Lilley, Moore power Lancashire to victory

The Bangladesh A batsmen struck out for the third straight time in England, resulting in a 7-wicket loss to Lancashire at Old Trafford in Manchester

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Aug-2013
ScorecardThe Bangladesh A batsmen struck out for the third straight time in England, resulting in a seven-wicket loss to Lancashire at Old Trafford in Manchester. Bangladesh had earlier struggled to chase down modest totals against Hampshire and Yorkshire, and this time, their first attempt to set up a competitive total also fell flat.Bangladesh had earlier won the toss and elected to bat, but the stand-in captain Naeem Islam’s decision backfired immediately, as Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque and Marshall Ayub were all dismissed inside 40 minutes.However, Naeem and Shamsur Rahman revived the innings with a 85-run fourth-wicket stand, the pair striking seven fours and two sixes in total. Offspinner Arron Lilley put an end to the brief recovery by dismissing Shamsur for 51, on his way to figures of 3 for 24.Shamsur’s wicket triggered a collapse, as Bangladesh lost all the remaining six wickets for just 55 runs. Offspinner Steven Croft took three wickets, while medium-pacers Kyle Hogg and Oliver Newby picked up two each, as Bangladesh, struggling against spin, were bundled out for 171.Lancashire had little trouble in their pursuit of 172, with opener Stephen Moore anchoring the innings with a 63-ball 61 that included nine fours. Paul Horton remained unbeaten on 43 to take Lancashire home with 16.5 overs remaining.Bangladesh next take on Nottinghamshire on August 14 in their penultimate tour game in the lead-up to a three-match series against England Lions.

Bates sinks Canterbury in Super Over

The final-wicket pair of Logan van Been and Ed Nuttall helped Canterbury into a Super Over, but Auckland’s Michael Bates snuffed out their hopes after that

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2015
Auckland won the Super Over
ScorecardFile photo: Michael Bates picked two wickets and gave away just five runs in the one-over eliminator•Getty Images

Michael Bates’ magnificent performance in the one-over eliminator restricted Canterbury to 5 for 2 in five balls, Colin Munro then finished the game in one ball, smashing Hamish Bennett for a six to seal Auckland’s thrilling victory.It was a brutal end to Canterbury’s hopes in their chase of 171 after their final-wicket pair had batted splendidly to tie the game in the first place. Logan van Beek and Ed Nuttall came together with their team needing 32 off the last 15 balls. That equation became 16 off the final over, eventually it was just one run too many. Having fallen so agonisingly short, Van Beek, who made 24 off 15, with two fours and Nuttall, who hustled 13 off 8, with a six, could only watch as their team slumped to a fourth straight defeat in the Super Over.Earlier, opener Aiden Blizzard had kept Canterbury up with the required rate of 8.55 with his 38-ball 57. A knock made all the more necessary because Auckland kept picking up wickets in clumps. Captain Ronnie Hira was the first to go in the third over, Henry Nicholls followed him in the fourth and a score of 37 for 2 left both teams in with a sniff.The pendulum swung Auckland’s way thanks to their captain Rob Nicol – he dismissed Blizzard and Andrew Ellis in the space of two balls and Canterbury were left needing 65 runs in 44 balls with only four wickets in hand. Mitchell McClenaghan took two wickets in the 18th over, which meant the asking rate soared to 12.8, which turned out to be just enough.It was Auckland’s second win in three games and their batting did set it up quite nicely. In the first innings, Colin de Grandhomme got to a fifty in only 25 balls and Nicol came in during the third over and batted through the innings to make 50 not out off 48 balls. Bennett was the pick of Canterbury’s bowlers producing returns of 2 for 30 in his four overs.Prior to the start of the game, a minute’s silence was observed for Jonah Lomu, the New Zealand All Black who passed away at the age of 40.

