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A round-up of the fifth round of Ranji Trophy’s Group B matches on December 8, 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2012
Scorecard
Baroda left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt took six wickets to run through Odisha’s middle order on the first day in Vadodara. Odisha’s Govind Podder made a battling 82 but he had very little support from the rest of the batsmen, with five of the top seven making single-digit scores. Around lunch time, Odisha were at a reasonably comfortable 82 for 2, before a Bhatt double-strike, including the wicket of the in-form Biplab Samantary, pulled them back. Bhatt struck twice in an over soon after leaving Odisha at 105 for 6, and it took a brisk unbeaten 37 from the No. 9 Saurabh Sehgal to take the score to 181. Baroda lost the wicket of opener Saurabh Wakaskar as they reached 34 for 1 by stumps.
Scorecard
Suresh Raina fluffed another chance to press for a place in the Test middle order by falling for 8, but Uttar Pradesh still finished the day on a solid 248 for 4 thanks to a long partnership between Mohammad Kaif and opener Mukul Dagar. Vidarbha removed Tanmay Srivastava in the third over, before Kaif and Dagar put on 195 patient runs for the second wicket. Dagar went on to complete his third century in five matches, while for the third time this Ranji season Kaif failed to reach his hundred despite crossing 80. Vidarbha got some respite towards the end of the day as Sandeep Singh removed both Kaif and Raina, before Shrikant Wagh had Dagar bowled for 116.
Scorecard
Haryana’s batting has been notoriously fragile this season, and they seemed headed for another low total after slipping to 63 for 4 against Maharashtra, but substantial contributions from the lower-middle order lifted them to a middling score. Opener Rahul Dewan was the only one in the top order to resist as Maharashtra’s quicks struck several times early. Yatharth Tomar, playing only his second first-class match and his first since 2010, hit 48 to steady the innings before Amit Mishra, who made a crucial half-century in their win over Delhi earlier this week, chipped in with 35. The top scorer of the innings was Jayant Yadav, with 63, his second first-class half-century.
Scorecard
On a pitch that resembled a lawn, with the only patches of white near the rough on either side, Karnataka captain Vinay Kumar chose to give his batsmen first use of the pitch, despite their batting struggles all season. While it might be perceived as a brave decision, it backfired on the hosts. Karnataka were still searching for their first outright win, and they were presented with what looked like a result-oriented wicket. Delhi weren’t complaining though. Their seamers, led by Parvinder Awana, bundled out the hosts for 192 and ended the day in front despite losing two wickets as the shadows lengthened in Bangalore. A full match report is here.

The tournament director of the 2012 World Twenty20 to be held in Sri Lanka has denied that there were any security threats to the event

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jun-2012The tournament director of the 2012 World Twenty20 to be held in Sri Lanka has denied that there were any security threats to the event. In a statement released by the ICC, tournament director Upekha Nell said, “there is absolutely no security threat to the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012, as no files were lost as alleged.”Two weeks ago, it been reported that documents belonging to World Twenty20 2012 security consultant Shane Dullewa had been stolen from the board’s headquarters. Dullewa was appointed to the post by Sri Lanka Cricket.On Friday, Nell said, “a comprehensive security plan” was going to be discussed by the organisers for the tournament, which runs from September 18 to October 7. She said the Sri Lankan government and Sri Lanka Cricket “have assured the ICC of providing a similar level of security” as was available during the 2011 World Cup. While there was no reason for concern, security, she said, was a top priority for the ICC and it would “continue to assist and guide the local authorities”.Following the reports of Dullewa’s allegedly missing documents, he has been relieved of his position and the matter has ended up in litigation. Dullewa, a former secretary of the Sri Lankan rugby football union, had his contract with SLC terminated on May 30. He appealed to a Colombo District Court seeking interim relief and on Wednesday the court issued an order preventing SLC from appointing a replacement for Dullewa.On Wednesday, the Sri Lankan parliament was told by sports minister Mahindanda Aluthgamage that the SLC staff count had been cut by 60%, and that most of those who had been released were contract workers. The minister said SLC had an employee strength of 251 with 25 permanent employees.

