All posts by n8rngtd.top

Progression to top division still in the balance for both teams after draw

George Dobell07-Jul-2021Warwickshire and Durham retained their hopes of qualifying for Division One in the LV= Insurance County Championship despite a frustrating final day at Edgbaston.The rain which had bedevilled this match throughout allowed just 28 overs on the final day. And while there was no lack of effort to get back on the pitch – quite the opposite, really – successive waves of rain rendered it all futile. Craig Miles, striking with the second delivery from the second new ball, completed a second five-for in successive Championship matches but David Bedingham was left eight short of a fourth century of the campaign.You could understand why everyone involved wanted to get back out there. With 20 overs left of Durham’s first innings in which both teams could earn bonus points (these are available in the first 110 overs of each first innings) and qualification for Division One looking tight, there was an obvious incentive.Both may yet come to rue dropped points here. Warwickshire, who took 11 points from this game (eight for the draw, one for their batting and two for their bowling) will feel that, from 195 for 3, they really should have made more than 237.Durham, meanwhile, let two points slip through their grasp due to a slow over-rate. So keen were they to make up that rate that it is understood that, from around mid-afternoon, they would have happily declared with Bedingham short of his century to have rushed through a few overs. It means they, too, took 11 points from the game.It all leaves Warwickshire the better placed of the teams going into the final round of games in the group. A high-scoring draw against Worcestershire at New Road should do it. Durham, meanwhile, probably need to beat Nottinghamshire. Both will have to watch out for Essex who, while someway off the pace at present, take on a weak Derbyshire team who are enduring a horrid season.If Warwickshire are to progress, though, they will do it with a squad stripped to the bones by injury and absence. Not only have they lost a coterie of seamers (Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Tim Bresnan, Carlos Brathwaite and Henry Brookes), but they are without their spinners, too, with Danny Briggs called up for England and Dan Mousley injured.It is understood they have enquired about various loan options – Surrey’s Dan Moriarty was one obvious lead – but with no luck. It is also understood they have had contact with various overseas players (including India’s Ravi Ashwin) but abandoned such plans as they felt it would be impossible to get a visa in time. Surrey’s plan to sign Ashwin may well stumble for the same reason. Kyle Mayers, who has been signed to play three T20 matches, could be drafted into the Championship side as a consequence.As a result, it seems likely that Jacob Bethell will win a first-class debut in their next game. He is only 17 and had a scan on a knee injury on Tuesday. But he is seen as an extravagant talent – albeit one whose primary skill is batting – and looked admirably calm in his two T20 appearances so far. Just as importantly, with Jake Lintott seen as a limited-overs specialist and the scan having cleared Bethell of serious issues, he is pretty much the only fit spinner available.Rob Yates may take issue with that description. He claimed his maiden first-class wicket in the final day of this game, luring Ned Eckersley into a chip to mid-wicket with one which dipped and turned a little. But it is Yates’ batting which is causing the excitement and you can understand why.After his first-innings dismissal here – his second shortly after completing a century this season – his coach, Mark Robinson, challenged him over whether he wanted to be a “good or great” batter. His point being, great batters go on and make double-hundreds. But given that Yates is 21, still a student and just recovering from an illness that kept him out of cricket for the best part of a month, and he is enjoying an outstanding season. Nobody in the land has made more centuries. A Lions call-up is starting to look like a possibility.The one man in this game whose batting impressed as much was Bedingham. He survived a chance on the third day and was fortunate, perhaps, to survive a leg before appeal on the fourth when he had 78. Liam Norwell was the unfortunate bowler.But he is clearly a class act. Like many of the best, he makes batting appear a simply business and, during the course of this innings, he extended his lead on top of the run-scoring chart to more than a hundred. Sooner or later, he will surely play international cricket with distinction.

