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Ravi Bopara scrambled some white-ball form as Essex defied Matt Coles’ fightback for Kent by chasing down 286 with five balls to spare

ECB Reporters Network15-Jun-2016
ScorecardMatt Coles’ spirited fightback was to no avail•Getty Images

Essex’s captain Ravi Bopara batted himself back into form in white-ball cricket with a 78-ball 74 to take Essex to the top of the southern group in the Royal London Cup.Essex reached their 286-run target with five balls to spare to remain unbeaten in this season’s 50-over competition.That Essex had a sufficiently challenging total to chase was largely down to Matt Coles and an eighth-wicket partnership of 140 in 14.2 overs with James Tredwell.Coles savaged the Essex attack, bludgeoning 91 off 52 balls with 10 fours and five sixes after Kent, put in, had looked in serious trouble at 135 for 7, but his efforts proved to be to no avail.Bopara had struggled with the bat, scoring just 49 runs in seven previous one-day innings this season.It was not a swashbuckling knock by any means, with just one four to his account when he reached his half-century, but he kept the Essex reply on track with quickly-run singles and twos in fifty-plus partnerships with Dan Lawrence and Ryan ten Doeschate.”I’d got out to run-outs a couple of times, so that’s two innings where I might have got a lot of runs, who knows?,” Bopara said. “Then you put yourself under pressure if you’re not scoring, so it’s nice to get a few today. It was good as well ahead of the T20 tomorrow where we’ve got to be positive and hit the ball hard.”We consider ourselves as a chasing side – our batting is a lot stronger than our bowling. When you’re chasing you’re always going to be under pressure, you’re looking at the scoreboard and it jumps up from seven to nine and a half an over, but the idea is never to panic. As long as you keep your wickets in hand you’ve always got a very, very good chance.”Coles was disappointed that his efforts did not secure victory. “I think we should have been able to defend that total,” he said. “We knew it was going to be tight. Cowdrey bowled very well for us, and so did Tredwell, and I thought we started very well. But we ended up giving away 23 extras and that’s not brilliant.”Kent had passed 50 without alarms but Essex’s bowling breakthroughs began when Matt Quinn switched to the Hayes Close End.Joe Denly was beaten by movement off the pitch and was bowled for 28. Daniel Bell-Drummond had been becalmed after an early onslaught and departed in the 18th over for 28 when he played on to Quinn. And Quinn had his third wicket in his next over when he nipped one back to send Sam Northeast’s middle-stump cartwheeling.Ashar Zaidi’s first ball of his second spell accounted for Fabian Cowdrey, who chased a wide ball down legside and was stumped after managing just four runs from 22 balls.Sam Billings had obviously not paid attention as four balls later he fell in similar fashion. Zaidi’s delivery was so wide of off-stump it barely pitched on the cut strip, Billings fell and lost his bat in trying to reach back into the crease. James Foster dived to remove the bails.When Zaidi did bowl straight, Darren Stevens twice sent the ball soaring over the Pearce Stand towards the River Can for sixes.Alex Blake was sixth man out when he looked for a quick single as he pushed Zaidi to Jesse Ryder at square leg, only to slip as he tried to get back. Stevens went next as he tried for a third six off Zaidi, but was well held on the midwicket boundary by Nick Browne. At 135 for 7, Kent were in deep trouble.But Coles and Tredwell turned the visitors’ innings around and added fifty in 7.1 overs, with Coles hitting both Ryan ten Doeschate and Ravi Bopara straight for six.Bopara was particularly savaged, going for 35 off two overs before Coles reached his own half-century off 40 balls when he drove Quinn through the covers for two.Coles brought up the century partnership in exactly 12 overs with an uppish sweep off Bopara for four and then hoisted his third straight six next ball.Ten Doeschate was hit for successive sixes – over mid-off and midwicket – followed by a four before Coles was bowled going for another heave to depart for 91.Tredwell had been the silent partner in the partnership and finished 47 not out off 42 balls with six fours.In reply, Essex lost Tom Westley in the fifth over when he got a leading edge to steer Stevens to Denly at mid-off before Browne and Ryder settled into a largely serene period.Browne punished Stevens with a lob over the infield for four followed immediately by a six to long leg. The fifty partnership came up in 9.2 overs with Ryder slamming a full-toss from Ivan Thomas through midwicket for four followed by another uppishly through the covers.Ryder reached his individual fifty from 61 balls with a single off Tredwell, but popped the next delivery he faced into Stevens’s hands at backward point. He had helped put on 82 in 17.2 overs for the second wicket. Browne went in Tredwell’s next over, victim of a smart stumping by Billings for 49 from 60 balls.Tredwell, though, was punished by 18-year-old Dan Lawrence, who hoisted two successive straight sixes as he and Bopara clocked up a fifty-run partnership in 9.3 overs. Lawrence eventually went on 35, caught at deep extra cover by a tumbling Thomas off Cowdrey to end a 64-run partnership.Bopara reached a painstaking 50 off 64 balls with a solitary, straight-driven off Cowdrey early on. There were ironic cheers when he hit his second boundary, driving Coles through midwicket to move from 52 to 56.The fifth-wicket had just put on a century in 12 overs when ten Doeschate, attempting to win the game with one hit, holed out to Cowdrey on the extra cover boundary for 45.

