Bezuidenhout, Kerr and Devine slam half-centuries too as Pakistan, despite Ameen’s century, fall 131 runs short

Sruthi Ravindranath12-Dec-2023A powerful batting display from New Zealand’s top four set up a big win for them in the first ODI against Pakistan in Queenstown, as they went 1-0 up in the three-match series. Pakistan went down by 131 runs chasing a big target of 366.The result aside, Pakistan were also dealt a double blow with fast bowler Diana Baig ruled out of the series with a training injury, and captain Nida Dar taken off the field during the game after she was struck in the face while bowling. In Pakistan’s chase, Sidra Ameen made 105 but did not find much support from the other end as Pakistan went down by 131 runs chasing a big target of 366.After being put in, New Zealand openers Suzie Bates and Bernadine Bezuidenhout got off to a steady start, putting up 51 runs in the powerplay. They then started accelerating and scored boundaries regularly to take New Zealand’s total past 100 without any blemishes. Bezuidenhout brought up her half-century off 50 balls in the 18th over, while Bates got to her fifty off 57 balls in the 22nd over. A run out ended Bezuidenhout’s stay a the crease, as she departed for a run-a-ball 86, her career-best in ODIs, as Pakistan broke a 165-run stand.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Amelia Kerr joined Bates and the duo made sure the momentum did not slip away as they continued to pile on the runs. Together they took New Zealand past 200, with Bates bringing up her century off a boundary in the 38th over. She was, however, dismissed in the next over by Umm-e-Hani for 108.Shortly after, in the 44th over, Dar, who was bowling her seventh over of the match, was struck on the face by the ball when Devine was on strike. She received medical attention on the field before being taken off, putting her participation in the second and third games of the series in doubt.Captain Sophie Devine and Amelia then took charge of the proceedings as the duo started building towards a strong total. Devine shifted gears in the 47th over – until then not a single six was scored in New Zealand innings – as she hit Fatima Sana for two sixes off the last ball of the over. In the next over, she took apart Omaima Sohail, plundering four sixes off her bowling in a 27-run over. In the process, she also brought up her half-century off 29 balls.Nida Dar was ruled out of the game after being hit in the face with the ball while bowling•Getty Images

Amelia departed for a 69-ball 83, as she consolidated her position as the top run-getter in ODIs this year. This was her fourth 50-plus score of the year and she’s made 460 runs in seven innings in 2023. Devine was out for a 36-ball 70 in the penultimate ball of the innings, as the hosts made 365 for 4 which is the highest total in women’s ODIs in New Zealand. It was also the first time in women’s ODIs that all of the top four batters of a side scored 70 runs or above.In reply, Pakistan, too, got off to a solid start, with Ameen and Muneeba Ali bringing up their 50-run opening stand in the ninth over. Ameen posted her half-century off 51 balls in the 14th over, but Devine got the breakthrough in the 19th over, sending Muneeba back for 44. Fran Jonas then removed Sadaf Shamas, Dar’s replacement for the game, for 10.The New Zealand bowlers slowed Pakistan down significantly after that, rarely conceding boundaries as the required run-rate shot up. Ameen lost three more partners before she got to her century, her fourth in the format. She was eventually run-out for 105, with Pakistan at that point needing 154 runs from 36 balls.In the middle, Pakistan lost six wickets for 41 runs, and in the end could only make 234 as Kerr took the last wicket with one ball remaining in the innings to finish with figures of 3 for 44.”The way we went about with the bat was really pleasing and it’s something as a group we’ve talked about how we want to play 50-over cricket,” Bates said after the match. “And Sophie in at [No.] 4 is reasonably new and we’ve not quite nailed it but I thought at Bernie [Bezuidenhout] at the top was order was quite outstanding. That partnership set up the match and then Melie [Amelia Kerr] and Sophie came and played. To give us 365, quite impressive on what was really a good wicket. But to get that score, everyone played the conditions well.”Devine has been pushed to the No. 4 position in recent times, having previously played as an opener in the ODI side. After making 70 off 36 balls, she also impressed with the ball, getting a crucial wicket to break the opening stand and giving away just 19 runs in her five overs.”Melie was going at such a quick rate too and Sophie made it look really easy the way she cleared the rope. That’s why we have her at [No.] 4, she’s one of the most destructive players in world cricket and she can clear the rope easily. It’s great to get that finish we’ve been searching for a long time. She was outstanding, and she really changed the game not just with the bat but with the ball as well.”

