Tag Futebol

The captain was also disappointed that his players could not take advantage of playing at home

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-20194:28

Thought we had enough runs on that surface – Fleming

Chennai Super Kings had a lot of things in their favour in Qualifier 1. They were at home. They won the toss. And they had a strong core of experienced players that has been there and done that in the backend of the IPL. But a problem that’s followed them all through the 2019 season hit them once again – top-order frailty. MS Dhoni laid the blame for the defeat to Mumbai Indians squarely on his batsmen, who failed to utilise all the advantages at their disposal.”It didn’t really go our way,” he said at the presentation. “Especially the batting. Especially when you know home conditions. You have to assess very quickly how the wicket is playing. That’s the bonus of playing at home, you’ve already played six games or seven games, so you know how the wicket has played, whether it is a bit tacky, whether it is coming on or not coming on. What is a good score that we should put on the board. Those are the things I felt we didn’t do well in this game because of which we were not able to put something that would have been good to defend. I think the batting needs to get slightly better.”The pitch at Chepaulk was a turner and there was a high degree of risk in hitting against the spin. Yet two veterans – Suresh Raina and Shane Watson – tried to do just that and lost their wickets, leaving CSK 33 for 3 at the end of the Powerplay. Still, Dhoni continued to defend his misfiring batting line-up, but was disappointed with some of the shot selection on show.”Yes, they’re the best that we’ve got. On and off, they’ve done well. If you look at [them] when they bat, they’ve done well, But on and off, in some game, they’ve pulled out a shot that’s really not on in that particular game or in that situation or in that condition. So, those are things that you need to assess. Especially, when you have experienced players in the side, that’s what you bank upon them. You’re not banking on them for extraordinary fielding. It’s just that they have to use their experience slightly more. Hopefully we’ll crack the code.”MS Dhoni warms up ahead of the toss•BCCI

CSK’s defence of 131 began well, but they couldn’t stem the runs well enough to put pressure on Mumbai’s long batting-line up.”I feel once you don’t have enough runs on the board, every boundary, it actually hurts you,” Dhoni said. “I feel we got off to a good start, Rohit [Sharma]’s wicket early was good, after that we kept giving boundaries, which you can’t really afford to do. It was an off game for us and it’s bad to have this kind of a game at this stage of the tournament but still the good thing is you’re top two so you get another chance. So rather than going over the wicket now you have to round the wicket. The journey becomes slightly long.”

Liam Plunkett made 57 down the order as Yorkshire set Lancashire 349 to win and then removed Tom Smith before the close

Paul Edwards at Headingley31-May-2016
ScorecardLiam Plunkett struck 57 batting at No. 9•Getty Images

