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Cameron White’s second century of the tournament delivered victory and a bonus point to Victoria in their Matador Cup match against Tasmania at North Sydney Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2016
ScorecardPeter Siddle picked up 1 for 19 in his first match since February•Getty Images

Cameron White’s second century of the tournament delivered victory and a bonus point to Victoria in their Matador Cup match against Tasmania at North Sydney Oval. White finished unbeaten on 117 as the Bushrangers chased down the target of 211 with eight wickets in hand, inside 35 overs, to continue their strong one-day form.Earlier, Peter Siddle had made an encouraging return from long-term injury in his first competitive match since February, collecting 1 for 19 from eight overs as the Tigers were restricted to 7 for 210. Siddle bowled opener Tim Paine in the third over of the match as Paine offered no shot to a ball that moved back in, and Glenn Maxwell picked up two early wickets to have Tasmania 3 for 17.Alex Doolan rebuilt the innings with an unbeaten 87 from 82 deliveries, with assistance from allrounder Simon Milenko (44), and a late 34 not out from Xavier Doherty. However, the target was always going to be difficult for the Tasmania bowlers to defend, and a 122-run opening stand between White and Marcus Harris made it even more so.Harris fell for 64 and Maxwell for 22, but they were the only two wickets to fall in the Victorian innings as White directed the chase perfectly. He struck five sixes and 12 fours and jumped ahead of Moises Henriques to lead the overall tournament run tally.

Sandeep Patil, India’s chairman of selectors, has expressed concerns over the team’s performances against South Africa while continuing to back the captain and team management

Sidharth Monga19-Oct-20153:12

‘A selector’s job is to look beyond scorecards’ – Patil

Sandeep Patil, India’s chairman of selectors, has expressed concerns over the Indian team’s performances, and said the panel has discussed “a few issues” with the team management. The way Ajinkya Rahane is being used – captain one day, carrying drinks the other; batting at No. 3 one day, 6 the other – was definitely one of the issues, but Patil said they discussed other things too. But he said he retained faith in the ODI captain MS Dhoni, the team director Ravi Shastri, and the support staff. India have lost both the Twenty20 internationals to South Africa, and two out of the first three ODIs.”It is not [about being] happy or not happy,” Patil said about India’s performance in the series against South Africa so far. “We are concerned. The two selectors with the Indian team had a word with the team management and the captain. Today also we had a detailed discussion with the captain.”It is not about worrying. Every time they win we feel good. Every time the Indian team lose we feel bad. Nobody is happy about losing the game we should have won. Besides that, we still back the team we have chosen, we still back the ideas, we still back the team management, the support staff. We want them to do well. The areas we felt that needed looking into have been discussed, and I hope that the team management and the captain will give a good thought to it.”Patil was asked whose fault it was that the India captain feels the No 5, 6 and 7 slots are unsettled. Has he not got the teams he wanted or have the selectors not shown enough foresight?”I have said this earlier too, and I’d like to clarify once again, that our jurisdiction is to give the captain the team which not only the captain wants but the team which the selectors feel will do well, looking at the form of that particular player, looking at the slot for which he has been chosen, looking at the opposition,” Patil said. “I think we are still on the same page. Whether it is the captain, whether it is the director, whether it is the team management, the support staff, whether it is the BCCI.”All selectors feel we have picked the best combination. The final selection of the XI is always left to the team management. That’s why earlier when I was asked if we have discussed this issue, yes we discussed this issue, we worried about a few things. I hope things will work better hereafter.”In recent Indian cricket, for the selectors to even discuss these issues and then acknowledge that issues exist is almost unheard of. A necessitating factor could be the way Rahane is being used. The captain has said he is an excellent ODI batsman against the new ball or against the old ball on quick pitches – which basically leaves him either a slot in the already packed top order or none at all. Yet he was played at No. 3 twice, with Virat Kohli having to move down to 4. In those two ODIs he scored 60 off 82 in a chase of 304 and 51 off 63 in India’s first-innings total of 247 for 9. In the third ODI Rahane was moved down, but perhaps because of the rapidly rising asking rate he was pushed all the way down to No. 6.Patil insisted Rahane was not the only matter of concern. “We have discussed not only Ajinkya but other players also with the captain and the team management,” Patil said. “Me and my co-selectors have had a word with the director [Shastri] also. But this is always left to the team management and the captain. We have limitations. We have no complaints but we have limitations. We discuss and we agree to a conclusion, and finally decide the combination of 15 players, but it is always left to them to pick the final XI and the batting and bowling order.”When asked if he was satisfied with the way Rahane was being handled, Patil remained non-committal. “It is not whether I am satisfied or if we are satisfied,” Patil said. “As I said we have full confidence in our captain and team management and the director. We have discussed these issues. Not only regarding Ajinkya Rahane. There were a few more issues. We have discussed them with the team management and the captain. I am sure they will give good thought to it.”

