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Lasith Malinga and Isara Udana conceded just 17 runs in their last four overs as South Africa were forced to win the contest via a one-over eliminator

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Mar-2019Super Over
Sri Lanka’s spinners squeezed and throttled and tugged down the opposition run rate in defence of a modest score, but it was the best slow bowler on show – Imran Tahir – who saw South Africa through a tense Super Over situation, and suggested that whatever his team-mates are like, he is capable of keeping his cool in tough circumstances.Not choking is important for South Africa. They are in a World Cup year. They have a history of wilting in the heat of a close finish. But in conceding only five runs in the Super Over, Tahir suggested there are players in South Africa’s ranks who can thrive in tense circumstances. So too David Miller, who had earlier top-scored with 41 off 23 balls, before hitting a six and a four off Lasith Malinga’s Super Over to set the opposition a target of 15. With Tahir in South Africa’s ranks, that target always seemed unlikely for Sri Lanka.Even before the Super Over, though, this was an intriguing low-scoring thriller, during which each team had its moments, even if South Africa were ascendant for the majority. When they had restricted Sri Lanka for 134 for 7 on a slow-ish but not unplayable Newlands surface, the hosts may have expected to cruise to victory. Dhananjaya de Silva, Akila Dananjaya and Jeffrey Vandersay, however, took a wicket apiece and conceded only 81 in their 12 combined overs.Although the spinners were excellent, Malinga was the real star of the Sri Lanka bowling innings. He conceded a four off his second ball – and that only off an outside edge off Quinton de Kock’s bat, that flew to the third-man boundary. He did not allow the opposition a boundary thereafter in regular play, bowling an especially outstanding pair of death overs, in which his figures were three runs for two wickets.Thanks to Malinga, Isuru Udana still had five to defend off the last over of the innings. He conceded a single to JP Duminy – the last recognised batsman – first ball, then delivered two slower-ball dot balls to Dale Steyn to make the equation four from three balls. Duminy was run out soon after, but then off the last ball of regular play, perhaps, came the key moment of the innings.South Africa had two to get, with No. 10 batsman Tahir on strike. He bottom-edged the last ball of the innings to keeper Niroshan Dickwella, who should have easily run out non-striker Steyn and won Sri Lanka the match. Dickwella, though, failed to take his glove off, and his shy at the strikers’ end missed – Steyn comfortably out by a couple of metres had Dickwella hit at least one of the stumps. His team-mates’ annoyance at Dickwella’s mistake was plainly obvious in the break between regular play and the Super Over.Getty Images

Tahir’s final over was perhaps the most dramatic performance of an intense T20 match, but Miller’s performance was also key to South Africa’s victory. Not only did he eventually pummel Malinga – who had figures of 2 for 11 from his four overs in regular play – he had also led South Africa past 100 in the chase.Miller had arrived at the crease with the score on 52 for 3 and South Africa tracking at less than a run a ball – Sri Lanka’s spinners having tied the hosts down. He was immediately aggressive, however, slapping Vandersay for four through cover first ball, before slog sweeping him to the boundary in Vandersay’s next over.It was against Udana, though, that Miller truly accelerated, and swung the match in favour of South Africa. In the 15th over of the innings, with South Africa needing 52 off 36 balls, Miller smoked three fours, a six and a two, single-handedly taking 20 off that over.Malinga’s outstanding death overs would later see Miller dismissed, and push Sri Lanka to a position where they could dream again with South Africa’s tailenders now in residence at the crease. Slower-ball specialist Udana did deliver an excellent final over, in which the only real pockmark for Sri Lanka was Dickwella’s game-defining missed run-out.Earlier, Kamindu Mendis had been the only Sri Lanka batsman who looked halfway fluent on this pitch, even if he did score all but one of his boundaries – three fours and two sixes in total – off the first eight deliveries that he faced. In that initial period, he hit his first six by top-edging Kagiso Rabada over third man, before ramping him over the same boundary next ball. Kamindu scored 41 off 29 balls, but none of his team-mates could cross 20.Andile Phehlukwayo was the best of South Africa’s bowlers, taking 3 for 25 from his four overs. Lutho Sipamla was the next best, claiming 1 for 19. All South Africa’s bowlers took at least one wicket apiece.