Clouds chasing each other across a torn, pavement-grey sky; tree branches jostling each other for room in a skittish wind; the Championship pennant tugging its flagpole in rebellious pride; a cloth sightscreen billowing at the Football Stand End; then floodlights throwing dark shadows.It was a northern morning of stereotypical conception at Headingley on the third day of this game, a bowlers’ morning too, you might think, although it seemed too cool for those who depended on swing. Spectators wrapped in their loyalties watched the cricket and they did so with a concentration that precluded other activities. For this has all the makings of a classic Roses match, albeit more an exquisite hybrid tea than a sprawling floribunda.Yorkshire were in charge of the game when the third day began and they remain in control going into the final three sessions. A lead of 189 with seven second-innings wickets in hand at the start of play represented prosperity, and at just past three o’clock, when Jack Brooks was castled by Luke Procter, that affluence had been extended to 348.Happily for those who revere statistical symmetry, Lancashire now need to make their seventh-highest fourth-innings score to win a first-class game and Yorkshire must concede their seventh-biggest score to lose one. The argument that the rivalry between these teams is so fierce because their approaches to cricket are so similar has been insufficiently investigated. Suddenly it is strengthened by the quiddity of numbers.The odds, though, are by no means six to five and pick ’em. Lancashire have already lost Tom Smith, who miscued Steve Patterson to Liam Plunkett at short cover when he had made 15. Procter joined Haseeb Hameed and these two young scrappers took the total to 41 when bad light curtailed a very fine day’s cricket 16.4 overs early. Lancashire will need to make the biggest total of the match to win it and they must score 308 runs in a day. Yorkshire need to take nine wickets on a pitch where no one has batted serenely. Hameed is probably looking forward to it.The morning session offered cricket of the highest quality as a Lancashire attack strove to limit Yorkshire’s lead. The visitors were weakened by the absence of Tom Bailey, whose side injury prevented him bowling. But such twists of fate only seem to inspire Neil Wagner, who removed Adam Lyth for 48 with the second ball of the morning when the Yorkshireman played down a line of his own imagination and lost his leg stump.Things got even better for Lancashire as Patterson, the nightwatchman, was caught behind by Steven Croft off Smith and the irrepressible Wagner produced a fine lifter which Andrew Gale could only poke to Hameed at short leg. Inside seven overs of the morning Yorkshire had been cut down to 89 for 6 and their lead was 201.But this Yorkshire team frequently find a way to prevent unpleasantness from degenerating into outright disaster. And they did so again as Adil Rashid tailored an innings suited to his team’s needs rather than his own attacking instincts. While Tim Bresnan hit five off-side boundaries, Rashid played the role of a middle-order anchor and revealed another depth to his cricket. In consequence, 41 runs were added before Bresnan edged Procter to Liam Livingstone at first slip and departed in lofty dudgeon, having stood his ground in the belief the ball had bounced. That excellent slipper Livingstone, however, had already dropped Rashid on 10 off the same bowler; and the one he spilled may have mattered more than the one he pouched.Plunkett came to the wicket but there was no change in Yorkshire’s tactics. Rashid continued batting with the forced restraint of a naturally impish boy during the visit of a strict but well-heeled grandmother. The importance of the occasion and the possibility of reward suffocated any impulse towards transgression. The crowd’s attention was undiminished, the chill air ignored. “The closeness has an air that listens,” wrote Alan Ross in “JM Parks at Tunbridge Wells”, a truly great poem written after the sight of the eponymous batsman making 188 against Kent in 1951 had awakened deep and various memories.Plunkett played a fine attacking innings and the eighth-wicket stand was worth 74 runs when Rashid was caught in the short leg position off Simon Kerrigan for 34, Croft scampering round to take the catch. Plunkett continued in his merry way to a half-century, scattering the spectators on the top deck of the Kirkstall Lane End with a huge six, also off Kerrigan, two balls before holing out to Petersen for 57 from only 84 balls. By then, though, Yorkshire’s lead was above 300. Sunlit pastures on a grey day.And the cricket with ended with Hameed facing Bresnan, the two cricketers taking their roles in a deeper narrative: Haigh to JT Tyldesley, Hirst to Spooner, Macaulay to Makepeace, Bowes to Paynter, Trueman to Washbrook, Nicholson to Pilling, Old to Wood, Gough to Atherton.”The past is never dead,” wrote William Faulkner in , “It isn’t even past.” And now Bresnan to Hameed…

Scotland’s defeat to Afghanistan means their hopes of progressing now depend on themselves and other results, as they face Zimbabwe in their second match on Thursday

The Preview by Firdose Moonda09-Mar-2016

Match facts

Thursday, March 10, 2016
Start time 1500 local (0930GMT)

Big Picture

The cruelty of the World T20 qualifying phase is that every game is crucial and Scotland’s key moment may already have come and gone. Their defeat to Afghanistan meant their hopes of progressing now depend on themselves and other results. So for them, there has to be a bigger picture. And there is. Scotland have played 19 matches in six global limited-overs tournaments but are yet to win a game.Zimbabwe will be pleased to hear that because they need another victory before facing the group’s strongest team, Afghanistan, in what they hope will be a showdown for a place in the main draw. Zimbabwe have already recorded one win but it was achieved in untidy fashion. Their batsmen squandered starts, their bowlers lost their lines and they were occasionally comical in the field. They did not look like the only Full Member in the group and would want to tighten up on the basics.Scotland have already faced Afghanistan and found that their bowlers struggled to contain aggressive batting but they were able to respond with runs themselves. They got off to a speedy start before the middle order collapsed and fizzled out, and given the nature of Zimbabwe’s attack that concentrates on a squeeze upfront rather than at the end, Scotland may eye an opportunity to record a first victory.

