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The BCCI has decided to shift all matches of the ICC Women’s World Cup out of the Wankhede Stadium as the Maharashtra Cricket Association wants to use the venue for the final of the Ranji Trophy

Amol Karhadkar21-Jan-2013The BCCI has decided to shift all matches of the Women’s World Cup out of the Wankhede Stadium as the Mumbai Cricket Association* (MCA) wants to use the venue for the final of the Ranji Trophy.”We had requested the BCCI to allow us to stage the Ranji final against Saurashtra at the Wankhede Stadium, the home of Mumbai cricket,” MCA joint secretary Nitin Dalal told ESPNcricinfo. “We are glad that they have agreed to it.”A BCCI insider confirmed that “no WWC match” will be played at the Wankhede, with the new schedule still being worked upon keeping Cuttack as co-hosts along with Mumbai. “This would also help in letting the Wankhede host the Irani Cup from February 6, should Mumbai go on to win the Ranji Trophy.”As a result, the Women’s World Cup is now set to be played at five stadiums: the Barabati Stadium and the DRIEMS stadium in Cuttack, and the MIG Club, Brabourne Stadium and MCA’s Bandra-Kurla Complex facility in Mumbai.Meanwhile, both Saurashtra and Mumbai are set to go in to the Ranji final without the services of two key players each. Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane (both Mumbai), Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja (both Saurashtra) are part of India’s squad for the five-match ODI series against England. With the fifth ODI to be played on January 27, the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) had requested the BCCI to postpone the start of the Ranji final from January 26 by two days. Once that was refused due to inability to change the telecast schedule, the SCA had requested for at least Pujara, who hasn’t featured in the series along with Sharma, for the final.However, a BCCI insider said that none of the four players will be released. “Rahane and Jadeja have been playing in the eleven. And since Rohit and Pujara are the only two reserve batsmen, there is no way they can be released two days before an ODI,” he said.*15.40GMT, January 21: The article had incorrectly qualified MCA as Maharashtra Cricket Association.

Hashim Amla believes the second Test against Pakistan in Cape Town was South Africa’s toughest challenge this summer

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2013Hashim Amla has paid tribute to Pakistan’s spirited performance in the second Test at Newlands, saying the team had pushed South Africa “to our limits in certain respects”.”We were under pressure in our first innings, and then had to chase180 in the second,” he said. “[It] was never going to be an easy total.”Pakistan scored 338 in the first innings, with centuries from Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq. South Africa could have dismissed them for less than 300, when they were 268 for 8, but a 74-run stand for the ninth wicket between Tanvir Ahmed and Saeed Ajmal took Pakistan to a competitive total.After South Africa posted 326 in their first innings, Pakistan had a chance at victory, provided they could put together another substantial total. In the end they were dismissed for 169, leaving South Africa 182 to chase.Amla believed Robin Peterson’s 84 in the first innings helped close the gap on Pakistan, and ultimately proved the difference. “We all know the kind of work Robbie puts in behind the scenes, so it was wonderful to watch him oozing with confidence while he was batting,” he said. “He also made a significant contribution with the ball and has become a recognised player in his own right.”Saeed Ajmal, who picked up 4 for 51 to go with his 6 for 96 in the first innings, along with Mohammad Irfan providing pace and bounce, ensured the chase wasn’t easy and South Africa reached their target with four wickets in hand.Amla was unperturbed about the team’s modest batting performance. “It was not an easy wicket to bat on in the first innings – for both teams – and I wouldn’t read too much into it.”South Africa dismissed Pakistan cheaply in the second innings despite Morne Morkel bowling only 3.1 overs before injuring his hamstring. Morkel will not play the third Test in Centurion, with Rory Kleinveldt slotted to take his place.”Rory has become an integral part of the team, filling in whenever someone has been injured,” Amla said. “Against New Zealand [in January 2013], he bowled really well and he’s a quality performer. It’s a lovely opportunity for Rory to cement his position as one of the leading bowlers in the country.”Despite securing the series with a 2-0 lead, Amla emphasised every game was important as it maintained a winning culture within the team. “A lot of us in the top order have got in, but haven’t made massive contributions, so we’re hungry to do that. The bowlers have enjoyed their wickets, and will want to keep on in that vein, so there is a lot to play for. This country is a very proud nation so we have a duty to uphold in that regard.”