Each of the five is believed to be paid salaries that are more than what all but the most elite Pakistan players are paid

Danyal Rasool30-Aug-2024While Pakistan look to stave off a first series defeat against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, much of the PCB’s focus has been 300 km south in Lahore. Having announced five mentors for the Champions Cup, an upcoming series of domestic tournaments which begin with a one-day competition from September 12, the PCB lined them up for press conferences to outline their vision, and, to some extent, clarify their roles.On Friday, it was the turn of former Pakistan captain and coach Misbah-ul-Haq, who will mentor the Wolves. “My thinking is you need to try and maximise a player’s potential. If a player is well-equipped and technically good, he can play all formats. We have to look at how he manages his fitness and potential, and not have any pre-conceived notions about any player. Then we can look at which player specifically fits into our team. That doesn’t mean we limit a player’s ceiling. As mentor and coach, we need to explore their potential to the full.”The vision is to reduce the gap between domestic and international cricket. I feel it and players feel it too. When I came to the international side, it took three to four years to believe that I belonged to international cricket. The vision of the mentors is to prepare the players to raise them to that level, so they adjust with it. This requires a lot of hard work, and it will only happen if we do it.”Misbah is one of five mentors, alongside Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Malik. Only one – Sarfaraz – is set to participate in the upcoming one-day cup, while Malik, who conducted a press conference on Thursday, said he planned to play “select” games in the T20 iteration of the tournament, for which the window has not yet been finalised.”As a mentor, my role goes beyond just providing guidance from the dugout,” Malik, affiliated with the Stallions, said in a statement released by the PCB. “I will also take to the field in select matches to impart my first-hand knowledge and experience. This will enable our upcoming cricketers to refine their skills and elevate their game, ultimately supporting the Pakistan Cricket Board’s efforts to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.”In addition to his role as mentor, Shoaib Malik will also play the T20 version of the Champions Cup•PSL

Though the teams don’t have geographic affiliation, Malik’s pairing with Stallions is symbolic, given his success as captain of the Sialkot Stallions in the mid-2000s. Malik created one of the first successful T20 dynasties, leading his side to five successive domestic titles in the days before the PSL. To a lesser degree, so is Misbah’s with Wolves, the former Pakistan captain a key player in the successful Faisalabad Wolves sides of the early 2000s.The mentor roles have come under scrutiny not least for the salaries involved. Each of the five is believed to be on three-year contracts, earning in the range of PKR 5 million (approx. USD 18,000) per month. Those salaries have raised eyebrows because they are higher than what is paid to all but the most elite Pakistani cricketers – the category A players, Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan, in the central contracts pool. The Champions Cup has yet to announce a tangible commercial inflow. A broadcaster has not been announced either. The PCB has advertised for team partners/sponsors to come in but has not yet said whether any have come on board.For perspective, just the mentor salaries will total about half the PCB’s entire broadcast deal for bilateral international cricket at home over the next 30 months. From August 2024 to December 2026, the PCB’s broadcast deal is worth between USD 6 to 6.5 million. Salaries for the five mentors in that time will amount to approximately USD 2.7 million.The roles are separate from coaching – each side will have a separate yet-to-be-announced coaching set-up – and do not require coaching qualifications. Three of the five mentors have served as Pakistan’s head coach in the recent past and the PCB has not made public what metrics the mentors will be evaluated by, or why they believe the outlay will offer a return on investment. In a statement to ESPNcricinfo, the PCB said that it “as a responsible organisation, never discusses in public salaries of its staffers and consultants, which remain a matter between the employer and the employee”.The Lahore and Karachi stadiums are currently undergoing significant renovation, with minor upgrades scheduled for Rawalpindi as well, the cost for which is understood to run into billions of Pakistan rupees. This lines up with a generally heavy spend rate since Mohsin Naqvi assumed the PCB chair, which has coincided with annual revenues from the ICC that have doubled in this international rights cycle, thanks to the global body’s new deal with Disney-Star. However, there will invariably be concern around whether the spend rate is sustainable, especially because the PCB does not receive any public money for its operations.Naqvi made clear early on his goal was to spend the PCB’s money on improving Pakistan cricket, rather than save it.”I have told the PCB our job is not to save money or keep it hoarded away, but to spend it on cricket, from grassroots right through to the national team,” Naqvi said in March, addressing the Pakistan players. “The money will be spent on your fitness, training and coaches rather than keeping it locked away.”