Form guide

(last five completed games most recent first)
Zimbabwe WWWLL
Scotland LWLWL

In the spotlight

Although a team will take a win no matter how messy in a major tournament, Zimbabwe’s disciplines need to improve if they are to sustain hopes of playing in the main draw. The opening match saw three run-outs, three batsmen holing out, two dropped catches and several misfields. They got away with it once but will not want to risk slipping up as the qualifiers continue.Calum MacLeod was identified by Paul Collingwood as someone who has played a lot of high-pressure cricket, presumably at Warwickshire, and would know how to handle tough situations but his recent scores don’t suggest that. MacLeod has not got past 20 in his last 12 T20Is but has a century in the format at domestic level and will know he is due some runs.

Team news

Zimbabwe may want to add a more attacking spinner to their arsenal but with Graeme Cremer out injured, their only other option is Tendai Chisoro, who went wicketless in the warm-ups against West Indies and HPCA XI. If they are after a change in the batting line-up, they could make space for Peter Moor or Chamu Chibhabha but only by leaving someone like Sikandar Raza or Malcolm Waller out.Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 4 Sean Williams, 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Donald Tiripano, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Tinashe Panyangara, 11 Tendai ChataraScotland’s pace attack adjusted well to very their pace and slow Afghanistan briefly on Tuesday, and they may also think of bringing in another spinner considering the Nagpur pitch. Allrounder Con de Lange, who bowls left-arm spin, could complement the 19-year-old legspinner Mark Watt.Scotland: (probable) 1 George Munsey, 2 Kyle Coetzer, 3 Calum MacLeod, 4 Matt Machan, 5 Richie Berrington, 6 Preston Mommsen (capt), 7 Matthew Cross (wk), 8 Josh Davey, 9 Safyaan Sharif, 10 Mark Watt, 11 Alasdair Evans

Pitch and conditions

The Nagpur surface proved difficult to score on freely on the first day and it is expected to continue challenging batsmen. Although it did not take much turn, taking pace off the ball was effective for the seamers and batsmen will have to spend time building an innings. The mercury is only headed in one direction – up – with temperatures expected hotter on Thursday compared to Tuesday. Both teams will hope the crowd numbers balloon like that too.

Stats and trivia

• The margins of victory in both Zimbabwe and Scotland’s opening match was 14 runs. Zimbabwe beat Hong Kong but Scotland lost to Afghanistan.
• Zimbabwe lost the first four T20s they played this year but have won the last three. 

Shashank Manohar, in a press conference soon after being elected BCCI president, listed a number of issues that he wants to address during his first “two months” in charge

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2015AFP

Regulating conflict of interest issues
“As regards the conflict of interest issues, the board would frame regulations with regards to conflict of interest of administrators, players and their staff. That would be done within a month’s time, and the board would also appoint and ombudsman or an ethics officer who would be independent of this board and who would look into the complaints as with regards to conflict of interest of the administrators, players or the staff.”

Manohar on DRS

“I have a consistent stand on DRS even today. As far as DRS is concerned I am agreeable to everything except the leg-before decisions because you are substituting the opinion of the third umpire in place of the main umpire; even the camera angle can make a difference with regards to the angle of the delivery. I had stated this at the ICC meeting and since 2010 I have been saying it.”