Some late hitting from Ragheb Aga and three wickets each from Collins Obuya and Elijah Oteino helped Kenya win the second T20 against Canada in Dubai to share the series 1-1

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRagheb Aga’s knock of 31 took Kenya to a respectable score of 139•ICC/Zainab Malubhai

Some late hitting from Ragheb Aga and three wickets each from Collins Obuya and Elijah Oteino helped Kenya win the second T20 against Canada in Dubai and share the series 1-1. Having scored 139 after electing to bat, Kenya dismissed Canada for 118 with seven balls to spare.The top five Kenya batsmen reached double-figures but couldn’t score more than 20 as they lost wickets regularly and were 76 for 5, primarily due to two wickets from left-arm spinner Hiral Patel. Rakep Patel and Aga then put on 57 off 37 for the sixth wicket which helped them reach 139.After Canada lost Rizwan Cheema in the second over, Hiral and Ruvindu Gunasekera kept them in the hunt, scoring 45 together. But Obuya and Otieno took six of the remaining nine wickets as Canada lost their last seven for 35 runs. Only one other batsman, apart from Hiral and Gunasekera, Usman Limbada reached double figures with a 12-ball 21 but Canada fell short by 21 runs.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second ODI in Hambantota

Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Mar-2013

Match facts

March 25, Hambantota
Start time 1430 local (0900GMT)Nuwan Kulasekara was expensive in the first ODI•Associated Press

Big Picture

“Demolished” was the word Angelo Mathews used to describe what the Sri Lanka openers did to the Bangladesh attack in the first ODI. An eight wicket victory with more than five overs to spare is difficult enough for Bangladesh to swallow, but the psychological setbacks incurred during that violent stand may take some getting over as well. The visitors now only have one day in which to launch a series-saving comeback, and with Tamim Iqbal heading home because of a finger fracture, Bangladesh’s chances of levelling the series seem slim.The tourists’ best hope lies in dismissing Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara early and attacking Sri Lanka’s inexperienced middle order, who have not always been an assured ODI unit, particularly against spin. Kushal Perera may have been a capable walloping assistant to Dilshan in the first ODI, but he is yet to make a half century in international cricket, while Dinesh Chandimal has a poor record at home in limited overs cricket, and Angelo Mathews has not been at his best against high-quality slow bowling. Bangladesh must ensure they do not allow the seniors to walk the young Sri Lankan batsmen through their innings, like they have for much of the tour.The hosts, will have been thrilled with the crushing first-up win, and the partnership that set it up, but there was plenty to dislike about their cricket on Saturday evening as well. The bowling was wayward, particularly at the death when Nasir Hossain led the charge, but even earlier in the innings, when Tamim made use of the dross being served up at regular intervals. Sri Lanka have in their ranks a man who at his best can deliver yorker after searing yorker, but Lasith Malinga has been wildly inconsistent over the last 14 months, and Sri Lanka have bled late runs as a result. The hosts gave up 90 runs in the last ten overs in the first match, and captain Angelo Mathews may be prudent to devise a failsafe plan, should Malinga have an indifferent outing.Sri Lanka’s fielding has also been abysmal throughout the tour, and despite a diving catch from Kushal Janith Perera to dismiss Mohammad Ashraful, they will not have been pleased with their overall effort on Saturday. Mathews poor catching form hit rock bottom when he spilt a sitter off Tamim when he was on 55, and wayward throws and a lack of fielding initiative led to bonus runs and reprieves.

Form guide

Sri Lanka WLWWL (most recent first, completed matches only)
Bangladesh LWLLW

In the spotlight

Nuwan Kulasekara was the worst of Sri Lanka’s bowlers in the first match, having conceded 67 runs in his nine overs. He had had an exceptional limited overs tour of Australia, but after playing him in both Tests, Bangladesh’s batsmen have grown wise to his inswing, and his away-seamer has not been effective in this tour so far either. Control is often his best asset, but Bangladesh’s batsmen seemed to have targeted him by backing away and blasting him through the off side. Kulasekara has 132 matches experience, and he will want to maintain his reputation for reliability through the rest of the series.With Tamim gone, and Shakib Al Hasan never having been on tour through injury, the batting burden for Bangladesh falls heavy on the shoulders of captain Mushfiqur Rahim. He made his country’s first international double-hundred in Galle, but was less impressive in the second Test, and fell playing an ugly swipe to Mathews in the first ODI. He is already tasked with rallying his side to prevent a series loss, but will now feel he has to contribute substantially with the bat as well.

