The India A coach isn’t unduly worried by the opener’s poor form over the last few months. He also feels India will go into the 2019 World Cup as favourites

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2019India will start the 2019 World Cup as favourites, according to Rahul Dravid. The India A coach believes India are playing “very good cricket” at the moment, and hoped they could peak at the right moment.Speaking to journalists during India A’s ongoing home series against England Lions, Dravid said he expected the pitches in England to be flat and unlike those he experienced during the 1999 World Cup in the same country.”The wickets will be very different compared to 1999, they’ve become very flat,” Dravid said. “I expect it to be a very high-scoring World Cup. We went with India A last year, and 300 was regularly scored, so it’ll be a lot more high-scoring than 1999. We used the Duke’s ball then, now it’s Kookaburra… plus two new balls and field restrictions are there, so we can’t compare the World Cups.”But India are playing very good cricket and definitely go in as one of the favourites. Hopefully, the boys can peak over the next few months.”KL Rahul has struggled for form over recent months, but Dravid believed the opener’s ability would help him bounce back. In his last 12 innings, Rahul has gone past fifty just once and has scored only 55 runs in three 50-over games for India A against England Lions.”I have no doubt that Rahul has quality and ability,” Dravid said. “He’s playing the four-dayers [against the Lions], and he’s proven he can succeed in the international level in all three formats. He’s one player who has hundreds in T20Is, Tests and ODIs so I’m not worried about his form.”The one-dayers against Lions were also an opportunity for Dravid to test India A’s bench strength, and he was pleased with the contributions of the young players drafted in. He also highlighted positives that came from the seniors in the side who remain in contention for a ticket to England.”Ajinkya [Rahane] (140 in three games) came here and scored runs,” Dravid said. “[Hanuma] Vihari, Shreyas Iyer did quite well. The seamers Deepak [Chahar] and Shardul [Thakur] did well. Navdeep [Saini], Avesh Khan and Axar Patel have been excellent. Both the legspinners [Rahul Chahar and Mayank Markande] showed promise and potential, so there were a lot of performances that the selectors can look at and be happy about.”It was also a younger squad, so it was an opportunity to bring the younger players for the last few games – you saw the likes of Rituraj Gayakwad, Himmat Singh, Siddhesh Lad, Ricky Bhui. They’ve not been part of our set-up, but we want to slowly bring them in because they’ve done well in one-day and Ranji games.”Rahul Dravid receiving his ICC Hall of Fame cap•International Cricket Council

On the topic of the Ranji Trophy, Dravid said it was inevitable that some India A tours would clash with the country’s premier first-class competition.”It’s not an easy one to avoid. But in this series, we didn’t pick anyone still playing the Ranji Trophy quarters, semis and finals… so we’ve given importance to that,” Dravid said. “But it’s not easy, we need to balance out the needs of some of the players, we need to develop them and give our players a level and standard higher than domestic cricket. If we don’t challenge our players at a slightly higher level than domestic and first-class cricket, then how can we develop them for international cricket?”We try to not make them clash, but sometimes the clash is inevitable. Like going to New Zealand [in December 2018], it was a very fruitful exercise to play in those conditions… and if the season clashes, then there’s no way we can balance it out. So yes, we do try to avoid clashes but inevitably it sometimes will happen.”Dravid was keen to play down the margin of India A’s one-day victory against a solid Lions outfit captained by Ben Duckett. Dravid felt India A had been heavily challenged by the visitors, and that the scoreline simply reflected of who did better in the crunch moments.”Even though the scoreline reads 4-1, there were many situations where we were challenged and pushed against the wall,” Dravid said. “But we showed some good fighting spirit.”They pushed us. There were a lot of close games, one wicket or a small phase of play their way and they would’ve won it. It was a lot tighter than 4-1, we just won the key moments, so credit to the boys.”Dravid’s next job is to oversee India-A’s four-dayers against the Lions, which begin next week. Rahul is part of that squad too, and is expected to take his place at the top of the order. The first game begins on February 7 in Wayanad.

India have brought back Virat Kohli for this T20I series but the key factor could be how Australia combat the wristspinners

Preview by Andrew McGlashan23-Feb-20196:36

Manjrekar: Dhoni can be rested

Big Picture

India versus Australia. Haven’t we just had this? Well, seemingly, there’s always room for more. Thoughts are turning towards the World Cup, but it’s T20 which begins the latest tussle between these two teams. The corresponding series in Australia during November was shared 1-1 so it’s all to play for. Sort of.India have recently completed a T20I series against New Zealand – which they lost 2-1 – and Australia’s players are fresh from the Big Bash so most involved should be reasonably in tune with the format.It was interesting to hear Justin Langer bundle these two games in with the five-match one-day series a little while ago when talking about the importance of World Cup preparation. Australia have the same squad here for both the T20Is and ODIs, although that does happen to include both the BBL’s highest scorer in D’Arcy Short and leading wicket-taker in Kane Richardson after the latter replaced the injured Mitchell Starc.India have brought back two big guns, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, who were rested for the New Zealand series, so while context may be somewhat lacking, skill and entertainment should not be.