England will have expected to encounter problems removing a Jayawardene during this series, but that was likely to be Mahela not Prasanna

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan27-May-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPrasanna Jayawardene struck his third Test hundred to put Sri Lanka on top•Getty Images

England will have expected to encounter problems removing a Jayawardene during this series, but that was likely to be Mahela not Prasanna. Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper, batting in the elevated position of No. 6, hit his third Test hundred to lift the visitors to an impressive 400 on the second day in Cardiff. Thilan Samaraweera and the lower order also played vital hands to ensure a frustrating time for England who lost Andrew Strauss in the final over of the day to finish on 47 for 1.Right from the beginning of this Test Sri Lanka have impressed with their mindset. They were flexible enough to adjust the balance of their side – and the choice of two spinners could yet prove a masterstroke – while Tillakaratne Dilshan opted to bat when many visiting captains may have hidden behind bowling first. Then the top order took on the responsibility of setting up a platform with a stubborn and committed display. To remove Strauss, who was well caught at second slip off Suranga Lakmal with five balls remaining, capped off a day that couldn’t have gone much better for them.Having opted for a five-man attack it put pressure on Prasanna to perform the role of a frontline batsman. A Test average of 30 showed he was capable but, as Matt Prior has occasionally found, there is a different onus on a wicketkeeper when they walk in at four down rather than five. Prasanna, though, handled his task with aplomb and, although he was dropped at slip on 89 by Strauss off Graeme Swann, it took nothing away from his achievement as he reached a hundred from 147 balls.What made it even more commendable was that England were in the middle of one of their best periods with the ball as James Anderson, who would later worryingly leave the field with a back strain but return as nightwatchman, found swing in the first session. Sri Lanka hadn’t added a run when Prasanna’s namesake, Mahela, edged a beauty to first slip which shaped back into him after a series of deliveries moved away. He tried to drop his hands but it was too late and the catch was superbly taken by Strauss diving behind second slip.It was tough work for the batsmen against Anderson and Chris Tremlett – the combination of swing and bounce – but all Sri Lanka’s batsmen knuckled down. When Tharanga Paranavitana’s 191-ball stay was ended by an inside edge into his stumps against Tremlett – shortly after being struck in a very painful area – it brought Prasanna to the middle at 159 for 4 and a tipping point of the innings. England will have believed they could break the back of Sri Lanka’s resistance but, not for the last time, came up against a stubborn obstacle in a fifth-wicket stand of 84 between Samaraweera and Prasanna.

Smart Stats

• This was Sri Lanka’s fifth score of 400 or higher in Tests in England. Their highest is the 591 at The Oval in 1998.

• The four fifty-plus scores in Sri Lanka’s first innings is level second on the list of most fifty-plus scores in single innings for Sri Lanka in Tests in England. The record is seven in the Lord’s Test in 2006.

• The 93-run opening stand is Sri Lanka’s highest in Tests in England, surpassing the previous best of 59 between Russell Arnold and Kumar Sangakkara.

• Thilan Samaraweera scored his first fifty in Tests in England. Overall though, his average in Tests outside Asia is under 33 and much lower than his career average of 54.30.

• Prasanna Jayawardene scored his third Test century and his first outside the subcontinent. He now has 1284 runs at an average slightly over 32.

• The 68-run stand between Prasanna and Thisara Perera is the fourth-highest for the seventh wicket for Sri Lanka in Tests against England and their second-highest in Tests in England.

• Since the beginning of 2009, James Anderson has picked up 107 wickets at an average of 26.70 with five five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul. Prior to that, he picked up 108 wickets at an average over 35.