Fifties to Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews were the sparks in a Sri Lanka score of 248 for 9, but gloom ultimately defined the day, after rain washed out play four overs into the reply

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:36

By the Numbers – 50 wickets in 10 years

Fifties to Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews were the sparks in a Sri Lanka score of 248 for 9, but gloom ultimately defined the day, after rain washed out play four overs into the reply. The back end of Sri Lanka’s innings had been played in drizzle, which persisted through the lunch break and for some time afterwards. Although the weather relented to allow the teams to resume play, it returned at about 4pm and play was called off by 5.30pm. England had lost Alex Hales, for a golden duck, and were 16 for 1.As at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston, Sri Lanka batted first on a pitch that provided bowlers with only modest assistance. And in Bristol, just like in the first two games, partnerships were severed by canny quicks whenever the visitors threatened to assume control of the match. In the ten overs following the 35th, Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 40 runs, and squandered the base their half-centurions had provided.England’s bowlers were disciplined, rather than dominant, but they were supported athletically in the field. More than one Sri Lanka batsman was provoked to frustration. Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes claimed three scalps apiece, the former more effective with the new ball, the latter quite good with the old.The early wicket of Danushka Gunathilaka weighted down Sri Lanka’s start, as England bowled four overs for eight runs inside the Powerplay. This was to the particular frustration of Kusal Perera, whose more ambitious strokes failed to pierce a lively England infield. Mendis kept the score moving at one end, as he creamed the ball square on the off side and maintained a strike rate of almost a run a ball, but overall progress was nevertheless laboured. In the ninth over, when Perera aimed an expansive hoick over the leg side off Plunkett, only to send the ball high and into the wicketkeeper’s gloves, Sri Lanka were scoring at less than four an over. The score at the Powerplay’s end was 34 for 2.So began the rebuild, while England’s bowlers pulled back their lengths slightly on what was turning out to be a slower-than-expected surface. Mendis batted as he has through the tour, eyes glinting and wrists whipping quickly as soon as a poor ball was glimpsed. He bludgeoned two Chris Jordan short balls for four and six at the end of the 18th over. The four just cleared a climbing mid-on. The six sailed comfortably over the deep midwicket rope. Next over, Mendis completed a second ODI fifty with the 78th run of the innings, but then his panache forged his downfall. Attempting to repeat his pulled six against a taller, faster Plunkett, Mendis managed only to put the ball in the palms of deep square leg.Chandimal, who had massaged the ball around the infield while Mendis was in, assumed a more positive outlook as he and Mathews manoeuvred Sri Lanka away from 88 for 3. Mathews ventured a low, straight six off Plunkett in the 26th over, but Adil Rashid’s legspin was the more frequent victim of the pair’s belligerence. Rashid’s seventh over went for seven, and his next for 10, before Morgan took him out of the attack. The seamers returned the pair to a more measured approach, though they did continue to score smartly enough, relative to the situation: their 80-run stand was the heftiest in Sri Lanka’s innings, and came off 87 balls.Having set themselves up at a reasonable 165 for 3 after 35 overs, the following ten overs were a period of significant decline. Chandimal, then Seekkuge Prasanna, were out in consecutive overs, both caught aiming swipes across the line. Mathews moved to his second half-century in three games in the company of Upul Tharanga, but top-edged a leg-side heave off Jordan to depart for 56 off 67 in the 44th over. Though the match situation was well-poised for Dasun Shanaka to showcase his hitting range, yet he attempted a non-existent single to short third man, and found himself run out cheaply again, by a sharp Joe Root. On this occasion, though, a case could be made that Shanaka’s bat was actually back inside the crease when the bail was out of its groove.Tharanga then made the best of having to bat with the tail. The four he struck through midwicket at the beginning of the 46th over would be the last of the innings. He cobbled together a 33-ball 40, while Woakes in particular bowled expertly to his field, at the death. He took out the top of Tharanga’s middle stump with his final ball, before Sri Lanka’s last-wicket pair swung optimistically through the final over.

