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Sri Lanka under pressure to keep series alive

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One year out from the T20 World Cup at home, Australia seem like they have the building blocks of a strong team

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Oct-2019

Big Picture

An upbeat Sri Lanka went to Australia threatening to continue their outstanding Pakistan form, but like a skyrocket that veers off and flies through the neighbour’s open window, they only managed to wreak the most alarming – though spectacular – type of damage. It is difficult to imagine how the Adelaide match could have gone any worse. Kasun Rajitha’s record 0 for 75 made headlines, but the spinners also went at more than 10 an over, and Lasith Malinga went wicketless. On the batting front, no one made 20. Sri Lanka have had some limp limited-overs performances in the past two years, but this was among the very worst.ALSO READ – Maxwell interview: ‘You can’t play cricket bitter, you stop concentrating’
Australia don’t exactly have the record of an ace T20 side, having won only two of their seven most-recent series, but may have reason to consider themselves one of the best outfits in the world, with the return of David Warner and Steve Smith. Plenty is known about the explosive top three – Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell rounding it out – but there is a cohesive attack there too. On Sunday, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins essentially ended what slim chances Sri Lanka had of chasing down a gargantuan target, by blasting out the top three inside four overs. Sri Lanka could then barely get the Australian spinners off the square, and surrendered a clump of wickets to the wristspinner Adam Zampa, as they often do.One year out from the T20 World Cup at home, Australia seem like they have the building blocks of a strong team at their disposal. When they arrived in Australia, Sri Lanka thought they had building blocks too. They have the galling challenge of winning in Brisbane if they are to avoid not only a series loss, but also talk of the Pakistan series having been a false dawn.ALSO READ – Starc to miss second T20I against Sri Lanka

Form guide

Australia WWWLW (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LWWWW

In the spotlight

There seems to be no team Glenn Maxwell enjoys playing more. He walloped 62 at a strike rate of 221 on Sunday, but going by his overall record against Sri Lanka, he might have actually underperformed. In four innings against them, he averages an astounding 140.5 (there are two not outs in there), with a strike rate 225. Particularly on tracks that do not offer drastic turn, Maxwell appears to have a psychological hold over the Sri Lanka attack – their bowlers seemingly incapable of out-manoeuvring or out-thinking him. More than a fifth of Maxwell’s career boundaries have come against Sri Lanka.Glenn Maxwell brought out all the shots•AFP

Sri Lanka made a litany of mistakes in the first match, but the first might have been to put Australia in to bat on what seemed an excellent batting surface. The decision seems especially strange when you account for Sri Lanka’s four previous T20s, which they had won batting first. Captain Lasith Malinga, who finds himself in the odd position of having to reimpose his leadership after the team did well without him in Pakistan. A victory at the Gabba could ease the pressure on him a little.

Team news

Mitchell Starc will miss the second T20 to attend his high-jump champion brother’s wedding. Billy Stanlake will likely play in his stead.Australia (possible): 1 David Warne, 2 Aaron Finch (capt.), 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Steve Smith, 5 Ashton Turner, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Billy StanlakeSri Lanka will likely leave Rajitha out and get Isuru Udana into the XI. They may also consider dropping the out-of-form Kusal Perera for Niroshan Dickwella.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Kusal Mendis, 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4 Oshada Fernando, 5 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt.), 11 Nuwan Pradeep

Pitch and conditions

There is no rain expected, but cloud cover is forecast, which could aid swing with the new ball. Otherwise, expect your standard fast, bouncy Gabba surface.

Stats and trivia

  • Sri Lanka have lost seven out of the eight-most recent T20s that Malinga has captained. Their only victory came against New Zealand, when Malinga took four wickets in four balls.
  • Maxwell’s three most-recent T20I scores are 62 off 28, 113* off 55, and 56 off 43. The 113 and 56 had come in February, in India.
  • Sri Lanka have won each of their three previous T20 series in Australia.