Preventing on-field corruption
“The board would lay down the norms and would take forward the measures to prevent corruption in this game, for which the board would make programmes to educate players. As also with the help of my secretary [Anurag Thakur], who is a sitting member of parliament, we would like to meet the government officials to see and work out if we can get certain investigative agency, because the board people do not have any investigative powers and therefore our hands are tied. And that thing can also be worked out to curb corruption in this game, so that we can restore faith of cricketing fans that the game is clean.”
Getting member associations’ accounts in order
“A lot of debate goes on that the associations are paid huge money by the board and nobody knows what happens to that money. Whether it is spent on cricketing activities or otherwise. Now, the accounts of all associations are audited by their auditors. However, we would build a system by which the accounts of the affiliated units would be audited by an independent auditor appointed by the board, where after [thereafter] the further money would be released to the state associations. The board would also be empowered to take action in case the board finds that the money which has been given to the state association is not being properly utilised.”
Making the BCCI’s financial records public
“There is another grievance that the board is not transparent and everything is kept under the wraps. I feel that this problem could be sorted out by putting on the website of the board the constitution of the board, all the rules of the board, any expenditure made by the board over and above an amount of [Rs] 25 lakhs (approx. US$ 38,000), so that people are aware on what activities the board spends their money. And at the end of the year we can put the balance sheet of the board on the website, with the result it is available to the entire public at large so that there is transparency in the activities of the board. As I told you that nothing wrong is being done in the board, however it is a perception that is being created in the minds of people that because the information does not come out, there is definitely something wrong in this board. Therefore to clear that myth and change the perception we would do this immediately… I would also like to see that as regards to the records of the board which are lying in different places, the records of the board would be made available at the board headquarters, so that any member association or a representative of an association can inspect the records at any time.”
Developing the bench strength of the Indian team
“The board would also look into starting of National Cricket Academy (NCA) again, whose activities are not up to the mark as on date. And we would see to it that NCA functions round the year so that cricketing talent is developed in this country. Today we are short of the second line. There are no spinners in this country. So it is also our duty to see to it that we have an available lot as a replacement for the current players.”
Women’s cricket
“The board would also like to develop women’s cricket and we would enter into contracts with women cricketers as we enter into contracts with men’s team. That would promote the game and more and more women players would love to play this game.”
Hosting the 2016 World T20
“I would like to say, there is a World Cup event [World T20 2016] which is coming up in March-April, and our priority would be to conduct that event in the best possible manner.”
Curbing the president’s arbitrary powers
“To show that we want to function in a transparent manner and not in an arbitrary manner, there are two powers which are vested with me under the constitution. One, at the AGM, there is a chairman’s vote [as board president, Manohar will chair the AGM] and a casting vote to which I do not agree that the chairman should have a vote because the person should not be equated with the association. The casting vote is fine. Therefore I would assure you all that I would not exercise the right of the chairman’s vote at the AGM till the constitution is amended. Secondly, there is a right given to the chairman to decide on a dispute with regards to the vote. By which we have seen in earlier days since many years that minorities are converted into majorities, because it again an arbitrary power that is given to the chairman. I would not exercise that power also. I would put the dispute to the house, and whatever is the majority view of the house, I would decide accordingly, that would be my decision.”
10:02

Bal: Accountability the significant difference this time

A round-up of matches of the Campus Cricket World Final 2012-13 played on April 2

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2013India’s DAV College, Chandigarh defeated Australia’s University of New South Wales by five wickets in the opening match of the Campus Cricket World Final tournament at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Chandigarh won the toss and put their opponents in to bat, grabbing 3 wickets for 39 runs in the Powerplay. Several New South Wales batsmen got starts, but were unable to reach 30 and the regular fall of wickets – with three run-outs – restricted the side to 124 for 8 in 20 overs. Gurinder Singh took 2 wickets for 16.
In reply, Chandigarh lost opener Deepak Sharma early, but a second-wicket partnership of 45 runs between Jaskaran Singh and Simran Singh set their side on course for the target. Chandigarh lost three quick wickets after that partnership, but Gurinder Singh and Gaurav Tandon arrested the slide, hitting 25 and 21 respectively, to take their side past the target with an over to spare.Sri Lanka’s University of Moratuwa went down by 63 runs to Great Britain Combined University Team in the Group B opener. Put in to bat, Great Britain began well, with a sprightly 25 from Syed Fuad, before Harry Bush provided the biggest contribution of the innings, scoring 43 off 30 balls. No. 7 Jay O’Nien took his side past 160, with an unbeaten 28 from 10 deliveries that included three fours and two sixes. Vihangun Ariyaratne was the best of Moratuwa’s bowlers, taking two wickets for 29.
In reply, Josh Poysden and James Lomas took three wickets apiece as Morutawa crumbled. Only three batsmen made double-figure scores as the hosts slipped to 99 all out in 17 overs.Pakistan’s Karachi University inflicted another loss on University of New South Wales, defeating them in their second match by 26 runs. Karachi chose to bat first and made 161. Faraz Ali top-scored with an unbeaten 68 off 40 balls, injecting some urgency into the innings after Karachi struggled early on. He added 54 runs for the fifth wicket with Nabeel Khalid, who made 24 from 10 deliveries. Geoffrey Ashmore took two wickets for New South Wales, but conceded runs at an average of ten runs an over.
A 73-run partnership between Brendon McLean, who made 45 off 24 balls and James McNeil (40 off 45 balls) revived New South Wales’ innings, after they were floundering at 27 for 3 in the sixth over. However, the innings lost impetus after McLean’s dismissal in the 15th over, and New South Wales managed only 135 for 7 from their 20 overs. Mirza Jamil took 2 wickets while Meer Hamza finished with 1 for 15.University of Moratuwa also suffered their second loss of the day losing by eight wickets to University of Liberal Arts. Moratuwa’s batting failed once more, as they posted 86 for 8 in 20 overs after batting first. Moratuwa’s batsmen struggled as Arman Badsha, Tanmoy Roy and Asif Shazzad took two wickets apiece.
Liberal Arts’ openers ensured there would be no hiccups in the small chase, when they hit 57 in five overs. They were dismissed in quick succession a few runs short of the target and the middle-order batsmen took the side home in 9.3 overs.

