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Sam Curran, the England Under-19 allrounder, said his initiation into top flight cricket came much earlier than expected, but hopes the first-class experience will help him and his teammates in their quest to win the Under-19 World Cup

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong28-Jan-2016Sam Curran is living the dream of every young cricketer: suddenly picked out of nondescript cricket to play in the big leagues with a great of the game, and now touring abroad to represent his country at an international tournament. It’s not exactly a scene straight out of the Hollywood flick , because despite how young Curran comes across, he is nothing like the 12-year-old protagonist in the film.Sam was the second-youngest debutant for Surrey last season, when he was plucked out of the Second Eleven Championship to play T20s. Now, after just six first-class matches for Surrey, which he has played alongside his older brother Tom, he is now considered one of the most talented junior cricketers in England.Ahead of England Under-19s’ second World Cup match against West Indies on Friday, Curran reflected on his elevation, which he termed “heady, but exciting.””I think everything came a bit faster than I thought,” Curran told ESPNcricinfo. “There were couple of injuries in the Surrey team and I got the call-up. I just went from game to game, and they came very quickly. I thought I was dreaming when I was playing with someone like Kumar Sangakkara.”Quite a few us here have played first-class cricket, especially Dan [Lawrence] and Jack [Burnham] who got hundreds against Fiji. I think there are eight of us who have played first-class matches, so it gives us the experience that we can share with the other guys because we are playing in conditions lot different than we are used to in the UK.”Curran was born in England but moved back to Zimbabwe when his father Kevin Curran was made Zimbabwe’s head coach in 2005. As is the case with many cricketers, his game flourished while playing backyard cricket, even though it meant he only got to bowl to his older brothers. Nonetheless, he says it was a happy childhood until three years ago when his father passed away.”My dad was the main inspiration for us brothers,” he said. “We brothers were very competitive in garden cricket. I used to be the main bowler because obviously the older brothers used to take most of the time batting. I got my turn at the end for two minutes and they would hit the ball over the tennis court and it was game over. All good fun though, now that we look back as we are a bit older. Obviously the tragedy of what happened to my father got us to move back to the UK. I think now it couldn’t have worked better with the cricket.”Bring up the names of Sangakkara and Alec Stewart, and the child-like enthusiasm and excitement in Sam surfaces. He also admires Jade Dernbach and Tom, his older brother, immensely for the role they have played in shaping him as a cricketer.”Jade and Tom have been great with me,” he said. “We are a bowlers’ union. Jade has helped me in white-ball cricket. He is one of the most skillful bowlers. When batters are coming hard at me, he just tells me to take my time and think about what I am going to bowl. Tom does [check on me] now and again. He is in the UAE now with the Lions. Both of them are very supportive and we catch up now and again.”Curran also looks up to Wasim Akram, quite obviously because he is also a left-arm quick, and Brett Lee for the aggression. “Wasim Akram is someone, and then Brett Lee. He is quite a big one for me. I also wear the No 58 as he did,” he gushed. “I just loved his aggression. For my batting, Kumar Sangakkara has helped me. Probably in a few years, I see myself batting at No 6 in the allrounder’s spot like I am doing for the U-19s now.”Serious talks aside, Sam also joked about how he and his older brother often keep arguing about who is the better batsman. “We have had this argument before. I think, depends… I am probably a better four-day batsman and he is probably better in the one-day stuff,” he laughed. “He is a bit stronger than me but in a couple of years down the line, I will get up the order and he can bat at No 11.”Curran’s rapid rise has made him adjust to life as a cricketer, be it age-group or as a pro, and as a student at Wellington College. His plate is full at the moment, with his immediate challenge being the ongoing Under-19 World Cup, a tournament England are yet to win since 1998. “Obviously the dream is to play for England but I want to take it one at a time,” Curran said. “Even last winter, I thought I would play a couple of second team games.”It all kicked off from nowhere. My main aim over the next couple of weeks is to win the U-19 World Cup. It is our dream. Then I want to go back to Surrey and do well. I have to finish my A-levels this May and I have just signed a three-year contract with Surrey. Hopefully that’s where I will be for the rest of the time I would play cricket.”

