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The suspensions are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged attempts by an organisation to corrupt the 2017 Pakistan Super League

Umar Farooq in Dubai10-Feb-2017Islamabad United batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif have been provisionally suspended under the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code as part of an ongoing investigation into an organisation’s alleged attempts to corrupt the 2017 Pakistan Super League. Both batsmen have been sent home and no replacements have been named yet. The PCB’s investigation is being backed by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit.”It would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of the case, however this investigation is a clear demonstration of our determination to drive corruption out of our sport,” Najam Sethi, chairman of the PSL, said in a statement. “We will not tolerate any form of corrupt activity and as this investigation proceeds we will not hesitate to take further decisive action as appropriate.”The investigation of the PCB Anti-Corruption Unit backed by the ICC ACU has been effective in dealing with this case to date and we will continue to work in the closest collaboration as the investigation proceeds. We are all absolutely committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who would seek to damage the integrity of our sport.”Later, while speaking to reporters in Dubai on the second day of the league, Sethi added: “We were wary about anything like this and that’s why we were extra vigilant, and we had also beefed up our security and anti-corruption unit. We were using other resources to keep an eye on everything, and then we got evidence that some wrongdoing is underway and then we took action. We are guarding against corruption and we will be ready to take action any time, any day against anyone who is going to damage PSL.”PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan reminded players of their duties under the Anti-Corruption Code. “I must remind all players of their responsibilities in the fight against corruption,” Shaharyar said. “They must understand that if they even think they may have been the subject of a suspicious approach, it is their obligation under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code to report it to an appropriate anti-corruption official as a matter of urgency. Under no circumstances will the PCB condone actions of a few individuals to bring disrepute to the game of cricket or taint the image of Pakistan.”The Islamabad franchise also issued a statement saying they would begin looking for replacements. “We are understandably disappointed at this development but emphasise on our commitment to a zero-tolerance policy towards any violations of the rules or stated guidelines,” the franchise said. “We will be looking to find replacements for the squad as soon as possible.”Sharjeel played the opening match of the 2017 edition for the defending champions Islamabad on Thursday, scoring 1 against Peshawar Zalmi, while Latif was not part of the XI.Both batsmen did well for Islamabad in the 2016 PSL, scoring more than 200 runs. While Sharjeel finished as the third-highest run-scorer overall, with 299 runs in 11 matches, Latif struck 206 runs. The pair then made their returns to the Pakistan side during the 2016 Asia Cup and the World T20 respectively.Sharjeel has featured regularly in limited-overs matches since his comeback and recently made his Test debut against Australia in Sydney, where he scored 4 and 40. Overall, Sharjeel has played 25 ODIs and 15 T20Is since his international debut in December 2013.Latif made a comeback in the World T20 after four years out of the side. Since his debut in 2008, Latif has played five ODIs and 13 T20Is and his most recent appearance for Pakistan came in the T20 series against West Indies in September last year.

Arsenal have been linked to Inter maestro Nicolo Barella as the Gunners aim to recruit reinforcements this summer.

Mikel Arteta’s quest to secure the signature of Declan Rice was reported to have taken a turn on Thursday, with journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reporting that Manchester City were ‘getting closer’ to signing the Englishman.

The news has come as a shock for the north Londoners, who have been in pursuit of the West Ham United captain for weeks. However, Arteta could land a strong alternative in the Nerazzurri star.

What’s the latest on Nicolo Barella to Arsenal?

As reported by Italian outlet FC Inter News, Arsenal hold an interest in Inter midfielder Barella, with the report claiming that both Manchester United and the Gunners are eyeing the Serie A ace.

The report claims that Inter are expecting ‘two very important offers’ from Arsenal and United in the ‘coming days’ following the 26-year-old’s decision to reject Newcastle United.

A separate report from CalcioMercatoWeb stated that Inter have priced the Italian at €50m (£44m).

What could Nicolo Barella offer to Arsenal?

The prospect of missing out on Rice at the hands of City would be a tough pill for Arsenal to swallow, though the blow could be significantly softened should the Gunners strike a deal for Barella.

Branded as an “exceptional player” by scout Antonio Mango, the Cagliari-born sensation has lit up the San Siro this past campaign, assisting his side in getting to the Champions League final and a third-placed Serie A finish.

Likened to Arsenal’s very own Martin Odegaard based on his statistics by FBref, the Italian has operated as one of the most impressive box-to-box midfielders in Europe over the past year.

