Category Uncategorized

Nottinghamshire’s recent signings made a good impression, but Yorkshire’s seamers found late inroads

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge04-Sep-20181:56

Burns piles on the runs after England snub

ScorecardIf Ben Slater’s motivation for leaving Derbyshire for Trent Bridge was to improve his conversion rate for fifties into hundreds then so far it has been 100 percent successful. The busy left-hander completed 25 half-centuries in a little over five seasons at the County Ground but turned only three into centuries, the last one more than two years ago; on his home debut for Nottinghamshire, he achieved his objective at the first attempt.Slater and the West Indian Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 71 on what is his home debut also, put on 182 for the first wicket, comfortably the most productive partnership of Nottinghamshire’s season, although Yorkshire mounted something of a fightback late in the day.

Talking T20

Dan Norcross and Matt Roller start the build-up to the Vitality Blast Finals Day
Listen on ESPN Radio

Ben Duckett, coming in at No. 4 rather than his familiar position at the top of the order, marked his first appearance since his move from Northamptonshire with a bright 80 from 89 balls, but four wickets claimed for 39 runs redressed the balance a little for Yorkshire in may yet be a crucial fixture in the final equation at the bottom of the Division One table.The first half of the day, though, belonged squarely to Nottinghamshire, and Slater especially. Apart from one major aberration when he had made only 6, his hundred was a fine one, with boundaries flowing freely as his confidence grew. He worked the ball well off his legs in particular, although some of Yorkshire’s bowling made boundaries a little too easily had at times.There might have been some nerves as he moved into the 90s, but then Josh Poysden, the legspinner, obligingly lobbed him a rank full toss on 99. He pulled it gleefully between mid-on and mid-wicket for four – his 18th – and raised both arms in the air, the home spectators responding by rising to their feet all round the ground.Leaving Derbyshire has meant passing up the chance to work again with Dave Houghton, who was batting coach at the County Ground as Slater was breaking into the senior side.  Then again, Peter Moores is not a bad substitute.  If there is another level Slater has yet to reach, the former England coach will steer him towards it.Nottinghamshire’s 182 without loss before the first wicket fell was clearly not a score Yorkshire expected to be staring at bleakly on the first afternoon after assessing a thick layer of cloud cover and deciding to bowl. Not too much grass had been left on the pitch but it seemed like a good decision when the first few overs turned into a series of plays and misses by the opening pair.There seemed to be movement through the air and off the pitch but luck eluded Jack Brooks and Tim Bresnan.  Brooks in particular came up with some testing deliveries and it was he who suffered the exasperation of seeing Slater dropped off a miscued pull.  Matt Waite, at square leg, seemed to pick the ball up late and it was on him before he was set, a good chance gone begging.Matthew Waite celebrates•Getty Images

Waite, a pretty sharp 22-year-old right-arm bowler making only his third first-class appearance, made some amends for his error later by claiming three wickets in the space of 20 deliveries, Slater’s being the last of them when he was caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall.He had paid a heavy price, nonetheless, although one that was hard to envisage after an hour, with Nottinghamshire 21 without loss and Slater and partner Brathwaite obliged to take a cautious approach.The mood changed rather abruptly after Waite, who had bowled well after coming on first change for Brooks, undid five pretty tight overs with a wayward sixth, from which Brathwaite took four boundaries. That was followed by a fairly awful one from Mathew Pillans, making his Yorkshire debut after his move from Surrey, who never found a consistent rhythm all day. Suddenly 30 runs had been added in just two overs and with it the balance tilted to Nottinghamshire.After Waite’s mid-afternoon burst, though, it began to shift back towards  Yorkshire, more so after they were able to claim the second new ball, when Brooks took out Steven Mullaney’s off stump before Bresnan had Duckett caught behind flashing outside off stump and Tom Moores taken at cover in consecutive overs.Yorkshire, next to bottom of the table after last week’s heavy defeat to Somerset, will draw some encouragement – and they need it in what are tough times. The team picked here showed six changes, although three were down to injuries – the bane of their season – and another due to Kane Williamson’s return to New Zealand. Jack Leaning, though, is dropped.Nottinghamshire have made three changes. Luke Fletcher has a niggle and Billy Root steps aside for Mullaney’s return. The more surprising omission is Riki Wessels, left out to accommodate Duckett, although it will presumably have been a close call between him, Samit Patel and Jake Libby, whose stats have been broadly similar.