There was no place for Rahmat Shah and Ikram Alikhil, with Afghanistan including Mohammad Ishaq and Wafadar Momand

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2024Afghanistan will continue to miss the services of their T20I captain Rashid Khan as he recovers from back surgery and has thus not been included in the 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who, as per a release by the ACB, had sustained “a sprain in his right phalanx (hand)” before the start of the ODI series against Sri Lanka, is also ruled out. Fast bowler Mohammad Saleem, who has failed to recover from a hamstring injury, is missing too.Afghanistan made four changes to the squad that faced India in a T20I series last month. While Mujeeb and Saleem are out injured, Afghanistan have dropped wicketkeeper-batter Ikram Alikhil and top-order batter Rahmat Shah.Related

• Rashid Khan withdraws from PSL as he continues rehab

• Binura comes in for injured Chameera for Afghanistan T20Is

Mohammad Ishaq, the wicketkeeper-batter who was also named in the squad for the one-off Test against Sri Lanka, has received a call-up to the T20I side. In addition, fast bowler Wafadar Momand has been recalled in place of Saleem.Mujeeb played two T20Is against India, and then turned out for Gulf Giants in the ILT20 before flying to Sri Lanka for the ODI series, where he suffered the injury. Saleem, on the other hand, played the third T20I against India and the lone Test against Sri Lanka but was ruled out of the ODI squad due to a hamstring injury.Rashid, meanwhile, has not played competitive cricket since the ODI World Cup in November. He withdrew from the BBL this season, after which he underwent back surgery and was subsequently ruled out of SA20 as well.More recently, Rashid also pulled out of the upcoming PSL as he continues his rehab. Rashid was originally part of the series against India but was ruled out even before the T20Is began, though he did travel with the team throughout.In Rashid’s absence, Ibrahim Zadran will continue leading the T20I side, like he had against both India and UAE. He will have Gurbaz at the top of the order, with the likes of Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Hazratullah Zazai and Azmatullah Omarzai to follow. Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the fast-bowling attack, which also has Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Ahmad and Momand. Noor Ahmad and Qais Ahmad, alongside Sharafuddin Ashraf, will form a young spin-bowling unit.Afghanistan have not had a great time in Sri Lanka so far. They lost the only Test by ten wickets, and are currently 0-2 down in the three-match ODI series. The T20I series gets underway on February 17, with the second and third games slotted for February 19 and 21, respectively. All matches will be played in Dambulla.Afghanistan squad: Ibrahim Zadran (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Wafadar Momand and Qais Ahmad

The matches in February will be his last internationals on home soil

Alex Malcolm10-Jan-2024Australia’s chair of selectors George Bailey expects David Warner will be available to play in three T20Is against West Indies in February despite the series clashing with the ILT20 tournament where he is contracted to captain Dubai Capitals.Warner has retired from Test and ODI cricket for Australia but is committed to playing in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and US during June.Warner is planning to play in the ILT20 which begins on January 19, just after the home and away portion of the BBL has concluded with his side Sydney Thunder set to miss finals which avoids a schedule clash. The tournament runs until February 17 but the three T20Is against West Indies start on February 9 and finish on February 13.It was thought that Warner would miss those matches in order to play in the entire ILT20 despite still holding a Cricket Australia contract and that he would return for the following series against New Zealand in New Zealand that starts on February 21.Related

• Marsh to captain T20Is against West Indies with Warner named

• Stoinis to play SA20 after BBL, says ODI omission makes 'complete sense'

• Warner has landed: Helicopter touches down at SCG ahead of BBL clash

• Hetmyer left out of West Indies white-ball squads for Australia tour

• Warner to fulfil BBL commitments with Thunder before heading to ILT20

But Bailey said Warner is set to be selected for the West Indies series and will be expected to play.”He’ll be part of those T20 matches at the back end of the summer and in New Zealand as well,” he said.Bailey confirmed that CA contracted players, which Warner will be until the end of June, are expected to play for Australia when selected and won’t be granted NOCs to play in other leagues at the same time.”I think that’s the same with all our Australian contracted players. If they’re going to be selected in a squad then they’re available,” Bailey said. “If they’re not then it depends on what sort of domestic cricket responsibilities they have. So I think [Warner] had flagged that as potentially one of the reasons why he has made the decision to retire from one-day cricket but we’re still really excited about what he can provide for that T20 team and hoping he can add one more major trophy to his cabinet.”Bailey and CA’s head of national teams Ben Oliver are charged with making decisions on which players are granted NOCs and have been consistent in their policy of treating each individual case differently.Australian T20I-only players who are not centrally contracted, like Matthew Wade and Tim David have been allowed to miss international series in recent times to fulfill franchise contracts that they would potentially lose if they played international cricket. The exceptions were made because they would not receive the same remuneration except for match fees from CA.David has previously skipped an opportunity to play T20Is for Australia in 2022 in order to play in the PSL while Wade was initially rested from Australia’s T20I series in South Africa last year so he could play a full season in the Hundred, although he was flown in at the last minute as cover after Glenn Maxwell was injured.Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis were both cleared to go to the ILT20 last year despite being CA-contracted players, but they were only set to miss a small number of domestic List A games for their state sides while they were awayAustralia coach Andrew McDonald said last month that Australia’s selectors had to be more flexible with their players given the schedule was so cramped.”Every application is different in terms of the circumstances with what cricket they’ve got coming up,” McDonald said. “It’s getting more cramped. It’s tough. It’s difficult. I think it comes down to each individual case. Where the player is at within their career. I think every every case should be considered individually and we go from there.”