James Tomlinson’s four wickets helped Hampshire skittle Leicestershire and make them follow-on at the Ageas Bowl

11-Apr-2013
ScorecardJames Tomlinson caused havoc with the ball•Getty Images

James Tomlinson took four quick wickets as Leicestershire were forced to follow-on on day two against Hampshire.Left-arm pace bowler Tomlinson exploited the swinging bowling conditions with great skill as Leicestershire were bowled out for 143 in response to Hampshire’s first innings total of 454 for 7 declared. They will therefore begin day three 311 runs behind their hosts.Leicestershire openers Michael Thornely and Niall O’Brien had to bat out the last two overs of the day without scoring when following on but the damage had already been done. Tomlinson made the ball move both ways to finish with 4 for 23 while another left-armer, Chris Wood took 3 for 30 as Leicestershire collapsed from 31 without loss.Earlier Hampshire had resumed on 286 for 4 and had little difficulty in adding a further 168 in 39 overs for the loss of Sean Ervine, James Vince and Wood. Ervine departed at 308, bowled by Matthew Hoggard, but Vince was in imperious form, reaching his century with his 17th boundary off Shiv Thakor as Hampshire built a formidable total.Vince and newcomer Adam Wheater added 104 for the sixth wicket in 29 overs before Vince lofted debut-making pace bowler Ollie Freckingham into the deep where Thakor held the catch. Vince faced 236 balls for his 148 and struck 21 boundaries, but even then the punishment was not over.Wheater, signed in the close season from Essex, blasted a rapid unbeaten 56 and Wood took advantage of a demoralised attack to make a swift 28 before being bowled by Jigar Naik to prompt the declaration.Thornely and O’Brien gave no hint of the tribulations to come with an opening stand of 31 but when Wood had O’Brien caught at first slip by Ervine, the batting was processional.Tomlinson’s first victim was Thornely, followed in rapid succession by Ned Eckersley and Josh Cobb to make inexperienced Leicestershire 64 for 4, a position from which they never recovered. Only captain Ramnaresh Sarwan hung around long enough to make an impression, hitting five fours in his top score of 25 before he was bowled by Ervine.At 118 for 9 Leicestershire looked doomed but then last pair Hoggard and Alex Wyatt attempted to bring some respectability to the score with an aggressive stand of 25 before Tomlinson returned to claim his fourth wicket when Hoggard drove to third slip.Hampshire fielders surrounded the Leicestershire openers when the follow-on was enforced but they survived to the close.

A Chris Martin triple-strike just after tea justified Ross Taylor’s decision to bowl first on a placid Dunedin surface, as New Zealand first toppled South Africa’s top order giants, then made headway into the tail, to leave the visitors on 191 for 7 at st

The Report by Andrew Fernando07-Mar-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHashim Amla scored 62 before his dismissal in the final session confirmed New Zealand’s dominant position•Associated Press