Team news

Mathews said after the last ODI that his side would not look to make major changes, and with no injuries plaguing their squad, Sri Lanka will likely retain the same XI.Sri Lanka: (probable) 1. Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2. Kushal Janith Perera, 3. Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4. Dinesh Chandimal, 5. Lahiru Thirimanne, 6. Angelo Mathews (c), 7. Jeevan Mendis, 8. Thisara Perera, 9. Nuwan Kulasekara, 10. Sachithra Senanayake, 11. Lasith MalingaJahurul Islam is the like-for-like replacement for Tamim but there is the option of using Mohammad Ashraful as the opener and letting Mominul Haque bat in the middle-order. It is a fair call given how much they need more batting stability, but they could also stay with a similar line-up. In the bowling, Shahadat Hossain may replace Abul Hasan.Bangladesh: (probable) 1 Anamul Haque, 2 Jahurul Islam, 3 Mohammad Ashraful, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Nasir Hossain, 7 Ziaur Rahman, 8 Sohag Gazi, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Abul Hasan/Shahadat Hossain, 11 Rubel Hossain.

Pitch and conditions

Winning the toss may go a considerable distance towards winning the match, with the side fielding second having been hampered by both the dew in the evening, and a pitch was not at its best for strokeplay until later in the evening. The strip prepared for the second match looks similar to the first, and will likely have some assistance for the seam bowlers early on, with moderate turn for the spinners as well.A thunderstorm only just missed the cricket on Saturday, having hit the nearby Sooriyawewa town, but not the stadium itself, and similar storms are forecast for the region for the 25th.

Quotes

“Our bowling and our catching was not successful today. I dropped a catch as well. But our batsmen covered up all those mistakes. I think in the future we need to sort those problems out before they have a big influence on the match.”
Angelo Mathews identifies his sides weaknesses.”Somebody has to stand up and take the opportunity in my absence. We are a good one-day team, so we have the ability to bounce back. We have to win the next game and I think it is possible.”
Tamim Iqbal is optimistic that his team will fare fine without him.

A preview of Kolkata Knight riders in IPL 2013

Nagraj Gollapudi01-Apr-2013

Big Picture

“We can do a CSK” is the line coming out of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ camp. However, in contrast to the consistent performances from more than one player that took Chennai Super Kings to consecutive titles in 2010 and 2011, Knight Riders have their shortcomings, evident during their dismal run during last year’s Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa, where they earned a solitary (and irrelevant) victory before making an exit.Annoyingly for Knight Riders, the difficult questions continue to persist. Gautam Gambhir and Jacques Kallis, the top two run-makers for Knight Riders, are fighting their individual battles to stay fit and find form. Gambhir, who is also the Knight Riders’ captain, remains unsettled after a prolonged drought of runs that forced the Indian selectors to drop him for the home Test series against Australia last month. This tournament will be a litmus test for a cricketer well-known for his determination and character.The IPL would be the first time Kallis plays active cricket since pulling a hamstring before the final match of the home Test series against Pakistan in February. Kallis who has had several niggles in the past year, failed to excel even in home conditions during the Champions League, compiling just 18 runs. He then failed during the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, managing 24 runs in three innings across five matches.The concerns only heighten with Brendon McCullum yet to join the squad as he is recovering from a hamstring injury. In any case McCullum’s stint this season is a short one, since he is scheduled to depart after first week of May to lead New Zealand on their tour of England. Also missing till May 12 would be the Bangladesh allrounder, Shakib Al Hasan, who is set to tour Zimbabwe.One big reason Knight Riders finished second to the Delhi Daredevils on the points table at the end of the league phase last year was due to their skewed win-loss records home and away. Though they had a fantastic away record with just one defeat in eight matches, they lost four times in seven completed home matches.So, do Knight Riders reinvent themselves or follow the same path that led them to their maiden crown last season? Finding stability and a balanced team, two main attributes of Super Kings, will be the key for Knight Riders.

