A new-look Sri Lanka spin attack hit the ground running to dismiss Zimbabwe for 155 and set up a seven-wicket win in the second ODI in Galle

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Jul-2017Sri Lanka 158 for 3 (Tharanga 75*, Dickwella 35, Chatara 2-33) beat Zimbabwe 155 (Masakadza 41,Waller 38, Sandakan 4-52, Hasaranga 3-15) by seven wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLakshan Sandakan celebrated his return with his first four-wicket haul in ODI cricket•AFP

Two days after Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers were crashed around at Galle, two fresh spinners trussed up Zimbabwe’s middle order, before Sri Lanka’s batsmen completed a largely unflustered chase of 156. The heft of this seven-wicket victory – achieved with 19.5 overs remaining in the innings – will put some confidence back to into the Sri Lanka side, following their shock defeat on Friday.Nineteen-year-old legspinner Wanidu Hasaranga made the most dramatic contribution, becoming the third debutant in ODI history to claim a hat-trick, when he wiped out Zimbabwe’s tail with the 14th, 15th and 16th deliveries of his international career. But by that stage, Sri Lanka were already in command, thanks largely to Lakshan Sandakan, who was sidelined for long periods by the selectors but was deadly upon his return here.Zimbabwe’s batsmen tried to sweep him hard, and often, as they had done to Amila Aponso and Akila Dananjaya in the last match, but Sandakan, wise to this plan, switched up his lines when he saw a premeditated shot coming. And in any case, he enacted so many revolutions on the ball that his dip and bounce prompted fatal mistakes. He had Craig Ervine caught behind, before Sikandar Raza top-edged a reverse sweep, and Ryan Burl was bowled attempting one. Peter Moor then edged the ball back onto his stumps, and Sandakan claimed a final analysis of 4 for 52. To Angelo Mathews’ credit, he allowed Sandakan to bowl out early in the game despite a shaky economy rate. All ten of his overs were delivered between the 10th and 31st of the innings.Hasaranga, meanwhile, was required to deliver only 2.4 overs, but was nerveless in that spell, persisting with an aggressive length even when batsmen had hit boundaries off him. In fact, his hat-trick came immediately after Malcolm Waller crunched him down the ground for four. Waller was bowled off the inside edge by an arm ball, before Donald Tiripano and Tendai Chatara were both dismissed by googlies. Like the men who had come to crowd the bat, the packed banks of his home ground also went into a frenzy at the hat-trick wicket. Hasaranga became the fifth Sri Lanka bowler to claim an ODI hat trick, and the third to do so on debut, after Taijul Islam and Kagiso Rabada.Wanidu Hasaranga became the third bowler, after Taijul Islam and Kagiso Rabada, to claim a hat-trick on ODI debut•AFP

Zimbabwe had their moments in the match, but unlike on Friday, could not mount pressure on Sri Lanka for sustained periods of time. Tendai Chatara claimed two wickets in his second over, but Upul Tharanga soon becalmed the innings, and very quickly, Sri Lanka were steadily sailing towards the target – Tharanga 75 not out, to follow his unbeaten 79 on Friday.Hamilton Masakadza and Craig Ervine had earlier been involved in a promising 56-run second-wicket stand in Zimbabwe’s innings, but when Masakadza was caught and bowled sharply by Asela Gunaratne, a collapse followed. Zimbabwe lost five of their top six for 52 runs, in the space of 10.3 overs. Malcolm Waller offered the only resistance, slapping six boundaries in his 29-ball 38 – all but one of those boundaries coming off the spinners. While he and Peter Moor were at the crease, Zimbabwe would still have hoped for a score of over 200, but Hasaranga would wipe out the tail faster than anyone would have imagined.Gunathilaka played on attempting to pull Chatara in the third over, and Kusal Mendis edged a leg-side ball to the keeper, but though the early overs remained tense, Zimbabwe could not make enough headway in them to push the hosts. Tharanga was poised early in his innings, pushing gentle singles and twos while Niroshan Dickwella ventured more aggressive strokes, but when Sri Lanka passed 100, he began to flow. He hit two leg-side boundaries to go to his fifth fifty-plus score in his last eight innings, and continued to attack as Sri Lanka drew near the total. At the other end was Angelo Mathews, prodding his team towards their target with characteristic care.Zimbabwe will perhaps feel that they deployed the sweep shot a little too eagerly on this occasion, after that stroke brought them Friday’s success. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, may reflect on the benefits of deploying a wicket-taking spin bowler through the middle overs.

