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Bangladesh captain refuses to blame conditions for their tense defeat in a rain-hit game

Sidharth Monga02-Nov-2022Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has refused to complain about resuming the game too early, and instead said that they panicked while chasing the DLS-adjusted target, which he felt most teams would have done.Bangladesh had India rattled in a chase of 185, thanks to a stunning assault from opener Litton Das who had raced away to 59 off 26 when rain interrupted their charge. Their 66 for 0 in seven overs was 17 ahead of the DLS par score. When play resumed, Das slipped twice when running on the first two balls. The second of those cost him his wicket after which Bangladesh fell six short of the required 85 in nine overs.”Nobody in our dressing room talked about fair or unfair,” Shakib said about the resumption of play. “We wanted to play. We wanted to win. Everyone tried their best, but we came short.”Related

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Shakib was asked looking at how the initial conditions were slippery did he wish they had started 10-15 minutes later? “That is the decision umpires make,” Shakib said. “We don’t make that decision. We are there to play cricket. Both teams wanted to play full 20 overs. Unfortunately rain interrupted. I am happy the way both teams played. It was played in the right spirit. Both teams played really well, we were very close like the 2016 World Cup, but not close enough.”So were the conditions slippery when they resumed? “It was a little slippery the amount of rain it had had,” Shakib said. “But normally that suits the batting side rather than the bowling side. We should not make that an excuse.”Shakib even said Das could have shown better awareness after he slipped for the first time, and that he should perhaps have run on the edge of the pitch and not the grass. While taking the second, Das slipped but didn’t fall like the first time when he even injured his wrist. However, the time he lost was enough for a KL Rahul direct hit from the deep to catch him short.Litton Das’ run-out for 60 turned the game in Adelaide•ICC/Getty Images

“It was unfortunate that Litton slipped, but I don’t know if he ran on the pitch or in the grass between the pitches,” Shakib said. “If he had run on the grass, he should have been careful and run on the pitch the next time.”Shakib was asked if it was lack of experience or an emotional response that they played too many shots immediately after resumption. “Combination of both lack of experience and panicking,” Shakib said. “We were pretty relaxed in the dressing room. We knew what was coming our way. When we got the target of 85 runs in nine overs, we [said we] will take that. With wickets in hand. Bhuvi was almost done too [Bhuvneshwar Kumar had bowled three overs by then]. You take that challenge, and chase that down. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do it.”It was down to 52 required off five overs with eight wickets in hand, a walk in park for most teams. “Most teams would have got those 52 runs,” Shakib said. “We should have chased it down. I thought we were capable. It didn’t happen unfortunately. Maybe we panicked in the middle order, playing too many shots. We lost the momentum big time in two-three overs. Nurul [Hasan] and Taskin [Ahmed] almost brought us back into contention later on. T20 matches change every over. If you look at the last two overs, many teams can now get 30 in the last two overs. We couldn’t do it, but we can take a lot of positives from this game.”

Minister Group Dhaka needed nine to win off the last over, with set batter Tamim Iqbal in the middle, but eventually lost by three runs

Mohammad Isam08-Feb-2022How the match played outMrittunjoy Chowdhury brought back Chattogram Challengers out of the dead with a superb final over that helped clinch a three-run win over Minister Group Dhaka. It was the first thriller of the BPL this season, particularly after several one-sided games in the competition in the past week.To defend eight runs in the last over, the left-arm quick Mrittunjoy first removed Qais Ahmed off the first ball. He then bowled two dot balls to Mohammad Naim, before the batter got off strike. Tamim Iqbal, who was the set batter at the other end, could only muster a bye next ball, finishing on an unbeaten 73 and leaving Naim to hit a six off the last ball.Mrittunjoy bowled a high full-toss this time, which Naim hit back to him. But it was a no-ball, which handed Dhaka another chance. But Naim, struggling throughout the tournament, couldn’t do much in the final ball. Mrittunjoy bowled another fast full delivery, which only returned a single down the ground.The win brought Chattogram back in contention for the playoffs spots as they replaced Dhaka in fourth place with eight points. Chattogram, who got into the game with their third captain in Afif Hossain, banked on the 57 runs they added in the last five overs to get them to 148 for 6 in 20 overs.Related

• Mehidy Hasan Miraz captaincy row – 'Both player and franchise admit they acted unreasonably'

