Only four India batters reached double-figures after not having answers to Starc’s swing and pace

Sreshth Shah19-Mar-20233:21

Tait: Starc close to being an Australia all-time great

Mitchell Starc produced a masterclass in new-ball swing bowling before openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head hammered rapid fifties to complete a knockout performance against India and level the series 1-1. India received a thrashing like no other in Visakhapatnam – their heaviest defeat in terms of balls remaining – when they were bowled out for 117 in just 26 overs.Starc was the tormentor in chief with his 5 for 53, his ninth five-for in ODIs, and gave Marsh and Head freedom to bat with no scoreboard pressure; Marsh raced to 28-ball fifty before Head got to his in 29 balls and Australia chased the target down in just 11 overs.Starc got deliveries to swing in as well as angle across to the right-hand batters in equal measure. His work up top allowed Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis to join hands and run through the lower middle order thereafter. In all, the Australian bowlers were done with their shift inside two hours and 20 minutes, with the three seamers sharing all ten wickets.When Starc got the deliveries to angle across, he tempted Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma to drive away from their bodies, only for both to get dismissed cheaply. Gill was the first to go, out for a duck in the first over, when he chased a full and wide delivery and drove to point, in what was a repeat of his dismissal from the Mumbai ODI. Rohit, returning to the side in place of Ishan Kishan, was out in the fifth over. He had had moved to 13 by relying on leg-side flicks, but then swung big against a wide ball to edge to first slip.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Suryakumar Yadav walked in looking to make up for his first-ball duck from the first ODI, but he suffered the same fate when Starc swing the ball into him again, and had him lbw for another golden duck. In what was another repeat from the first ODI, KL Rahul came in trying to survive a hat-trick delivery. He did that successfully, but could not last too much longer. The half-centurion from the previous game was also trapped lbw by Starc, on 9, with another inswinging delivery that got him missing a shot across the line.At 48 for 4, India needed a recovery job, but that wouldn’t come. Abbott got a length ball to bounce a bit more and Hardik Pandya poked at it only to see Steven Smith take a stunning one-handed diving catch at first slip to rock them further. Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja tried to resurrect the innings, but they failed as well this time. Kohli was trapped lbw by Ellis when, on 31, he swiped across the line to a full ball, and didn’t bother reviewing the on-field decision. Ellis then came around the wicket to get Jadeja edging a catch to the wicketkeeper Alex Carey. At 91 for 7, India were on the mat and the crowd was completely silenced.That India reached triple-digits was because of Axar Patel’s unbeaten 29. He was circumspect at first alongside Kuldeep Yadav as India went past 100. But when Kuldeep and Mohammad Shami fell in quick succession to Abbott, Axar realised the end was coming soon. He smacked Starc for back-to-back sixes but ran out of partners as No. 11 Mohammed Siraj became Starc’s fifth victim after seeing his off stump rattled.Marsh and Head thwarted India’s hopes of staging any kind of fightback. While Head’s 30-ball 51 was dominant when taken in isolation, it almost paled in comparison to Marsh’s 66 off 36 balls.When the full deliveries from Siraj and Shami were put away in the initial burst of overs, both bowlers tried to go short. The openers were equally competent to the short ball, and made use of the day’s best batting conditions just before sunset.Marsh pulled, drove and punched his way to his second straight fifty after his 81 in the first ODI. Head’s boundaries were more streaky but the highlight was his four consecutive fours against Shami in the sixth over soon after Australia had crossed 50. Marsh also launched three sixes in a Hardik over before finishing the game in the 11th.The ODI series now moves to the decider in Chennai on Wednesday. After the way they have put India’s batters in trouble in these two games, Australia will quietly think they go into the final game as favourites.

Their XI is likely to include PJ Moor and James McCollum, who went to Mumbai to prepare to face Bangladesh’s spinners

Mohammad Isam03-Apr-2023There is excitement in the Ireland camp ahead of their return to Test cricket after more than three years. Captain Andy Balbirnie, himself about to lead the Test team for the first time, set the scene by talking about how they could have several Test debutants, one of whom could also be cutting his teeth in first-class cricket. Ireland have been so out of loop from Test cricket that they stopped playing the longer-version game at home.But it won’t just be the novelty factor of playing a Test match. The excitement has translated to couple of them, PJ Moor and James McCollum, taking the extra step. The pair were in Mumbai couple of weeks ago to have a few sessions of specifically playing spin in the Global Cricket School. It is a cricket programme, founded by Sachin Bajaj in 2007, quite popular with county and European cricketers.Related