“Shanto is the sort of guy who has the mentality to take responsibility as a challenge”

Mohammad Isam13-Mar-2024When Najmul Hossain Shanto reached his century in Chattogram, Mushfiqur Rahim charged towards him with a big smile on his face, and arms raised. This was Shanto’s second century as Bangladesh captain, coming shortly after the BCB declared him as their main man across formats.Shanto is an agent of change at a pivotal time in Bangladesh cricket. Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe backs him and by the looks of it, so do the senior cricketers currently in the team.Shanto added 69 runs for the fourth wicket with Mahmudullah and 165 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket with Mushfiqur, who said that Shanto steps up as a batter with added responsibility.Related

• Can Najmul Hossain Shanto pilot a successful World Cup campaign for Bangladesh?

• Tanzim seizes spotlight as latest star of Bangladesh's pace revolution

• Liyanage: 'We never expected there to be so much dew'

• Shanto, Mushfiqur and bowlers headline Bangladesh's comfortable win

• Silverwood welcomes 'great rivalry' with Bangladesh: 'We need good competition'

“Shanto thoroughly deserved the century,” Mushfiqur said. “He was excellent. It was a one-man show tonight. I think leadership brings out the best in some individuals. Shanto is definitely one of them. He really enjoys the captaincy. Shanto is the sort of guy who has the mentality to take responsibility as a challenge. I knew that he would score runs at the highest level.”Atmosphere is very important. We don’t worry about the outcome. We try to keep our processes intact. We don’t expect all seven batters to get centuries every day but as long as he sticks to his strengths and practice routines, it was just a matter of time.”Mushfiqur said that Shanto has grown as a batter as he now makes the best use of good starts. He was impressed by how Shanto managed to play after reaching the century. “He batted very well today. He plays more fluently. He can be more dominating. He used to get 50s or 60s after getting a good start but now he is playing long innings.”The way he took a single to mid-on so easily just after getting that hundred, it showed that he was so calm and thoughtful towards the team. We kept telling each other that we should keep getting the next 20 or 30 runs, so that they don’t get a sniff in vital moments.”Mushfiqur also credited Mahmudullah for his run-a-ball 37 that set the tone for Bangladesh’s chase after they lost three early wickets.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“We had a good partnership but the real work was done by (Mahmudullah) Riyad bhai and Shanto. The ball was new so they could swing the ball. The dew hadn’t taken full effect. We lost early wickets too. Shanto and Riyad bhai ensured we were always ahead of the required run rate because of their partnership. They made life easy for me.”It is called experience. After that big over, he struck Hasaranga down the ground for a six. When you put the opposition’s best bowler under pressure, they have a lot to think. They allow singles rather than going for wickets, which allows the partnership to go big. Experience is really a big thing. Shanto struggled at the start but this is a partnership game. First credit for this win must go to Riyad , for showing the intent,” he said.Mushfiqur himself played an important hand, particularly in the way he handled Sri Lanka’s main bowler, Wanindu Hasaranga. He took 29 runs off 25 balls off the legspinner, who has not yet got this batter out in eight innings in all formats.”When you play a bowler for a long time, you feel confident against him. The opposite also happens. I have been able to pick him. Hasaranga is a really good bowler, so I want to ensure he doesn’t have much impact on the game. The more I play against him, I feel more comfortable.”When you face a wrist spinner, he will bowl you a flipper, googly, legspin and top spin. You can’t always pick it from the hand. Sweep is a good option to have. You have to sweep against the good ball. If you can execute it well, it puts pressure back on the bowler.”

