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A stubborn batting performance from Zimbabwe A ensured they held their own against a South Africa A attack headlined by Vernon Philander

Firdose Moonda12-Jul-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Tino Mawoyo’s unbeaten 79 in the second innings helped Zimbabwe A to secure a convincing draw•Associated Press

A stubborn batting performance from Zimbabwe A ensured they held their own against a South Africa A attack headlined by Vernon Philander, who is on the comeback trail. On a typically slow Harare winter surface, Philander proved more miserly than penetrative and he did not finish as the visitors’ star performer. That title went to Omphile Ramela, who scored a second century in four matches for South Africa A to showcase the depth in the batting department that had been thought to be missing recently.Test opener Stephen Cook started South Africa A off well, with 78 at the top of the order, sharing in half-century stands with Theunis de Bruyn and Stiaan van Zyl, who scored 73, but against a Zimbabwean attack in which only Shingi Masakadza stood out as a real threat, South Africa A’s top four would have been disappointed not to reach three figures.Instead, it was Ramela who managed the milestone. He batted for two minutes short of five-and-a-half hours and put on 125 runs for the sixth wicket with Dwaine Pretorius to frustrate Zimbabwe A’s attack. Masakadza accounted for Pretorius but Zimbabwe A could not bowl South Africa A out and would have been thankful for the declaration that came midway through the second day.From there, all eyes switched to Philander but Zimbabwe’s A’s openers resisted. Tino Mawoyo and Brian Chari, who went on to score 98, put on 87 for the first wicket and it was up to Dane Piedt to make the breakthrough. Hardus Viljoen and Pretorius also had success, before Philander got his first and second with successive deliveries.That sent Zimbabwe A tumbling. They went from 238 for 4 to 269 all out, losing their last six wickets for 31 runs, and giving South Africa A a lead of 186. Cook and Kuhn built on that slightly but de Bruyn topped up with a second half-century to push the target beyond 300. Once again, Zimbabwe A could not bowl out South Africa A and after they batted for seven overs on the final morning they declared on 171 for 3, to set the hosts a target of 358.Chari could not repeat his first innings heroics and fell to Philander in the fifth over but that was the only success South Africa A had. Mawoyo and Prince Masvaure resisted everything South Africa A threw at them, which included 16 overs from Viljoen, another 16 from Piedt and an aggressive 10 overs from Sisanda Magala, to force the draw. Philander only bowled eight overs in the second innings to ease his way back. The next match takes place in Bulawayo from July 15.

Alastair Cook had praise for opening partner Alex Hales, as well as Chris Woakes and Jonny Bairstow after England completed a 2-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka

George Dobell at Lord's13-Jun-2016He has kissed a few frogs in recent times, but perhaps, at last, Alastair Cook has found his prince.Alex Hales was the eighth opening partner Cook has had since the retirement of Andrew Strauss and, although one or two flattered briefly, perhaps only Nick Compton in New Zealand in early 2013 has produced as consistent a series as Hales did against Sri Lanka.It wasn’t just the three scores in excess of 80. It was that Hales showed he had learned from his mistakes in South Africa. Gone were the tentative prods outside off stump; gone was the uncertainty over which balls to play and which to leave. He increased his average of 17.00 in South Africa by more than 40 in this series and showed, in the final innings at Lord’s, that he had also learned from his mistakes in over-attacking against spin.

Cook on…

Nick Compton: “He’s shown glimpses. He is as frustrated as anyone. He’s got to go away now and score big runs in county cricket. Obviously, there will be a decision to be made on him. He knows that.” 
Pakistan: “They’ve got a very good pace attack, backed up with spinners. But we’re ready for them. We scored a lot of runs against Australia’s attack here last year. I think it’s going to be a brilliant series.”