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Moor and McCollum worked under Vinayak Mane, the former Mumbai batter, at the Parsi Gymkhana ground. Mane said that their focus was obviously on spin as they were preparing for the Tests in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka this month.”They were mainly playing spin,” Mane told ESPNcricinfo. “They will be facing that in the Tests in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They were mainly facing different kind of spinners. Our role was to arrange lots of spinners, and give them a feedback how they approach. I think they are pretty well equipped. They have decent techniques. They are very aware of what they will encounter in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They will be facing couple of left-arm spinners and offspinners. Nowadays professionals do have a lot of information about their opposition.”Mane said that he impressed upon Moor and McCollum the general playing style of encountering spin in the sub-continent.”Being an Indian batsman, I always think of it as a game of cat and mouse, more so against spinners,” Mane said. “In a Test match, you set a spinner up. You can hang back and get him to come towards you and move out. There are times you move out and then hang back. It is a tactical game, which you can keep playing in a Test match.”Former Zimbabwe batter PJ Moor will be the most experienced player in Ireland’s Test line-up•AFP

Moor has played in this region previously. In fact his last Test was for Zimbabwe at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in 2018. Ireland captain Balbirnie said that Moor’s experience is invaluable to a team that comes up short in that aspect.”[Moor] brings experience, he has played eight Tests. More than double of any of our players,” Balbirnie said. “He has played a number of first-class matches too. I think he played a Test here with Zimbabwe so he has knowledge of the ground. He is really good with the younger guys. He will be crucial for us for the next two or three weeks.”Ireland’s big challenge in the one-off Test in Dhaka will be to stretch themselves in all departments. Balbirnie said their players have to bat, bowl and field for longer periods than they are used to in white-ball cricket.”I think [the challenge will be] the longevity. A lot of our guys don’t have a huge amount of first-class experience,” Balbirnie said. “Five-day Tests are very different. A lot of our guys have been brought up on white-ball cricket. A batter has to set himself to bat for as long as possible. Bowlers have to be as disciplined as possible. That’s going to be the biggest challenge. Conditions will play a part in terms of the heat. These guys need to learn on the job.”He called the occasion so unique that one of their players, Matthew Humphreys most likely, could be making his first-class debut in this Test match. “It is not many times in recent history that there’s going to be a lot of Test debuts,” Balbirnie said. “It only happens to the new nations. It would have happened to Bangladesh in the early 2000s. We are going to have a bit of a get-together tonight to do some presentations. I think if we do it in the morning, it will take too long.”It is certainly unique. We have potentially someone making his first-class debut tomorrow. I can’t think of a cricketer who has done that before.”In fact, the last time so many cricketers made their Test debut for reasons other than inaugural Tests, South Africa’s readmission or West Indies’ 2009 players’ boycott, was a South Africa-New Zealand Test in 1961.Ireland have only four survivors from their last Test in 2019•Getty Images

Balbirnie said Ireland are up against a Bangladesh side that is known to do well at home, so the message to the team has been to simply play without any trepidation.”A lot has happened.” he said. “We have been through a pandemic. There’s been so much changes. Players have gone. Players have come in. It was a memorable occasion in 2019 for a lot of Irish cricket people. This is memorable as well.”This is a big cricketing nation, playing against a top team. A lot of good teams have come here and got unstuck. The message is to go out and play, not hold too many fears. There’s not a lot to lose in a one-off Test. So we want to enjoy it.”Balbirnie himself is leading the Test side for the first time. He said he may have to lean on his team-mates for help from time to time. “It will be nice. I was fortunate to play under William Porterfield for a long time. I know how much it meant for him to captain the Test team. It is certainly different for me.”I don’t think I have captained in first-class cricket so it brings its own challenges as well. It is exciting. There will be times I will have to think on my feet, and look for help from the other players. It is part of the challenge of being a Test cricketer.”Ireland’s return to Test cricket is already a memorable moment for them. The excitement will start from the eve of the Test when they will hold a special cap ceremony.They will also have a keen follower from Mumbai. “Couple of guys who did the sessions with me will play for Ireland tomorrow,” Mane said. “In any case I love Test cricket, so I will definitely be eager to follow the game tomorrow.”