A Chris Martin triple-strike just after tea justified Ross Taylor’s decision to bowl first on a placid Dunedin surface, as New Zealand first toppled South Africa’s top order giants, then made headway into the tail, to leave the visitors on 191 for 7 at stumps on the first day. Heavy clouds failed to deliver the swing Taylor had banked on, but Martin’s stunning spell against his favourite opponent among the top-eight nations, turned the innings, and drew first blood in the series.The drama of Martin’s surge was heightened by its abruptness. Following a sleepy first session that offered so little for the pacemen that South Africa seemed destined for a mammoth total, Martin snaffled Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers in four balls to tear the guts out of the opposition top order.The rush of intensity was immediately apparent in Martin’s first few balls after tea. Twice he beat Smith’s outside edge, before hitting the batsman on the midriff with a straighter one. Having finished the previous session somewhat deflated, New Zealand suddenly sensed change. When Smith scooped the next one to short cover, they were positively buzzing.The first ball of Martin’s next over was sharp, short and angled. Too good for Kallis who could only manage an edge, which Taylor flew to his left to intercept. AB de Villiers was trapped by an indipper first ball. His review interrupted New Zealand’s celebrations momentarily, before replays confirmed the shout was as plumb as they come. From a comfortable 86 for 1, South Africa had slipped to 90 for 4.The recovery from South Africa, though somewhat short-lived, was swift and pleasing to the eye. Hashim Amla unfurled the offside strokes that bore him fruit in the ODI series, as he nullified a reinvigorated New Zealand pace attack that were once again searching for scalps. Purring cover drives and crisp square cuts found the ropes, and in 80 balls, he and Jacques Rudolph had scored 66.But having crossed 50, Amla fell to his nemesis from earlier in the innings. His tussle with Daniel Vettori had been the most engrossing battle of the earlier session, when the spinner’s turn beat his outside edge in his attempts to defend, and Vettori’s flight outdid enterprising scurries down the pitch. That time, the release had come for Amla when he finally connected to launch Vettori into the stands. But in his first over after tea, Vettori landed the knockout punch when he got one to kick, taking Amla’s edge.Mark Boucher was then the victim of the run-out South Africa looked like offering thoughout the day. Smith and Amla had survived one chance each, when fielders failed to hit the stumps. But this time, no direct hit was necessary. Boucher bounded from the non-striker’s end when Rudolph worked Vettori to point, and Bracewell swooped and found Kruger van Wyk’s gloves with his throw, to leave the visitors at 161 for 6. Dale Steyn succumbed soon after, with Taylor snaffling a rebound from Martin Guptill in the slips to leave his side much the happier of the two at stumps.The day had begun so promisingly for South Africa after almost four hours were lost to rain, when Graeme Smith progressed untroubled to a 31st Test half-century. New Zealand’s decision to insert the opposition on a slow, batsmen’s track seemed like folly when hopeful, full lengths from Martin, Trent Boult and Tim Southee were punched through the line by Smith in particular.Misjudgment on line, rather than significant movement removed Alviro Petersen for 11, but with Amla and Smith progressing smoothly, and the cloud cover expected to clear for the evening session, a large total beckoned. Smith was punishing on the leg side, when New Zealand’s pacemen abandoned their hopes for swing and muscled it in short, and his flick off middle stump for four just prior to tea epitomised his command of conditions. But things were about to change, and quickly.Edited by Nikita Bastian

Hamish Bennett led New Zealand’s humiliation of a Kenya outfit clearly out of its depth in Chennai

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill20-Feb-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Hamish Bennett blew away the Kenyan top order•Getty Images

Hamish Bennett led New Zealand’s humiliation of a Kenya outfit clearly out of its depth, attacking the stumps with metronomic accuracy to rip out four quick wickets as the minnows capitulated for just 69 – their lowest World Cup total and the fifth worst overall. Tim Southee helped himself to three cheap wickets, while Jacob Oram also picked up three in three overs before Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum eased their side to an unchallenged 10-wicket win.Kenya’s first showing at this tournament demonstrated both their lack of competency against good, but hardly exceptional, seam bowling and their incomprehension of the review system – borderline decisions were accepted without question and clear cut ones questioned out of sheer desperation.Jimmy Kamande called correctly at the toss and opted to bat on a pitch expected to help slow bowlers, but that was Kenya’s last success of the morning. The new ball barely deviated off the straight for Southee but Kenya’s young opening pair, perhaps over-awed by the occasion, remained nervously rooted to the crease. They had cobbled together just 14 runs – all in singles – when Southee nipped one off the seam to strike Alex Obanda in front of leg stump.Umpire Marais Erasmus’ decision initially looked a good one, but there was a hint that a review might have been in order. The Kenyans were, of course, unfamiliar with the UDRS but that provides no excuse for Obanda’s tame acceptance of his demise as replays showed that the ball would have gone over the top of the stumps by at least an inch or two.With the innings drifting swiftly into mediocrity Collins Obuya got going with a couple of meaty blows off Nathan McCullum, who opened the bowling from the other end, but just as he and Waters were starting to gain momentum Bennett was introduced and soon had the innings in disarray. First, he fired one full and straight at Waters, the ball shooting through at a low shin height to pin the batsman in front of his stumps.

Smart stats

• Kenya’s total of 69 is by far their lowest in World Cup games – it’s their first sub-100 total in 24 games. They lasted 23.5 overs, which is the lowest for them.

• It’s also the fifth-lowest total in World Cups. Canada’s 36 against Sri Lanka in 2003 is the lowest.

• For the first time in a World Cup match, New Zealand dismissed a team for less than 100. The previous lowest against New Zealand in a full 50-over match had been Bangladesh’s 116 in 1999.

• New Zealand won the match with 252 balls to spare, which is their most comprehensive World Cup win – and the third-best for all teams in World Cups – in terms of balls remaining. In all ODIs, it’s New Zealand’s second-most emphatic win.

• Hamish Bennett’s 4 for 16 is his best ODI figures, bettering the 4 for 46 he had achieved against Pakistan in his previous ODI.