A round-up of the action from the fourth day of the sixth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2011Water and Power Development Authority needed just 30 overs on the fourth day to complete a nine-wicket victory over Islamabad at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad. The hosts started the day still 24 runs behind with five wickets in hand. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan made sure the lower order did not get too many runs, completing a six-wicket haul that helped WAPDA bowl Islamabad out for 210 in their second innings. WAPDA were left with 55 to chase and, though they lost an early wicket, got there in 8.5 overs. The win keeps WAPDA at the top of the table with five wins from six games.

State Bank of Pakistan made it four wins from six games by beating Rawalpindi by 93 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Rawalpindi had started the day in trouble, on 37 for 2 chasing 333. That soon became 75 for 4, but the middle order offered some resistance. Usman Saeed scored 48 and Adnan Mufti got 65 but State Bank were always favourites. Seamer Rizwan Haider took 3 for 58 and all the other bowlers chipped in as State Bank bowled Rawalpindi out for 239.

National Bank of Pakistan beat Karachi Blues by nine wickets at the National Stadium in Karachi, with Nasir Jamshed smashing 50 off 32 balls to help them chase 97 in just 9.4 overs. Karachi needed to bat out the day to salvage a draw from the game but despite a century from Khalid Latif they could only bat out 67.1 overs and reach 318, leaving National Bank 97 to win. National Bank went for the runs and Jamshed got them off to a flier in the company of Khurram Manzoor. Once Manzoor fell, with the score 41, Kamran Akmal came in and smashed three fours and a six in his 29 off 18 balls, and took National Bank home along with Jamshed.Karachi had set a solid base for a big second-innings score, reaching 90 for 1 by stumps on the third day. They continued to look solid on the fourth day, with Shahzaib Hasan going from 52 not out to 83 and Latif settling down for a big knock. The middle order did not contribute much though, leaving Latif to bat with the tail. He managed to get 114 off 127 balls but it was not enough to take Karachi to safety. National Bank’s bowlers shared the wickets around with left-arm spinner Qaiser Abbas taking 3 for 39.

A late collapse meant Sialkot conceded a 98-run first-innings lead and Pakistan International Airlines took three points out of the match at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Sialkot started the day on 299 for 4, trying to overhaul PIA’s 505. Naved Sarwar and Mansoor Amjad added another 97 to take Sialkot to 396 for 4. Sarwar scored slowly, taking a total of 358 balls for his 82 while Amjad got 72 off 129. Once their stand was broken, though, a collapse began. Sialkot lost six wickets for 11 runs and were bowled out for 407. Seamer Anwar Ali ran through the tail and finished with 7 for 109. PIA then had a bit of batting practice and reached 153 for 3 with Agha Sabir and Fahad Iqbal scoring half-centuries.

Naseer Akram’s second five-wicket haul in as many games helped Faisalabad register their first win of the season as they beat Habib Bank Limited by 139 runs at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. HBL started the fourth day on 33 for 0 chasing 326, and suffered a middle-order collapse that saw six wickets fall for 62 runs. Nos. 3 to 7 could only manage single digit scores to leave them 128 for 7, Naseer having done most of the damage. Danish Kaneria offered some lower-order resistance with his 30 but HBL were bowled out for 186.

Australian cricket’s playing and marketing imperatives are colliding over the matter of Test players taking part in the early rounds of the expanded Big Bash League.