Sussex slump to fourth defeat in five as Glamorgan pair do it again

ECB Reporters Network04-Jun-2023Glamorgan made it four wins out of five in their Vitality Blast campaign when they beat the Sussex Sharks by 32 runs at the 1st Central County Ground.For the third match running, their dominant figures with the bat were Colin Ingram (48) and Chris Cooke (50), whose rich vein of form swept them to a formidable total.The Sharks, though, are moving in the opposite direction. This was their third straight defeat, and their fourth in five games, and they now have a mountain to climb if they are to progress in the competition. In their most recent defeats it was their batting that let them down, but here it was their bowling.Ravi Bopara, Sussex’s captain, said: “I thought we were very poor with the ball. Obviously that’s where we lost the game. We bowled about 12 or 13 extra balls. To chase that down was always going to be hard work. That’s where we lost it.”It’s frustrating to be without certain players. We had high hopes for Ali Orr in the blast this year. That’s been a massive blow for us and we haven’t really replaced him as an opener. In this format you need quality openers. They’re generally the guys who win you games.”The guys are still learning. And learning quickly is important. It’s important we stick together. I remember at Essex we won only one game out of six or seven and we went on to win the tournament.”Chasing a huge victory target of 220, Sussex never looked in the chase despite a plucky charge from Tom Alsop, who scored 58 from 41 deliveries. Tom Clark, pulling across the line, was bowled by Jamie McIlroy in the third over and in the next fellow opener Tom Haines departed, unluckily run out through a deflected straight drive by Alsop.Sussex needed something special from Bopara, but their skipper departed in sloppy circumstances, lifting a full toss from Kiran Carlson to long-on for just ten. And two overs later Shadab Khan was caught at cow corner, just below the dressing rooms, for three.The situation was hopeless. But no-one told Alsop. And for a short period, while he found a reliable partner in Michael Burgess, the near-impossible looked on. With ten overs to go Sussex needed 148. Then, from the last five, they needed 90, at an improbable rate of 18 runs an over.But then Alsop was yorked by Dan Douthwaite to make it 133 for 5 in the 16th over and even the most diehard Sharks supporters gave up hope, not even encouraged by some poor catching by the Glamorgan fielders. At least some late hitting by Nathan McAndrew, who struck four sixes in an unbeaten 28, entertained those spectators who remained from a large crowd.Glamorgan had made the most of a flat pitch, a fast outfield and some wayward bowling and fielding from the Sharks to pile up 219-5, with Ingram and Cooke again the stars of the show. There were 23 extras in the innings, including eight no-balls and nine wides.They got off to a flyer, scoring 71 for 1 in the powerplay. There were also two dropped catches in that opening passage of play, to add to the fielding side’s frustrations, including a sitter by James Coles.Glamorgan did lose the dangerous looking Eddie Byrom early on, the batsman, injuring himself in the course of a 10-ball 17, and had to be helped off the field. But captain Carlson maintained the impetus of the innings with two sixes and three fours in a 16-ball 26 before he skied Henry Crocombe to the wicketkeeper Burgess.Sam Northeast, quiet in the opening overs, picked up his pace and raised the hundred from the final delivery of the 10th over when he clouted Shadab over square-leg for six. The Sharks dismissed Northeast at 106 in the 11th over when the batsman drove Crocombe to short extra-cover where Bopara took an excellent low catch.But because of their poor start the Sharks had difficulty stemming the flow of runs as Ingram and Cooke plundered their bowling. Shadab, bowling the 14th over, went for 18 runs and then the next over, bowled by McAndrew, went for 19 runs as Cooke raised the 150 with a marvellous stroke, carving McAndrew over extra-cover for six. Tymal Mills, Crocombe and Bopara had reasonable bowling figures but the other three, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, McAndrew and Shadab were very expensive.