Form guide

(last five completed matches)
India LWLWL
Australia LWLLL

In the spotlight

D’Arcy Short was the player of the tournament in the BBL. He will stay on for the start of the one-day series as a short-term replacement for Shaun Marsh, who has remained at home for the birth of his second child, so having been dropped from the ODI side during the Australian season, these two games are a chance to force his way back in. There is debate about who will open with Aaron Finch but it would be strange if it wasn’t Short given his BBL returns. However, he struggled against spin during his IPL stint so if he does get a berth he will need to show he has improved his game in that area.Chief among those spinners Australia will need to combat is Yuzvendra Chahal who has good memories against them after taking six wickets in the deciding ODI in Melbourne when he switched places with Kuldeep Yadav. How Australia tackle the wristspinner will be key to their chances of coming out on top.Krunal Pandya sends down his left-arm spin•AFP/Getty

Team news

Australia have a lot of options to partner captain Aaron Finch in the opening role; Alex Carey, Usman Khawaja, D’Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell could all be thrown in there, but Short has his recent BBL success behind him. If Pat Cummins makes the XI it would be his first T20I for two years.Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 D’Arcy Short, 3 Peter Handscomb, 4 Marcus Stoinis, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Ashton Turner, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Kane RichardsonIndia might have to decide between Dinesh Karthik and KL Rahul in the middle order. While Karthik has had success of late, Rahul has built his case by getting runs for India A. Given that this is the first match of the tour, India might prefer to go with more experienced bowlers, which means Siddarth Kaul and Mayank Markande would miss out.India (possible) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Dinesh Karthik/KL Rahul, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Rishabh Pant, 7 Vijay Shankar, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Pitch and conditions

The forecast is for brilliant sunshine in the day-time and clear skies at night, when the match will be played.

Stats and Trivia

• This will be the third T20I held at the venue. In 2012 an India-New Zealand match was abandoned without a ball bowled and in 2016 India dismissed Sri Lanka for 82
• Australia played 19 T20Is in 2018, comfortably their most in a year, despite it not including a T20 World Cup. India also played 19, but that was their second highest tally of games in a year
• Rohit Sharma needs two sixes to be the most prolific six-hitter in T20Is

Quotes

“We obviously expect a stiff competition overall from the Australian team but if I had to single out one player that can make more impact, that would be Marcus Stoinis because he’s come around really well during the BBL and he’s making standout performances. You can see he’s grown in confidence and he’s definitely going to be a very important player for them.”

Young wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Banton scored his maiden Somerset ton to set up a 264-run thrashing

ECB Reporters Network19-Apr-2019Tom Banton scored a superb maiden hundred as Somerset thrashed Kent by 264 runs in a one-sided Royal London Cup contest at the Cooper Associates Ground.Making only his eighth appearance in the competition, the youngster raised a career-best 107 to help the hosts register an imposing 358 for 9 after being put in. Craig Overton posted a blistering unbeaten half century and then took 5 for 18 as last season’s finalists were bowled out for 94 in just 27 overs.Selected on the strength of a notable white-ball innings of 150 in a recent 2nd XI match against a Middlesex attack that included James Harris and Toby Roland-Jones, former England Under-19 international Banton was preferred to seasoned campaigner Steve Davis.Promoted to open for the first time in a List-A fixture, the 20-year-old made the most of his opportunity, playing with a confidence and panache that suggested he is at last ready to realise a potential that went largely unfulfilled during teenage years spent in Warwickshire’s Academy.Forthright from the outset, Banton produced some sumptuous drives in dominating stands of 78 and 82 with Peter Trego and James Hildreth for the second and third wickets respectively. Eclipsing his previous best score of 40, Banton raised 50 from 44 balls before accelerating. He moved to his hundred via a further 37 deliveries, at which point a sun-drenched Bank Holiday crowd of more than 5000 rose to acclaim a new favourite.Just when a really substantial score appeared to be his for the asking, he suffered an unexpected lapse in composure, miscuing a pull shot to mid-off to reward Harry Podmore’s persistence. Adorned with 11 fours and a trio of sixes, Banton’s 81-ball innings provided Somerset with a crucial foundation.This was built upon by Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory, who combined quick running and clever placement in a fifth-wicket alliance of 73, illuminated by the latter’s free-flowing knock of 51 from 45 balls.Although both fell to startling catches by Alex Blake at short extra cover, there was no respite for Kent as Overton picked up the cudgels in a blistering innings of 66 not out from 36 balls, his highest in List-A cricket. Opening his shoulders, he treated Somerset fans to an almighty straight-hit six at the expense of Podmore, the ball clearing the roof of the Sir Ian Botham Stand and landing in the River Tone.Deprived of the services of key batsmen Joe Denly, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Heino Kuhn and Sam Billings, Kent’s top-six appeared denuded of much of it’s potency. And so it proved when the ubiquitous Overton went to work, the England paceman accounting for Sean Dickson, Ollie Robinson and danger-man Matt Renshaw in a devastating burst of 3 for 6 in 21 balls to effectively strangle Kent’s reply in its infancy.Josh Davey had Zak Crawley held in the slips, Tim Groenewald defused the potentially explosive Blake, accounted for Adam Rouse and then ran out Darren Stevens, while Overton returned to mop up tailenders Matt Milnes and Imran Qayyum.Deployed behind the stumps, Banton added further gloss to his performance, weighing in with three catches on a day to remember for the youngster.