He was suffering from “mild groin discomfort” following South Africa’s win at Centurion; no replacement named

Firdose Moonda06-Mar-2023Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the second Test against West Indies due to “mild groin discomfort,” following South Africa’s win at Centurion. No replacement has been named in the squad which leaves South Africa with only three specialist seamers: Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, allrounder Wiaan Mulder and a trio of spinners to choose from at the Wanderers.Senuran Muthusamy played as a batting-allrounder at SuperSport Park but with Nortje ruled out, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer will also come into contention for the XI. South Africa could also give the spot to Mulder, who last played a Test tin England or include an extra batter in the second Test, with Ryan Rickelton the most obvious choice.Related

• SA, WI seek one last Test high before switching focus to ODI World Cup

• How Lara inspired Bavuma in his landmark Test match

• Blackwood urges West Indies to 'learn and learn fast' due to lack of Tests

• Rabada six-for leads South Africa to victory over West Indies

The first Test was also the final one for bowling coach Charl Langeveldt, who was the only member of the support staff from the Mark Boucher era to carry over into Shukri Conrad’s tenure. Langeveldt is taking up a role with Punjab Kings at the IPL and will be replaced by former Warriors coach Piet Botha in the national set-up. Langeveldt was due to be involved with the national squad for this entire Test series but has been released for personal reasons.South Africa won the first Test by 87 runs thanks largely to a century by opening batter Aiden Markram, who was making his comeback to the side after being dropped in England. The matches are part of the World Test Championship but after defeats in England and Australia, South Africa are not in contention for the final.

West Indies’ Shai Hope agrees the track was a tricky one, but wants his side to “find ways to score”

Hemant Brar27-Jul-20231:14

Wasim Jaffer: ‘West Indies didn’t show up today’

On a Kensington Oval pitch that offered bounce and carry for seamers, and turn for spinners, 15 wickets fell in less than 46 overs in the first ODI between West Indies and India. After being sent in, West Indies were all out for 114 in 23 overs. India, who promoted their white-ball specialists up the order, lost five wickets in the chase before Rohit Sharma, batting at No. 7, hit the winning runs.”To be honest, I never thought the pitch was going to play like that,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation. “It had everything for seamers and spinners, and the run-scoring was quite difficult. But to restrict them to that score was a superb effort from our bowling unit.Related

• Kuldeep, Jadeja rout West Indies on spin-friendly track

“We never thought we would lose five wickets but it was good to give some game time to a lot of those ODI guys who have just come in. But firstly, it was important for us to get into a good position. Restricting them to 115 [114] was a great effort, and I thought we had that commanding position that we needed, which is why we thought okay, we could try some of those guys who haven’t played a lot of cricket in a while and give them a go.”I don’t know when they will get time moving forward, so whenever we get an opportunity like that, we will try to accommodate all these guys.”Rohit also praised Mukesh Kumar who, having made his Test debut earlier on the tour, was playing his first ODI. The seamer started with a maiden and bowled a tight line and length, although his first wicket in the format came off a delivery that was short and wide – Alick Athanaze failed to clear a leaping Ravindra Jadeja at backward point.”Mukesh has been brilliant,” Rohit said. “Even in the Test series we saw he can swing the new ball, has got a bit of pace and is quite consistent as well. So we want to see what he has to offer. I haven’t seen much of him in domestic cricket either, so it was good to see him playing with the white ball as well.”West Indies captain Shai Hope, meanwhile, lamented the lack of application by his batters. Despite losing three wickets inside nine overs, West Indies had reached 88 for 3 with Hope looking in full control. Jadeja then triggered a collapse by sending back Shimron Hetmyer, and West Indies lost their last seven wickets for 26 runs.”Too many words come to mind but let’s just say we didn’t play the way we needed to,” Hope said. “On a challenging surface like that, as a batting group, we need to find ways to score.”Anyone who was watching can see what happened there. Any 9.30am start in the Caribbean will be difficult [for batting] and the Indian bowlers bowled pretty well on this surface, but again we didn’t score enough runs.”