The Supreme Court appointed Lodha Committee, whose recommended reforms are to be implemented by the BCCI in the next six months, has directed the Indian board to freeze all elections post Monday’s verdict

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-2016The Supreme Court appointed Lodha Committee, whose recommended reforms are to be implemented by the BCCI in the next six months, has directed the Indian board to freeze all elections post Monday’s order.On Tuesday the Lodha Committee secretary Gopal Sankaranarayanan had warned that if the BCCI or states failed to follow the recommendations, they would be guilty of contempt of court. However confusion persists.The directive effectively means that Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) elections, which were supposed to be held on July 31, now stand frozen along with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) polls, which were scheduled for August 7.Similarly, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA)’s elections held yesterday, which saw state minister Imran Raza Ansari being elected as president, now stand null and void.On Wednesday KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mrutyanjaya told ESPNcricinfo: “The secretary of the Lodha Committee has sent a mail to us, based on the complaint he has received, telling us to [put on] hold the election until necessary [further] directions. We saw the complaint [where] the complainant has given the feeling as if we have started the election process after the Supreme Court judgment on July 18, but our election process started on July 11 as per the existing bylaws.”However, we are considering the entire recommendations [of the Lodha Committee] and conducting this election. We have sent a clarification to the secretary of this committee that the election process was started on July 11 and that we are implementing the Supreme Court order in the conduct of the election. So, I don’t see any reason for them to stop the election. We should get a go ahead based on the clarification given.”Having sent a “preliminary” response to the Lodha Committee yesterday Mrutunjaya said the KSCA was sending another “detailed” e-mail to the Lodha Committee about why it believes they are clear to go ahead with the elections next month. “We are implementing every recommendation (so) I don’t think they would like to stop the elections. We will wait for them to respond.”According to Sankaranarayanan, however, no KSCA email had yet been received by him. “We have not received any reply from the KSCA. The Lodha Committee is not concerned when the election process started, they are only concerned with complying with the Supreme Court order. So if the KSCA wishes to proceed with their elections, they can seek clarification from the Supreme Court. Failing which, they will be in contempt of court.”Meanwhile, CAB treasurer Biswarup Dey told ESPNcricinfo: “The AGM, which was supposed to be held on July 31, has been cancelled. We decided it this evening.”The Lodha Committee is understood to have sent the directive to all BCCI office-bearers including president Anurag Thakur, secretary Ajay Shirke, treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry and joint-secretary Amitabh Choudhary. The letter states that all elections in the BCCI and state associations should be “kept on hold”.”The Committee is in the process of preparing an action plan along with timelines as directed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court to implement the reforms and supervise the transition as swiftly as possible. Until further intimations in this regard, it is directed that the BCCI and the State Associations keep on hold all elections and electoral processes under the Rules existing as on 18.7.2016.”The same may be conveyed to all the various Members and State Associations by the BCCI. Needless to say, any steps taken after the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment which are inconsistent with its directions will be treated as null and void.”07.30 GMT July 21 2016: This story has been updated with a response from KSCA

Chris Tremain and Daniel Worrall picked up nine wickets between them as India A were handed an eight-wicket loss in their Quadrangular series opener against Australia A in Townsville

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2016
ScorecardChris Tremain’s maiden five-wicket haul spurred Australia A on to a comprehensive win in their series opener•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

The fast bowling pair of Chris Tremain and Daniel Worrall picked up nine wickets between them as India A were handed an eight-wicket thumping in their Quadrangular series opener against Australia A in Townsville.India A’s innings lasted just 15.4 overs as they were bowled out for 55 after being sent in to bat. Only Axar Patel, batting at No. 8, managed to get into double digits, top scoring with 15. Tremain, playing in only his fifth List-A game, recorded his maiden five-wicket haul, while Worrall picked up four.Tremain triggered the meltdown when he struck thrice in the third over, removing Karun Nair, Mandeep Singh and Manish Pandey, all India internationals, in the space of four deliveries. He returned to dismiss Sanju Samson and opener Faiz Fazal in his next over, the fifth of the innings, to cap off a five-wicket haul.Worrall then sliced through the lower middle order, to finish with his best returns in eight List A games so far. Michael Neser, the third seamer, was the other wicket-taker for Australia A, dismissing Axar.Australia A’s chase was slow but relatively steady in the face of India A’s spin. India A managed to nip out two wickets courtesy Yuzvendra Chahal, the legspinner, and Axar, the left-arm spinner before Kurtis Patterson and Peter Handscomb saw the hosts home in the 18th over.Australia A next take on the National Performance Squad at the same venue on August 16, while India A will play their second game against South Africa A a day later.