Alex Davies and Dan Mousley miss out on hundreds as visiting batters make hay

ECB Reporters Network11-Jun-2023Warwickshire ended day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Trent Bridge in a strong position on 361for five after Sam Hain posted his third century of the season, sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 171 with Dan Mousley, who made 87, after opener Alex Davies had scored 93 earlier.Nottinghamshire have seen two sides of Hain in little more than a week following his 97 not out against them in the Vitality Blast at Edgbaston on June 3. On that occasion, he smashed eight fours and four sixes from just 52 balls but made the switch from white ball to the different qualities required for red-ball cricket look effortless in a patient innings spanning 258 minutes and 192 balls.Having hit eight fours and four sixes and not offered a chance until then, his only regret will be that he was out inside the last four overs of the day’s play for exactly 100.On a tough day in which home attack gained late rewards for their persistence, the highlight was two wickets for Jake Ball as he returned to first-class action for the first time this season for only his third appearance in three seasons following recurrent back problems.On the same pitch that saw Nottinghamshire pile up 662 runs batting first against Durham last September, Warwickshire’s decision to bat first quickly looked the right one, its green colour proving deceptive.Having been eased back into action in the Vitality Blast, collecting 10 wickets in three appearances, Ball marked his first red-ball appearance for almost nine months by taking a wicket in his fifth over as Rob Yates, driving somewhat loosely, was taken comfortably behind the stumps by Tom Moores, who missed the last four Championship rounds with a broken finger.It happened to be Ball’s 100th first-class wicket for Nottinghamshire but it was his side’s only success in the morning session, albeit one made up of just 27 overs. Davies was troubled early on as Ball found occasional extra bounce from the pavilion end, taking a bang on his right hand for his pains, but otherwise he and Will Rhodes asserted themselves effectively as Warwickshire reached 91 at lunch.In the event, Rhodes fell five balls into the afternoon session. Ball was again the bowler, although it was a somewhat self-inflicted dismissal by the visiting captain, who took his bat away from one that he plainly thought would miss his off stump and paid the price.Nottinghamshire maintained an all-seam attack until 18 overs into the second session. In the absence of Liam Patterson-White, who has had a modest season to date and is currently nursing a hamstring injury, 25-year-old Calvin Harrison retained his place following his Championship debut in May and it was the tall legspinner who denied Davies what had looked a likely second century of the season.Harrison induced a miscued drive from Davies in his third over. Presented with a tempting, loopy delivery in the next over, Davies opted to block only for the ball to evade his bat and hit him on the front boot, leg before for 93.Incoming batter Mousley seemed prepared to go after Harrison when he hammered one down the ground for six but did not persist with the tactic and in the overs before tea there was something in the surface for the legspinner and for the offspin of Matt Montgomery, against whom Hain was lucky with an edge that just evaded first slip, albeit in an over containing three boundaries. Harrison, who had switched ends, then had Mousley and Hain in turn surviving by a whisker and Warwickshire were probably relieved to reach tea with no further casualties at 227 for 3.Yet if the spinners were able to threaten from time to time they found it much harder to contain the fourth-wicket pair. There was no appreciable pace in the pitch and they had time to work the gaps in the field and keep the scoreboard moving in singles, a straight six in the last of Harrison’s 18 overs a rare show of aggression from Hain.To their credit, the home attack did not flag and Dane Paterson picked up the wicket of Mousley with the second new ball as the left-hander drove extravagantly and was caught behind off an inside edge, before Hain, having just completed his century, was bowled by a fine delivery from Lyndon James that squared him up and took the off stump.

Australia coach confirms that Nathan Lyon is out of the series, and Todd Murphy will be coming into the XI for the next Test

Andrew McGlashan03-Jul-2023Australia coach Andrew McDonald was “disappointed” with his counterpart Brendon McCullum saying the teams wouldn’t be sharing a beer following the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow on the final day at Lord’s.McDonald reinforced Pat Cummins’ comments that it was a dismissal they had been watching for when it came to Bairstow and added he didn’t “see too many issues with it”.Speaking to shortly after play, McCullum said that relations between the sides would become strained. “I can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer anytime soon, if that’s what you’re asking,” he said. “From our point of view, we’ve got three Test matches to try and land some blows and try and win the Ashes and that’s where our focus will be.”When the comment was relayed to McDonald, he said: “I haven’t spoken to him, [have] heard that comment for the first time, and somewhat disappointed by that.”Related

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In contrast to McCullum, England captain Ben Stokes, who scored a magnificent 155 to put his side in with a chance of a remarkable victory, hoped that the dismissal would not cause rifts despite the difference in opinions between the two sides.”I think there’s a bit of emotion in that, to be honest,” he said. “It’s very soon after something happens. I’m not one to hold a grudge too much. I’ve been through enough to know you can let things go. But I think to ruin a tradition that’s been so long, such a big series, I think the feelings from a few people will definitely change as the series goes on.”Maybe if we weren’t to do what we always do and have a beer together and say well done, great effort and all that kind of stuff it would be sad. But I think that was just emotion.”McDonald, meanwhile, did not see the Bairstow stumping as any different to other forms of dismissal when a batter was out of his ground.”There’s no doubt when a player is leaving their crease or leaving their ground at certain periods of time that you take that opportunity,” he said. “It’s [the same] with every player. It’s like when a player is running down the wicket to Nathan Lyon, does he take the opportunity to fire a ball down leg side, because he’s leaving his crease? There’s no doubt about that. You see a run-out opportunity at point, you throw at the bowler’s end.”But any of these events are always going to polarise opinion,” he added. “We saw it on day four with the [Mitchell Starc] catch as well. Some people thought it was out, some people thought it was not out… sometimes, you know, not everyone agrees with it.”Away from that moment, McDonald was delighted with how Australia had put together their performance, which he felt often saw them with the tougher end of conditions – batting under a cloud cover and bowling with the sun out. The twin half-century opening stands between Usman Khawaja and David Warner were key in putting Australia on top.1:50

Cummins and Stokes respond to controversial Bairstow dismissal

“I thought the way that we were challenged on day one with the ball from England was what we’d call the most conventional Test cricket,” he said. “There were overheads and the way that we played on day one to set up this game.”I think in some ways that conditions almost conspired against us at certain times. It seemed like every time we were batting, there were overheads and lights were on. And our ability to be adaptable through that period and navigate our way through was outstanding to give us an opportunity to set up the game the way it unfolded.”So really proud of the way that the boys have gone about it, and it seemed on the opposite end, when we were bowling, the sun was out… hopefully we get on the right side of those conditions at some point in time.”McDonald also confirmed that Nathan Lyon’s calf injury would be series-ending for the offspinner, who hobbled out to bat on the fourth day, helping add 15 runs for the last wicket. Todd Murphy, who made his debut in India earlier this year, will come into the side at Headingley with McDonald admitting Lyon’s absence had made things tough on the final day at Lord’s.”We like to have a spinner in our attack,” he said. “And as you saw [on Sunday] at certain times we had to do it differently without Nathan down the other end which we’ve been so used to. At times it looked a bit chaotic so we do like to have that spin option.”

