All posts by h716a5.icu

Moeen Ali claims not be overly stressed about a potential England Test debut, but he struck a century all the same to edge it a little bit closer

Tim Wigmore at The Oval02-Jun-2014
ScorecardRory Burns made 79 before falling to the last ball of the day•PA PhotosThis was a curious day, the sort when anticipation trumps action. There was the beguiling prospect of watching Saeed Ajmal bowl. After looting 28 wickets at 13 apiece this season, his visit to The Oval, scene of 219 of Saqlain Mushtaq’s first-class wickets, was one that filled Surrey with fear and dread. After Worcestershire had lifted their first innings to 476, there seemed a grim inevitability about it all.But, for one day at least, Ajmal was the dog with plenty of bark but no bite. Or, at least, that was how it seemed until the day’s final ball: Rory Burns could not resist wafting outside off stump, and Daryl Mitchell nonchalantly plucked the ball out of the air at first slip.The end was a shame, for Burns, in alliance with Zafar Ansari, had played Ajmal with admirable calm and restraint. They never looked comfortable – few can ever make that boast against the Pakistani – but decisive foot movement, allied to the phlegmatic recognition that being deceived was inevitable, made for a commendable defence.Ansari and Burns even achieved the rare feat of forcing Ajmal to switch ends. After seven overs from the Vauxhall End, he moved to the Pavilion End in search of greater bounce. It took until his 10th over for the spell to weaken, just a fraction, as Burns followed a square cut – the first boundary Ajmal conceded – with a neat clip to the leg side for three. But eventually his relentlessness was rewarded.When England Lions selection should have beckoned, the 2014 season has instead brought struggle for Burns. He had mustered a top score of 53 not out in the first six Championship matches; losing his opening partner Graeme Smith hardly helped.In circumstances not typical of Division Two – as if Ajmal was not enough, Jack Shantry produced an opening spell of genuine hostility – Burns produced a reminder of his considerable gifts. At his best, he is meticulously organised, but there were signs of a more expansive game as he caressed two balls from Ross Whiteley to midwicket late in the day.After Arun Harinath fell early, fending off a vicious lifter from Shantry, Ansari accompanied Burns in a 127-run stand. There is no denying that Ansari possesses a rare package of gifts. At the age of 22, he has taken a first-class five-for with his left-arm spin, has a degree from Cambridge, and – with Hashim Amla missing for this game, believed to be on the cusp of the South Africa Test captaincy – is now batting at No. 3 for Surrey. He showed the technique for the task here, even if spectators on a dreary day may have hoped for a little less stoicism.There was rather more excitement at the end of Worcestershire’s innings. Just as he had done on the first day, Moeen Ali hit the first ball he received from Gareth Batty for a boundary. It sailed over long-on for six – one of Moeen’s five. Batty would have feared plenty of repeats when he shelled Moeen at square leg on 162 but Matthew Dunn found extra pace to take the edge and Gary Wilson took a superb tumbling catch.After Moeen’s dismissal, a little of the sting was taken out of Worcestershire’s innings. On a largely lifeless surface – the intention, no doubt, being to nullify Ajmal – Surrey did well to take the last six wickets for 117 runs. Chris Tremlett will enjoy plenty of pitches more suited to his game but bowled with consistency and skill – he moved the ball both ways on occasions – and deserved more than his three wickets. Batty matched that haul when he ended Ajmal’s harum-scarum effort. His batting is rather less effective than his bowling, but it is almost as enthralling to watch.Amid all the talk about England wicketkeepers, Ben Cox, five years into his county career but still only 22, may be worth watching over the coming years. He played beautifully for 64, including a short-arm jab for six off Tremlett and some attractive cover drives, to lift Worcestershire to 476. A fourth victory of the season, and a tightening grip on the promotion places, is conceivable.