Key players

Sunil Narine: The main catalyst behind Knight Riders’ triumph last season, Narine will be itching to bounce back after being dropped from the home Test series against Zimbabwe owing to an ineffective performance in the away series in Bangladesh. Narine, who bowled an important spell of 3.4-0-9-3 in the World Twenty20 final, could once again be the confounding spinner who proved to be the best bowler of the 2012 season.L Balaji: Gambhir dedicated the final victory in 2012 to the India and Tamil Nadu seamer, who was forced to sit out the summit clash. Balaji had an economy rate of 5.40 (against T20I career ER of 7.98) as he used his knowledge of bowling on Indian pitches to good effect, cramping the opposition batsmen for width while teasing them with his variations.Trevor Penney: Not one of the most athletic fielding sides in the IPL, the team management identified that a successful fielding coach, in Penney, who serves in the same role with the Indian team, was necessary.

Big players in

Sachithra Senanayake: He was an unknown as recently as two months ago when Knight Riders bought him for an eye-popping $625,000. The idea, the team management said, was to pair him with Narine as the second part of the ‘mystery twins’. Senanayanke, a tall Sri Lanka offspinner, is known for his bag of tricks including a good arm ball to which he recently added a lethal doosra.

Big players out

Marchant de Lange: The young South African fast bowler suffered a stress fracture last June immediately after the IPL and was released by the franchise, who had bought him for $50,000 at the previous year’s auction.

Below the radar

Eoin Morgan: Probably the costliest player on the bench in the history of IPL. Morgan entered the IPL for the first time in 2010 after the Royal Challengers Bangalore bought him for $220,000. Last year the Knight Riders paid $350,000 to buy the England batsman, known for his dynamic batting and match-turning knocks.

Availability

McCullum is likely to depart around May 8 to lead New Zealand on their tour of England, with the first Test starting on May 16. Shakib is likely to join the squad after Bangladesh’s tour of Zimbabwe, which ends on May 12.

The IPL could carry out important changes next year with its auction conducted in rupees instead of dollars and for the first time including, in some manner, uncapped Indian players

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Apr-2013The IPL could carry out important changes next year with its auction conducted in rupees instead of dollars and for the first time including, in some manner, uncapped Indian players. These would be welcome changes, according to Venky Mysore, the Kolkata Knight Riders CEO, but he has voiced strong concerns about the conduct of the IPL and said the league’s administrators need to be more open and responsive to the franchises and work hard closely with them.Asked on ESPNcricinfo’s daily video show a wish he would like the IPL to fulfill, Mysore said it would be to make the franchises more profitable and help them stand on their legs. “The financial viability of the franchises has to be uppermost on the mind of the league. Sorry to be a bit blunt, but at times I have felt that is not necessarily the case,” Mysore said. “The reason is stakeholders come into various businesses for passion. They have a vision and it fits into that, but you do not want them waking up one day and wondering what am I doing in this business. And that would happen if they are bleeding.”With player contracts expiring end of this season, franchises are getting ready for an overhaul with majority of the players – both capped and uncapped, including domestic Indian players – going to the auction. Mysore said the IPL would need to be transparent about the auction rules, especially on the point of retention. In 2011, the IPL had allowed every franchise to retain a maximum of four players with the rest returning to the auction. “Auction issue is big. While we really did not retain anyone in 2011, now we have an opportunity and we are certainly keen depending on what the rules are going to be. We are campaigning for saying retention is a must. If there is a precedence that says four, we are even happy to support more than four,” he said.With the salary cap increasing every year, Mysore warned the IPL needed to be more disciplined while deciding on the purse amount. At this year’s auction, held in February, every franchise had a $12.5 million purse. Mysore also recommended the IPL to have the player salaries converted into Indian rupees instead of the prevalent dollar. “The reason for that is over the last two-and-a-half years the currency has depreciated almost 25-30%. So when you convert $12.5 million into rupees the salary cap has grown 500% (sic). No business can survive on that basis,” Mysore said. According to him, the IPL has told him that 2014 auction would be rupee-based.Another deterrent to an open auction has been the perception that the IPL rules are not set in stone and are flexible while favouring certain powerful franchises. Why then would they not operate as one while voicing their concerns? “That perception (of certain franchises taking advantage) does exist and as the saying goes, over a period of time perceptions do become reality. But there can be a spirit of co-operation. We are not a large league. We are nine teams. And everyone pretty much gets along with everybody from what I’ve seen. The recommendations that we make are certainly for the benefit of the entire league if not only the franchises. But somehow there is a certain sense of concern of quality or security on the part of the IPL,” he said.As an example, Mysore cited the case of asking the IPL permission to allow the franchise to play exhibition games overseas last year. “They got off the block a little bit and said yes, but what they also said was we go and play an Associate country,” Mysore said. But according to him, playing in Ireland, Scotland, Canada was not economically feasible. As a solution he suggested to allow two franchises to play against each other in an Associate country, but the IPL showed reluctance once again. Mysore is still not losing hope. “I can see there is more openness, although not enough for our liking, but it is slowly coming in.”A grey area franchises have exploited in the past is signing an uncapped Indian domestic player, who has never been part of the auction unlike his overseas counterpart. Uncapped Indian players are paid a maximum of Rs 30 lakh ($55,300 approx) with the IPL reasoning that inflating the salary would corrupt the youngsters. However, according to Mysore it is another way of bending the rules. “There are ways in which you can control the value that is “thrown” at a player. Whenever you do price control, people always find ways to get around it and we are a very creative bunch,” Mysore said.Offering a solution, Mysore felt a good way out was to put the Indian uncapped domestic players as a group at the back-end of the auction. “Everyone who left the auction in 2011 had roughly between $400,000-500,000 (of the purse money) left to sign up Indian uncapped boys. Pretty much the same thing could happen next year. In the process there might be one or two players who might command a high fee. So be it. At least the market forces will be at work rather than the circuitous routes taken in 2011 (by franchises). There were allegations like someone paying someone’s brother-in-law a car or a mother-in-law a house to overcome the rules. That is silly.”He remained confident though, having been assured by the IPL about plugging that loophole. “I am told that in the next auction Indian uncapped boys will also come into the auction.”