Klinger to captain Western Australia

Michael Klinger will lead Western Australia in the Matador Cup and the young allrounder Ashton Turner has been elevated to the vice-captaincy for the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2015Michael Klinger will lead Western Australia in the Matador Cup and the young allrounder Ashton Turner has been elevated to the vice-captaincy for the tournament. Western Australia have named their 14-man squad for the one-day competition, and will be without their usual captain Adam Voges, who is part of the Test squad that will tour Bangladesh at the same time.The Warriors will also be without the Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, and the opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, all of whom are in the Test squad. Batsman Jonathan Wells has been included after moving from Tasmania.”We’ve got some good young players who’ve got some experience now and they’ll step up,” coach Justin Langer said. “Our Matador Cup team is very similar to last year. We only lose Adam Voges and Craig Simmons from our 2014 side. We’re looking to keep building this nursery and depth of talent.”We’re going to be hunted by everyone else. No one likes to see a back-to-back champion and we’ll certainly put our best foot forward to see if we can achieve that. It’s not going to be easy and we’ll have challenges, but we’ve had challenges for the last few years. The boys have found a way to overcome those and keep getting better and better.”The Matador Cup will begin on October 5 and this summer will feature seven teams, with a Cricket Australia XI to be formed from players who fail to make the 14-man squads named by the six states.Western Australia squad Michael Klinger (capt), Ashton Turner (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Tom Beaton, Jason Behrendorff, Will Bosisto, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Marcus Harris, Simon Mackin, Joel Paris, Nathan Rimmington, Andrew Tye, Jonathon Wells, Sam Whiteman

Pakistan recall Hasan Ali for New Zealand Tests, Shaheen still out

Uncapped Kamran Ghulam has been called up to replace Azhar Ali, who retired after Pakistan’s last Test

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2022Pakistan have recalled fast bowler Hasan Ali and picked uncapped middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand at home. Shaheen Shah Afridi continues to miss out as he recovers from a knee injury he picked up in the 2022 T20 World Cup final.Naseem Shah, who missed the last two Tests against England with a shoulder injury, has also returned to the squad after being declared fit. But Haris Rauf, who had also picked up an injury on debut in the first Test against England and did not play in the next two matches, is still recovering, and has been left out.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Ghulam, 27, had also been picked for the Bangladesh Test series a year ago but didn’t get a game then. He has played 44 first-class matches and averages 47.36, having struck 10 centuries and 18 half-centuries for his 3268 runs. He replaces Azhar Ali in the squad after the senior batter’s retirement. Ghulam had scored a record 1249 runs for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 2020-21 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and was part of the victorious side in the same tournament last season. He is in fine form these days as well, having scored 92, 0, 123* and 98* in the one-day format in the Pakistan Cup this month. In the QeA Trophy before that, he scored 597 runs from 14 innings to average 42.64.Hasan returns to the squad after being dropped for the series against England, which the visitors swept 3-0. His last Test was against Sri Lanka in Galle in July.Fast bowler Mohammad Ali and bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf, who were in the squad for the England Tests, have both been excluded for the upcoming series and advised to participate in the ongoing Pakistan Cup, the PCB said in its statement.The series will start on December 26 in Karachi and then move to Multan for the second game starting January 3. That will be followed by three day-night ODIs back in Karachi from January 10 to 14.Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (capt), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood

Simmons heaps praise on 'unique' Brathwaite

“I want to be unbeaten in all five Tests in this year,” says West Indies head coach after beating Bangladesh in Antigua