Andrew Strauss, the former England captain, and an increasingly influential voice in cricket administration, has issued dire warnings about the survival of Test cricket

David Hopps02-Oct-2014Andrew Strauss, the former England captain, and an increasingly influential voice in cricket administration, has issued dire warnings about the survival of Test cricket, predicting that Twenty20 could dominate the landscape within 20 years.Strauss, who since his retirement has been appointed to the cricket committees of the ICC and MCC as well as sitting on the Middlesex management board, lays part of the blame for Test cricket’s potential ills on the restructuring of the ICC.The deal, which if TV rights deals come to fruition could bring India a ten-fold increase in income, with England and Australia also benefiting financially, will in Strauss’ view condemn Test cricket to a growing number of mismatches which will quicken its decline.Strauss’ pessimistic view – particularly notable as it comes from one of the game’s avowed traditionalists – comes in an updated paperback edition of his autobiography, which is published today.”India can argue that they bring the most money into the game, and thus deserve more out of the precious ICC broadcasting rights, but skewing the distribution of the three boards that are already the most financially secure can only create a situation in which the rich get richer and the poor poorer,” Strauss writes.”With only ten teams playing Test cricket and four of those already struggling to stay competitive, the risk of the game degenerating to the extent that the result of many Test series is a foregone conclusion is both high and real.”Strauss paints a bleak picture of the Test game in which he built his reputation, leading England in 50 of his 100 Tests and gaining a reputation as one of the finest man managers in England’s history.”I have to admit that I become more and more concerned about the plight of Test cricket every year,” Strauss admits. “Watching a Test match between the West Indies and New Zealand in an empty stadium with no more than a handful of spectators in attendance sends out warning signals. Seeing that the viewing figures for a county Twenty20 game rival those for a Test match adds to the growing perception that Test cricket is in crisis.”Part of the new ICC restructure provides a Test fund so that some of the smaller nations can play each other in Test series even though they aren’t financially viable. While I definitely welcome this news, I can’t help feeling that we have already reached the tipping point as far as Test cricket is concerned.”The teams will keep playing each other over the next eight years, but aside from iconic series like the Ashes or England v India, I fear that the game is slowly going to fizzle out as a mainstream attraction, especially away from the ‘big three’ nations.”It is too late to turn the tide, especially with the glitz and glamour of Twenty20 cricket managing to gain more and more traction every year.”Strauss predicts a future in which the ICC is powerless to prevent control moving towards the T20 franchises. His warning comes in a week when Australia have conceded that their T20 side against Pakistan could be potentially weakened by absentees in the Champions League – another sign of the creeping power shift between club and country.”It is not a huge stretch of the imagination to see a situation in which most players will be contracted to franchises and play the majority of their cricket in the Twenty20 format,” Strauss concludes. “It will not happen for a while , as the international boards will do everything in their power to prevent it, but market forces are likely to win the battle in the long term. In twenty years, the game of cricket will look very different.”Driving Ambition: Andrew Strauss (Hodder & Stoughton) £8.99

Who are the greatest African players to represent the two Spanish giants?

Getty Images10Alex Song

Song transferred, at the height of his powers, to Catalonia to join Barcelona from Arsenal.

The box-to-box midfielder was indispensable for Arsene Wenger's Gunners, but it never quite worked out for Song in La Liga, and he subsequently returned to England on loan at West Ham United.

He's currently playing in Djibouti following spells with Sion and Rubin Kazan, and it's safe to say that his career hasn't lived up to the early promise of his pre-Barca years.

AdvertisementClive Brunskill/ALLSPORT9​Emmanuel Amuneke

During his playing career, the former Tanzania coach was a glittering wideman who enjoyed dismal fortune at Barcelona, where injuries completely shattered his career in Catalonia.

The 1994 African Footballer of the Year scored twice in the Nations Cup final that year as Nigeria defeated Zambia, and also clinched honours in Portugal, Egypt and in his homeland.

Yet despite a clutch of honours won with Barca, it’s tempting to beg the question, what might Amuneke have become had injuries not taken their toll?

Getty8Emmanuel Adebayor

Adebayor has been a fan favourite at almost every club he has played at, but he is also known for his controversial nature and at times it has overshadowed his excellence at some European giants.

He made 143 appearances for Arsenal managing 62 goals, of which 30 came in the 2007/08 season, which remains his finest campaign.

His brilliance flickered at Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, but he never truly looked the part during a brief loan spell with Real in 2011.

He's currently a free agent after leaving Paraguayan giants Olimpia.

