All posts by csb10.top

Glamorgan overcome Northants to secure another three-day win

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Glamorgan wrapped up a second consecutive three-day win to propel themselves up the table after an all-round performance to blow away Northamptonshire by eight wickets at Sophia Gardens.Northants had a respectable day from a troubling 49 for 3 to make Glamorgan bat again in the evening session, preventing the innings result. Saif Zaib’s 71 along with gritty knocks of 66 and 56 from Lewis McManus and Luke Procter respectively weren’t enough to pile on pressure into a final day.Set just 66 to win thanks to shared wickets, with Asitha Fernando the best of the bunch with twin three-fors, Glamorgan eased to victory despite an early wobble at 6 for 2. Sam Northeast and Asa Tribe negotiated the Ben Sanderson charge with the ball to see the hosts home.Northants entered day three in an unlikely position after Andy Gorvin dismissed George Bartlett controversially and nightwatcher Calvin Harrison in the penultimate over on day two. The goal for the visitors had been to bat as long as possible from 190 behind.Procter continued to impress with the bat, leading from the front. His stubborn effort to support James Sales’ stroke-playing was not too dissimilar to Sam Northeast and his array of partners on day two for their half-century partnership kept Glamorgan bowlers at bay.The hosts eventually struck, Sales with a false shot to edge behind, a common theme in this match as the former England youth international still has to wait for a second half-century for the season despite six matches played.Rob Keogh was next to go before lunch, also one of the Northants batting contingent with worrying form at the start of this season. Zaib’s season of ups and downs consists of two ducks and two hundreds but he found some middle ground,making the most of an aging ball together with Procter and then Lewis McManus for a couple of milestone partnerships.McManus also found a way to play himself into form after an inconsistent start to 2025. Making most of his time at the crease, the keeper-batter spent the majority of his innings scoring at a strike-rate under 30 in a slow-scoring day while Glamorgan looked to wrap up the final wickets.A few attacking shots from McManus did get brought out when persisting with the tail-end against plenty of loose bowling and a short-ball ploy to the majority by the expensive three-wicket-taking James Harris, playing a key part in making Glamorgan bat again as the visitors passed 300, making for a respectable day.With 20 overs to secure the win with a day off, the Glamorgan batters stumbled their way to victory in a bizarre day of events which saw the visitors have the best of the day’s play. Nonetheless, the Glamorgan win breaks the run of draws between these two sides in the last three meetings.

KKR spinners stifle Royals before Quinton de Kock gets the job done

by csb10.top Uncategorized

No Sunil Narine, no problem for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). KKR’s new recruit Moeen Ali, who took the unwell Narine’s place, dovetailed beautifully with old face Varun Chakravarthy on a dry, sluggish Guwahati surface to limit Rajasthan Royals (RR) to 151 for 9. The two spinners were so good – they claimed combined figures of 8-0-40-4 – that KKR didn’t even need Andre Russell with the ball.Then another new recruit, Quinton de Kock, came good at the top, and KKR didn’t need Russell with the bat either. De Kock’s unbeaten 97 off 61 balls got KKR on the points table and handed RR their second successive defeat this season.

Parag’s unhappy homecoming

Sanju Samson fell for 13 off 11 balls when he stepped out a bit too early and yorked himself against Vaibhav Arora, but Guwahati’s very own Riyan Parag, who was captaining RR, brought the crowd alive when he crashed the third ball he faced, from Harshit Rana, for a one-handed six. His next six, a lofted checked-drive off Arora over his head in the last over of the powerplay, was even better.Parag even launched Varun for a six over midwicket when the mystery spinner erred too short. However, Varun remedied his length two balls later, having Parag sky a catch to de Kock, the keeper, with a 113kph dart that veered away from the batter.Parag also did his bit in the field later in the evening, coming away with 4-0-25-0 and running Moeen out, but his homecoming wasn’t a happy one.1:20

What went wrong for Theekshana and Hasaranga?