Sri Lanka Cricket has postponed the player draft of the second season of Sri Lanka Premier League by six days till July 20, the tournament’s chief executive officer Ajith Jayasekara has said

Sa'adi Thawfeeq14-Jul-2013Sri Lanka Cricket has postponed the player draft of the second season of Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) by six days to July 20, the tournament’s chief executive officer Ajith Jayasekara has said.The player draft was scheduled for July 14 but Jayasekara said, “We have extended the time for all the franchises to pay up their fees to SLC and to Somerset Entertainment Ventures before the players’ draft can be held.”Somerset Entertainment Ventures is SLC’s promotion partner for the league.”We have given them a deadline till Tuesday evening [July 16] after which we will terminate their contracts and open tenders for next year,” Jayasekara said.Jayasekara also stated that the second season of SLPL would go ahead as scheduled from August 10 to September 7 even if the number of teams is reduced from its present strength of seven.Several international players like Chris Gayle, Mushfiqur Rahim and members of the South African team, who will be touring Sri Lanka later this week, are said to have indicated their willingness to participate in the tournament.

Ian Bell’s comeback hundred set up England for a comprehensive victory in the first one-day international against West Indies

The Report by Andrew McGlashan16-Jun-2012England 288 for 6 (Bell 126) beat West Indies 172 (Smith 56, Bresnan 4-34) by 114 runs (D/L method)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIan Bell’s first boundary was a straight six off Andre Russell•Getty Images

Ian Bell won the battle of the replacement openers in the first one-day international as he marked his return to England’s 50-over side with his second ODI hundred – nearly five years after his previous one – to earn the home side an early series advantage with a 114-run victory. Initially West Indies threatened in the chase with Dwayne Smith filling the void left by Chris Gayle’s late injury but England’s quicks burst through either side of a rain delay.In some neat symmetry this was the same ground (albeit with a different name) where Bell made his only other ODI hundred – against India in 2007 – and this time he reached three figures from a lively 95 balls to suggest that the hole left by Kevin Pietersen’s retirement will not be as vast as some had envisaged. A day after suffering a suspected fractured jaw, and needing 10 stitches after being hit in the nets, there was barely a false shot in the innings until he top-edged a slower ball from Dwayne Bravo when level with his career best having played gracefully to show, yet again, that one-day cricket is not all about brute force.The opening partnership did not flourish with Alastair Cook was caught behind third ball against Ravi Rampaul but Bell ensured that the team’s recent run of ODI hundreds continued; this was the fifth match in a row that one of the openers had reached three figures after the back-to-back efforts of Cook and Pietersen against Pakistan in the UAE.England’s final total of 288 for 6 was less than they may have hoped for after 30 overs when they were 163 for 3, but was still the second highest score batting first at this venue – and England’s highest – after Craig Kieswetter produced some late boundaries along with Stuart Broad in a useful 43-run stand off 34 balls.After the early loss of Lendl Simmons, Smith’s innings included three boundaries in four deliveries against Steven Finn, the second of which was a pick-up over deep square-leg, and went past fifty off 38 balls. Longevity, though, has never been Smith’s strength and and aiming another shot through the legs side got an edge off Bresnan. In one sense he had done his job, but it was also a missed opportunity to build a long innings. Bresnan struck again in his next over when he won an lbw against Denesh Ramdin – batting at No. 3 after Darren Bravo picked up a groin injury in the field – after the wicketkeeper had lurched to 22.West Indies continued to play their shots with both Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo collecting early boundaries but as rain started to fall Finn struck in the first over of his second spell by squaring up Bravo with a full delivery. In that one moment West Indies went from being ahead of the D/L par score to being behind it. The margin became even greater when Eoin Morgan plucked out Kieran Pollard’s fierce cut at backward point. When Samuels clipped James Anderson to midwicket shortly after an hour’s delay for rain, West Indies’ last hope had gone. In total they lost 9 for 77 in 18 overs.

Smart stats

• England’s 114-run win is their largest ever against West Indies in ODIs. Their previous highest is the 89-run win in Adelaide in 1987.

• The win is also England’s second-largest in Southampton after the 121-run win over Pakistan in 2010. Since 2005, West Indies have lost by a margin of 100-plus runs ten times.

• England’s total of 288 is their fifth-highest against West Indies and their second-highest against West Indies at home. The total is the joint-highest for England in ODIs in Southampton.

• Ian Bell equalled his highest score in ODIs (126) with his century. He has now scored 3360 runs at an average of 35.00.