Division One leaders seal second win from three games inside first session on day three

ECB Reporters Network21-Apr-2024Jamie Porter and Shane Snater blasted through a brittle Lancashire batting line-up to give Essex victory by an innings inside three days at Chelmsford. The Essex pace bowlers exploited a pitch playing low by taking three wickets apiece as Lancashire capitulated in just 41 overs for the second time in the match.Porter set the ball rolling with the first of nine Lancashire wickets to fall in the session to finish with 3 for 24 before Snater took his match figures to 7 for 59 with 3 for 17 in the second innings. Essex’s second win of the season, worth 22 points, took them further clear at the top of the Vitality County Championship with only three games played.”We have started the season fantastically well,” Essex captain Tom Westley said. “Even that last game against Kent we were a bit unlucky with the weather so potentially, it could have been three wins from three.”We’ve been successful for a while now as a club so every game is a big game and we look to win every single game. We’ve just played some fantastic cricket and I think this is one of our better, most complete performances.”I thought the bowlers bowled amazingly well and I think our challenge is to maintain this momentum and keep the standards as high as they currently are.”We know what a good side Lancashire are, they are always identified at the start of the year as contenders to win the division. So to control the game and win every session is a huge pat on the back for Essex.”Lancashire had started day three on 10 for 1 and requiring another 221 runs to make Essex bat again. They lost five wickets in the first hour and never recovered with the game wrapped up in extra time before the scheduled lunch interval.Essex were forced to field 19-year-old Ronnie McKenna as substitute behind the stumps when Michael Pepper pulled out with a finger injury suffered the night before. The Basildon-born 2nd XI wicketkeeper, the third to do the job for Essex in three Championship matches this season, had four leg byes sail past him down the leg side in the first over from Cook.However, 11 balls into his first-team appearance, he was celebrating a first significant contribution as nightwatcher Will Williams edged Porter into his gloves having hung around for 36 balls.That precipitated a catastrophic collapse with four wickets falling in 16 balls. Josh Bohannon lasted 25 balls before he walked across a delivery from Cook and was lbw, while Luke Wells was beaten all ends up by Snater to be bowled for a 54-ball 21. In the same Snater over George Balderson saw the umpire’s finger go up as he played down the wrong line before Tom Bruce had his off stump sent cartwheeling by Porter.There was a 10-over hiatus while Matty Hurst and George Bell put on 30 runs before the wicketkeeper scooped Snater into square leg’s hands.Offspinner Simon Harmer had not bowled much on this seamer’s paradise, but in his fourth over of the innings he had Tom Bailey walking down the wicket and patting the ball back for a simple caught and bowled. Next over Jack Blatherwick followed Bailey’s lead and gave Harmer more catching practice by chipping the ball back to the bowler.Bell had hung around for 40 balls and appeared to be heading for a third fifty in four innings at Chelmsford when he nicked Cook to Dean Elgar at first slip to wrap up the match.

Opening day of Surrey vs Warwickshire defined by two allrounders and outstanding signings

Matt Roller10-May-2024This was a day defined by the performances of two allrounders who have been among the outstanding county signings of the modern era: Jordan Clark, the underestimated linchpin of Surrey’s back-to-back Championship titles, and Ed Barnard, who needs four runs on Saturday to complete his maiden first-class hundred as a Warwickshire player.Clark showed some promise as a red-ball cricketer in his Lancashire days: he dismissed Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Jonny Bairstow as part of a Roses hat-trick in 2018, which proved to be his final season at the club. But when he arrived at Surrey, the defending champions, it was hard to see how he would become a regular feature in their Championship side.He has done that and more, playing a pivotal role in their recent success. His batting and bowling averages for the club are near-identical (28.20 and 28.23 respectively) and he has thrived as a first-change bowler in a four or five-man seam attack. Last week, he struck 106 not out off 102 balls in Surrey’s convincing victory over Hampshire.Related

• Jason Holder, Matthew Waite centuries leave Kent with a mountain to climb

• Daniel Bell-Drummond on Kent captaincy: 'You have to be authentic, people can spot an imposter a mile away'