Varun, Moeen mess with RR’s plans

Moeen might not even played had Narine been available. After having received his maiden KKR cap from team mentor Dwayne Bravo, Moeen struck in his second over when he had an advancing Yashasvi Jaiswal holing out to long-on for 29 off 24 balls. It was only Jaiswal’s second dismissal against spin in the IPL since 2023 across 197 balls while scoring 289 runs.RR tried to use Wanindu Hasaranga the way they had R Ashwin in the past. They promoted Hasaranga up to No. 5 as a pinch-blocker or pinch-hitter, but the experiment didn’t work. He faced just one ball from Moeen, the offspinner, and ended up miscuing Varun to mid-off for a run-a-ball 4.The slide triggered by the spinners – RR went from 67 for 1 to 82 for 5 – messed with the hosts’ plans. Shubham Dubey, who wasn’t originally in RR’s bat-first XI, had to be brought in at No. 7, which denied them the option of bringing in a frontline bowler in the form of Kumar Kartikeya or Akash Madhwal during the chase.Varun and Moeen conceded just a six and a four between them. In contrast, RR’s spinners, including part-timers Parag and Nitish Rana, leaked 11 boundaries between them.That RR crossed 150 was down to late blows from Dhruv Jurel, who top-scored for them with 33 off 28 balls, and Jofra Archer.1:08

Rayudu: De Kock’s ‘batsmanship’ made the difference

De Kock finishes the job for KKR

Moeen was going nowhere with the bat in the chase. He was on five off 11 balls, having been discomfited by Archer’s high pace and bounce. Then, when he tried to steal a double off Parag, he had a mix-up with de Kock and was run out for five off 12.This might have been a match-losing innings on another day, but on this one, Moeen’s own effort with the ball and de Kock’s big hits at the other end meant KKR could offset it. The dew that set in later in the evening made KKR’s job that much easier.De Kock had attacked the hard, new ball, claiming 34 of the 40 runs KKR scored in the powerplay. After bashing Archer for a brace of boundaries in the third over, he went after Maheesh Theekshana and Parag.When Hasaranga, who was picked in place of Fazalhaq Farooqi, removed Ajinkya Rahane for 18 off 15 balls, RR might have felt that they had an opening. But de Kock and 20-year-old Angkrish Raghuvanshi slammed the doors shut on them with an unbroken 83-run partnership off 44 balls.De Kock brought up his half-century off 36 balls when he hoicked Hasaranga for six over wide long-on. He then celebrated the landmark with a six of Parag in the following over. De Kock might have off a century had KKR had more runs to chase.RR’s 151 for 9, the lowest total this season, stuck out like a sore thumb amid the big hitting from various other teams in this IPL.

KKR look to make most of spin advantage against resurgent LSG

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Big picture – Pooran vs KKR’s spinners

Only Rishabh Pant and Ravi Bishnoi are yet to hit their stride, but otherwise, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are steadily assembling a winning formula in IPL 2025. Mitchell Marsh has notched up three fifties in four games, while Nicholas Pooran is the top run-getter of the season. When Pooran faltered against Mumbai Indians (MI) last Friday, Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, and David Miller stepped up. The Indian seamers have been impressive, and Digvesh Rathi is already a contender for the tournament’s emerging player.LSG are at the right juncture to take off but their ability to handle spin, especially under the hot afternoon sun at Eden Gardens, could define the outcome against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Since IPL 2024, Markram has fallen to spin five times in 12 innings; Marsh’s strike-rate plummets from 194 to 139 against spin and Pant averages just 15.4 against legspin.Pooran is the exception. He has crossed 200 runs this season and has the best strike-rate (209) against spin since IPL 2024. But even he has struggled against Sunil Narine. That said, if Pooran and Miller can launch against KKR’s spin attack, it could swing the game.Related

  • 'Welcome, Mufasa' – No-nonsense Bumrah returns with typically no-nonsense Bumrah spell

  • Pooran on his six-hitting: 'Never worked on my bat speed, I'm just blessed with incredible talent'

  • Langer: Mayank is 'up and running' at '90-95%'

  • Rishabh Pant has started IPL 2025 poorly, but it's too early to judge

KKR, too, seem to be clicking into gear, especially after their impressive showing against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh adapted well on a sticky pitch, which might be a recurring feature at Eden Gardens this season. Ajinkya Rahane and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi have offered consistency, but they’d want better starts from their openers and more time in the middle for Andre Russell.Off the pitch, the clash also carries a unique flavour for Kolkata’s football faithful. The last few seasons have witnessed plenty of Mohun Bagan fans from Kolkata shift allegiances to LSG for one day; the two teams are owned by the same group headquartered in the city.