Parkinson to the fore as Lancashire bloom once more

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Birmingham allrounder Alex Thomson took four wickets on debut but he was unable to stop Lancashire strengthening their top-four grip

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2018
ScorecardExciting young legspinner Matt Parkinson claimed 3 for 23 as Lancashire beat Birmingham Bears by 37 runs to make it back-to-back Vitality Blast wins and strengthen their grip on a quarter-final place.The Lightning comfortably defended their total of 185 for 5, given to them by Karl Brown’s half-century and late-order firepower from Jordan Clark.Another victory only 24 hours after their Roses triumph at Headingley kept Lancashire third in the North Group table while Birmingham’s knockout hopes suffered a blow as they slipped to sixth.Jim Troughton, Birmingham’s coach, too solace in the debut of offspinning allrounder Alex Thomson, who took a wicket in each of his four overs to finish with 4 for 35Troughton said: “We knew what we would come up against, stack their team with spinners on a used wicket. So we had a personnel change and special mention to Alex for his four-fer on debut. Alex is an impressive young man, he’s worked very hard over the winter. He turns the ball and can get bounce.”Getting a first crack on that wicket was probably important to get. I think the big difference was boundary count between the two teams. They hit eight sixes and we only hit one. The spell from Parkinson pretty much killed us – getting three quick wickets there and ripping the middle order out.”Lancashire won the toss and chose to bat, but Birmingham made a strong start in restricting the opening pair in the Powerplay and the first five overs were all bowled by spin.Thomson certainly didn’t disappoint. He struck in his first over to remove Lancashire’s in-form opener Alex Davies for 17. In fact, Thomson took a wicket in each of his four overs to finish with fantastic debut figures of 4 for 35Lancashire’s standout performer was once again opener Brown. 24 hours on from his match-winning half-century against Yorkshire, he delivered another scintillating fifty having been given a life on 32 when Josh Poysden couldn’t hold a caught and bowled chance. The fifty from just 32 balls including three 4s and three 6s.Brown shared a half-century stand with Dane Vilas to take Lancashire to a solid position of 82 for 2 at halfway. But Brown, like Vilas and Arron Lilley, was a victim of Thomson as the Lightning stuttered to 134-4 with five overs remaining.Their late-order acceleration from Clark and James Faulkner, who came together after Steven Croft holed out in the deep, was pivotal for the hosts.Clark blasted 41 from 25 balls and together they put on 45 in 23 balls as the Lightning took 51 from the final five overs of the innings to kick their total to 185 for 5.Lancashire got their defence of to a great start, claiming three wickets inside the Powerplay. James Faulkner got the crucial wicket of the Vitality Blast’s top run-scorer Ian Bell in the second over, bowling him for two.Aaron Thomason and Ed Pollock also departed inside the first five overs, bowled by Steven Croft and run out by Alex Davies respectively. That left the Bears 26 for 3 and struggling in pursuit of Lancashire’s total.Hope was given to them by a nice innings from Sam Hain. He raced to 34 from 22 balls with a lovely array of strokes and good running in partnership with Adam Hose.But his dismissal triggered the beginning of the end for Birmingham as Parkinson all-but sealed the win for Lancashire with three wickets in four balls.Hain was stumped by a smart bit of work by Dane Vilas and Colin de Grandhomme was bowled next ball. Parkinson had his hattrick attempt at the start of the next over and was denied one as his lbw appeal against Grant Elliot was turned down.But the New Zealand international was stumped with the next delivery as Birmingham slipped to 75-6 in the 12th over, still needing another 111 to win.They never looked likely to get there, despite Adam Hose’s 45 from 39, ultimately being bowled out for 149.Lancashire face a trip to Durham then face Birmingham again at Edgbaston, before which the Bears take on Worcestershire.

McKerr makes history to no avail

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Conor McKerr became the youngest Derbyshire player to take 10 wickets in the match, but it was all futile as they collapsed to defeat against Northants

ECB Reporters Network11-Jun-2017
ScorecardBen Sanderson spearheaded Northants’ victory•Getty Images

Ben Sanderson took four second-innings wickets to push Northamptonshire back into contention for promotion from Division Two of the Specsavers County Championship with a 128-run win over Derbyshire at Wantage Road.Sanderson’s 4 for 31 on day three followed up 5 for 52 in the first innings and saw Northants comfortably defend 319 for a fourth win in six matches this season.It looked like Derbyshire were rolling over, having slipped to 58 for 6 shortly after lunch but Tom Taylor made a bright half-century in a stand of 106 with Daryn Smit that avoided humiliation. It merely delayed Northants’ victory until after tea, with Derbyshire eventually bowled out for 191.