The Australia one-day captain is determined that the team shouldn’t be distracted in any way by the return of the banned pair

Daniel Brettig21-Mar-2019Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron Finch has revealed that Steven Smith and David Warner were “nervous” in their meeting with the current ODI squad in the UAE, stressing that the process was about making sure the former leaders were aware of what they needed to do to fit in with a vastly different set-up in the wake of their bans over the Newlands scandal.Smith and Warner were captured on a Cricket Australia video news release suggesting that they had slotted seamlessly back into the team they are still banned from representing until March 29. Both batsmen are now bound for the IPL, where they will attempt to make the runs that will help justify their likely selection in the squad for the World Cup in England and Wales. In response to questions from the team media manager, Warner said “it’s like we didn’t really leave”, while Smith offered a near echo with “it’s almost like we never left”.However, Finch spoke more frankly about the meeting, which took place minus injured fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, and felt that the imminent returns of Smith and Warner would take some adjusting to by both parties.”It was a really good few hours we had with them,” Finch said. “It’s always a bit tougher when it’s just in a meeting-type setting, but it was good to get them in and for the boys to just go to the bar and have a beer with them the night before, to sort of break the ice a little bit for the next day. They came in with almost bright eyes. It’s a totally different set-up to when they left it.”What’s important is they’re really keen to slot back into how this current side works and what we’ve been doing really well. They were probably as nervous as anyone coming back into the group – you’d think guys with 20-odd Test hundreds would just come back in. But it is a different time and they have been out for quite a while.ALSO READ: What Smith, Warner reintegration really means“But their respect for the group and everything was fantastic. I think it’s about managing not just their expectations – but everyone’s expectations – first up.”Since Smith and Warner were banned alongside Cameron Bancroft, Australia have taken on a new coach in Justin Langer, while CA was subject to a cultural review that arrived with many damning conclusions for the governing body and the national team. For all that introspection, many questions about Newlands and its lead-up remain unanswered, leaving Finch wary of how the presence of Warner and Smith with the team would be received in England.”The reality is there’s going to be a lot written and said about their returns. We’d be very naive if we didn’t expect that,” Finch said. “But for us it’s about concentrating on what we can do as a side…it might just be not reading the news for a couple of days, which is at times easier said than done.ALSO READ: Cameron Bancroft to captain Durham on comeback from ban“You just have to go about your own business and make sure you don’t let that become a distraction and at the end of the day, they’re not the ones writing articles or pushing their own [agendas]. It’s important to remember it is going to be what other people’s opinions are and that’s not always reality.”In terms of how Finch will use Smith and Warner as sources of advice, the captain was candid in noting that while the former leaders had plenty to offer, they would not be captaining the Australian side by stealth.”You use them tactically, no doubt,” said Finch. “They’re such great resources to have as a captain when you’re out on the field. It’d be silly not to use them. There might be days you don’t use them at all, there might be days you use them a lot…every situation is different in a game.”It’s important you lean on them when you need to. But them going about their own business and preparing and getting their mind right to play is the most important thing for the side.”As for whether the recall of Smith and Warner would create a squeeze in the Australian top order, Finch had no hesitation saying that if required he would be happy to move down the order to accommodate a better balance in the ODI team. “If that means me batting at six, I’ll comfortably do that. If it’s at the top, three or four – it doesn’t matter,” he said.”Personal results aren’t what this side is about. I think that’s what has made our improvement as dramatic and quick as it has been. If you go in just solely focused on scoring a hundred or thinking ‘if I bat five I’m not got to get a hundred, I don’t get enough opportunity’, that’s not what is best.”