Yuvraj Singh and wicketkeepers Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant have been omitted from India’s squad for the limited-overs leg of the Sri Lanka tour

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-20174:20

Dasgupta: Selectors looking ahead to 2019 World Cup

Yuvraj Singh and wicketkeepers Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant have been omitted from India’s squad for the limited-overs leg of the Sri Lanka tour. The selectors also opted to rest the spin duo of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja along with Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami, the team’s frontline seamers during the Test series. Seamer Shardul Thakur and legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal were drafted into the 15-man squad, which also features the fit-again KL Rahul, an in-form Manish Pandey and Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the West Indies series. Rohit Sharma also returns to the squad as vice-captain after being rested for the West Indies tour.At 35, Yuvraj’s time may be running out as the selectors probably showed the first definitive signs of identifying a fresh middle-order combination in the lead up to the 2019 World Cup. Ever since his 32-ball 53 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, Yuvraj has gone six innings without a half-century, and managed only 57 runs in his three most recent innings in the West Indies.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

While Karthik, who scored an unbeaten 50 in one of the two games he played in the West Indies, finds himself out of the squad, he might not yet be out of contention for a berth in the middle order, given his form in domestic cricket too. The middle order in Sri Lanka will comprise MS Dhoni, Pandey and Kedar Jadhav. Pandey’s selection is a reward for his consistent run in India A’s victorious campaign in the recent tri-nation series involving South Africa and Afghanistan. He emerged as the highest run-scorer in the tournament with 307 runs in five innings, with scores of 32*, 93*, 86*, 41* and 55.With Rahul and Rohit returning to occupy the opening slot, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane will have their task cut out. While Dhawan has a better strike-rate and scored two centuries in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, Rahane comes into the series on the back of some impressive recent limited-overs form. With 336 runs in five innings, including three fifties and a hundred, Rahane topped the run charts in the West Indies series.The bowling attack is heavy on wristspin with Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal in the ranks. The inclusions of Thakur, Axar and Chahal – each of whom has figured in the selection panel’s long list for some time now – have underscored the importance of good performances in the A tours, with nine, seven and six wickets each. Axar, who was called up as cover for Jadeja in the Pallekelle Test, will have a part to play with the bat as well, in the lower middle order.

Brittin top-scored in the 1993 World Cup final with 48 against New Zealand and took the final catch

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2017Jan Brittin, who was part of England’s World Cup-winning side in 1993, has died from cancer aged 58.Brittin is the leading run-scorer and century-maker in Women’s Test cricket with five hundreds in her 27 matches between 1979 and 1998. She played 63 ODIs, and top-scored with 48 when England beat New Zealand at Lord’s to win the World Cup and also took the final catch to secure victory.Her Test best of 167 came against Australia at Harrogate in 1998 – in the penultimate match of her career – and she opened alongside Charlotte Edwards, who paid tribute on Twitter calling Brittin “her idol.”
Clare Connor, the director of England Women’s Cricket, said: “JB was one of the most quiet and unassuming cricketers you could meet, but she was pure class. An outstanding cricketer and a truly lovely person.”In a year when England have again won the World Cup at Lord’s, we should not forget the huge contribution JB made to the development and success of women’s cricket in this country.”For girls of my generation she was our first real female role model. She batted with grace and timing – a classical opener, so beautiful to watch. She was also a brilliantly athletic cover fielder.”JB was born to play Test cricket and it’s unlikely that her record in this format will ever be beaten. She also had a fine record in the one-day game, and of course she made that significant contribution to England’s World Cup win at Lord’s in 1993.”Brittin played her domestic cricket for Surrey and flags at The Oval were lowered to half-mast during the Championship match against Yorkshire.Ebony Rainford-Brent, Surrey’s director of women’s cricket, said: “JB was such an inspiration to me and many others growing up who were able to watch or play with one of the greatest female cricketers of all time. As a character she was fun, engaging and always generous in her knowledge, particularly when she gave back as a coach later in her career. Her records speak for themselves the class of player she was and will stand the test of time.”

