit points over a five-year rolling period.Indore was given short notice about hosting the third match of the Border-Gavaskar series. Originally it was supposed to take place in Dharamsala, but the outfield is not yet up to par after it was relaid. The BCCI announced the shifting of the venue on February 13, about two weeks before the scheduled start of the game on March 1.India prefer playing their home Tests in conditions that take turn right from day one. That certainly was the case at Holkar stadium when the home team having won the toss and opting to bat slipped to 84 for 7 in just the first session. At the lunch interval, India coach Rahul Dravid was seen inspecting the pitch with the curator in tow.The captain, though, though minced no words when talking about the 22 yards. “Honestly speaking, these are the kind of pitches we want to play on,” Rohit Sharma said. “This is our strength, so when you’re playing at your home, you always play to your strength, not worry about what people outside are talking about.”Steven Smith observes the Indore pitch ahead of the Test match•Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Australia’s stand-in captain Steven Smith didn’t mind the conditions either. “I personally really enjoy playing on these kind of wickets,” he said. “I prefer this than just a genuine flat wicket that goes five days and can be boring in stages. There’s always something happening on these wickets. You’ve got to really work hard for your runs. But it’s showed that the guys can do it. Guys can do it, you’ve got to work hard for them and you need some luck. With this one, whether it might have been a little bit too extreme, potentially from the first ball. I’m not really entirely sure, but it was still another enjoyable.”But in terms of a balance between bat and ball, the uneven degree of both turn and bounce led to only two scores of fifty or more in the entire Test match. India’s total of 109 was their sixth-lowest in a first innings at home. Australia, in their first innings, suffered a collapse of 6 for 11. Spin was responsible for all but five of the 31 wickets that fell and there were, in total, 16 single-digit scores by the time the game ended on the third morning.The last time a pitch in India was rated poor was in 2017, the Pune Test where Australia beat India on a similarly spiteful turner. Broad was the one who handed out that sanction as well.Nagpur and Delhi, the venues for the first two Tests of this tour in 2023, produced surfaces which were rated “average” by match referee Andy Pycroft.

David Warner said he enjoyed his international captaincy debut, in the 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka, but hopes he can regain his batting form soon

Brydon Coverdale30-Aug-2016Captain David Warner and incoming batsman Usman Khawaja will both be searching for a turnaround in their personal fortunes even as Australia aim to seal the ODI series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on Wednesday. Australia enter the fourth match of the five-game series with a 2-1 lead and a win, though far from making up for their humiliation in the Test series, would at least allow them to lift some sort of trophy on this trip.Khawaja will come into the XI for the first time in this series, after Shaun Marsh was ruled out of the remainder of the tour having broken a finger while fielding during Australia’s win on Sunday. The recall provides an opportunity for Khawaja to regain some pride after he was axed for the final Test of the Sri Lanka series, following scores of 26, 18, 11 and 0 in the first two Tests.”It was a difficult time for everyone, not just Usman himself,” Warner told reporters in Dambulla on Tuesday. “We all have to have a bit of a reality check sometimes in regards to the way we play our game. It’s such a tough environment to be over here. Unfortunately he did get dropped from the Test series. He took that very, very well. He’s been training his backside off in the nets.”He’s been doing everything he can to put his hand up for selection. He accepts that he didn’t have the runs on the board and he’s been doing everything he can to get back in the team. I’m really looking forward to seeing him come out and play the way he does. He scored a lovely 90 in the Caribbean and he played fantastic there, I’m hoping he can come out here and do the same thing tomorrow.”Khawaja is expected to be Australia’s third No. 3 this series, after captain Steven Smith filled the role for the first two games but then flew home for a break and was replaced by Marsh. Warner and Aaron Finch have been the opening combination all series but Warner is yet to make a contribution with the bat, with scores of 8, 1 and 10 in the first three games.”If you can find the answer, I’ll take it,” Warner said when asked how he could turn his form around. “That’s just what happens with cricket. Sometimes you’re in form, sometimes you’re not. I feel like I’m hitting the ball well. I’ve had some good dismissals, I’ve had a couple of poor shots here and there.”But that’s the challenge you face over here in these conditions. You always have to back your game plan and back your skills. Every time I’ve gone out there, I’ve done that. Unfortunately I haven’t got the runs on the board that are necessary. I’ll be aiming to come out here and play my role as I normally do, try and have that intent from ball one.”Despite his own lack of runs, Warner captained Australia effectively on Sunday in his first match in charge, juggling his bowlers well and showing an attacking mindset in the field. He said one of the challenges was to keep on top of the over rate given Australia’s reliance on fast bowlers, but that he had loved the experience of leading his country.”I loved every minute of it,” Warner said. “I feel that the guys have taken it on board very, very well. You always have the respect from your peers, which is always fantastic. And I felt that the guys did everything I asked of them in the last game, and everything I’ve asked of them at training. They’ve done everything I’ve asked for, and I couldn’t be any more pleased.”The fourth ODI will be played on the same Dambulla surface as Sunday’s match, meaning it could be slow and dry right from the outset. Offspinner Nathan Lyon is likely to come under strong consideration after being left out of the previous game.