• Joe Root: Kookaburra ball experiment can 'help bridge gap' to Tests

• Roderick hundred lifts Worcestershire on return to action

• Orr begins to fulfil expectations with maiden Hampshire century

Clark burst this game open for Surrey after Warwickshire’s bright start, racing to 50 for 0 in 10 overs after being asked to bat first. He struck in his second over, going wide on the crease and nipping one back past Alex Davies’ leave to uproot his off stump; when Sean Abbott trapped Rob Yates lbw in his next over, Warwickshire had lost both openers inside three balls.Sam Hain made his return to the Warwickshire side after missing the start of the season for personal reasons, and started brightly after twin hundreds for the seconds last week. But he was incorrectly given out caught behind on the stroke of lunch to Kemar Roach, who then had Jacob Bethell caught at second slip – after Dom Sibley parried the initial chance at first – after lunch.And Clark struck regularly through the day, as if to prove his worth: he trapped Dan Mousley on the knee roll, had Will Rhodes well caught at slip by Sibley, and induced a chop-on from Michael Burgess with the old ball which left his leg stump on the ground. That left Warwickshire 222 for 7, and in danger of missing out on a single batting bonus point.But by the close, Barnard had guided them to 318 for 8, scoring heavily through cover-point. He added 50 for the eighth wicket with Aamer Jamal and an unbroken 41 with No. 10 Craig Miles, and should complete his sixth first-class hundred – and first since leaving Worcestershire – on Saturday morning, as Warwickshire target a third batting point.Rhodes was Warwickshire’s captain at the time they brought Barnard in, and recalls a queue of counties attempting to sign him. “That sort of cricketer comes few and far between and to have him here is fantastic,” he said. “It’s a massive help for the team if he can score these runs at No. 6 and then contribute with the ball.”With Tim Bresnan moving on, we were looking for that No. 6 or 7 who could bowl a lot of overs, and he’s probably one of the best in the country in the role. When he cropped up and said that he was looking to leave Worcester, we jumped at the chance to get him. He’s been an outstanding signing.”It is a running joke in the Warwickshire dressing room that Barnard always “misses out on flat ones”. At the start of the season, he made 1 off 4 balls in a team total of 698 for 3 declared against Durham at Edgbaston. “But he certainly cashed in today,” Rhodes said with a smile.Warwickshire have been involved in four draws out of four at the start of this season but this match looks likely to have a result. Their 318 for 8 is already the second-highest score that Surrey have conceded this year – behind Somerset’s 351 all out – and they have an opportunity to stamp their mark on this game on Saturday.

Max O’Dowd showed the patience required to get the job done in the chase, even as Nepal’s bowlers applied significant pressure of their own

Ashish Pant04-Jun-20245:43

Moody: The depth of Netherlands’ seam-bowling challenged Nepal

Tim Pringle and Logan van Beek’s three-wicket hauls backed up by Max O’Dowd’s patient half-century got Netherlands over the line in a nervy chase in their opening game of the T20 World Cup 2024, against a spirited Nepal in Dallas.It was a rude welcome for Nepal in their first T20 World Cup in a decade, with the Netherlands bowlers putting up a fine show and bowling them out for a mere 106 in 19.2 overs. But Nepal weren’t done yet. They squeezed the Netherlands batters in the middle overs and took the chase into the 19th over. O’Dowd, however, held his own with an unbeaten 54. He rode his luck and made sure to take his side over the line by six wickets and eight balls to spare.Early-morning rain and overcast conditions delayed the toss by 30 minutes and Netherlands captain Scott Edwards had no hesitations in bowling after winning the toss. The bowlers backed up their captain’s decision with Pringle, van Beek, Paul van Meekeren and Bas de Leede all getting among the wickets.In reply, Nepal put up a fight but dropped a couple of crucial chances at key intervals.

Dallas turns blue and red, but Orange holds sway

The Grand Prairie Stadium can seat 7000 but the vocal Nepal fans made it feel a lot bigger, flocking in nice and early getting behind their team. But the overcast conditions assisted the Netherlands seamers and they got their first wicket through left-arm spinner Pringle, whose decision to keep giving the ball flight paid off as Aasif Sheikh’s thick outside edge found short third in the second over. Pacer van Beek then struck with his first ball, angling a length ball sharply back into Kushal Bhurtel and catching him plumb in front.Nepal’s players appreciated the lively support they got in Dallas•ICC/Getty Images

Fast bowler Vivian Kingma also found big movement as the Nepal batters found putting bat to ball an arduous task. In the first six overs, Nepal played and missed 17 of the 36 balls (47.22%), which is the highest for any team in a men’s T20I (for which ESPNcricinfo has ball-by-ball data available). They hit five fours but could only manage three singles and a two in the first six overs, as Nepal managed only 29 runs in the powerplay for the loss of two wickets.

A stranglehold in the middle and at the death

Rohit Paudel, the youngest captain at a T20 World Cup at 21, kept his composure but lost partners at a steady rate. He pumped Kingma for a four over covers in the seventh over, but Pringle came back in his second over to remove Anil Sah, his attempted sweep only going as far as deep backward square leg. Kushal Malla hammered van Meekeren for a four over mid-off but fell three balls later trying a repeat of that shot, deceived by the slower offcutter and spooning the ball straight up.Bas de Leede then got rid of Dipendra Singh Airee caught at slip as Nepal slipped to 53 for 5 after 11 overs. Paudel was busy during his 35 off 37 but ultimately perished giving Pringle his third wicket. Karan KC and Gulsan Jha added 22 off 17 balls for the eighth wicket – the second-highest stand of the innings – to push the score past 100. Van Beek ended the innings with a two-in-two.Rohit Paudel was resilient but fell right before the death overs started•AFP/Getty Images