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Denis Doyle/Getty Images7Mahamadou Diarra

Diarra doesn’t always get the credit he deserves for the consistent excellence he brought to the table at Real Madrid during his time at the Bernabeu.

Between 2002 and 2008 the Mali international won six consecutive league titles with Olympique Lyonnais and then Real, helping the Spanish giants to end a four-year trophy drought with their championship triumph in 2006.

Finally, largely thanks to Diarra’s positioning, awareness and sharp tackling,  had a long overdue replacement for Claude Makelele.

SLC has expressed surprise and disappointment “in no uncertain terms” at the news that Sri Lanka head coach Paul Farbrace may be recruited as England’s new assistant coach, after the ECB confirmed their interest in Farbrace to SLC

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Apr-2014SLC has expressed surprise and disappointment “in no uncertain terms” at the news that Sri Lanka head coach Paul Farbrace may be recruited as England’s new assistant coach, after the ECB confirmed their interest in Farbrace to SLC. Farbrace is presently contracted to SLC until December 31, 2015 , but it now appears he may not serve out the remainder of his term.Paul Downton, the ECB’s managing director, however, said the board would take a few more days in naming an assistant coach: “We are involved in advance negotiations to appoint an assistant coach but with due respect to his current employers, we are not going to make an announcement today. We hope to make an announcement soon.”SLC had had no inkling that Farbrace may not continue in his role, until British news outlets reported his possible move to England on Friday. SLC officials have since repeatedly attempted to contact Farbrace, who is in England, but these efforts “have proved futile”.In a statement, SLC has said it is particularly disappointed because “the Sri Lanka national team will be visiting England within the next few weeks” for a full tour, featuring two Tests, five ODIs and a T20.”SLC is currently in communication with the ECB, but have informed them that we cannot progress this matter further until Paul Farbrace establishes a dialogue with SLC, since our contractual obligations are with the individual,” the release said.Farbrace’s contract began on January 1 this year, but he only took charge of the team before their tour of Bangladesh, which began on January 24. SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said Farbrace’s contract carries an exit-clause, which requires the coach to give the board six months’ notice before leaving his position. If that notice is not observed, Farbrace will likely be compelled to give financial compensation for his early departure, even though his tenure is still inside a six-month probationary period, Ranatunga saidIn Farbrace’s two-and-a-half months with the side, Sri Lanka have won the Asia Cup and the World T20, and lost only one match out of 18, across all formats. Farbrace had not been part of the Sri Lanka team’s Colombo reception after the World T20 win, having left the country soon after the team landed.SLC will face a significant crisis if Farbrace takes up the England position, as they have a full international schedule in the four months beginning in May. Following the tour of Ireland and England, Sri Lanka is set to host no.1 Test side South Africa at home in July, before Pakistan’s expected arrival for another full tour in August.Sri Lanka have also built methodically towards the 2015 World Cup – an event they feel they have a significant chance of winning, given their ODI form in Australia over the past few years – but they must now contemplate the possibility of arriving at that tournament with a head coach who has been with the team for less than a year.Before Farbrace took over the Sri Lanka job, financial limitations had severely hindered SLC’s hunt for a new national coach once Graham Ford announced he would leave the post in January. Sri Lanka’s position in world cricket and the board’s crippling debt has meant that it is largely only attractive to coaches on the make, instead of the well-established names.Weeks after accepting the role, in February, Farbrace had said he was “excited” to be working with the team, which featured a band of developing young players. He is also believed to have settled well within the side.

If success in sport is all about taking opportunities, Richard Oliver should go on to enjoy a decent career in the game. A few weeks ago 24-year-old Oliver was focusing on captaining Shropshire and here he was winning a game for Worcestershire.