Such praise is supported by his numbers, with Barella contributing six goals and six assists in 34 Serie A appearances from the middle of the park, maintaining an average match rating of 7.08, via Sofascore.

As well as his efforts in the final third, the 26-year-old is defensively competent, as highlighted by him winning 55% of his total duels in the league this term, averaging 4.4 per game.

An area of Rice’s game that attracted Arteta to the 24-year-old appears to have been his progressive play, with the Englishman averaging 6.6 progressive passes and 2.42 progressive carries per 90 over the past year, via FBref.

While the Hammers captain’s numbers are impressive, his efforts are not just matched but slightly improved upon by Barella, who averaged 6.62 progressive passes and 2.8 progressive carries per 90 – showing the player Arteta could recruit in the event of talks over Rice falling through.

Only time will tell how the saga plays out, but the Gunners must recruit sensibly this summer in order to remain tight to champions City, with a defensive midfielder a priority.

The uncertainty at Crystal Palace would be a "strange situation" for Christian Pulisic "to go into", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Crystal Palace transfer news – what's the latest on Christian Pulisic?

It hasn't been a particularly exciting transfer window for Palace fans yet, with the only signing made by the club being Jefferson Lerma on a free from fellow Premier League side Bournemouth.

Worse still are the persistent rumours linking their talismanic forward Wilfried Zaha with a move away from Selhurst Park, with Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Marseille all interested in the 30-year-old, whose £130,000-a-week contract runs out in July.

However, in some good news for the Palace faithful, the South London club have been linked with an audacious move for out-of-favour Chelsea winger Pulisic.

According to a report from L'Equipe, Eagle Football Holdings are keen to land the American star and, with significant shares in both Palace and Lyon, could use the London location to tempt the 24-year-old south of the river.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Christian Pulisic to Crystal Palace?

Jones was complimentary of Palace as a club but was quick to point out that their manager situation and the uncertainty surrounding who in the squad will still be there next season makes the South London club a "strange" side to sign for at the moment.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I mean, it's good in the sense that it's in London, they're typically a well run club, but at the moment, they haven't got a manager half the squad is set for new contracts or overhaul. Strange Situation for him to go into. I think you'd want a more settled background than that."

Would Christian Pulisic be a good signing for Crystal Palace?

Whilst the tricky winger has certainly had some struggles during his time in West London, he is still a very talented footballer.

He has, in moments, been able to show Premier League fans some of the magic that got him the move from Borussia Dortmund in the first place.

According to WhoScored, across his 24 league appearances last season, he only managed to average a match rating of 6.27, which is his worst performance out of the four seasons he has spent in England.

However, in his first season, he averaged a seriously impressive rating of 7.18, followed by 6.74 the year after and 6.67 the year after that, showing that despite the issues he has had since joining the league, there is still a quality player in there.

Some of his best performances have come for his national side, with manager Gregg Berhalter hailing him as "an unbeliveable player" for his exploits with the USMNT.

If Palace can coax the best out of Pulisic, then they would have one heck of a player on their hands.

ESPNcricinfo previews the third ODI between West Indies and England in Barbados

The Preview by Alan Gardner08-Mar-2017Match factsMarch 9, 2017
Start time 0930 local (1330 GMT)Big PictureThe series is already England’s but that does not mean there is nothing to play for in Barbados. Another defeat would leave West Indies stuck on 84 points in the ODI rankings, five behind Pakistan in eighth place – but a win would lift them up to 86. West Indies’ next opponents? Yes, Pakistan.With automatic World Cup qualification Stuart Law’s immediate goal, having taken over as coach last month, West Indies’ next four home fixtures could go a long way to determining their fate. Beat England and then keep Pakistan winless and they have a good chance of getting back into the top eight. Holding on to that position until the September cut-off might be trickier but that is a problem Law would welcome.Their prospects may have been dented before the start of the third ODI, however, with Shannon Gabriel ruled out by the side strain he suffered in Antigua. Gabriel troubled England’s top order with the new ball and his pace will be missed; Miguel Cummin has been called up to the squad as a replacement.England’s sights are set on a tournament much closer on the horizon: this year’s Champions Trophy. Two battling victories in Antigua, albeit against lower-ranked opposition, have hinted at an increased game intelligence and Joe Root, whose unbeaten 90 anchored a chase of 226 on a tired surface to seal the series on Sunday, lauded the team’s "smart" cricket and ability to find ways to win in tough circumstances.Paul Farbrace, coaching the side in Trevor Bayliss’ absence, would doubtless like to gloss the tour with an emphatic finish in Bridgetown. To that end, England are likely to recall Alex Hales to open the batting after he was passed fit following a hand injury. England’s depleted attack has held up well and, while ranking points are less of a priority, they seem to be building up a head of steam before an important white-ball summer.Chris Woakes impressed with the bat in England’s four-wicket win in the second ODI•AFPForm guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies: LLLLT
England: WWWLL