England have suffered a major setback in their preparations for Saturday’s Women’s World Cup opener against India at Derby, with the news that Lauren Winfield, their hard-hitting opener, will miss the match after sustaining a wrist injury

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2017England have suffered a major setback in their preparations for Saturday’s Women’s World Cup opener against India at Derby, with the news that Lauren Winfield, their hard-hitting opener, will miss the match after sustaining a wrist injury.Winfield chose to retire out on 27 during England’s final warm-up match against New Zealand at Derby on Wednesday, but it did not appear an issue at the time as England coasted to a seven-wicket victory with more than 22 overs remaining.She is set to undergo a further assessment next week, but the team management are already anticipating that she will have to miss England’s second fixture, against Pakistan at Leicester on Tuesday.In the meantime, her hand will put in a protective cast until further information is available to the medical staff.Winfield, 26, has been an integral part of the England team’s revival in the past 12 months, in the aftermath of a disappointing showing at the World T20 in March 2016.Lauren Winfield had been in good form in England’s World Cup warm-ups•Getty Images

Following the retirement of Charlotte Edwards last year, Winfield’s partnership with Tammy Beaumont at the top of the order has injected a new intensity into England’s one-day batting, and against Pakistan at Worcester last June, they both made centuries in a record opening stand of 235.Winfield followed that up with two half-centuries in a hard-fought 3-2 series win over West Indies in the Caribbean in October.It is the latest setback to England’s preparations, following the foot injury that Heather Knight, the captain, sustained in the build-up to the tournament. Knight sat out the New Zealand fixture, but confirmed she is back to full fitness with wickets and runs in England’s previous warm-up game, against Sri Lanka at Chesterfield.

Delhi Daredevils defended 164 against Mumbai Indians and sealed a hat-trick of wins for the first time since IPL 2012

The Report by Sirish Raghavan23-Apr-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAmit Mishra tied down Mumbai Indians with his googlies and sliders•BCCI

Delhi Daredevils defended 164 against Mumbai Indians and secured a hat-trick of wins for the first time since IPL 2012. They became the second team, after Royal Challengers Bangalore, to defend a total in IPL 2016. Mumbai appeared to be cruising in the early part of their chase, but legspinners Amit Mishra and Imran Tahir strangled them in the middle overs, before seamers Zaheer Khan and Chris Morris fired inch-perfect yorkers to seal Daredevils’ tense 10-run victory.Mumbai still had a chance when the equation was 42 off 18 with Kieron Pollard on 8 and Rohit Sharma on 50. Morris, coming back for his third spell, conceded ten runs in the 18th over and Zaheer followed it with the wicket of Pollard to leave Morris with 20 to defend off the final over. Hardik Pandya slapped the first ball to long-off and Rohit gave Mumbai hope by clouting the second ball for six. A ball later, when scampering back for a second run, Rohit collided with Hardik near the middle of the pitch and was run out. Mumbai also had to bear the anxiety of Rohit being helped off the field by the physio. Morris trapped Harbhajan Singh lbw the next ball and consigned Mumbai to their fourth loss in six matches.Mumbai, however, had started brightly in their chase. Rohit and Ambati Rayudu pierced the packed off-side field frequently, after Parthiv Patel was run out for 1 in the second over. Rohit and Rayudu built momentum with seven fours in 12 balls and the score raced past fifty by the sixth over.Rayudu could have been dismissed on 16 had JP Duminy hung onto a sharp catch at slip. He added nine runs before Mishra bowled him with a googly in his second over. Krunal Pandya, who was promoted to No.4, mixed finesse with power and hit 36 off 17 before Zaheer caught him short with a direct hit off his own bowling.Krunal’s run out applied the brakes on Mumbai’s innings. Mishra’s googly then made a reappearance in his third over and pinned Jos Buttler lbw for 2. Mishra celebrated the wicket by setting off on a celebratory run. Mishra and Imran Tahir tightened the screws and ended with combined figures of 8-0-53-2. Rohit then brought up his third fifty of the season with a crunching drive in the 17th over but his collision with Hardik killed the chase.Hardik was involved in a similar nasty collision when he tore to his left from deep backward square leg and bumped his face into Buttler who was running to his right from deep midwicket.Daredevils met an early stumbling block when Quinton de Kock, coming off a century against Royal Challengers, miscued a leg-side slog to backward point for 9 in the second over off Mitchell McClenaghan. Shreyas Iyer showed promise before he fell to a leg-side slog of his own. By the time Karun Nair sent a top edge to fine leg the following over, Daredevils had been reduced to 54 for 3 in eight overs.Duminy then joined Sanju Samson and revived Daredevils’ innings. They did so under pressure, given that Daredevils had packed their team with bowlers, with Pawan Negi batting at No.6. At one point 26 off 27 balls, Samson broke free with a huge six off Harbhajan Singh over long-on. A ball later he swept the offspinner for four between deep square leg and fine leg. He went on to bring up his fifth half-century against Mumbai off 40 balls.Samson holed out in the 17th over but Duminy took 22 runs off 11 balls from Jasprit Bumrah. The highlight of Duminy’s unbeaten 49 off 31 was an over-the-shoulder scoop for six. Mumbai, on the other hand, did not find impetus in their slog overs.