• Bell’s 126 is the fourth-highest score by an England player against West Indies and second-highest against West Indies in home ODIs. Marcus Trescothick is on top for his 130 in 2004.

• The 108-run stand between Bell and Jonathan Trott is the second century stand for the second wicket for England against West Indies. The highest is 144 between Graeme Hick and Michael Atherton in 1995.

• Tim Bresnan’s 4 for 34 is the fourth-best bowling performance for England against West Indies. The best is Andrew Flintoff’s 5 for 19 in 2009. It is also Bresnan’s third haul of four or more wickets.

The foundation of England’s total was laid by a second-wicket stand of 108 between Bell and Jonathan Trott, Warwickshire team-mates who used their understanding well to run hard between the wickets against some lacklustre West Indian fielding. The boundaries had been pushed right to edge of the playing area in anticipation of West Indies’ power-packed batting order.After the early loss of Cook, Bell gave England momentum when he took 18 off Andre Russell’s third over which began with a sublime straight six and continued with three further boundaries around the ground. Pietersen, who tweeted support to his former team-mates during the day, could not have done it any better.Bell had a nervous moment on 23 when Rampaul was convinced he had found the outside edge but umpire Richard Kettleborough said not out. Hot Spot did not show anything on replay although Snicko suggested at a thin edge. Two balls later Bell responded with a rasping square cut as Rampaul dropped short and wide.Bell’s timing and placement was effortless, but the going was tougher for Trott who had collected an early boundary through midwicket but had to wait until the 16th over for his second when Bravo drifted into the pads. As in the final Test, Sunil Narine did not overly trouble the top order – at one stage being reverse swept by Trott – but did break the partnership when Trott was caught behind cutting.It was spin (or rather slow bowling) that continued to keep West Indies in touch when Ravi Bopara edged a cut against Samuels to end his first international innings of the season following injury. Samuels also claimed the important wicket of Morgan who chopped into his stumps after a promising start to his innings and a stand of 51 in eight overs with Bell. After a debilitating winter in all formats and an IPL spent warming the bench Morgan looked in decent form and with a far less pronounced squat at the crease than on his previous appearance. After the success of Bell, significant runs for Bopara and Morgan are the next boxes England will be looking to tick.

Ben Stokes rewrote Durham’s one-day record books with a superb unbeaten 150 but still finished up on the losing side after Warwickshire stepped up their defence of their Clydesdale Bank 40 title at Edgbaston

22-May-2011
ScorecardBen Stokes rewrote Durham’s one-day record books with a superb unbeaten 150 but still finished up on the losing side after Warwickshire stepped up their defence of their Clydesdale Bank 40 title at Edgbaston.Stokes’ innings was the highest by a Durham batsman in one-day cricket, surpassing the 145 that former England batsman John Morris made against Leicestershire in a Benson and Hedges Cup match 16 years ago.However, Warwickshire’s batsmen also enjoyed themselves on a flat pitch to seal a seven-wicket win. Ireland captain William Porterfield and Varun Chopra launched the run chase with an opening stand of 144 in 18 overs and Mohammad Yousuf and Darren Maddy accelerated Warwickshire to their fourth win in six matches with an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 109.Chopra passed 1,000 runs in all cricket this season in his stylish 80, made from just 70 balls – although he was outscored by Porterfield, who turned a 30-ball 50 into 84 from just 51 balls. Last week Porterfield and Chopra shared a Warwickshire one-day record opening stand of 189 against Leicestershire – and a severely-depleted Durham attack was no match for them today.Durham managed to dislodge the openers and Jim Troughton but there was no respite for their bowlers as Yousuf swept Warwickshire to victory with 21 balls to spare, with a brutal unbeaten 74 from 55 balls. The visitors’ total of 286 for three was their highest one-day score against Warwickshire and it owed much to Stokes and support from Gordon Muchall and Dale Benkenstein.Muchall passed 50 for the fifth time in six matches this season and shared a third-wicket stand of 157 in 24 over with Stokes before he holed out to long-on aiming for his second six. Benkenstein played a resourceful innings, with 42 not out from 27 balls, while Stokes was at his most aggressive.The 19-year-old left-hander used superb timing and brute strength to flay a toiling Warwickshire attack as he accelerated a run-a-ball half-century to an 88-ball century and 150 from just 113 balls when he scrambled a single from the last ball of the innings.His seven sixes included an audacious reverse paddle off slow left-armer Paul Best, which landed halfway up the Eric Hollies Stand. Stokes, who toured the West Indies with England Lions earlier this year, also drove Maddy for a six out of the ground over long-on in an innings of controlled aggression.

