Cycling through the scenic countryside around Nelson is the best way to experience the New Zealand way of life

Peter Watson21-Nov-2014Biking has become the new cool way to get around while visiting Nelson. Dressed in their distinctive lime-green or orange high-visibility safety gear, people of all ages and levels of fitness are flocking to the region’s many cycle ways and tracks.While Nelson offers some of the best mountain biking in New Zealand, it is the opening of the first sections of the Tasman Great Taste Trail that has really sparked the boom. Though only two-thirds complete, the 175km loop trail is already on the verge of being named one of New Zealand’s great rides. Besides being easy to ride and cutting across some beautiful scenery, it is a safe and leisurely way to sample some of the Nelson-Tasman region’s best food, wine, beer and art.A growing number of tour companies now provide guided and self-guided trips and bike rentals. Most people access the taste trail from the Nelson city end.Here they have two options: They can either cycle 31km through vineyards, market gardens and farmland to the village of Wakefield, or they can do the first 33km stage of the coastal section of the trail to the seaside town of Mapua. This takes them around the edge of the Waimea estuary, which is rich in bird life, over boardwalks and along stop banks to Rabbit Island – an excellent swimming and picnicking beach. It is just a short ferry ride to Mapua with its charming waterfront restaurants, brewery and quirky arts and crafts galleries.Both these trips take on average about three hours one way (depending on how many stops are made at cafés and elsewhere), and are over flat land.From Mapua, the trail heads inland into the Moutere hills, but those making the slow climb past vineyards, olive groves and orchards are rewarded with panoramic views over the Tasman Bay and a quick descent into the town of Motueka, where they can relax and refuel. This 22km section takes about two hours and requires a bit more effort.Don’t end your trip at Motueka, though, because another 14km on is Kaiteriteri, one of the scenic jewels of the region and the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park, famed for its golden sand beaches ringed by lush native bush. The short ride there is a splendid one along the waterfront, through more orchards and up into the forest, before it drops down into picture-perfect Kaiteriteri, which is a great place to swim and sightsee.If you are feeling energetic there is a purpose-built mountain bike park in dense bush above the village, offering an impressive variety of tracks for all skill levels, from wide and gentle to narrow and steep. It is one of six mountain-bike parks in the region, which mirror Nelson’s diverse terrain, ranging from the coast to high in the hills and covering bush, forestry blocks and open tussock land.Within 10km of Nelson city, there are over 30 trails of all types and grades.Codgers Mountain Bike Park, overlooking the city, is a good place to begin, as its trails start in the Brook Valley, just a ten-minute drive away from the central shopping area. It has tracks suitable for beginners and families through to fitness fanatics and downhill thrill-seekers. Based around three hills rising to about 400m, the tracks are well signposted and maintained and take between 30 minutes to two hours each to ride.For the more experienced and fitter bikers, the Dun Mountain Trial – rated one of the country’s top rides – is a must. It follows the route of New Zealand’s first railway up more than 800m above the bush line into an unusual alpine mineral environment, offering sweeping vistas before plunging back down into the city. Take a jacket, your camera and plenty of food and water, and allow all day to enjoy the 43km round trip.A cyclist on the Tasman Great Taste Trail enjoys the quiet solitude of the Moutere hills•Alden Williams/Fairfax MediaThere are many other excellent rides further afield, with one of the best being the Rameka Track, which starts on top of Takaka Hill, where some of the scenes were filmed amidst the limestone outcrops and beech forest. It takes about 90 minutes to get to the start from Nelson city. Before you start your descent, take time to check out Harwoods Hole, at a jaw-dropping 357m the deepest vertical shaft in New Zealand which leads to a major caving system under the mountain.The bike track – situated in the Abel Tasman National Park – is a 19km downhill adrenaline rush through bush and farmland into Takaka, a town noted for its arts and crafts and cruisy ambience. Make sure you stop to take in the stunning views overlooking Golden Bay. Be aware that the twisting track can be challenging, with tree roots, boulders, fallen logs, loose rock and creeks to negotiate.If this is all too strenuous, then Nelson city has a good network of paved cycling paths and underpasses, where you can pedal serenely from café to shop to beach without worrying about traffic, while taking in the sea air and views. It’s a good way to see the city, get some exercise and sharpen your thirst and appetite.