Monty Panesar has been given professional help in overcoming the personal problems which have dogged his season but it is now down to him to show he is a reformed character

Andrew McGlashan23-Sep-2013Monty Panesar has been given professional help in overcoming the personal problems which have dogged his season, but it is now down to him to show he is a reformed character after being handed a place on the Ashes tour.Panesar was forced to leave Sussex for Essex in August after being fined following an incident in Brighton where he urinated on bouncers. When England wanted a second spinner for The Oval Test they went for Lancashire’s Simon Kerrigan, but his awful debut – where he bowled just eight overs for 53, amid a series of full tosses and long hops – meant the decision on who would support Graeme Swann in Australia was between Panesar and James Tredwell.With 164 wickets at 33.78 in 48 Tests there was no doubt that Panesar remained the second best spinner, but a key part of England’s success in Australia during 2010-11 – of which Panesar was a squad member – was having a tightly-knit squad and the management will have wanted assurances that Panesar would be able to fit into that mould.In India last year Panesar formed a matchwinning partnership with Swann during England’s series victory, but then struggled in New Zealand when he was left as the sole spinner after Swann’s elbow injury flared up.Even before his raucous night out, Panesar’s domestic form for Sussex had not been outstanding – although he was part of the squad for the Old Trafford Test – but he has shown signs of regaining his form and confidence with Essex even if 12 wickets at 33.66 is not overwhelming.The ECB has provided support for Panesar over the last few weeks and he will continue to be offered the assistance he needs, but he could face a tour with a lot of time on the sidelines which will be a test of his focus.Hugh Morris, the outgoing managing director of England cricket, said: “We try to provide different support to different players. Clearly that remains confidential, but you can rest assured that the support Monty needs – both on and off the field – he is getting.”Geoff Miller, the national selector, said he had been given enough assurances that Panesar will be able cope with the two-and-a-half month trip from late October to early January.”He’s very prepared to let his bowling do the talking for him, so I’m prepared to accept that,” Miller said. He’s an experienced international player, and it’s up to him to actually produce the goods for us.'”Monty had his problems, which we’ve worked hard to rectify in the last six weeks – and he has too,” he said. “There’s a very strong management in that side to help all aspects of it. He’s appreciated he’s made errors and he’s very sure that those errors are behind him now.”Although official stand-by players for the main squad have not been named, Miller did say that he had been in conversation with Tredwell about being ready for a call-up if the situation regarding England’s spin options did change. “He’s not on stand-by as such, but anything can happen on tour – injuries or an unforeseen problem – so a phonecall can be minutes away. These fringe players know the call may not be far away.”Spin bowling is the one area where English cricket is not overly stocked with options at the moment. Kerrigan and Danny Briggs, the Hampshire left-arm spinner, are the two spinners in the performance squad although the likes of Azeem Rafiq, Adil Rashid and Scott Borthwick may come into consideration for the Lions tour of Sri Lanka early next year.

Leicestershire spinners Claude Henderson and Jigar Naik shared five wickets as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 234 on the first day at Grace Road