In the spotlight

There is no doubt that <b>Kraigg Brathwaite is the sort of cricketer West Indies should be looking to build around – at 24 years of age, he is already one of their senior Test batsmen. His suitability for ODIs is more open to question, however. In nine innings, he has one fifty and potters along at a strike rate of 57.96, slower than anyone else in the world since his debut in September (with a qualification of 100 runs). Most teams have abandoned the use of such drop-anchor openers and Brathwaite must either add a few shots to his repertoire or prove that he can build the substantial innings that are required of a top-order accumulator.It is only a few months since Jos Buttler was leading England to victory in Bangladesh, standing in for the absent Eoin Morgan as ODI captain. Since that tour – on which he was England’s second-highest run-scorer behind Ben Stokes – he has entered something of a dry spell, with white-ball scores of 46, 0, 31, 10, 11, 15, 0, 1, 8, 14 and 0 in India and the West Indies (including warm-up matches). As deputy leader, first-choice keeper and the scorer of England’s three fastest ODI hundreds, it will take a dip in form both prolonged and severe to put his place under pressure, but he could nevertheless do with a few runs. Jonny Bairstow will not need asking twice if an opportunity arises.Team newsWest Indies will have to make at least one change, thanks to Gabriel’s injury, with Alzarri Joseph perhaps the logical replacement. Bajan Cummins has also been called in and could feature on his home ground, while Rovman Powell is putting pressure on Carlos Brathwaite, who continues to play in the shadow of his World T20 final heroics.West Indies (probable) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Kieran Powell, 4 Shai Hope (wk), 5 Jason Mohammed, 6 Jonathan Carter, 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Rovman Powell/Carlos Brathwaite, 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Ashley Nurse, 11 Alzarri JosephEngland have stressed that they will play their strongest team in the final match – although Liam Plunkett’s upset stomach* could lead to a debut for Tom Curran or Jake Ball, who is fit again after hurting his knee in a warm-up game, being recalled. Hales is set to replace Sam Billings after officially joining the squad. England are expected to wear black armbands in tribute to John Hampshire, who died last week.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Steven Finn/Jake Ball.Pitch and conditionsThe Kensington Oval surface is expected to be quicker than the one played on (twice) in Antigua, while heavy rainfall in the preceding 24 hours and a tinge of green may be of help to the seamers. The forecast is for a warm day with the possibility of showers later on.Stats and trivia England have a 5-4 winning record in ODIs against West Indies in Barbados. Their last 50-over outing at Kensington Oval came in 2009, when Andrew Strauss’ unbeaten 79 off 61 balls helped them to a nine-wicket, Duckworth-Lewis victory. Eoin Morgan needs 115 runs to pass Alec Stewart as England’s third-highest ODI run-scorer.Quotes”We need to do a lot better at the top of our innings.”
“We want to make it 3-0, that’s our aim now. We don’t aim for medicroity. We want the best.”
*2100 GMT – This story was updated with news of Plunkett’s illness

Cheteshwar Pujara’s 11th Test ton – the first for India in this series – ensured the hosts did not fall prey to outstanding bowling from Pat Cummins, who took four wickets

The Report by Daniel Brettig18-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:47