Twitter reactions to AB de Villiers’ record-shattering 31-ball ODI hundred

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2015″Not the worst entertainment from AB right now. Best in the world without a doubt.”
Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor
“Have to say @ABdeVilliers17 is the definition of a Cricketing Genius … absolutely incredible… #31BallTon”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan
“Happy new year @ABdeVilliers17 well played mate”
Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi
“No one ever will beat @ABdeVilliers17 fastest ODI century in just 31 balls #crazyridiculous #genius”
Former Australia batsman Dean Jones
“AB de Villiers has scored 149 runs from 44 balls. That is as preposterous as his name. Remarkable performance!”
Former England footballer Gary Lineker
“Records are there to be broken. Congratulations to AB, it must have been a hell of an innings. To then go on to get 149 off 44 is even more special. I haven’t watched the highlights, but I’d imagine it’s a pretty quick highlights package.”
New Zealand’s Corey Anderson, who scored a century off 36 balls a year ago
“I demand a DNA test of AB DeVilliers…this game is only for humans. #superhuman #WhatAPlayer”
Former India batsman Aakash Chopra
“Are we watching highlights ?! #ABDevilliers #superb #fastestEverything!”
Former Pakistan allrounder Azhar Mahmood
“44 balls for 149 runs!!! Unbelievable batting by the World’s best batsman.”
South African golfer Ernie Els
“SA to play the World Cup in pink after this display?”
Former New Zealand fast bowler Iain O’Brien
“Well played @ABdeVilliers17 unfortunately wasn’t quite enough to get @KNCBcricket out of the record books for conceding highest ever total”
Netherlands batsman Tom Cooper
“World record fastest ODI century – Congrats @ABdeVilliers17!”
Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock
“The term genius gets bandied around loosely in sport but @ABdeVilliers17 completely deserves that status.”
South Africa spinner Robin Peterson
“Congratulations @ABdeVilliers17 for a world record fastest odi hundred. Awesome batting! Unbelievable!!!”
Former India captain Anil Kumble
“@ABdeVilliers17 this guy is a freak . Unbelievable”
Zimbabwe fast bowler Kyle Jarvis
“You don’t often pray to get the bloke with 150 not out on strike when you’re bowling! Well done AB, gentlemen and a class act #carnage”
Former England spinner Ashley Giles
“If ab faced as many balls as Amla he’d be on 450ish”
Australia fast bowler Ben Laughlin

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2015Misbah-ul-Haq was entrusted with the rescue ops, yet again•International Cricket CouncilPakistan had some breathing space when Misbah and Haris Sohail joined hands to raise 54 runs for the third wicket•AFPAfter Haris departed, Umar Akmal injected some urgency into the Pakistan innings•Getty ImagesBut, after putting on 69 runs with Misbah, Akmal perished to a beauty from Sean Williams•AFPAction replay. Two balls later. Only this time the batsman was Shahid Afridi, celebrating his 35th birthday, who was dismissed for a duck•AFPWahab Riaz whacked an unbeaten 46-ball 54 and the late thrust coupled with shoddy catching from Zimbabwe helped Pakistan finish with 235 for 7•Getty ImagesThe Zimbabwe batsmen were left hopping by lively spells from Irfan and Sohail Khan•Associated PressAnd Irfan converted his threat into a wicket, that of Chamu Chibhabha’s, in the fifth over•AFPBut Hamilton Masakadza resisted Pakistan’s battery of left-arm quicks•Getty ImagesAnd Brendan Taylor’s half-century fanned Zimbabwe’s hopes further as they neared their hundred•Getty ImagesMisbah was at the centre of another Pakistan turnaround when he caught Masakadza and broke a 52-run partnership for the third wicket•AFPThen Wahab had Taylor nicking behind to leave Zimbabwe at 128 for 4•AFPIrfan removed Solomon Mire and Craig Ervine to put Pakistan firmly on top•Associated PressAt 166 for 6, Zimbabwe’s injured captain Elton Chigumbura walked out to bat and put the game back in the balance•Associated PressZimbabwe needed 34 off 24 balls when Afridi bowled a maiden•Getty ImagesAnd Wahab finished Zimbabwe off in the final over to end up with 4 for 39 and lead Pakistan to their first win in this World Cup•ICC

Mahela Jayawardene talks about Sri Lanka’s struggles so far in the World Cup, and why their batsmen take as long to bloom as they do

Interview by Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Feb-2015What’s the feeling in the team like after a slow start?

