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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.

Daryl Mitchell and Ben Cox tightened Worcestershire’s grip on their LV=Championship match with bottom-placed Hampshire on a rain-truncated day at the Ageas Bowl

ECB/PA02-Jun-2015
ScorecardBen Cox played a lively hand to help set up a Worcestershire declaration and full batting points•Getty Images

Daryl Mitchell and Ben Cox tightened Worcestershire’s grip on their LV=Championship match with bottom-placed Hampshire on a rain-truncated day at the Ageas Bowl.No play was possible until 4pm and in the 40 overs allowed, Mitchell and Cox put together an unbroken stand of 114 for the sixth wicket to enable Mitchell to declare with Worcestershire 181 ahead.Resuming at 221 for 3 in response to Hampshire’s first innings total of 222 made in 79 overs, Mitchell and his team-mates wasted no time when the weather finally allowed them back into action.New Zealander Colin Munro lifted Sean Ervine’s medium pace over the midwicket boundary for six during a stand of 53 for the fourth wicket.Hampshire were hampered by the loss through finger injuries of wicketkeeper Adam Wheater and slip fielder Will Smith but it was Wheater’s young replacement, Lewis McManus who contributed to Hampshire’s first breakthrough of the day at 267.Spin bowler Danny Briggs, the pick of a struggling Hampshire attack, induced Munro to edge behind for 34 which also included six fours.Newcomer Joe Clarke, on his Championship debut, got off the mark with a four off Gareth Berg but had made only 6 when the same combination of substitute McManus and Briggs accounted for him at 289.But that only brought Cox to the crease and there was no respite for Hampshire as the pair took Worcestershire past bonus point-gathering landmarks.Mitchell reached his first century of the season in the 75th over from the 249th ball he faced and Cox got to his half-century soon afterwards from 53 balls.Mitchell was 142 not out from 303 balls and having hit 17 fours when he decided to declare. Cox was 69 not out from 65 balls in an innings which included eight fours and was marginally the more aggressive of the sixth wicket pair.At that stage Worcestershire were 403 for 5 from 96 overs, a decisive lead gained with a full day left to play.Hampshire openers Jimmy Adams and Liam Dawson had three overs to negotiate against Charlie Morris and Joe Leach which they achieved in reducing the deficit by a single, but Hampshire face a huge task in avoiding defeat.Briggs took the only wickets to fall on the third day to finish with 2 for 67 and Berg ended with 2 for 66 but Hampshire were unable to exploit a wicket still tinged with green.

A wrap of the second day of the first round of Ranji Trophy matches in Group C

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2012
Scorecard
Hemal Watekar added 154 with fellow opener Prasanth Kumar for Andhra (file photo)•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Jamshedpur was set to witness an exciting finish to a game that has favoured the bowlers and has yielded 22 wickets on the first two days. Assam made an effective fightback into the contest while defending only 179, taking Jharkhand’s last seven wickets for 32 runs. The comeback was inspired by veteran offspinner Arlen Konwar’s 10th five-for in first-class cricket.Jharkhand were cruising at one stage with opener Rameez Nemat scoring 53 and all of top their top five reaching double figures. Just when a big lead looked a formality, Konwar and Abu Nechim struck. It took them Jharkhand only 16.2 overs to take the last seven wickets.It wasn’t all the action on the frenetic second day. Assam had to bat 12 overs before stumps, but lost two wickets over that period, one each to spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Samar Quadri.
Scorecard
Allrounder Pravez Rassol fell 39 short of the highest score by a Jammu & Kashmir batsman, but his 171 took his side to a healthy 338. Coming in at No. 4, he scored more than half the team total. He enjoyed great support from captain Samiullah Beigh, with whom he added 146 for the eighth wicket, overtaking J&K’s previous eighth-wicket record of 90. Beigh remained unbeaten on 57.J&K began the day 196 for 7, and continued with their circumspect progress. Rassol spent 419 minutes at the wicket for his 171, a rate of about 20 runs to the hour. Beigh, too, spent close to three hours for his 57, but their coach Bishan Bedi won’t be complaining after they failed to reach 200 in their first match.Amogh Desai, who took four wickets for Goa, continued his good work as opening batsman, adding 48 unbeaten runs with Swapnil Asnodkar in 29 overs.
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Andhra enjoyed a profitable second day taking the four remaining Tripura wickets for just 32 and then following it up with a 154-run opening stand in Anantapur. At stumps, Prasanth Kumar was 20 short of what can be a second first-class century in just four matches, and Hemal Watekar had reached 57.The big breakthrough for Andhra came in the first over of the day when Paidikalva Vijaykumar removed the centurion Abbas Ali for his overnight score of 103. Atchuta Rao then ran through the tail.It was the Prasanth-Watekar show after that. They hit 13 fours and a six between them and stayed together for 289 minutes.
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Services ended the first day with the game in balance, but when they lost their last four wickets for the addition of just 22 to their overnight 290, they handed over the momentum to hosts Himachal Pradesh. Himachal, in turn, ran away with the game through fifties from their top three. Himachal were now just 60 adrift of the Services total with eight wickets in hand, and could think of an outright win.It was veteran swing bowler Vikramjeet Malik who began Himachal’s charge when he dismissed Muzzaffaruddin Khalid and Suraj Yadav with the second and third balls of the day. Malik missed the hat-trick, but took another wicket in that spell to leave Services tottering. Allrounder Rishi Dhawan finished off the innings, and it was over to Chopras.Aakash and Prashant began slowly, but Prashant picked up the pace dramatically in a 138-run opening stand. Playing only hiss second match, Prashant fell 10 short of what would have been his maiden first-class century, but Aakash and Paras Dogra continued the good work with fifties of their own. Dogra, who scored a century in the first match, was unbeaten on 56 when time was called.