Form guide

Kolkata Knight Riders WLW
Lucknow Super Giants WLW

Team news and likely XII

Kolkata Knight RidersQuinton de Kock smashed a 97* against Rajasthan Royals but he’s scored in single digits in the other three games. It remains to be seen whether KKR would consider Rahmanullah Gurbaz in place of him. Even though Moeen Ali did not bowl against SRH, he could retain his spot in place of Spencer Johnson, based on pitch conditions.Likely XII (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Moeen Ali, 10 Harshit Rana, 11 Vaibhav Arora, 12 Varun Chakravarthy2:23

Rayudu: KKR could look to open with Moeen and give Narine a break

Lucknow Super GiantsMayank Yadav, who is bowling at “90-95% fitness” at the Centre for Excellence, is not yet available. They can use Markram as a third-spinner, but otherwise, left-arm spinners M Siddharth and Shahbaz Ahmed – who is also an allrounder – could be tempting options.Likely XII (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Abdul Samad/Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Akash Deep, 11 Digvesh Rathi, 12 Ravi Bishnoi

The big question

Andre Russell has faced only 16 balls all season and scored ten runs. Given KKR’s batting-heavy line-up, Russell has been batting down the order and is expected to start hitting as soon as he walks in. Even though he has hit his strides with the ball, are KKR underutilising one of their most expensive retentions by not giving him enough batting opportunities?

In the spotlight: Ravi Bishnoi and Vaibhav Arora

Ravi Bishnoi’s effectiveness has dropped since IPL 2024. This season, it has worsened. He has the poorest economy of all spinners in IPL 2025 with only three wickets in four outings. Rathi is outshining him, and despite being one of three retained LSG players before the mega auction, Bishnoi could lose his place in the XII if his season does not turn around. The surface on Tuesday, though, could suit him.Vaibhav Arora has been in sensational form this season•BCCI

Vaibhav Arora was called KKR’s powerplay specialist by Venkatesh after their win last game. Left-handed batters average only 9.60 against him, but against right-hand batters, like the openers he will encounter on Tuesday, he has been less effective. They score at a strike rate of 152.63 and average nearly 38 against Arora. Will he be able to turn it around?

Pitch and conditions

It was a sticky surface with patches lacking grass last time. Expect the same for the LSG fixture. Dew should not be a factor in the second innings although temperatures are expected to be around 33 degrees during start time, which could dictate the toss decision.

Stats and trivia

  • Only two times has a captain opted to bat at the toss this season. Both were in day games
  • Since IPL 2023, the team batting first has won eight of the 17 games at Eden Gardens. The average first innings score has been 191 while the lowest total defended is 176 (excluding shortened games)
  • In 19 balls across five innings, Russell has hit Thakur for 54 runs at a strike-rate of 284
  • Pooran has scored only 25 runs in 33 balls against Narine in the IPL

Klaasen boost for hamstrung South Africa in virtual semi-final against Pakistan

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Big Picture: The knockout before the knockout

The original Champions Trophy started as a knockout tournament so, as we build up to this year’s edition, here’s a bit of a throwback: Wednesday’s match between Pakistan and South Africa in the mini tri-series is a winner-takes-all affair, with New Zealand already through to Saturday’s final. It won’t be quite so do-or-die in the Champions Trophy, but groups of four mean that teams can only really afford one slip up from the outset, which makes this match excellent practice for both these sides.On recent form, Pakistan have the upper hand over South Africa, who they clean swept 3-0 in December on South African soil for the first time. The result must be caveated, with the disclaimer that South Africa were understrength, though Pakistan won’t (and shouldn’t) care about that.Related

  • 'Funny how the world works' – Life comes full circle for Wanderers' own Devon Conway

  • Phillips 72-ball hundred flips the script as New Zealand beat Pakistan

  • Breetzke bats his way from scratchy to sublime in ODI debut to remember

What they will be interested in is that South Africa are still hamstrung. They are without half of their Champions Trophy squad with Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada only due to arrive in Pakistan on the weekend.To make full use of any advantage, Pakistan’s batting will have to perform better, after they were dismissed for 252 by New Zealand on Saturday and lost nine wickets for 149 after getting off to a decent start. Their middle order will be under pressure but no more than South Africa’s bowling attack, which wasn’t unable to defend 304 and lacked bite in their tri-series opener. They have been reinforced by the pace of Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka but will need to combine that with discipline to challenge for a place in the final.What’s at stake is more than just the trophy: the opportunity to have one more competitive match before the Champions Trophy starts, and for Pakistan, to have a dress rehearsal for the tournament opener. They play New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi so being able to face them five days earlier at the same venue will be an added bonus. South Africa also stay in Karachi for their first match against Afghanistan but before they think of that, they’ll want to break a losing streak that has lasted five matches.