We just have to realise that it’s a long tournament. A World Cup is five to six weeks and you have to build your campaign. We have been telling the boys to be patient and pace themselves. We’ve been playing good cricket throughout the last year and this year as well. The preparation in New Zealand could have been better, but given the injuries and everything that we had, I thought it was still good.Having done so well last year, is it a shock to be in a position where you’re not winning matches?

Not winning is a concern. The important thing is to analyse why we’re not winning, and not panic. Fielding is an aspect we need to improve. In the big crucial games, we need to be more aggressive on the field and make sure we grab on to our chances. With the injuries with the bowling, we need to give them a bit of extra time to get into rhythm. Lasith Malinga and Suranga Lakmal are coming back from injury, and Sachithra Senanayake is coming back into the game as well. With the batting there are a few adjustments as well – a few people batting in different positions. It’s a big change from last year, but change is nothing new to the Sri Lankan team.There’s been a lot of planning for this tournament, but have players lost form as they have arrived at it?

I don’t think people have lost form. Key players have been in and out with injury. Rangana Herath has been bowling really well. Nuwan Kulasekara is there or thereabouts. The part-timers have been doing a job as well. Even in the first game against New Zealand, all three guys who got fifties gave chances. If we had taken those chances, things would have been different. We have to be critical of ourselves there, and be more.Are you drawing on the memory of the past campaigns where things have gone well?

The good thing about this unit is that the same group of players have been around for a long time. We’ve all seen this in tournaments before – how we start slow. In the World T20 and the previous World Cup it was the same. That said, we need to be calmer in certain situations. Thisara Perera is a vital part of our team, and he still hasn’t come right in New Zealand. We need to get him going at some stage. Angelo Mathews had an injury in the New Zealand series, so he’s just getting back into it. There are a lot of components in this team that just need to gel together. If we get that right, we’ll be fine. Individuals are performing, but we need to make a collective effort in the big games.

“The game has evolved over the years, and I don’t think we have as a country. In other countries they have, and they adjust much quicker than our boys”

No one is rating Sri Lanka highly in this tournament. Do you think you have the quality in the squad to win the tournament?

We definitely have the personnel. No one gives us any chance in any tournament. Even back home, people don’t really rate us that high. We’ve come across that often, we’ve fought hard, and we’ve proven a lot of people wrong. We knew that playing these teams in these conditions was going to be tough. We will have our fair share of defeats – that’s a given. It’s not a tournament that you can completely dominate. But the idea is to win those crucial moments and crucial games and get to a position where we can strike.What have Sri Lanka learned, strategy wise, in their time in New Zealand so far?

The weather and the pitches have been good, so the scores have been high. In those seven matches, there were at least one or two that we should have turned around. We were trying different things, whether through injury or experimenting. In that sense it was good – we figured out what we can and can’t use.But tactically, we need to be smarter in these conditions. We will have certain limitations, but within those limitations, we know we can win matches when we play our brand of cricket. We don’t have bowlers who are 6ft 4in, who will get bounce from these tracks, but we have a unit that will create opportunities. We also won a World T20 without power hitters – our only power came from Thisara and Angelo. We go about our game in different ways to teams like South Africa, Australia or New Zealand. But we have skilful batsmen who will be effective playing their way.In Sri Lanka, 300-plus scores are quite rare. Does that background make it harder for you when you come to a tournament like this and 300 is talked of as the par score?

We have to realise why 300 is possible here. Some of the venues are very small, and the two new balls make the last 15 overs tough. It’s about getting though that first 30-35 overs with wickets in hand, then you can accelerate. So you have to pick up early wickets and keep taking them through the middle. You saw New Zealand do that against England. I don’t think it’s tough for us to get 300 with our batting. We came close in a couple of matches against New Zealand, but our finish hasn’t been great.”Lahiru [Thirimanne] will fit in nicely at three when Sangakkara finishes up”•Getty ImagesHaving won a major tournament in the World T20, how has that changed the way the players see this World Cup?

Thinking-wise, it’s changed. We know handling big tournaments is about not panicking. It’s nothing crazy. It’s about building on the things we’ve been doing for years. In the crunch games, you just have to hold everything together. You shouldn’t put added pressure on yourself, because that restricts the way you play. We know we have handled tough situations in big finals, so that belief is there.In the past, Sri Lanka have been trailblazers in terms of limited-overs strategy. Have other teams taken things forward now, with Sri Lanka left to catch up?