A round-up of the action from the third day of the second round of Division Two matches of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2011Tabish Khan and Mansur Ahmed made sure there was no way back for Quetta, taking four second-innings wickets each to give Karachi Whites victory by an innings and 61 runs. Quetta lost three wickets with just 24 runs on the board but captain Taimur Ali and Taimur Khan battled their way to half-centuries to raise their team’s hopes of making Karachi bat again. The pair added 115 for the fourth wicket, but once Taimur Khan fell for 59, lbw to Tabish, the rest of the side quickly followed, and they were bowled out for 192. Taimur Ali also managed 59, while Tabish picked up 4 for 56 and Ahmed took 4 for 49, giving the pair 15 wickets for the match.Multan were forced to follow-on and are struggling to avoid an innings defeat against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The home side began the day on 114 for 5 and Faisal Elahi and Ali Ahmed initially resisted but once Elahi fell for 33, the side capitulated for 206. Their second-innings began steadily, but having progressed to 95 for 2, Multan lost a further 4 wickets for 37 runs to leave them tottering at 132 for 6, still trailing by 162 runs. Bilawal Bhatti was the most successful bowler, picking up three wickets.Left-arm spinner Noor-Ul-Amin bowled Peshawar to a 55-run victory against Lahore Ravi in a low-scoring game at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. Having gained a five-run first-innings lead, Peshawar were able to extend it to 219 despite Aamer Hayat’s seven-wicket haul, with Naved Khan’s 45 the top score. Lahore seemed well placed at 87 for 2 in their chase, but Ul-Amin dismissed Hamza Paracha and Usman Salahuddin off consecutive deliveries and Lahore never recovered. Ul-Amin ended up with 6 for 49 from 19 overs as Lahore crumbled to 164 all out to give Peshawar their second successive win.Fahad-ul-Haq’s hundred under pressure ensured Lahore Shalimar did not suffer an innings defeat but Khan Research Laboratories are still in control at the Gaddafi Stadium. Fahad rebounded from his first-innings duck to bat through the entire day to make 165 and carry his side to 283 for 6, giving them a lead of 10 runs. Having been bundled out for 84, Lahore were in trouble again early, having slipped to 15 for 2, but Fahad and Adnan Raza (50) steadied the ship with a 132-run partnership. Lahore then lost a couple of quick wickets after Raza departed, raising the chances of a three-day defeat. However, Asif Raza proved a willing ally for Fahad and the pair ensured Lahore lived to fight another day.Hyderabad were staring at defeat against United Bank Limited after being made to follow-on with a first-innings deficit of 186 at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad. They began the day on 109 for 3 and despite several batsmen getting starts, were dismissed for 274 in reply to United Bank’s 460. Lal Kumar was the only one to resist with an unbeaten fifty as Kashif Bhatti and Misbah Khan picked up four wickets apiece to enable United Bank to enforce the follow-on. Hyderabad lost their openers early and were on 55 for 2 at stumps, still needing another 131 to avoid an innings defeat.