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-2012
ScorecardLeicestershire spinners Claude Henderson and Jigar Naik shared five wickets as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 234 on the first day at Grace Road. The home side then tightened their grip by reaching 94 for 3 at stumps, with Greg Smith unbeaten on 47.Victory in this final match of the season would take Leicestershire above Gloucestershire in the table. Henderson took 3 for 32 and Naik 2 for 36 as Gloucestershire lost their last four wickets for nine runs in four overs. Ian Cockbain and Hamish Marshall shared a fifth-wicket stand of 96 to prop up a disappointing Gloucestershire performance.It was an eventful and entertaining pre-lunch session after Gloucestershire won the toss and decided to bat. They raced along at more than four runs an over but lost four wickets on a pitch that offered some assistance to the home side’s seamers.Nathan Buck struck the first blow, yorking Ed Cowan for 19 with the total at 31. Ben Howell followed four runs later, bowled off stump by Wayne White after being dropped at slip in the same over. Despite a flurry of boundaries the wickets continued to fall with Alex Gidman trapped lbw by Shiv Thakor, who then produced an absolute beauty to bowl Dan Housego in his next over.That left Gloucestershire on 71 for 4, but Marshall and Cockbain launched a spirited counter-attack sharing a stand of 96 in 17 overs. It was an exhilarating partnership while it lasted with 56 of the runs coming in boundaries – seven to each batsman.But Marshall was caught behind for 47 slashing at a wide delivery from Buck shortly after lunch, and when Leicestershire turned to the spin of Henderson and Naik, the Gloucestershire innings subsided. Henderson had Cockbain caught at short extra cover for 48 and the final four wickets fell for nine runs in four overs either side of the tea interval, Henderson claiming the last two with successive deliveries.Leicestershire’s reply began badly, with Michael Thornely out lbw to Will Gidman without scoring. But Smith, recalled to the side after an unbeaten century in the Second XI Championship final last week, looked in good touch.He lost two more partners however, as Liam Norwell bowled Ned Eckersley for 25 and Will Gidman pinned Matt Boyce lbw. Smith stood firm and was 47 not out at the close, with Leicestershire trailing by 140 runs.

Hampshire recorded their fourth Clydesdale Bank 40 victory of the season after defeating fellow Group B strugglers Scotland by four runs on D/L

14-Aug-2011
ScorecardHampshire recorded their fourth Clydesdale Bank 40 victory of the season after defeating fellow Group B strugglers Scotland by four runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method in Aberdeen.After rain had forced the contest to be reduced to 23 overs a side, Scotland made 131 for 5 batting first, with opener Kyle Coetzer contributing a half-century. Hampshire had then reached 73 for one off 14 overs in their reply when more rain forced the teams off, and with no more play possible the county side had just done enough to be declared victors on Duckworth-Lewis.Scotland, who have now lost eight of their 11 matches as they continue to prop up Group B, saw their penultimate home fixture in the competition abandoned yesterday without a ball being bowled following heavy overnight rain and the weather affected today’s clash as well.Having won the toss and opted to bat in sunny conditions, Scotland lost Fraser Watts for a duck in the first over before the teams were forced off by rain for the first time with the hosts on 13 for one with four overs gone.When the teams returned after a lengthy break and the overs reduced, Coetzer helped his team recover from their poor start. The opener, who struck two fours and two sixes in his 54-ball 50, shared in stands of 41 for the second wicket with Calum MacLeod (20) and 52 for the third wicket with Josh Davey (19).However, Hampshire then hit back by taking three wickets for the addition of only 10 runs – including that of Coetzer – as Scotland slipped to 104 for 5 before eventually finishing their innings on 131.Hampshire looked on course to overhaul that total as captain Jimmy Adams and James Vince put on a steady 62 for the first wicket, before the latter fell for 45 in the 13th over, stumped by Gregor Maiden off the bowling of Preston Mommsen immediately after hitting the slow bowler for six.That brought Sean Ervine to the wicket and he and Adams had added 11 more runs before the players were forced off again. This time there was to be no more action as Hampshire claimed the win.

When Alexei Kervezee first appeared on the scene as a fresh-faced teenager, the coach, Ian Pont, remarked that there were ‘shades of Graeme Hick’ about him. The comments were roundly dismissed as absurd. How could anyone compare an untried teenager to Hic

George Dobell at New Road18-Aug-2010
ScorecardAlexei Kervezee’s century is proving the difference between the sides•PA Photos

