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Plays of the day from the second ODI between West Indies and England in Antigua

George Dobell in Antigua05-Mar-2017The milestone
When Steven Finn dismissed Kieran Powell via a top-edged pull that ballooned back to the bowler it made him the tenth England bowler to claim 100 ODI wickets. He became the third-fastest, too, in terms of games played, behind Stuart Broad and Darren Gough, who both reached the milestone in 62 ODIs. This was Finn’s 67th ODI, which means it took him the same amount of games as Joel Garner (the record is held by Mitchell Starc, who only took 52). Only Andrew Flintoff has a better strike rate of England bowlers to have achieved the record. All of which renders his absence from the side – before this series, Finn had not played ODI cricket since September 2015 – all the more puzzling.The drop
Ben Stokes has a well-deserved reputation as one of England’s best fielders. So it was a major surprise when he was unable to cling on to what appeared to be a relatively simple chance at midwicket offered when Kraigg Brathwaite, on 41, mistimed a pull off Finn. Perhaps Stokes lost track of the ball in the sun, or perhaps he was deceived by the strong wind blowing across the ground but, instead of taking the ball cleanly, he sustained a blow on the second finger of his right hand which obliged him to leave the field for treatment. While that briefly raised the possibility that it could be ‘the most expensive drop in history’ – in financial terms, bearing in mind his IPL deal, rather than runs conceded as a consequence (Brathwaite for out for 42 in the next over) – Stokes soon returned to the field and was able to resume bowling.The review
Jason Roy is increasingly looking like the most dangerous batsman in this side. So when Jason Holder saw his strong appeal for a caught-behind dismissal turned down by umpire Nigel Duguid (on his ODI debut) before Roy had scored, it was understandable that he should utilise West Indies’ review. Without Ultra Edge, though, West Indies were asking the TV umpire, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, to overrule on limited evidence. And while replays showed what might have been some deviation – the angle of the seam of the ball appeared to change a little – and the stump microphone picked up a noise that could have been the edge and could have been a stud on the pitch, there was nothing definitive that convinced him to change the decision. It is understood that Ultra Edge technology would have cost around USD10,000 for the series but the WICB and host broadcaster, who between them would have had to pay for it, went for the budget option as the ICC does not, at present, demand the standardisation of DRS protocols. Roy went on to score a rapid half-century that took England a long way towards victory.The edge
Having seen Sam Billings taken in the slips from the second ball of the innings, Shannon Gabriel found the edge of Joe Root’s bat just three deliveries later. This time, though, with Powell standing barely two yards inside the 30-yard fielding circle and the slow pitch sucking the pace out of the delivery, the ball dropped just short of the fielder. Root, scoreless at the time, went on to make 90 not out – easily the highest score of the match – and help England to a four-wicket victory.The injury
For the second game in succession, Gabriel’s first spell troubled the England batsman with its pace and control. But when he was forced off the pitch with a side strain after just three overs, it left Holder with a huge problem. His spinners bowled splendidly but Carlos Brathwaite struggled to sustain the pressure and, when he was recalled with 58 required from 13 overs, he conceded 10 from his first over back. With part-time offspinner Kraigg Brathwaite bowling at the over end, Gabriel’s absence made life considerably more comfortable for England than might have been the case.

He hasn’t fit the usual Pakistani archetypes, but when he leaves he will have set a distinct example for those coming after to aspire to

Ahmer Naqvi13-Oct-2015During the recent domestic T20 tournament, two fellow journalists were trying to track down Younis Khan for an interview. They found him at the end or start of a game, and he asked them to “come over to my hotel room later tonight”. As he sped past them, they realised he hadn’t mentioned the room number, or indeed the hotel. They asked a few others for Younis’ phone number and pretty soon ended up with about 16 different numbers for him. All of them were switched off.The next day, they ran into Younis, who asked them where they had been. They told him about the room number problem and then the 16 phone numbers, which made him laugh and repeat a famous Bollywood dialogue, “” (You know what they say: capturing the don isn’t just difficult – it’s impossible.)The charming anecdote captures some important things about the player – his sense of humour, his frankness, his tendency to go incognito. What I like most is that the film reference made me think of characters – those larger-than-life creations of masala movies that are such a big part of South Asian culture.I have often felt that the collapse of the popular film industry has been a major cause for the superstardom of Pakistani cricketers. They have filled a void of sorts in the popular imagination.The Pakistan cricket team has had its fair share of absolutely mad characters, but Younis is the maddest, or most to have emerged with a great reputation as well as superb statistics. Indeed, he is now the greatest run scorer in Pakistani history, and yet I still can’t help but feel that he can be better “imagined” in both Pakistan’s and cricket’s popular narrative.