Big hitShamim Hossain made his maiden BPL fifty, getting most of his runs on the on-side, including a six over midwicket off Ebadot Hossain. He also struck five fours in his 37-ball knock. He added 58 runs for the sixth wicket with Benny Howell, who struck two sixes in his unbeaten 19-ball 24.The Shamim-Howell combination also accounted for Mahmudullah’s catch in the 15th over of Dhaka’s chase. Mahmudullah slog-swept Mehidy Hasan Miraz, only for Shamim to intercept the ball in the deep-midwicket boundary. Realising that he would lose his balance and fall over the rope, he flicked the ball to Howell who completed the catch.The catch broke the 71-run fourth wicket stand between Tamim and Mahmudullah, after Dhaka had slipped to 21 for 3 in the fifth over. Mahmudullah played the support act as Tamim struck the ball cleanly over the covers, hitting Jacks for a six and Miraz for two fours through the region.Tamim kept the Dhaka chase on track even after Mahmudullah got out, adding 43 runs in 4.1 overs with Shuvagata Hom. Tamim struck his sixth four off the last ball of Shoriful Islam’s 19th over, which left Qais on strike, but with nine to win, Dhaka couldn’t finish the game they way they desired.Mrittunjoy, meanwhile, crossed another milestone in this ever-improving BPL campaign. He started the tournament with a hat-trick against Sylhet Sunrisers before taking a four-wicket haul against Fortune Barishal.Big missA big worry would be Naim’s form throughout this BPL season. This short innings of two runs off five balls may not reflect his overall form but he has truly struggled, resulting in him being sent to bat at No. 8 in this game. He has so far scored just 43 runs at an average of 8.60. It must be a cause of concern for the Bangladesh selectors going into the Afghanistan series later this month.

“I’d be saying to all players, former players and coaches, if you stay behind the line you don’t have this conversation.”

Andrew McGlashan06-Jan-2023The chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association has called for the term ‘Mankad’ to be removed from the sport’s language and said that the players have a key role in removing the stigma around the dismissal.The mode of dismissal – which ESPNcricinfo now refers to as run out backing up – has been back in the headlines in recent days after Adam Zampa’s failed attempt against Tom Rogers in the BBL at the MCG. A few days earlier, Mitchell Starc had given Theunis de Bruyn a warning for backing up during the Boxing Day Test.Related

• Starc on de Bruyn's backing up: 'Absolutely taking the mickey'

• Drama at MCG as Adam Zampa's run-out attempt against Tom Rogers is turned down

“I don’t think it’s a debate, think it’s very black and white, it shouldn’t be the word Mankad,” Todd Greenberg told SEN radio during the Sydney Test. “I agree the players have a role in eradicating that term, it’s a run out at the non-striker’s end.”In a game played where centimetres, even millimetres, make the difference, if the onus and responsibility is on the bowler to stay behind the line at the point of delivery then the onus and responsibility should be on the batter to do similar.”Greenberg added it was vital for players in the professional game to lead the way so that those involved at lower levels, and youngsters coming up, could see them setting the example.”Players have a huge opportunity to change language and tone,” he said. “And that correlates right down through participation because this is not just an issue at the elite level, it will be an issue in an Under-12s game on a Saturday and it will put parents and volunteers under huge pressure if they don’t see what’s happening at the elite level. The kids at that level replicate what happens on the field.”In the aftermath of Zampa’s run-out attempt, there appeared to be a divide in the Melbourne Stars team with coach David Hussey saying it was not the way to play the game but Zampa largely standing by his actions. Greenberg acknowledged that getting all players and those involved in the game at a senior level on the same page would be a challenge.”Sometimes we have to have hard conversations and sometimes you have to square up players and say this is what’s better for the game,” he said. “I’d be saying to all players, former players and coaches, if you stay behind the line you don’t have this conversation.”The MCC has attempted to remove the stigma attached to the dismissal by moving it from unfair play to run out in the Laws of the game. There remains some debate about whether the wording of the Law is clear enough, particularly around the element of a bowlers’ point of release, which was key in the recent Zampa example.