Nepal apply the choke

Early wickets was the need of the hour, and Nepal managed that with Sompal Kami getting rid of Michael Levitt with his second ball, caught by the cover fielder. Both Kami and Karan kept the bowling tight conceding only four runs in the first 15 balls. Vikramjit Singh broke the shackles with two back-to-back fours but run-scoring remained slow. Nepal bowled 19 dot balls in the powerplay as Netherlands reached 36 for 1 after the first six.It was going to get tougher for Netherlands in the middle overs, with the spinners coming into the equation. Airee conceded just a single in his first over after the powerplay, before taking out Vikramjit with a length ball that beat the batter’s attempted slog sweep and caught him in front. An over earlier Vikramjit was dropped at deep backward square leg by Kami, but he couldn’t cash in.O’Dowd and Sybrand Engelbrecht tried to steady to ship in a 28-run stand before a run out brought about the latter’s end. O’Dowd struck a straight drive back at Kami, who expertly deflected the ball back onto the non-striker’s stumps and caught Engelbrecht short. Nepal conceded just 48 runs in the middle overs (6 to 15) making Netherlands fight for every run.Max O’Dowd took Netherlands home with an unbeaten 54•AFP/Getty Images

Composed O’Dowd steers Netherlands home

When Edwards fell cheaply, it felt Netherlands’ chase could go astray, but O’Dowd brought all his experience into play. He curbed his natural aggressive instincts and made sure he kept his end secure even when Netherlands went 40 balls without a boundary between the 12th and 18th overs. O’Dowd had a huge slice of luck when Paudel spilled a straightforward chance in the 18th over at long-off. He was on 40 at the time and Netherlands still needed 18 off 17, but the dropped chance seemed to ease his nerves. In the penultimate over, with Netherlands requiring 13 off 12, he smashed Abinash Bohara for a four and six to reach his 13th T20I fifty. De Leede then finished the chase with a four through covers, triggering a sigh of relief in the Netherlands camp and securing two crucial points.

USA, who began the tournament on fire, haven’t won since their upset over Pakistan in the group stages

Danyal Rasool21-Jun-20243:08

Anatomy of West Indies’ dot-ball problems

Big picture: WI must avoid defeat

This isn’t a match the tournament expected, but one it deserves all the same. The co-hosts of this T20 World Cup found ways of getting through the group stages, in different fashion and to varying degrees of surprise. West Indies’ unblemished record in the group punctuated by a 104-run hammering of Afghanistan cemented their status as legitimate title contenders. The USA’s progress, meanwhile, depended on a dream of a performance against Pakistan that culminated in Super Over heroics, as well as inclement Florida weather that guaranteed Pakistan would not be offered the opportunity to get back up off the canvas.But the group stages are a distant memory all of a sudden, and both sides have experienced the cold, unforgiving reality of the Super Eight. West Indies’ hopes of a third title and first on home soil suddenly looks much shakier than it did one game ago, after a reprieved England rediscovered their best form in St Lucia to put them to the sword. Another defeat would put them on the brink of elimination.Related

• USA's Steven Taylor: 'I'm representing my parents, my Jamaican heritage'

• West Indies wait on King scans after 'worrying' side strain

• The rise of USA cricket in the last 20 years

• USA coach Stuart Law: 'We're a family, and we fight hard for each other, which is what great teams do'

West Indies also have to assess how to replace top order batter Brandon King after he suffered a side strain and was forced to retire hurt against England. While runs have been scarce for him this tournament – just 63 in four games in the group stages – he looked at his most dangerous against England. He was unbeaten for 23 off just 13 as West Indies flew off the blocks, with his side briefly losing momentum when he was replaced by Nicolas Pooran.Above all, this is the first time West Indies find themselves under the pressure of their margin for error diminishing. The USA may not have won since that upset against Pakistan, but have shown no signs of fading away tamely, and briefly looked like running South Africa extremely close in their first Super Eight game before ultimately succumbing to an 18-run defeat.Aaron Jones’ side, too, need a win to retain realistic hopes of qualification, but they will be aware the weight of expectations remains on their opponents. The game against South Africa was the USA’s weakest bowling performance on a belting track, and still gave South Africa a few jitters. Against a West Indies side who weren’t really close to their best with either bat or ball against England, the USA will know an improved bowling performance on their part gives them a realistic shot at keeping their fairytale campaign alive and kicking.