Criticism from outside the camp doesn’t ruffle Kumar Sangakkara. He’s used to it

Peter English20-Oct-2010Criticism from outside the camp doesn’t ruffle Kumar Sangakkara. He’s used to it. But in Australia it usually takes something seriously wrong for an ex-player to break the code of support for the country’s captain.During Australia’s series loss in India Shane Warne targeted Ricky Ponting’s fields and Geoff Lawson has called for him to become a specialist batsman. Ponting has been unhappy with some of the coverage and it adds to the intrigue for the limited-overs contest against Sri Lanka, which acts as Australia’s last international item before the Ashes.Sangakkara has been captain of Sri Lanka for more than a year and has developed a relaxed attitude to criticism. “We come from a slightly different cricket-playing scene [than in Australia] where we get to see that almost every day,” he said before laughing loudly. “If it does happen it’s not the end of the world. It’s an opinion expressed and if you’re playing at this level you are able to handle it with equanimity.”Warne tweeted about Ponting’s fields to Nathan Hauritz and the issue continues to rumble, with the former legspinner writing about it on his website on Tuesday. Sangakkara was not surprised by Warne’s comments, but did not think it suggested the Australians were starting to crack.”Warne has very strong opinions on most things,” he said. “He is also a very shrewd and intelligent cricketer, I’m sure he expressed an opinion he thought was relevant. Everyone looks at everything differently, that’s what you realise very soon playing cricket. That’s the beauty of cricket, it’s all put down to interpretation.”One of the reasons for the burst of local complaints is Australia’s drop to No.5 in the Test rankings, their worst since the system was introduced. They are still comfortably on top in one-day internationals, 16 points above South Africa, but appear more vulnerable given the slip in five-day status.Sangakkara doesn’t pretend to understand how the ranking system works but is certain the hosts won’t be a pushover. “Playing the Aussies in Australia is a completely different story,” he said. “How they will look at it in between an Ashes series is something left for them. For us, it’s a great challenge to play Australia anytime.”The Sri Lankans open their tour with a one-dayer against Queensland at the Gabba on Friday and have two more warm-ups before the Twenty20 international in Perth on October 31. Three ODIs follow as the teams start to focus seriously on next year’s World Cup.”We’re trying a few new guys, but we’re settled to a great extent,” Sangakkara said. “There are still a few places up for grabs and we need to have guys ready and able to take up that spot. We have a lot of younger players who have come in, and a lot of experienced players who do not feature in our squad. It’s an interesting time for us.”

Fast bowler in for injured Shane Bond in New Zealand’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan

Cricinfo staff02-Dec-2009Tim Southee, the New Zealand fast bowler, has been drafted into the squad as cover for the injured Shane Bond for the second Test against Pakistan. Bond suffered minor abdominal discomfort following the 32-run victory in Dunedin and was subsequently ruled out of the remaining two matches.However, captain Daniel Vettori said that Daryl Tuffey , who was part of the squad for the first Test, would most likely be starting in place of Bond for the match tomorrow in Wellington. Southee, on the other hand, would be backup, in case any injuries were sustained during the period before that match.Southee’s inclusion comes after a strong outing for Northern Districts against Wellington in Hamilton during the Plunket Shield last week. Southee wrecked Wellington’s first innings, finishing with extraordinary figures of 25-12-27-8, but it was a terrific effort in vain as the home side lost by 38 runs.The 20-year-old did well in the limited-overs series against Pakistan in the UAE. He last played a Test against India in April.Tuffey, whose last Test was against England in 2004, hoped to make the most of the opportunity. “Obviously it’s disappointing for Shane with that injury,” he told the . “But it always works in roundabouts like that and I’ve been on the receiving end of injuries and giving other guys chances. He’s a good mate of mine and I’m really disappointed for him.”If my name is read out, which is obviously looking more and more likely with Shane being out, I’m just looking forward to the opportunity.”Tuffey, like Bond a former ICL player who will have a chance to revive to his Test career, has taken 24 of his 66 Test wickets against Pakistan. He didn’t play the Sri Lanka Tests and suffered a hand injury which forced him to return home from South Africa during the Champions Trophy. “I never thought I would have been playing Test cricket again,” he said. “But it’s funny how things have panned out.””The good thing about Daryl is every Test team that’s been named, he’s been disappointed not to be in it,” said Daniel Vettori. “He’s been close and he’s been bowling well.”The fast bowler Iain O’Brien, who dislocated the middle finger of his bowling hand during a career-saving spell on day five in Dunedin, did not think the injury would prevent him from playing tomorrow. “I bowled a couple to feel the finger and see how it came out,” he said. “It’s just sore, there’s no fractures, no nothing really, just a bit of bruising. I’ve just got to hope I don’t get a bang on it when I’m bowling.”Having endured an ordinary Test and playing almost for his place, O’Brien had a crucial part in the turnaround on day five of the Dunedin Test. He followed up Umar Akmal’s wicket with those of Kamran Akmal, with a sharp in-ducker, and Umar Gul. He will protect his injured finger with a splint when fielding but will not, per cricket’s rules, be allowed to wear it while bowling.”I’ve got some toys to cover it with,” said O’Brien. “With the cricket laws it’ll be nude when I’m bowling then hopefully I can cover it up and keep some impact off it when I’m fielding. It’ll be okay, I guess I have to try and hide it as much as I can when I’m fielding.”