It’s a strong-looking squad, to be led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, with the likes of B Sai Sudharsan, Sarfaraz Khan and Navdeep Saini in the mix

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-2024Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead India A in the visiting England Lions’ first two fixtures in Ahmedabad later this month. The shadow tour to the five-Test series between India and England starts with a two-day warm-up game on January 12-13, followed by a four-day first-class fixture on January 17-20, both in Ahmedabad.Abhimanyu was reserve opener during India’s recent two-Test tour of South Africa, and is a strong favourite to don a similar role during the home Tests. The squad also has B Sai Sudharsan, who struck back-to-back half-centuries in his first two ODIs against South Africa last month, as Abhimanyu’s likeliest opening partner, with Devdutt Padikkal not included. Padikkal, who featured in the first four-day fixture in South Africa last month, struck 193 against a strong Punjab attack in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy in Hubli on Saturday.The middle order looks formidable, with Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan and Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Tamil Nadu’s highest run-getter from the 2022-23 Ranji season, rewarded for their consistency. Patidar and Sarfaraz could get special attention if the selectors are looking for middle-order options for the Test side – Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were India’s No. 5 and No. 6 in South Africa behind No. 4 Virat Kohli.KS Bharat, the reserve wicketkeeper on the tour of South Africa, is the first-choice stumper and a likely frontrunner to be in the squad as the second wicketkeeper for the England Tests, with Dhruv Jurel named his understudy. Jurel struck one of three half-centuries for India A in their second four-day fixture in Benoni late last month.Meanwhile, there is a second India A call-up in the spin department for Rajasthan’s Manav Suthar. Whether it is a move aimed at not giving the English exposure to much top-quality spin or Suthar is, indeed, in the selectors’ radar isn’t known at this stage. But Suthar, a left-arm-spinner, enjoyed good returns in the last Ranji season picking up 39 wickets, and subsequently impressed at the Emerging Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in July. Pulkit Narang, who plies his trade for Services, is the second spin option.Navdeep Saini, Vidwath Kaverappa, Tushar Deshpande and Akash Deep, all part of the ‘A’ squad in South Africa, have been rewarded with call-ups as the pace attack remains largely unaltered. While Saini, Deshpande and Akash Deep have been in the India A set-up for a while, Kaverappa forced his way in on the back of a strong showing for South Zone in the season-opening Duleep Trophy.These games will be followed by two more four-day fixtures, also in Ahmedabad.

India A squad against England

Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, KS Bharat (wk), Manav Suthar, Pulkit Narang, Navdeep Saini, Tushar Deshpande, Vidwath Kaverappa, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Akash Deep

Wanindu Hasaranga has been named captain after missing the IPL to get fit in time for the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff09-May-2024Left-arm spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage has made Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup despite never having played a T20 international. Top-order batter Kamindu Mendis, and round-arm seamer Nuwan Thushara are also in the 15.From the older cohort, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Dasun Shanaka also find places in the squad.The team is led by Wanindu Hasaranga, who missed the IPL with a long-standing heel injury, largely so he would be fit for the World Cup. He has made his return to competitive cricket in the ongoing practice matches in Sri Lanka, where he has batted in the first two matches but not bowled.Wellalage has been chosen more for his skillset, rather than performances in T20s, or form. In addition to bowling good left-arm spin, he’s also capable of hitting boundaries from lower down the order, and is also an excellent fielder. The selectors are understood to have thought of him as a handy utility player in a World Cup campaign. Wellalage has had some success in international cricket, most memorably in an Asia Cup ODI match against India in 2023, when he took five wickets.Missing out on selection are players like opening batter Avishka Fernando, left-arm seamer Binura Fernando, and batter Kusal Perera. Avishka had modest performances on the tour of Bangladesh in March, Kusal Perera had not impressed selectors after a long injury layoff, and Binura has been outperformed by Thushara, who took 5 for 20 including a hat-trick in his last international outing.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The batting order is somewhat predictable: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka and Angelo Mathews are likely to form the top six. On the spin front, they have Maheesh Theekshana and captain Hasaranga as likely first-choice players, with Hasaranga poised to go up the order when required.There is serious competition for fast-bowling places, however, with Dushmantha Chameera the likeliest starter, but with Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka providing tough competition.Sri Lanka are in group D at the T20 World Cup along with Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands and South Africa. They play their first game of the tournament against South Africa on June 3 in New York, before travelling to Dallas to play Bangladesh on June 8. Their last two group games are against Nepal and Netherlands, in Florida on June 12 and St Lucia on June 17.