Half-centuries from Chesney Hughes and Shivnarine Chanderpaul earned Derbyshire victory over Scotland after Mark Footitt had taken five wickets for the visitors in Edinburgh

26-May-2013
ScorecardHalf-centuries from Chesney Hughes and Shivnarine Chanderpaul earned Derbyshire victory over Scotland after Mark Footitt had taken five wickets for the visitors in Edinburgh.Footitt recorded a career-best 5 for 28 to restrict the home side to 182 for 9 in their 40 overs and the Derbyshire openers gave their side a strong platform. Richard Johnson’s four eventually secured the win as Derbyshire reached their target with 14 balls to spareScotland elected to bat at the Grange but started slowly and were in trouble at 51 for 4 Matthew Cross was caught behind for 11 and Freddie Coleman was the first to fall to Footitt for one less than his fellow opener after being caught by Wayne Madsen.Ewan Chalmers and Richie Berrington also struggled to impose themselves but a partnership of 55 between Preston Mommsen (42) and Majid Haq gave Scotland a fighting chance. Newcomer Michael Leask hit two sixes in consecutive overs on his way to 21 off 19 balls but Alex Hughes stopped him in his tracks and Footitt took three late wickets to give the visitors a modest target.The opening batsmen ensured Derbyshire were well on their way with an opening stand of 120. Hughes scored 74 off 72 balls while Chanderpaul hit 54 before being caught and bowled by Gordon Drummond.Madsen was clean bowled by Majid Haq for 4 as Scotland sensed a fightback but Paul Borrington and Billy Godleman both hit 21 to get Derbyshire back on track and Johnson, who had taken four catches, swept them to a six-wicket victory.

West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul has withdrawn from the inaugural edition of the Caribbean Premier League and will be replaced by Luke Pomersbach in the St Lucia franchise

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2013West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul has withdrawn from the inaugural edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) due to contractual obligations with English county Derbyshire. He will be replaced in the St Lucia franchise by Australia batsman Luke Pomersbach.Chanderpaul signed a contract with CPL offering himself for selection but later realised that his commitment to Derbyshire allowed a release only if it pertained to playing for West Indies.”I am extremely sorry that I will not be able to participate in the CPL because of contractual obligations,” Chanderpaul said. “I would definitely like to make myself available for the next edition, and will have my contracts carry a clause that will permit me to play in future editions of T20 tournaments.”His withdrawal opened doors for Pomersbach, who was in the group of Elite Pool A players alongside Chanderpaul, and the only batsman remaining in that pool.”It will be great to be a part of the first CPL and I am looking forward to some tough competitive cricket with some of the greatest T20 cricketers in the world,” Pomersbach said.Organisers say Pomersbach’s selection is in line with the rules of the draft.Pomersbach has scored 1078 runs in 48 Twenty20s at a strike rate of 130.98, including fours fifties and a hundred. The other T20 franchises he has represented are Brisbane Heat, Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore.The St Lucia franchise, the Zouks, includes international players Darren Sammy, Herschelle Gibbs, Albie Morkel, Tino Best, Tamim Iqbal among others. The coach of the franchise is former West Indies bowler Andy Roberts.The CPL begins on July 30 in Barbados with the opening match between St Lucia Zouks and Barbados Tridents.