Murali Kartik made his first significant contribution as Somerset’s overseas player as they completed a nine-wicket victory over Warwickshire at Taunton

26-May-2010
ScorecardMurali Kartik made his first significant contribution as Somerset’s overseas player as they completed a nine-wicket victory over Warwickshire at Taunton. Playing in only his second County Championship match for the county, the Indian left-arm spinner took 6 for 61, including five third-day wickets, as the visitors crumbled from an overnight 111 for 3 to 207 all out shortly after lunch.That left Somerset with a target of only 45 to record their second successive win in the competition, a target they reached in the 11th over. Warwickshire began the day still 52 runs short of making Somerset bat again, but their remaining middle order batsmen departed to inappropriate attacking shots.Jim Troughton became Kartik’s first victim of the day, lbw trying to pull a short ball that kept low, and Rikki Clarke had already been dropped at slip by Marcus Trescothick before also falling lbw attempting to sweep the spinner. Tim Ambrose was caught at second slip by Zander de Bruyn aiming an expansive drive at Kartik and at 141 for 6, Warwickshire were still 22 behind.It was 163 for 7 when Chris Woakes was caught behind pushing forward to a
turning delivery and Kartik made it five wickets for the morning when bowling Ant Botha with one that kept low.The game would have been over before lunch had it not been for a ninth-wicket stand of 20 between Imran Tahir and Boyd Rankin. Tahir was subjected to a succession of short-pitched balls by Alfonso Thomas, but swung lustily to hit four fours and a six in his 23 before being caught at backward point by Arul Suppiah off the same bowler.It was 207 for 9 at lunch and in the first over after the interval Charl
Willoughby bowled Rankin for 12. Willoughby finished with 2 for 41, but it was Kartik who did the job he was brought in to do by running through the opposition in the second innings of a Championship fixture.When Somerset batted again, Trescothick smashed a quick 30, including two
sixes, before being bowled by Tahir trying to win the game with another six. By then his side were on the verge of 21 points, while their opponents had to be content with three.

Baartman successfully defended seven runs in the 20th over to give SA a stirring come-from-behind win

Madushka Balasuriya14-Jun-20243:06

Morkel: Nepal’s bowling made life difficult for SA

It was heartbreak for Nepal and their fans in Kingstown, as they fell short by only one run against South Africa in a nail-biting encounter.Fans and players alike were in tears since the result also eliminated Nepal from Super Eight contention at the T20 World Cup 2024. South Africa made a clean sweep of the group stage with four wins in four, riding on Tabraiz Shamsi’s 4 for 19 that dragged them back with a stunning 18th over.But for so very long, the game seemed Nepal’s to lose. Their spinners had spun a web to limit South Africa to a subpar 115 for 7 – even on a difficult, turning track – and then with the bat had brought the equation down to 25 needed off 30 balls, with seven wickets in hand.Related

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Shamsi though, in for Keshav Maharaj, turned the game with a double-wicket 18th over, including that of the set Aasif Sheikh (42 off 49). The dots that followed raised the required rate, but two powerful late strikes from Sompal Kami and 18-year-old Gulsan Jha took the game down to two off two balls. But Ottneil Baartman bowled two dots as Nepal failed to get bat on the ball both times, and a desperate attempt at a last-gasp run left them inches short in the end.

SA’s overly cautious start

Possibly scarred by their earlier outings in the tournament, South Africa began the game a touch too cautiously, and in the process batted conservatively when conditions for batting were at their best.While their 38 for 1 in the powerplay was their best of the tournament, South Africa were guilty of waiting for loose deliveries instead of putting the bowlers off their lines early on. Nepal for their part, rarely strayed in their lines and lengths and once the spinners took hold, they never looked back.