George Dobell at New Road30-May-2014
ScorecardMoeen Ali added 41 in just 25 balls to his 2 for 23•Getty ImagesIf success in sport is all about taking opportunities, Richard Oliver should go on to enjoy a decent career in the game. A few weeks ago 24-year-old Oliver was focusing on captaining Shropshire in the Minor Counties Championship and pursuing a career in coaching but here he was blasting Worcestershire to victory over the defending T20 champions.A less passionate, less stubborn fellow might have given up on a career as a player. But not Oliver. He has spent the last eight years as a professional in club cricket – the summers in England, the winters in Australia – and, as he put it “bashing the door down” in the hope of attracting a county.Then, a few weeks ago, he won his break. Kevin Sharp, standing in as Worcestershire second XI coach for the unwell Damian D’Oliveira, phoned Oliver and invited him to play for the county’s second XI. Sharp knew Oliver form his time coaching Shropshire and was a player short for a game.Oliver responded by scoring two centuries for Worcestershire’s second team against Derbyshire, one in limited-overs cricket and another in the longer form of the game, and then another against Lincolnshire in a limited-overs game for Shropshire.With Gareth Andrew unavailable due to injury – he has a back problem that is expected to sideline him for another two-and-a-half weeks – it was enough to see Oliver selected ahead of the likes of contracted players such as Tom Fell and Joe Leach for Worcestershire’s first T20 game of the season. Suddenly, from opening the batting with Omar Ali for Shropshire, Oliver was opening the batting with Omar’s brother, Moeen, for Worcestershire.It proved an inspired selection. He responded by top-scoring for his side with 43 from 31 balls against Durham and followed it with an innings of 34 from 23 balls against a Lancashire side including James Anderson. Indeed, Anderson was seen giving Oliver some of his infamous “advice” after taking some punishment.Now Oliver, with 77 from 43 balls, has helped Worcestershire to victory over the reigning T20 Champions with almost six overs to spare. It was Northamptonshire’s first loss in six T20 games and only their fourth in 16. But it was Worcestershire’s sixth victory in their last seven completed Twenty20 matches against Northants, whose previous T20 defeat also came at the hands of Worcestershire and they will reflect that, after a modest display with the bat, their bowling was disappointing and their fielding sometimes quite wretched. It was an uncharacteristically poor performance.The opening stand of 87 in 8.3 overs between Oliver and Moeen made sure of victory, but the seeds were sown much earlier. Worcestershire’s bowlers had fought back from a poor start – they conceded 47 from the first four overs of the innings – to restrict Northants to a total perhaps 15 under par on a slightly tricky, tacky pitch.While Chris Russell came back admirably from a wretched start – his first over cost 15; his next three just nine combined – as he demonstrated the value of his pace and a well-disguised slower-ball bouncer, it was Worcestershire’s two main spinners that really applied the pressure.Moeen and Saeed Ajmal conceded just 37 from their eight overs, taking three wickets in the process. While Ajmal’s skills are well documented, it was interesting to see that Moeen’s doosra had improved immeasurably over the last few weeks. While it is still fractionally slower than his normal off-break, he continues to work in the nets with Ajmal and is improving at a pace the England selectors may find hard to ignore. Here David Sales was lucky to survive his first delivery, a doosra that beat him comprehensively.But it was Oliver, striking the ball cleanly and unafraid to hit over the top, who dominated. It was not slogging; he timed the ball sweetly and displayed a wide enough range of stroke to suggest he could go on to enjoy a sustained career at this level.”I never gave up,” he said after his match-winning performance. “I never closed the door on myself. I felt that, as long as I was bashing the door down in league cricket or for the minor counties, then I had a chance.”I know I’m in an incredibly privileged position right now. Not many people get given this sort of chance and there is an element of ‘right time, right place’ about it. An injury to another player has given me a chance and I’m determined to take it.”I’m on trial at the moment, but I do feel I’ve gone a long way to proving myself tonight. I’m going to keep going, though. I’m going to bang the door down and make it impossible for Worcestershire not to sign me. I’m loving this experience and I want to carry on being a part of it.”Oliver’s short-term contract ends on June 14, by which time he hopes to have won a longer term deal. He plays for Reigate on Saturday in the Surrey Championship before reporting to The Oval on Sunday where he will be 12th man for Worcestershire. The contract offer is inevitable.”He is very well liked at the club,” Worcestershire’s director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, said afterwards. “And you can’t play like that without getting a go. He hasn’t looked out of place at all at this level and he has contributed in three out of the four games he has played so far.”This was a good scalp. Our opening batsmen were magnificent, but our bowlers also came back really well. It is an excellent win.”