Samaraweera took a hard blow on the arm from Tremlett and kept the slips and gully interested by playing away from his body, but also collected some confident boundaries. Whenever the England bowlers strayed onto his pads he was quick to pick them off although he wasn’t far off edging to third slip when the ball just eluded a diving Alastair Cook.Still, it was comfortably Samaraweera’s best effort on British soil having failed to reach double figures in his previous four Test innings. He went to fifty from 72 balls as the game drifted with England waiting for the new ball before he was squared up by Anderson and edged to second slip. Again, the hosts sensed an opening but it wasn’t to be.Prasanna had started his innings as a useful understudy for Samaraweera then became the senior partner. He twice gained boundaries to third man through the slip cordon but batsmen deserve some fortune when the ball moves around and he took advantage of Swann’s introduction to collect two leg-side fours. It was a perfectly paced innings and after tea he became more aggressive by back-cutting Stuart Broad and elegantly drove Swann through cover having been given his life at slip.Sri Lanka’s lower order also played a crucial role in keeping Prasanna company. Farveez Maharoof, who has been in good form for Lancashire, twice faced the DRS system in consecutive overs. The first was a waste after Broad seemingly convinced Strauss to use a review when Maharoof was clearly struck outside off stump. The second was more understandable when Anderson swung one back into Maharoof’s pads, but the batsman again survived as the on-field decision remained.Broad was the least convincing of England’s pace bowlers and Strauss was further hampered by Anderson’s injury. It meant Jonathan Trott was given a ball just 12 overs old, although a stroke of luck went England’s way when Trott deflected a straight drive into the non-striker’s stumps to remove Maharoof.Thisara Perera showed few nerves on his Test debut in a stand of 68 for the seventh wicket including a lofted straight drive against Tremlett. Broad broke through to claim his 100th Test scalp, having taken number 99 at Adelaide in December before injury struck, when Perera spooned another drive to mid-on.Rangana Herath then helped Prasanna add 51 for the eighth wicket before the last three wickets fell in three overs to give England a 90-minute session with the bat. They were within touching distance of surviving unscathed, but it was Sri Lanka who left the field with a spring in their step.

Jansen misses out as he’s recovering from surgery to his left thumb while Miller will be playing in the Hundred

Firdose Moonda24-Jul-2025South Africa’s regular white-ball captains Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma will return to lead the T20I and ODI squads, respectively, for next month’s tour of Australia. Markram was rested from South Africa’s Test and T20I series in Zimbabwe while Bavuma missed the Zimbabwe Tests with a hamstring injury he sustained at the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June. Both skippers will have relatively full-strength squads available to them.Notably, the squad was announced a week before Patrick Moroney, the new convenor of selectors, starts work on August 1, which means this was the last squad that all-format Shukri Conrad picked independently.”It’s great to have our senior players back in the mix after their rest following the WTC Final,” Conrad said in a statement. “Their experience and quality add real value to the group as we continue to build a strong core in both formats. Every series from here on plays a part in shaping our squads for next year’s T20 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup at home in 2027.”Of South Africa’s regulars, Marco Jansen and David Miller are the only two not named. Jansen is recovering from surgery to his left thumb from an issue picked up at the WTC final, while Miller will be playing in the Hundred. He is expected to return for South Africa’s white-ball tour of England in September.South Africa’s squads for Australia tour•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The rest of South Africa’s frontline attack, led by Kagiso Rabada in the seam department and Keshav Maharaj in the spin one, are all included. But Maharaj is not part of the T20I squad.Instead, left-arm spinners George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy, who are both currently in Zimbabwe, will play the T20Is alongside legspinner Nqaba Peter as South Africa assess their options for next year’s T20 World Cup. Tabraiz Shamsi, who opted out of a national contract last year, is not included in either squad. Conrad had indicated prior to the Zimbabwe series that he would speak to Shamsi to discuss his future.”Unfortunately, things got away from me, and I was never able to have that chat,” he said. “The spinners who have been selected have the inside track.”South Africa’s T20I playing group sees the return of Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs to the batting line-up, and the retention of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis, who are both in Zimbabwe. Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka make up the seamers, but Gerald Coetzee is not included.Rassie van der Dussen was not included in the ODI squad for Australia•Zimbabwe Cricket

“There are only so many quicks you can put in your team in terms of balance,” Conrad said. “The players who have been selected are ahead of Gerald in the pecking order. In the 50-over squad, I wanted to try and get as many allrounders in the squad. You cannot ignore what Corbin Bosch has done. Gerald sits behind him.”The ODI squad’s batting line-up has the four named above as well Matthew Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi. Wiaan Mulder provides an all-round option in Jansen’s absence. While Rassie van der Dussen, who has South Africa’s second-highest ODI average, is not included in the ODI squad, Conrad also conceded that he is “very much in contention for the T20 World Cup”.”He gives you the option of batting at the top and at No. 3, and he is a great in a leadership role. With the 50-over [team], because I’ve got time before 2027, it gives me the opportunity to blood new players and see how they develop.”