Form guide: SA’s unwanted streak

Pakistan: LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa: LLLLLFakhar Zaman hit a quick fifty in the opening ODI of the tri-series•Associated Press

In the spotlight: Fakhar Zaman and Tabraiz Shamsi

After 15 months on the sidelines, Fakhar Zaman made his comeback with 84 off 69 balls and showed both the power and the pace to help Pakistan chase a big score. They didn’t get there, but the early signs from Fakhar are good. He was especially confident in taking on the short ball from Will O’Rourke in Lahore and was aggressive against New Zealand’s spinners. Bear in mind that Fakhar averaged 50.82 and scored four hundreds when he last played in 2023 and it seems like he has picked up where he left off. In Saim Ayub’s injury-enforced absence, Pakistan seemed to have found the perfect replacement. Now, it’s for Fakhar to show consistency.Tabraiz Shamsi has bowled 15 overs in four matches (across formats) and it’s been 15 overs since he last took a wicket. He had a quiet SA20 for Jo’burg Super Kings, but the time is coming for Shamsi to step up, especially as South Africa have gone into the Champions Trophy with just two specialist spinners despite at least two others being in good form. Bjorn Fortuin and George Linde had good SA20s and though they are usually sidelined because they can’t get past Keshav Maharaj, with a lot of white-ball cricket in the subcontinent in the next year, South Africa might be considering their options. Since Imran Tahir’s retirement in 2019, Shamsi has been South Africa’s premier attacking spinner and there’s no better time to show it than now.Haris Rauf walked off the field with a side strain in the opening ODI•Associated Press

Team news: Rauf unlikely to feature

Haris Rauf left the field after bowling 6.2 overs against New Zealand with a side strain and while it is deemed a low-grade injury, he will not be risked for this match. Mohammad Hasnain could play in his place. Pakistan may also consider a change in the batting line-up, with Saud Shakeel a possible replacement for Tayyab Tahir.Pakistan (possible): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Kamran Ghulam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Tayyab Tahir/Saud Shakeel, 7 Khusdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Abrar Ahmed, 11 Mohammad HasnainTony de Zorzi and Corbin Bosch who are both in the Champions Trophy squad as well as 18-year left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka have joined the South African touring party and are available for selection. De Zorzi and Bosch both played in the SA20 final on Saturday but may be pulled into the XI, along with Heinrich Klaasen, as South Africa aim to push for a spot in the final. Don’t be surprised if Lungi Ngidi sits this one out, after bowling seven overs – his most since last October – as he continues to work towards full fitness. Maphaka could be selected in his place.South Africa (possible): 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Matthew Breetzke, 3 Tony de Zorzi, 4 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 Wiaan Mulder, 7 Senuran Muthusamy, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Kwena Maphaka

Pitch and conditions: Expect another high-scoring game

The series moves to Karachi, which last hosted an ODI in May 2023. Then, New New Zealand successfully defended 299 against Pakistan. In six ODIs here since January 2023, the average first-innings score has been 286 and the team batting first has won five out of those six games. That suggests another fairly high-scoring encounter but it may not be the pitch that’s most in focus. Like Lahore, Karachi has undergone significant upgrades ahead of the Champions Trophy including new dressing rooms and hospitality areas, an increased capacity of 5000, two new digital replay screens and 350 LED lights for improved broadcast coverage.

Stats and trivia

  • South Africa have lost their last five ODIs, which puts them on their longest losing streak since 2004. They have previously lost ten matches in a row in 2004 and 1994.
  • The last time Pakistan failed to make a tri-series final was the Morocco Cup in 2002, when South Africa and Sri Lanka competed for the trophy. Pakistan have since played in six other tri-series, but only won one: the Kitply Cup between themselves, Bangladesh and India in 2008. Pakistan beat India by 25 runs in the final.