Somerset and Middlesex are not the only counties in danger of relegation but their meeting at Taunton next week has the makings of a sudden death affair

Tim Wigmore at Kia Oval22-Sep-20171:53

I was just hoping to pull my weight – Sangakkara

Perhaps it was better this way. Sure, Kumar Sangakkara, in the final ever first-class game at a ground he has made into his private playground, was batting serenely, once again, with victory only 15 runs away. All inside The Oval were united in expecting him to stroke the winning runs.
Then Sangakkara took a couple of steps down the ground, drilled a delivery from Dom Bess back to the bowler, and suddenly was out. The silence that enveloped the ground, and even Somerset’s own players, reflected just how surprising this moment was. Sangakkara paused for a few moments, and then walked back. As he did so, every Somerset player shook his hand to congratulate him for a stupendous career – “You’ve got to appreciate genius when you see it,” explained their captain Tom Abell. Sangakkara took off his helmet to soak in the standing ovation he received from the entire ground. He walked up the stairs to The Oval changing room for the very final time, and that was that.A few minutes later, Ollie Pope, one of Surrey’s many young players to have benefited from the extraordinary privilege of three years with Sangakkara, strode down the wicket to thump a six to tie the scores. Two balls later, he lofted a four through long on and secure Surrey’s win. Sport, like life, can move on very quickly.Not that anyone will be forgetting Sangakkara anytime soon. His seasons at Surrey – not just the runs they have brought, but how he has carried himself – have enriched his legacy in the sport and, for those who stayed behind to take selfies with him or simply to say thanks, will not easily be forgotten.”That was very, very special to me,” Sangakkara said, crediting Surrey with rekindling his passion for the game.”The county professional is a very, very special breed of person and I’ve found a completely new respect not just for county cricket but for the game as a whole. To understand that wherever there is first-class cricket, the pride with which they play this sport, the pride in which the club supports the players and the pride with which the fans come and embrace those players, it’s something that suddenly hit me and it hit me once I retired from international cricket. I regret that but I thank Surrey for allowing me to rediscover that immense love and passion that first-class cricket and cricketers have for this game, and what an amazing breeding ground it is for players.”And what of this extraordinary summer, which has already brought 1407 County Championship runs? “I was just hoping to pull my weight in the dressing room. This has been something very special. I don’t really know how it happened. I’ve changed my batting over the last three seasons – I’ve changed my backlift, I’ve tried various things. Something this season has worked.”Whoever replaces him as Surrey’s overseas player – Mitchell Marsh and Hashim Amla are among the names being considered – will have quite a task. “For sides to evolve and grow, you need new ideas, new perspectives and new players coming in. Surrey has a great opportunity next year to look for somebody who will continue to make Surrey grow and for them to become stronger. And I think I’m not that guy, no matter how many runs I get for them. They need someone new, someone different. They have enough talent in that dressing room to be a real, real force in county cricket.”For all the vim with which Somerset bowled on an excellent cricket wicket – how their spinners would have loved assistance of the sort they seem certain to receive at Taunton next week – Ben Foakes’ swagger in the early evening sunshine ensured that Sangakkara’s farewell to The Oval would be in a victory. It was certainly an overdue one for the club: their last County Championship victory came way back on April 10.If Surrey’s target of 143 to win in 39 overs always seemed meagre, it has still taken all of Somerset’s resolve to get that far. After Abell flashed Rikki Clarke’s outswinger straight to second slip, Somerset showed great stoicism and application to add another 174 for the last five wickets.Once again, Steven Davies underpinned a Somerset recovery with an innings of finesse and fortitude. His move from The Oval to Taunton was expected to bring abundant runs; instead, it brought agonising early season struggles. Yet in recent weeks Davies has produced some of the most fluent batting of his career – and much of it against Surrey. After scoring 142, his maiden Championship century for Somerset, at Taunton against Surrey last month – since followed by another against Lancashire – Davies contributed innings of 86 and 52 here. His second innings featured an enthralling duel with Stuart Meaker, who bowled with great vim and located a yorker to uproot Davies’ stumps, only to be received by a no ball. It took a flighted delivery from Gareth Batty, edged into Clarke’s reassuring hands at slip, for Surrey to finally be rid of their old teammate.Then, they had Peter Trego to contend with. Few have embodied Somerset’s decline better this season: from averaging 44.58 in the nearly glorious 2016, he arrived at the crease with an average of 15.91 in 2017. Trego gave the impression of a man channeling Ferdinand Foch’s line: “My centre is giving way, my right is retreating, situation excellent, I am attacking.” If he could not entirely trust his technique, Trego could trust the eye and power that have earned him cherished status in Taunton; on this evidence, his driving has not lost any power. To his evident consternation, Trego would be bowled by Ryan Patel’s energetic medium pace, playing across the line to a straight delivery, but not before he had made 68. Still, Dom Bess’s driving, so crisp that it hinted he could one day be considered an allrounder, ensured 64 would be added for the final two wickets.That Somerset extended the final day beyond 5 o’clock also owed to a hint of fallibility from Sangakkara. The day after Surrey’s end of season awards had, essentially, been an exercise in handing out more awards to one man than he could carry, Sangakkara dropped Trego at first slip, a relatively straightforward chance. Maybe he was just making it easier for Surrey to cope with life without him.While Sangakkara heads to Old Trafford for his last ever first-class game, Somerset have what Abell called a “cup final” against Middlesex next week, needing to win to preserve their Division One status, a task made harder by the possible absence of Trego, who could only bowl one ball because of an ankle complaint. Their plight is partly a reflection of the underwhelming cricket – especially lax batting – that has marred their Championship season. But it is also a reflection that the quality in Division One may well be greater than ever before – and, the sheer ruthlessness of 25% of teams being relegated each year. As September nears its end, Somerset must summon all their reserves of spirit once again.