The game was reduced to 44 overs per side owing to a two-hour rain delay and India fell short by 40 runs

S Sudarshanan16-Jul-2023The theme of low-scoring matches from the T20I series spilled over to the opening ODI in Mirpur in Bangladesh’s first ever win over India in the fifty-over format. While it was the Bangladesh spinners that troubled India in the T20Is, a fiery Marufa Akter proved to be too hot to handle in the first ODI as India were bowled out for 113 and lost by 40 runs.Marufa struck twice with the new ball and twice in successive deliveries in the middle overs as she finished with four wickets in her first ODI in Bangladesh. She stunned India with high pace as well as movement to break the back of the chase and register her best figures in international cricket. Legspinner Rabeya Khan then chipped in with three middle-order wickets to puncture the chase.This was after Amanjot Kaur, on ODI debut, picked up a four-wicket haul to restrict Bangladesh to 152 under overcast conditions.Chasing a revised target of 154, thanks to the rain during Bangladesh’s innings, India began on a positive note with Smriti Mandhana striking Marufa for crisp fours through midwicket in back-to-back overs. But soon, the fast bowler got one back, getting Mandhana caught behind, thanks to a full-stretch diving take by wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana. Priya Punia, playing her first ODI since March 2021, took 27 balls for her ten before flicking one off Marufa to mid-on, where Murshida Khatun ran in and took a diving catch.While Marufa was cranking up the pace from one end, Nigar kept on rotating the spinners from the other to keep the pressure on India. Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter trapped Harmanpreet Kaur lbw a ball after she was carved through backward point for four to have India at 37 for 3 after ten overs. Soon, Rabeya struck twice – first by bowling Yastika Bhatia and then by getting Jemimah Rodrigues. The slowness of the surface came into play when Rodrigues was a touch early into the pull and skied a catch to mid-on.Deepti Sharma, along with Amanjot, then raised the hopes for India. On Amanjot’s T20I debut – where she was the Player of the Match – the pair had stitched what eventually turned out to be a match-winning partnership. On Sunday, the duo looked fairly at easy and rotated strike to keep the scorecard ticking. They took 71 balls for their 30-run alliance with Amanjot using the sweep and flick to good effect in countering the low bounce.But Nigar brought back Marufa, who duly delivered. Amanjot looked to slice a full ball and was ruled out caught behind – a decision she was not happy about and had a chat with the on-field umpire while walking back. From 91 for 5, India were reduced to 91 for 8 with Marufa first toppling Sneh Rana with an indipping full ball before Deepti pulled a shortish ball from Rabeya to midwicket.Bangladesh only tightened the screws thereon to dismiss Pooja Vastrakar, who got a contentious caught-behind decision, and B Anusha to signal the celebration that could go on all evening in Mirpur.Earlier, wet outfield owing to early morning rain delayed toss by 20 minutes and the start of play by ten. A horrendous mix-up following a slow start saw the returning Sharmin Akter run-out for an 18-ball duck. Amanjot then dismissed Murshida in the next over before Fargana Hoque and Nigar led the resurrection on either side of a long rain delay. The pair added 49 for the third wicket but 52 of the 74 balls in the partnership were dot balls, which allowed the Indian bowlers to dictate terms. While Nigar and Fargana managed to regularly find the boundary before the rain break, that was not the case upon resumption.As a result, Fargana fell caught behind in an attempt to force the pace against Amanjot’s length ball. Soon Ritu Moni mistimed a pull off Devika Vaidya’s legspin to fall to a superb catch at midwicket from Rodrigues. But Nigar kept the scorecard moving before she missed a flick to be trapped lbw. Amanjot completed her four-for when Rabeya chipped one to covers.A 26-run stand between Fahima Khatun and Sultana Khatun pushed Bangladesh towards 150 with Shorna Akter absent hurt on her ODI debut. A grand total of 19 wides also aided the cause as Bangladesh’s 152 eventually proved enough on a slow-burner.