What has made him extremely Pakistani is his desire, his obsession, to prove a point. Like Imran Khan seeing red after being hit for a boundary, or Javed Miandad aping the keeper, Younis has always had that desire to compete to the end

The word has negative connotations (describing someone who is melodramatic), but to paint him as such is not at all my intention. My use of it here is to celebrate the barely believable, twisting and turning career of a marvellous player. After all, Younis has spent all this time playing the long con.The character I pictured when thinking about him in a reference was Keyser Soze from – the guy no one expected to be there at the end; the guy everyone underestimated.Younis began his career amid the dying embers of the #Mighty90sSide, which was fighting its demons and court cases as much as it was its opponents. He came of age in the Bob Woolmer era, where with Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq he formed the mighty triumvirate that was Pakistan’s middle order. Even there, his feats were often overshadowed, largely because the other two had been archetypal in a way he never had been – Inzamam was the unknown youngster who had arrived from nowhere to grab the world by surprise, a typical Pakistani cricket myth. Yousuf had his moments in his golden run in 2006, where he played into the English myth about the classy subcontinental batsman who was an aesthetically pleasing run glut.Record- and stereotype breaker: Younis is not a player who fits the many clichés and stereotypes of Pakistan cricket•AFPYounis’ story was always more bizarre. Around about the time of his golden run as a Test batsman, Pakistan did not play Tests for a year, and he was then kicked out of the side months after leading the country to a world title, in 2009. The annus horribilis that was 2010 laid waste to many careers in Pakistan’s batting stocks, and an entire generation of players that were meant to finally come of age were instead out of the team. The fixing scandal meant that an old-timer was brought back to lead a team of fresh-faced youngsters. The only other old face was that of Younis, whose spat with the board meant that he had been absent from the horror tours of Australia and England that had caused all these changes.Yet once again, Younis was in the shadows, as the era came to be defined largely by Afridi v Misbah debates. That debate didn’t apply in Tests, but even when Misbah’s team showed how formidable it could be, the plaudits went largely to the captain and the bowlers. Younis wasn’t seen as a leading act, let alone a superstar.But now that he is at the top, now that he has the numbers irrefutably in his favour, we realise that playing out someone else’s story was never an option for Younis Khan – he was always going to be the basis for his own myth.So what will his myth be?For me, the parts of Younis’ career that are most intriguing are the ones that subvert certain narratives about Pakistani cricket and reinforce others. He wasn’t blessed with abundant talent; he lacks a penchant for spectacular match-winning feats; he hasn’t been prone to being lazy and unprofessional when things aren’t going his way. And yet, what has made him extremely Pakistani is his desire, his obsession, to prove a point. Like Imran Khan seeing red after being hit for a boundary, or Javed Miandad aping the keeper, Younis has always had that desire to compete to the end.For most of his career, Younis has been sidelined because there haven’t been any clichés or narratives that fit him. But whenever he leaves, he will do so as an example, an ideal that others will aspire to. It’s a legacy that few others can manage.

After his match-winning performance at Lord’s, India fans can’t complain. Or can they?