Overton has a hand in ruining both batters’ days but Surrey falter in response to hosts’ 512

ECB Reporters Network27-Sep-2022Keaton Jennings and George Balderson both narrowly missed out on personal landmarks but Lancashire are sitting pretty at the end of a rain-effected day two of this final match of the County Championship against title winners Surrey.Jennings fell agonisingly short of double century after he was dismissed lbw by a brilliant Jamie Overton inswinger for 199 before Balderson was the last man out four runs away from his maiden first-class century.But after reaching 512 in their first innings, Lancashire took five Surrey wickets for 123 to put them firmly in the box seat at a damp Emirates Old Trafford.The day began full of anticipation for Jennings, who needed just 10 runs to reach 200 and become the first Lancashire player to hit three double tons in a season since Frank Watson in 1928. But Overton produced a vicious delivery which swung into Jennings’ pad to leave the opener out for 199 and Lancashire 430 for 6.Balderson, meanwhile, passed his personal-best first-class score of 77, but when Tom Hartley was bowled by an excellent turning delivery from Dan Moriarty for seven, it became clear holding on to partners might be a problem.Hartley was replaced by Tom Bailey whose free-scoring style was easy on the eye but probably not on Balderson’s nerves. When Bailey charged down the wicket and holed out to Kemar Roach at mid on off Moriarty for 22, Balderson was in the 90s with only Will Williams and Matt Parkinson left to help.In the end Williams lasted 15 balls for his seven before edging Cameron Steel to Rory Burns at slip leaving Balderson to decide he couldn’t trust Parkinson as the young allrounder opted instead to try and hit Moriarty out of the ground and succeeded only in finding Overton at deep midwicket for an excellent 97.Moriarty finished with 5 for 163 and Steel 3 for 65 but the spinners’ figures were the only real highlights in a lacklustre bowling display from the visiting champions who are perhaps suffering a little for motivation after last week’s celebrations.Batting for a solitary over before lunch, Surrey continued after the break with Burns and Ryan Patel instantly on the back foot when faced with Bailey’s accurate opening spell.Bailey would claim his 50th wicket of the season soon after when Patel edged to Jennings at second slip for 19 before Burns fell to Will Williams in the next over as the New Zealander got one to jag back and hit the skipper’s off stump.Surrey were 37 for 2 and that quickly became 38 for 3 after Jamie Smith was trapped in front by Bailey who was putting the seal on an excellent season with the ball.The prize dismissal of Hashim Amla came courtesy of Balderson who shrugged off his disappointment at missing out on a century by dismissing the South African for 29 with Jennings pouching another sharp chance at slip.A succession of showers and subsequent breaks late in the day made for an even harder session for Surrey’s batters and Williams struck again when he cleaned bowled Tom Curran for 11.It was left to former Lancashire player Jordan Clarke and Steel to see things through to the end as Surrey closed on 123 for 5 still trailing by 389.

Bangladesh’s Test and T20I captain believes their recent successes have come about thanks to greater self-belief

Mohammad Isam08-Apr-2023Shakib Al Hasan is hopeful that Bangladesh’s productive 2022-23 season will translate to a good year ahead. He was talking about the two major 50-over tournaments later this year – the Asia Cup and the World Cup – from September to November. The World Cup is seen as a pivotal tournament for Bangladesh, a side whose favourite format is ODIs.They started the home season with a 2-1 ODI series win over India, followed by a 3-0 T20I series win against England, and then beating Ireland in all three formats. The challenge was to do well in the 13 nearly back-to-back matches starting March 1, but apart from the 2-1 defeat in the ODIs against England, they won the other series convincingly.Related

• Picking six bowlers reflects Bangladesh's aggressive intent

• Hathurusinghe wants to give Bangladesh 'psychological safety'