There are certain things that we think we can learn from. It all depends on the conditions and our own ability to execute certain tactics. If we try to replicate things other teams are doing, are we going to fall into a trap? We have limitations, as I said, in these conditions. We need to find ways and means of maximising our strengths. We know we need to take wickets up front and through the middle, but the way we go about it could be different to the way other teams do that. Even with the batting, we need to think about how we can finish strongly in that last ten overs, and do it our way.With Lahiru Thirimanne opening now, is there any thought to switching batsmen around to bolster that lower middle order?

I don’t know if changing the line-up is the solution. It’s about the players’ attitude in those situations. Dimuth Karunaratne has been given a role to play and he should have the confidence to do that. Lahiru going up did require a change, but if we try to patch that by moving batsmen around, we might have problems in a different area. The top four or five guys are batting really well, so we’ve been getting good starts, which is important. In the middle order, I thought Jeevan Mendis was batting well in the lead-up games, and he’s given us a little bit of balance. If we can have Thisara batting well and bowling well, he’s a match-winner. He has proven that with the Man-of-the-Match awards he has won. Right now he’s trying to find that form. Till then, we’ve got other combinations and other people.

“I don’t think it’s tough for us to get 300 with our batting. We came close in a couple of matches against New Zealand, but our finish hasn’t been great”

Lahiru himself seems to be able to perform a role wherever he bats. How encouraging is that?

He and Angelo Mathews will probably be the two outstanding batsmen in the years to come. Angie has come a long way. In the last two to three years he’s been a phenomenal player. I don’t know where Lahiru will bat after the World Cup, but I’d say he’d fit in nicely at three when Sanga [Sangakkara] finishes up. We need that steady influence at No. 3, and that’s an ideal place for Lahiru to establish himself. Right now he’s been asked to do a tough job, and he’s trying to execute that.Why is it that Sri Lanka batsmen take a long time to bloom at the top level?

I’ve been harping on about it for a long time: it’s our structure at first-class cricket. The competition at that level is not good enough. They are not being pushed to a level that they develop the mental and technical aspects as good as in other countries. We have the natural talent, but that’s a part of the game we really have to develop. At that level, it’s tough to see whether batsmen have developed or not. Yes, they are scoring runs, but under what situations? Are they put under the same tough pressure that they face at international level? My answer is no. They get exposed quite quickly at this level, and it takes a far longer time when they get to this level. The game has evolved over the years, and I don’t think we have as a country. In other countries they have, and they adjust much quicker than our boys.It’s your last tournament for Sri Lanka. How much is that playing on your mind?

Honestly, I haven’t thought about it. I’m just focusing on the World Cup. It’ll hit me once everything is finished. But because I was preparing for this since my Test retirement, that thought hasn’t affected me at all. Once everything is finished in April and May, when I’m sitting at home, it will hit me that it’s finished.

Shahid Afridi signed off his ODI career with a 15-ball autobiography of an innings – one last display of the average made extraordinary