Pandurang Salgaoncar was allegedly caught in a sting operation promising to manipulate the Pune pitch, which was hosting the second ODI between India and New Zealand

Nagraj Gollapudi25-Oct-20172:33

Agarkar: Would have been sad for fans if match was cancelled

The BCCI has “dismissed” Pandurang Salgaoncar, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) curator, for “malpractice” that was captured on camera by undercover reporters. The controversy did not affect the start of the second ODI between India and New Zealand, which began as scheduled after a routine pre-match pitch inspection by ICC match officials. Ramesh Mhamunkar, a member of the BCCI’s grounds and pitches committee, was put in charge of the pitch.The nature of what the BCCI called “malpractice” emerged in a sting operation video carried out by reporters from . In the released footage, which has been edited, Salgaoncar is shown interacting with the reporters and talking to them about the pitch for the ODI – the voiceover says the reporters are posing as bookies though the released footage does not show them introducing themselves to Salgaoncar as such.The conversations in the released video are centred on the pitch. Shot over Monday and Tuesday, Salgaoncar said in the video that the pitch – No. 8 of the 15 strips – would have runs. “It is very good. It will garner 337 runs. And 337 will be chaseable.”The ground is a new one and before Wednesday’s game had only hosted two ODIs. First innings scores in those two were 304-8 and 350-7 (an average of 327); the latter score was chased down.In a different clip, at the stadium, Salgaoncar alerts the reporters to the presence of Mhamunkar at the ground. He tells them that as per regulations no outsider is allowed to be at the pitch. Nonetheless one of the reporters is shown tapping a pitch. In another exchange, in a car, the reporter asks whether two fast bowlers could be given some help from the match’s pitch. Salgaoncar replies that the pitch always helps fast bowlers.And in another, the reporter asks that either a player or a team – the identity has been bleeped out – be dealt a “favor” for the game. Salgaoncar says: “I told you, this will be a 340-run wicket, either way.”The reporter replies, “You’ve already said that. We will do betting on that. But the ****** [name of player or team] we want a favour for tomorrow’s match…”Salcaongar interrupts and says: “That will be done good. I told you.”In response, the BCCI immediately “dismissed” Salgaoncar. Though the acting board president CK Khanna had earlier told ESPNcricinfo that Salgaoncar would be “suspended” and “barred” from entering the ground, a BCCI release left no doubt that the curator had been sacked.”After reports stating an alleged malpractice from the MCA (Maharashtra State Cricket Association) pitch curator, Mr Pandurang Salgaoncar, the MCA has dismissed Mr Salgaoncar from the position of Curator with immediate effect,” the board said.”A strict action has been taken against the pitch curator and the employment relationship between Mr Pandurang Salgaonkar and MCA stands terminated,” the CEO Rahul Johri said. An inquiry will now take place into the events.As the incident concerns an international match the ICC will also be involved. “We are investigating the allegations from Pune this morning, as with all international cricket, the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit has an ICC ACU Manager on the ground in India and we are in close contact with him,” an ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. “We are now looking to establish the facts and will make no further