Mohammad Isam20-Jun-2022While Bangladesh are down on confidence, West Indies are bursting with it and coach Phil Simmons now wants his team to continue this progress for the rest of the World Test Championship cycle.The captain Kraigg Brathwaite has been a significant factor in West Indies’ rise in the last 18 months. He made the highest score (94) across all four innings in the Antigua Test against Bangladesh and, according to his coach, is constantly getting better as both a player and a leader.”Everyone has seen [Brathwaite’s] determination,” Simmons said. “His unique style. He doesn’t have a problem doing his job for five days. It is unique because a lot of batsmen nowadays like to play shots and be done with it.”From his point of view, he wants to be there for the team. That rolls into the captaincy. He is not loud but the players know what he wants. He makes them understand in his unique way. He seems to be growing in the role.”With their victory on Sunday, West Indies have now won three of their eight WTC matches and are unbeaten in their last four Tests.”We started 2021 in the same way,” Simmons said. “We won two in Bangladesh, and drew two against Sri Lanka. It is about how we go forward from here. I want to be unbeaten in all five Tests in this year. That would be good for me. Guys are getting confident in what they are doing. It makes your job and role easier the more confidence you have. It has happened especially after winning the series against England not too long ago. The confidence showed.”Kemar Roach too contributed heavily in the Antigua win, after nearly missing the game. The 33-year old fast bowler had to clear a last-minute fitness test to make himself available for selection, and once he did, he terrorised the Bangladesh batting line-up, finishing with match figures of 7 for 74 and equalling Michael Holding’s tally of 249 Test wickets.”[Roach] has taken things to the next level,” Simmons said. “He has been excellent. He is now tied with Mikey [Holding], but in the dressing room he is always leading the youngsters. He has played 70 Tests, so he educates them. It is great to have him in the dressing room.”There were other boxes ticked off as well. John Campbell made his first Test fifty in 15 innings, an innings which helped them recover from 9 for 3 and see off a chase of 84. “I think it was really important,” Simmons said. “He has had good starts in most of the games but failed to get past that 30-40 mark. The unbeaten fifty must give him some kind of confidence to get that big score, hopefully in the next Test match.”West Indies’ slip catching too was impressive in this Test match. They took 13 catches behind the wicket, dropping just the one. Six of those 13 catches were taken at slip, while wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva gobbled up the other seven. Simmons was asked to explain this and he said, “it is a matter of practice. I think the guys are enjoying the fact that the balls are coming to them. It is after a long time I am seeing the ball going to first slip in the Caribbean. It is nice to see.”There’s also the fact that Jason Holder might come back into the team later in the year so nobody wants to be put out of there. They know that he will walk right back into the slips. That could be a motivation too.”

Langer looks at 'other opportunities' despite Ponting's pursuit for Hurricanes job

Jeff Vaughan appointed as Hurricanes’ new coach with James Hopes and Darren Berry alongside him

Alex Malcolm22-Jul-2022Justin Langer won’t return to coaching in the near term after deciding to take up “other opportunities” despite Ricky Ponting pursuing him vigorously for the Hobart Hurricanes’ head coaching role.Hurricanes announced Jeff Vaughan as their new head coach on Friday and he will combine the job with his role as Tasmania head coach. Vaughan is Ponting’s first appointment in his new role as Hurricanes’ head of strategy. Ponting also appointed James Hopes and Darren Berry as assistants alongside Vaughan.But Ponting was candid in explaining that his close friend Langer had been his first choice. The pair had discussed the role at length and Langer had shown interest early in the process before other opportunities piqued his interest.Related

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“I’m on record saying that I’ve spoken with Justin quite a bit about coming down here and being the head coach of the Hurricanes and he was quite keen,” Ponting said. “The initial conversations were pretty exciting. And he would like to get back involved again. But as things got progressed and things got a little bit closer, I think he’s had some other opportunities and exciting things maybe come across his desk that he thinks he might be able to enjoy a little bit more through the course of the summer.”I’m sure you’ll find out about some of those things over the next little period of time. But as soon as he [took] himself out of the running, it was really obvious to me who the next guy had to be and that’s the guy that we’ve appointed as head coach in Jeff. I’m not hiding from the fact that I spoke to him [Langer]. I spoke to him a lot about it and I think everyone, probably around Australian cricket circles knew that I was trying to get him down here for the Hurricanes but it wasn’t to be.”Langer has remained in Perth since his messy departure from the Australia men’s coaching job in February. He has been doing a lot of corporate speaking as well as fulfilling his duties as a board member for the West Coast Eagles, an Australian Football League club.When Ponting first flagged Langer’s name as his number one candidate for the Hurricanes job back in June, it was met with a lukewarm reception from Hurricanes’ veteran Matthew Wade when he was asked about Langer’s style.Vaughan’s appointment is likely to be a popular one. He has vast experience having been with Tasmania and Hurricanes previously as an assistant under former coach Adam Griffith. He left both in 2021 to join the Australia men’s coaching team under Langer for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes, but returned to take the Tasmania job earlier this year just prior to Andrew McDonald taking over as Australia’s head coach.”Everyone that I’ve spoken to around Tasmanian cricket or around the Australian cricket team just had glowing reports about Jeff with his coaching ability and his coaching style and his people management,” Ponting said. “I think that’s exactly what the Hurricanes need right now.”Hobart Hurricanes coaching team (left to right), James Hopes (assistant), Ricky Ponting (head of strategy), Jeff Vaughan (head coach) and Darren Berry (assistant)•Cricket Tasmania