Manjrekar: No umpire error in Pujara review

Pat Cummins and Cheteshwar Pujara fought an absorbing duel for supremacy in Ranchi on a day when nothing came easily for either side. Australia sought to squeeze India’s first innings with tight bowling throughout and Cummins’ impact bursts, but by the close Pujara had inched the hosts to within 91 of their opponents’ tally.Nearly six years after his debut Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, Cummins bowled spells of the highest quality with both new and old ball, claiming the wickets of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and R Ashwin, the latter with a pair of prancing short deliveries. Josh Hazlewood supported him gamely, but admiration for Cummins’ work was mixed with concern for how his body will recover from these exertions given he was rushed into the team after just one Sheffield Shield match.Pujara’s innings demonstrated intense concentration and mirrored the rhythms of the day. He defended stoutly in the morning, attacked the second new ball to accelerate to his hundred in the afternoon, and then shut shop in the evening as he tried to soak up time and overs in the company of the lower order while gradually eating into Australia’s advantage.His most substantial support came from M Vijay, who helped build a strong platform aided by a strong dose of good fortune when both he and Pujara might have been out in the space of two balls from Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon, on a pitch that is starting to show the faintest traces of deterioration.O’Keefe appeared to strike Pujara in front of the stumps with the last ball of the 58th over, and the captain Steven Smith chose to review the not-out verdict. However, the appeal was declined though Ultra Edge evidence suggested the ball may have struck the pad before the bat by the smallest of margins.First ball of Lyon’s next over, Vijay was caught at short leg but the appeal was declined, and with no reviews left as a result of the previous delivery, the video evidence of an inside edge onto pad was unable to be accessed. That sequence frustrated the Australians and allowed Vijay and Pujara to lift the scoring rate considerably in the lead-up to the lunch interval. Their stand was worth 102 when Vijay advanced unsuccessfully to O’Keefe and was well stumped by Matthew Wade in the last over of the morning.Kohli walked onto the field after lunch for the first time since he suffered a shoulder injury on the first day when fielding, an ailment that has required plenty of treatment, scans and also a painkilling injection. He found little sympathy from Australia, who maintained their stranglehold on his run-making by keeping him tied down until Cummins took the second new ball.Glenn Maxwell dived to save a Pujara boundary – ironically in more or less the same spot where Kohli had been injured two days before – and the resulting three put India’s captain on strike, whereupon he drove at his first ball from Cummins and edged to an exultant Smith at second slip.Australia’s celebrations continued when Rahane edged a half-hearted attempt to upper cut Cummins through to Wade, but Pujara was able to go on to his century in some style with a cover-driven boundary. Karun Nair too made a positive start to his innings as India’s total passed 300. In all, 110 runs flowed during the session.Australia tightened their bowling once again on resumption, starving Pujara and Nair of the opportunity to capitalise on what should have been a tiring attack after tea. Hazlewood had found reverse swing at various junctures of the innings, and it was a sharply swerving ball that found a narrow gap between Nair’s bat and pad to send the off stump cartwheeling.Like Kohli, Ashwin has been unable to repeat his batting feats of this season against Australia, and he was to fall to another venomous short ball from Cummins that gently grazed the gloves as the batsman tried to drop his hands away from harm. This time the DRS did go the way of Australia, as Ultra Edge showed a spike as the ball passed the gloves. Ashwin evidently did not agree and walked off the field an angry man.The episode did not distract Pujara, who formed the start of a potentially useful stand with the wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha as the shadows lengthened and the day petered out. Smith oddly did not try Lyon in the closing overs, but walked off satisfied that a couple of quick wickets on the fourth morning could still open the match up for Australia.

Following a terrible 2022-23 campaign in which Liverpool failed to seriously challenge for any silverware and finished fifth in the Premier League, the Reds have conducted some shrewd transfer business early in the summer window.

Alexis Mac Allister is already on board and Dominik Szoboszlai looks set to follow, while Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone could be next to arrive at Anfield in time for pre-season.

Who is Liverpool target Manu Kone?

According to Ouest France, Liverpool are very interested in Kone and a move for the 22-year-old could even be wrapped up in the coming days.

Kone boasts plenty of experience of top-level football, having spent two seasons in Ligue 1 with Toulouse and the past two seasons as a regular for Gladbach in the Bundesliga.

Sky Sport Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg recently suggested Kone is valued at a reasonable €30m (£26m) by the German side, despite having two years to run on his contract.

Is Manu Kone a good option for Liverpool?

That valuation seems very small when you consider there are plenty of similarities between Kone and Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo, who Chelsea are reportedly willing to pay £80m to sign.

Indeed, Kone completed a very similar number of passes to Caicedo last season (86.2% v 88.5%), as per FBref, while they won a similar number of tackles per 90 minutes (1.34 v 1.43) and recovered the ball at a similar rate (7.62 v 7.11 per 90).

Even when it comes to the more attacking metrics, there is also nothing between them as Kone scored 0.03 goals per 90 minutes and assisted the same number, which is exactly the same for Caicedo (one goal and one assist each in 2022-23).