There would have been high hopes in the Kenyan camp of Steve Tikolo, their veteran batsman, sparking a revival but he was swiftly removed by a searing full delivery that burst through a lazy swish to make a mess of his stumps. With the ball keeping low and starting to nip off the seam Obuya was the next batsman to be rapped on the front pad, right in front of middle. Perhaps out of desperation, a completely superfluous review was called for but there was no second life for Obuya and the innings sank even further when Maurice Ouma was dispatched in identical fashion in Bennett’s next over to leave Kenya staring into the abyss at 49 for 5.That soon become 59 for 6, Jacob Oram finding the edge of Kamande’s bat to end his brief resistance, and with that the fight went from Kenya’s innings. Oram had Thomas Odoyo, who was fending at a rising delivery, easily caught by Jesse Ryder and Southee was on a hat-trick when he removed Nehemiah Odhiambo and Shem Ngoche with the last two balls of his sixth over. There was no second international hat-trick for him, however, with Elijah Otieno flicking Oram straight to midwicket shortly afterwards to end a miserable Kenyan innings.Guptill took the lead as New Zealand completed the formality of the chase in just eight overs, thrashing two enormous sixes and peppering the boundary almost at will in a 32-ball 39. An uninspired McCullum chipped in with a rapid 26 as Kenya at least attempted to remain upbeat in the field despite the futility of their efforts.While New Zealand would have been hoping for a successful start to their campaign, the ease of their win here is hardly the best preparation for sterner challenges ahead against the likes of Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. For Kenya, things can only get better after a day they would dearly like to forget, though their performance won’t have done any favours to the argument that Associate nations deserve to be involved in future World Cups.

Match Timeline

Cricinfo previews the 15th match of the IPL between Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils in Cuttack

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran20-Mar-2010

Match facts

March 21, 2010
Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)AB de Villiers’ place could be up for grabs if he fails again•Associated Press

Big picture

Things aren’t so rosy for the Delhi Daredevils, who’ve slipped from top of the table after two games to No.6. Gautam Gambhir’s absence has had a bigger impact than they could have imagined, and a date hasn’t yet been set for his return. Their biggest worry, though, is their bowling, which has failed to defend totals of 218 and 185. And even those high scores belie a shaky batting line-up, with AB de Villiers out of form and Tillakaratne Dilshan yet to play a special innings. A strong middle-order performance will play a big part in getting Delhi back on track. Their seamers, especially Dirk Nannes, can be very potent on pitches that offer seam movement and pace. In Ashish Nehra’s absence, the responsibility on Nannes has only increased. After two forgettable showings at home, they’ll hope for better luck at a new venue.Deccan have rebounded well after losing their opening game, recording back-to-back wins against Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab. Adam Gilchrist retained the winning line-up against Punjab and the team looked in control of the game for most of the game. Their overseas players, including Andrew Symonds and Chaminda Vaas, have performed consistently and they are one of the form teams in this tournament. If Deccan win, it will be their first against Delhi in the league stages of the IPL.

Team talk

Gambhir’s return is still uncertain and assistant coach Eric Simons hinted that he could miss the next couple of games. Dinesh Karthik will continue to lead the team in his place. Wayne Parnell hasn’t got a game, neither has Moises Henriques, though it won’t be a bad idea to bring in the allrounder Henriques in place of the under-pressure de Villiers. Sarabjit Ladda has been expensive, so they can consider replacing him with Sarandeep Singh.Deccan’s VVS Laxman suffered an unfortunate injury to the arm while batting against Punjab. The fact that he retired hurt suggested that the injury could be serious. His absence could give Venugopal Rao an opportunity.

Previously…

Delhi 4 Deccan 1
Delhi won both their matches against Deccan 2008. They won their home game by 12 runs and the away game by a nine-wicket margin.Delhi won the first match against Deccan in 2009 by six wickets, thanks to Nannes’ opening spell. Deccan ought to have won the return match, needing 25 in three overs, with six wickets in hand but choked, losing by 12 runs. Rajat Bhatia was the hero on that occasion. But Deccan had their revenge in the more important clash – the semi-final.

In the spotlight

AB de Villiers: Thirty-five runs in four games at 8.75. Not numbers you will associate with the South African batsman, but a big score is due. Fortunately, his poor batting form hasn’t rubbed off on his fielding, which is as sharp as ever. But you have to admit that he’s one failure away from being dropped.
RP Singh: The left-armer has struggled in Indian conditions and he’s yet to recreate his form from last year, where the swing and seam in South Africa made him feel at home. Three wickets at 36 and an expensive economy rate of 9.81 aren’t figures you’d expect from the team’s strike bowler.Chaminda Vaas v Delhi top-order: He did it to Kolkata, Chennai and Punjab. A fascinating duel with Sehwag beckons.