Quotes</b"Tomorrow is obviously a big day for the series. We played Pakistan not too long ago, but obviously Pakistan in their conditions are a different beast, so I'm looking forward to that. We just got together today, basically the boys only arrived at 2 o'clock this morning. For the guys that are new to the squad, we've got to do a little bit of homework, we've got a nice day out to face these conditions and see what it is like. Obviously there's a bigger picture in mind as well. The ICC [Champions] trophy is also in play next week, so it's a good exercise for us. If we can knock them out and play in the final, and the home country is not involved, that will at least put a smile on my face."
Heinrich Klaasen explains the importance of what is effectively a semi-final

'Bionic Man' Ben Stokes embarks on rehabilitation after hamstring surgery

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain, has described himself as “the Bionic Man” after undergoing scheduled surgery on his torn left hamstring.Stokes, 33, suffered a recurrence of the injury while bowling during England’s third Test against New Zealand in December, having first torn his hamstring while batting for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals in the men’s Hundred in August.That initial injury kept him out of action for two months, meaning that he missed England’s home Test series against Sri Lanka. He later admitted that his race to get fit in time for the team’s winter assignments in Pakistan and New Zealand had led him to “physically drain and ruin himself”.However, with England not set to play a Test until the visit of Zimbabwe in May, Stokes has committed to three months on the sidelines, including his omission from next month’s ICC Champions Trophy.At the time of his diagnosis, he vowed that he still has “blood, sweat and tears” left to give to the team, ahead of a defining 12 months that will feature five-Test series against India at home and Australia away.Now, he has posted a picture on Instagram, showing him lying on the back seat of a car in the aftermath of his surgery, wearing a large leg brace and supported by pillows.”Bionic Man for a while”, he added in the caption, alongside a laughing emoji, plus the sign-off: “In a bit…”.

Stokes had bowled 36.2 overs prior to his injury in Hamilton, the most he has bowled in a Test since 40 at Trent Bridge in 2022 (also against New Zealand). On the first day of the Test, his 23 overs were the most he had managed in a single day, split between spells of eight, eight and seven.Having arrived into England’s home summer following successful knee surgery in October 2023, he bowled 49 overs across three Tests against West Indies, with five wickets that took him past 200 career dismissals.”I have to work so much harder on the physical side of the job to allow me to go out and do my job,” he had said ahead of the Hamilton Test, “but I got a good amount of overs in during the last two games and I am more confident about getting through a lot of spells in a day.”That is where I got to before I pulled my hamstring. I bowled nice in the summer, had a setback but now feel out of that and not worrying about anything else happening again. As you get older you think about your body a bit more but I work harder because I have to.”In addition to the Champions Trophy, Stokes has been forced to forego a lucrative £800,000 deal with MI Cape Town in the SA20, which begins on Thursday.

Super sub Boland could make way again as Hazlewood's recovery gains progress

by csb10.top Uncategorized

It was like Scott Boland had never been away. Against India in Adelaide, in his first home Test for two years, he could have had a wicket with his first delivery of the match if not for his heel being on the line rather than behind. Instead, Boland struck with his first ball of the second innings, one of his five wickets in a game where he got the crowd into as much of a frenzy as Mitchell Starc’s dramatic opening to the Test or Travis Head’s thrilling century.And yet, Boland’s comeback could last just one match. Josh Hazlewood, the pick of the attack in the first Test in Perth, is making good progress in his recovery from the mild side strain which kept him out of Adelaide, and there is confidence he will be ready for the the third Test that starts on December 14 at the Gabba.”If someone needs to make [way], they’ll be pretty unlucky,” Pat Cummins said.Related

  • Hazlewood declared fit to replace Boland at the Gabba

  • McSweeney hopes to 'throw a few more punches' at Bumrah at the Gabba

  • India need a first-innings fix, and quickly

  • Cummins takes five to lead Australia to thumping victory

  • Head and India's bowlers – the one-sided love story continues

Boland had expected to play a role at some point last season, but none of Australia’s first-choice quicks suffered a problem, and that left him as a spare part throughout. The last time he featured for Australia was in Ashes 2023, the one occasion he has struggled in his Test career as England’s Bazballers used his metronomic length against him and took him at 4.91 per over across his two outings where he claimed just two wickets.At times, India tried to do the same in Adelaide – Nitish Kumar Reddy hammered Boland for 21 off an over in the first innings, and Rishabh Pant took him on in the second – but they were brief interludes rather than sustained takedowns. By the end of the Test, Boland’s home record read 33 wickets at 13.54.”Just feels like something’s going to happen with Scotty,” Head had said after the second day’s play in Adelaide. “He’s been high quality his whole Test career. We said that at the start of the week it’s nice to have someone like him being ready to go. He can come back in, and you know the impact he’s going to have. He’s taken some huge wickets for us. The hill was going mad for him. [He’s] a hugely important guy for us in the squad: he’s a great person, boys absolutely love him, the public love him. Whenever he does get a chance, you can’t be happier for him.”Boland’s ability to land it on the ideal spot from the beginning of a spell was on no better display than in Adelaide. KL Rahul was walking when Boland’s first delivery zipped through to the wicketkeeper, before the no-ball call came; bizarrely, Snicko suggested there wasn’t a nick, although the daylight was less clear than with Mitchell Marsh’s none-edge against R Ashwin on the second day.Josh Hazlewood on the side injury: “I was very happy [with] where I was, and it still happened. So I was pretty annoyed”•AFP/Getty Images