Combining the Tasmania men’s domestic program with Hurricanes’ BBL team under one coach is a model that has worked successfully in Western Australia under both Langer and Adam Voges and is currently employed in South Australia and Queensland.But the addition of Hopes and Berry adds significant global franchise experience to Hurricanes. Hopes has been an assistant under Ponting in the IPL at Delhi Capitals while Berry has previously coached Adelaide Strikers in the BBL and coached South Australia to a T20 title in the old Big Bash competition. Berry has been an assistant coach at title-winning teams in the IPL and PSL and also works in the Hundred.”With Jeff being the head coach of the Tigers and what I felt the Hurricanes needed right here and right now it just seemed like the perfect fit for him to be in charge of both programs,” Ponting said. “But in saying that was also really important to me that I got high-quality experienced assistant coaches underneath Jeff to make sure that when Jeff is away with the Tigers that the Hurricanes program is actually in as good a shape as possible by the time he joins, which will be probably two weeks before the first game.”In other coaching news, Griffith has joined Victoria as their men’s bowling coach under head coach Chris Rogers. Victoria have also appointed Ben Rohrer as their new batting coach to take over from Andre Borovec, who has joined the Australia men’s team as an assistant coach in the role Vaughan vacated.Former Victoria and Australia batter Cameron White has departed Adelaide Strikers to join Sydney Sixers as an assistant coach under Greg Shipperd.

Sri Lanka bank on Naveed Nawaz's local knowledge, Bangladesh on left-arm spin duo

Hosts consider playing Mosaddek Hossain as third spinner; visitors remain uncertain about availability of Vishwa Fernando

Mohammad Isam22-May-2022As was the case when Sri Lanka last played a Test match in Dhaka, they have a secret weapon up their sleeve this time too.Back in 2018, it was Chandika Hathurusingha, who switched jobs from Bangladesh to Sri Lanka head coach barely months before the tour. This time, it is Naveed Nawaz, the assistant coach of the touring side, who is in his first job in the senior circuit after serving as Bangladesh’s Under-19 coach for four years. In fact, he was one of the architects of Bangladesh’s Under-19 World Cup triumph in 2020.Chris Silverwood, Sri Lanka’s new head coach, has leant on Nawaz to give him intel on the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch, coincidentally curated by Gamini Silva, the former Sri Lankan umpire who is often maligned in the Bangladesh media for dishing out only raging turners.Related

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“I haven’t seen this wicket, but I do have someone who you all know is in my coaching staff, who knows these conditions,” Silverwood said ahead of their training session on the eve of the second Test.”I will speak to my assistant coach so that we fully understand how this wicket will play. We will be using his knowledge from his time in Bangladesh, and the statistics of this ground to make sure the captain has the best possible bowling attack to exploit the conditions.”Sri Lanka hired Nawaz ahead of this tour, having even briefly considered him as head coach; such has his reputation grown from being a development coach since retiring from his playing days.The Dhaka pitch’s characteristics make it a hot topic of discussion ahead of every Test. What has become apparent is that the home side have been beaten by their own strategy of preparing turning pitches in the last 12 months. West Indies in 2021, and Pakistan late last year beat Bangladesh with the help of spin and patient batting, ideas which Sri Lanka will definitely try to apply this week.Silverwood said that the two teams fought a close contest in Chattogram last week – closer than the result showed – but the game will have a faster pace in Dhaka, for which they will have to be prepared to react quickly.”I don’t think this is going to be an easy game at all. Both teams want to win this game,” he said. “I think the last game was a close-fought contest. The momentum swung both ways; rapidly at times. Bangladesh had us on the ropes at times.”We had to fight back hard to make sure that we got back into the game. I think this will be similar. The game will go forward at a quicker pace. We have to be ready for that. I am looking forward to some exciting cricket.”Considered a batting allrounder in red-ball cricket, Mosaddek Hossain may feature in Bangladesh’s XI in Dhaka•Associated Press