T20I squad

Aiden Markram (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen

ODI squad

Temba Bavuma (capt), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen

Nishita, Sanjida dropped for ODIs while Rani and Trisna have been left from the T20I squad

Mohammad Isam14-Nov-2023Allrounder Lata Mondal has returned to the 16-member Bangladesh side for the tour of South Africa. The tour begins with three T20Is followed by three ODIs which will be part of the 2022-25 Women’s Championship.Mondal, who had missed Bangladesh’s home series against Pakistan, last played in the ODIs against India in July. Bangladesh won both the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan 2-1.Meanwhile, 15-year-old offspinner Nishita Akter, who made her debut in the Pakistan series, left-arm spinner Sanjida Akter, opener Sharmin Akhter and left-arm pacer Fariha Trisna are all part of the reserves. Opener Shathi Rani who was part of the T20I squad against Pakistan, misses out.

Bangladesh tour of SA

1st T20I: Dec 3, Benoni
2nd T20I: Dec 6, Kimberley
3rd T20I: Dec 8, Kimberley
1st ODI: Dec 16, East London
2nd ODI: Dec 20, Potchefstroom
3rd ODI: Dec 23, Benoni

Bangladesh begin the tour with the first T20I in Benoni on December 3, followed by two T20Is in Kimberley on December 6 and 8 respectively. The ODIs will be played in East London, Potchefstroom and Benoni on December 16, 20 and 23.Bangladesh are seventh on the championship table with three wins from 12 matches whereas South Africa occupy the fifth spot having played nine games and winning seven of them.That apart, Bangladesh have beaten South Africa only two times in the 18 ODIs and only once in 11 T20Is.Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana (captain), Nahida Akter (vice-captain), Shamima Sultana, Murshida Khatun, Sobhana Mostary, Fargana Hoque, Lata Mondal, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Shorifa Khatun, Sumaiya Akter, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Disha Biswas

“There is so much appetite to learn and be successful on these wickets”

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jul-2022Being proactive. Being brave. And embracing the challenge of playing on spinning surfaces. According to captain Pat Cummins, these were the tenets of Australia’s success in Galle, where they crushed Sri Lanka inside two-and-a-half days.Proactive and brave, because Australia had scored at 4.53 in the 70.1 overs they’d batted in the first innings, even though they’d been 100 for 4 at one stage. The sixth-wicket partnership between Cameron Green and Alex Carey was a particular example of the urgency Australia brought to their batting. They put on 84 runs off 93 balls, and advanced Australia’s chances substantially on a rain-curtailed second day.”A couple of new words we’re using about our approach is about being proactive and being brave,” Cummins said after the match. “We saw some really clear methods from all the batters. They might have been individually a bit different, but you saw everyone being really proactive, and putting pressure back on the bowlers. It’s something you’d normally talk about in one-day cricket or T20 cricket. But I think that’s the style over here that’s needed.”Related

• How Green's meticulous foresight helped reach the zone of proximal development

• Travis Head and Nathan Lyon rip through Sri Lanka to secure huge win

• How it happened: Sri Lanka – 113 all out in 22.5 overs

A more aggressive approach brings risk too, however. While Usman Khawaja, Green, and Carey produced substantial innings, others, like Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, were out cheaply, attacking. For Cummins, though, failure is just a part of this approach.”I think it’s part of the environment that we are trying to create,” he said. “Failure is absolutely okay, as long as you are failing in a way you are happy to be.”Some of Australia’s batters who had been to Sri Lanka in 2016 had failed during that 3-0 loss. But they are richer for that experience, Cummins said.”I think I wouldn’t discount our batters in our squad that have been here. They know what works. All of them have had success in these types of wickets, so having them as great reference points for the young guys and seeing them go out and do it – I don’t have to do anything as captain really.”Eight months into his captaincy, Cummins’ side has also gone undefeated in four successive Tests in Asia, having won two of those games. The Australia of 2022 is no longer so wary of spinning conditions, Cummins said. Even the senior players are being pushed to develop their games further.Pat Cummins was delighted with the intent shown by Australia’s batters•Getty Images