Shorna misses out

One bad news for Bangladesh, however, was that Shorna Akter missed the entirety of her ODI debut after she suffered from stomach pain on Sunday. Shorna was taken to the hospital before she could bat, and missed the entire second innings as she was kept under observation in the hospital.”She suddenly felt pain in her abdomen,” Touhid Mahmud, BCB’s in-charge of the women’s wing department, said. “She was immediately taken to the hospital. The doctor there initially thought that the pain was due to appendicitis, but she was cleared of it. If she feels better, she will be available for the second match.”After their 40-run win, Bangladesh captain Nigar said that they missed Shorna in their batting but hoped for her swift return. “It was a sudden issue. She is under observation. She was unlucky. We are also unlucky not to get her. If she feels better, we might get her in the next match,” Nigar said.

Nadine de Klerk’s 60 was the only real bright spark in a South Africa total of 185

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2023Half-centuries from Sidra Ameen and Bismah Maroof led Pakistan to an eight-wicket win in the final ODI and prevented South Africa from sealing a 3-0 series sweep. After failures in the first two ODIs, Pakistan’s top order came good, taking charge of a chase of 186 and completing the task in just 38 overs.Ameen put on a 39-run opening partnership with Safaf Shamas, before Maroof joined her in a 110-run second-wicket stand that put Pakistan firmly in control. Both reached their half-centuries before Ameen was lbw to Nadine de Klerk for 68 off 82 balls.Aliya Riaz’s entry was a cue for Pakistan to hurry to their target; she hit three fours in a Masabata Klaas over and raced to an unbeaten 19 off 14, while putting on an unbroken 37, off just 31 balls, with Maroof, who finished not out on 60 off 98. It was the former Pakistan captain’s 19th ODI fifty.South Africa chose to bat, and lost their captain Laura Wolvaardt before they had put a run on the board, with Sadia Iqbal bowling her in the first over. Tazmin Brits and Laura Goodall steadied the innings with a 35-run partnership off 41 balls, but the complexion of the game changed when Goodall retired hurt in the eighth over.Lara Goodall retired hurt briefly•PCB

By the time Goodall came back in the 17th, South Africa had lost Brits and Sune Luus, and the returning No. 3 was out just two balls later to leave South Africa 64 for 4.Marizanne Kapp and de Klerk helped them recover somewhat with a 36-run stand for the fifth wicket, but Pakistan kept a lid on the scoring: there was only one boundary hit from the 14th to 30th overs. It was in an effort to break out of this strangle that Kapp fell, failing to clear mid-off off Iqbal.Delmi Tucker added a further 37 with de Klerk, but the innings began to unravel thereafter, as South Africa slipped from 137 for 5 to 145 for 8, with a run-out costing them the wicket of keeper-batter Sinalo Jafta.Nos. 10 and 11 stuck around at the crease, with Ayabonga Khaka and Klaas spending a cumulative 29 balls at the crease while adding 15 and 25 with de Klerk, who was last out for 60 off 95 balls. South Africa were bowled out in 48.1 overs, with Sadia, Nashra Sandhu and Nida Dar picking up two wickets apiece.

New Zealand are on a five-game winning streak, but Afghanistan have just felled England in commanding fashion

Ashish Pant17-Oct-20233:17

McClenaghan: Afghanistan’s spinners will be a big threat for New Zealand

Big Picture: Two teams on a high face off

The 2019 World Cup champions have been taken down. Time for the runners-up next?Afghanistan players have time and again called India their second home. At various points, they have had their base set up at Indian venues like Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida, where they played their “home games”. IPL regulars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have always been a crowd favourite, while Naveen-ul-Haq keeps the buzz going.Which is why there was genuine excitement among the Delhi crowd when Afghanistan served defending champions England a 69-run thrashing on Sunday. It was only Afghanistan’s second-ever win in an ODI World Cup game in 18 attempts and their first since 2015.Related

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However, even with the confidence of a big win under their belt, Afghanistan know they have their work cut out as they run into red-hot New Zealand in Chennai. Unbeaten so far in the tournament – three wins out of three – New Zealand seem to have all the pieces of the puzzle in place. But the Chennai surface could prove to be a potential banana peel against the spin trio of Rashid, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi. The three spinners lead the wicket-taking list for Afghanistan in the World Cup so far and will hope for more success on a pitch which is expected to turn.Afghanistan’s biggest issue remains their over-reliance on the top three of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah. In ODIs since the start of 2021, the trio has accounted for 52.79% of the total runs that Afghanistan have scored. Among all Full Members nations, their middle order (Nos. 4 to 7) has the lowest average: 26.00.This was on display in the game against England as well where Afghanistan collapsed from 114 for 0 to 190 for 6 before the lower order bailed them out. The likes of Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Nabi will need to step up and quick.New Zealand have far fewer problems. They come into this game on a five-match winning streak, having won each of these games rather convincingly. Their top order has fired in every game while the bowling unit looks well-rounded. Of course, Kane Williamson’s “undisplaced fracture” to his left thumb might be a cause for concern for them, especially given the nature of this Chennai pitch, but Tom Latham has proven to be an effective leader in his absence.New Zealand might be on a high, but they can’t afford to be complacent against a side that seems to have finally found its mojo.3:47

Should New Zealand look to bring Southee in?