Described as an "absolutely immense" player by football writer Josh Bunting, Kone ranks in the top 11% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for possession won last season, as per The Analyst. Caicedo, for what it is worth, is in the top 12%.

There are still areas in which the France U21 international can improve, ranked as he is in the bottom 57% for interceptions among midfielders in Europe's top five leagues, as per FBref.

But at around a third of the cost of Caicedo, and with Gladbach seemingly prepared to let the player go if his valuation is met, Klopp could land himself a proven player to complete his midfield transformation.

Newcastle United have now been told they must pay £60m for Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, as a result of the defender's recent England breakthrough, according to a report from Football Insider.

Are Newcastle signing a defender?

Newcastle are looking at strengthening all areas of their defence, having been pursuing Southampton right-back Tino Livramento, although they have recently hit a stalemate in their swoop for the 20-year-old, who is being targeted as a back-up for Kieran Trippier.

Livramento is not the Magpies' only target at right-back, as Napoli's Giovanni Di Lorenzo is said to be on their wishlist, while Eddie Howe has also considered strengthening on the opposite side, with AC Milan's Theo Hernandez currently being monitored.

In terms of the potential new signings at centre-back, Goncalo Inacio has emerged as a target, with Football Insider reporting they plan to sign the Portuguese defender for well below his release clause of €60m (£51.5m).

Howe may be tasked with bringing in more than one new option in that area of the pitch, as Jamaal Lascelles could be heading for the exit door, with multiple clubs now interested in luring the club captain away from St. James' Park this summer.

Newcastle feel the "time is right" to allow the 29-year-old to move on, and they have targeted a much younger replacement, with recent reports indicating the PIF are lining up a £45m move for Guehi.

However, Football Insider now report the Magpies may have to increase their offer if they are to stand a chance of signing the 22-year-old, as Crystal Palace are set to hold out for £60m, having hiked up their asking price after his recent England breakthrough.

While Howe is interested in bringing the centre-back to St. James' Park, the new asking price could dictate the player's future.

The manager wants to bring in more strength in depth ahead of next season, as he looks to build on a fourth-place finish in the 2022-23 campaign, but it remains to be seen whether he is willing to meet the huge asking price for the Crystal Palace star.

Is Marc Guehi going to Newcastle?

At the moment, the two clubs are some way apart in their valuation of the Englishman, with Newcastle's potential £45m offer far below Palace's £60m asking price, so there is a lot of work to do if the Magpies are to snap up his signature.

It is clear to see why Palace are holding out for such an astronomical fee, given that the 6 foot defender has been hailed as "incredible" by members of the media, and he put in some top performances last season.

The England international featured in 37 Premier League games last term, putting in a fantastic performance against AFC Bournemouth in May, winning all nine of the duels he contested, while Sofascore ranked him as Palace's best player in the following match against Fulham as well, showing he is capable of high level performances from week to week.

That said, Guehi is yet to justify a £60m price tag, and Newcastle should try and negotiate a deal for a lower fee.

Although Mohammad Irfan and Shazaib Hasan were questioned in Dubai, they have been recalled so that their reports of being approached at the PSL can be verified by the anti-corruption unit

Umar Farooq10-Mar-2017Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan and batsman Shahzaib Hasan have been summoned by the PCB in relation to their investigation into alleged corruption in the PSL. Both men had been called in for questioning by the anti-corruption unit in Dubai last month but were given a clean chit to continue playing the tournament. Now, a PCB spokesman said, they face the possibility of being charged.Two cricketers – Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif – have already been charged by the PCB for various code-of-conduct breaches, including attempting to corrupt a cricket match. A three-member tribunal has been set up to hear their cases next week in Lahore.Irfan and Shahzaib had previously come forward to report approaches made on them at the PSL. They have now been recalled so that the anti-corruption unit could vet their stories.”PCB has initiated the investigation from the lead left in Dubai,” A spokesman told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. “It has started with both [Shahzaib and Irfan] being issued a demand note and by that both are bound to share all the information with PCB anti-corruption unit.”Irfan has been summoned to appear on Monday while Shahzaib has been asked to appear on Tuesday. PCB anti-corruption unit will assess their evidence and information and will determine whether to charge them or not.”Amid the ongoing investigation, Irfan has not been selected in a pool of 31 players to undergo a training camp ahead of the West Indies tour. Shahzaib, however, has not been in contention for a place in the national team since 2010, when he played the last of his three ODIs and 10 T20Is. Sharjeel and Latif are currently provisionally suspended.