In recent weeks, the importance of a cricket nation’s international performance has run secondary to the capacity of its board to deal shrewdly, even secretly, to secure a greater share of the money flowing into the game

Daniel Brettig11-Feb-2014In recent weeks, the importance of a cricket nation’s international performance has run secondary to the capacity of its board to deal shrewdly, even secretly, to secure a greater share of the money flowing into the game. The coup completed at the ICC board table in Singapore on Saturday placed Australia in exclusive company alongside India and England, the “big three” now effectively grasping the sort of influence and financial strength that will leave the rest beholden to their whims.So what irony that in the same instant Cricket Australia were placing themselves at the very top of the game’s decision-making, the national team was battling rain and a cramped time-frame to prepare as adequately as possible for a bout with South Africa, the finest team of the age but a minor player in the new shape of world cricket’s governance. Unlike the boardroom tussle, this conflict will be played out in full public view, with the hosts holding many of the aces.Chief among these is the inherent advantage of playing on familiar soil, a factor that grows evermore influential with each passing year of cramped schedules, jumbled formats and commercial thinking. Not so long ago, India were chastised for wounded talk of “wait until we play you at home”, but the emerging trend of the past 12 months has been that near enough to every team has taken up something of this attitude, for reasons financial as much as practical. In the words of one former administrator, “ultimately what matters most for all your stakeholders is to win at home”. Michael Clarke’s team on the road

Sri Lanka 2011 – won 1-0 (3 Tests)
South Africa 2011 – tied 1-1 (2 Tests)
West Indies 2012 – won 2-0 (3 Tests)
India 2013 – lost 4-0 (4 Tests)
England 2013 – lost 3-0 (5 Tests)
Overall
Played 17
Won 4
Lost 8
Drawn 5

Australia certainly followed this dictum during back-to-back Ashes bouts, planning, scheming and preparing during a series lost in England to mete out fearful revenge in the southern hemisphere. Theirs was a triumph in every sense, not only sweeping Alastair Cook’s tourists on the field but causing all manner of chaos for them off it, with a casualty list now including three members of the touring team plus the coach, Andy Flower.Yet that series is now considered by Australia’s captain Michael Clarke and coach Darren Lehmann to be little more than a pleasant starting point for what they hope will be a far longer run of victories, against all comers and in all conditions. Lehmann likes to say such success is vital “if we’re going to get to where we want to go”, namely to the top spot on the global rankings that South Africa currently possess.That supremacy has been built upon a subversion of the home-ground notion, for Graeme Smith’s side have become much admired for being capable of performing to a high standard anytime, anywhere. Nothing speaks to this quite so strongly as their unbeaten record overseas since 2006, a run outlasting even their string of victories at home. Ricky Ponting’s underrated 2009 tourists were the last team to beat South Africa anywhere.Clarke is old enough to recall the attributes of the great Australian team that had begun to decline by then, namely their mental strength in replicating the command performances of Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in such destinations as Nagpur, Colombo, Bridgetown, Dhaka, and Johannesburg. It is a standard to which he and Lehmann again aspire, following the accumulation of a horrid away record last year – seven defeats from nine Tests.”The fact that not many teams have won away in the last couple of years is what makes it a greater prize, a greater challenge,” Clarke said. “My view is you want to win every game you play, whether I’m playing in Australia or playing in South Africa or the West Indies or India, you want to have success. But it’s obviously extremely hard to win away from home and I think the last couple of years you’ve seen that across the board.”If we want to get back to being No. 1 in the world, we have to have success away from home, we have to beat the best teams, and as tough a challenge as it is we’re excited about it.”Clarke and his team have plenty of reason to think they can measure up to the task, not least because in South Africa they find an environment not too far removed from their own. If India’s turning pitches can seem like playing on the moon, South Africa’s fast and seaming decks are more like venturing from Sydney to Brisbane at the outset of the summer, albeit with a nine-hour time difference thrown in.”It’s probably going to be easier for us to adapt to these conditions, but there’s always a home-ground advantage,” Clarke said. “You’ve got crowd, you’ve got family, you’ve got friends, you’ve got the comforts of if you’re playing in your own state you stay in your own house. The food, the hotels, you know the grounds, you know the change rooms – there’s so much that comes with playing in your own backyard. Hence why it’s so hard to have success away from home. To be the best team in the world you’ve got to be able to adapt.”In Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon, Australia have a bowling attack more than capable of making such an adaptation. Clarke will not want for willing and skilful practitioners in the field, eager also to test themselves against opponents not quite so familiar as England became over the course of 10 Tests. South Africa may even offer an added advantage to the pacemen – swing is often more easily found on the Highveld than at home.But the greater questions will be asked of the touring side’s batsmen, who despite accumulating solid enough aggregates against the Englishmen, showed an alarming consistency in their first innings troubles. They cannot expect South Africa to be quite so courteous to the middle order and tail, even if Brad Haddin and Steve Smith remain in the best batting touch of their old and young careers.There is also uncertainty about the shape and capability of the batting order, a state of affairs created by the dropping of George Bailey, who has been missed as an equable tourist so far, and the latest ailment picked up by Shane Watson. Irrespective of how Alex Doolan, Shaun Marsh and Phillip Hughes fare in the series, they will not prosper without help from Clarke. His run-making trailed off towards the end of the Ashes, and he must locate a far richer seam at Centurion to give his side a chance.Looking on from the boundary’s edge will be those men of the boardroom. They will discuss the game’s new future and its apparent unequal divide, and how South Africa might continue to thrive with what must now amount to patronage from Australia, India and England. Meanwhile the two teams will fight on a far more even footing, a place where negotiations, relationships and political expedience mean far less than skill, courage and resilience. It can only be hoped that this will remain so.