Form guide: New Zealand on a roll

Afghanistan WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWW

In the spotlight: Mitchell Santner and Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mitchell Santner has turned his 2023 upside down and how! Coming into the World Cup, Santner had only four wickets in seven ODIs at an average of 80.25 and economy of 5.24 in 2023. Three matches into the tournament, he has already doubled that tally and is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Matt Henry with eight scalps at 15.87. He’s been excellent with his pace variations and has tied the batters down in the powerplay. Chepauk is like home away from home for Santner. He has been with the Chennai Super Kings squad in the IPL since 2019 and will want to put up another solid show on “home” territory.Mujeeb Ur Rahman did not start off the World Cup the way he wanted but did a star turn against England first with the bat and then picking up 3 for 51 to take home the Player of the Match award. He’s been Afghanistan’s joint-leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year and, having found his groove, will want to inflict more damage against New Zealand come Wednesday.

Team news: Who comes in for Williamson?

With Williamson out injured for a while, Will Young is the likely candidate to take his place in the New Zealand XI. He is likely to slot back into the opening position, with Rachin Ravindra expected to move to the No. 3 spot. Tom Latham will lead the side once more.New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Tom Latham (capt, wk), 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Mark Chapman, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultCan Rashid Khan and Co spring another surprise?•Associated Press

Afghanistan are unlikely to make any changes to the playing XI that beat England convincingly.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Pitch and conditions: Turner in Chepauk?

The first game of the World Cup in Chennai, between India and Australia, was played on black-soil turner, but the second game had a lot in it for the fast bowlers. Historically, surfaces in Chennai have aided spin and that is likely to be the case on Wednesday as well.There was a slight drizzle in Chennai on the eve of the game, but the forecast is clearer on match day.

Stats and trivia

• Mitchell Santner is just one short of 100 wickets in ODIs, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman needs four wickets to reach the 100-mark in the format.
• Rashid Khan has gone wicketless just three times in ODIs in India and has picked up two or more wickets in an innings seven times in 15 innings.
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz has fallen to left-arm orthodox spinners in four out of seven innings and averages just 20 against them.
• Ibrahim Zadran is just 17 short of 1000 runs in ODIs. If he gets there on Wednesday, he will be the quickest Afghanistan batter to the landmark in the format.

Quotes

“See Rahmanullah [Gurbaz] is one of the players in our team who is I believe a match-winner player. He can change the game anytime.”

Western Australia’s pacers took all ten wickets with McAndrew’s fifty taking the visitors close to 200

Tristan Lavalette15-Nov-2023Left-arm quick Joel Paris tormented South Australia again as Western Australia’s pace attack relished a livelier WACA surface on day one of the Sheffield Shield.After South Australia were bowled out for 192, openers Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman survived a difficult period in the last hour. Bancroft, the leading run-scorer this Shield season, was dropped by Ben Manenti at second slip on nine off seamer Brendan Doggett to cap a grim day for the Redbacks.Having starred with 11 wickets during WA’s recent 200-run victory at the Adelaide Oval, Paris was unplayable at times and finished with 3 for 32 from 16 overs.He has taken 16 wickets at an average of 12.31 since returning from a hamstring injury sustained during Australia A’s contest with New Zealand A in August.The 30-year-old Paris, who played two ODIs against India in 2016, has had a history of injury problems and is often overlooked amid WA’s star-studded quicks, but looms as an intriguing prospect for the national selectors.”My main focus is playing continuous cricket. I feel like guys who play really good, consistent domestic cricket for a number of years are always a chance [of higher honours],” Paris said.After their remarkable three-run victory over Queensland, South Australia entered with confidence and faced a WA team looking to rebound from a nightmare Sydney trip where they were thrashed by NSW in the Shield and Marsh Cup.South Australia were out to erase the painful memories of an innings defeat in the corresponding fixture from 12 months ago when their batters crumbled on a hostile WACA surface.WA’s opening home Shield matches this season against Victoria and Tasmania had been played on sluggish surfaces with the renowned pace-bowling ground feeling the effects of Australian rules football being played on it during the off-season.The pitch during the drawn Tasmania match was particularly lifeless with WA officials displeased with it. Unsurprisingly, a grassy and hard surface was rolled out for this fixture and beaming WA skipper Whiteman, who lambasted the surface after the Tasmania match, had no hesitation to bowl first.Amid sunny and warm conditions, it almost felt like the WACA of lore with Paris bowling a back of length and the ball moved menacingly off the surface.Paris threatened on almost every delivery and was adamant he had opener Henry Hunt caught at short leg in the third over. He was left frustrated when his raucous appeal was turned down, but Paris’ disappointment was short-lived as he trapped Hunt lbw on the next ball.Hunt, who last summer had been seen as a Test prospect, had hoped to build on his century against Queensland after a slow start to the season.The Redbacks slid further when Daniel Drew edged a pitched-up delivery from seamer Aaron Hardie to Bancroft in the first of his five catches at second slip.South Australia were in danger of succumbing to Paris, whose first spell yielded 1 for 8 from six overs. But opener Jake Carder and Nathan McSweeney withstood the onslaught as the Redbacks crawled to lunch at 56 for 2.Speedster Lance Morris, who unleashed deliveries nudging 145 kmh before lunch, was rewarded for a terrific spell after the break with a spectacular delivery to knock the top of McSweeney’s off-stump.Paris dismissed Jake Lehmann with Bancroft again taking a sharp chance at second slip before Hardie and seamer Charles Stobo took over.Only a rapid unbeaten half-century from Nathan McAndrew defied WA’s attack as he totally dominated the 44-run last-wicket partnership with Jordan Buckingham, but South Australia have much work to do on day two.The teams are playing for the Rod Marsh Cup, which was unveiled before the day’s play. WA cricket legend Marsh, a combative wicketkeeper-batter who played 96 Tests for Australia from 1970-1984, was the director and coach of the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide after his playing career. He died, aged 74, in March 2022.