Later in his first over, Boland again found Rahul’s edge, but Usman Khawaja couldn’t take the chance at first slip. Boland got on the board by trapping Shubman Gill lbw, and then removed India captain Rohit Sharma with a trademark delivery which nipped sharply off the seam. There was no problem with Boland’s foot when he angled one across Yashasvi Jaiswal with his first ball of the second innings. A few overs later, he moved one the other way to take Virat Kohli’s edge.”[It’s] just admiration, he just sticks to his guns,” Hazlewood said. “He does his job, he doesn’t try and be anyone else. Whether he’s playing for Victoria or Australia, it’s the same thing, it’s the same areas. We’ve seen him take multiple wickets in an over, so once he gets on a roll, it’s just bang, bang, bang. In these conditions, [with the] pink ball under lights, there’s not many better.”But Hazlewood himself has 278 Test wickets, and will return if fit. He had a full bowl in the middle of Adelaide Oval on Monday, sending down two spells. Then it would be a case of how well he pulls up from those in the following 24 hours. Hazlewood explained that the latest injury was not “a typical side strain”, but was part of an ongoing issue he has had which has left him frustrated and searching for a solution.”You’re running in to bowl, and you just grab your hat and you’re off and you’re out for six weeks – it’s not that sort of side strain,” he said. “It’s from sort of repetitive use. It’s caused me a lot of trouble over the last few years, but [had] perfect prep this year, played the Shield game and ticked all that off.”I was very happy where I was, and it still happened. So I was pretty annoyed there for a few days. There was plenty of meetings from CA’s point of view [with] physios, [and] doctors, all that stuff. So [we will] come up with a few options and see if we can stop it from happening again. I’ve ticked every box so far this week. The side’s obviously been a troublesome area for me in the past. So if I can lean on the side of caution, I guess [I will] a little bit.”Hazlewood continued to bowl for a brief period after first feeling pain in Perth, but past experience came into play.”I remember the time in quarantine before the Ashes, I probably pushed it for quite a while,” he said. “The time against West Indies, I think it was in Perth… Pat did his quad, and we had to bowl a few more overs. It feels every over you bowl in that situation sort of adds another few days [more recovery] every time.”While in India’s case, Jasprit Bumrah looks in need of greater support, Australia’s pace depth could prove a decisive aspect of this series.”Obviously [we’ve] got Scotty there, who does a fantastic job every time he plays,” Hazlewood said. “That sort of makes the decision a little easier. Sometimes you’ve sort of got to be pretty much 100% to play. And if not, Scott is there [ready] to go.”If Boland is back carrying the drinks at the Gabba, Australia know that should they need their super sub again, it’s very unlikely he will let them down.

'Squashed': Warner calls for CA to explain India A ball change

by csb10.top Uncategorized

David Warner has called on Cricket Australia to fully explain what happened when the ball was changed on the final day of the Australia A-India A game in Mackay.The Indian players, particularly wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, were angry when a different ball was handed to them by the umpires before play. Audio picked up over the stump microphone heard umpire Shawn Craig saying there were scratches on the previous one and telling Kishan he would be put on report for calling the decision “stupid.”Related