Somerset’s breakneck pursuit of victory saw the visitors six down at the close still needing 136 to win

David Hopps at Taunton21-May-2019Paul Farbrace would not be human if just before start of play he did not feel a tiny pang of regret when England’s World Cup squad was announced over the PA system. Timing does not always work out perfectly, and to accept Warwickshire’s director of cricket role he had to relinquish his job as England assistant coach with cricket’s biggest one-day tournament beckoning.What is more, instead of a chance to share in history, he now knows he has walked into a Warwickshire relegation fight. A largely youthful squad looks up against it and will be releved that only one county will be relegated at the end of the season.They are not entirely out of this match at Taunton, but to be 103 for 6 at the close of a hectic second day, chasing 239 on a sporty pitch, identifies them as big outsiders. Much rests with Sam Hain, whose unbeaten 43 is the top score in the match. Few, if any, batsmen in a match where 36 wickets have tumbled in two days have looked as assured. Not that many have even tried to look as assured.If Farbrace was in search of optimism he found it in the performance of Liam Norwell, a close season capture from Gloucestershire, who took 7 for 41 on his Warwickshire debut with a controlled display of swing and seam bowling. Sporty pitch or not, he has wasted no time in proving he can make the step up to Division One cricket.

Banton injury scare

Somerset have played down fears that Tom Banton could miss Saturday’s Royal London Cup final against Hampshire at Lords after he withdrew from a 2nd XI match at Taunton Vale with a back spasm.
Banton’s wicketkeeping duties are bound to accentuate Somerset’s concerns, but their head coach Jason Kerr said: “We think it’s quite mild. The picture will be a lot clearer for us tomorrow but he is moving around at the minute in the dressing room so I anticipate he will be fine.”

Signing Norwell was a bit of a gamble for Warwickshire. He had spent eight seasons at Gloucestershire, though missed the entire 2018 season with recurring hamstring problems, but he has always been capable of hot spells when the conditions are in his favour.His debut for Warwickshire was delayed when he strained a pectoral muscle while fielding in a practice session at Edgbaston, inviting fears that ill luck had begun to follow a bowler who had previously enjoyed a decent enough injury record, but he felt the sun on his back at Taunton as he hustled in with an open action and revelled in the murmurs of a good crowd as the wickets built up.”I was quite fired up for it,” he said. “Warwickshire have been so great for me since I’ve been here and it’s nice to repay some of their faith. My bowling in the first innings was a bit rusty. I’ve had quite a long injury lay-off – a dark season in a way last year with three tears on the same hamstring – but today felt like I was back to where I was a year and a half ago. So it’s come back quite quickly.”I think it’s a good cricket wicket. Yes, it’s low scoring, but if you are going to be highly critical there is a lot of batsmen error as well as good bowling. There is pace in the wicket and a bit of nip, but I’d much rather play on these wickets and I think a lot of people would much rather watch cricket on these wickets than just getting to the third innings and shaking hands.”Somerset have batted in a frenzy in this match, regarding the surface with fatalism. The result of that was scores of 209 and 164 and an average run rate across the two innings of more than four an over. It was primarily down to Norwell that they subsided to 78 for 7 and it was largely in his absence that Craig Overton organised some late-order resistance for the second time in the match.Azhar Ali and James Hildreth were snaffled in his first two overs, both of them without scoring. Azhar fell to bounce and movement when he edged to the wicketkeeper; Hildreth was wary of something similar when he was lbw to one that held its line.His new-ball spell then brought wickets in consecutive overs for a second time. Marcus Trescothick released a few square drives, inviting hopes that his measured tread would bring some ballast to Somerset’s batting, but he became Norwell’s second lbw victim, 23 logged, his highest score to date in his 27th season. Tom Abell fell defensively to a ball that left him.When Norwell swung one back to bowl Lewis Gregory immediately after lunch and caused Steve Davies to follow a wide one that went wider, Somerset only had a lead of 152 and their hold on the game was tenuous at best. But Overton, who had begun the day by extending his Championship wickets tally to 22 at 14.77, responded with gusto as the last three wickets more than doubled the score.Tim Groenewald caused most merriment. Disconcerted by Henry Brookes’ pace, and struck on the hand, he was dropped at deep mid-on by Oliver Hannon-Dalby, a reprieve he celebrated by hauling a length ball over midwicket for six. “Short or yorker,” was probably the gist of the advice given to Brookes by his captain, Jeetan Patel. Brookes went short, and Groenewald was duly on his way, making room for a failed wind-up.Warwickshire lost two for 26 by tea. Will Rhodes fell in the first over, caught behind of Gregory for a duck and Rob Yates suffered the same fate. Jack Leach was popped on for a while and turned one to have Dom Sibley caught at slip for 26, so ending his run of centuries in successive first-class matches on six. Adam Hose completed an unhappy return to his former club by falling lbw to Overton for 4.This Somerset side can excel in the field, too, as was shown by the run out of Tim Ambrose. Hain ran the ball through point, the pair went for a quick single, but George Bartlett pounced to hit direct with a single stump to aim at. They will be confident about completing the job on the third morning.