It would be premature to state that Hales has cemented his position, but he has earned the right to an extended trial covering the rest of the summer. And, if we mitigate against the failings of the Sri Lanka top order in the acceptance that batting in early season England is not easy, it seems only fair to praise Hales for succeeding in those same conditions.It is true that tougher challenges await but he will face them now secure in the knowledge that his judgement around off stump is such that he can see off the new ball. He is learning that he has the time, in Test cricket, to withstand periods when the bowler is on top and gradually build an innings.Under that amiable exterior there is impressive steel in Hales. It took a certain amount of courage and self-awareness to ask for an extra couple of County Championship games off after he returned from a winter with the England squads. Whereas other men on the fringe of the side might have felt the need to jump at the chance to be seen to do the right thing, Hales reasoned that he would benefit more from a refreshed mind than another couple of weeks of cricket.So, having taken some time off, he returned to the nets at Trent Bridge to work – often with Peter Moores – on improving an off-stump technique that was exposed by South Africa. Crucially, he started to stand straighter at the crease, which brought his head back in line with his body and gave him more certainty about the position of his off stump. In South Africa he had crouched to such an extent that his head had started to fall several inches outside off stump and saw him defending balls that he could have left with ease.And, while he had been billed as something of a dasher ahead of the South Africa series, he has also had the courage to play the game at his own pace. He is not, at first-class level, anything like the David Warner figure some had suggested. Instead, he had the strength to play as an accumulator. It may not be exactly what some aspects of the media wanted, but it gives him the best chance of succeeding at this level.Hales’ development was, in Cook’s view, the major plus England could take from the series victory. While Nick Compton’s Test career faded to a conclusion and James Vince made an uncertain start, Hales at least answered one of the questions facing England a few weeks ago: they know their opening pair for the series against Pakistan now.”Three scores of 80 and above from Alex Hales was really pleasing,” Cook said. “He’s certainly tightened up his game from South Africa and probably just learned about Test cricket.”It’s great when you see someone who maybe doesn’t quite nail it in the first four games but then goes away and shoes the hunger to work on his game away from the spotlight.”Alex Hales made three 50-plus scores the series•AFP

England have various options as they consider the No. 3 position for the Pakistan series. They could pick a specialist opener – Sam Robson would appear to be the strongest candidate at present – and move Hales to No.3, but that would appear an unusual response to his recent form. Or they could push Ben Stokes, one of the best players of pace in England, up to No. 3 on the basis that he tends to react well to responsibility.Realistically, though, it seems Scott Borthwick will benefit from Gary Ballance or Ian Bell failing to amass enough runs to nudge the selectors and win a chance at No. 3. His legspin bowling will do him no harm in selection debates, either.There is a danger that James Anderson’s excellence in such conditions could be taken for granted, so it is worth remembering that he came into the series with one or two questions to answer over his long-term future. He endured a tough trip to South Africa, claiming seven wickets at 43.00 apiece, and was keen to prove that all the miles in his legs were not beginning to show.He will rarely have conditions more in his favour than he did at Headingley, but he exploited them with surgical precision and showed in the second innings at Chester-le-Street that, even on slow, flat surfaces, he retains the skill and control to threaten. In finishing with the best bowling average of an England bowler with more than 20 wickets in a three-Test series since Derek Underwood in 1969, this was a reassuring return from Anderson.Cook also celebrated the advances made by Chris Woakes in the last couple of Tests. Not only was he the quickest member of the attack, but he showed impressive control and demonstrated that his batting can be a force at Test level. He may not have done enough to force himself into England’s first-choice side – Mark Wood and Stokes join Steven Finn in fighting for a similar position – but he did prove he deserved to be considered among the pack of seamers England will require to see them through their arduous schedule. He seems likely to play the first Test of the Pakistan series, at least, ahead of Stokes’ return for the second or third match.”Chris Woakes has really impressed me,” Cook said. “He is a different cricketer to Ben Stokes, not as dynamic, but he is still very effective. I said before Durham we hadn’t seen the best of Chris Woakes in an England shirt, but I thought he made really big strides in this series and proved to himself he can do it.”Jonny Bairstow was named Man of the Series for his exploits with the bat. He thumped two centuries that not only helped the side rebuild from top-order wobbles, but snatched the first and third Tests away from Sri Lanka within a couple of hours. So impressed was Cook with Bairstow that he compared him to “Matt Prior at his best”.”It’s a brilliant achievement,” Cook said. “And it’s great to have an attacking batsman coming in and taking it to the opposition.  He’s been very similar to Matt Prior when he was at his best. We could often be 100 for five and he’d change the momentum. It’s great to see someone who works so hard at his game getting his rewards.”Progress was not smooth, though. Cook admitted that England had found themselves three or four wickets down for few runs “more often than we would have liked” and he admitted that Bairstow’s role as keeper remained a discussion point after seeing a couple of relatively straightforward chances go down.”He knows how hard he has to work at his keeping,” Cook said. “That is a conversation we do have. He knows a couple of chances have gone down, but you don’t become a world-class wicketkeeper overnight. He’s made big strides since that South Africa series and is certainly heading in the right direction. But yes, there is always the thought that he could play as a specialist batsman with a guy who scores as many runs as he can.”It might be forgotten amid the one-sided results in the first two games, but the last time Sri Lanka visited England they won the Test series.For that reason alone, England have cause to celebrate this victory. Yes, conditions were stacked in their favour and, yes, this is a Sri Lanka side in a transitional phase. But England are not so strong, or so successful, that they can take anything for granted. It is only 13 months since they were held to a draw in the Caribbean. They remain the fourth-ranked team in the ICC’s Test table.But when you add the emergence of Hales, the development of Woakes and the dominance of Bairstow, they have made some tangible progress in this series. Progress is fitful and holes remain, but they are heading in the right direction.