• Shakib praises Ireland for spirited comeback

Shakib led the team admirably in the T20Is and Tests, introducing an aggressive style that Bangladesh has often shied away from. He also contributed significantly in the ODIs.Shakib said a mentality shift has really helped Bangladesh over the past five months. He said they realised the need for this mentality during the T20 World Cup last year when they needed to beat Pakistan in their last Super 12s match to have a shot at the semi-finals. They didn’t make it, eventually, but Bangladesh enjoyed their best T20 World Cup campaign, winning two games against Zimbabwe and Netherlands and pushing India close.”I think our biggest improvement is in our mentality,” Shakib said. “During our last match of the T20 World Cup last year, we spoke about how we used to think of ourselves as a small team. We weren’t really a small team but if we believed in ourselves, we could have reached the semi-finals. We lacked in that area, so we felt that we needed to change that aspect. Especially those who were in the T20 World Cup squad have undergone that mental change.”This is an important year when we have the Asia Cup and the World Cup. We want to play well over the next six months. We did well in the first four months this year. We will be mostly playing ODIs this year, a format we feel we are good at.”Shakib had previously mentioned that Bangladesh’s mental shift in T20Is started in the Asia Cup last year. Although it wasn’t evident immediately, the change became apparent when they beat India in an ODI series late last year. When they beat England 3-0 in T20Is, they did so while picking five bowlers in every game, with the intention of asserting themselves over the opposition. It was an important moment for a Bangladesh team that had previously considered themselves only an ODI force.The improved mindset in T20Is contributed to big scores in the ODI series against Ireland in Sylhet last month, and similarly high-scoring efforts in the T20Is in Chattogram. Even the choice of venues at home – Sylhet and Chattogram instead of mostly Dhaka – was a sign of progress. Usually Bangladesh fancy playing more in Dhaka as the Shere Bangla National Stadium offers more help to spinners, the team’s perceived strength.Taskin Ahmed has been part of a vastly improved pace pack, a key aspect of Bangladesh’s recent successes•BCB

With the fast bowlers slowly improving too, and with the team feeling the need to play on more batting-friendly pitches looking ahead to the World Cup in India, the BCB has assented to the senior players’ wish to play more in Sylhet and Chattogram. More white-ball matches are expected at these two venues in the coming months leading into the major tournaments.The BCB has also rung in the changes in the head coach’s role. Russell Domingo resigned late last year, after his position was made untenable by the BCB, which made clear it was looking for a new man in charge. The board had already replaced him with Sridharan Sriram in the T20I side, but a couple of months after Domingo’s exit, Chandika Hathurusinghe returned for a second stint.The move was highly unusual for Bangladesh but Hathurusinghe was BCB president Nazmul Hassan’s choice for a long time. Hathurusinghe’s vision has so far melded well with the rest of the team.”We want the same results, ideally.” Hathurusinghe had said before the Ireland T20Is. “That’s what we talk about that we are going to do the same processes in place for us. If we do our processes, I think we are a very good team. That’s what we can them to do – improve the processes every day.”It feels good anytime your team does well, especially when you have a plan in place before the series starts. Then we want to play on good wickets. We knew that our fast bowlers were good enough to give that kind of performance. When that comes to fruition, it gives a lot of confidence.”Bangladesh’s fast bowling too has improved, which has led to a wider group being picked in the squad. Fast-bowling coach Allan Donald is also looking to widen the net with the next batch of fast bowlers from domestic and age-group cricket.Bangladesh’s next assignment is a three-match ODI series against Ireland in Chelmsford next month. It is part of the ICC’s ODI Super League. Nothing is at stake for Bangladesh as they have already qualified to the World Cup, but Tamim Iqbal, the ODI captain, has mentioned his desire to finish high on the points table to go into the World Cup with a bit of pride and momentum under their belt.

The wicketkeeper-batter played 96 Tests and was then hugely influential as a coach

AAP04-Mar-2022At the peak of his powers, Rod Marsh was the best wicketkeeper in the world. He was also a more-than-handy batter, a villain, a rebel, irreverent, insubordinate – and loved and admired as one half of an Australian cricket partnership of uncanny proportions.Marsh, who died Friday aged 74, was also a coach, mentor and administrator who guided the game’s youth through national and international cricket academies.Born in Armadale, Western Australia, on November 4, 1947, Rodney William Marsh had his introduction to cricket in the backyard of his family home, along with his elder brother, Graham, who went on to become a successful professional golfer.The Marsh brothers represented their state in cricket at schoolboy level before pursuing their chosen sports. By the age of eight he was playing competitively with the Armadale under-16 side.”I kept wicket right from the start, but batting was my main strength,” he recalled.The balance between batting and keeping wicket eventually tipped in favour of the latter, although it was probably the former that ensured his selection in the Australian team for the first Test of the 1970-71 series against England at the Gabba.His Sheffield Shield form for WA had put Marsh in contention for the wicketkeeper’s job after the retirement of Brian Taber, although Queensland’s John McLean also had selection claims.
Marsh got the job because he was considered the better batter and quickly rewarded the selectors’ faith with an innings of 44 in the drawn second Test and an unbeaten 92 in the fifth. Australia’s new keeper also justified his place behind the stumps holding 10 catches and making three stumpings for the series.But it was a routine entry in the scorebook of the seventh, and final, Test of that series in Sydney that was to prove portentous. On the first morning, Dennis Lillee, who had made his debut for Australia in the previous Test in Adelaide, had English batsman John Hampshire caught behind the wicket.As a result, a simple notation entered the scorebook and the Test cricket lexicon for the first time: c Marsh b Lillee. The same detail was to appear on Test match scorecards a further 94 times, its regularity prompting Marsh to explain an almost psychic relationship with Lillee.”I’ve played with him so much now that most of the time I know what he is going to do before he has bowled. I know from the way he runs up; the angle, the speed, where he hits the crease, where the ball is going to be,” Marsh said.Rod Marsh takes a brilliant catch to remove Tony Greig•PA Photos/Getty Images