Andy Zaltzman in Adelaide20-Mar-2015Shahid Afridi the ODI cricketer has quit the stage. The glorious, frustrating, charismatic, powerful, vulnerable, record-breaker, underachiever, champion and serial failer passed into 50-over history with an innings that summarised his batting career with an almost eerie perfection.His final performance as an ODI batsmen – all Afridi innings are performances – was the essence of Afridi in 15 captivating, brilliant, infuriating balls. Pakistan were 124 for 5, after Umar Akmal became the latest in a long and inglorious procession of batsmen to spew away a promising start with a shot of indiscernible thoughtfulness. Afridi’s last seven innings against Australia, since January 2010, had been 1, 2, 0, 7, 5, 2 and 6. His country needed something better on this big occasion. Afridi duly delivered something better. Not better by a significant margin, and not better enough to make a difference, but better, nonetheless.This 15-ball autobiography of an innings had everything you could want from an Afridinnings. Unless you were a Pakistan fan wanting him to make a decisive mark on the match. He paddled his first ball for two off middle stump. Had he missed, he would have been out first ball doing something reckless at a critical moment, the Afridi trademark Risk:Reward computer functioning in its distinctively Afridian way one last time. His second ball he sliced vigorously over backward point for four; to his fifth he skipped out and pelted a majestic drive over the bowler’s head for another boundary.ESPNcricinfo LtdHis eighth ball was his penultimate act of major Afridism, a physics-defying whirlwind of a drive that catapulted an 89-mile-an-hour good-length ball outside off stump into a six over cover. He then played and missed. And played and missed. And played and missed again. Then top-edged a violent attempted swipe over the keeper for four. Amidst the thunderous hammering and the failed swishes, he unveiled a delicate late cut for a single: 23 off 14 balls. The beginnings of a game-changing innings. But then, the final act of major Afridism. Having seen Misbah and Umar piddle away the beginnings of game-changing innings by planking the ball to Aaron Finch at deep midwicket, Afridi – who, after 398 ODIs, must have had an inkling that it might not be a good idea to follow suit – fastened Afridi-like on to a shortish ball from Hazlewood and planked it straight to Aaron Finch at deep midwicket.And that was that. Pakistan’s No. 7 had scored 23, exactly matching both his overall career average in ODIs and his average as a No. 7. The average of all No. 7 batsmen from Test nations collectively during the span of his career is also 23. It was an entirely average innings. He had been majestic, silly, brilliant and flawed in 20 minutes. Shahid Afridi – the average made extraordinary. One-day cricket will miss one of its most captivating players. He has enriched the format, entertained the masses, and been unmissably Afridian for almost two decades.● Afridi famously began his ODI batting career with a record – that 37-ball century against Sri Lanka as an alleged 16-year old. He ended by equalling another record, also remarkable – this was his fifth score in the 20s in this World Cup, in just six innings, equalling the record number of 20s in a World Cup (set by Chamara Silva in 2007, although the Sri Lankan needed ten innings to achieve this not-very-glorious feat).● Overheard in an Adelaide antique shop this morning:Misbah-ul-Haq: “So, genie, how many wishes can I make?”
Genie: “Captain, you can make one wish.”
Misbah: “Okay. In that case, genie, I wish that two Pakistan batsmen score their highest ODI scores in today’s quarter-final…”
Genie: “Captain, your wish is granted.”
Misbah: “But not Ehsan Adil and Rahat Ali.”
Genie: “One wish.”
Misbah: “Oooops.”● This was by far the most intriguing of the quarter-finals so far, albeit that victory was eventually comfortable for Australia, who rode their good fortune impressively during that gripping, gladiatorial hour when Wahab Riaz was bowling like a vengeful left-arm Zeus, the Adelaide crowd was barking its approval, and Steven Smith was batting with calm, magic-handed perfection amidst the maelstrom that seemed to be enveloping his team-mates. If Wahab’s bowling was the most memorable aspect of the game (and one of the major highlights of the entire tournament, as well as unquestionably the finest 2 for 54 off 9 overs I have ever seen), Smith’s innings was the most influential individual performance in deciding the outcome.● A curious statistic. I have seen Pakistan three times in this tournament – against India, West Indies and Australia. I am yet to see them (a) win, (b) bat out 50 overs, or (c) lose a wicket in any other way than caught. In the 10 previous World Cups combined, only two teams had been bowled out exclusively by catches, so to speak (New Zealand v West Indies in 1999, and Pakistan v Ireland in 2007). Pakistan have suffered this fate three times in their seven games in 2015 – the three games that they have lost. All of which suggests: (a) that the 2015 Pakistan team tends to hit the ball in the air towards fielders more often than would be ideal; (b) that if Ahmed Shehzad had deliberately smashed his stumps down when facing the first ball of the match, Pakistan would definitely have won; (c) Pakistan have not been watching and learning from their opponents’ fielding.(Scotland also lost all ten to catches against England in Christchurch, meaning that, in the nine matches I have attended at this World Cup, I have seen twice as many teams lose all ten to catches as a hypothetical omnipresent cricket fan would have seen after attending every single one of the other 387 games in World Cup history.)

Plays of the Day from the IPL game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils in Visakhapatnam