Members of the Indian cricket fraternity pay tribute to former BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, who died of a heart attack on September 19

Amol Karhadkar20-Sep-2013Kiran More, who hops between Vadodara and Mumbai, used to make it a point to visit former Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) and BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele at his residence whenever he was in his hometown. Thursday afternoon was no exception.After having celebrated Lele’s 75th birthday on Sunday – two days after Lele actually turned 75 – More, the former India wicketkeeper and chairman of selectors, dropped in for his customary chat with the veteran administrator. “We had a nice half-an-hour-long chat, discussing the book that we had been planning, on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Even though he was feeling slightly dizzy, he told me he was feeling good and also passed a message to the doctor, through me, not to visit him,” More said. “And he had to join his friends for a customary cards session in the late afternoon, [so] I left after seeking [his] blessings.”More still cannot believe that it turned out to be their last meeting. “I received a call around 8.30pm from his family saying he had suffered a heart attack and when I reached his home, only then did I realise that he hadn’t made it,” More said. “It’s a sad day for Indian cricket, particularly Baroda cricket.”More, who first met Lele “as a 14-year-old kid at the BCA nets” was one of the many cricketers who had a fondness for the outspoken administrator. While Lele was portrayed in a negative manner in the media for his brusqueness, the cricket fraternity loved him for that.”I always came across him as someone who was always ready to help in whatever way he could. What was striking about him was that he was ready to be confronted,” India bowler Irfan Pathan, who hails from Baroda, said after attending Lele’s last rites on Friday afternoon. “Besides his passion for the game, people will always remember him for his openness – both in private and while dealing with the media. But what the cricket fraternity will remember him for is the immense work he did for the BCCI and especially for Baroda cricket.”Not many remember that Lele was a first-class umpire before taking over the reins of the BCA and then proving his administrative skills at the BCCI during Indian cricket’s transitional phase from a semi-professional to professional era. And despite his shrewdness as an administrator, he never let the passionate fan in him die; as this reporter realised during a breakfast meeting with him at his residence during a Ranji Trophy match in 2010-11, cricket was the focal point in his life.It made him naturally caring towards cricketers, a rarity in an Indian sports administrator of the past. “I remember the first time I met him was when I was selected for India for the Under-15 Asia Cup in Malaysia,” Irfan said. “When my selection was announced I didn’t have a passport and, at that time, there was no passport office in Baroda.”We had to travel all the way to Ahmedabad and the officials over there wanted to be pleased, so every day they used to ask for additional documents. After travelling to Ahmedabad and coming back for three days in succession, finally, on the fourth day, my coach took me to Mr Lele. That was the first time I was meeting him and in no time he gave me a letter of recommendation on the BCCI letterhead and my passport was delivered within two days. After that and I could go to Malaysia represent the country for the first time. This may appear as a routine gesture now but in those days, not many used to take efforts to help out younger cricketers.”More also recalled Lele’s caring attitude: “Every time I was selected for the Indian team, he would be more excited than me. He would ensure that all my travel plans were perfectly in place. And then I realised that I wasn’t the only one. He would take care of all the boys – irrespective of the state or zone they belonged to – in the same manner.”When you control a state organisation for three decades, one tends to develop professional rivals. But Lele was one of those who made more friends than foes, not just at a professional level. “Jayant was a great soul and he was a gentleman of the first degree,” Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former BCCI and ICC president who worked closely with Lele, said in a choked voice. “He was outspoken and he never minced words. He was a very close friend of mine and it’s a personal and sad loss to me.”Dalmiya’s wasn’t the only choked voice in the Indian cricket fraternity on Friday.