The spiritual connection continued to the end with the pair who began their Test careers in the same 1970-71 series announcing their retirement during the same match against Pakistan in Sydney in 1984, Marsh finishing his career with a then world record 355 dismissals and Lillee with the same number of wickets, also then a world record.Marsh began his Test career immediately following Australia’s 4-0 drubbing by South Africa in 1969-70 and was joined in the subsequent home series against England by fellow debutants Lillee and Greg Chappell, a triumvirate that was instrumental in Australia’s resurgence.Little more than a year later, Australia drew the 1972 series in England 2-2 and then won all three Test matches against Pakistan in 1972-73 before a 2-0 away defeat of the West Indies and successive Ashes series wins over England.Australia’s run ended in England in 1977, in a series played against a backdrop of rumblings about World Series Cricket. The home team’s 2-0 success heralded a tumultuous period in which Marsh, Lillee and Chappell, who been the cornerstone of success, were now leaders of the WSC defection. With the disbanding of World Series Cricket the three returned in 1979-80 for home series against the West Indies and England, but hostility accompanied them. An on-again-off-again captaincy imbroglio involving Kim Hughes and Chappell was fuelled by Lillee’s view that Marsh should have been made captain, a belief with which the latter concurred.Marsh never backed away from accusations he and Lillee disapproved of Hughes, insisting later it was a matter of his fellow West Australian not being ready for the job.The names Marsh and Lillee were again mentioned on the same line when the pair bet, at 500-1, that England would come from a seemingly impossible position to win the third Test at Headingley in 1981. Marsh had £5 and Lillee £10 on their rivals who duly blasted their way to victory on the back of Ian Botham’s second innings of 149 not out.On his retirement in 1984, Marsh had played in 96 Tests, taken a record 355 dismissals and scored 3633 runs with a top score of 132 at an average of 26.5. He was also the first Australian wicketkeeper to make a Test century, and played in the first one-day international, against England in Melbourne in 1971.Marsh later headed the cricket academies of Australia and England, and was inaugural head of an ICC world coaching academy in Dubai. He also became Australian chairman of selectors. Although a tough competitor and mentor, he was respected worldwide for his fairness and knowledge of the game.His sportsmanship was exemplified when Greg Chappell directed his brother Trevor to bowl an underarm delivery against New Zealand in a one-day international in 1981 – Marsh shook his head in disapproval, trying to dissuade his captain.”Respect,” said Marsh “is part of my non-negotiables.”Marsh became a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1982 and was elected to the Sport Australia Hall Of Fame in 1985 and the Cricket Hall Of Fame in 2005.Marsh leaves his wife Ros and sons Dan, who captained Tasmania to their first Sheffield Shield win, Paul, a former CEO of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, and Jamie.