Daniel Brettig15-Jun-2011Australian cricket’s playing and marketing imperatives are again colliding, this time over the matter of Test players taking part in the early rounds of the expanded Big Bash League.As part of the push to sell the new league and its eight manufactured teams to the public, Cricket Australia wants all of its centrally-contracted players to take part in the first round of the competition, tentatively scheduled for December 16 to 20.This would allow maximum exposure for the new competition, and also mean the game’s most reliable current assets, namely the likes of Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting, could be used liberally in advertising and publicity for the BBL.However an agreement is yet to be reached between CA management, marketing and coaching staff over the issue of how to use the time between the end of the New Zealand Test series on December 13 in Hobart and the start of the India series on December 26 with the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.”It’s still being resolved. We’re obviously keen for them to be available to play if the schedule and their physical shape allows it,” a CA spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. “They’re the biggest names and the most popular cricketers in the country so we’d obviously like them to be a part of as much as possible.”Australia’s Test and limited-overs players have always missed parts or all of the domestic Twenty20 competition because it has clashed with the concluding weeks of the Test summer and the bulk of the ODI programme.But the change to city-based teams and the paucity of genuine international talent available for the first edition of the tournament due to scheduling conflicts has intensified the demand for Australian internationals among franchises.Given that Australia will have just completed their third Test series in as many months, including the tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa that precedes the New Zealand series, recovery time for captain Clarke, his deputy Watson and the fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, among others, will be at a premium.Another issue will be maximising the team’s preparation for the task of facing up to India, currently the world’s No.1 ranked Test team, in what has arguably become Australia’s biggest international rivalry outside of the Ashes. Where once the Australians could afford to take the odd preparatory shortcut due to an undisputed ranking at the top, now they have no choice but to plan diligently or face the consequences.”The coaches are just making sure they’ve got enough time after the New Zealand series and before the India series starting on Boxing Day,” the spokesman said. “We need to make sure their workload is managed. Even if it’s agreed that players are available for certain matches, an individual assessment for each player will have to be made at the time regarding injuries, workload and individual programmes.”These guys are going to be sought after by the BBL teams regardless of how many matches they can play, because they will help to sell the teams to the public.”Last summer the financial and cricketing interests of CA were muddled on more than one occasion. Michael Hussey and Doug Bollinger were handicapped when they were forced to stay behind at the T20 Champions League in South Africa with their IPL team Chennai Super Kings rather than preparing for the Test series in India.Upon the team’s return home, a pre-determined marketing plan to announce the Ashes squad at a public event in Sydney’s Circular Quay – 10 days before the first Test – saw the selectors name an indecisive 17-man squad, causing what Simon Katich revealed to be a rumble of instability through the team before the first Test.

A round-up of matches from the Twenty20 leg of the ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2010

ScorecardWest Indies stormed into the final of the ICC Women’s Cricket Twenty20 Challenge in Potchefstroom, brushing Netherlands aside by 99 runs.Netherlands had begun promisingly when seamers Mariska Kornet and Denise Hannema struck early to reduce West Indies to 35 for 2. However, Tremayne Smartt and Stacy-Ann King added 124 runs in 12 overs to set up West Indies’ huge total. King hammered 81 off only 47 deliveries, hitting 12 fours while Smartt made 62 off 42.Facing an asking rate close to ten an over, Netherlands started steadily, reaching 40 for 1 in the eighth over. However, some atrocious running contributed to a collapse with half the side managing to get run out. Offspinner Anisa Mohammed took 2 for 11 as Netherlands crumbled to be dismissed for 92.West Indies will meet Sri Lanka in the final later today.Pakistan Women 111 for 6 (Abidi 39, Delany 2-16, Garth 2-17) beat Ireland Women 106 for 7 (Garth 20, Dar 2-9, Asmavia 2-16) by six wickets

ScorecardPakistan prevailed over Ireland by five runs in a game that was decided off the last ball in Potchefstroom. After being restricted to 111, Pakistan’s bowlers put in a disciplined performance to successfully defend the modest total.Kim Garth and Laura Delany had fought back with a 39-run stand after the Pakistan bowlers led by offspinner Nida Dar had reduced Ireland to 65 for 5. However, Garth was run out off the third ball of the last over bowled by Asmavia Iqbal with her side needing eight runs. Only two more runs came off the next two deliveries, and Delany was bowled off the last ball.Delany and Garth had earlier taken 4 for 33 between them as Pakistan squandered a strong position. Nain Abidi and Javeria Khan had added 58 runs to take their team to 73 for 1 in the 12th over, but a middle-order collapse meant Pakistan could not capitalise.Pakistan meet South Africa in the third-place playoff and Ireland take on Netherlands in the fifth-place playoff later today.