Ashantha de Mel was appointed as team manager and selector-on-tour for the World Cup and had clashed earlier with the coach over selection choices

Madushka Balasuriya02-May-2019Sri Lanka Cricket believes that coach Chandika Hathurusingha and Ashantha de Mel will have no issues working together in the Sri Lankan dressing room, after the pair is said to have “thrashed things out” prior to the latter’s appointment as team manager and selector-on-tour for the World Cup starting at the end of this month. Since de Mel took the reins as chief selector ahead of Sri Lanka’s tour to New Zealand, the pair had clashed over several selection choices – most notably the exclusion of Dinesh Chandimal and Lasith Malinga’s captaincy.

Other decisions taken by SLC’s executive committee

• Chandima Mapatuna appointed as the logistic manager of the team for the World Cup. Mapatuna, who is also the head of international cricket of SLC, will travel with the team for the World Cup

• In the wake of recent tragic incidents in the country, SLC will take additional measures to strengthen the security of the team at the World Cup. SLC is working on it in consultation with the Ministry of Sports and the ICC

• Roy Dias appointed as coach of the ‘A’ team for the upcoming tour of India, in May, while Chaminda Mendis has been appointed as team manager. Mendis will also continue to function as a national selector

• Avishka Gunawardena appointed coach of the emerging team for the tour of South Africa, in June. Hemantha Wickramaratne appointed team manager and will continue to function as a national selector

• SLC has decided to donate Rs. 2 million to the Relief Effort Fund set up by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith The Arch Bishop of Colombo, to support the victims of the affected areas and parishes following multiple attacks on Easter Sunday

“Before the appointment we got the both of them together to talk things through,” SLC secretary Mohan de Silva told ESPNcricinfo. “They eventually thrashed things out and now we’re very confident that they’ll work quite well together.”De Mel’s appointment, which was rubber-stamped by SLC at an executive committee meeting on April 30, had been mooted for some time, but speculation had been rife over whether he and Hathurusingha would be able to get along over the course of the six-week tournament.It was a spat with the new selection committee that culminated in Hathurusingha being removed from the role of selector-on-tour in February. And since then Hathurusingha’s job security has only become more tenuous.In March, he was given “a break” during Sri Lanka’s T20I series against South Africa after rumours surfaced of him having fallen out with certain players and staff. The situation was so dire that SLC CEO Ashley de Silva flew over personally to hold crisis talks, following which Hathurusingha returned to the island for further mediation. During this period, there were also reports of SLC seeking legal advice over possible options with regard to prematurely terminating Hathurusingha’s contract which will only run out in 2020.However, following clear-the-air talks with the board, Hathurusingha is understood to have agreed to rein in his methods as a “total dictator”, much of which de Silva believes had manifested during the course of the nine-month SLC power vacuum, when the governing body was run by a sports ministry-appointed competent authority.”We were in two minds whether to discontinue him or not,” de Silva said. “We needed to know if he was amenable to our way of thinking and whether he would change his attitude. Because to be quite honest, he had become a total dictator after we left, and that’s also one of the reasons that the selectors were gunning for him.”But he has now promised to toe the line with the administrators and the selectors, because to be honest his thinking in terms of the national team has been good, although the results haven’t followed unfortunately.”Sri Lanka will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Cardiff on June 1.