Duo fall in the 70s but England secure victory by six wickets with 29 balls to spare

Valkerie Baynes19-Jun-2022It wasn’t exactly “Fireworks Friday” but half-centuries to Phil Salt and Jason Roy saw England to victory by six wickets and an unassailable 2-0 series lead against Netherlands at Amstelveen.Set 236 to win a match reduced to 41 overs per side after a wet outfield delayed the start by nearly three hours, England overhauled the target with 29 balls to spare ahead of the final fixture on Wednesday.Scott Edwards, standing in as captain for Pieter Seelaar – who announced his retirement while sitting out the match with a persistent back injury – led Netherlands to 235 for 7 with an excellent 78 off 73 balls.England’s response wasn’t without its hiccups, losing captain Eoin Morgan and Liam Livingstone cheaply and with Jos Buttler, the star of their world record-breaking victory in Friday’s series opener, sitting out for the chase.Roy, playing his 100th ODI after he had missed out on England’s charge when he was dismissed in the second over of the first match, helped himself to 13 runs off the first over of their reply on Sunday, including three fours off Logan van Beek, and he smashed two more off Vivian Kingma in the next.After the eight-over powerplay, the visitors were 47 without loss, compared to 33 for 1 for Netherlands, and by early in the 11th over England had already surpassed the 11 fours Netherlands scored for their entire innings.Roy brought up the team hundred with a deft cut off Aryan Dutt through backward point for four and two balls later he crunched Dutt for six over the longest boundary at deep midwicket.Two fours in three balls off Bas de Leede brought Salt to his fifty and he drove and swept three consecutive fours off Dutt before Roy chimed in, advancing and crashing Dutt over mid-off to the boundary. Having shared a 139-run opening stand with Salt, Roy got carried away next ball however, and gifted a catch to Shane Snater at short third man, clearly angry with himself to be gone for 73 off 60.Salt, too, left with a sense of promise unfulfilled but that was only by the lofty measure of his century in the first match. Eyeing back-to-back tons, he followed Roy out a short time later for a still-admirable 77 off just 54 balls, beautifully bowled by Dutt as he tried to step down to the spinner.Related

• England re-write record books with mammoth 498 in crushing win over Netherlands

• Phil Salt on fast track behind trailblazer Jason Roy

• Pieter Seelaar announces retirement due to persistent back injury

England were 168 for 2 before Morgan made his second duck in as many innings, top-edging Tom Cooper to Snater at backward point. It extended a lean run for Morgan who has been troubled by injuries this year and managed just one international half-century in 18 months.Livingstone, who had shrugged off the calf muscle tightness which took him from the field during Netherlands’ futile chase in the first game, came in ahead of Buttler.His quick-fire 66 in the previous match suggested England were still on track to romp to victory but his stay was brief on this occasion when he provided Tim Pringle with his maiden wicket on international debut. Left-arm spinner Pringle, the son of former New Zealand and Netherlands medium-pacer Chris Pringle, sent down a gem that enticed Livingstone forward, beat the outside edge and pinged to top of off stump.There was still no sign of Buttler when Moeen Ali came to the crease and there were hearts in mouths when Dawid Malan, another centurion from the first fixture, was given out lbw to Dutt but he survived on review with Hawk-Eye showing the ball was headed over the stumps.Moeen levelled the scores with six then four off Pringle and after a plucky maiden from van Beek, Moeen clubbed the winning runs with a four off Snater through square leg.Earlier, David Willey had dismissed Vikramjit Singh cheaply for the second time in the series before Adil Rashid entered the attack in the ninth over and struck almost immediately, tempting Max O’Dowd into a slog-sweep with Malan leaping a long way to his left at square leg to pouch a sharp catch.Brydon Carse, in the England side for Sam Curran who is managing his return from a back stress fracture, then struck with his second ball to remove Cooper, pinned lbw by a nip-backer that struck in line with middle and leg stumps and looked to be clipping the top of leg.With just one run to his name, Edwards overturned his lbw dismissal to a Rashid delivery which was shown on review to be spinning past off stump by just enough to earn him a reprieve. He shared a 61-run stand with de Leede, whose enterprising 34 included whacking Rashid over cow corner into commentary box window.Edwards moved to 47 by slogging Livingstone over the fence – the ball dropped short of the commentators’ perch this time – and he brought up his fifty with a mow down the ground for six off Carse.With the crowd finding their voices following a subdued start given the earlier delay to proceedings, they roared to life when Willey beat Teja Nidamanuru’s attempted straight drive with one that shaped in a little to peg back his middle and off stumps, ending a 73-run stand with Edwards.Edwards prompted more cheers as he reverse-scooped Willey over third man for six to move past his unbeaten 72 scored in the first match. He was eventually run out by an excellent direct hit by Willey running in from deep midwicket and throwing down the stumps at the striker’s end as Edwards, returning for a second, dived in vain.Pringle was out for a second-ball duck, outdone by an excellent googly from Rashid, and it fell to Snater and van Beek to bump up the Netherlands’ total, Snater snatching 17 off 10 while van Beek managed 30 off 36.