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque has a lot on his plate. Apart from his own poor batting form and attempt to revive his captaincy, he has to pick a bowling attack that is ravaged by injuries to Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nayeem Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.And while Mominul has two frontline spinners in Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam, Bangladesh have traditionally picked three specialist spinners in Dhaka.Mominul suggested that Mosaddek Hossain, considered a batting allrounder in red-ball cricket, is likely to feature in the XI. However, he also hinted that they might go in with three seamers.”Looking at our spin department, Taijul has been doing well in the last one or two years,” Mominul said. “Shakib bowled well in the last match. If Mosaddek plays, he will have a different role. We have to use him intelligently. But I am confident that with Taijul and Shakib alongside me [as a part-time spinner], we will get over this situation.”I don’t know if I have ever led with one pacer. I don’t think we will just have one seamer. There might be three seamers. Taskin was bowling well, while Shoriful was contributing to the Test team. It is a huge opportunity for those who will replace them. We can have a look at them as well. As a captain, I want a big group of fast bowlers who have healthy competition among them.”Meanwhile, Vishwa Fernando’s availability for Sri Lanka remains uncertain after he missed most of the Chattogram Test due to a blow to the head while batting, giving Sri Lanka a selection headache of their own ahead of the game.Sri Lanka have all the cards close to their chest, but Kasun Rajitha and Asitha Fernando gave a great account of themselves by bowling all-out, hostile spells in the back-end of the Bangladesh innings in Chattogram.”I thought Kasun and Asitha were excellent. I thought the way that they continued, the heart and fight that they showed – in what was a flat wicket – was exceptional,” Silverwood said. “Kasun bowled well. He got movement on a flat deck. He held his line and length beautifully. He got rewarded too. I was really pleased with how the seamers bowled. I thought we got better in all departments as time went on.”There is [the possibility of changing the XI from Chattogram]. Looking at the statistics, we will select a squad that gives us all the options whether that’s picking one seamer or whichever way we decide to go. We will make sure there are plenty of options for the captain in that squad for tomorrow morning.”

India vs Sri Lanka Test series: Bengaluru will allow spectators, Mohali to keep doors closed

Most of the Indian cricketers are expected to join their IPL teams after the second Test in a bubble-to-bubble transfer

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2022The second India vs Sri Lanka Test, a day-nighter in Bengaluru, will have crowd attendance at 50% capacity, but the first Test, in Mohali, which is also likely to be Virat Kohli’s 100th, will have to be played behind closed doors from March 4 to 8 because of Covid-19 restrictions.A Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) office bearer confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that spectators would, indeed, be allowed for the five days of the Bengaluru Test, from March 12 to 16. As for Mohali, a PTI report said that BCCI “won’t be allowing any spectators”. ESPNcricinfo understands that KSCA has begun the sale of tickets for the Bengaluru Test.The explanation for the decision to disallow spectators from attending the Mohali Test is twofold, according to the PTI report: firstly, the high Covid-19 cases in and around Mohali, and secondly, because most of the Indian players are scheduled to link up with their respective IPL squads just after the end of the second Test, in a bubble-to bubble transfer.”Yes, apart from the people, who are on duty for the Test match, we are not allowing any general spectators as per the directive of BCCI,” Punjab Cricket Association treasurer RP Singla was quoted as saying by PTI. “Still there are fresh Covid cases emerging in and around Mohali, so it’s better we take all safety protocols.”Obviously, the fans miss out because an international match at Mohali is happening after almost three years.”The two teams are currently engaged in a T20I tussle, which India are leading 1-0 after winning the first game, on Thursday in Lucknow, by a 62-run margin. The second match will be played later today in Dharamsala, and the third will also be played at the same venue tomorrow.