Beth Mooney made 97 for Perth Scorchers but Voll matched her score to seal a superb run chase at the MCG

AAP15-Nov-2024Georgia Voll produced a blistering knock to give Sydney Thunder a thrilling seven-wicket win over Perth Scorchers that lifted them back to the top of the WBBL table.Thunder dropped five catches at the MCG on Friday and Beth Mooney cashed in, hammering 97 from 64 balls. But Voll wouldn’t be outdone by the competition’s all-time leading run-scorer, responding with an unbeaten 97 from 56 deliveries to steer the to victory with one over remaining. It was the first time in three attempts this season Thunder have mounted a successful run-chase.Voll hit 13 fours and a six in her career-best innings, surpassing the 92 she made against Adelaide Strikers earlier this month.”It sits pretty high,” Voll said of her player-of-the-match performance. “To be chasing sort of a biggish total and to have the backing from the coaches to just go out there and play my way and for it to come off like this is pretty special.”Voll’s 64-run partnership with Heather Knight was crucial for Thunder. The 21-year-old revealed she took inspiration from Hobart Hurricanes opener Lizelle Lee’s record-breaking feats with the bat this month.”I actually watched Lizelle Lee bat the other day and noticed that I’ve been trying to go a little bit hard too early,” Voll said. “I sort of just took my time a little bit more and took the strike off Atha [Chamari Athapaththu] at the start there as well. It was just sort of lucky to come off.”Mooney had looked like she would be the match-winner with the bat when she made the most of Thunder’s dropped catches. She was put down three times before reaching 20 and again soon after ticking off another half-century.Sophie Devine was also given an early life by Thunder and the experienced pair put on a 112-run partnership for Scorchers’ third wicket. Devine fell to Taneale Peschel and Mooney was out lbw to Shabnim Ismail in the final over, falling narrowly short of what would have been her fourth WBBL century.Amy Edgar removed Knight and Scorchers looked headed for victory when Thunder’s required run rate climbed above 10. But Voll took charge with support from Anika Learoyd to guide Thunder home.

Eskinazi fifty ignites run chase; Fire will reach Eliminator if Originals beat Brave on Wednesday

ECB Reporters Network22-Aug-2023Harry Brook smashed the fastest Hundred century but it proved in vain as Welsh Fire kept alive their hopes of making Saturday’s eliminator with an eight-wicket win over Northern Superchargers at Headingley.Brook reached his ton off 41 balls while crashing a scintillating 105 not out off 42 but found little support as the Superchargers posted 158 for 7. Stephen Eskinazi’s fifty set Fire on their way, before Jonny Bairstow hit 44 and Joe Clarke 42 to lift the visitors to victory.Fire will reach the eliminator if Manchester Originals beat Southern Brave on Wednesday. Superchargers were eliminated with defeat, while the result also ended Trent Rockets and London Spirit’s hopes of finishing in the top three.