When Alexei Kervezee first appeared on the scene as a fresh-faced teenager, the coach, Ian Pont, remarked that there were ‘shades of Graeme Hick’ about him. The comments were roundly dismissed as absurd. How could anyone compare an untried teenager to Hick?But Pont’s words may prove remarkably prescient. For while Kervezee will never emulate Hick at county level – no-one ever will – he may well end his career with a superior record in international cricket.
Certainly Kervezee’s batting in this game has been outstanding. Not only did he produce his third first-class century of the campaign, but he passed 1,000 championship runs for the season. For a man of just 20 years of age, that is quite an achievement.It may well prove to be the defining contribution in an otherwise evenly-contested match. If Surrey are to achieve their victory target of 369, it will be the second highest winning fourth-innings total in the club’s first-class history. The highest remains the 410-8 they made at Canterbury in 2002.That target looked mightily distant by stumps on the third day. Though Surrey started their chase pretty well, an inexplicable moment of madness from Tom Lancefield precipitated a collapse and the visitors lost four wickets for the addition of four runs in 22 balls.With just four-and-a-half overs left of the day, Lancefield skipped down the pitch and drove obligingly – and quite unnecessarily – to mid-on. Stuart Meaker, the nightwatchman, was punished for thrusting his pad into his forward defensive stroke, before Mark Ramprkash was bowled, second delivery, by a lovely arm ball. It left Shakib Al Hasan with three wickets in eight deliveries without conceding a run. Gareth Andrew soon capitalised by trapping Arun Harinath leg before, playing across a straight one. Surrey will have to bat remarkably well to deny Worcestershire. With the wicket providing assistance for the spinners, Shakib is likely to prove irresistible.But if it proves to be Shakib who seals the win, it will have been Kervezee who built the platform. With the game in the balance (Worcestershire were just 112 ahead when they lost their fourth wicket, Moeen Ali driving loosely to mid-off), he produced a high-class demonstration of batting, unleashing scorching drives, commanding pulls and delicious flicks through mid-wicket. His almost dismissive treatment of Gareth Batty’s off-spin brought particularly warm applause. Batty, a former player who defected at the end of last season, is not the most popular man in these parts.If Kervezee was a little loose initially – he flashed the ball before lunch just over gully – he was into his stride in the afternoon session. Timing the ball delightfully, he contributed 98 of the 190 runs Worcestershire scored in just 35 overs. Andrew, with 34 from 32 balls, helped him add 74 in just 61 balls in what will surely prove to be the partnership that defines the game.Perhaps only Jimmy Taylor of young county batsmen offers more promise than Kervezee. But not even Taylor can match Kervezee for style. He sustained one crushing blow on the head from a short ball from Meaker, but was straight back in line to the next delivery and looked unflustered by everything Surrey through at him. A Namibian and Dutch descent, Kervezee qualifies for England at end of 2011. It will be relevant.It is surely fitting that Kervezee will provide a lasting legacy of Mark Newton’s time at Worcestershire. Newton steps down as chief executive of the club at the end of September after a decade in the post, but his influence will be felt many years into the future.It was Newton’s swift action that secured the services of Kervezee four years ago. With several other clubs – including local rivals, Warwickshire – looking at Kervezee with interest, Newton seized the moment and flew to Holland. There he meet the boy and his parents in the airport and quickly agreed a contract. It was an astute move. Securing Kervezee on a five-year contract extension a few weeks ago will surely prove equally astute.Kervezee won’t be Newton’s only legacy. Despite coping with floods, a recession, the mass defection of players and the insolvency of a major sponsor, Newton has overseen the building of The Graeme Hick Pavilion and the Basil D’Oliveira Stand at New Road. The club are also optimistic that they will be able to announce the next phase of the ground redevelopment – which includes a hotel – within the next few weeks. If they do so, it will alleviate much of the financial pressure which currently burdens them. From the depths of 2007, when the club lost over a million pounds, it’s hard to see how anyone could have done a better job than Newton. It is interesting to note, however, that his replacement, David Leatherdale, will not be replaced as the club’s commercial director. Times are desperately tight in county cricket.For that reason, there is also some doubt over the future of Vikram Solanki. Though he is contracted for another two years at New Road, the club may well be willing to listen to offers. In these straitened times, the salaries of senior players are increasingly hard to justify and Solanki’s return of just 593 runs at an average of 27 hardly makes a compelling case for retainment.But if this season really is about building for the future, then Worcestershire supporters have brighter times ahead. For in Kervezee they have a gem. Batty, Meaker and Dernbach were all punished for more than four an over and, by the time he reached his century (off just 103 balls), he looked a class apart.It was a different game when Chris Tremlett had the ball in his hand. His opening spell (8-4-4-2) removed David Wheeldon, who paid the price for playing slightly across one that nipped back, before Vikram Solanki’s tentative prod at a beauty that bounced and left him ended up in the hands of slip. Tremlett returned later to dismiss Shakib, caught off the glove as he attempted to hook, and bowl Kervezee as the batsmen sought to hit out with only tailenders for company.Tremlett finished with his fifth four-wicket haul of the season and match figures of eight for 87. Geoff Miller has already watched him in this match and can only have been impressed.