The arguments that didn't work for Kundra

The arguments presented by Gurunath Meiyappan’s legal team asking for leniency, which were not accepted by the Supreme Court

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2015The Lodha committee was tasked with fixing the sanctions on Gurunath Meiyappan, Raj Kundra, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Here’s the case made to the committee for a reduced punishment by Raj Kundra‘s advocate Kavin Gulati, and the committee’s responses.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Eight arguments by Raj Kundra’s lawyers for reduced punishment
No. Arguments Counter arguements by the Lodha Panel
1 He has been accused or found guilty of misconduct under BCCI Rules/Regulations/Code for the first time It is the first time but his very first misconduct has affected the image of the BCCI, IPL and the game of cricket and brought disrepute to each one of them
2 The only misconduct against him is of betting and there is no allegation relating to match fixing or influencing the outcome of games It is not true that there was no allegation of match fixing. In the Mudgal Committee’s first report dated 9 February 2014 observations of betting and match fixing were made against Raj Kundra and his wife which required further investigation
3 The alleged offence is an individual action and not in any manner concerned with his status as a co-owner When a part owner (team official) indulges in corrupt practices, unsavoury individuals and bad elements become bold enough to involve vulnerable elements including players in all sorts of corruption. It is no secret that some of the players of Rajasthan Royals, of which he was a team official, were found enmeshed in a web of match fixing
4 He has cooperated with the Mudgal Committee as well as the police investigation team This fact is not borne out of the record. In fact, the Rajasthan police’s investigation against him was stopped abruptly after receiving case papers from the Delhi police with no discernible reason as to why investigation into such a serious crime was not taken to it logical conclusion
5 He being a UK citizen believed betting to be legal in India and he was only placing petty bets – worth around 1 lakh rupees – with friends Being a UK citizen, he had heavy responsibility on him to ensure that his actions were not in conflict with the laws of a foreign country. With so much information available online it is difficult to accept that as a UK citizen he believed betting to be legal in India
6 The Mudgal Committee recorded that the ‘known punter’ with whom he allegedly placed bets were his friends The Mudgal Committee found that Raj Kundra had been placing bets through a known punter and also introduced that punter to another bookie. He was constantly in touch with bookies and not reporting his contacts with them
7 He is of relatively young age – still only in his late 30s. At the time of the alleged betting, he was in his mid 30s He is a middle-aged man who is well educated and well informed. If he had true love for the game, he would not have indulged in the corrupt practice of betting
8 He has already undergone two years of suspension The period of suspension already undergone is hardly a mitigating factor
  1. Gurunath Meiyappan

Having rejected all the arguments presented by Raj Kundra’s lawyers, the Lodha Panel imposed the following sanctions on Kundra:(i) He is declared ineligible from participation in the sport of cricket as explained in the Anti Corruption Code for the maximum period of 5 years under Article 2.2.1.(ii) He is suspended for life from the activities as explained in Article 7.5 under Level 4 (first offence) of Article 2.4 of the Code of conduct.(iii) He is suspended for life from being involved with the BCCI in any type of cricket matches under Section 6, rule 4.2(b) read with (j) of the Operational Rules.The above sanctions shall run concurrently and commence from the date of this order.