Playing in the Asia Cup for the first time, Afghanistan not only defeated Bangladesh, the Test-playing hosts, they almost managed to sneak out a bonus point too

The Report by Devashish Fuloria01-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Asghar Stanikzai set the scene with a blistering 90•AFPThe indomitable spirit that has characterised Afghanistan’s sharp rise in world cricket shone brightly in Fatullah. Playing in the Asia Cup for the first time, Afghanistan not only defeated Bangladesh, the Test-playing hosts, they almost managed to sneak out a bonus point too. Bangladesh, who took 28 matches to register their first-win against a major side, were left embarrassed by a younger cricketing nation playing only its fourth match against a major team.The foundation of the historic win was laid by a stunning 164-run stand for the sixth wicket between Asghar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari that lifted Afghanistan from 90 for 5 in the 27th over to a competitive 254. The Afghanistan bowlers then ensured they maintained the intensity and produced an all-round bowling performance to shock the hosts.Stanikzai and Shenwari had come together at a stage when Bangladesh spinners were busy closing all escape doors, but they went through a careful rebuilding phase till the 40th over, before exploding in the last 10 to amass 107 runs – easily their best performance in the final overs. The stand was broken on the penultimate delivery of the innings when Shenwari was run-out for 81, but Stanikzai stayed unbeaten on 90 off 103 balls. Bangladesh, who had a firm grip on the proceedings for 80% of the innings, fell apart in the last 20%.Rubel Hossain was smashed for 40 in his last four overs, Abdur Razzak and Arafat Sunny were whipped for 25 and 19 in their last two and Ziaur Rahman was taken for 16 as Stanikzai and Shenwari hit 12 fours and four sixes in the last 10 overs, beating the 88 they scored against Scotland in 2009.Bangladesh’s hopes of a quick turnaround through their batting were dashed almost as soon as the chase started. Stanikzai and Shenwari’s energy had spilled over to the their bowling too. Shapoor Zadran generated enough pace in his first over to rattle the openers. He capped it off with a wicket off the fifth ball that cut Shamsur Rahman into half and sent his offstump cartwheeling. Bowling from the other end, Hamid Hassan surprised Anamul Haque with his pace and trapped the opener lbw. The storm that had hit Bangladesh in the first innings was showing no sign of abatement. The hosts were down to 1 for 2, and the control they had on the game after opting to bowl, was all but lost.It was clear at the toss that Bangladesh, who were without three first-choice players, were going to put Afghanistan through a trial by spin as Mushfiqur responded to the slowness in the Fatullah pitch by including an additional spinner. Arafat Sunny, the left-arm orthodox bowler, was brought in to replace the injured Mashrafe and was the second spinner to bowl inside the first 10 overs.Sunny removed the two batsmen who had been busy putting up a resistance since the fall of Mohammad Shahzad in the third over. Karim Sadiq lobbed a leading edge back to Sunny in his second over. In his next over, Sunny dismissed Najibullah Zadran with one that slipped under the massive gap between the batsman’s bat and pad. Afghanistan slipped to 43 for 3 in the 14th over.Afghanistan showed signs of changed intent immediately after the first drinks break but the urgency cost Nawroz Mangal his wicket as he was run-out. The spin ploy seemed to have yielded the desired result as Afghanistan were reduced to 90 for 5.But Shenwari, after a period of careful rebuilding, announced the change in momentum with consecutive boundaries off the last two balls of the 40th over, off Razzak. He reached his half-century, in 54 balls, with a slice to the point boundary and followed it up with a reverse-sweep. The best of his 11 hits to the boundary was the one that cleared