“There’s something within the team that is definitely unsettled,” former captain says

Matt Roller28-Oct-20232:27

Trescothik: ‘England haven’t lost faith in 50-over format’

Eoin Morgan has suggested that England’s underperformance at the World Cup in India is unparalleled across sport and that their players are “definitely unsettled” after heavy defeats in four out of their five group games.England have not been mathematically eliminated from the tournament – even defeat in Lucknow on Sunday will not officially knock them out – but they are unlikely to qualify for the semi-finals even if they put together an improbable run of form and win all four of their remaining fixtures.Morgan, who captained them to the 2019 title, said it had been “unsettling” to watch England’s plight over the last three weeks and that their confidence had taken a beating. He also hinted at wider issues than simply form, saying: “I think there’s something else going on – there has to be.”Related

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And Morgan went as far as to suggest that England’s campaign has been among the worst in sporting history, in the context of the widespread expectation that they would reach the semi-finals. “I’ve never come across a sports team that has underperformed like this England team, given the level of expectation that is on their shoulders,” he said on Sky Sports.”There’s something within the team that is definitely unsettled. The method which they’re trying to use and given the substantial nature in which they’ve lost the game[s], it is definitely called into question, the morale within the changing room and the confidence. It must be at its lowest that it’s been for a considerable period of time now.”Morgan said that it was “an unacceptable excuse” to simply say that players were all out of form at the same time. “I think there’s something else going on – there has to be,” he said. “When you look at the strength in depth, particularly with the bat, England are as good on paper as any other side in this tournament, but they haven’t yet fired.”They’ve made mistakes with selection: they’ve really struggled to find a balanced side and one that’s effective enough to compete, never mind win this tournament. It’s been unbelievably challenging for Jos and his team… they have to regain the confidence in the method that they’ve used for so long that has made them double world champions.”Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach, said that the squad are “feeling the heat” and “gutted” about their results to date, and admitted that he has been unable to get his head around their collective failures with the bat. England have lost 47 out of a possible 49 wickets (Reece Topley was absent hurt against South Africa) and no batter has made an individual 50 in their last two matches.”The thing that’s baffled me the most is that it’s been consistent across the board,” Trescothick said. “Bar the game at Dharamsala, where we played Bangladesh, where one got a big score [Dawid Malan’s 140] and we got a few other big scores around it, there’s just never been the consistency of people getting the runs.”I think they’re trying to understand it… it [their form] has not gone, it’s just hiding in a funny place at the moment. It’s not suddenly disappeared and they’re never going to score runs again. They’ll rebound from this and rebound back into form at some point. But it might be, unfortunately, disappointing that it’s going to be too late for this competition.”Dawid Malan is bowled for 140•Getty Images

Sunday’s match in Lucknow will be played on a used pitch, the same one that was used for South Africa’s win over Australia two weeks ago.”The timing actually couldn’t be any worse,” Morgan said. “Given India are still out and out favourites to win this tournament on home soil, that challenge just becomes far bigger now than it probably would be if you were playing on a fresh pitch.”England just have to play what’s in front of them,” he added. “For a lot of this tournament, I believe that they’ve been carrying other things or looking outside of the camp, as opposed to their own performance. They need to stay in the present for as long as they can tomorrow and turn India over.”