comment whilst this is ongoing.”MCA president Abhay Apte said: “The MCA will be making a detailed enquiry on what has happened or what has appeared on the television. But before we have our urgent meeting, in the capacity of the MCA president, I have taken Mr Salgaoncar under immediate suspension with immediate effect and all his work has been withdrawn.”Salgaoncar, a long-time curator and former fast bowler, was involved in another pitch controversy earlier this year, after the surface for the first Test between India and Australia in March was rated poor by the ICC match referee Chris Broad.

Group A round-up: Hyderabad concede a massive first-innings lead to Delhi, and Assam’s winless season ends with seven-wicket defeat

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2017Mayank Agarwal racked up his fifth century of the season and went past 1000 first-class runs in November alone after Karnataka took the first-innings lead against Railways at the Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi. Railways’ overnight pair of Arindam Ghosh and Mahesh Rawat saw off the first hour or so, but they fell apart quickly after the 201-run fifth-wicket stand was broken by legspinner Shreyas Gopal. Ghosh, resuming on 86, went on to bring up a century, while Rawat fell nine short of a ton of his own. Railways lost their last five wickets for 49 runs and conceded a first-innings lead of 101.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shreyas, who hasn’t been able to nail down a permanent place in the XI this season, finished with 4 for 102, while offspinner K Gowtham took three.Karnataka established dominance from the get-go in their second innings, with Agarwal and R Samarth putting on 117 for the opening stand. Samarth put behind his first-innings duck with 56 before falling lbw to the medium pacer Amit Mishra. Agarwal batted on to bring up his century and was unbeaten on 104 when stumps were drawn. Giving him company was D Nischal, who was batting on 41, as Karnataka finished the penultimate day 309 runs ahead with nine wickets intact.Akshath Reddy’s century helped Hyderabad wipe out a 210-run first-innings deficit after they were made to follow-on by Delhi in Uppal. Reddy stitched together stands of 98 for the first wicket with Tanmay Agarwal and 115 for the second with Rohit Rayudu, who is playing just his second first-class match. Hyderabad ended the day on 233 for 2 – ahead by 23 runs, with Rayudu unbeaten on 61.Hyderabad began the day on 194 for 8 in their first innings and folded shortly thereafter, for 205. Kulwant Khejroliya and Vikas Mishra took the final two wickets to finish with four scalps each. Despite having already sealed their knockouts berth, Delhi pushed for an outright win and enforced the follow-on, but had to watch their bowlers toil away.Maharashtra ended an otherwise disappointing season with a thumping seven-wicket win over Assam in Pune for a mid-table finish. Assam, who had picked up a narrow first-innings lead of 26, resumed on 101 for 3, but unraveled quickly to be bowled out for 189. Naushad Shaikh led Maharashtra’s successful chase of 216 with his fourth first-class century. He was complemented well by Ankit Bawne, the captain, who was unbeaten on 52.Maharashtra’s medium-pacers triggered Assam’s second-innings implosion. Nikit Dhumal took 4 for 48 to finish with a match haul of nine wickets, while Pradeep Dadhe picked up maiden first-class five-wicket haul. Barring their top three, none of Assam’s batsmen was allowed to settle in. The seven-wicket defeat ended a winless season that relegated Assam to the bottom of the table.