The destructive finisher who also bowls both medium pace and offspin has been off the radar from major competitive cricket since 2017

Peter Della Penna13-Aug-2019Former Jamaica Tallawahs allrounder Timroy Allen, who has not played for USA since the 2017 World Cricket League Division Three tournament, has been recalled as one of four changes in USA’s T20I squad that will head to Bermuda for the T20 World Cup Qualifier Americas Regional Final from August 18-25.Allen, a destructive finisher who also bowls both medium pace and offspin, has been off the radar from major competitive cricket since leaving the Tallawahs squad midway through the 2017 season to focus on his family-run pest control and landscaping business. However, a three-month central contract from USA has brought him back to the game with the possibility that he might get a long-term extension based on performance.The 32-year-old did enough to impress newly-hired USA director of cricket Kiran More at USA’s recent intra-squad selection camp at Woodley Park in Los Angeles, finishing as the joint-leading wicket-taker with five wickets in three trial matches. Former South African international Rusty Theron also claimed five wickets at the squad camp but according to sources he was left out of the team traveling to Bermuda due to complications with his US residency status.Sources have stated that Theron, who moved to Florida in 2015, is in the midst of applying for permanent residency. This includes submitting his current passport, which may not be back in his possession by the time USA’s squad is supposed to depart for Bermuda, leaving him unable to travel. Theron is now looking at the ODI tri-series series against Papua New Guinea and Namibia in September to make his USA debut.Cameron Gannon picked up four wickets•Getty Images

Allen is one of four changes to USA’s maiden T20I squad that played a pair of matches against UAE in March. The other notable incoming player is Cameron Gannon, the 30-year-old pace bowler from Queensland who represented Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League and has 22 first-class matches to his name. Sources have stated Gannon, a US passport holder, was invited to USA’s squad camp by David Saker, the former Australian bowling coach, who was brought on board as a USA consultant coach in July.The other two arrivals into the USA T20 squad are left-arm spinning allrounders Nisarg Patel and Karima Gore. The 31-year-old Nisarg was in USA’s squad for WCL Division Three in Oman last November but never made it into the starting XI and hasn’t played for USA since February 2018. The 21-year-old Gore made his USA debut on the tour of UAE in March and played a key role helping the team secure ODI status at WCL Division Two in Namibia a month later.The players to make way from USA’s T20I squad are Jannisar Khan and Roy Silva, who were not invited to the LA camp, Elmore Hutchinson, who turned 37 on this past Sunday and has seen his opportunities steadily dwindle and Nosthush Kenjige who, despite being USA’s highest wicket-taker in the last round of T20 World Cup Americas Regional Qualifying, has fallen behind in an increasingly strong spin-bowling line-up.USA play Bermuda, Canada and Cayman Islands in the double round-robin event. The top two teams advance to the 14-team T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE beginning October 11.USA squad: Timroy Allen, Cameron Gannon, Karima Gore, Aaron Jones, Ali Khan, Jaskaran Malhotra (wk), Xavier Marshall, Saurabh Netravalkar (capt.), Monank Patel, Nisarg Patel, Timil Patel, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh Jr.

The last time a team came back from 0-2 to win the Ashes, Sir Don Bradman was at the forefront of that charge. Can England’s batsmen strike similar form on a ground where they haven’t had much success?