Reece discharged after heart scare

Derbyshire batsman Luis Reece was unable to bat having been taken to hospital earlier in the game with an inflammation of the heart caused by a viral infection.
He was discharged from Kettering General Hospital on the third morning of this game.

It was another remarkable day where 16 wickets fell – as they did on day one. Nine of them came in the morning session where Derbyshire’s hopes of a first victory in two years was raised, only to be dashed before lunch.Northants resumed four down with a lead of 289 and sights on setting a target towards 400. But such ambitions were destroyed as Conor McKerr took a second five-wicket haul in the game and became the youngest bowler to take ten in a match for Derbyshire, beating FE Bracey, whose ten came back in 1907 in this very fixture at Derby.McKerr swung a full ball into the pads of Ben Duckett to trap him lbw for just 8 and took out the leg stump of Josh Cobb who recorded a pair. And when Rory Kleinveldt was cleaned up looking for runs with only the No. 11 for company, McKerr had 10 for 141.It completed an outrageous Northants collapse from 225 for 1 and from four overs before the close on the second evening, Northants lost 8 for 33 in 18 overs.It meant Derbyshire were right back in the game but with still a testing 320 to chase. But 20 overs in and their were shattered.Before lunch, they lost three cheap wickets to Sanderson. Billy Godleman miscued a pull that came off a top-edge to square leg, Jeevan Mendis was trapped lbw to an inswinger and Shiv Tahkor also fell pulling, his a full-blooded shot that was very well held by Cobb at square-leg.After lunch, Sanderson’s fourth came when Wayne Madsen chopped into his middle stump and Gary Wilson was run out from a direct hit running to his right from point. Nathan Buck also removed Alex Hughes lbw trying to pull.Derbyshire were in desperate need of a resistance if only to save face and Taylor counterattacked to good effect, driving Buck down the ground, Rob Keogh past extra-cover and sweeping the same bowler. He should have gone for 28 when he was caught at deep square off a Buck no-ball but survived to go through to a second first-class fifty in 44 balls with a clip through midwicket – his ninth four.Together with Smit – bravely resisting with an injured right hand – the pair added 106 for the seventh wicket at over five-an-over to bring to target down to 156 and make Northants sweat a little. But Taylor fell playing in the manner that had brought him his fine fifty – trying to hook Buck and getting a faint edge through to wicketkeeper Duckett.When the same bowler had Tony Palladino held at second slip for 2 it looked as if the game would be over before tea but Smit’s resistance continued and he and McKerr got Derbyshire through to the break, only for McKerr to be bowled by Keogh two overs in the final session.

Axar hat-trick helps Kings XI topple Lions

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Axar Patel took four wickets in five balls, including the first hat-trick of the season, to pave the way for Kings XI Punjab’s -run win against table-toppers Gujarat Lions in Rajkot

The Report by Nikhil Kalro01-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAxar Patel took four wickets in five balls to propel Kings XI Punjab to their second win of the season•AFP