  • Bowling to Smith, Labuschagne, Rahul at the MCG: Rocchicioli's rise continues

  • Warner's leadership ban overturned by Cricket Australia

  • Kishan escapes dissent charge despite anger over ball change

  • David Warner named Sydney Thunder captain

“You scratch it, we change the ball,” Craig said. “There will be no more discussion, let’s play.”Hours after the game finished, a CA statement said the ball had “deteriorated” and that no further action would be taken. “Both teams’ captain and manager were informed of the decision prior to the start of play,” the statement added.Warner, who said he was not across the whole incident but had seen the exchanges in the middle, suggested the issue had been “squashed” ahead of the imminent arrival of India for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”The ultimate decision is with CA isn’t it?,” Warner said. “I think they have obviously squashed it as fast as they could, given that India is coming out here this summer. But if the umpires deemed something happened, I am sure there will be a follow up. I think the umpires or the match referee should be standing here answering questions.””I think the match referee should be coming out and addressing his own staff which are the umpires. And if they’re sticking by the umpire’s decisions, you have to stand up for that. That’s obviously a statement CA have to release. I have not seen anything.”It’s understood there is no footage available of anything untoward being done to the ball.Under the laws, a five-run penalty is imposed if the umpires change the ball after they consider it to have been unfairly altered. However, the CA playing conditions include an extra clause which mean the umpires can make a change without implementing penalty runs if it’s unclear how the ball came to be damaged.Warner’s comments came on the day he was unveiled as Sydney Thunder captain following the overturning of his lifetime leadership ban imposed for his role in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal in 2018.”The punishment that was handed down was there for a reason and I thoroughly accept that,” he said. “You’re always going to be disappointed that you can’t lead but what was done was done and I moved on from that.”But I get the opportunity to lead the Thunder and share my wealth of knowledge about the game and hopefully some of the youngsters can come ask me some questions after the game, decisions that I’ve made or some errors that I might have made and have that confidence and hopefully one day they can grow into a captain as well.”

Pakistan deploy fans, heaters in bid to produce Rawalpindi turner

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Pakistan have stepped up attempts to prepare a spinning pitch for their Test series decider against England, using industrial-sized fans, outdoor heaters and windbreakers in a bid to dry out the surface at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.After losing by an innings on a lifeless pitch in the first Test in Multan, Pakistan pulled an unprecedented move and opted to recycle the same strip for a second match in a row. The strategy paid off in style after they won the toss, with spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan sharing all 20 wickets as England were bowled out for just 144 in their final innings.Rawalpindi is typically among the flattest pitches in Test cricket, with minimal assistance for spinners. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the Bangladesh offspinner, took 10 wickets in their 2-0 series win in Rawalpindi last month, but since the venue returned to hosting Tests in 2019, spinners have averaged nearly 50 runs per wicket there.Related

  • Rehan Ahmed recalled as England brace for 'raked' pitch in Pakistan decider

  • Leach comes back stronger for England after feeling the love

  • Switch Hit: Spinner, spinner, chicken dinner

  • Pakistan savour the sweet, sweet taste of victory … as the sugar-crash can wait

  • Brendon McCullum plays down England spin concerns as Pindi decider looms

Seam bowlers have fared better, taking a wicket every 34 runs, with the average assisted by a Test against South Africa in January 2021. On a surface that offered assistance to the seamers right through the game, Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali took nine of South Africa’s ten wickets in the fourth innings, eight of them on the final day. All four innings registered scores between 200 and 300, and the PCB has previously considered that the gold standard for a Pindi Test wicket.Those days are decidedly in the past, though. Shan Masood, Pakistan’s captain, made clear after their 152-run victory in the second Test in Multan that he would like to see an uncharacteristic Rawalpindi pitch for the decider, which starts on Thursday. England are prepared for another turner, with their head coach Brendon McCullum predicting the surface would be “the antithesis of a green seamer”.On Sunday, groundstaff had set up three large heaters and an industrial-sized fan at each end of the pitch, drying it out with hot air, with a windbreak at each end to keep the heat in. Pakistan’s players and staff inspected the surface when they trained on Monday morning, at which stage only the fans remained. It continued to dry out in the afternoon heat.Notably, the Test strip is one of only three that has been cut across the square; the other two are practice strips, one on each side of the pitch. England’s seamers used a dry, abrasive square to get the ball reverse-swinging in the second Test in Multan, but a grassy square and a lush outfield may make that more challenging this week.England did not train on Monday and are open-minded ahead of their session on Tuesday. “I don’t know what to expect. I haven’t seen anything,” Jack Leach, who is the leading wicket-taker in the series, told the BBC. “We’ll go to training and have a look at it. I feel quite clear about what I’m doing and that doesn’t really change depending on the wicket. We’ll see what it is.”