Shahriar Nafees, the Bangladesh batsman, has been handed an indefinite suspended ban but will be part of the A side for their next match later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2012Shahriar Nafees, the Bangladesh batsman, has been handed a suspended ban but will be part of the A side for their next match later this month. The announcement was made after Bangladesh Cricket Board president Mustafa Kamal met with chief selector Akram Khan and the disciplinary committee chairman Sirajuddin Mohammad Alamgir on Wednesday.The A team’s management had submitted a strong letter against Nafees after he showed dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match of the Shafi Darashah tournament in Bangalore last month. He was sent home on the basis of the management’s letter to the cricket operations committee.Akram confirmed Nafees will be joining the Bangladesh A team next week to prepare for the four-day game against the West Indies’ High Performance Centre side from September 22. Nafees had apologised for his actions at a hearing on Tuesday.”The suspended ban will be in place for an indefinite period but if he [Shariar Nafees] does anything untoward in the future, he will be banned for six months,” said Alamgir, who had his committee’s recommendations ratified by the BCB chief.Nafees had apologised for his actions at a hearing on Tuesday.

Dwayne Bravo will captain West Indies A against Bangladesh A in the first four-day game between the two sides from November 5 at North Sound

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2011Dwayne Bravo will captain West Indies A against Bangladesh A in the first four-day game between the two sides from November 5 at North Sound. The 13-man squad for the game includes three players who are on development contracts from the WICB, and Andre Russell, who is on a Grade C contract.Bravo’s inclusion in the A squad means he will not be part of the Test squad for West Indies’ tour of India, which starts with the first Test in Delhi from November 6. He has not played for West Indies since asking for a break after the first two ODIs against India in June to work on his game. Since then he has played for Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League T20 and for Trinidad & Tobago in the ongoing Regional Super50 tournament.Fast bowlers Shannon Gabriel and Nelon Pascal, who played two Tests last year, and wicketkeeper Devon Thomas, who has played nine ODIs for West Indies, are the three players on development contracts who have been included in the West Indies A squad for the first game against Bangladesh A. Batsman Danza Hyatt, who has been a regular member of West Indies’ limited-over squads in recent times, and legspinner Nkruma Bonner and allrounder Carlos Brathwaite, who were recently handed international debuts, are also in the A squad.Russell has become an integral part of West Indies’ limited-overs side but has played just the solitary Test so far, against Sri Lanka in Galle last year.Sunil Narine, the T&T offspinner, has also been added to the squad after topping the wicket-charts in the Regional Super50. Narine also impressed during the recent Champions League T20, where he took 10 wickets at an average of 10.50.West Indies A will play two four-day games against Bangladesh A, two Twenty20 matches and three one-day games.Squad: Dwayne Bravo (capt), Nkrumah Bonner, Carlos Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Rajindra Chandrika, Kyle Corbin, Shannon Gabriel, Nelon Pascal, Veerasammy Permaul, Danza Hyatt, Andre Russell, Devon Thomas (wk), Sunil Narine

Kumar Sangakkara has stepped down as captain of Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20 teams but has offered to continue as the Test captain on an interim basis