Sri Lanka squad for 2024 T20 World Cup

Wanindu Hasaranga (capt), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Dilshan MadushankaTravelling reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage

It was the second-biggest successful chase in Vijay Hazare Trophy history

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2024Playing only his third List A game, K Shrijith struck an unbeaten 101-ball 150 to lead Karnataka home in the second-highest successful chase in Vijay Hazare Trophy history, as they hauled down a target of 383 with 3.4 overs to spare at the Narendra Modi Stadium’s B ground.Andhra’s successful chase of 384 against Goa in the 2011-12 season continues to hold the tournament record.Related

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• Shaw dropped from Mumbai squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy

• Shami rested for Bengal's opening Vijay Hazare game

• Anmolpreet hits third-fastest List A century off just 35 balls

Shrijith’s effort meant that Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 114 off just 55 balls went in vain for Mumbai. Iyer hit five fours and as many as ten sixes as he hurried Mumbai to a formidable total following a relatively sedate start. When Iyer walked out, Mumbai were 148 for 2 in the 30th over, following a 141-run second-wicket stand, off 160 balls, between Hardik Tamore (84 off 94) and Ayush Mhatre (78 off 82).Mumbai proceeded to up their scoring rate as Iyer added 30 off 22 with Tamore and 56 off 34 with Suryakumar Yadav (20 off 16). That set the stage for a frenetic finish, as Iyer and Shivam Dube proceeded to put on an unbroken 148 off the last 65 balls of Mumbai’s innings. While Dube scored an unbeaten 63 off 36 (5×4, 5×6), Iyer from the other end smashed 74 off the last 29 balls of his innings.Amid the carnage of Mumbai’s innings, new-ball operator Vasuki Koushik finished with the impressive figures of 0 for 45 from his ten overs.In contrast with Mumbai’s gradual build-up of steam, Karnataka kept pace with the required rate almost throughout their chase. They were 106 for 2 in the 15th over, with openers Nikin Jose (21 off 13) and Mayank Agarwal (47 off 48) having both departed, when Shrijith walked to the crease.The wicketkeeper-batter took charge of the innings thereafter, first putting on 94 with No. 3 KV Aneesh, who made a 66-ball 82 on his List A debut, and then dominating an unbroken stand of 183 off just 119 balls with the legspinning allrounder Praveen Dubey.While Dubey contributed 65 off 50 balls to the partnership, Shrijith smashed 107 off 69, as Karnataka charged towards their target. Mumbai’s bowlers came in for heavy punishment, none worse than Shardul Thakur who went for 72 in six wicketless overs.

He names his World Cup semi-final picks and is optimistic about Australia’s chances

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2023Rishabh Pant won’t be fit to play the upcoming World Cup but former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist is still fascinated by the impact he has had in his six years with the Indian team.Pant, 25, made his international debut in February 2017 and has risen to be one of the first names down on the team sheet, especially in Test cricket. A strike rate of 73 in the longest format shows the kind of threat he poses to the bowlers and his performance against Australia – 274 runs in five innings, including a series-winning 89 at the Gabba – was crucial to one of India greatest achievements: taking home the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21.”I think Rishabh has inspired a lot of wicket-keeper batters around the world to play that [aggressive] way. It is fascinating for such a young man to have such an impact that Rishabh has had, and others are responding and playing in that positive manner,” Gilchrist, who is in India on a promotional visit, told PTI.Pant is currently out of action having met with a horrific car accident last December. He is working his way back to full fitness at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and is expected to make a comeback sometime next year.Related

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• Pooran to Pant: 'That first step you take, that's when you become motivated'

• Rishabh Pant's recovery progressing faster than expected

In Pant’s absence, KL Rahul is likely to keep wicket for India in the World Cup. Ishan Kishan also has experience behind the stumps but it appears his role in the first team will be limited to that of a middle-order batter. Gilchrist was impressed with how Kishan has shaped up despite knowing that he is behind Rahul in the pecking order.”They [India] are well stocked,” Gilchrist said. “They have got a couple of [wicketkeeping] options there, obviously, when KL was out with his injury, Ishan Kishan took his opportunity and played really well, and now they find themselves in the team together so that’s a wonderful case of taking an opportunity.”Being positive, and then, forcing the selectors into keeping you in the team [is impressive]. It seems like KL is gonna be the one who is going to continue with the gloves but it does not seem to hinder Ishan Kishan’s batting, he seems to be playing really well, carefree, attacking and dangerous.”Gilchrist reckons Australia will bounce back from the loss in South Africa•AFP/Getty Images