Had anyone suggested before the start of this season that Northamptonshire would qualify for Finals Day, you have been forgiven for suggesting they lie in a darkened room swathed in wet towels.

George Dobell at Wantage Road06-Aug-2013
ScorecardCameron White produced a brutal spell of hitting•Getty Images

Had anyone suggested before the start of this season that Northamptonshire would have been among the teams lining up for Friends Life t20 Finals Day, you have been forgiven for suggesting they lie in a darkened room swathed in wet towels.Heading into this campaign, Northants had won just three of their last 27 T20s dating back to their quarter-final defeat in 2010. They had only reached Finals Day once before, in 2009, and they finished the 2012 season with fewer wins in all competitions than any county in the land. With no trophies since 1992 and no full England players since Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar left, it appeared they were sliding towards irrelevance.They’re not any more. Energised by a dynamic chief executive – former Warwickshire batsman and Leicestershire CEO David Smith – a calm and wise coach – David Ripley – and a change in captaincy – Alex Wakely is the white ball captain; Stephen Peters the red ball – Northants no longer appear an also-ran in a tired ground, but a vibrant, forward-thinking club with a bright future. Not only are they in the second promotion position in Division Two of the County Championship, 37 points ahead of the third placed side, but they have reached Finals Day for just the second time in the 11-year history of the competition.Just as importantly, they have started to contribute to England again. Ben Duckett was given dispensation to play in this game rather than captain England Under-19s against Pakistan, while Olly Stone, a seamer who was left out of this XI, captained the same Under-19 side last winter. 23-year-old David Willey, who thumped 46 and delivered four overs brimming with skill and commitment, is also a product of the club’s system and looks almost guaranteed to win an England Lions spot before the summer is out.They have recruited well, too. Azharullah, a 29-year-old Pakistani plucked from the Yorkshire leagues last winter, has proved an inspired addition and, having agreed a one-year deal last year, has recently been offered a two-year extension and is of interest to other counties, while Steven Crook, at last fulfilling his substantial potential in a sympathetic environment, might well be the signing of the summer.Success is not limited to the pitch. This game attracted Northants’ largest crowd – 5,200 – since the T20 quarter-final against Hampshire in 2009 and is expected to earn the club over £100,000 in unbudgeted revenue. They expect to have made £25,000 just on food and bar takings; not all of it from the Northampton Saints rugby players who were among the crowd. Over the last year, the club have bought the freehold to their ground, refurbished facilities and developed some of the best outdoor net facilities in the country. It is no surprise that international teams are starting to use the club as one of their bases while on tour in England.But here they were grateful for the contribution of Australian overseas player Cameron White who put this game beyond Durham with a blistering unbeaten innings of 58 from 32 balls. White, who has been surplus to demands in all formats for Australia since the World T20 last October, thrashed four fours and four sixes, including three in an over off the unfortunate Gareth Breese, to help his side to the 11th highest score in their T20 history.White’s impetus helped Northants plunder 133 from their final 12 overs and 79 from the final six, taking toll of some loose Durham bowling. But the platform for his assault was provided in an opening stand of 89 in 68 balls from Willey and Kyle Coetzer that saw off the tidy but not terribly threatening Graham Onions, who bowled his four overs in one spell at the start of the game.”It’s scary when the ball is hitting the bottom of the bat and still clearing the ropes,” Paul Collingwood, the Durham captain, said afterwards. “But we didn’t get the execution of our skills right.”Ben Stokes was perhaps the most disappointing of the Durham attack, straying in line and length and conceding 40 from his four-over spell. The decision to introduce Scott Borthwick’s legspin into the attack in the 18th over also proved costly as he was taken for 18 runs. The defeat means Durham have lost three successive T20 quarter-finals stretching back to 2009.They would have required the second highest total they have ever managed in a T20 away from home to win this game and rarely threatened to get close. Crook bowled with pace and variation, Willey with swing and control and Lee Daggett with superb control that saw him concede just 13 from his four overs.Only when Stokes was in full flow did Durham look to have a chance. Hitting the ball unusually hard, he allowed no margin for width or any error in length. One over from Azharullah cost 19, another from Willey 14, as Stokes provided a more than passable impression of Lance Klusener at his best.But in the end Stokes lacked support and Durham had asked too much of him. Coming to the crease with 111 required from 49 balls was always likely to prove too steep a task.”We were embarrassing last year,” a delighted Wakely admitted afterwards. “Our own fans were laughing at us and no-one was coming to watch us.”There’s no secret to what we’ve done. We went back to working on basic skills as batsmen and bowlers and all the hard work has paid off. Everyone is playing with a smile on their face and really enjoying their cricket.”After several years of drifting, Northants cricket is at last progressing once again.