Form guide

West Indies: LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
USA: LLWWL

In the spotlight – Russell and Taylor

He has been one of T20 cricket’s most valuable players for the best part of the last decade, but Andre Russell has been kept uncharacteristically quiet for the best part of this World Cup. A pair of unbeaten cameos against PNG and Uganda are about as good as it’s good for him with the bat, and though he continues to chip in with wickets, it is that explosiveness at the death West Indies really need him for. Part of it simply has to do with the batters higher up making sure he wasn’t required, but on the two occasions he was – against New Zealand and England – he fell cheaply. As a veteran of both of West Indies’ triumphant World Cup campaigns, he will know he’s expected to be a lot more influential for his side in the second half of this tournament if they are to go the distance again.Steven Taylor’s rise appeared to be proof that cricket in America was capable of attracting US-born athletes to this sport. A precocious rising star through his teenage years, he has been involved with American cricket for well over a decade. This World Cup should have been his crowning glory, but while Aaron Jones, Andries Gous and Saurabh Netravalkar have shone, Taylor has struggled to convert starts into substance at the top of the order. Born to Jamaican parents, he has history with the West Indies, and was once stripped of the US captaincy after he chose to play the CPL over a USA World Cup qualifier. He now comes up against the side he once declared an intention to play for, and the stakes could hardly be higher.It’s been a memorable tournament for USA and Saurabh Netravalkar thus far•ICC/Getty Images

Team news

King’s unavailability means West Indies need a replacement at the top of the order. Shimron Hetmyer is likely to get the call-up.West Indies: 1 Shimron Hetmyer 2 Johnson Charles 3 Nicolas Pooran (wk) 4 Rovman Powell (capt) 5 Roston Chase 6 Andre Russell 7 Sherfane Rutherford 8 Romaria Shepherd 9 Akeal Hosein 10 Alzarri Joseph 11 Gudakesh MotieUSA captain Monank Patel has not played since the game against Pakistan due to a shoulder injury, and remains a doubt for this contest. Jasdeep Singh, meanwhile, endured a horror game that saw him concede 28 off his first five balls, which could bring Shadley van Schalkwyk back into the frameUSA: 1 Steven Taylor 2 Andries Gous (wk) 3 Nitish Kumar 4 Aaron Jones (capt) 5 Corey Anderson 6 Shayan Jahangir 7 Harmeet Singh 8 Nosthush Kenjinge 9 Shadley van Schalkwyk 10 Ali Khan 11 Saurabh NetravalkarBrandon King retired hurt in the fifth over of West Indies’ innings during the game against England•AFP/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

Bridgetown has seen relatively high scores in comparison to the rest of the tournament, though it did play host to the low-scoring tie between Namibia and Oman at the start of the tournament. It will be a humid evening, with chances of rain low.

Stats and trivia

Allrounder recalls ‘prison’-like circumstances of Covid tour in 2020

Andrew Miller08-Jul-2024Jason Holder says that his experience of looking on from afar as West Indies sealed their thrilling eight-run victory over Australia at the Gabba in January has given him “renewed energy” to pick up where he left off, as he prepares to face England at Lord’s in his first Test for almost a year.Holder, 32, was one of the notable omissions when West Indies chose to send a weakened squad to Australia earlier this year, having turned down a central contract in order to fulfil his lucrative deal with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. In his absence, Kraigg Brathwaite’s team bounced back from a ten-wicket defeat in Adelaide to square the series in extraordinary style in Brisbane, a venue where Australia had lost just one Test since 1988.”It gave me a renewed energy to come back to the group, and try to be a part of something special again,” Holder said. “I missed Test cricket. This is my first Test match in a long time, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m just happy that I’ve been able to still get the body up and going and being up for the challenge here.”On the lure of franchise cricket, Holder insisted “it’s not my job to find a solution”, but pointed out that South African and New Zealand players have similarly opted out of central contracts in recent months to maximise their earning potential in T20 tournaments.”It is what it is,” he added. “This is where the game is moving, each and every person has their own personal decision to make. I was just so happy for the boys when they when they did what it did in Australia.”West Indies have arrived in London, where they will go into the Lord’s Test as underdogs given that 1988 was also the last time they won a Test series in England. But, as holders of the Richards-Botham Trophy after a hard-fought 1-0 win in the Caribbean in 2021-22, and with memorable victories at Headingley and Southampton in each of their last two away series in 2017 and 2020, Holder is confident that his team has the wherewithal to go one better this time out.”The guys took a lot from that Test victory in Australia,” he said after West Indies’ training on Monday. “We’ve been doing some really positive things over the last couple of months. And I think as a young side, the main thing is just to keep learning. What we have in the dressing room is some special talent, no doubt about it. It’s just a matter for us just to play some solid cricket and they’ll have just to believe. It’s time for someone to break the shackles, and there’s no better time for us to come here and beat England.”The circumstances of West Indies’ current visit could not be much further removed from their last tour in 2020, which took place at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, behind closed doors and in bio-secure environments at Southampton and Old Trafford. Holder himself was captain back then, and though his team earned huge respect for helping to keep international cricket alive in uncertain times, it was not an experience he looked back on with any great fondness.Jason Holder runs in to bowl at West Indies’ training session ahead of the first Test against England•Getty Images

“Firstly, it’s just good to be out in the open again,” he said. “I remember being locked in Manchester for three weeks before the Test series, which was tough because you stayed at the ground. And then we went down to Southampton for a week, which felt like a week out of prison. And then we went right back into prison after Southampton.”Related

• Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Kyle Mayers turn down West Indies central contracts

• Shamar, Motie miss WI's tour game after flight from Guyana cancelled

• Johnny Grave: West Indies' Covid tour showed Big Three need strong opponents

• James Anderson's seven-wicket onslaught condemns Nottinghamshire to follow-on

• Andrew Strauss: 'There has to be life after James Anderson'

The fact that the show went on, however, offered a degree of normality to a world that was otherwise in lockdown, and Holder hoped that something of the same could apply to the people of the Caribbean, a region that was last week hit hard by the devastation of Hurricane Beryl.”It was tough man, but reflecting on it, you just count your blessings right now,” he said. “Obviously, there were a lot of lives lost during Covid. And again, it’s a similar situation with the hurricane that just passed. The only impetus that people had was cricket. They finally got a chance to see some cricket which put a smile on people’s faces in the Caribbean.”So coming back here in England four years later, we’re just looking to take it one step further. We won one Test match last time out of three. Yeah, two will be a lot better on this trip.”Holder’s preparations for his Test return included two first-class matches for Barbados in March, followed by a five-match stint for Worcestershire in the County Championship, for whom he made an unbeaten century against Kent in his final appearance.”It was one hell of an experience,” he said of his time with the club. “It gave me new energy because the love that the boys showed me was second to none.”Although much of the buzz around the first Test will centre on James Anderson and his impending retirement, Holder was reluctant to be drawn into the conversation at this stage. However, he acknowledged the hole that Anderson will leave in England’s dressing room could be similar to that left in West Indies’ after the departure of Shivnarine Chanderpaul after his own 21-year career.”It was a bittersweet feeling in a sense,” he said, “where someone who’s done so much for West Indies cricket Is being pinched to wake up that he’s actually finishing.”You’re losing such a powerful figure in the dressing-room, I guess it’ll be the same thing for England. But, as with everything else, we’ve got to move on many times. You unfortunately can’t play professional sport forever. At some point, we’ve got to close the curtains.”Some people get to do it on their own terms, some people don’t . But the experience of me playing with Shiv, it was great to be in the dressing room with him and just learn so much from him.”

Meanwhile, Chris Silverwood has declared an interest in becoming the county’s new head coach

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Aug-2024Jonny Bairstow will play his first match of the season for Yorkshire this week when the County Championship returns following a six-week break.Bairstow has only played two first-class games for his home county since the end of the 2020 season due to his England and IPL commitments. He is yet to feature for Yorkshire in any format this season, having taken a short break from the game between the T20 World Cup and the start of the Hundred, where he represented Welsh Fire.But he will return for Thursday’s fixture against Sussex at Scarborough, with Yorkshire sitting just outside of the two promotion places in Division Two. They are four points behind second-placed Middlesex heading into the final five games of the season, and can close the 27-point gap on leaders Sussex this week.Bairstow made 123 runs in seven innings for Welsh Fire this season•Getty Images

Bairstow lost his place in England’s Test team after failing to reach 40 on their tour to India this year, and appears unlikely to feature in their T20I and ODI series against Australia in September. He declared at the start of the Hundred that “all I want to do is play for England”, but was short of runs for Welsh Fire, with 123 runs and a single half-century across seven innings.”I spoke to Jonny, and he still has ambitions of getting back into the England team,” Ottis Gibson, Yorkshire’s head coach, said last week. “When he was coming back from his injury last year, our medical team and coaches – everybody associated with the club – helped him get back into the England fold.”If it’s that we need to do that again with him, give him some love and get him into a position where he puts good performances in, everybody benefits from that. Jonny Bairstow is a serious cricketer anyway, but when he has a point to prove, he’s even more dangerous. Hopefully, we can take advantage of that.”Related

• Pyrah returns to Yorkshire as women's coach after 2021 sacking

• Winfield-Hill set to sign long term contract with Yorkshire

• Yorkshire begin search for Gibson successor as head coach

• Bairstow admits long winter 'took its toll' but hasn't given up on England

Yorkshire confirmed on Monday that Bairstow is available to play at Scarborough after a shoulder niggle, but his availability for the final four games of the season has not yet been confirmed. They will be without their captain Shan Masood this week, who is with Pakistan’s Test squad ahead of their series against Bangladesh.The club announced earlier this month that Gibson will leave his job at the end of the season, and are also in the process of recruiting a new director of cricket, having advertised for the role earlier in the summer.Chris Silverwood, who recently left his job as Sri Lanka coach, has declared his interest in the head coach vacancy: “I haven’t spoken to anybody as yet,” he told talkSPORT. “Would it interest me? Absolutely, it’s my old county and I have a great love for Yorkshire.”