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2011Kumar Sangakkara has stepped down as captain of Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20 teams but has offered to continue as the Test captain on an interim basis for the forthcoming series against England and Australia “if this is considered helpful for the new captain”. He will continue as a player in all formats of the game.His decision, revealed on Tuesday, comes days after he led Sri Lanka to the World Cup final. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews are among those tipped to take charge of the limited-overs’ sides, while Thilan Samaraweera is being discussed as an option to lead the Test team.Sangakkara was the third highest scorer in the 2011 World Cup and scored 48 in their defeat to India in the final.”I would like to announce that after careful consideration I have concluded that it is in the best long-term interests of the team that I step down now as national captain so that a new leader can be properly groomed for the 2015 World Cup in Australia”, a statement from Sangakkara said.”This was a decision I made prior to the 2011 World Cup. I will be 37 by the next World Cup and I cannot therefore be sure of my place in the team. It is better that Sri Lanka is led now by a player who will be at the peak of their career during that tournament.”It has been a true honour and a great privilege to serve my country as captain during the past two years and, although bitterly disappointed that we could not win the final, I am very proud of the performances of the team.”I met with the selectors on Monday and I explained my reasons for my decision and I assured them of my fullest support in helping our new captain settle into the leadership.”In this regard, I have offered to continue as the Test captain for the forthcoming series with England and possibly Australia if the selectors believe this would help the new captain and aid the transition.”I have no plans of retirement from international cricket at this stage and subject to form and fitness I would like to be considered for selection in all three formats of the game for the foreseeable future. “

A resilient performance from Bangladesh Cricket Board XI handed the Zimbabweans a 29-run defeat in the one-day practice game in Savar, and a reminder of the tough challenge ahead of them on the tour

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2010Bangladesh Cricket Board XI 223 for 9 (Saghir 49, Asif 46, Meth 4-46) beat Zimbabweans 194 (Taibu 32, Noor 3-40) by 29 runs
ScorecardKeegan Meth’s four-wicket haul was a silver lining for the visitors•Zimbabwe Cricket

A resilient performance from Bangladesh Cricket Board XI handed the Zimbabweans a 29-run defeat in the one-day practice game in Savar, and a reminder of the tough challenge ahead of them on the tour. The hosts overcame an indifferent start to turn the tables against the tourists who fielded a side that was close to full strength.The Zimbabweans began brightly after losing the toss, with seamers Chris Mpofu and Keegan Meth striking early blows. They picked up the big wickets of Shahriar Nafees, Jahurul Islam and Alok Kapali in quick succession, leaving the home side reeling at 39 for 3. Opener Fazle Mahmud resisted briefly before he too perished, leaving the lower order to undertake a massive repair job.Asif Ahmed and Saghir Hossain stepped up to the requirement, steering their side to a safe score with patient hands. They struck three fours apiece in watchful 40s that held the innings together, and supporting acts from the tail helped push the score past 200. Mpofu and Meth impressed again in the death overs, finishing with seven of the nine wickets that fell in the innings.The Zimbabweans’ chase began on the wrong foot, with seamer Syed Rasel breaching Hamilton Masakadza’s defences before he could get off the mark. Brendan Taylor, Chamu Chibhabha and Tatenda Taibu all got starts, but their inability to kick on and shepherd the chase cost the visitors dearly. Legspinner Noor Hossain dismissed all three before his spinning colleagues joined in applying the middle-overs choke that Bangladesh is becoming increasingly famous for. A lower-middle order implosion followed, leaving the visitors stuttering at 108 for 7. Meth, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer batted with gumption to score 20s and give their side an outside chance, but the 17-year-old Asif was on hand to ensure they ran out of steam 30 runs short.