AB de Villiers’ arrival is not just a middle-order boost for Rangpur Riders, who are desperate for a win after two close losses, but also a sigh of relief for the entire league

Mohammad Isam18-Jan-2019AB de Villiers’ arrival is not just a middle-order boost for Rangpur Riders, who are desperate for a win after two close losses, but also a sigh of relief for the entire league. The BPL is about to lose David Warner, the second of its marquee players to leave midway through the competition due to injury, after Steven Smith. But with de Villiers around for at least six matches, there will certainly be hope for bigger crowds in the stadiums.Having arrived on Thursday, de Villiers had his first hit for Riders who take on Warner’s Sylhet Sixers on Saturday, a game they must win to regain composure going into the last stage of the league phase. De Villiers, who joins the likes of Chris Gayle, Alex Hales and Rilee Rossouw in the Riders top order, said that they are looking to recover in the tournament.”It is a fantastic squad when looking at the names,” de Villiers said after arriving in Sylhet. “It is a really well-balanced team. I know the Rangpur Riders have had some success in the past. If we can get bit of a run going towards the latter stages of the tournament, the last six games in the pool stage, hopefully we do qualify for the knockouts.”De Villiers said that the BPL will be a tournament that eases him into the new T20 season, as he is also signed up to play in the PSL and IPL in the coming months.”I have played a bit of cricket in the Mzansi League in South Africa,” he said. “You can call it the start of my new season. I have to stay fit and busy. I love coming to Bangladesh. I haven’t been here for a while.”I have heard good things about the BPL. I have asked guys at the IPL what it’s like, and they said quality of cricket is fantastic. It is a tournament that’s growing from strength to strength every year. I am very happy to be part of it this year.”De Villiers said he did not mind a bit of turn on the pitches, although the surfaces during this tournament haven’t made too many batsmen happy. “The wickets here are always good. You get a little bit of turn. I don’t mind.”I have always enjoyed wickets that turn a bit, and then you get some good wickets as well. I have seen our last game against Sylhet. The wicket played pretty well. Hoping for that again tomorrow.”De Villiers arrived in Bangladesh with form on his side, having made 282 runs with a 162.06 strike rate in the Mzansi Super League. He remained realistic about his performance in a new competition, but didn’t rule out the big hits.”It motivates me to go out and play well,” he stated. “I have expectations throughout my career, so it is nothing new to me. The game of cricket is up and down. You can’t perform every game. I am also realistic about the sport. I don’t expect too much of myself. But I do expect some fireworks from time to time.”

An Anderson delivery did damage to the middle finger of the keeper’s left hand, but he is expected bat for England if needed

Melinda Farrell at Trent Bridge20-Aug-2018Jonny Bairstow gave England an unwelcome injury scare, sustaining a fractured finger before lunch on the third day at Trent Bridge, raising the prospect of a keeping and batting reshuffle being needed for the fourth Test, but he is expected to be able to bat as England try to survive two days or score 521 for victory.Bairstow was struck on the left hand in the 44th over after Cheteshwar Pujara left a James Anderson ball that swerved significantly. The blow clearly left the wicketkeeper in intense pain as he rolled on the ground, clutching his injured hand.Jos Buttler took the gloves for Englnad as Bairstow was taken to hospital for scans, which revealed a “small fracture” to the tip of the middle finger of his left hand but it was not displaced which improves Bairstow’s chances of a swifter recovery.”We will see how it is in the morning, it is fracture but it’s not displaced which is the good thing,” Bairstow told Channel 5. “We are hopeful with more icing overnight and a bit of protection. It’s the middle finger and it’s my top hand, so I tend not to use it much”It’s part and parcel of keeping wicket, you will cop a few on your fingers. It wobbled and did what it typically does in England sometimes does, so unfortunately copped it on the end.”The impact on Bairstow beyond the conclusion of this Test will be assessed in the coming days, but while the gloves can pass to Buttler in a reasonably seamless shift – a move championed by some, including ESPNcricinfo analyst Mark Butcher, as the way England should balance their Test side – if he was ruled out it would leave England needing to bring someone into the middle order for the Ageas Bowl Test which starts on August 30.”The doc’s been working on him this evening to relieve a bit of pressure in the nail, so hopefully when needed he’ll be okay,” Paul Farbrace, England’s assistance coach, said. “A lot will depend on how the next few days go, and the soreness in terms of catching balls on a consistent basis. We’ll have to see how he goes.”I’m no expert on broken fingers, but because it’s not a displaced break, then he should be okay, and it’s just a case of managing the pain level as opposed to doing any further damage. There’ll be a big bit of plastic stuck over his glove. Let’s see how he goes over the next couple of days. If there was a risk of making it worse, he wouldn’t bat.”Upon his return to the ground, Bairstow sat on the balcony of the home dressing room with his left hand plunged into a pint glass filled with ice. As Bairstow’s injury was external, as per the rules he would be able to bat whenever required even though he didn’t return to the field. Bairstow is currently England’s leading run-scorer in this series with 206 runs, including two fifties.