BBL clubs and players have been reminded of the processes under Cricket Australia’s anti-corruption measures, even as James Sutherland denied allegations of potential spot-fixing in the game in Australia

Daniel Brettig23-Dec-2017Big Bash League clubs and players have been reminded of their responsibilities and processes under Cricket Australia’s anti-corruption measures even as the governing body’s chief executive James Sutherland poured further cold water on allegations of potential spot-fixing relationships in the game in Australia.Following a report in on the first morning of the Perth Test match, the ICC’s anti-corruption chief Alex Marshall briefed Sutherland and ECB chief executive Tom Harrison on the material passed on from the newspaper to the ACU, and Australian players were also briefed on the first evening of the match. Sutherland said he had subsequently spoken several times more to Marshall, while all BBL teams had received the strong message that CA wanted the competition to be “the biggest, best and cleanest sports league in the country, if not the world”.CA has not been advised of whether or not any Australian players will be interviewed as part of the ICC’s investigation. “We’ve taken the opportunity to reiterate a few things with everyone, just to understand various processes, responsibilities and our very clear aspiration is we want the Big Bash League to be the biggest and the best and the cleanest sports league in the country, if not the world,” Sutherland said in Melbourne. “Certainly from our perspective that’s why we have such high standards around anti-corruption, security and we’ll stop at nothing to keep reinforcing our zero tolerance approach.”What we saw was a bit of a scattergun, mud-slinging sort of exercise from people who would appear to be boasting about people they know when they perhaps really don’t know them. From there, that’s not to say anything in there should be underestimated. It’s beholden on ICC in particular and we’ll co-operate as best we can as well – to work out whether there’s anything credible in those allegations. But until you get to any sort of belief or feeling that there’s anything credible in there, you’re not really going anywhere and you don’t get into any sort of serious in-depth investigation.”I don’t know the details of their process and how they’ll go about it – and I don’t think it’s something I need to get particularly involved with. But sort of – all I would say is we’ve given with the trust, to the ICC and the anti-corruption unit. Alex leads that and I’ve got great confidence in him and his team and their ability to work through it as appropriate. I’ve had two or three chats with [Marshall] since then. His initial judgment has only been reaffirmed by any work that he’s done since – I think that’s fair to say.”Concurrent to the BBL is the Women’s Big Bash League, the flagship Twenty20 tournament of the women’s game that has grown exponentially in professionalism and success in the past few years. The recent graduation of women’s cricket in Australia to full professionalism and far better wages helped remove one of the key risk factors for corruption – underpaid players – but Sutherland said that either way he would be surprised to see any players getting involved in spot-fixing at a time when the game was growing so much.”I know there has always been a theory that where there are lower wages, there is greater susceptibility to corruption,” he said. “But I don’t think that’s true with the Women’s Big Bash League. What we know and understand there are serious consequences and we – Cricket Australia and ICC – are absolutely committed to ensuring those consequences play out properly.Getty Images and Cricket Australia

“And with what’s happening in women’s cricket right now, why on earth would you want to take the risk? These women are part of something special – the wave of support, enthusiasm and growth in the WBBL is outstanding. You just wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of that – or put yourself in a position to be banned for two years, five years or whatever it might be.”Sutherland said he had been annoyed by the timing of the allegations, in the hours before the start of what turned out to be the pivotal match of the Ashes series, compelling him to go into the Australian team “bubble” to address the allegations. “It was pretty annoying,” he said. “It seemed to be a major distraction and nothing much more than an attempt to bring down – or discredit – an Ashes Test match. We were about to start the third and a very important Test match of the summer. It was pleasing the ICC were able to do their review as quickly as they did to make some initial judgment and I think everyone responded pretty confidently off the back of that.””[The team] are a bit in the bubble and certainly very focused on that. I think we all know and understand that once they’re in game mode it’s very difficult to get them to vary from that. They’re fine and in fact the way it unfolded, it was almost like the issue had gone by the end of the Test match. And I spoke to them briefly during the Test match and it was always like ‘well we didn’t even know anything about that’ but just in case – I gave them a bit of a briefing on it.”