Devashish Fuloria18-Apr-2015The shot and the catch
When Yuvraj Singh swatted Ashish Reddy towards midwicket, there was only one place it was expected to land; over the rope. It had the usual Yuvraj stamp of timing and power but although it flew swiftly over the outfield, it never gained much height. Still, it took a perfectly timed leap at the edge of the boundary from David Warner to pluck a stinger. Warner’s reaction said it all. He roared and hopped a few times, then charged towards his team-mates. Yuvraj returned, his favourite weapon blunted.The sweet and sour comeback
Dale Steyn had expressed in his newspaper column of his desire to be in the Sunrisers squad more than once. Included for their fourth game, all eyes were on him as he came in to bowl the second over of the match. There were no warm-up deliveries: the first one, a quick outswinger, caught the outside edge of Shreyas Iyer’s bat but landed short of the slip cordon. By the second, he was hitting high 140s. A wicket in the first over would have been perfect for the bowler, but with the pitch not offering much pace, the fourth was commandingly driven on the up by Iyer. The wait
Steyn’s wait for a wicket in Sunrisers’ colours was looking to extend to another game. He had bowled with fire but without reward going into his last over. JP Duminy was prepared to take him on, hitting him for a six over wide long-on. Then, off the last delivery of Steyn’s spell, as Duminy went across to off to paddle the full delivery, he only managed to deflect it on to his stumps. Steyn was jubilant and perhaps relieved. After three wicketless games and 18 wicketless overs, Steyn had a result.The save
If you skimmed through the scorecard, you won’t have an inkling that Daredevils won the match due to a remarkable effort in the field by Mayank Agarwal. If Karn Sharma had earned six off the penultimate ball, the scores would have been tied and Karn, a decent batsman, would have been on striker. But Agarwal ensured none of that happened. At the deep point boundary, Agarwal timed his jump superbly to intercept the ball, but as he realised he was falling over, he pushed the ball back in the field of play, preventing a certain six. With five needed off the last ball, Sunrisers could only get one.Warner’s double-strike
No, not his consecutive boundaries in the sixth over. This double-strike did not fetch him a run. Warner had lofted the first ball of the sixth over, bowled by Domnic Muthuswami, back over the the bowler’s head and was eyeing that area again next ball. But his tennis forehand played back down the pitch was a bit too straight and, to the good fortune of the umpire, uprooted two of the stumps from their pegs. It was hit so hard that the bowler did not get time to react while Shikhar Dhawan remained stuck outside the crease.

A frustrating wait due to the preceding rain robbed fans of a full fare but they were not entirely short-changed in the end. Here are five men and moments which kept fans entertained

Nagraj Gollapudi in Mohali13-May-2015Saha makes the opening statementWhy did Kings XI wait for their penultimate match to play Wriddhiman Saha as an opener? Virender Sehwag, Murali Vijay and Manan Vohra failed consistently yet the Kings XI think tank never once thought of pushing Saha, one of their best top order batsman last season, to face the new ball. Saha did play a few matches as No. 3 but was constantly shuffled lower down the order.With Sehwag continuing to sit out and Vijay dropped on Wednesday evening, Saha did not waste time declaring his intent. Even Mitchell Starc, the best fast bowler this IPL, was dominated in the first over of the match. A full toss on the legs, Saha flicked it strongly for a four and then played a bold stroke by pulling Starc from outside the off stump for another four.But Saha took 20 runs in the next over by S Aravind, who was Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Man-of-the-Match the last time the teams met. In fact Saha got out trying to charge Aravind in that away match in Bangalore. Today, Saha just made use of the slower pace of Aravind to hit powerful boundaries including a straight six. Saha perished on the first ball of the third over, but his 31 runs was the highest score for a batsman on either team.Maxwell loses itSaha’s fireworks tilted the balance straightaway in Kings XI’s favour. Even though Vohra, having failed to read Harshal Patel’s slower ball, holed out to an easy catch in the deep, 50 for 1 was a dominant position. Glenn Maxwell has failed miserably this IPL and the opposition don’t really have to do much to outthink the maverick Australian allrounder.And so it was the case on Wednesday evening: the first ball he faced Maxwell tried to reverse sweep David Wiese as if he was swatting an irritating mosquito droning around his ear. He missed badly. Next ball he tried to casually charge down but got an inside edge. Then the immediate ball after Vohra’s exit, Maxwell picked the length and line quickly as he moved outside off stump to pull over midwicket for a four. Attempting the stroke once again the very next ball, Maxwell sulked in disbelief at his erroneous decision as a simple catch went to AB de Villiers on the rope.And then Miller too…Maxwell’s brain fades are famous. But one would expect something wiser from David Miller, who nearly took Kings XI home in a high-scoring match against Sunrisers Hyderabad which they lost narrowly by five runs after the South African’s rallying charge came a bit too late.Today, Miller had just hit consecutive straight sixes against Royal Challengers’ legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Yet on the next ball he showed his hand prematurely while getting out of the crease, thereby allowing Chahal to send the ball wide of the off stump. Dinesh Karthik picked the ball nicely to knock off the bails and catch Miller embarrassed. These twin acts of madness only further enhanced Saha’s cameo at the top.Sandeep cuts short GayleIf there was a ball of the day it must be handed to Sandeep Sharma. In order for Royal Challengers to win, it was imperative Chris Gayle not just bat deep but also hit at least one big boundary every over. He had taken 10 runs off Sandeep’s first over, but thereafter was kept in check. The asking rate had climbed to nearly 12 runs an over when Sandeep started the fifth over.He delivered two wides but had not offered any room for Gayle or de Villiers to punish him. On the fourth delivery Sandeep decided to go round the stumps. He then banged it short of length. Gayle stepped out to pull. But he was taken completely by surprise as the ball rushed on to him before taking an edge. It was a knockout punch delivered without any warning.Hendricks seals the issueBeuran Hendricks was the man who closed the gates on the opposition today by making sure of three things: he did not offer any width to the Royal Challengers’ openers, varied his pace smartly and delivered yorkers accurately. Six runs in his first over was not a bad start at all. By the time he returned for his final over, the visitors needed 38 from the final three overs. Mandeep Singh and Dinesh Karthik are diminutive but can easily pack a powerful punch.Hendricks did not care today as he cleverly took the pace off the ball and then kept the batsmen rooted in the crease with fuller or yorker-length deliveries. Karthik advanced against one such delivery which had pitched on the fourth stump and edged into the hands of Saha. Just five runs came off the eighth over, including two leg byes, with Hendricks finishing as the most economical bowler on the day: 2-0-9-1.