Scans have confirmed that the batsman has suffered a meniscal tear in his left knee and could require surgery

Daniel Brettig in Abu Dhabi18-Oct-2018Australia’s No. 1 available batsman Usman Khawaja may be out of action for up to eight weeks, placing his availability for the home Test series against India in doubt, after he suffered a meniscal tear to his left knee that is likely to require surgery.After twisting his left knee in warm-ups before day three of the Abu Dhabi Test against Pakistan, there were concerns that Khawaja had reinjured the anterior cruciate ligament that was reconstructed in 2014.While overnight scans cleared Khawaja’s ACL, the meniscal tear that was located will require a recovery time of anywhere from three to eight weeks, which is also dependent on whether surgery is required. Khawaja will consult a knee surgeon on his return home from the UAE. Already missing Steven Smith and David Warner due to suspension until April next year, the national team could ill-afford to lose Khawaja for any length of time, as their only remaining proven quantity as a Test batsman.It remains uncertain whether Khawaja will bat in Australia’s fourth innings of the Test, with his levels of knee function and pain to be monitored across the day. He did not take the field at all on day three after suffering the injury.Following a seemingly innocuous incident in a fielding drill, he hobbled off the field for assessment and treatment, where he would remain throughout Pakistan’s second innings. Initially it was thought Khawaja would only be off the field for a handful of overs, but ultimately he was absent all day, which meant he was ruled out of batting until No. 7 in the batting line-up, or until Australia had occupied the crease for the equivalent amount of time that he was missing from the field.The seam bowler Peter Siddle said many of the squad were unaware that Khawaja had hurt his knee until they saw him unable to join them for the start of play. “Nah we didn’t see it, some of the guys might’ve but I didn’t, he hasn’t really said too much,” Siddle said. “Disappointing for him but he’s getting a scan later tonight and they’ll send it to the people who need to have a look at it in the next day or so and we’ll find out more. At this stage that’s all we know. Just fingers crossed for him, hopefully it comes back positive for him and he can get back out there.”It was just something in warm-up, we were throwing the ball. So that’s about all I know, I don’t know what specifically happened, but something so small it’s kept him out. So disappointing for him but fingers crossed he gets some good news tonight. Initially [he was] very flat, as anyone would know, knowing that he can’t get out there with the boys and help out.”But I think throughout the day he was up and about, moving around, helping us when we came in and trying to help us in the rooms. He’s a positive guy, so fingers crossed for him and we get some good news tonight or tomorrow. Tonight once he’s got the scan and we know more that’ll determine from the doctor’s point of view what he can and can’t do. That’s the big thing at the end of the day and just looking after his welfare. We’ll see how that comes up tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”In the wake of Khawaja’s career-defining double of 85 and 141 to save Australia’s blushes in Dubai, the gulf left when he cannot make runs was demonstrated when his early dismissal on the first evening here led to an inadequate first-innings tally of 145 that effectively surrendered any chance of victory in the match to Pakistan.After Sarfraz Ahmed’s team went on to set Australia a distant 538 to win in more than two days, the team coached by Justin Langer was left with a minimum of 192 overs to survive, with Khawaja’s role in proceedings severely restricted. His was the second injury problem for the Australians in this match, after Mitchell Starc complained of hamstring tightness at the start of Pakistan’s second innings having sustained a heavy workload in Dubai.The effect on Starc’s ability to cover the ground was confirmed by his placement at slip for much of the innings, while he was restricted to bowling a mere seven overs across two spells – four overs with the first new ball, three with the second. Siddle, so effective in the Big Bash League for the tournament-winning Adelaide Strikers last season, will be kept in the Twenty20 squad as cover.After Dubai, amid the reverie of Australia’s successful rearguard, Langer had commented on the physical and mental toll of Test matches, particularly those played in the UAE desert, where temperatures have routinely hovered near 40C with considerable humidity.”I said to Travis Head actually when he missed out on the T20 side,” Langer said. “At the end of this second Test you’ll be coming and giving me a hug. “And Finchy said it to me today as well because Test cricket is so tiring. Physically and mentally, it’s so draining. But that’s all part of the back-to-back Test matches, especially with our young guys. We were going to have to recharge the batteries as well as we can and then have another crack at it. They’re all important Test matches.”The other batsman expected to shoulder more responsibility while Smith and Warner are banned was Shaun Marsh, but a perfectly-pitched ball from Mir Hamza on the third evening completed a wretched series for the 35-year-old, tallying just 14 runs at 3.5 in four innings. Remarkably this is not Marsh’s poorest series in Tests, after he managed just 17 at 2.83 against India in 2011-12. That run of outs was followed by an extended absence from the team, lasting until the 2014 tour of South Africa.October 19, GMT 0530 The story was updated to include the findings of the scan on Khawaja’s knee.