Visitors beaten with bat, ball and in the field as England win by 208 runs

Valkerie Baynes06-Jun-2019Before this match, West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor had bemoaned the lack of so much as a full-time masseuse within her team’s set-up. And, as a number of the visiting players stood round their dugout grimacing and clutching at aches and pains after a torrid afternoon in the field, it was clear much more would be needed to cure their ills.Not that Taylor was making any excuses in her candid interview with ESPNcricinfo, in which she also revealed that her passion as a competitor often brought her to tears just talking about her game. Taylor described her team’s sloppy performance in the field on Thursday as “atrocious”. England could also improve in the field, with four chances missed, but the difference between these two sides was staggering as her opposite number, Heather Knight, and Amy Jones led an impressive team performance.Katherine Brunt was at her best, claiming two wickets in two balls, while Sophie Ecclestone and Laura Marsh claimed three apiece as West Indies were bowled out for a paltry 110, Chedean Nation running out of partners with an unbeaten 42.On the basis of this showing at Grace Road, much will need to change – possibly too much – for West Indies to be competitive in the second match of their three-ODI series in Worcester on Sunday.Knight and Jones fell agonisingly short of centuries but, by both reaching the nineties, they set West Indies an insurmountable target – England’s 318 for 9 was their highest ODI score against West Indies – and made an emphatic statement to ICC Women’s Championship table leaders Australia ahead of next month’s Ashes.Tammy Beaumont set the foundation, seeing the ball magnificently to plunder 32 off 28 balls, including six fours, but her innings came to a premature end when she lofted Hayley Matthews over mid-on only to find Shakera Selman just inside the boundary. Beaumont and Jones had taken England past 50 inside seven overs with Jones hinting at her form when she smacked the first ball of the innings – a Selman full toss – over the leg-side boundary for six.It was one of two maximums for Jones, who also hit 10 fours on a good batting wicket with a fast outfield. After Sarah Taylor fell cheaply, Jones and Knight took total control and during passages of play appeared to be picking off boundaries at will. Jones brought up her fourth half century in a row but only briefly raised her bat to mark the moment. Her maiden ton remains elusive after she fell on 91, three runs shy of her best score, driving Matthews towards mid-off where Stacy-Ann King jumped and raised her left hand above her head to almost casually pluck the ball from the air.Knight reached 94 off as many balls with 13 fours and appeared annoyed with her tame dismissal, a top edge off Afy Fletcher that went straight to Shamilia Connell at fine leg. But she and Jones had put England in an excellent position and a neat cameo from Nat Sciver bumped the score up further.Heather Knight carves through point•Getty Images

As her team threw themselves about for little reward amid a flurry of uncharacteristic miss-fields, Taylor had a bright moment when she clean bowled Brunt, who tried to smack the ball onto the leg side but found herself out of position as the ball took the top of her off-stump. England lost four wickets in the last five overs and Knight was disappointed the total wasn’t nearer 340 but, against the opposition, they had more than enough.”It’s hard to swallow,” Taylor told Sky Sports. “I didn’t think we bowled to our plan and I think it cost us. The English girls are quite good when you look at their batting lineup, it will take a lot more discipline to get those girls out.”The fielding was atrocious today … it’s sad to say. It’s a matter of going into the team room and discus what we need to discus and let it out and let this game go. We have two more games to go so hopefully we can bounce back.”Brunt had a brilliant opening spell with figures of 5-2-6-2, claiming the wickets of Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle with the fourth and fifth balls of the eighth over of the innings.West Indies never really got going and when Ecclestone uprooted Kycia Knight’s off-stump to claim her first wicket, there was worse to come for the visitors. Ecclestone had Kyshona Knight and King out in consecutive overs and West Indies were 73 for 6 after 25. Marsh got amongst the wickets and, when she knocked over Connell’s off-stump it was game over.Knight said: “We’ve talked about hitting the ground running in series, something that hasn’t probably been a strength of ours as a squad, so to put in that sort of performance in the first game of the summer, I’m really chuffed.”I think we’re actually disappointed with 318 in the end. If one of me and Amy was there in the last five overs we could have pushed that up to sort of 340 and we want to keep pushing that bar in terms of scoring big.”

Together, the pair added 111, a Zimbabwean record for any wicket in T20Is, in just 10 overs to end a disappointing tour on a high