it. Razzak, bowling from over the wicket, had seen Shenwari step out and bowled it wide outside off, but the batsman stretched out and connected beautifully to lift the ball to the sightscreen.Then Stanikzai, who had been the quieter of the two – he hit his first boundary off the 74th ball – joined in smashing a six and a four in the 44th over bowled by Rubel. The first of the two shots brought him his half-century. He also provided the perfect finish, hitting another set of a six and a four in the last over. The third delivery of that over was whacked over midwicket and the fourth, a wide full-toss, was carved to deep point. By the time he finished, Stanikzai had hit six fours and three sixes to reach his career-best score.The confidence that had surged in the Afghanistan innings oozed through their shots as what had been a slow pitch hardly made a difference. Length deliveries frequently disappeared into gaps at deep midwicket or covers and spinners’ flight or flatter trajectory made no impact. Bangladesh’s fielding too buckled under pressure as couple of easy catches were dropped while the ground fielding allowed extra runs. The beating that the bowlers’ figures took was sharply in contrast with the way they had started the day. Adding to the hosts’ woes, Sohag Gazi split his right-hand webbing after bowling only three deliveries.Bangladesh’s chances of revival rested on their captain, Mushfiqur, and Mominul Haque. The two set about scripting a recovery in much the same fashion as the protagonists of Afghanistan’s innings: the defensive shots were interspersed with attractive hits to the boundary. Mominul, particularly, made sure any loose delivery didn’t go unpunished, pulling and driving every time an opportunity presented. He reached his half-century in 71 deliveries.Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi broke the 68-run stand when he beat Mushfiqur in flight and had him lbw. Mominul left 19 runs later, yorked by a Shenwari delivery. Bangladesh could have been in further trouble had Afghanistan grabbed the numerous chances Nasir Hossain offered. He was dropped four times – on 1, 4, 14 and 31 – before eventually getting caught for 41 by Shenwari, who had dropped him twice. By that time, he had added 73 for the fifth wicket. Although the required run rate had climbed to over eight an over, the partnership kept the hosts’ hopes alive.That though changed soon as Bangladesh lost four wickets for four runs, three of them in three balls spread across two overs. A hard-hitting cameo from Zia-ur-Rahman, who hit 42 off 22 deliveries, avoided Bangladesh ignominy of handing the opponents a bonus point, but it was to be a mere flutter.

A round-up of the President’s Trophy matches that took place on November 18

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2013Twin batting collapses by Khan Research Laboratories handed an innings win inside of two days to Port Qasim Authority, who had only made 195, in their President’s Trophy match in Lahore. Abdur Rauf was wrecker-in-chief, picking up ten wickets for the match.Having been invited to bat, KRL slumped to 17 for 6, with the first three wickets falling before the team reached double-figures. A brief lower-order resistance helped KRL get to 78, with only three batsmen crossing into double figures. Rauf and Mohammad Talha each took four wickets respectively.PQA enjoyed a better time with the bat with opener Khurram Manzoor himself scoring more than the runs required to claim a first-innings lead. His stroke-filled 80 laid the foundation for a big total, but after Ali Khan had him trapped in front, the innings flagged. Yasir Arafat picked up four wickets, while Sadaf Hussain claimed three to limit PQA to 195.KRL’s second essay fared none better, with only two batsmen recording double-figure scores. Rauf celebrated his 52nd five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, his 6 for 33 demolishing KRL’s batting as they folded for a score lower than their first innings – 71.