Roston Chase was left stranded on 101 as Pakistan wrapped up their first ever series win in the West Indies with just six balls left to play

The Report by Danyal Rasool14-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:44

‘I really look up to Younis’ – Chase

Dominica bid farewell to two legends of the game in a most fitting manner, giving Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq the most heart-stopping send-off possible.History beckoned time and again, torturing and teasing them. It made them wait, it made them wonder, it made them despair. But, with six balls left in the game, the series, and their careers, came perhaps its most satisfying moment.Shannon Gabriel, West Indies’ No. 11, had spent just over half an hour at the crease, and had seen out 21 balls. See out one more, and it would leave Roston Chase, who was batting on 101, to face the last over of the match, the last over of the series, and dramatically raise West Indies’ chances of saving the Test.West Indies coach fined for showing dissent

West Indies coach Stuart Law has been fined 25% of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the last day’s play in the second Test against Pakistan in Roseau.
Law was found to have been in violation of Article 2.1.5, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match”.
Law’s incident concerned his displeasure with Shane Dowrich’s dismissal. Bruce Oxenford, the on-field umpire, gave the wicketkeeper-batsman out – caught at short leg – for 2 in the 44th over of West Indies’ chase of 304, despite no clear evidence of an inside edge. Richard Kettleborough, the third umpire, then reviewed it and stuck with the on-field out call. Law later visited Kettleborough’s room and questioned his decision while also making an inappropriate comment.
Since Law admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by Chris Broad, the match referee, there was no need for a formal hearing.

Gabriel had kept out those 21 balls by trusting his defence, but now, in one of the most inexplicable moments in Test cricket’s history, he swung wildly, madly at a loopy full delivery pitching well outside off stump from Yasir Shah. The ball took his inside edge and rattled into off stump, sealing one of the greatest days in Pakistan’s cricket history.This side – Misbah’s side – had done what Hanif Mohammad couldn’t do, what Javed Miandad couldn’t do, what Imran Khan couldn’t do. He had led his side to its first ever series victory in the Caribbean, a 101-run win sealing his – and Younis’ – careers with aplomb. Test cricket certainly has a way of rewarding its own.Pakistan looked like they would make short work of the final session when, three overs in, Hasan Ali brought an end to Jason Holder’s obdurate resistance. It left West Indies seven down with only the tail to give Chase company.With the pitch playing extremely slowly, what Hasan did to dismiss him might even have been an intentional ploy. He took the surface out of the equation, hurling a fierce inswinger that made a beeline for leg stump on the full. Holder made a mess of trying to keep it out, and was plumb in front.But just as Pakistan began to envisage victory, Devendra Bishoo and Chase had designs on a grand resistance. They split the work brilliantly, with Bishoo keeping out Yasir Shah and Chase negotiating the faster bowlers, and Pakistan struggled to break that pattern. Ultimately Misbah resorted to pace from both ends, and Bishoo’s discomfort against the seamers eventually cost him his wicket, as he fended a Mohammad Abbas bouncer to silly point.Chase had been sensational all series, and it would be churlish to take any credit away from him. But he led a charmed life in the last session and one couldn’t help wondering if he was destined to save the game. On two occasions, Hasan dropped him off his own bowling, and when Abbas had him caught in the slips on 92 in the first over after the second new ball was taken, replays showed he had just overstepped. When Chase drove Hasan down the ground for an exquisite boundary to bring up his hundred, one could sense the stadium felt it too.Whenever a wicket fell, there was a sense that the resistance had finally ended. But Alzarri Joseph picked up from where Bishoo left off, and then Gabriel took over from Joseph. Between them, West Indies’ Nos. 9, 10 and 11 spent 99 balls at the crease, while scoring 12 runs. Runs had simply ceased to matter by then.The morning session had been dominated by Pakistan, who made significant inroads towards a series win, dismissing Kraigg Brathwaite, Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope to expose the hosts’ middle order in the first hour.Brathwaite was the first to fall, playing an unseemly shot after getting caught in two minds over what to do with a short Yasir delivery. The ball stuck in the pitch, and Brathwaite spooned it to point.But the hammer blow was yet to come, with Hetmyer’s bête noire coming back to snare him one final time. Mohammad Amir got one to tail in to Hetmyer, just as he has done all series. The youngster looked to drive on the up, missing the ball completely. He must now be sick of the sight of his off stump sent cartwheeling.Hasan pushed West Indies further back against the wall with a dream delivery to capture his first Test wicket. Having maintained a disciplined, good length all Test, he changed it up in the most unexpected way, hurling an inswinging yorker destined for Hope’s toes. The batsman was unable to get his bat down in time, and the lbw call was so obvious Chase told Hope not to bother with a review.Two overs into the afternoon, Vishaul Singh – the closest thing to a walking wicket this series – succumbed to a classic Yasir trap. The legspinner pitched the ball into the rough, and the left-hander failed to judge the turn. His inside edge flicked the pad, popping up to Babar Azam at short leg for a simple catch.Shane Dowrich fell to the same bowler, and the same fielder, although his wicket was altogether more controversial. His attempt to flick Yasir against the turn looped up to short leg off the pad – before which there may or may not have been a tickle of inside edge – and the umpire Bruce Oxenford adjudged him out. Dowrich reviewed immediately, but lengthy replays turned up no conclusive evidence either way, and the decision was upheld. It was a piece of misfortune the West Indies could have done without, in truth.But despite all that, West Indies had it in control. Then came Gabriel’s moment of madness, and Misbah went berserk. Cool and calm? What are you on about?