Plays of the day from the IPL 2015 final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings

Devashish Fuloria24-May-2015The reverse flick
Surely Faf du Plessis did not plan it. He charged in from mid-on to try and prevent a single but as he bent forward to pick up the ball, he was almost side-on with the stumps at non-striker’s. With Parthiv Patel struggling to make ground, du Plessis reverse-flicked the ball towards the stumps, more in hope than anything. To Parthiv’s horror, the ball floated towards the stumps and took the bails off, sending the Super Kings fielders into a frenzy.The free-hit
R Ashwin overstepping on his second delivery did not impress MS Dhoni. That ball was defended to the leg side but Dhoni charged towards it and fired a wild throw at the non-striker’s end which wasn’t too far from Ashwin. If there was a message there, it did not get across as Ashwin served up a juicy full-toss that was smashed over his head for a six.The Eden connection
Rohit Sharma loves playing at the Eden Gardens; it’s almost as if knows the dimensions like the back of his hand. Today, after not being able to score off his first two balls, he went for an upper cut that seemed to go high rather than long. Ashish Nehra, placed at third-man, was however helpless as the shot comfortably cleared the boundary and kickstarted a stunning counter.The first ball
Not much had gone Super Kings’ way after a successful opening over. Rohit and Lendl Simmons century stand had left them stunned. With all his bowlers being taken for runs, MS Dhoni tossed the ball to Dwayne Smith, who hadn’t bowled in this IPL until today. Smith has had a below-par season and has been a liability in the field – he would drop a simple chance later – but produced the goods straightaway. Simmons tried to squeeze a yorker but missed it, the ball kissing the outside half of the off stump.

Stats highlights of the first day’s play between Bangladesh and South Africa in Chittagong

Bishen Jeswant21-Jul-20151:28

By the numbers – Mustafizur Rahman’s rare feat

0 Number of times Bangladesh have beaten South Africa in eight previous Tests. In fact, South Africa achieved innings victory in seven of those Tests – four at home and three in Bangladesh.1 Number of previous instances where each of South Africa’s top-three batsmen made 30-plus scores without getting to 50. Dean Elgar, Stiaan van Zyl and Faf du Plessis were dismissed on 47, 34 and 48 respectively. The only previous time this happened was against West Indies in 2010.0 Number of Tests umpire Joel Wilson previously officiated. However, he has stood in 21 ODIs and 16 T20Is. He is the first Test umpire from the West Indies since Billy Doctrove, who last officiated a Test match in the year 2012.98 Number of consecutive Tests played by AB de Villiers, the most for any South African player. The Chittagong match was the first Test de Villiers was missing for South Africa, and he holds the record for the most consecutive Tests from debut.4-37 Mustafizur Rahman’s figures in the first innings, the second best by a Bangladesh fast bowler on Test debut. Manjural Islam had figures of 6 for 81 against Zimbabwe in 2001. Mustafizur was also the fourth bowler to take three wickets – Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock – in an over on debut after Darren Sammy, Graham Onions and James Pattinson (since 2001).3 Number of Bangladesh bowlers who have taken three wickets in an over in a Test – Sohag Gazi, Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur. Gazi picked up a hat-trick against New Zealand in 2013, while Shakib (against South Africa, 2008) and Mustafizur bagged three wickets off four balls. Bangladesh’s Alok Kapali has also taken a Test hat-trick against Pakistan (2003), but spread over two overs.86 South Africa’s average opening stand against Bangladesh, their best against any team in Tests. South Africa’s openers have posted a 50-plus stand against Bangladesh in six out of ten innings. Elgar and Van Zyl put on 58 in Chittagong..1 Number of innings in which no South African batsman has made a 50-plus score against Bangladesh – at Dhaka in 2008. Temba Bavuna scored 54 in South Africa’s first innings to prevent a second such instance.