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale13-Dec-20172:33

‘We’re so close to getting it right’ – Root

Big Picture

Big picture? You want the big picture? Well, here’s a picture so big it makes Rembrandt’s look like a postage stamp. After 135 years of Ashes campaigns, the series tally is currently locked at 32-32. England dominated in the 19th century, but to be fair Australia wasn’t even a country at that point. Once the 20th century and Australian federation arrived, the ledger evened up. Eventually. But it did happen in the 20th century. By 1997, Australia had finally caught up with England and the series tally was 27-27. One of sport’s oldest trophies had at length become one of the most closely contested. And over the next five days in Perth, Australia have the chance to make it 33-32.And speaking of Ashes history, after this match the WACA will be exactly that: Ashes history. A new multi-sport stadium has been built in Perth and will be opened with an ODI next month, and in future the WACA’s only hope of international matches will be when lesser-drawing nations tour Australia. England probably won’t complain. While the WACA has been one of Australia’s worst home venues in recent years – they have won only four of their past nine Tests there – it has never been a good ground for England. In 13 Ashes Tests at the WACA, England have managed only one win – in 1978 during the World Series Cricket schism. It is possible that both teams will be happy to move across the Swan River to the new stadium.But for now, the WACA it is, and the urn is on the line. England must at least salvage a draw to have any hope of retaining the Ashes. Only once in Ashes history has a team come back from 2-0 down to win a series, and that required Australia’s captain Don Bradman to pile up scores of 270, 212 and 169 in the remaining three Tests in 1936-37. Who will be England’s Bradman? No England player has scored a century yet in this series. Bradman also did not have to deal with the scrutiny caused by off-field issues, the likes of which have plagued England’s campaign. Only one thing is certain: if Joe Root wins the toss, he won’t send Australia in.For Steven Smith, this Test is a chance to complete a remarkable cycle. It was at the WACA against England four years ago that Smith spontaneously added a preliminary movement to his batting technique, and his results have been astounding. Prior to that change, Smith had made 825 Test runs at 33.00 including one century. Since the change he has scored 4732 Test runs at 70.62, including 20 centuries. And now, returning to the WACA for an Ashes Test for the first time since then, Smith may find himself captaining Australia to an Ashes series win.

Form guide

Australia WWWLL (last five matches, most recent first)
England LLWLWGetty Images

In the spotlight

Like his brother Shaun, Mitchell Marsh has started his Test career with a few ins and outs, though he also enjoyed a lengthier stretch in the team during 2015 and 2016. Now, Mitchell Marsh looks likely to be recalled as Australia seek an extra bowling option on a WACA pitch that might be good for batting. Marsh played the first two Tests in India this year before being sent home with a shoulder injury, and although he has only returned to bowling for the past two Sheffield Shield matches, his efforts have impressed Australia’s selectors enough to have him return to the squad, and probably to the XI.On Test debut in Adelaide, Craig Overton took the most wickets in Australia’s first innings, top-scored in England’s first innings, and took an excellent catch running and diving from the outfield in Australia’s second innings. It was a highly encouraging all-round effort from Overton, who earned not only a blue cap at Adelaide Oval but also a blue badge of sorts, in the form of a nasty bruise on his ribcage caused by a Pat Cummins short ball. But the delivery that he will remember best surely will be his first Test wicket, that of Steven Smith, bowled by a ball that nipped in a touch but more importantly had Smith caught in two minds due to its perfect length. Joe Root will be hoping Overton can provide further such magic in Perth.

Team news

Australia will not name their XI until the morning of the match, but if the pitch looks remotely flat, it is expected that Mitchell Marsh will replace Peter Handscomb to provide a fifth bowling option.Australia (probable): 1 Cameron Bancroft, 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Shaun Marsh, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan Lyon.England have named an unchanged XI but Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow have swapped places in the order,England 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Mark Stoneman, 3 James Vince, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Dawid Malan, 6 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Craig Overton, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James AndersonAFP

Pitch and conditions

Will it be the WACA pitch of old? Pace and bounce? These questions have preceded every Perth Test in recent years, and the answer varies from summer to summer. Some years there are hints of the old WACA, other years it is one of the country’s most docile surfaces. Western Australia coach Justin Langer says the past few Sheffield Shield games at the WACA have been played on flat pitches, but curator Matt Page is confident the surface will be quicker than last year. The forecast for Perth is hot, though with a chance of rain on days four and five.

Stats and trivia

• Alastair Cook will become the eighth player in history to appear in 150 Tests
• Stuart Broad is seven wickets away from becoming the second England player (James Anderson is the other) to take 400 in Tests
• Australia have won only one of their past four Tests at the WACA – but it was against England, in 2013-14

Quotes

“It’s probably not as hard as I would have liked it to be a day out, but 24 hours can change a wicket.”
“I want to be concentrating on making sure we get things right on the field. That’s my job as captain. I’m trying to develop a team that over a long period can achieve success and do special things.”