Rumman Raees’ three-for restricted Karachi Kings to 168 despite half-centuries from Babar Azam and Liam Livingstone

The Report by Danyal Rasool27-Feb-2019How the game played outWhen Islamabad United are set a target, it is almost impossible to subdue them. On multiple occasions during the game, Karachi Kings seemed to have secured an unassailable advantage, but United dragged the contest wide open each time. A 38-ball 70 from Asif Ali led the way as he and Philip Salt helped the side recover from a poor start chasing 169, and by the time their 93-run partnership ended, United were firm favourites.Kings had begun the game outstandingly despite the early failure of Colin Munro. The young Muhammad Musa missed his lines again, bowling down the leg side as Kings made hay, while Faheem Ashraf and Samit Patel were both taken to the cleaners by Babar Azam as he looked in exceptionally good touch during the Powerplay. Babar was to remain at the crease till the 19th over, but couldn’t keep up that brilliance; the shots that initially found the gaps were later to find fielders more often.When United pulled Kings back – they managed just 78 off their last 11 overs – they had a steep but gettable target in front of them. United haven’t yet lost a match while chasing this season, but they appeared in deep trouble when – just like Tuesday – they lost their first three wickets, including that of Luke Ronchi, cheaply. However, Asif and Salt were there to whittle down the runs this time. To top it all, it came down to captain against captain in the final over. The younger man was to claim victory when Shadab Khan lofted Imad Wasim over long-on for a six and pushed the men in blue one step closer to an early exit.Asif Ali racked up a 21-ball half-century•Mzansi Super League

Turning pointWhereas Kings were at one stage destined for a score close to 200, United’s bowlers forced their way back into the contest. Much of the damage had been limited to the first nine overs, in which 90 were scored, but it was the final three that sealed Kings’ fate. Rumman Raees, Faheem Ashraf and Amad Butt allowed just 17 in the last three overs as all the early momentum seeped out of the batting side.Star of the dayAsif rose to national prominence through his exploits with United last season, and he continues to serve the franchise exceptionally well. While much of the time his role has been limited to crucial cameos, Asif showed that the fireworks over a longer period of time are not out of his skill range. United were 47 for three when Asif came to the crease, still needing 122 in 13 overs. A magnificent partnership with Salt in which he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck saw the defending champions turn the tables on Kings, thwacking five fours and half a dozen sixes during his blazing innings. Four maximums in two successive overs off Usman Shinwari and Colin Munro saw the asking rate plunge from over 11 to under seven, with Kings’ formidable bowling attack looking powerless in the face of the assault.The big missAsif was on 13 with over 100 required when Aamir Yamin bowled a slower one to the right-hander. He skied it – that word is almost a literal description of how high the ball went – with substitute fielder Mohammad Rizwan having ample time to get under the ball. But when the ball eventually made its way back, it popped right out of Rizwan’s hands. Asif made sure Kings regretted it.Where the teams standUnited’s second win against Kings in five days took them to the top of the points table with four wins from seven games. Kings, meanwhile, continue to languish at the bottom with two positive results in six matches.

Only three West Indies batters passed 30 as the hosts lost the first ODI by 142 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2022England 307 for 7 (Sciver 90, Wyatt 68, Henry 3-59) beat West Indies 165 (Knight 39, Dean 4-35) by 142 runsBrisk half-centuries from Nat Sciver and Danni Wyatt, and a four-for from offspinner Charlie Dean, powered England to a 142-run win and a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against West Indies. England posted 307 for 7 after being put in to bat and bundled out the hosts for just 165 in 40.3 overs as Dean took her fourth four-for in just her 20th ODI.England scored at run a ball in the initial overs but slowed down after Alice Capsey was caught behind for 17 and Sophia Dunkley fell for 8 to Chinelle Henry. Sciver kept the innings on track with partnerships of 42 with Tammy Beaumont, 46 with Heather Knight, and 103 off just 95 balls with Wyatt to propel England to a huge score.

WI fined for slow over rate

• West Indies have been fined 40% of their match fee for slow over rate during their first ODI against England in Antigua on Sunday. Match referee Denavon Hayles imposed the sanction after ruling that West Indies were two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. According to Article 2.22 of the ICC code of conduct, players are fined 20% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
  West Indies captain Hayley Matthews pled guilty to the offence and accepted the sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
  On-field umpires Jacqueline Williams and Leslie Reifer, and third umpire Nigel Duguid leveled the charge.

Beaumont was the enforcer during the third-wicket stand with three fours, while Sciver relied on ones and twos initially before hitting three boundaries in five balls to push the run rate towards 5.50 again. Medium-pace bowler Aaliyah Alleyne then had Knight caught behind for 16 before Wyatt and Sciver started hitting boundaries regularly from the 33rd over.Sciver fell 10 short of a hundred when Henry came back and had her caught in the 40th over, but Wyatt followed that with two sixes off offspinner Sheneta Grimmond in the next over before she also fell to Henry for a 60-ball 68.Amy Jones, who hit Henry for three fours in the 46th over, and Sophie Ecclestone put on a quick 45-run stand off 41 balls to take England past 300.West Indies were dented early in their chase when Kate Cross broke the opening stand in the third over and Hayley Matthews retired hurt with the score on 21. The 63-run stand between Kycia Knight and Rashada Williams was the only substantial partnership for the hosts and it ended when Williams was run-out by Sciver for 34 in the 20th over. Dean then triggered West Indies’ slide by dismissing Shemaine Campbelle for a duck, and Kycia Knight fell to her namesake for 39 just past the hallway mark. Matthews returned to bat when they were 105 for 4 and struck a quick 34 off 32 with five fours before falling lbw to Lauren Bell. Dean took three of the last five wickets to wipe out the West Indies tail.”Both facets of the game [batting and bowling], we didn’t do what we wanted on a decent pitch and England was able to capitalise on it,” Matthews told CWI Media after the loss. “We’re going back to the drawing board and see what we can improve on in the next game. Our powerplay was pretty good but we let a little too many runs go by in the middle overs. It was good to see the partnership between Kycia and Rashada and I hope we can get a few more of those.”There was a moment of concern in the field for England when Capsey injured her left shoulder. She was taken to hospital for scans.The next game is also at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua on December 6.