Axar Patel took four wickets in five balls, including the first hat-trick of the season, to pave the way for Kings XI Punjab’s 23-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Lions in Rajkot. Axar’s burst reduced Lions to 57 for 6 in their chase of 155, setting up the side’s second win of the season. Both sides suffered batting collapses but Lions were poorer as they stuttered to their second loss of the season.Kings XI’s defence of 154 got off to an ideal start with the early wickets of Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina, as both batsmen missed straight balls from Mohit Sharma. After a slow Powerplay, Axar was brought on in the seventh over, his second of the innings. Off the third ball, Dwayne Smith muscled a lofted drive and found Gurkeerat Singh at long-off. Two balls later, the left-arm spinner got one to skid through and Dinesh Karthik’s inside edge clattered into leg stump. Dwayne Bravo chopped the first ball he faced onto his stumps and the over ended with Lions at a shaky 39 for 5.Brought back in the 11th over, Axar then got his first ball to dart past Ravindra Jadeja’s outside edge. It seemed like bat had hit pad, but the umpire raised his finger. This was Axar’s first T20 hat-trick, and the 14th of the tournament.Thereafter, Lions were always behind the climbing asking rate. Kings XI’s new captain M Vijay rotated his bowlers continuously. Ishan Kishan and James Faulkner added to Lions’ score but the slide had taken much of the game out of their hands.At the halfway stage, however, it did not seem like Kings XI had enough. Despite a flying start from Vijay and Marcus Stoinis, Kings XI collapsed to 154. Vijay’s sweetly timed drives and flicks off Lions’ seamers, Dhawal Kulkarni and Praveen Kumar, helped the side score 34 off the first four overs. Vijay contributed 31 of those. Stoinis, then, cut loose and Kings XI plundered 59 off the Powerplay, their highest this season.In the seventh over, Stoinis ran past a slider from Jadeja and the wicket sparked another Kings XI collapse. Chinaman bowler Shivil Kaushik’s whippy action forced Kings XI to look for pushes and nudges. Shaun Marsh could not keep one of those flicks down and found midwicket. On a pitch with a bit of grass, Kaushik found no turn, but his quick-arm action caused the ball to skid off the surface. One ball after Marsh was dismissed, Glenn Maxwell missed an attempted a cut off Kaushik and the ball snuck under his bat. Dinesh Karthik belted out an appeal and the umpire raised his finger, much to Maxwell’s bewilderment.Kings XI’s situation worsened when Gurkeerat Singh, one of four changes for Kings XI, was run out after an acrobatic effort from James Faulkner at point. Kings XI stuttered from 65 for 0 in the seventh over to 73 for 4 in the ninth.David Miller and Wriddhiman Saha, though, found the boundary regularly in their 39-run stand for the sixth wicket. They tried to build a platform for a late surge but that did not come as Dwayne Bravo and Praveen Kumar brought out their slower balls to flummox Kings XI’s lower order. Lions conceded one four off the last three overs and picked up five wickets to bowl Kings XI out.

India invite CSA for tour talks

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The BCCI has invited Cricket South Africa president, Chris Nenzani, for discussions on the proposed bilateral series, whose details are yet to be agreed upon and finalised

Amol Karhadkar08-Oct-2013The BCCI has invited Cricket South Africa president, Chris Nenzani, for discussions on the proposed bilateral series, whose details are yet to be agreed upon and finalised.”I have formally invited Mr Nenzani to come down to India and discuss the nitty-gritty of the series,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said. “The date and venue will be finalised once all formalities are completed.”Patel, however, made it clear that the BCCI had not invited CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat, whose appointment is believed to have led to the breakdown of relations between the two boards. Lorgat and Patel had met on the sidelines of the ICC chief executives’ committee meeting in Dubai last month, but had failed to reach a consensus over itinerary.Though an agreement has been elusive so far, Patel was confident the tour would take place. “We are very positive about the tour and don’t see any reason to take the extreme step.”He elaborated on what the BCCI’s grouse with the schedule announced by CSA was. “All that we are aggrieved about is the fact that we were taken for granted and the itinerary was announced unilaterally. Besides, our priority is the Board’s and our players’ interests. My boys are not machines, they need a break. Who are you (CSA) to tell them they should be on the road for more than three-four months?”

Read battles for faltering Notts

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Chris Read’s battling knock hauled Notts over 200 on the second day at The Oval

Jarrod Kimber at The Oval05-Sep-2012
ScorecardChris Read almost single-handedly kept Notts in the match•PA Photos