India overcame Marco Jansen’s blitz to win the high-scorer by 11 runs

Firdose Moonda13-Nov-20244:26

India’s batting in 2024: Intent > consistency

Tilak Varma became India’s second centurion in the space of six days and ensured they cannot lose the four-match T20I series. They lead 2-1 with the final match to be played on Friday, and the hosts left with only the option of a draw. South Africa have not won a bilateral T20I series since beating Ireland 2-0 in August 2022 and have lost five and drawn two series in that time.At a time when the next major tournament is 15 months away, and with the knowledge they reached this year’s T20 World Cup final, that may not worry South Africa much. But there will be questions over their depth and some of their strategies after they conceded heavily and stumbled in the chase for the second time this series.South Africa’s seam strength without Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje, is, as expected, inexperienced. It showed in a messy display at Supersport Park which included 10 wides and three no-balls. Those numbers pale in comparison to that of Tilak, who, at 22 years and five days old, became India’s second youngest centurion after Yashasvi Jaiswal, and took just 51 balls to get to his hundred. He shared a 107-run second-wicket stand with Abhishek Sharma, and a 58-run fifth-wicket partnership with Rinku Singh, in which Tilak contributed 45. Though India were set for a total above 240, after bringing up 100 in the ninth over, Tilak still made sure they had enough.Related

• India look to add more shine to already glowing T20 credentials

• Tilak asks Suryakumar for No. 3 spot and owns it with dazzling century

With an asking rate of 11 needed, South Africa fell behind early on. They needed close to 12 runs an over by the end of the powerplay and as much as 17 an over in the last five. At that stage, they had their two biggest hitters, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller at the crease and their partnership had reached 58 off 35 balls. In an eerie reminder of Suryakumar Yadav’s catch on the long-off boundary in the T20 World Cup final in June, Axar Patel timed his jump at deep mid-wicket boundary to perfection and Miller had to depart.Tilak Varma leaps in celebration after bringing up his first international century•AFP/Getty Images

Marco Jansen kept South Africa in it until the last over and ensured the result flattered them. He scored his first T20I half-century and blitzed four four and five sixes, three down the ground, to threaten a coup. But South Africa had left themselves with too much to do. Jansen was dismissed lbw to Arshdeep Singh with three balls left in the innings and 18 to get. South Africa lost by 11 runs.

South Africa strike early; India strike back

Jansen got South Africa off to a perfect start when his second ball scythed through Sanju Samson. Samson’s all-or-bust time continued, with his last four T20I scores reading 111, 107, 0, 0 but India did not spend too much time dwelling on that. They promoted Tilak to No. 3 with astonishing results. He hit the second ball he faced through backward point for four and then smashed Jansen over third for six. Abhishek, who was dismissed for single-figure scores at both coastal venues, quickly rectified that when he took 14 runs off Gerald Coetzee’s opening over, and he showed the full range of his repertoire.Abhishek went through midwicket, over point and then through the covers. Coetzee was swiftly replaced by Lutho Sipamla, who Tilak pulled behind square, and Jansen by Andile Simelane, who bore the brunt of Abhishek’s aggression. He struck back-to-back sixes to opposite corners of the ground and India were running away with the powerplay. They were 70 for 1 after six overs, and South Africa were yet to bring on the spinners.Andile Simelane celebrates with his team-mates after removing Suryakumar Yadav•AFP/Getty Images

Maharaj and Simelane apply the brakes

India brought up 100 inside nine overs when Abhishek launched Keshav Maharaj over long-on but the spinner had the last laugh. Three balls later, he dragged a delivery wide of Abhishek, who reached out to try and send it through the leg side but missed and was stumped. In the next over, Simelane gave Suryakumar width and tempted him to cut but the India captain could only slice it to deep point. Maharaj’s second over cost 10 runs but he was kept on for a third, with success. Hardik Pandya missed a sweep, was hit on the pack pad and given out lbw. India lost 3 for 25 in 26 balls and South Africa pulled them back.

But there’s no stopping Tilak

Maharaj is known for his ability to slow things down but by his last over, Tilak had had enough. He used his crease well to go 4-6-4 over extra cover, deep square leg and deep mid-wicket and Maharaj finished with 36 off his four overs. That was the warning shot. Coetzee took a pasting in his next over, which also included three wides, with Tilak finding the long and short boundaries. Jansen bowled a boundary-less 17th over and Rinku was bowled by a Simelane yorker in the 18th. But by then Tilak was unstoppable. He brought up his hundred when he smoked Sipamla past mid-off for his seventh four. Tilak went on to hit one more four to add to his seven sixes and ended unbeaten on 107.