Nepal spinners make SA crumble

Sandeep Lamichhane’s first delivery spat 6.2 degrees as it gripped and turned past Reeza Hendricks’ defence, and that set the tone as South Africa rarely looked comfortable against the turning ball from that point on. While Lamichhane would end wicketless, his probing spell went for just 18 runs in his first outing of the tournament in Nepal’s first game outside the USA. But in Dipendra Singh Airee (3 for 21) and Kushal Bhurtel (4 for 19), Nepal had enough overs of spin to exploit the conditions, with the pair accounting for all seven South African wickets.2:32

Morkel: South Africa need to have more intensity with bat

South Africa did their best to negotiate the conditions with a steady approach, but despite run-a-ball stands of 22 and 46 for the first two wickets, they struggled to up their gears. Only Tristan Stubbs, who scored 27 in 18 balls from No. 8, scored at a strike rate of over 100.In all, Nepal bowled spin for 14 overs, including the final over of the innings. There Bhurtel grabbed two wickets for nine runs, and Nepal had conceded only 58 runs in the back end for six wickets, after conceding only 57 in the first ten.

Sah, Aasif steady the chase

Nepal were provided an early reprieve when Kagiso Rabada dropped a catch. After that, Nepal opted for risk-free cricket as they lumbered to 32 at the end of the powerplay without losing a wicket. With spin playing such a pivotal role though, Shamsi’s introduction was always going to prove critical in the game and so it proved.In just his first over he disturbed the stumps of both Bhurtel and Rohit Paudel to bring South Africa roaring back into the game. After seeing out Shamsi’s next over, both Aasif and Anil Sah sought to rebuild. Sah was the first to raise the ante as a pair of boundaries off Anrich Nortje boosted their rate, before a six off Shamsi brought about genuine belief of a win. Sheikh joined in an over later taking Rabada for six and four, with the pair reaching their fifty partnership off just 36 deliveries.

Shamsi’s 18th-over heist

With just one frontline spinner in the XI, South Africa knew they’d have to time Shamsi’s reintroduction perfectly. Aiden Markram, with his part-time offbreaks, had ended the Sah-Sheikh stand, but Airee was determined to stick in with the set Sheikh.But enter Shamsi. His third delivery of the 18th turned down the leg side, but Airee’s attempted pull got a feather touch to Quinton de Kock. So light was the touch that Airee reviewed thinking he hadn’t touched it. Shamsi then grabbed the big fish off his final delivery, ripping one through Aasif’s bat and pad to clatter into the stumps. By the time he was done, Nepal needed 16 off 12.

Baartman holds his nerve

Shamsi’s over was backed up by Nortje, who bowled four consecutive dots to start the penultimate over – including one which took off the top of Kushal Malla’s middle stump. That left Nepal needing 16 off eight, with them needing at least one big hit before it got too late.Kami then unleashed a monstrous 105-metre pull that sent the ball sailing out of the stands to bring the equation down to eight off the final over. When the teenager Jha found a boundary over cover to make it four runs off three balls, the Nepal fans stood up, with their phones out, to capture a potentially historic moment.A hard-run two off the next delivery showed that Nepal understood the brief precisely, but a pair of expertly executed slower bouncers by Baartman off the final two deliveries proved too good to get away.A desperate run off a bye off the final ball might have led to a Super Over, but as the ball deflected off Jha, it was picked up by Heinrich Klaasen lurking near the stumps and he flicked to the non-striker’s end. Jha was short and Nepal were out.

A week’s holiday in Dubai gives batter chance to clear his mind after Test series in NZ