Chris Read’s an eager well-meaning pixie from a fairytale. He always looks like he cares. In an office, he’d be the guy that said, “That’s funny, but we’ve got a lot of work to do”. If he dated your sister, you’d think he was a nice guy, but until he came over to re-grout your bathroom, you’d never truly value him. He probably does his own taxes, and tips his paperboy. He’s that guy.At The Oval on day one, Read was solid with the gloves, kept the spirits of his bowlers up, made sure runs never flowed and kept Surrey to a score that was easily reachable. On day two, he did everything he could with the bat to keep his side in the match. It wasn’t really about runs, the Notts batsmen all scored at a quicker rate than Surrey had, it’s just that none of them stayed in.Read did. He was a one man Gary Wilson and Zander de Bruyn partnership.This pitch, still sludge-like in nature and with occasional low bounce, is not hard to bat on when the afternoon sun hits it with the old ball being used. Yet only Read, and briefly youngster Sam Wood, looked like they wanted to handle it.Throughout this match Read has played like a captain who refuses to believe they can’t win the Championship. A belief he has had that doesn’t seem as evident on some of the other Notts player’s faces. It’s probably not surprising that Sam Wood, playing in his first full County game, was the other player. Wood was brought as another bowling option on the spin friendly Oval wicket but instead continued his good form that smashed a hundred for the England Under 19 side. At only 19, and with skills with bat and ball, Wood is a very impressive prospect.On the other side, Surrey have looked a bit more desperate, as you would be if you’re that close to County Cricket’s Tatooine, division two. Stuart Meaker was fast, really fast. His ball to Adam Voges would have electrified a crowd at an international match. Voges was beaten by pace, swing and skill. Meaker was putting on a clinic for a while, swinging the ball both ways at pace, but as the new ball faded so did he. At the other end Tim Linley is hardly going to produce the same excitement, but he ended with 5 for 62 through patience, skill and subtle variation. They were the honest, humble and hardworking wickets of a consistent county seamer. They’ll be forgotten by anyone who saw Meaker’s wicket of Voges.Kartik was the pick of the bowlers. Using a new technique, for him, of attacking primarily at the striker’s end, he flighted the ball beautifully, mixed up his pace like a master, spun the ball hard and even occasionally got some brutal bounce. It seemed for most of the afternoon the only way to score off him was accidentally. None of his wickets came from unplayable deliveries; they came from the cloud of doom he floated above the batsman’s eyes. Kartik’s miserly bowling allowed Surrey to just keep chipping away at the largely lifeless Notts line up who ended up on 227, 42 behind Surrey.Even though they faltered with the bat, it was perhaps with the ball in the morning that Notts looked their most anodyne. They allowed the newly capped Meaker and tailender Linley to score another batting point and add 38 runs – the third biggest partnership of the match. It was only ended when a Harry Gurney delivery kept a bit low. Read was trying to fire up his troops, but it was clear all day they weren’t quite right.After trudging off with his fighting 85 not out, Read was given a respectful clap by the Oval faithful. Read rarely entertained, except in the last over, but it was definitely a strong show of character. If you walked into the Oval today, not knowing the back-story of these two teams, it is Surrey you’d think were the team that got close to the title, and Notts the team that would be getting relegated if not for the strong mindedness and guts of their captain.Surrey are leading this match, Chris Read is leading Nottinghamshire.

Seamers keep Derbyshire ahead

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Derbyshire’s seam attack blew away Gloucestershire’s batting on a windy day at
Derby to put the home side in a strong position in the County Championship
Division Two match at the County Ground

11-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Derbyshire’s seam attack blew away Gloucestershire’s batting on a windy day at
Derby to put the home side in a strong position in the County Championship
Division Two match at the County Ground.They bowled the visitors out for 220 and forced them to follow-on after
all-rounder Will Gidman had taken a career-best six wickets for 92 runs in
Derbyshire’s first innings 413.Derbyshire lost their last six wickets for 84 but Gloucestershire were soon in
trouble and only a last wicket stand of 68 between Richard Coughtrie and David
Payne took them past 200. Jon Clare took three for 19 and Tim Groenewald, Tony Palladino and Mark Turner each bagged two wickets to earn a first innings lead of 193.Luke Sutton put Gloucestershire back in and Clare struck a big blow by having
Hamish Marshall caught behind for three just before the close with the visitors
seven for one, still 186 behind. After the bat had dominated on the first day, Jon Lewis struck with the fourth ball of the morning when Wes Durston got an inside edge onto his stumps without
adding to his 151.Clare hit seven fours in his 34 which came off 23 balls and Turner played some
impressive drives to secure maximum batting points before Gidman completed his
first six-wicket haul. There had been some movement and bounce for the pace bowlers and Derbyshire soon made inroads with Marshall falling for a duck on the stroke of lunch when
he played across the line at Groenewald.Chris Dent drove loosely to be caught behind, Chris Taylor was trapped on the
crease by Turner and when Alex Gidman was lbw to Clare for 20, Gloucestershire
were on the slide at 67 for 4. His younger brother had scored 89 against Derbyshire at Bristol in April but this time he managed only eight before he skied a wild hook to midwicket and
Kane Williamson also fell to a rash stroke after batting 117 minutes for 15.Lewis cut Turner for six but when he was lbw for 23, Gloucestershire were 125
for eight and in danger of being routed – but the last two wickets added 95.Coughtrie showed the application the earlier batting had lacked to score an
unbeaten 54 and Payne showed he is one of the better number 11s by stroking
eight fours in his 38 before he was stumped coming down the pitch to Greg
Smith’s off-spin.It was no surprise when Sutton invited Gloucestershire to bat again and he was
rewarded when Marshall went for the second time in the day to leave Derbyshire
scenting a three-day victory.