Fram Hansotia22-Jul-2014Choice of game
The Lord’s Test between England and India had been see-sawing for four days. At stumps on day four, both teams were presented with a clear path to victory: India needed to take six wickets, and England needed to score 214 runs. This situation, coupled with the fact that watching a Test at Lord’s is a must for any cricket fan, meant attending this match was a no-brainer.Team supported
From a neutral perspective, logic and recent form suggested India would win comfortably. However the cricket romantic in me was desperate for England to fight back and regain some of the confidence and swagger that they possessed under the captaincy of Andrew Strauss. Indeed, if they had managed to scrape a win, it would have been one of their finest victories.Key performer
It’s difficult to look beyond the Man of the Match, Ishant Sharma. During a scratchy first session, England were regaining momentum due to a series of boundaries off Ishant, but the Indian pacer maintained his composure the following over to break the partnership that was threatening to take the game away from the Indians. After lunch, he bowled with pace and hostility, to finish with his best Test figures of 7 for 74 – the best figures by an Indian bowler in England. Ishant has been the subject of a lot of mirth in the past, but today he repaid the selectors for their faith, picking him even when his figures suggested that they do otherwise. An Indian fan behind me remarked to his friend (with a hint of disappointment in his voice): “Now we can’t make fun of him for at least another month!”One thing I’d have changed
Moeen Ali and Joe Root seemed to have luck on their side in the morning session, as a couple of chances bounced just short or just wide of the slip cordon. However, their luck ran out at the stroke of lunch, when Ishant bowled a well-directed bouncer at Ali, who contorted his body in a half-attempt to play a shot, but to no avail. The ball bounced off his glove, and into the grateful hands of a gleeful short leg that had been positioned for exactly that sort of chance. Astute captaincy by MS Dhoni, who never let the match get away from his control. If Ali had managed to stick around for another hour or so after lunch, this report could have been very different indeed.Wow moment
In ten years, when people remember this Test match, they won’t remember Ajinkya Rahane’s century or M Vijay’s patient vigil at the crease. This match will be remembered for an English implosion that was astonishing in its lack of professionalism and its pace. In one hour, just one measly hour, Matt Prior, Ben Stokes, and Root undid all the hard work that their team-mates had put in for the last four days. Dhoni didn’t need to resort to one of his unorthodox tactics. His strategy was simple: put three fielders on the leg-side boundary, get Ishant to bowl bumpers, and test the mental fortitude and determination of the English batsmen. They failed this last test. Miserably.In essence, this was leg theory (oh, go on then, Bodyline!) and everyone in the ground – me, my uncle, the Englishman behind me, the Indian sitting beside him, even the exasperated little boy in front of me – knew what was coming. Well, it was more like everyone except the batsmen, who made unforgivable, schoolboy errors that have no place in the international arena. Three moments of madness. Unbelievable.Close encounter
Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and “Sir” Ravindra Jadeja all fielded in front of us in the Compton Stand. The highlight was Jadeja, who embraced his role as the pantomime villain in the Indian squad after his controversial and infamous confrontation with Anderson at Trent Bridge. He re-energised the crowd, most of whom seemed much more animated after what must have been quite a liquid lunch. Chants ranged from the unusual “Sirjee Jadeja, get us a wicket” to the rather more common “[player’s name], give us a wave!”Shot of the day
In a game that ebbed and flowed, Root’s series of three boundaries off Ishant in the 74th over injected some urgency into the England chase. The second one was not off a half volley as it was for the first boundary, nor was it short and wide as it was for the third boundary. This delivery was just short of a length and a fraction outside off stump. Root caressed it through the covers, with the ball on the up at the point of contact. Sheer class.Crowd meter
The crowd at Lord’s is usually quite knowledgeable, and today was no different. Wherever you looked, people were chatting about topics ranging from the Anderson-Jadeja spat, to the origin of the term “Bodyline” (an interesting anecdote!). The crowd was split pretty evenly between Indians baying for English wickets, and Englishmen praying for rain! The crowds streamed in throughout the morning session, and the atmosphere improved as the afternoon progressed. In a bit of gallows humour, Jimmy Anderson was even heralded as “The Burnley Lara” by a group of fans who seemed determined not to let the inexplicable batting collapse ruin their day out.Tests v limited-overs
For a real cricket fan, just as for any respected cricketer, Test cricket is the pinnacle of the game. I feel limited-overs cricket will continue to coexist with Tests, but that the genteel nature of the game, coupled with the mental fortitude and concentration required to consistently excel, raises Test cricket to a higher level than limited-overs cricket.Overall
A morning session that set up what seemed to be a potentially fascinating day of cricket was cruelly cut short by the same unforgivable pull shot to the man in the deep, not once, not twice, but thrice. Ali enhanced his reputation as a gritty, determined player in this English line-up, as did Joe Root, who improved his reputation before falling victim to a lapse in concentration that he will be ashamed off. Ishant Sharma was instrumental in engineering the English implosion, and the manner in which they feebly collapsed should be of concern to the management. England have not won a Test since beating Australia in Chester-Le-Street a year ago, and it’s quite plausible that this run of poor form won’t change in the remaining three Tests.Marks out of ten
8. Decent weather at Lord’s. Determined, focussed batting this morning. A flurry of boundaries either side of the lunch break. Good fast bowling by a very decent Indian pace attack. A nice little rivalry established between Root and Ishant Sharma. If only the afternoon session lived up to our expectations.