Floodlit Championship cricket halved the average crowd at Chelmsford as Essex supporters shunned the attraction of a gorgeous summer’s evening

Dan Norcross25-Jun-20181:33

Nash’s ton gives boost for Notts

ScorecardThe sun refuses to set on day/night cricket in England, however much a grumbling Chelmsford crowd may wish it to, in no small part owing to it being played in midsummer.On a scorching hot, blue-sky, ice-cream and sunblock day, the sort of day which is supposed to attract hordes of late arrivals bunking off work early to enjoy a reviving ice-cold beer or simply ambling by and thinking “what the hell”, there were fewer people present to watch Alastair Cook and Essex’s return to batting form than you’d expect at a good old-fashioned run of the mill red ball game in mid-April.There are reasons; it was a Monday, many of the home fans live a good drive away from the ground, and the lure of the World Cup is stronger than the novelty of a pink ball. It might help if the pink ball in question, a Kookaburra for Division One matches, didn’t show less inclination to swing than Odysseus’ virtuous wife Penelope. Indeed, the seam on these balls unthreads more rapidly than her tapestries.It might help, but really not a lot. Alan, an Essex member of decades’ standing, ran through the myriad objections: “Most of the members are getting on. They don’t want to queue in the car park at 9.30, waiting to drive home 20 miles. Then you don’t feel like eating because it’s too late, and you can’t live on a diet of burgers and chips which is all I can get here.”What about the walk-in crowd? Well, Chelmsford isn’t The Oval. You’re not likely to stop your journey back home from work (which as often as not will be in London), traipse 10 minutes to the ground to arrive at around 6.30pm only to contemplate the remaining half hour (at least) of your journey starting at 9.15pm. On a Monday. With a World Cup going on.And then there’s the spectacle. Day/night cricket can be a wondrous spectacle in Australia, India, pretty much everywhere else in the cricketing firmament . A jet black sky, the lights on full beam, the ball misbehaving in that exotic final session. If, though, you insist on playing
it in midsummer in England, it’s hard to know why they don’t just stick to the red ball. The spectacle never appears. The crepuscular hour falls and casts its magically spectral light on a crowd that has by now decamped to the train station or pub. But if you play it much later in the season, it gets bloody cold by 9pm.Alastair Cook was Essex’s mainstay•Getty Images

Is it just possible that England is not Australia. It is not India. Is it possible that England needs to tailor cricket to England and English conditions, rather than creating a bastard hybrid of what works abroad. In countries closer to the equator. Countries that get dark earlier and are warm? Because if day/night cricket wasn’t going to work today of all days, it’s hard to know exactly when it will. Under a heated, roofed, megadome in central London?All of which is a shame since what many locals missed was a fighting day of good quality cricket from two teams on whom the sun actually is threatening to set on their title ambitions after heavy defeats last week. Essex finally rediscovered some form with the bat thanks to an opening partnership of 151 between the returning Nick Browne (out since early May with a broken finger) and Alastair Cook. It was Essex’s largest partnership of the season by 41 runs, and was only ended when Tim Groenewald deflected Cook’s firmly struck straight drive onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end, stranding Browne (66) a couple of feet out of his ground.Somerset, spearheaded by Dom Bess, who bowled unchanged for 35 overs, dragged back the scoring rate on a dry first day pitch that will surely assist Harmer later in the game. Somerset chipped away with wickets at regular intervals in the middle session, including that of Cook whom Bess trapped lbw four runs short of his 63rd first-class hundred, and we got a first sight of Michael Pepper , debuting on his 20th birthday. A six foot three inch wicket keeper batsmen who is much admired by local legend Robin Hobbs, he survived a spicy spell from Jamie Overton who repeatedly tested him with the short ball either side of tea, but he couldn’t survive Bess’s arm ball, playing down the wrong line as it cannoned into his off stump.At 212 for 4 Essex were in danger of succumbing to familiar frailties but were seen home by an unbroken partnership of 86 between their old stagers Ravi Bopara (37) and Ryan ten Doeschate (46) to finish on 298 for 4, just four runs short of their highest first innings score this season, with power to add.Sadly, a crowd of 1202, roughly half the average attendance at Chelmsford this season, was there to see it.