Flying ants stop play

We’ve had bees at the Wanderers but this is, to this amateur historian’s mind, the first time flying ants have stopped play. What, you may ask? Maybe you call them or or or but you probably know the ones. They come before the rain, are attracted to light and shed their wings upon landing, and there were so many of them at SuperSport Park, the umpires were concerned they would fly into the players’ eyes. The players were taken off after an over of South Africa’s chase and a light pylon at SuperSport Park was turned off in the hope the flying ants would go somewhere else. After 28 minutes, play could resume, with no overs lost. It’s wild out in Africa, they say, and so it was.India and South Africa players walked off the field due to flying ants•AFP/Getty Images

Varun the victor

Forget everything history says about spinners struggling on the Highveld and just look at Varun Chakravarthy. He came into this match as the leading wicket-taker in the series (with double the number of wickets as his nearest rival) and added another to his name with his most unplayable delivery. South Africa have had no idea about his googly and Reeza Hendricks was done for a second time. He advanced on Varun, slogged wildly, missed and was stumped. South Africa finished the powerplay on 55 for 2.South Africa may have thought they had the better of Varun when Aiden Markram hit him for two sixes over long-on in his third over but it was a case of the opposite. Markram should have put the last ball away over mid-wicket but hit it straight to debutant Ramandeep Singh and extended a miserable run for himself. He has gone 27 innings without a T20I fifty and has not gone past 30 in his last 12 innings. Klaasen was the only player who could take some bragging rights after he hit Varun for three successive sixes, including the biggest of the match at 109 meters, in an over that cost 23. Varun finished with his most expensive T20I analysis but made two crucial breakthroughs and in the end, that’s all that matters. South Africa needed 86 off the last five overs and it was a bridge too far.

Moves in search of first-team cricket after injury-interrupted spell on south coast

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2023Derbyshire have signed Aneurin Donald on a two-year contract from Hampshire.An explosive batter who can also keep wicket, Donald came through at Glamorgan and, aged 19, equalled the record for the fastest double-century in first-class cricket, off 123 balls.He moved to Hampshire at the end of 2018, but missed back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021 with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Donald was part of the squad that won the Vitality T20 Blast in 2022 but he only played 64 times across formats in his five years on the south coast, and was loaned to Derbyshire this summer, featuring twice in the Blast.”Aneurin impressed us during his short spell with us earlier this year and we were eager to bring him to the club,” Derbyshire’s head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, said. “He’s a powerful batter, capable of taking a game away from you very quickly, and he will also provide cover in the wicketkeeper department, an area we needed depth in.Related

• Recurrence of ACL injury rules Aneurin Donald out of another summer

• Donald's maiden white-ball century leads Hampshire to victory

• Aneurin Donald blitzes 63-ball century to take Hampshire through to semi-finals

“He has been a part of a very good Hampshire side, one which has routinely competed for trophies, that’s the kind of player we want to bring to the club as we look to improve.”Donald, who scored two hundreds as Hampshire reached the final of the 2023 Metro Bank One-Day Cup, said he had turned down other offers in order to join Derbyshire, where he hoped to gain greater first-team opportunities.”I’m excited to have joined Derbyshire permanently; I know from my loan spell what a great group of players we have at the club and the high standards demanded,” he said. “At this point in my career, I need to be playing cricket and I want to be contributing to success, that’s why I’ve come to Derbyshire, because I believe this is a project I can fit into.”I had a few options at other counties, but the level of coaching and the project which is happening at Derbyshire really stood out to me. Mickey has spoken to me about his ambition for the Club and I’m looking forward to playing a part in that journey.”Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, added: “Naturally, we are sad to see Aneurin go, but we understand and support his decision to find consistent game time at this stage of his career.”Aneurin has been an extremely popular member of the club since he joined in 2019. He is a great team man and over the years he has shifted the course of many games in the team’s favour.”We wish him nothing but the best for the future as he transitions into another phase of his career and thank him for his wholehearted commitment to Hampshire Cricket since his arrival.”