From TS Trudgian, Canada

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013
Ben Hilfenhaus: can swing, and adapt•AFPBen Hilfenhaus may have begun his Test career as a ‘stock’ bowler — an epithet which seems to convey an unfortunate admission of mediocrity — but he has shown, in the Tests against Pakistan in England, and recently against India at Mohali, that he is becoming the weapon of choice, particularly when the ball begins to swing. Australia have been searching for a quality swing bowler, at a reasonable clip, since the departure of Jason Gillespie in 2006 — that will teach him to score a double-hundred.Leaving aside the sorcery of reverse-swing, Hilfenhaus is the best exponent of swing in the current Australia squad. It is said that the high arm of Doug Bollinger induces some reverse-swing, but even the commentators quickest to proclaim ‘Don’t look now, but the ball is reversing’ would agree that 40 overs, or at the very least 30, must be bowled with the ‘mere’ weapon of conventional swing bowling. ‘The slightly pigeon-toed Hilfenhaus’ — words from Christopher Martin-Jenkins, not me — bowling a teasing line with variable away-swing is the perfect start to Australia’s efforts in the field.But he is not a one-trick pony, as some would label Ryan Sidebottom: a great bowler of swing in the overcast north of England or the humid days at the ’Gabba, but a relatively innocuous trundler otherwise. During the recent Test at Mohali, Hilfenhaus did have the ball hooping around from time to time, but when the conditions were less favourable, he was able to temper the little remaining swing with a very consistent line of middle- and off-stump. It is this combination of style and guile that probably has Hilfenhaus pipping his English bowling equivalent (Steve Finn, say) by a nose. James Anderson is a fine proponent of swing bowling, but perhaps as the ‘strike’ weapon he is best contrasted with Mitchell Johnson (see the next volume).The first-order approximation when bowling outswingers is to pitch every ball up to entice the drive and, if you are lucky, the nick. I have lost count of the number of times I heard Boycott on TMS bemoan the attitudes of almost all bowlers (with the noble exception of Yorkshireman R.J. Sidebottom, of course) who bowled at Headingley: they never ‘got it up’. That is something which I can neither confirm nor deny; in any case, pitching the ball up is a good start. One problem arises when you are not permitted sufficiently many slips — perhaps the run-chase is getting tight and the skipper needs to plug holes elsewhere.Another is when the ball stops swinging, or the seam is ill-positioned and the ball doesn’t swing on that particular delivery: then for the batsman it is money for old rope. Both of these ‘problems’ occurred in Mohali: during the fifth day Ponting did not have four slips (nor did he have a third man and there was a small bounty of runs made from edges and steers through the vacant fourth-slip area). Moreover, after the first few overs, the prodigious swing had disappeared. VVS Laxman, who still haunts my dreams as only the second man (the first being Lara) who is destined to snatch an Australian defeat from the jaws of victory, reached forward and pounded these to the cover point boundary. It was Hilfenhaus who led the counter-attack, mixing up his full swing-for-the-nick deliveries with balls short of a length on an off-stump line and the occasional bouncer.That both Sehwag and Raina should be dismissed off short deliveries should not have come as a surprise. Perhaps though, one might have thought these balls to be delivered with the height of Bollinger or the ferocity of Johnson.That it was Hilfenhaus each time emphasises his skill in adapting his bowling to suit the conditions — of both pitch and batsman. It would be silly to blame his figures of none for 100 in the first innings on the pitch alone, but he was bowling great spells of full-pitched outswing, and the edges induced were either not carrying, or going ‘through’ the slips.Certainly he will be a handful in Brisbane, but I am particularly excited about watching him bowl at Perth. Perhaps a further 250 or so for England to chase on the final day, Strauss well set on 50 and Trott in ‘the zone’ (although he takes five minutes to get there after each delivery), the Fremantle Doctor set to operate, four slips and two gullies in place, and the Hilf running in to a packed WACA crowd. . . game on.