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer said that losing two wickets in the first over hurt the visitors’ chances in the tournament opener in Mirpur

Mohammad Isam15-Jan-2018Two wickets in the first over of the match cost Zimbabwe dearly in their tri-series opener, according to the captain Graeme Cremer. He said that the visitors expected Bangladesh to open with spin, since openers Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire both prefer pace early on.Mire should have been more careful at an innocuous wide down the leg side, off which he was stumped. What stung a little more was Craig Ervine’s soft dismissal two balls later, when he hit one straight to short midwicket. Cremer said that it was a body blow to Zimbabwe as Ervine plays the anchor’s role in ODIs.”We thought they would open with one spinner at least,” Cremer said. “Our openers like pace on the ball. They know that. We didn’t know if it was going to be Shakib [Al Hasan] or Nasir [Hossain]. We thought one of them might open.”We look to Solomon to power those ten overs, so it’s always tough to lose him early. Ervine steadies the innings, so to lose him also was really tough. Momentum definitely shifted towards Bangladesh and it is hard to get out of that. It really made it tough. But the credit goes to them. They bowled really well.”Shakib Al Hasan, who took both wickets and was later adjudged the Player of the Match, said that the Mire dismissal came unexpected.”It wasn’t a planned dismissal. I think it was a good stumping by Mushfiq ,” he said. “He had a good day as a wicketkeeper. We needed early wickets, whether it was the first or second over. In this pitch, wickets in hand make it much easier to score in the slog overs.”Shakib also said that Zimbabwe’s usual weakness against left-arm spin meant that Bangladesh opened with him and Sunzamul Islam.”We were always successful against Zimbabwe because of left-arm spin, which is why we began with two left-arm spinners,” he said. “There was help in the pitch in the early stages.”Shakib praised the pace attack for putting together a fine effort, particularly from Rubel Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman. He said that Rubel usually bowls in a tough period in the middle of the innings when batsmen are set. Mustafizur, he said, is working hard to iron out the chinks in his bowling.”I expected them to bat better but I think we bowled really well today,” Shakib said. “Mustafizur, Mashrafe and Rubel did great work. Rubel always bowls when batsmen are set and scoring runs, and he delivers for the team. Nasir’s four overs were important too.”I don’t think he (Mustafizur) bowled too poorly at any stage [in the recent past],” he said. “We can’t expect him to take a lot of wickets all the time. I think he is improving, because he is working hard in his bowling. I am satisfied with his bowling today.”Cremer admitted that Mustafizur’s famed cutters were hard to decipher at times. “He bowled really well,” the Zimbabwe captain said. “His slower ball is really hard to pick up. You have to wait a long time. It is a bit different than his normal stock delivery. He bowled good areas today.”

The five-member committee featuring the likes of Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara had suggested plans for domestic cricket in the first report

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Jan-2018The five-member committee featuring the likes of Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara has made its recommendations on a revamp of domestic cricket to the Sports Ministry, but the minister has not set any changes in motion so far.The committee handed over its report to the Sports Ministry in mid-December, and has not heard from the ministry since.According to sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, he must first “chat with the cricket board” before any changes are imposed. What those changes might be, the ministry is not willing to say. The ministry has also instructed committee members to withhold their recommendations from the public, for now.It is understood, however, that the committee’s plan for domestic cricket features a provincial cricket system that aims to organically develop talent outside the main centres. Presently, it is Sri Lanka’s big-city schools that supply the national team with the majority of its players. It has long been suggested that Sri Lanka must tap into rural talent more effectively, with a particular emphasis on bringing the island’s northern and eastern provinces more meaningfully into the fold.The sports minister appointed the committee – headed by former SLC president Hemaka Amarasuriya – in October, to much media fanfare. Its inaction since the report has been handed over, however, raises concerns over whether anything will result from the exercise. Sri Lankan cricket has a brief history of announcing high-profile inquiries, yet failing to adopt any recommendations that result. In 2013, virtually none of Haroon Lorgat’s recommendations to SLC – unambitious though they were – were put into operation.Meanwhile, Amarasuriya’s committee is working on a second report – this one focusing on the overhaul of SLC’s governance system.