Aggressive, unbeaten innings of 95 from 71 sets up strong Somerset reply

ECB Reporters Network05-May-2023Tom Kohler-Cadmore blasted a thrilling first half-century for Somerset to bat them into a promising position on the second day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Northamptonshire at TauntonThe visitors began by extending their overnight first innings score of 137 for 4 to 255 all out, James Sales contributing 57, while Jack Leach (3 for 15) and Lewis Gregory (3 for 66) were the most successful bowlers. In reply, Somerset slipped to 61 for 3 before Cameron Bancroft helped Kohler-Cadmore add 53. The former Yorkshire player went on to finish unbeaten on 95, off just 71 balls, having smote 16 fours and a six, with his side 199 for 4, trailing by 56.Play started at 11.30pm following heavy showers, with Northamptonshire looking to claim a first batting point of the season. Sales, on 5, survived a shoulder-high chance to Bancroft at second slip off Craig Overton and it was Gregory who made the first breakthrough with the score on 164 when Rob Keogh, on 19, fell lbw looking to on-drive a fullish delivery.Somerset’s seamers went past the bat on numerous occasions. But their luck changed when Harry Gouldstone followed a short, leg-side delivery from Peter Siddle and feathered a catch to wicketkeeper James Rew.At 181 for 6, Northants were in danger of missing out on batting points again. But Sales and Tom Taylor added 46 for the seventh wicket, forcing Somerset skipper Tom Abell to turn to the left-arm spin of Leach with the total on 203.Taylor pulled fours off successive deliveries from Overton. But, on 28, he carelessly drove Leach in the air to mid-off where Overton took a throat-high catch without having to move.It was 232 for 6 at lunch, with Sales unbeaten on 44. He reached a valuable 96-ball half-century, but began to run out of partners as Jordan Buckingham advanced down the pitch to Leach and was comfortably stumped by Rew. A Sales single off Siddle took his side to 250 and that elusive batting point, but five runs later Ben Sanderson was bowled by a quicker ball from Leach.Sales had to go on the offensive, but chose the wrong shot and was bowled by Siddle attempting a scoop to end the innings.Following a rain break at 8 for 0 in their reply, the home side’s top-order frailty was evident again as Tom Lammonby was trapped on the crease and fell lbw to White for 5.Sean Dickson’s Somerset struggles continued when, having reached 17, he drove at a wide ball from Sanderson and was caught behind. It left the former Durham opener with an average of 7.85 in seven innings for his new county.Abell walked to the crease with his side 25 for 2. He helped Bancroft take the score to 61, but then drove at Buckingham and edged a sharp catch to Ricardo Vasconcelos at first slip, giving the young Australian seamer his first Northants wicket.Kohler-Cadmore, also short of runs at the start of his Somerset career, nervously flashed at Buckingham’s next delivery, well wide of off stump, and was relieved to see the ball fly over the slips for four. He and Bancroft then set about showing Somerset supporters their true capabilities. Boundaries began to flow, with Bancroft particularly strong off the back foot and Kohler-Cadmore looking to be aggressive from the outset.Bancroft brought the 100 up with a sweet clip off his legs for four off White, while his partner appeared intent on hitting his way into form, taking two fours off an over from Sanderson. At 113 for 3, Northants successfully requested a change of ball. It worked immediately as Bancroft got a thick edge to White and wicketkeeper Gouldstone took a low diving catch.Undeterred, Kohler-Cadmore remained in one-day mode and reached a sparkling fifty off just 37 balls, with 11 fours. The bowlers began to bowl shorter to him and he took up the challenge with some meaty pull shots.A straight six off Buckingham brought up another half-century stand, to which the patient Rew contributed seven runs. Kohler-Cadmore was dropped at mid-off on 86 by a backpedalling White off Buckingham, but by then had announced his Somerset arrival in style.