Prime numbers

• Chaminda Vaas remains the Purple Cap holder with seven wickets, followed closely by hat-trick man Praveen Kumar at six.
• Virender Sehwag’s strike-rate of 194.68 is the highest for any batsman who has played four matches. Gilchrist’s slightly ahead at 195.31 but he’s played one game less.

Chatter

“We know what Gilchrist did to us in the semifinal last year. We know what kind of a player he is and what is the kind of player Gibbs is.”

“We can’t take anyone lightly and Delhi are a quality side, they showed it in IPL 2. But, we must do our things well and not worry too much about the opposition.”

Gloucestershire’s long wait for home victory goes on after draw

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2024Gloucestershire 322 (Hammond 81, van Buuren 75, Brooks 3-55) and 127 for 3 (Price 52*) drew with Middlesex 203 (de Lange 6-49) and 449 for 7 dec (Higgins 155, Holden 111, Eskinazi 65*)Gloucestershire’s long wait for a Vitality County Championship victory on home soil continued as their Second Division match against Middlesex at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol petered out into a draw.On a day which began with all three results still possible, Middlesex did their utmost to force a result by declaring their second innings on 449 for 7 and setting the home side a target of 339 to win in 58 overs on a hybrid pitch offering negligible assistance to the bowlers.The visitors still fancied they had an outside chance of prevailing when reducing their opponents to 102 for 3 in the final session with 27 overs still available, but Ollie Price displayed resilience in compiling an unbeaten 52 as Gloucestershire reached 127 for 3 to frustrate London ambition.Resuming their second innings on 262 for 3, Middlesex had earlier played positively in adding a further 187 in 36 overs, Ryan Higgins top-scoring with 155 and sharing in a stand of 202 for the fourth wicket with Max Holden, who contributed 111. Stephen Eskinazi’s breezy 65 not out prompted the declaration, which came half an hour into the afternoon session.Forced to contend with a cold and blustery wind and battleship grey skies – hardly conditions conducive to a successful run chase – Gloucestershire were never in a position to realistically pursue a first red-ball win since September 2022. Their 11-point haul from this game saw Middlesex overtake Sussex and assume leadership of the table after four matches, while Gloucestershire collected 13 points to move off the bottom.Starting the day with a handy lead of 143, Middlesex were intent upon hastening to a point where they could declare their second innings and set Gloucestershire a target. As such, Holden and Higgins picked up where they left off the previous evening, going for their shots and looking to carry the attack to the bowlers.When Holden slashed at one delivery outside off stump too many and was held by Price at second slip off the bowling of Ajeet Singh Dale, the fourth-wicket partnership stood at 201 from 39.4 overs. Having added just six runs to his overnight tally, Holden fell on 111, his transformative innings spanning 154 balls and containing 15 fours and a six.Undeterred by the departure of his long-time partner, the ebullient Higgins went to 150 in the grand manner, hoisting Graeme van Buuren high over deep mid-wicket and into the car park for his fifth maximum. He was out to the next ball, again attempting to hit Gloucestershire’s captain out of the ground and skying a catch to mid-off.In terms of its longevity, this latest innings might not have matched the career-best 221 Higgins compiled against Glamorgan at Lord’s three weeks earlier, but it certainly exerted a more profound impact upon proceedings. Having arrived in the middle on day three with Middlesex in some discomfort at 79 for 3, he departed with the score on 352 for 5 and the visitors in a position to dictate terms for the first time in the contest.Gloucestershire trailed by 234 when they took the new ball which realistically represented their last opportunity to wrest back control of the game. Marchant de Lange and Singh Dale bent their backs, only for the flow of runs to continue as Eskinazi and Jack Davies joined forces in a progressive alliance of 45 in nine overs. Davies eventually holed out to mid-on off the bowling of De Lange, but only after plundering five fours and a six to put a dent in the South African’s figures.Deploying a characteristically unorthodox approach, Eskinazi contributed an unbeaten 65 from 96 balls with eight fours, his innings a hit and miss affair that served to raise the tempo. Gloucestershire’s best efforts with the new ball would have done little to encourage the Middlesex bowlers in the belief that they could take 10 wickets on a hybrid pitch to win the game, but the declaration arrived nevertheless, Leus du Plooy calling the batters in with the scoreboard on 449 for 7 shortly after lunch.Required to score at a little under six an over, Gloucestershire were no doubt mindful of the alarming second-innings collapse that sent them spiralling to defeat at the hands of Sussex in their last game. When Chris Dent succumbed to a leg-side strangle at the hands of Tom Helm without scoring in the second over, the home side could have been excused for harbouring negative thoughts.Any fears of a repeat performance were allayed by Cameron Bancroft and Price, the second-wicket pair proving reassuringly obdurate in the face of testing spells from Helm and Henry Brookes to see Gloucestershire through to the tea interval at 69 for 1.Although the prospect of the home side scoring a further 262 runs to win in the final session remained no better than notional, there appeared to be precious little in the pitch to offer Middlesex any encouragement. Clearly undeterred, Helm removed Bancroft for 32 shortly after tea, locating the Australian’s outside edge and presenting an opportunity for du Plooy to demonstrate his athleticism at second slip.Price was fortunate to survive when dropped by Eskinazi at first slip off the bowling of Ethan Bamber, but the seamer breathed new life into the contest when inducing Miles Hammond to pull straight to midwicket soon afterwards. When Price and James Bracey proved obdurate, the two sides shook hands at 5.25pm with 18.3 overs unused.