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2023Ben Duckett says that he is committed to taking every available opportunity to represent England across all three formats, after crediting the laissez-faire attitude of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes in the Test team for his successful return to international cricket this winter.By his own admission, Duckett, now 28, “probably wasn’t ready for international cricket” back in 2016-17, when he made his Test and ODI debuts on England’s tours of Bangladesh and India. Seven years later, however, he’s so relaxed about the experience, he was even able to prepare for last week’s return to the white-ball set-up by spending a couple of days “on a sun lounger” in Dubai.That brief stint of R&R came as the Test squad disbanded after their thrilling one-run loss to New Zealand in Wellington, which was also Duckett’s first defeat in five appearances since his recall for the Pakistan tour in December. In that time he has averaged an impressive 56.44 at the top of the order, and was enthusiastic about carrying that same mindset into this week’s first T20I against Bangladesh in Chattogram.”It’s ridiculously different,” Duckett said of his experience in the Test set-up. “The way that they make everyone feel is something that I never thought would be the case in Test cricket. It’s almost like you’re playing a friendly, you’re actually going out and playing a Test match and it’s that relaxed, and that’s how you’re going to get players to perform at their best.”The first thing Baz said to me in Pakistan was: ‘Just enjoy it, you’re going to get a good run’. To hear that as an opening batsman before your first Test back makes you not nervous and you can go out there and play your way rather than looking for a score.”And I think the big thing in that dressing-room is – whatever the noise is outside that dressing room, no one cares. It’s everything in that dressing room and almost you’ve got that backing, it feels like there’s a squad of players now that seems like they’re going to keep for a little while, especially while things are going well. Previously, you’re fearing for every single game, if you get no runs, you might get dropped the next game.”Duckett took a similarly phlegmatic attitude to his innings of 20 from 13 balls in England’s six-wicket loss in the first T20I. “I tried to stick to my strengths. It went all right and then I missed one,” he said.”The one thing I’ve been lucky with is, because of how I play, it doesn’t really change throughout the formats. You see these guys who are whacking the ball out of the ground and then they’ve got to go and play Test cricket and it’s a massive difference, where my mentality in all three formats is to see ball, hit ball. And now against spin, sweeping it both ways in all formats – and I’ve got the full backing from all of the squads.”I’ve matured as a cricketer,” he added. “It’s realising what works for me, understanding what my strengths are. Seven years ago I might have tried to hit Shakib [Al Hasan] for six over long-on, now I know all I have to do is hit the ball in front of square leg and it’s four runs. The small taste I had back then, I was very young and probably wasn’t ready. I think that comes with age and most batters are at their best when they get to the age of 28, 29.”Related

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Duckett is one of only four England players to have featured in all three formats this winter, and it’s been quite the round-the-world trip – encompassing campaigns in Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and now Bangladesh – which is all the more reason why he had no qualms about dropping everything for a week and lying low with his girlfriend in the UAE between red- and white-ball campaigns, rather than fretting about the challenge of switching formats.His long wait for a second chance with England was also a key factor in his decision to opt out of the big-money opportunities on the franchise circuit this winter – including the on-going Pakistan Super League, which caused a number of England’s players, including Alex Hales, to withdraw their availability for the Bangladesh series.”I spoke to someone a month ago about people resting and pulling out of stuff,” he said. “For me, the focus is on the chance to play all three formats for England. And that’s going to be my focus for as long as I’m in the squad.”Don’t get me wrong, if I’ve got a month next winter and I get offered a lot of money, I’m probably going to go and play in it, as most of us would. But you can play all these leagues around the world in a few years’ time, right now I’m solely focused on playing as much for England as I can. That break I had was potentially a good thing for me, and it’s made me so hungry now to take every single chance I get.”

The competition was originally scheduled for 2021 in Bangladesh but was deferred to 2023 owing to the pandemic

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2022Geoff Allardice, the ICC CEO, has confirmed that the inaugural edition of the Women’s Under-19 World Cup is “very much on the cards” and that the board will be seeking potential hosts for the tournament in the next few months. The competition was originally scheduled for 2021 in Bangladesh but was deferred to 2023 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.”The Under-19 Women’s World Cup is in the schedule for January 2023,” Allardice said. “Over the next couple of months, ahead of our April board meetings, we will be looking for potential hosts for that tournament with the hosts to be decided at the next board meetings. It’s very much on the cards for next year.”Allardice said that the qualification events for the same will be conducted this year and the process, which will be similar to the Men’s Under-19 World Cup, will be finalised before April.”We are looking at a similar structure to the Men’s Under-19 World Cup in terms of the number of teams and the opportunity for associate members to participate,” he said. “This has been discussed for a couple of years now and Covid has postponed when we were going to play the first edition of it. What that has done has given some countries more time to get their programmes in place and get their squad structures organised, so I think the qualification will take place during 2022.”The decision to introduce a Women’s Under-19 World Cup was made in October 2019, when Shashank Manohar was the chairman. The ICC release had stated that it was looking to conduct the global event every two years.