Soumya Sarkar’s run-out and his exquisite shots among plays of the day from the first ODI between Bangladesh and India

Mohammad Isam and Alagappan Muthu18-Jun-2015The collision
In the 25th over of the chase, MS Dhoni came into contact with the bowler Mustafizur Rahman while running between the wickets. It was not the first time in the game that the Bangladesh debutant had got in the way of an Indian batsman. Rohit had to run around the bowler as well earlier in the innings. Dhoni, however, held his line and thudded his left arm into Mustafizur who then had to leave the field for a bit. In this case, the bigger person did not fall harder.The three-peat
When Soumya Sarkar was going great, the last thing one would have expected to see was a run-out. But that’s what exactly happened in the 14th over when he and Tamim Iqbal had a fatal miscommunication. Tamim dug out the yorker but his tumble over was taken as a start for a run by Soumya who went ahead too far. Suresh Raina’s direct hit ended his promising innings. This was the third time the two were involved in a run-out, with Sarkar falling victim each time.The mimic
A free-flowing left-hand batsman. A dibbly-dobbly right-arm seamer. Launched his cricket career with a century at Eden Gardens playing for Bangladesh U-17s. That’s Soumya Sarkar’s Sourav Ganguly connection. His batting in Mirpur teased other comparisons as well. He stood tall to a back of length delivery, with the bat hoisted over his shoulder. Then it came down like the gentlest of hammers. The front-foot pull a la Yuvraj Singh, merging timing and power. When he got a proper short ball, Sarkar stayed beside it, waited until it passed him and opened the face to propel the ball to the third-man boundary and reach his fifty, off 38 balls. A Virender Sehwag shot helping him maintain a Virender Sehwag pace.Double duty
India’s quicks were leaking again. With R Ashwin and Suresh Raina bowing well, MS Dhoni felt taking pace off the ball was the best option. So he tossed the ball to Virat Kohli and packed the leg side. Two overs for 12 didn’t quite bring out the squeeze India wanted. Kohli was taken off, but he wasn’t found at any of his usual fielding posts. He was behind the stumps with Dhoni’s gloves and no pads. Like in Johannesburg when the India captain fancied a bowl late on the fourth day. This time though Dhoni was simply visiting the dressing room for an over. To add to the strangeness of that short period of play, a relatively assured Shakib Al Hasan found a way to get caught off a short ball.The set-up?
It pays to be a good sweeper. Very little can frustrate a spinner as much for you are getting runs and throwing him off his length as well. Sabbir Rahman enhances that strategy with his power. Ravindra Jadeja complicates it by bowling quick and flat. Cue a good contest. The batsman missed his first attempt and the off stump was left standing by the smallest margin. The second one, as a result of the ball being wider and tossed up a tad more, skimmed away to the midwicket boundary. By now Jadeja’s begun glaring at Sabbir. The angry full, fast delivery came, slipped through that trusty sweep and toppled the off stump.The premature decision
Umpire Rod Tucker raised his finger as soon as Mashrafe Mortaza turned to appeal, once Shikhar Dhawan, on 15, edged the ball to the wicketkeeper in the tenth over. The trouble was, Mushfiqur Rahim dropped a second successive catch in as many overs. After he had dropped a regulation chance of the same batsman off Rubel Hossain, Mushfiqur leapt to his right but could not hold on to the edge.There was confusion as Tucker had presumptuously given Dhawan out without seeing if Mushfiqur took the catch cleanly or not. Just as Mushfiqur went to his right and landed on the ground, the ball popped out of his gloves, but Tucker had not waited until then. Nasir Hossain then tried to run the batsman out who had walked out of his crease, on his way to the dressing room, but play was dead by then. Bangladesh had missed Dhawan twice in two overs.