Gilchrist picks his World Cup semi-finalists

With the tournament less than three weeks away, and having won it three times, Gilchrist was asked to pick his final four. “I think India and Pakistan could feature, Australia and England are another two teams,” he said.Gilchrist is hopeful that Australia, five-time champions, will do well in India, where they won a bilateral series 2-1 in March 2023. He added that Adam Zampa, who finished with 0 for 113 and 3 for 70 in his last two ODIs in South Africa, will bounce back in more favourable conditions.”Australia will learn a lot from their efforts in South Africa when they come to India. They have got three games before the World Cup against India. So, they will have a bit more of a full-strength squad there, that might tell us a bit about where they are at.”Adam Zampa, in South Africa, was at the receiving end a little bit but it’s different conditions out here in India with different pitches and he is a world-class spin bowler, and he has shown that particularly across T20 cricket, and now he gets his chance in the 50-over World Cup. So it’s a very knowledgeable group and they are going to have to use all that experience against batting line-ups across the globe and play without fear.”There have been some suggestions about Australia pushing David Warner down the order but Gilchrist isn’t a fan. “He [Warner] looked really good in South Africa for the most part of what he did,” he said. “I think he has got to bat at the top, there has been some sort of discussions that he bats down the middle order but I think he has got to open. He showed in South Africa a couple of times that he is [as] aggressive and dominant at the top of the order as he has ever been. So, I think they bring with him a lot of experience and a lot of confidence, and I think he should play at the top of the order for Australia and if he plays really well then our opposition will fear that.”

CSK can inch closer to the playoffs with a win, while Capitals will join the mid-table huddle if they can add two points to their kitty

Ashish Pant09-May-20235:40

Is Ruturaj doing the job for CSK as an opener?

Big picture: Can Delhi Capitals breach Chepauk fortress?

A campaign that seemed to have fizzled out even before taking off has suddenly found life. Delhi Capitals lost their first five games on the bounce, but have won four of five games after that and are now in with a shot of joining the mid-table jam in IPL 2023. Capitals are still placed last on the points table, but as things stand, there is only a three-point difference between them and third-placed Lucknow Super Giants.To keep their chances alive, though, Capitals must first get past Chennai Super Kings, something they have failed to do more often than they have over the years. Capitals have beaten CSK in Chennai only on two occasions in eight attempts, the last being in 2010, and the head-to-head record is also skewed in CSK’s favour: they have won 17 of the 27 games over the years. CSK’s run at Chepauk this year, though, has been patchy. They have won three and lost two so far.Related

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Both sides come into his game on the back of confident wins. While CSK steamrolled Mumbai Indians by six wickets on Saturday evening, Capitals took down a 188-run target against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 16.4 overs the same night.A big reason behind Capitals’ revival has been their spinners – Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, mainly – who have restricted the opposition to sub-140 totals in three of their last five matches. Their spinners have been the most economical amongst all teams in the competition going at 6.9 an over, which might come in handy on a Chepauk surface that showed signs of slowing down last time around.It won’t, however, be easy against a rampaging CSK top order, led by, Devon Conway (458 runs at a strike rate of 139.20), Ruturaj Gaikwad (384 at 148.26), Shivam Dube (290 at 156.75) and Ajinkya Rahane (245 at 181.48). They have the joint-best powerplay scoring rate of 9.5 this season, and have recorded 50-plus scores in eight out of ten innings in that phase this IPL.CSK currently sit second on the points table with 13 points, and a win will push them closer to a playoff spot.

Team news: Will CSK field Stokes even if he’s fit?

Ben Stokes has been batting and bowling in the nets, but even if he is fit, it will be tough for CSK to slot him, considering their overseas players – Conway, Moeen Ali, Matheesha Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana/Mitchell Santner – have been doing well. “I’m pretty sure Stokes is available for selection but it comes down to the balance of the squad” Mike Hussey, the CSK batting coach, said on the subject on the eve of the game.And guess who has the best average and best strike rate of the CSK batters? Yup, MS Dhoni has 76 runs in 38 balls this season, his average is 76.00 (one dismissal in seven innings) and strike rate is 200.00.Anrich Nortje had to fly back to South Africa following a personal emergency and missed Capitals’ last game. He is unavailable for the game against CSK as well on Wednesday. Shane Watson, Capitals’ assistant coach, expects Nortje to return to the IPL for the back end of the tournament.