Head coach says players got ahead of themselves in the match against Netherlands and “seeds of doubt” crept in

Hemant Brar02-Nov-2022After being “outplayed” by Netherlands in Adelaide, Zimbabwe head coach Dave Houghton said his players got ahead of themselves given the significance of the match and had “seeds of doubt” in their minds.Had Zimbabwe won, and then beaten India in their next game, they could have been in with a chance, although an outside one, to make the semi-finals of the men’s T20 World Cup. However, yet another batting failure meant they could put up only 117 and lost by five wickets, the defeat pushing them to the brink of elimination.Related

• Netherlands seamers, O'Dowd all but knock Zimbabwe out

• Cricket might not love Zimbabwe, but the game would be poorer without them

• How Zimbabwe prospered by practising less, not more

“We’ve been quite fragile with our batting throughout this tournament,” Houghton said after the game. “It has been our bowling, really, and fielding and catching, that has kept us in. Unfortunately, it [the batting] let us down in a game like this, which would have been huge for us if we had won, because then we’ll go on to the next game with just that outside possibility. I think we just got a little bit in front of ourselves thinking of what the possibilities might be.”One of the things I’ve tried to encourage to the team, even if our batting is a bit fragile, is to still be positive and play with fearlessness. There was a bit of movement in that wicket, and we needed to do something about it. We needed to be batting a bit more positively, using our feet going down the wicket at the seamers, but we didn’t. The seeds of doubt just kept us stuck to the crease, and unfortunately, it cost us.”Since I’ve been in charge of the side, the last four-and-a-half months, we’ve had an incredible journey; we’ve played some really good cricket. This is probably the first time that I’ve seen a bit of doubt creep into our game. Hopefully, it’ll be the last time for a while as well.”Earlier in the tournament, Zimbabwe had beaten Pakistan in a last-ball thriller but the high didn’t last long as they lost to Bangladesh in dramatic fashion, also on the final ball of the game.Houghton was asked if the result against Bangladesh played a part in today’s game.”Oh, no, I don’t think so,” he said. “I think we just had the doubt here. I think it was because of a new surface [this was the first match in Adelaide this World Cup]. We took a couple of days off between the two games, because our guys were so tired. I just couldn’t make them practice again. So that might have sown a little bit of the doubt that they hadn’t actually been to the ground.”And the occasion – we knew we needed to win one of the games against Bangladesh and Holland [Netherlands]. We lost closely to Bangladesh, so we thought, well, we need to beat Holland. That extra bit of pressure on them [the players], plus the fact that we hadn’t been down here beforehand, might have sown the seeds of doubt.”Regis Chakabva’s sub-par returns with the bat played a part in Zimbabwe not putting up challenging totals. In seven innings, the wicketkeeper-batter has scored only 45 runs at an average of 6.42 and a strike rate of 77.58.Chakabva started the tournament batting at the top of the order but was moved down to No. 6 in the last two games. Against Netherlands, he came in at No. 3, was offered two lives during his 16-ball stay but could score only five.”The biggest reason for moving batters around is that we’re not getting enough runs out of various players,” Houghton said. “I mean, we’ve been literally living on some runs from Sean Williams and [Sikandar] Raza for the last short while and one or two contributions from Wessly [Madhevere] and occasionally from Craig Ervine. So it has been difficult. We’re having to move people around to see if we can adjust the order a bit to make life a little bit easier so hopefully we get bigger contributions from everyone. As I said, our batting has been brittle throughout this tournament. So we’ve done incredibly well to get where we’ve got to.”Sikandar Raza has been, arguably, the prime reason for Zimbabwe’s run of good results•ICC via Getty Images