Helmien Rambaldo will lead a 14-member Netherlands team to South Africa for the ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge tournament in Potchefstroom

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2010Helmien Rambaldo will lead a 14-member Netherlands team to South Africa for the ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge tournament in Potchefstroom, the Netherlands board has announced. Experienced allrounder Caroline Salomons, who played in the Women’s European Championship last month, has been left out of the squad.Netherlands, currently ranked 10th, have made steady progress recently. They played county cricket in England during the summer and earned a promotion to Division 3. At the European Championship in August, they beat Scotland in their final game to secure a berth for the Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament in Bangladesh in November 2011.Coach Ed de Moura Correia feels the players have improved a lot over the past few weeks. “This can be attributed to their [players’] commitment and hard work. Taking part is crucial for Netherlands as it will now meet ICC requirements for number of ODIs and T20s. The Netherlands are grateful to the ICC for staging this tournament”.Rambaldo, who studied in South Africa, is looking forward to going back. “It will be a challenge to play against teams that have been playing more and better cricket these last two years. But we have gone a new route and it is an excellent opportunity to see where we stand.”To enable the players to acclimatise to the high altitude at Potchefstroom, a special training schedule has been devised. The team departs for South Africa on October 2. The tournament starts on October 6 and the Netherlands will play 5 ODIs and 3 T20s against Ireland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa.Netherlands Women
H Rambaldo (capt), V Wattenberg (wk), M Braat, L Brouwers, E Gerritse, C de Groot, D Hannema, E de Lange, E Lanser, Mariska Kornet, M Nijman, D Prins, A Tanke, M VeringmeierOn stand-by: N Hennis, H Hofman, A Mol and C Toussaint

In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct, Graeme Smith, the captain, has been fined 20% of his match fee while the rest of the team has been hit with a 10% fine

Cricinfo staff21-May-2010South Africa have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during their 13-run win in the first Twenty20 international against West Indies in Antigua on May 19. Roshan Mahanama, the match referee, imposed the fines after South Africa were ruled to be one over short of their target at the end of the match.In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct, Graeme Smith, the captain, has been fined 20% of his match fee while the rest of the team has been hit with a 10% fine. Smith was guilty of a similar offence during the ICC World Twenty20 and, as per the ICC rules, if he is found guilty for a third time within a 12-month period since his first offence, he will receive a one-match suspension.There was no hearing, as South Africa didn’t contest the penalty.

Yorkshire openers share century stand to help hosts make most of less than half a day’s play

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2023Runaway Division Two leaders Durham are under early pressure at Scarborough after Yorkshire openers Adam Lyth and Fin Bean shared a century stand to help the hosts make the most of just less than half a day’s play due to hail and heavy rain at Scarborough.Lyth and Bean shared 113 inside 31 overs after the visitors had elected to bowl at the start of this LV= Insurance County Championship fixture, contributing to a close of play 142 for two from 38 overs.Lyth led the way with 75 not out off 118 balls at the North Marine Road venue where he played his league cricket growing up. Fellow left-hander Bean made 46 but was the first of two wickets to fall – lbw to England Test quick Matthew Potts almost immediately after a 5.30pm resumption.Hail at lunch prevented an afternoon restart, and when umpires Steve O’Shaughnessy and Surendiran Shanmugam attempted to get going again at 2.30pm heavy rain returned as they and the players walked back onto the outfield.Puddles had formed all over the square within 30 minutes, and it took until 5.30pm for conditions to improve enough for nine more overs of play before bad light ended the day just after 6pm.Potts trapped Bean lbw with the seventh ball back – his first after the resumption – and later removed George Hill the same way for seven.Yorkshire have now lost a remarkable 1,308 overs to the weather this season, including the complete washout against Gloucestershire at Bristol in April when not a ball was bowled.Just short of 350 of those have come in the last three games, including at Worcestershire and against Sussex at Headingley earlier this month.New ball seamer Ben Raine will have counted himself unfortunate not to have removed Lyth with either of two confident lbw appeals in the opening over.But, aside from that, the visitors were unable to build pressure before lunch as they failed to hit a consistent line or length, allowing Lyth and Bean to continue their excellent recent form.The pair shared 177 for the first wicket in the draw against Worcestershire at New Road earlier this month, a game in which Bean scored a century.Lyth did likewise in last week’s draw against Sussex at Headingley, when the pair added 94.Yorkshire only batted once in each fixture, something which is not out of the question here unless Durham can continue to bowl with the quality and potency Potts displayed in the evening to oust Bean and then Hill.Lyth was particularly strong on the drive and Bean on the cut, with 17 runs coming from the morning’s penultimate over – bowled by the seam of Netherlands international Bas de Leede.