Liam Brickhill14-Jul-2019Craig Ervine and Sean Williams cracked fifties as Zimbabwe closed their European tour with an eight-wicket win over Ireland at Bready Cricket Club. Ervine hit four sixes in a career best 68 not out, while Williams equalled his top score in this format with 58. Together they put on 111 for the third wicket – a Zimbabwean record stand for any wicket in this format – in just over 10 overs to help Zimbabwe chase down Ireland’s 171 for 9 with more than three overs to spare. Having lost the ODIs 3-0, Zimbabwe’s victory levelled the T20 series 1-1.The left-handers do it again
Zimbabwe were yet to win a game on tour until Sunday. The poor results weren’t due to lack of runs from their left-handed duo, however. Williams’ 153 runs in the ODIs were second only to Ervine’s 156. Also, Ervine’s innings on Sunday meant he also topped the T20 run charts.Yet, the result could’ve been different for Ervine, who came in after Hamilton Masaksdza fell for a four-ball duck. He was caught behind off Mark Adair and should’ve been walking back, but for a no-ball because Ireland had only three men outside the circle. Five balls later, he offered another chance with a top edge, which wasn’t taken. And the runs flowed thereafter.Building on Brendan Taylor’s rapid start to the innings, Ervine and Williams cruised through their partnership at 10-an-over. Ervine was first to his fifty, in the 13th over, Williams raising his own half century an over later. It was also Ervine who hit the winning runs, closing out the game on the same ground at which he opened Zimbabwe’s Ireland tour with a hundred.Zimbabwe claim the Powerplay
He was watching from the other end when Ervine hit the winning runs, but Williams played a first hand role in Zimbabwe’s perfect start when he bowled Paul Stirling through the gate with the first ball of the match. Kevin O’Brien and Gary Wilson set about repairing the innings with a 44-run stand before a double strike in Kyle Jarvis’ second over put Zimbabwe back in control.O’Brien skewed a big shot high over the cover field to be well caught by Richmond Mutumbami, running backwards, for 22. A leg bye put Lorcan Tucker on strike, and Jarvis nipped a full one in to hit his pad in front of the stumps and dismiss him first ball. Having been in good shape at 44 for 1, Ireland ended the Powerplay at 45 for 3 and had to repair their innings once more.Mind the windows, Gareth
Gary Wilson’s 47 and Greg Thompson’s 32 kept Ireland ticking, but it was Adair, Shane Getkate and Gareth Delaney’s hitting at the death that gave the Irish innings some oomph. Adair belted four sixes, including back to back hits over the leg side boundary off Jarvis, before he was caught via a top edged hook for 38.Delaney dabbed the very first ball he faced, from Chris Mpofu, deftly to the third man boundary, while Getkate got going with a big hit that was parried over the midwicket boundary for six and Ireland were set to launch at 159 for 6 with an over to go.But three wickets in that final over, bowled by Tendai Chatara, stalled Ireland’s charge somewhat. Amid the carnage, Delaney still found time to biff Chatara for one of the bigger hits of the day, stepping back to smear a short one way over midwicket and straight through the window outside the clubhouse bar. Yet, these efforts didn’t quite do it for Ireland on the face of the Williams and Ervine charge.

Steven Smith’s hopes of participating in the third Ashes Test will rest in the hands of Australia’s medical team

Daniel Brettig at Lord's18-Aug-2019Steven Smith will need to bat against top pace within the next three days and show no further signs of discomfort in order to be passed fit for the third Test at Headingley on Thursday. He said that he did not want to return unless he was “100% fit” to play in the next chapter of this Ashes series.While expressing hope that he would be able to play in Leeds, Smith conceded that the “quick turnaround” between the second and third Tests was an obstacle for his return from what he described as a “mild concussion” resulting from a blow to the back of the neck from Jofra Archer on day four at Lord’s – a diagnosis that led to him becoming the first concussion substitution in international cricket.”It’s obviously a quick turnaround between Test matches,” Smith said. “I’m going to be assessed over the next five or six days, each day a couple times a day, to see how I’m feeling and progressing and I’m hopeful I will be available for that Test match, but it’s certainly up to the medical staff and we’ll have conversations. It’s certainly an area of concern concussion and I want to be 100% fit.”I’ve got to be able to train probably a couple of days out and face fast bowling to make sure my reaction time and all that kind of stuff is in place. There’s a few tests I’ll have to tick off and I guess time will tell.”I’d love to be out there trying to keep performing and try help Australia win another Test match but I think the right decision’s been made and I’ll obviously be monitored very closely over the next few days with a pretty quick turnaround in between Test matches and I’m hopeful I can make a recovery and be okay for that.”On Sunday evening, Cricket Australia said that Smith had been sent for a precautionary scan of his neck, which had cleared him of any structural damage. He returned to the team hotel afterwards to be monitored on an ongoing basis.Speaking about how he felt on the fifth morning, Smith said his condition had deteriorated relative to what it had been in the hour after he was hit by Archer, at the time passing the concussion tests he needed to in order to resume his innings.Steven Smith walks off after being hit by a bouncer•Getty Images