Overall, it has been a positive tournament for Zimbabwe. After a dominant show in the qualifying event in Bulawayo, they topped their group in the first round in Australia and then almost threatened a semi-final spot. Houghton said that the performance has “brought the game back to life” back home.”It has meant a hell of a lot to people at home, and not just people at home, but Zimbabweans all around the world,” he said. “The messages that we get on a regular basis from everybody have been unbelievable. We’ve had quite a few night games in this tournament, after which get back to the hotel at half past 11 and I’m still answering messages at 4-5 in the morning. It has been phenomenal and we know because we have been getting the videos posted [of the celebrations] as well.”We know how it has been taken at home. The thing is they’ve enjoyed the way we play. They’ve enjoyed the fact that we are able to come out and stand toe to toe with some of the best. And even though we have lost today, they will still have enjoyed watching us and they will still be proud of us. I said to the guys after the game that win or lose, our crowd is behind us, and you guys have brought the game back to life in Zimbabwe.”If you had told me in June, when I started, that we would end up being sort of two games away about with the possibility of getting to a semi-final, I would have bitten your hand off for it. But it has been a positive journey for us all the way through. It’s just a pity we chose this game to have our worst game.”

Will Smeed offers sound support as visitors bounce back from thumping less than a fortnight ago

Sam Dalling23-Jun-2021Something old, something new for Somerset, James Hildreth and Will Smeed combining to ease their side to victory in south London. Sweet revenge, for their thumping at Surrey’s hands less than a fortnight ago, the tables turned by a second-wicket partnership worth 103 in just 63 balls.Hildreth scored the winning runs at this ground when Somerset won their only T20 crown back in 2005 and tonight marked his 200th appearance – all of them for Somerset – with a typically classy unbeaten 72. To paraphrase his pre-tournament words, you seemingly can teach an old dog new tricks: promoted to open the batting as a stop-gap, Hildreth now has 169 runs at a strike-rate touching 150.He played with freedom, intent on celebrating his landmark with a waltz at every ball. Following several early wafts that threatened nothing but air, Gus Atkinson was pulled and then cut away to get Hildreth going. He never looked back, a free-hit following a Jordan Clark beamer was swatted into the Peter May Stand, while he picked up seven boundaries in his favoured spots behind square either side of the wicket.And with Hildreth, some 16 years his junior, was Smeed. He made 42 before a leading edge gave Dan Moriarty a rare-wicket maiden in this format. It meant the pair fell agonisingly one shy of Peter Trego and Corey Anderson’s record stand in this fixture for Somerset: one suspects they will care little.There are many fine judges in the West Country who believe Smeed is technically the best player Greg Kennis and his Academy staff have ever produced. It is very early days but there is plenty to suggest they are onto something. Beaten for pace several times by Jamie Overton, making a rare appearance with the ball in a powerplay, Smeed responded by flicking his former team-mate over the ground’s longest boundary. He later treated Jade Dernbach with disdain, taking 16 from three balls, including back-to-back sixes. If Smeed is not careful, that flick over square-leg will rapidly become a trademark.On a night of milestones, Lewis Goldsworthy became Gareth Batty’s 150th T20 wicket, the veteran celebrating with his usual roar. But any suggestion of a Somerset wobble was quickly dispelled by Tom Lammonby, who reverse-swept his first two balls for four. Such has been Lammonby’s lack of touch, this was his first Blast outing of the summer. He played tonight only because of Tom Abell’s hamstring injury but finished with a confidence boosting unbeaten 23 from 15 balls. Fittingly, Hildreth stroked the winning boundary.Earlier, Surrey’s innings had once more been built around the supreme talent of Will Jacks. He has lit up the Blast since the start of last season, any sense that he was flying under the radar extinguished by his savage attack on Middlesex’s at Lord’s in the opening round.And with top-order partner Jason Roy on England duty, Jacks all of a sudden was burdened by responsibility. Not that it showed. Boundaries came in flurries, Jack Leach – making his T20 bow a day after his 30th birthday – taking early tap. A deposit into the Micky Stewart Pavilion delighted the members who have only recently reclaimed their previous spot: it has been a makeshift dressing room for 15 months. And when Jacks cut away supremely to end the third over, there was little doubt that he was ‘on’ tonight.But while runs flowed freely from one end, Craig Overton was miserly at the other. Overton has a swagger about him these days that is backed up by returns. His three powerplay overs cost a mere 12 runs.Leach had in the meantime picked up a maiden T20 wicket, although he owes Ben Green a drink for it: Jamie Smith mistimed a slog-sweep that got far more height than distance, Green taking a superb catch diving forward over his shoulder having started at mid-on.At that point Surrey were under pressure. Or it least it seemed that way, only for Jacks to first stroke a pair of fours, before flicking and pulling consecutive Josh Davey deliveries for six. The first took Jacks to a half-century of sixes in just the 50th game of his fledgling T20 career: a remarkable 32% of his runs have come that way.Fifty was in vogue, with Jacks’ partnership with Laurie Evans suddenly worth that many from only 30 balls. But then Evans comically ran himself out. He saw a reverse-sweep fall just short of Leach at point, but had set off for a run in the meantime that Jacks had no interest in. Jamie Overton threatened fireworks, but drilled one to Lewis Gregory at cover.Rory Burns brought up Surrey’s hundred with the reverse-sweep that had drawn so much attention during England’s ill-fated tour of India but the runs had dried up. Much rested on Jack, but having raced to 50 off 28, even he found runs hard to come by on a used pitch against Somerset’s spin trio of Leach, Goldsworthy and Max Waller. Just 15 runs came from his next 14 balls and frustration lingered in the air. As did Jacks’ very next shot, Waller taking the catch at long-off to give Leach 3 for 28. Easy game, T20.Clark teased Lammonby to hit Craig Overton for six late on, with Moriarty hoicking Davey for a similar result in the final over. That allowed Surrey to set 147 to win. It proved well short.There was plenty of symmetry about the way both teams started their innings: an early wicket followed by a fruitful powerplay. But whereas Surrey men tumbled regularly, Somerset stood firm. And there is symmetry in results too: this is the fifth consecutive summer these teams have taken two points off each other.Following a slow start, Somerset have won their last two. Surrey, on the other hand, began like a steam train but are now in model railway mode, their momentum checked by first the rain and then international call-ups.