The big question

Form guide: Capitals look to make it three in three

Chennai Super Kings WNRLLW
Delhi Capitals WWLWW

Impact Player strategy

Ambati Rayudu has consistently been CSK’s Impact Player this season, replacing one of the bowlers when they chase, and that trend is likely to continue. If they bat first, Rayudu will likely start, with Tushar Deshpande or Theekshana coming in as the sub in the second innings.CSK probable XII: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 , 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Matheesha Pathirana, 12 Capitals have followed a straightforward batter-for-bowler swap as far as the impact-sub rule is concerned. If they bat first, Ripal Patel or Sarfaraz Khan will likely start, with Ishant Sharma coming in the second innings, and vice-versa. Depending on the surface, Capitals might also look to bring in offspinner Lalit Yadav into the mix for a quick.Capitals probable XII: 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 David Warner (capt), 3 Mitchell Marsh 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 Aman Hakim Khan, 6 Manish Pandey, 7 Axar Patel, 8 , 9 Khaleel Ahmed/Lalit Yadav, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mukesh Kumar 12 1:10

Ruturaj: I don’t want to face Pathirana in the nets

Numbers that matter: Warner vs Theekshana

• Kuldeep should be kept away from Conway and Moeen. While Conway strikes at 268.42 against Kuldeep in T20s, Moeen has a strike rate of 287.5 against him.
• David Warner and Axar have never fallen to Ravindra Jadeja in T20s. Warner has struck Jadeja for 92 runs in 55 balls across seven innings, while Axar has scored 66 off 38 in nine innings.
• But Warner has fallen to Theekshana three times in six innings and averages 18.66 against him.
• Capitals have hit the least number of sixes in the tournament so far – 42.

Pitch and conditions

Scores of 200 have been breached four times this season in Chennai in ten innings. The surface did show signs of slowing down last time, but there was not much turn on offer for the spinners. The surface should be better for batters in the night game and dew might also come into play. It has been cloudy in Chennai for the last few days, but rain isn’t forecast for Wednesday.

Fifties for Rob Keogh, Luke Procter but Northants still 170 adrift in second innings

ECB Reporters Network27-Jun-2023Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond became Wantage Road’s first visiting triple-centurion as his side closed in on an innings victory against Northamptonshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship.Bell-Drummond finished unbeaten on exactly 300, registering the fourth-highest individual score in Kent’s history after almost nine hours at the crease as the visitors racked up an imposing total of 621.That left Northamptonshire, for whom legspinner Alex Russell recorded figures of 6 for 175 in only his second first-class game, weighed down by a hefty first-innings deficit of 384 as they went out to bat again. However, spirited half-centuries by Rob Keogh – his second of the match – and skipper Luke Procter maintained their side’s hopes of avoiding defeat as they reached 214 for 5, still 170 adrift, before bad light halted play.Resuming on 271 overnight, Bell-Drummond survived a strong lbw appeal by Ben Sanderson in the second over of the day and made cautious progress while his partners threw the bat at the other end. A delicate late cut for two off Russell propelled him beyond John Freeman’s 286 for Essex more than a century earlier – the previous highest score registered by an opposition player at Wantage Road.However, wickets began to tumble to the young spinner, with Joey Evison lured down the track and stumped for 27 before Hamid Qadri and Wes Agar also perished in pursuit of quick runs.With Jack White trapping Matt Quinn leg before first ball, Bell-Drummond, on 293, suddenly looked in danger of ending up marooned with a personal landmark tantalisingly close as last man Arshdeep Singh arrived at the crease.The India international calmly swung his first delivery over long-on for two before smashing a couple of boundaries as Bell-Drummond inched closer to 300 – eventually pulling Russell for a single and punching the air with delight and relief.Having slammed the next ball into the hands of deep midwicket, Arshdeep raced off to lace up his bowling boots as he and Agar hurtled in for a pre-lunch burst at Northamptonshire’s openers.They removed both before the interval, with Emilio Gay prodding Arshdeep to Jack Leaning at second slip before the skipper’s call for Joe Denly’s legbreaks paid dividends as Ricardo Vasconcelos departed in the same manner to the final ball of the session.Sam Whiteman displayed some resistance after lunch, crunching Agar for successive off-side boundaries to reach 28, but Denly tempted him to sweep and the resulting top edge sailed to backward square. Denly, who remained on throughout most of the afternoon, might have collected a third wicket when Ben Compton was unable to grasp a sharp chance from Keogh at short leg with the right-hander on 18.Keogh gradually got on top of Kent’s all-spin attack, taking advantage of some wayward Denly deliveries to crack three fours in an over and sweeping Qadri to the square leg fence to bring up his half-century on the cusp of tea.There was a scare for Keogh when a ball from Qadri lodged in his back pad and then trickled across to rest against the stumps without dislodging a bail, but the spinner got his man soon afterwards for 57, winning what looked a very marginal lbw decision.That broke the fourth-wicket stand of 80, but Procter progressed to a resolute 50 from 146 balls and, with Saif Zaib going for his shots at the other end, the pair shaved another 51 off the deficit. Leaning brought himself on to bowl and promptly pinned Procter leg before with his second delivery, but murky overhead conditions forced the players from the field just a few overs later.