Mumbai, who elected to bat and were cruising at 147 for 2, lost a clutch of wickets to leave the match on an even keel

Shashank Kishore22-Jun-2022On possibly their biggest days in domestic cricket in the last 23 years, Madhya Pradesh banished nerves and bad luck, and overcame staunch resistance from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was gunning for a fourth straight first-class ton.Mumbai, who elected to bat and were cruising at 147 for 2, lost a clutch of wickets to leave the Ranji Trophy final in Bengaluru on an even keel. They ended the day on 247 for 5, with Sarfaraz Khan, the tournament’s highest run-getter, unbeaten on 40. He had Shams Mulani, the allrounder, for company, in their quest to try and stretch their first innings total.The sun hardly peeped through on a leaden day, ensuring a relatively dry surface didn’t break further. With the ball turning right from the first over, MP employed both their spin options optimally, but it was their faster bowlers who kept plugging away and reaping rewards for their persistence and discipline throughout the day.Most impressive of the lot was Gaurav Yadav, who wheeled away for 23 wicketless overs, despite creating several wicket-taking opportunities. Bounding in relentlessly, he opened up Prithvi Shaw’s inside edge and outside edge five times in a single over in the first hour, before Anubhav Agarwal reaped the rewards.What that Yadav over did, where he had Shaw all at sea against the moving ball, was create doubts in his mind. As such, Shaw isn’t a leaver of the cricket ball; Agarwal’s accuracy only made it tougher. Drawn forward by a delivery that appeared to be moving away, the ball nipped back in off the seam to beat the inside edge and crash into the stumps to break an 87-run opening stand.At the other end, Jaiswal tried to do what great Mumbai batters of the past have taken great pride in doing: grinding the bowlers down and then cashing in on some tired bowling later. While he managed to keep the bowlers at bay, largely refraining from playing away from the body against pace, he was particularly aggressive against spin.His first boundary of the day was a six off left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya. Seemingly intent at trying to unsettle him, Jaiswal picked off a series of boundaries to get going. Just prior to that, though, he survived a run-out reprieve in the fourth over after a mix-up with Shaw. Jaiswal, who tucked the ball to square leg, was halfway down the pitch when he was sent back and only managed to make it as the throw was wide of the keeper at the striker’s end.The first session had several instances where MP were left wondering ‘what if’. The run-out aside, Kartikeya managed to have Shaw jabbing at an arm-ball, only for it to lob over short leg’s head in the fifth over. In the 10th, Shaw’s thick outside edge off Yadav flew between second slip and gully as he attempted a flashy drive without any feet movement. Then, he beat Shaw five times in an over, before they had him.Yashasvi Jaiswal drives towards midwicket•Special Arrangement

Armaan Jaffer looked steady and resolute in defence, but hard hands proved to be his nemesis as he got a thick inside edge off Kartikeya to a shortish midwicket. It was an excellent piece of captaincy from Aditya Shrivastava that resulted in the wicket. Immediately after lunch, he specifically had the fielder there for Kartikeya’s arm-ball that fizzes in. Although the delivery that got the wicket wasn’t an arm ball, it was close to being one. A regulation left-arm orthodox bowled with a slightly faster trajectory skidded through to lob off the inside edge as Jaffer was gone for 26.Suved Parkar was the next to go. Mumbai’s new No. 4, who only got a break for the knockouts because Ajinkya Rahane wasn’t available, managed all of 18 before getting a leading edge to midwicket where Shrivastava took a simple catch running back to give offspinner Saransh Jain his first wicket. This left Mumbai at 147 for 3.In came Sarfaraz, who immediately shelved his natural game. It isn’t something he is known to do, but the dismissal of Jaiswal soon after, where he pushed away from the body to see Yash Dubey take a smart catch at gully, further had him shut shop and show signs of maturity in trying to see off the bowlers. Until then, Jaiswal’s was a knock studded with impeccable timing, oodles of concentration, a hint of luck and enterprise.Jaiswal who brought up his half-century off 129 balls, started picking the gaps easily and when the fast bowlers bounded in trying to rough him up with short deliveries, he immediately gave them something to think about by ramping it over the slip cordon for a boundary. Jaiswal looked set for a fourth straight ton that would’ve had him join an elite club of Vijay Merchant and Sachin Tendulkar, before he literally had to drag himself off in disappointment, having poked at a delivery he would’ve left most times.Like the other four batters who missed out, Hardik Tamore too got off to a start and then fell, playing for turn when there was none as he edged to slip to give Jain his second wicket, in the final session. This was shortly after he was dropped in the slips by Akshat Raghuwanshi on 22. Sarfaraz and Mulani, who came together in the 75th over, saw off the rest of the day without too many hassles, intent on crease occupation and batting it out to stumps to try and resume their grind against the second new ball.Purely in terms of the quality of cricket, it was a day where both teams played restrictively, trying to ensure one doesn’t concede ground to the other. It could change come Thursday.