Kenyon replaces long-serving Lisa Pursehouse as club finalise details of Trent Rockets deal

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2025County champions Nottinghamshire have appointed Richard Kenyon, who has spent the last decade working in commercial and communications roles at Everton Football Club, as their new chief executive.Kenyon will take over from Lisa Pursehouse, who announced her intention to step down earlier this year and has now left the club after 14 seasons in the role. Her last week at the club coincided with their first Championship title since 2010, which was clinched with victory over Warwickshire at Trent Bridge in the final round of fixtures.During his 11 years at Everton, Kenyon worked in various marketing and communications roles, including three-and-a-half years as chief commercial and communications officer, and served as chief executive of the charity Everton in the Community. Notts said that he had played an “instrumental role” in the club’s move from Goodison Park to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.Related

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Kenyon’s appointment comes at a time when Notts are preparing to assume operational control of Trent Rockets in the Hundred. An announcement in the completion of their £40 million deal with Cain International and Ares Management is imminent, with Notts retaining a 51% controlling stake in the new joint-venture.Andy Hunt, Notts’ chair, said that Kenyon’s experience at Everton made him the standout candidate: “His leadership at Everton spanned critical areas including commercial strategy, global brand development, major infrastructure projects, and multi-stakeholder consultation – all directly relevant to the current and future ambitions of our club.”Kenyon described his appointment as “a tremendous privilege”. He said: “It’s a great credit to the outgoing CEO and her team that I’ll be joining a club in such a strong position. I can’t wait to get started later this year and look forward to working closely with the general committee, the executive team, and our members to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead for this great club and all of its teams.”Michael Temple, Notts’ commercial director, will serve as interim chief executive before Kenyon takes up his new role in December.Several counties are changing their chief executives over the 2025-26 winter. Emma White, who has previously worked in rugby union and horse racing, has replaced Sean Jarvis at Leicestershire, while Kent’s chief operating officer Nimmo Reid will fill the role on an interim basis while the club search for a successor to Simon Storey. Sussex’s Pete Fitzboyden has also stepped down after two seasons for personal reasons.

Sidebottom, playing in just his ninth first-class game, tore through the Northants lower order to claim a maiden five-wicket haul