England benefit from New Zealand's self-destructive tendencies

Tourists in need of some Mitchell magic with last day in the balance

Valkerie Baynes13-Jun-2022England made the most of some self-destructive tendencies on New Zealand’s part to enter a tantalisingly poised final day at Trent Bridge with a chance of pressing for victory.Sparked by James Anderson’s 650th Test wicket to remove opener and stand-in captain Tom Latham cheaply, England had their visitors seven wickets down and 238 runs ahead at the close on day four of this second Test, needing some magic from first-innings leader Daryl Mitchell and with Kyle Jamieson still under an injury cloud.It was a familiar pairing who were tasked with extending New Zealand’s advantage as England made slow but ultimately steady inroads into their top order. In remarkable echoes of the first innings, Devon Conway and Will Young made starts – on this occasion both reaching fifty – before falling shortly afterwards to leave Mitchell and Tom Blundell united in a potentially match-shaping partnership for the third innings in a row, although it wasn’t to be.Conway and Young shared a century stand to overcome the early loss of Latham, who inexplicably shouldered arms to an Anderson delivery which clattered into the top of middle stump, the fifth ball of the innings. They led the recovery from 4 for 1 to 104 for 1 during a sedate middle session.But, no sooner had Conway raised his half-century with a reverse-swept four off Jack Leach than he was out. Leach, who had struggled to threaten as the duo started to pick him off, got the next ball – a wider one – to kick up just enough to find the top-edge as Conway swept and Jonny Bairstow swallowed the catch at deep square leg.Henry Nicholls survived an England review for caught behind after his attempted reverse-sweep missed the bat and, despite striking the front pad, was also missing leg stump. But he fell in the first over after tea cutting a short, wide delivery from Matthew Potts straight to Alex Lees at backward point.Related

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New Zealand were now 115 for 3 and Mitchell arrived at the crease after an eventful match so far in which he scored a pivotal 190 in the first innings and put down two simple slips catches during England’s reply before holding a gem to remove Stuart Broad on the fourth morning.Mitchell was in the thick of the action once more as Young was run out after some apparent miscommunication between the two when Young nudged Stokes to the onside and set off for a run but paused to look at his partner amid calls of “waiting!” Ollie Pope had plenty of time to assess the situation as he fired the ball back to Stokes, who broke the stumps with a diving Young well short and gone for 56.Mitchell was struck a nasty blow to the right forearm on 21 and paused to have it strapped but it was Blundell who fell a short time later. Having just struck Broad through extra cover for four, he sent the next ball – another short one – to Stokes at backward square leg ending his latest union with Mitchell on 45, paltry by their lofty standards of late.Having already hit Broad for six over backward square, debutant Michael Bracewell then took back-to-back fours off Potts, lofted down the ground and pulled through midwicket. But when he tried it again he picked out Broad at mid-on and was gone after a neat cameo of 25 from just 17 balls.Mitchell was then culpable in Tim Southee’s run out for a duck after steering Broad through backward point and turning the wrong way as he came back for the second which meant that by the time he saw Zak Crawley firing the ball back in and sent Southee back it was too late.Earlier, Trent Boult’s five-wicket haul had preserved the visitors’ first-innings lead – albeit worth just 14 runs – in a stoic display in which he and Southee had to toil hard in the absence of fellow seamer Jamieson, who left the field late on the third day with sharp pain in his lower back. New Zealand team management confirmed on Monday evening that Jamieson would bat if required, while his bowling involvement would be confirmed once MRI scan results had been assessed, with a further update expected before play on the final morning.Joe Root and Ben Foakes picked up where they had left off on the third evening to help England close the gap, having resumed the day 80 runs in arrears. But the hosts lost their last five wickets for 66 runs in 14.2 overs as they were bowled out for 539 in reply to New Zealand’s 553.The hosts began briskly, Southee conceding back-to-back fours through the off-side to Foakes, who was 24 not out overnight, before Root’s brazen reverse scoop over the fence at third man, all in the first over of the day. After five overs, England had scored seven boundaries, including Foakes’ fifth of the morning to bring up his half-century with a punch through cover off Southee, who went for 33 runs in his first three overs.Shortly after that though, Southee held onto a leading edge stooping low to his left at cover to remove Root, who mistimed his drive at a Boult slower ball and fell for 176.Broad followed and then Foakes fell for 56, run out when Potts turned a Bracewell delivery beyond short leg and called him through for a single but hesitated a couple of steps down and sent him back…. too late as Latham threw the ball back to Bracewell, who removed the bails.Boult sealed his five-for bowling Potts with an excellent inswinging yorker that pegged back leg stump, finishing with 5-106 from 33.3 overs and Bracewell had his third when he had Anderson caught behind to end with 3 for 62 from 17.2 overs. Southee, meanwhile, ended up wicketless from his 32 overs.

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