He took 2-19 and then slammed a half-century opening the batting to quell Guyana Amazon Warriors

Report by Saurabh Somani18-Aug-2020
17 overs per sideThere was rain, rustiness and a remarkable display by a bonafide T20 great, as Trinbago Knight Riders overcame a stumble to win the opening game of CPL 2020 against Guyana Amazon Warriors. With most players getting back to cricket after layoffs longer than they’ve ever had before, the cricket was patchy in parts – but that didn’t apply to Sunil Narine. With ball in hand he showed off new tricks, and with the bat, proved just how valuable he could be for a team with the license to go for it at the top of the order.Persistent rain meant the game began 90 minutes after the scheduled start, and was reduced to 17 overs a side. A cloudy sky and a shortened match made it a straightforward decision for Kieron Pollard to bowl first on winning the toss, but he and the Knight Riders would have hoped to chase a bit less than the 144 for 5 that the Warriors got, riding on the back of Shimron Hetmyer’s 63* off 44. However, Narine – who had taken 2 for 19 in four overs – came back out to slam 50 off 28 in the chase, which provided enough of a buffer to account for a late collapse as the Knight Riders won by four wickets, with two balls to spare.The return of Narine, the mystery bowlerHe has apparently spent the Covid-19 enforced lockdown perfecting new skills, because Narine unveiled a new bowling action in his first match back. He did away with any sort of load-up, instead hiding the ball behind his hip as he ran in to bowl and delivering from there itself. He had not been easy to read for batsmen in any case, and now proved even more difficult. Crucially, he didn’t lose any bite or accuracy with the new action. He bowled two overs in the Powerplay (reduced to five overs) and then two in the middle, getting the important wickets of opener Chandrapaul Hemraj and a resurgent Ross Taylor. Narine gave up runs at 4.75 an over, and no other bowler went below 7.Hetmyer carries WarriorsWarriors had a tepid start, with Hetmyer walking in to bat in the first over itself after Brandon King had fallen for a duck. He took his time settling in, preferring to knock the ball around rather than go for big shots. The pitch too wasn’t one where it was easy to start rapidly. Hetmyer assessed that and gradually started stepping on the pace, eventually finishing with a flurry that took Warriors to a more than competitive total. Taylor had provided the initial impetus after two early wickets, which allowed Hetmyer to bide his time. Importantly, he made it count.No rustiness for NarineIn the first four overs, Narine faced only four balls as Lendl Simmons ate up deliveries and was unable to get on with it. There was nothing to show that the mounting rate and not feeling bat on ball affected Narine in any way though, as he blazed merrily away once Simmons fell. As with several Narine top-order innings, this one had its share of balls not always middled, but it also had some amazingly struck shots. Narine gave the Knight Riders enough impetus with his half-century that despite some late strikes by Imran Tahir and an impressive Naveen-ul-Haq, they had the chase within reach at all times.

The shoulder injury is not as serious as earlier expected, and the middle-order batsman is likely to be fully fit in time for the team’s departure

Nagraj Gollapudi08-May-2019Kedar Jadhav’s IPL may have come to a premature end because of a shoulder injury, but his World Cup spot is likely to remain intact. ESPNcricinfo understands that the Indian selection committee, led by MSK Prasad, has been told that Jadhav’s injury might not be as serious as was earlier feared.With the ICC’s playing conditions for the World Cup allowing teams to make changes to their preliminary squads of 15 until May 23, it is believed that Prasad’s panel will wait till as close as possible to the Indian team’s departure before naming a replacement for Jadhav, if they are forced to.Last Sunday, playing in Chennai Super Kings’ final league match in the IPL, against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali, Jadhav hurt his left shoulder while fielding in the deep. He left the field immediately and did not return.It was understood at the time that Jadhav’s IPL was likely over, and on Tuesday evening, Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the news to the host broadcaster on the sidelines of his team’s Qualifier 1 face-off against Mumbai Indians, which they lost.”Well, he is out for us, and then it is just about being accurate with that assessment,” Fleming said. “He was going through the scans and working with Patrick Farhart (the Indian team physiotherapist), so there’s obviously one eye now on the World Cup and getting him fit.”But from our point of view, he is certainly out of the tournament.”The selection panel is understood to have received an update from Farhart, which indicates that Jadhav is likely to be fully fit before the Indian squad departs for the World Cup on May 22. India play their first match at the World Cup on June 5, against South Africa.In case Jadhav can’t make the trip, the selectors will pick a replacement from the standby list of five players: Rishabh Pant, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, Navdeep Saini and Ishant Sharma. Incidentally, Saini is also part of the quartet of fast bowlers who will travel with the squad to the World Cup to function as net bowlers, the other three being Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.