Jos Buttler “will bounce back” after disappointing campaign, coach says

Matt Roller11-Nov-2023Matthew Mott insisted that he is “more determined than ever” to coach England’s white-ball teams after their group-stage elimination from the ODI World Cup, and said that he expects to be in charge when they tour the Caribbean next month to play West Indies.Mott is 18 months into a four-year contract and oversaw England’s title-winning T20 World Cup campaign in Australia last year. But England’s disastrous defence of their 50-over title prompted some speculation about his future in the role, not least after six defeats in their first seven matches jeopardised their place at the 2025 Champions Trophy.They confirmed their qualification with convincing victories over Netherlands and Pakistan, but a seventh-place finish was still a significant underachievement. “We’re incredibly disappointed,” Mott said after England wrapped up a 93-run win in Kolkata on Saturday night. “We came here with certain expectations and haven’t delivered on that.”Related

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Rob Key, England’s managing director and Mott’s boss, arrived back in India midweek and while Mott did not seek direct assurances over his position, he has been involved in selection for December’s tour. England will play three ODIs and five T20Is against West Indies, with Mott and Jos Buttler set to continue as coach and captain.”I haven’t even spoken about it,” Mott said, regarding his future as coach. “It hasn’t been a great tournament for everyone, but there’s plenty of teams which are going to go [away] from here very disappointed with their performance as well. There’s only one team that can win it. I’m pretty comfortable in my skin.”When asked if he expects to carry on, Mott told the BBC: “Absolutely, I do. We’ve had a poor tournament, but we’ve got a lot to look forward to. We’ve got a lot of belief within this squad that we can turn this around and we’ll look forward to the West Indies… if anything, I’m more determined than ever.”Mott admitted that he had learned plenty about himself as a coach at the World Cup but did not elaborate further, saying there were “enough strong opinions” from the English press already. “That’s for you guys to work out,” he said. “I’m sure there’s enough public comment out there for you to be able to pick that up and make your own decisions.”On Buttler, Mott said: “He’s got a great future. You judge leadership in times that are tough and he’s continually tried to motivate the boys. He’s clearly disappointed with his own contribution but none of that has affected the way he’s led the team. I’ve been really impressed by the way he’s kept the team together. He’s a player who is immensely talented and will bounce back.”England’s players and management have repeatedly downplayed any suggestion of a rift in the touring party over the past two weeks, and Mott said that winning their final two games highlighted the squad’s “tenacity and resilience”. He added: “I just can’t be prouder of the whole group – staff and players – to find a way of finishing with something to build on.”Their performances have improved significantly in the final week of the World Cup, with a narrow defeat against Australia preceding their consolation wins. England only arrived in India a week before their opening game against New Zealand and packed their preparation into a one-month window at the end of their home summer.”I have no doubt that if we had time to come out here with the schedule, that we would have [performed better],” Mott said. “That’s the ideal preparation. But I’m not sure how that’s possible… we play the cards we’re dealt. We don’t make the schedules, and it’s certainly not an excuse. We could definitely have started the tournament a bit better, but we can’t change that now.”