ECB Reporters Network20-Apr-2018
ScorecardRyan Sidebottom took a career-best 6 for 35 as Warwickshire enjoyed a dominant first day at Wantage Road, bowling Northamptonshire out for just 147 before closing 113 for 3, trailing by 34.Sidebottom, playing in just his ninth first-class game, tore through the Northants lower order after lunch to take a maiden five-wicket haul, providing the fire-power Warwickshire thought they had lost when Olly Stone went down injured in the warm-up.Having fired Northants out so cheaply, Warwickshire briefly wobbled to 28 for 3 with Ian Bell held at second slip for a three-ball duck and Jonathan Trott lbw for 4 before Sam Hain and Will Rhodes compiled an unbeaten stand of 81 to ensure the visitors were well on top by the close. Hain passed fifty in the final over of the day in 103 balls with his fifth four.It was Sidebottom who set up their position. His first wicket came with his opening delivery of the season, having not played last week, as Ben Duckett drove at a full ball slid across him and edged to gully where Rhodes claimed a sharp catch above his right shoulder. After lunch, a straight full delivery took out Richard Levi’s middle stump after Levi had settled Northants getting to 41, and a sharp short ball at Adam Rossington’s throat produced a simple catch to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose off the shoulder of the bat.After Josh Cobb’s brief counter-attack, Doug Bracewell slashed Sidebottom to Bell in the gully, Richard Gleeson was bowled for just 1 and and No. 11 Ben Sanderson was pinned lbw second ball to complete Sidebottom’s haul.Northants lost 7 for 46 after lunch in a third successive batting failure after totals of 71 and 142 in the opening round at Lord’s. But unlike that fixture, where a soft green-top made batting perilous, here the toss was contested, both side wanted to bat, and Northants contributed to their own downfall with a slipshod display.After Duckett fell driving loosely to his first delivery, Alex Wakely hooked Chris Wright to long leg and Rob Newton pulled Henry Brookes and gloved a catch to Ambrose to hand Brookes, one of three changes for Warwickshire from the side who drew with Sussex in the opening round, a first County Championship wicket.Levi and Keogh saw Northants through to lunch with Levi producing the strokes of the morning with a sweet cover-drive off Sanderson and a slog-sweep against Jeetan Patel over long-on for six. But Keogh went to pull Patel after lunch, only for the delivery to skid under his bat into his off stump and Cobb, having hit Patel onto the balconies of the old and new pavilions, cut the off spinner to slip.By contrast, Rhodes and Hain were careful to judge the slightly two-paced wicket and took no chances in nudging Warwickshire into three-figures shortly before the close. Hain’s cover-drive off Gleeson was the pick of the strokes and as he held the pose, it confirmed Warwickshire’s dominance of the day.

A few hours of sleep did not make things any easier for New Zealand, but their grace and dignity remained one of the overriding images

Nagraj Gollapudi16-Jul-20194:24

#PoliteEnquiries: Did the best team in the World Cup win the tournament?

“Did I sleep at all?Hmm. I did sleep. I did.”Kane Williamson talks in the dry, wry, inimitable tone of his. We are standing at arm’s length. I am trying hard to find an emotion in the man’s face. This is no ordinary man. This man, this leader of men, lost the World Cup in the cruelest way possible.No, wait.This man saw the World Cup being snatched from New Zealand’s grip by the combined might of cricket’s Laws and the thing that human nature can neither be prepared for nor prevail: fate. If you want to rub it in a bit more, this man had to swallow defeat in a World Cup final for the second successive time, after Brendon McCullum’s New Zealand had lost to Australia.So you ask Kane Williamson: did you sleep?ALSO READ: Umpires made ‘error of judgement’ with overthrows – TaufelWilliamson did. But after a lot of time trying to understand what had happened. After a lot of time chatting with his team-mates in the away dressing room at Lord’s, hours after the World Cup was over. After hours of reflection.That reflection, by his own admission, Williamson says, will not end. Not for some time. It will haunt him and his men. At least for a while. I ask him to try and explain his emotions from the moment cricket was over. “I reckon I sort of explained that to a few people,” Williamson says, nodding his head. “It hits in you in waves. For ten minutes you forget about it, and you make little jokes. And then it comes back to you and you go: ‘Did that just happen? Did it just happen? Is that real or is that just I woke up wondering whether it was a bad dream? It wasn’t. Was it.’ “You want him to cry. He has not, he assures. “Not me.”

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Williamson might have managed to keep his emotions in check but a few of the New Zealand players could not hide theirs. Jimmy Neesham, who was in the middle when Jos Buttler ran out his partner Martin Guptill to deny New Zealand the two runs off the final ball of the Super Over and the World Cup, went down on his knees and might have shed a tear or two. Later Neesham, one of the most intelligent wordsmiths in cricket, summed up his feelings on Twitter succinctly: “Kids, don’t take up sport. Take up baking or something. Die at 60 really fat and happy,” he said in his first post. In a follow-up post, he explained: “That hurts. Hopefully there’s a day or two over the next decade where I don’t think about that last half hour.”Tim Southee, who played the 2015 final, but took a spectacular catch in the deep as a 12th man on Sunday, observed: “What is there to say?”