Shane Watson was struck in the helmet by a James Pattinson bouncer at Australia’s training session at the MCG on Tuesday, leading to both men leaving the nets

Brydon Coverdale23-Dec-2014Shane Watson was struck on the helmet by a James Pattinson bouncer during an eventful Australian training session on Tuesday at the MCG, where David Warner did not train and Ryan Harris bowled well in his push to regain his place in the side. Mitchell Starc also hobbled out of the nets after being struck on the knee while batting, but the most dramatic incident was the blow received by Watson.Both he and Pattinson were clearly shaken by the incident and left the nets soon afterwards. Watson sat on an esky receiving attention from the team doctor Peter Brukner before heading inside, and was monitored by Brukner through the day for signs of concussion. He is expected to be fine to play, but will be assessed again on Wednesday morning.That the Australians were shaken by Watson’s blow was not surprising given the events of the past month and the shock that remains following the death of Phillip Hughes. Brad Haddin said after Australia’s training session that Watson seemed not to have been injured.”I had a chat to him. He’s a bit shaken. He’s okay. He’s just a bit shaken,” Brad Haddin said. “He just got hit in the head. He’s shaken as anyone would be. I can’t really go into any more because there’s no more details to give you.”Watson was in the field for New South Wales when Hughes was struck by a bouncer in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG less than a month ago and was one of the first on the scene to attend to Hughes. The weeks that followed have been extremely emotional for the Australians, after Hughes died in hospital as a result of the blow.Before Watson was struck on Tuesday, Starc had also left the nets in pain having been hit on the knee while batting. Starc is expected to be dropped from the side for the Boxing Day Test, with Harris likely to return after missing the Brisbane Test due to a minor quadriceps strain. Harris bowled on Tuesday but will need to prove his fitness by bowling again on Wednesday.Warner was present at the session but did not train as he continues to nurse his left thumb, which was struck during Australia’s chase in the second innings at the Gabba. Warner is expected to be available for the Boxing Day Test.”I will definitely be playing – I will be doing everything I can,” Warner said when he arrived in Melbourne on Monday. “Obviously it’s a bit painful, it’s the one I broke before, but I’m not missing a Boxing Day test, that’s for sure.”Warner’s opening partner Chris Rogers said he was initially concerned when Warner was hit but believed he would take his place alongside Rogers at the top of the order on Boxing Day.”I thought initially, when it first happened, you see those kinds of instances and you think ‘that’s definitely a broken thumb’,” Rogers said. “But he seems to be a pretty tough character so I think he’s going to play and I haven’t really thought otherwise of late so I expect him to be out there.”

Round-up of the Sunfoil Series matches that ended on December 7, 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-20130:00

Sunfoil Series Wrap: Knights tame Lions

ScorecardFile photo: Corne Dry’s five wickets in the second innings gave the Knights a target of only 15•ICC/GettyCorne Dry’s third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket helped set up a comprehensive 10-wicket win for Knights against Lions in Kimberley, after a century from Rilee Rossouw had helped the team to 262 in the first innings.Lions, electing to bat, were shaky right from the start and lost wickets at regular intervals. Temba Bavuma briefly stopped the slide, scoring 96 and putting up half-century stands with Brett Pelser and Zander de Bruyn, but seven of their batsmen fell for single-digit scores. Johan van der Wath and Quinton Friend notched three scalps apiece to bowl Lions out for 204 in 78.4 overs. In reply, Rossouw struck 20 fours during his 111 – his 15th first-class ton- and added 71 with Rudi Second for the third wicket as Knights secured a first-innings lead of 58.Lions would’ve hoped to set a competitive total, but their second stint with the bat lasted less than 31 overs. Only two batsmen, Stephen Cook and Neil McKenzie, made double-digit scores, as Dry finished with 5 for 27 to skittle them out for 72, leaving Knights only 15 to score for victory.Knights’ openers Reeza Hendricks and Dean Elgar achieved that score inside three overs, to seal the big win.