Bandara lifts Kent in relegation clash

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Kent captain Rob Key praised the character of Sri Lankan Malinga Bandara after the under fire wrist-spinner bagged season’s best figures of four for 42 to help skittle Hampshire for 204

07-Sep-2010
ScorecardKent captain Rob Key praised the character of Sri Lankan Malinga Bandara after the under fire wrist-spinner bagged season’s best figures of four for 42 to help skittle Hampshire for 204. In a must win game for both these relegation threatened sides, Kent lost opening batsman Sam Northeast for a third ball duck in reply but will go into day two on 15 for 1, trailing by 189.Bravely batting first despite heavy overnight rain in Canterbury and early morning cloud cover, Hampshire’s top-order found the going tough despite the weakened Kent attack. Without seven potential new ball bowlers through injury or departure, Key was forced to turn to military-medium seamer Darren Stevens and rookie paceman Matt Coles to open his attack.The pair, and Stevens in particular, performed wonders in restricting the visitors to barely two runs an over in the opening session. Stevens send down 15 overs unchanged from the Nackington Road End, seven of them maidens, and gave the hosts their first opening after 22.5 overs with the wicket of his former team-mate Michael Carberry who feathered a defensive push to the keeper to make it 37 for 1.With so few pace alternatives, Key turned to spin well before lunch and reaped the rewards when James Tredwell then Bandara bagged early wickets. Tredwell had Australian Phil Hughes (1) caught at slip then Bandara followed suit, having Liam Dawson snaffled to the last ball before lunch when edging an airy drive to give Martin van Jaarsveld one of four slip catches in the innings.Hampshire attempted to up their run-rate after the interval but, just as they looked set to crack on so Kent nipped out another wicket. Simon Cook claimed two in an over soon after the resumption to account for Michael Bates and Sean Ervine then Tredwell accounted for top- scorer Jimmy Adams for a stoic 84.Having faced 222 balls and batted four-and-a-half hours – following his marathon innings against Lancashire last week – Adams edged an attempted sweep onto his boot, only to see the all lob gently into the gloves of Geraint Jones. Bandara, dropped to the Kent second string only a fortnight ago after taking only 10 championship wickets at a princely sum of 604 runs, then ran through the tail and end the Hampshire innings by 4.20pm, much to Key’s delight.”My players have given everything for me this season, they’ve been top drawer and ‘Banda’ is amongst that group,” Key said. “It’s not been easy for him to be left out of the team when he’s perceived as our overseas pro, but he’s understood that there have been times when we just couldn’t go into some games with two spinners.”We have struggled getting out the tail-enders in recent weeks and ‘Banda’ did that brilliantly today, he stepped up to the plate when we needed him most.”

Higher honours, big pay day on the cards for Hurricanes hero

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Mitchell Owen put his name up in lights with an astonishing display in the BBL final

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2025A day before the BBL started, Mitch Owen said he wasn’t sure where he’d be batting – or at all – for Hobart Hurricanes this season.After a record-breaking knock to win the competition for his home-town side, Owen, also the top run-scorer for the league, can start to lift his sights higher. The 23-year-old is set to earn life-changing amounts of money in franchise cricket, potentially starting with a replacement deal at the Indian Premier League.Related

  • Six to watch for Australia on the road to 2027

  • Owen's record-equalling 39-ball hundred seals Hurricanes' maiden BBL title

  • Stats – Owen's record ton and Hurricanes' unbeaten home run

  • 'It's super special, it's a childhood dream' – Owen on Hurricanes' 'surreal' night