“I started to feel a little bit of a headache coming on last night, probably as the adrenaline got out of my system,” Smith said. “I was able to get a good sleep in, which is somewhat rare for me. But woke up feeling a little bit groggy and with a headache again, so had some tests done and upon some further assessments deemed to be a mild concussion unfortunately.”We did a test this morning here at the ground, did one last night and results changed slightly and unfortunately that and how I’m feeling have contributed to me being ruled out for the rest of the Test match. Yesterday when I came off the ground the results were normal. I passed all the tests and felt fine, felt normal. I was allowed to go back out and bat, upon discussions with the team doctor and the coach as well. They were both happy and I was comfortable as well, so we were all happy and I was able to go out and continue batting.”I didn’t have any real pain in my neck yesterday when I touched it or when anyone else touched it. Today I do have a bit of pain there, whether that’s some swelling or what I’m not sure. Perhaps that’s leading to me having a headache and feeling a bit groggy. In regards to the arm, the arm feels pretty good today. It’s quite a good bruise I have on it and it’s feeling a lot better. The movement I have in it is far greater than I had yesterday and that feels really good.”In explaining why he did not use a stem guard to protect the back of his neck, Smith said that he would now have to consider adopting the extra protection in the wake of his injury. “I along with a few other players in the team find it a little bit different, uncomfortable to what we’re used to,” he explained. “For me, I feel a little bit claustrophobic when it’s on, I feel like I’m enclosed and not overly comfortable. But it’s certainly something I need to probably have a look at and perhaps try in the nets and see if I can find a way to get comfortable with it.”Australia’s the leader in bringing the concussion subs and rules around concussion in the domestic competition back home. We’re very thorough in the way we deal with knocks to the head and neck to ensure that the safety and health of a player is of paramount importance. The doc’s had a pretty close eye on me since I came off the field yesterday and I’ve been assessed and asked a lot of questions over the last 20 hours or thereabouts, and unfortunately I’ve declined in the way I’ve felt over that time.”

South African all-rounder rescued the Rapids after they had slipped to 35 for 3

ECB Reporters Network31-Jul-2019Worcestershire 159 for 8 (Parnell 81*) beat Derbyshire 156 for 4 (du Plooy 52) by two wicketsWayne Parnell scored his maiden Vitality Blast half-century for Worcestershire Rapids as they overcame a wobbly start and finish to their innings to edge out Derbyshire Falcons by two wickets at New Road.The South African all-rounder, who celebrated his 30th birthday yesterday, rescued the Rapids after they had slipped to 35 for 3 in reply to Derbyshire’s 156 for 4. He reached his half century off 34 balls with the aid of four sixes and one four.Ben Cox and Ross Whiteley proved crucial support but then the Rapids lost four wickets for seven runs when the finishing line was in sight before victory was secured with one over to spare.Parnell finished unbeaten on 81 from 46 balls with seven sixes and two fours to move the Rapids within one point of leaders Lancashire Lightning.Derbyshire were put into bat on the same pitch used for the Rapids’ run blitz against Durham on Sunday.Dillon Pennington took the new ball and his third legitimate delivery accounted for captain Billy Godleman (0) who shaped to cut and was caught behind.Luis Reece found the England Under-19 paceman to his liking in his second over as he collected two fours and a huge six over mid-wicket.But he perished to the last ball of the power play on 29 when deceived by a slower ball from Pat Brown which he scooped straight to mid-off.Skipper Brett D’Oliveira came into the attack and Wayne Madsen (28) fell to a fine diving catch by Parnell at cover with the South African celebrating with a series of press-ups.The legspinner struck again when Matt Critchley (9) tried to repeat his straight six from earlier in the over and was pouched at long off.
The ball was sticking in the pitch and batsmen were struggling to time the ball.Veteran opening batsman Daryl Mitchell tied down the Derbyshire batsmen with a mid-innings spell of four overs for just 15 runs.But Leus du Plooy and on loan Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens gave the innings some late momentum with an unbroken stand of 70 in seven overs.Du Plooy brought up a 46-ball half-century with five fours and Stevens ended unbeaten on 26 from 18 deliveries.In reply, Fynn Hudson-Prentice claimed the scalps of Martin Guptill and Riki Wessels in the space of four balls in his first over, and that became 35 for 3 when Callum Ferguson (6) was caught off a leading edge at cover from the first delivery by Reece.Parnell added some impetus to the Rapids innings and a six over mid-wicket off Reece brought up the 50 in the eighth over.Cox gave him good support until he was caught around the corner off Mark Watt (20) but Whiteley proved to be a useful ally to Parnell in a stand of 49 in just four overs. He made 20 off 12 balls before he was bowled by Watt and then Ed Barnard (0) was run out from the following delivery.Mitchell (5) fell to Rampaul with 10 still needed and then D’Oliveira (1) was bowled by the West Indian paceman at 149 for 8.But Parnell drilled Alex Hughes for six over long off amidst great excitement and relief amongst the 3,000 crowd to settle the contest in the Rapids’ favour.