“Embracing everything about the conditions – that’s been a big one for us. In the past you can get caught up in conditions that aren’t like Australia, but if you want to be the number one Test team in the world, you’ve got be winning overseas. I think everyone – the experienced guys finding new shots, Mitchell Starc working on reverse swing, Nathan Lyon coming up with a few new balls – there is so much appetite to learn and be successful on these wickets.”Lyon was instrumental to this victory, having taken 5 for 90 in the first innings, then 4 for 31 in the second. Through the course of this game, he also surpassed three bowling greats on the all-time wicket tally. He now sits 10th on that list with 436 wickets, just ahead of Rangana Herath, Kapil Dev, and Richard Hadlee.”I wouldn’t change Lyon for anyone,” Cummins said. “He’s gone into the top 10 wicket takers of all time. You saw him out there. He’s unplayable for left or right-handers. Sometimes out here, bounce for spinners is spoken about something that’s not desirable, but he showed here with that bounce he was unplayable. His stamina as well – you give him the ball from one end and say see you at the end of the day.”

Four half-centuries ensure comfortable day for tourists as Robinson sends down 18 overs

Alan Gardner21-May-2022After the frustrations of a washed-out first day, Hove was back to its tranquil self for the start of New Zealand’s touring commitments proper. Spectators basked, seagulls swooped and runs were picked off in leisurely fashion by the visiting batters. The number of ball replacements (two) almost equalled the wickets taken by Sussex’s attack (three), which included England seamer Ollie Robinson, who sent down 18 overs in his bid to prove himself worthy of a return to the Test fold.There were half-centuries for four members of New Zealand’s top five – Tom Latham, Will Young, Michael Bracewell and Tom Blundell – each of whom then retired to let a team-mate have a bat. As far as leg-stretchers go, this was a useful introduction for the New Zealanders, who only had 12 men to call on here due to a combination of injuries, Covid and late arrivals.”To get out there, on a nice surface, for all the guys to get a good hit and some time under their belts is always nice,” Luke Ronchi, New Zealand’s being coach, said afterwards.”It’s those challenges you want to face when you first arrive. Not just him [Robinson], but all the guys got it to nibble around a bit and use that Dukes ball the way they can. For our guys to come from home to here, to face that and get through that challenge is what we’re after. It’s nice to bat through the day and a few guys get some runs.”Alongside Robinson, Sussex fielded three 20-year-old seamers and one aged 23 – although this wasn’t a case of chucking in the kids for a friendly fixture, rather a reflection of the strategy at Hove where they have leaned heavily on their academy in recent seasons. The focus was understandably on Robinson, left out of England’s squad for the first two Tests over concerns about his match fitness, and he emerged unscathed – albeit wicketless – despite spending around an hour off the field either side of the tea break.He began with an exacting new-ball spell of 6-3-6-0, bowling down the hill from the Cromwell Road End with four slips watching on. Young took a blow on the glove and both openers were made to look uncertain against Robinson’s nagging line and length.He picked up again after lunch, delivering another five overs and coming close to a breakthrough, the rejection of his expectant lbw appeal from Hamish Rutherford’s third ball bringing a withering glance back at the umpire. Having returned to the field 20 minutes into the evening session, he delivered two more overs before the arrival of the second new ball, with a fourth spell extending his day’s work to 18-5-42-0.New Zealand will have tougher examinations ahead, but there is benefit to be gained from spending time in the middle – and surviving a few overs from Robinson, in particular. Latham was typically unobtrusive, cracking a back cut off the left-armer Sean Hunt for the first of his six boundaries, and later producing a dismissive pull down the ground off Henry Crocombe. Young found the leg-side boundary three times in four balls from Crocombe, but was content to slipstream his captain as the pair raised 100 before lunch.Latham was the first to reach his half-century, soon followed by his partner – who then headed from the field to be replaced by Rutherford half an hour after lunch. Young made 331 runs at 55.16 from four matches with Northamptonshire before the start of the tour and is expected to keep his place at opener for the Tests, despite scores of 8, 3 and 0 in New Zealand’s most-recent series against South Africa, with Devon Conway – who scored a double-century on debut opening the batting at Lord’s last year – likely to move down to No. 4 below the returning Kane Williamson.