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2016
ScorecardKiran Carlson•Getty Images

An extraordinary opening day’s cricket on which 20 wickets fell and 373 runs were scored ended with Leicestershire and Glamorgan on something close to even terms in their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match at Grace Road.Only Kiran Carlson prospered with the bat barely a week after becoming the youngest player to score a first-class century for Glamorgan, against Essex at Chelmsford.Glamorgan skipper Jacques Rudolph exercised the away team’s right to bowl first, a decision based on atmospheric conditions rather than the appearance of the pitch, and there were no signs of the carnage to come as Leicestershire recovered from the early loss of Angus Robson, caught at third slip off the bowling of Michael Hogan.Paul Horton and Neil Dexter looked in control before Dexter, unluckily, was bowled off the inside edge trying to force a wide delivery from Craig Meschede through the off side. Horton was then given leg before to a Timm van der Gugten inswinger, and the procession continued when both Ned Eckersley and then Mark Pettini were caught behind off successive balls throwing the bat at wide deliveries.The in-form Mark Cosgrove went caught and bowled off the leading edge, van der Gugten throwing himself to his right to scoop up the ball one-handed just before it hit the pitch, and the seamer picked up a five-for by bowling Harry Dearden, the young left-hander looking to drive an inswinger that took the inside edge and knocked back his leg stump.Ben Raine lofted a delivery from Lukas Carey straight to mid-off, Dieter Klein was palpably leg before to the same bowler, and it took an innings-best and lunch-delaying partnership of 32 between Charlie Shreck, who made a season’s best score of 20, and Clint McKay for Leicestershire to get anywhere near three figures.Having been dismissed for 96, Leicestershire took six wickets in the afternoon session to keep themselves in the match, with allrounder Dexter picking up three victims in four overs shortly before the break.Rudolph was the first to go after lunch, bowled by McKay with an inswinger delivered from around the wicket. Will Bragg and Nick Selman added 47 for the second wicket, but both fell with the score on 63, Bragg caught behind fencing at a Shreck delivery and Selman edging a flat-footed push to Horton at first slip off Raine.Youngsters Aneurin Donald and Kiran Carlson compiled a partnership of 61 in 8.4 overs for the fourth wicket, driving a series of half-volleys through the off side before Donald, again driving airily, was bowled through the gate for 32, hit off just 23 balls.Meschede and Mark Wallace were both caught behind off Dexter outswingers, the former looking to drive, the latter to defend, and the first over after tea saw Klein blast out Owen Morgan and van der Gugten with quick inswingers. The 18-year-old Carlson continued to play without fear, however, reaching 74 off just 74 balls and hitting 12 fours before he ran out of partners.When Leicestershire went back in the conditions were put into context when Robson and Horton compiled an unbroken opening partnership of 78 to leave them 25 behind at the close.

A career-best match haul from Ashton Agar was not enough to save Western Australia from defeat at the SCG

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2016
ScorecardA career-best match haul from Ashton Agar was not enough to save Western Australia from defeat at the SCG, where New South Wales wobbled but reached their target of 96 with seven wickets down. The Blues started the morning at 0 for 3, but on a dry pitch offering plenty for the spinners, they lost enough wickets throughout the day to send some jitters through the camp before the task was completed.They did not lose their first wicket until the total had reached 36, when opener-nightwatchman William Somerville was run out for 23, but his opening partner Daniel Hughes fell to Agar for 13 just three balls later. Ed Cowan made 25 and Kurtis Patterson scored 13, but no other batsman reached double figures as Agar and his bowling colleagues gave the Warriors a sniff.However, in the end New South Wales did enough to secure their second win of the season, despite Agar’s 4 for 31. He finished with match figures of 10 for 141, the second ten-wicket haul of his first-class career, and it completed a match that was dominated by the spinners, with Somerville having taken nine for New South Wales and Steve O’Keefe eight.