England are to swap the positions of Joe Denly and Jason Roy in the order for the fourth Test

George Dobell30-Aug-2019Joe Denly is set to open the batting for England in the fourth Test in Manchester. While Denly has opened in first-class cricket just three times in the last four years – two of those occasions coming when he made his Test debut in Antigua earlier this year – he is poised to swap places in England’s Test team with Jason Roy, who is expected to bat at No. 4.Roy has averaged just 8.85 in his four Tests as opener. His one substantial innings, 72 against Ireland, was made when he came in at No. 3.It is likely neither Denly nor Roy relishes the prospect of opening the batting at Test level. Neither fulfil the role at county level – though both have in the not-so-recent past – and stepping up against this Australia attack is fiendishly tough. Indeed, you could argue it’s unreasonable even to ask it of them. You wonder, for example, if Roy’s long-term viability as a Test player has been damaged by the recent experience. It can have done little for his confidence.ALSO READ: Anderson ruled out of Ashes, Craig Overton called upDenly, meanwhile, has made one century at the top of the order in first-class cricket – and that in a Division Two Championship match against Gloucestershire in 2015 – in the last eight years. He hasn’t reached 50 in any of his most recent 14 attempts.You can, to some extent, sympathise with the England selectors. They have tried more than a dozen options at the top of the order over the last few years and could almost be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that the county game simply hasn’t produced any suitable candidates.Almost. For it seems increasingly odd that Dom Sibley remains surplus to requirements by England. He has scored seven first-class centuries in the last 12 months, all of them as an opener, and has many of the old-fashioned skills required for the role. He is patient, he is disciplined and, most of all, he does the job on a regular basis. One hopes he has not missed out due to his aesthetics. He is not a batsman who is especially pleasing on the eye. But nor was Alastair Cook or Gary Kirsten or Graeme Smith. And how England would dearly love a player of such class right now.All of which leaves you wondering if the selectors are not being a little stubborn. Reluctant to admit they were wrong to ask Roy to open – and they were, very clearly, wrong – they are now shuffling their pack in the hope they may chance upon an ace. But there are legitimate concerns over Denly’s suitability to open and Roy’s suitability to bat even as high as No. 4.Perhaps they did not want to make too many changes ahead of such an important game. Such a move could have destabilised the dressing room, it is true – though little more than watching your side bowled out for 67 – and might have also produced a scent of panic for Australia to seize upon. Jos Buttler, now 34 Tests into a career that has produced one century, may count himself especially grateful for that continuity of selection policy. You wonder how many centuries Ollie Pope, for example, may have scored given the same opportunities.With Denly and Roy set the swap positions, it seems the only possible change in the England team might be to see Sam Curran or Craig Overton replace Chris Woakes. While Overton’s bowling average of 42.28 from three Tests is unexceptional, it does not quite reflect the positive impression he made.Not a bad first Test wicket: Craig Overton celebrates removing Steven Smith•Getty Images

In those games, two on the Ashes tour of 2017-18 and one in Auckland shortly afterwards, he proved himself a brave and committed all-round cricketer who would not be overawed by the opposition or the situation. He played on gamely in Australia despite a broken rib – well, until he worsened it with a typically whole-hearted dive on the boundary in Perth – and batted as well as anyone in top-scoring in England’s first innings in Adelaide. He is not swift – he has been timed at 85mph in recent days – but he is tall, he hits the seam and he has good control. He won’t let England down.Whether he plays ahead of Woakes – or any of the other seamers in the event of injury – remains to be seen. Woakes endured an off-colour game in Leeds. His worst, perhaps, since the tour to South Africa in 2015-16. He has not been especially sensitively handed by his captain, however – Joe Root has looked as if he’d rather bowl Ben Stokes or Jofra Archer into the ground than trust Woakes with another spell – and you wonder if that apparent lack of confidence has had a knock-on effect into his performance.Either way, James Anderson’s unavailability – though most unfortunate – does solve one problem for the team management. Had he played, England faced the prospect of a diplodocus length tail featuring Archer at No. 8, Stuart Broad at No. 9 and Jack Leach and Anderson at No. 10 and No. 11. The involvement of Woakes or Overton will stiffen that a little.And what of Anderson? Under normal circumstances, you would presume this is the end of the line for him. He is 37, after all, and has nothing more to prove. This winter’s Test tours are to New Zealand – where he might have been rested, anyway, as the series is not part of the World Test Championship – South Africa, where he had a tough time on England’s last tour four years ago, and Sri Lanka, where he claimed one wicket in England’s 2018-19 Test series victory. The following winter England travel to India. None of those tours offer the prospect of much joy for a seamer of reduced pace and with a lot of miles on the clock.But you don’t earn Anderson’s Test record without possessing remarkable levels of resilience and determination. He has come back from stress fractures, poor tours, being dropped and countless other setbacks. And, while the pace maybe reduced, the skills have continued to mitigate. He really has been bowling as well as ever in recent times. He deserves not to be ruled out of contention just yet.