Owen’s manager confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he is available as a replacement player for the IPL, having registered for the auction longlist late last year before failing to make the shortlist. The Pakistan Super League, which virtually runs concurrently with the IPL in April and May, could be another option for him.Owen’s mighty knock of 108 off just 42 balls – the equal-fastest ton in competition history off 39 deliveries – had the sellout crowd chanting his name and won Hobart their first BBL title.”I feel a bit awkward in these situations. I don’t really know how to take it,” Owen said of the adoration. “It’s super special… the most special thing is hearing everyone in the crowd enjoying it. And I’m so grateful, I’m so proud that we could bring this trophy to Tassie.”Owen had played just six matches in the previous two seasons for Hurricanes, for a total of 42 runs. Previously a middle-order hitter, Owen said a decision that he would be batting in the top order came “probably one day, to be honest” out from their tournament opener.Ricky Ponting, Hurricanes’ head of strategy, said he was “amongst that” decision. Declining to elaborate on his role in that move, the Test great happily talked up Owen’s future, saying discussion of him representing Australia in next year’s World Cup was “inevitable”.Mitchell Owen made the equal fastest century in BBL history off 39 balls•Getty Images

“There’s not many players in the world that can do that,” he told AAP of Owen’s heroics in the final. “He’s done it pretty consistently through the tournament… some of his 30s and 40s that he’s got have actually won and set up games for the Hurricanes. And then he ended up getting a hundred in 30-odd balls and the game’s over.”Hurricanes team-mate and 2021 T20 World Cup winner Matthew Wade agreed Owen “would be there or thereabouts” when it came to squad selection for the 2026 tournament.”He can be anything… no stage really worries him too much. It was phenomenal,” Wade told AAP.Owen said he “absolutely” wanted to work towards the squad for the India-Sri Lanka-hosted tournament, which begins in February 2026.However, David Warner suggested such talk was premature. The losing Thunder captain said the Australian team didn’t need a shake-up.”No, no. You’ve got the guys that are there at the moment,” he said. “You can earn your stripes… we can’t be just picking blokes and chopping and changing when the guys that are there have won World Cups.”It will be difficult top order to break into, with Travis Head, Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk and T20 captain Mitch Marsh having claims on those spots.Steven Smith, left out of last year’s underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign, also has to be considered after starring for the Sydney Sixers in the past two seasons when he has played as an opener in between international duties.But Warner was certainly happy to credit Owen with a “phenomenal knock” that meant his side came up short after posting 97 without loss after 10 overs.”We got beat by one player tonight, plain and simple,” he said.0815 GMT – This story was updated to reflect Owen’s availability as an IPL replacement player.

Gill '99% available' for India vs Pakistan game

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Gill arrived in Ahmedabad a day before the rest of the team and trained in the nets on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-20231:43

‘Indications are that Gill is fit and raring to go’

Shubman Gill is “99% available” for the India vs Pakistan World Cup fixture in Ahmedabad on Saturday, Rohit Sharma said in a press interaction on the eve of the game. Gill arrived in Ahmedabad before the rest of the team, and batted in the nets on Thursday itself in a bid to be ready for the game.If Gill does make the India XI, it will help India get back to their first-choice XI, something they have not been able to do at the World Cup, with Gill going down with a bout of dengue and being forced to miss the games against Australia and Afghanistan, both of which India won.Gill did not travel with the team to Delhi for their second fixture against Afghanistan on Wednesday. He was taken to a hospital in Chennai – where India played their first game, against Australia – for treatment but was subsequently discharged after his health improved.In his absence, Ishan Kishan opened the innings against Australia alongside Rohit. Though India were reduced to 2 for 3 in a chase of 200 – Kishan, Rohit and Shreyas Iyer were dismissed for ducks – they recovered to chase down the target with six wickets in hand and 52 balls to spare. India had the same opening pair against Afghanistan too, and there was a marked improvement in their performance: Rohit scored 131 in 84 balls and Kishan a run-a-ball 47. India won by eight wickets.Gill is the leading run-getter worldwide in ODIs this year with 1230 runs at an average of 72.35 and a strike rate of 105.03. In his last four ODIs, he has hit two centuries and a half-century.