Experienced batsman will act as “sounding board” to new leader Andy Balbirnie

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jun-2020Ireland have appointed Paul Stirling as vice-captain, providing support to Andy Balbirnie after he took charge across all formats last year.Stirling is one of Ireland’s most-experienced players, capped 117 times in ODIs and 78 times in T20Is, as well as playing all three Tests since the country’s elevation to Full Member status. He is their leading run-scorer in both white-ball formats, and his 177 against Canada in 2010 remains an ODI record for Ireland.The two former Middlesex team-mates, who lived together during their time in London, will now oversee Ireland’s fortunes as they attempt to build for future challenges, including a T20 World Cup and the new 50-over World Cup Super League.”It was fitting to get a call from Bal to ask me to be his vice-captain,” Stirling said. “We’ve played together all the way up from when we were kids so I look forward to helping him shape the way this Irish side moves forward in the coming months and years ahead.”He’s had an excellent start to his captaincy with wins in the Caribbean and the subcontinent, but there is so much on your plate as captain – especially with a younger team than we’ve had in the past – so I am happy just to be a sounding board to bounce ideas off and help implement any changes in the way Bal wants to take this team forward on and off the field.”Stirling recently moved back to Belfast, after losing his status as a non-overseas player in county cricket. His first assignment as Balbirnie’s deputy could come in England, with discussions still taking place over Ireland’s proposed visit for three ODIs at the end of next month.Balbirnie took over as Test and ODI captain from the long-serving William Porterfield in 2019, before being given the T20I role as well. Ireland have lost six out of eight completed matches this year, but pushed West Indies close in the second ODI at Bridgetown before winning a T20I in Grenada.”I’ve known Paul since I was about 12 years old when we first played against each other in inter-provincial cricket – we’ve grown up together in our careers as such,” Balbirnie said. “We both went to Middlesex at the same time and lived together over in London, so he’s someone I consider a very close mate but also a very valuable person to have in our side from a knowledge point of view. So I didn’t really hesitate when I was thinking about who could be my vice-captain – he stuck out to me straight away.”I first mentioned the idea to him in the Caribbean and he said he’d love to do it. He’s someone that I’ve always sought advice from when thinking about my batting, so to have him as my right-hand man over the next few years is really exciting and one I’m sure he’s excited for as well.”I think within the Irish squad we have a lot of experienced guys to be able to voice their opinion, but at the end of the day, it is my decision. To have different points of view is great and refreshing, but with someone like Paul he is someone I’d talk to a lot about the game – it’s exciting for the next phase of the squad we’re bringing through. Even for the young players, to have someone like Paul to have a chat to in the change room or at training, he’s valuable to us both on the field and off.”