A recap of the key decisions taken by the ECB over where major matches would be held in England and Wales

Andrew McGlashan15-Feb-2018What’s the big deal about the announcement?It set out a raft of venues for major matches – men’s internationals, domestic finals and the new T20 tournament – for the five-year period 2020-2024. It means the counties involved now know when England will be in town, a big occasion for the clubs, and can start thinking more seriously about the new T20 competition (yes, it launches in 2020). While exact schedules won’t be announced until closer to each season it allows the clubs to start planning and to shape their financial situation for the years ahead.Did everyone get what they wanted?No, but you will never keep everyone happy in a process like this. Hampshire, whose ground is the Ageas Bowl, were very hopeful of the big prize of an Ashes Test but that has gone to Headingley. That means another Test in the north of England. Lord’s also lost a long-standing fixture – the domestic one-day final it has staged since it began in 1963 – with Trent Bridge taking that.So who is the biggest winner?Well, probably Headingley for the above reason. They now have Tests against Australia and India in the cycle – the two prime opposition – and the same goes for their Roses rivals Lancashire. Both are also host grounds for the new T20. Lord’s has held on to two Tests a year despite one dropping off the calendar. There will be grumblings about that, but it’s an iconic fixture for any side and usually sells very well. Edgbaston is also cemented as the ‘home’ of T20 finals day.A Test has been cut…so England are playing less cricket?From 2020, yes a little. There will now be six Tests per season – sometimes a marquee five-match series and a one-off match at Lord’s – alongside six ODIs (two series of three under the new FTP), whereas now there can be as many as 10, and six T20Is which is a little increase. So in reality, the number of days of England cricket barely changes.What about the grounds who previously had Tests?As mentioned, Hampshire will be a bit miffed. Durham, the Riverside Ground, knew they wouldn’t be in the mix after their financial problems which needed an ECB bailout while Cardiff didn’t go for any having struggled to sell them. So it’s back to what can be termed the ‘traditional six’ which is, perhaps, also an acknowledgment at some misplaced expansion of the Test field.Has Trent Bridge missed out on another Ashes Test?Indeed, and that will disappoint the England team (going 2-1 up in 2005, a nail-biting win in 2013 and the small matter of 60 all out in 2015), although maybe not the Australians. There is no Ashes Test there in 2019 and now neither in 2023. Nottinghamshire have been diplomatic about it.Test cricket’s a bit London-centric, isn’t it?That could be argued, for sure, with half of each year’s Test allocation now in the capital. However, despite the often steep ticket prices, both Lord’s and The Oval have excellent attendance figures. The English game is fortunate that Tests continue to sell strongly – although not completely across the board – and London does very well.What about day-night Tests?As with exact fixtures and touring schedules, those sorts of details will be firmed up over the coming years. It remains to be seen if day-night Test become a yearly event in England or a little bit more of a novelty factor.Are there any more details on the new T20 tournament yet?Not really. What the teams will be called is the next stage. In ECB speak these are, “eight venues around which new partnerships would be formed and new teams created”. There is also a chance that some matches will be taken out of their host centres to spread the games further around the country; for example a game from Cardiff could be played in Taunton or one from Headingley in Durham. Also, no decision has yet been made on where the play-offs and final will be held.The 2019 World Cup happens before this cycle, but we don’t know those venues yetYes, they are still to be confirmed. That is an ICC event so is managed by them and a local organising committee. An announcement is expected shortly on the host venues for the tournament which runs from May 30 to July 14, 2019.