Steven Smith insisted there were no excuses for his side’s unsuccessful campaign

Melinda Farrell at Edgbaston10-Jun-2017It was a disappointing finish to a frustrating tournament for Australia but, after a 40-run loss to England in yet another rain-interrupted match, Steven Smith insisted there were no excuses for his side’s unsuccessful campaign.After washouts against New Zealand and Bangladesh, Australia’s destiny was in their own hands in their final group match with a win ensuring they would progress to the semi-finals and, while late rain curtailed the match, by then England had comprehensively outplayed an Australian side which collapsed in the final overs with the bat and then wilted in the glare of a Ben Stokes and Eoin Morgan onslaught.Australia failed to capitalise on a decent start in which they added 136 runs for the loss of just one wicket but Smith and Aaron Finch were unable to convert half-centuries into big scores and Travis Head, who made a doughty 71, was left stranded as the middle- and lower-order crumbled around him.”I thought we let ourselves down a little bit today,” said Smith. “We got ourselves in a pretty good position early with the bat, probably 2 for 150, or wherever we were there.”We kept losing wickets through the middle, and someone in the top four probably needed to go on and make a hundred. We weren’t able to do that.”We lost 5 for 15 at one point as well, which you can’t afford to do against an opposition like England.””I thought we started reasonably well with the ball. To get three early wickets was quite crucial, and then it seemed like there was a bit of a momentum shift after that rain delay.”You know, Stokesy and Morgy came out and played very positively. We were off a bit with the way we were bowling. We gave them a lot of freebies, but they did play exceptionally well.”Australia’s bowlers weren’t helped by lapses in the field, most notably when Morgan, on 12, was dropped by Matthew Wade after miscuing a pull off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood. It was a pivotal point in the innings – Morgan went on to make 73 and his 159-run partnership with Stokes broke the back of England’s successful chase.”It certainly hurt,” said Smith. “After that, Morgy got going and played particularly well. So could have had them 4 for 30-odd or wherever we were there, and Jos [Buttler] in with a reasonably new ball, which he’s probably not used to that much. So, yeah, it probably hurt a little bit.”Australia’s batsmen, in particular, were deprived of match time thanks to the previous two washouts but Smith insisted their preparation should have been sufficient.”You say that we only had one hit, but that should be good enough for the players that we’ve got on our team,” Smith said. “You know, we’ve got some good players in our line-up. We just weren’t able to get those partnerships together today and get ourselves a score up over 300.”Australia’s campaign has been carried out under a cloud of off-field uncertainty, with the Australian Cricketers’ Association and Cricket Australia at loggerheads over a new Memorandum of Understanding. The current MoU runs out at the end of June and there is a danger that, if a new deal isn’t struck, the players will, effectively, be unemployed. But Smith remains confident that Australia’s tour of Bangladesh will go ahead as scheduled in September and refused to use the ongoing dispute as an excuse for Australia’s early exit from the tournament.”When you’re playing in a big tournament for your country, you need to step up and get the job done,” said Smith. “We weren’t able to do that on this occasion, unfortunately.”We had some frustrating games throughout and just haven’t been able to find any momentum, I guess. And today, yeah, it was disappointing.”