An unbroken partnership of 79 in 10 overs between Azhar Mahmood and Zafar Ansari swept Surrey to a five-wicket victory against Kent

26-Jul-2013
ScorecardZafar Ansari played a sensible hand during a match-winning partnership with Azhar Mahmood•Getty Images

An unbroken partnership of 79 in 10 overs between Azhar Mahmood and Zafar Ansari swept Surrey to a five-wicket victory against Kent, which all but guaranteed them a Friends Life t20 quarter-final place. Mahmood thumped Matt Coles for a four and six from successive balls in a decisive 19th over that cost 17 runs as Surrey overhauled Kent’s 139 for 4 with five balls to spare.Despite earlier collapsing alarmingly from a seemingly comfortable 47 for no wicket to 61 for 5 inside five overs, Surrey surged to a sixth win in their ninth South Group match thanks to brilliant batting from the veteran Mahmood and the 21-year-old Ansari. Mahmood, the 38-year old former Pakistan allrounder who rejoined Surrey last winter after five seasons at Kent, finished on 47 not out from just 31 balls, with three sixes and three fours in all.Ansari ended on an unbeaten 30, from 36 balls, and although he hit only two fours he played a sensible support act and was adept at giving Mahmood the strike at crucial stages of the chase.Jason Roy and Steven Davies had given Surrey an excellent start, with Davies hitting five fours in an 18-ball 27 before he hit Darren Stevens’ first ball to deep mid-on at the beginning of the sixth over. Stevens then bowled Vikram Solanki for a second-ball duck and conceded just 16 runs from his four overs as Kent put the squeeze on the Surrey innings.Fabian Cowdrey’s left-arm spin snared Kevin O’Brien, caught at long-off for 2, and Gary Wilson was leg-before for a third-ball duck attempting a reverse sweep at offspinner Adam Riley, who also bowled well in the middle overs.Gradually, though, Mahmood and Ansari pulled the match around for Surrey, who now go into second place in the South Group table. An equation of 51 runs from the last six overs became 19 off two – and Mahmood made sure of the win with his two huge blows off Coles.Kent, after winning the toss, lost Daniel Bell-Drummond for 2 in the third over, bowled by Chris Tremlett as he tried to make room to hit over the off-side field, but Cowdrey and Sam Billings added 61 in just over seven overs for the second wicket. Cowdrey, the 20-year-old son of Chris and grandson of Colin, included an eye-catching straight drive off Tremlett and, later, a flip over his right shoulder from down on one knee against the England fast bowler among his six fours in a 46-ball 50, his first half-century at senior level.Billings made 28 from 25 balls before being caught at long-off trying to hit Gareth Batty into the packed stands, and Cowdrey picked out long-on attempting a similar big hit against Ansari in the 14th over.That left Stevens and the rest of Kent’s middle order with a lot to do to set Surrey a challenging target, but Stevens was starved of the strike in the second half of the innings, facing just 19 balls in all as he reached 29 not out – including a driven six off Mahmood from the last ball of the innings. Alex Blake made 7 before skying to cover off Batty and Ben Harmison, after a scratchy start, at least thumped Mahmood for four and six in an expensive 20th over costing 20 runs as he ended up on 19 not out from 15 balls.Jade Dernbach, though wicketless, bowled superbly to concede only 22 runs from his four overs – and just four from a brilliant 19th over containing a number of his trademark well-disguised slower balls.