Anthony McGrath returns to Yorkshire as head coach

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Yorkshire have announced the acquisition of Anthony McGrath as their new men’s head coach to replace the outgoing Ottis Gibson.McGrath, who joins on a five-year deal, returns to his home county having developed through the age-groups at Headingley as an allrounder, going on to earn 28 England caps, including four Test appearances. The 49-year-old began his coaching career at Yorkshire following his retirement in 2013 before moving to Essex, where he was appointed director of cricket as recently as July.The move south proved particularly fruitful for McGrath. He joined Essex initially as assistant coach to Chris Silverwood, and helped oversee promotion in 2016 followed by a County Championship title the following year.He was promoted to head coach when Silverwood left to take the England job and led Essex to a Championship and T20 Blast double in 2019, followed by the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020. A second-place Division One finish came in the 2023 season, in which they were also beaten finalists in the Blast.This season, McGrath juggled coaching duties at Chelmsford with a director of cricket role as part of a management restructure triggered by the resignation of chief executive John Stephenson in July.He inherits a Yorkshire team that has returned to Division One following relegation in 2022. The club were then docked 48 points in the 2023 season over their handling of the racism scandal that centred around allegations made by former player Azeem Rafiq. McGrath’s remit will be the performance and management of the men’s first team, and starts officially from November 1.”It is a great honour to be appointed Head Coach of Yorkshire Cricket’s Men’s team, and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead,” McGrath said.”I know the history of this great club and the passion of the members and supporters, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.”It was an extremely tough decision to leave Essex, and it’s one that I have taken a great deal of time to think about. I’ve been part of this club for almost nine years, and we’ve achieved so much together and created so many unforgettable memories in that time.”While I obviously spent all of my playing career at Yorkshire, Essex has become a second home to me, and I’d like to thank everyone for the warmth of their support over the last nine seasons.”Tom Westley, Essex’s captain, hailed McGrath as “one of the most influential figures I have come across during my career”, and wished him well in his new role.”Everybody within the club knows of his qualities as a coach and leader, but it’s the person that he is that we will all miss the most. It’s no coincidence that the success we have achieved over the last decade has coincided with [McGrath’s] time here. Although he would never accept it, he has been a huge factor in the trophies we have won in recent years.”Sanjay Patel, Yorkshire’s interim CEO, said: “We’re delighted to appoint Anthony as Head Coach.”During the past nine years with Essex, Anthony has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in English cricket. He is renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking cricket, supporting and developing world-class talent, and commitment to youth.”In the club’s conversations leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Yorkshire Cricket to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that.”We look forward to welcoming him to the club this Autumn.”

Superchargers thump Phoenix to move second

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Northern Superchargers solidified their place in the top three of The Hundred women’s competition table with another dominant win, this time away at Birmingham Phoenix.Superchargers drew level on points with second-placed Oval Invincibles, as they bowled out Phoenix for just 54 runs, the lowest score ever in The Hundred women’s competition. It comes just days after Superchargers dismissed Invincibles for 64 at The Kia Oval, the previous lowest in the competition.Northern Superchargers won the toss and chose to bat in what was set to be a crucial clash, with just one point separating the sides in the table.The in-form Phoenix captain Ellyse Perry got the home side off to a flyer, taking a wicket with her third delivery of the opening set, getting her opposite skipper Holly Armitage out first ball.That brought the dangerous Phoebe Litchfield to the crease, but again Perry was more than good enough with the ball to get her caught behind in her second set. Perry would finish with Phoenix’s leading figures 2 for 13.Annabel Sutherland and Alice Davidson-Richards rebuilt the innings, taking the visitors from 25 for 3 to 68 for 3 before Emily Arlott got Sutherland out with 40 balls left in the innings.Davidson-Richards remained there stoically till the end, top-scoring for Superchargers and finishing not out on 49 off 42. Davidson-Richards’ knock took the Leeds-based team to 115 for 5 from their 100 balls, a competitive total on what looked to be a tricky wicket to bat on.Phoenix struggled from the start in their reply as they fell to 14 for 4 losing key batters in opener Sterre Kalis, skipper Perry, England wicket-keeper Amy Jones and Indian international Richa Ghosh with very few runs on the board.Superchargers were lively in the field, taking any chances that came their way – Kate Cross taking perhaps the pick of the catches on the long-off boundary.Their bowlers shared the wickets around as five of their attack picked up dismissals. Linsey Smith and Georgia Wareham, the pick of the team in purple’s bowlers both with 3 for 12, Smith taking two wickets in two balls towards the end of the innings.Meerkat Match Hero Davidson-Richards said: “I didn’t actually feel that good out there when I was batting, it was a difficult pitch to bat on, as you can see from it being such a low-scoring game, but we are delighted to have got over the line. I was trying to work out how to build an innings and find the gaps where the boundaries could come from.”We are looking forward to playing top of the table Welsh fire away from home in a massive game next up.”

Game
Register
Service
Bonus