He had played just four T20 innings before this and is the latest unknown entity from MI’s scouting stable

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2024Mumbai Indians have played some of the most iconic T20 batters at No. 3 over the years, from Suryakumar Yadav to Rohit Sharma to Cameron Green. On Sunday night against Gujarat Titans, out walked Naman Dhir at No. 3 when Ishan Kishan fell in the first over of the chase of 169.It was just the sixth T20 game of Dhir’s professional career and he is yet to play a 50-over game in domestic cricket. What was he doing in the IPL then for the five-time champions?Bought for INR 20 lakh at the last auction, Dhir is the latest unknown entity from MI’s scouting stable. He is 24, a hard-hitting batter from Punjab. Known for hitting big sixes down the ground, his four T20 innings before this had earned him just 39 runs since his T20 debut a few months ago in November, with a high score of 17. For Punjab too, he has mostly batted at No. 3 in his fledgling career so far. In the Ranji Trophy, he has two centuries from 20 innings – both from last season – from 14 games for an average of 30.21.Related

• Titans pull off heist against former captain Hardik Pandya's Mumbai

• Gill praises 'outstanding' bowling after stunning comeback against Mumbai

It was in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup – a state T20 league organised by the Punjab Cricket Association – in August last year that he made himself noticed with his hitting exploits. In 12 innings in that tournament, Dhir smashed 466 runs (second-highest) at a strike rate of 192.56 while averaging 42.36. He scored two centuries along the way – 127 off 56 and 105 off 44 – which included a total of 30 sixes.On Sunday, he smoked three back-to-back fours against Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and a six in the same over. Dhir lofted the first ball of the third over over mid-off, the second over midwicket and the third (after a wide) for a one-bounce four to the square-leg boundary. A dot ball later, Dhir clobbered a half-volley over long-off for an 86-meter six. Omarzai, however, fought back on the last ball of the over by trapping Dhir lbw with the help of a review.”He came out and he was very expressive. Again that lofted shot, you have got to be excited about these things,” Kieron Pollard, Mumbai batting coach, said after the match. “I thought he had a lot more to offer, his calmness even when we lost that first wicket, to continue that intent is a good start for him. This is only the start, at the end of it he scored 20 odd, let’s give him that space, let him enjoy the moment, it’s a big occasion for these guys. As a franchise we’ll continue to unearth new talent. In the future we can continue with continuity as we go along.”Kudos to the scouts, all the guys who work behind the scenes to unearth these sorts of talent within in India. He was one on our radar. He has been in the Mumbai setup over the last couple of months, going to England on a developmental tour. So, it’s something we would’ve seen in that guy.”Mumbai would have thought Dhir did his job with a 10-ball 20, but they eventually fell short by just six runs in the end.

Fast bowler left out of table-toppers’ opening two T20 fixtures after fallow recent form

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2024Issy Wong, the England fast bowler, has joined Western Storm on loan for the Charlotte Edwards Cup after she was left out of the Central Sparks team for their first two matches of their T20 campaign.Wong, who turned 22 last week, played for England as recently as September and featured for Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League in March. But after a quiet start to the season in the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, she was not selected by the Sparks for their opening T20 fixtures and has pursued a move away.The ECB – who are Wong’s primary employer, as a centrally-contracted player – have approved her loan move to ensure she will be playing competitive cricket. Storm said in a statement: “The ECB have sanctioned the move to ensure fast bowler Wong is able to maximise her playing time over the coming weeks.”Wong played all three formats for England in the 2022 summer at the age of 20 and was one of the stars of the inaugural season of the WPL, taking 15 wickets to help Mumbai Indians to the title – including a hat-trick in the eliminator. But she has struggled for consistency since and has lost her place in England’s squads.This season, she has taken three wickets at 56.33 in five Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy fixtures and has also featured for an ECB Development XI against the touring Pakistan squad. She was a surprise omission from the Sparks’ T20 side, though they have won their opening two fixtures.Wong is likely to play a more prominent role for a Storm side who have lost their opening two matches and are currently without Lauren Filer, who is on England duty. She will also target more opportunities with the bat, having spent most of this season batting at No. 8 in 50-over cricket.