The cricket was of high quality but the same can’t be said about the music and entertainment. Are such gimmicks required?

Benjamin Golby19-Jan-2011Choice of game
I’ve trundled along to all of the Big Bash matches at the WACA this season. I try to make it to as much of the domestic contest as I am able but the sheer amount of cricket, coupled with Western Australia’s doleful performance in recent years, takes the zest from being one of those few faithful who sparingly dot the stands at Shield games. There is a sense of occasion about the Big Bash though which draws not only me, but thronged crowds to the series. Unfortunately Western Australia’s miserable outings in their previous two home games have done little to justify such strong support. They were embarrassingly crushed by both Tasmania and South Australia in defeats not merely demoralising, but utterly dull cricket, the sort which makes you question whether there is even any merit to the Twenty20 format.So then my expectations were low setting off for the match. However having witnessed Victoria crush Western Australia in the first one-day fixture of the season I imagined that at least the visitors might provide a performance of interest. I was proven quite wrong for Western Australia bowled and fielded magnificently to curtail the Victorians to a modest total. The hosts then carried on to achieve the target in cool and convincing manner.Team supported
Holding a partisan attitude within Australian domestic cricket is a practice which has dulled over the ages. While I hold a lingering devotion toward my home state of Western Australia, supporting our cricket team is a disappointing past-time. I can’t claim the feeling to be entirely absent but attend with a more objective air to observe those who would make claims to national selection or otherwise distinguish themselves. I did not expect Western Australia to win, or at least certainly not in such an emphatic manner. While I am glad that they did so, I am far more pleased to have been treated to what was a fairly decent cricket match.Key performer
Shaun Marsh was the deserved Man of the Match with an elegant and salient 93 not out. Marsh was sublime, his innings dignified and composed with a succession of textbook dispatches to the boundary along with shrewd singles and twos. This was in sharp contrast to his team-mates and particularly his only partner of any length, Luke Pomersbach. That gentleman was hit-and-miss in his slapdash 35, a few clubbed sixes to mask his more ungainly moments of desperate and unsuccessful power hitting. This latest proof of pedigree from Marsh in what has been a summer of some promise not merely elevates him above his team-mates, but stands him in good stead for his national call-up which will, in good faith, occur on Friday in Hobart.The other two players of distinction in tonight’s match were Aaron Finch and Michael Hogan. Finch’s determined 61 was impressive in an otherwise inglorious innings. Hogan, who replaced Sajid Mahmood, was wonderful from his first ball, an inswinging yorker to dismiss Brad Hodge. He took four vital wickets to stamp Western Australia’s authority upon the game. One feels a deal of sympathy for Mahmood. His career has been plagued with a certain amount of bad luck and now his cushy jaunt to Australia, which must be a welcome reprieve from bleak Bolton in January, has come to an ignominious end.Player watch
Such is the cosy atmosphere of the WACA, where the visiting team descends to the field through the Eastern Member’s Stand, one is able to observe a good amount of players’ personalities. When Victoria were here last Cameron White lustily sung along with The Temper Trap but unfortunately the captain was absent today to fulfill his national duties. However it was nice to watch Dwayne Bravo unwearyingly pose for such a lot of photographs, and the entire team was very gracious in the manner they went about interacting with the crowd. I was tickled to watch James Pattinson walk up to some young lad who had pad and pen in hand but was completely oblivious to the player, and ask him if he would like his autograph.Late in the match Matt Prior dropped a howler of a catch from Pomersbach after he nearly collided with Bravo down the ground. He was heartily endorsed from then on by those seated near to him on the boundary and warmly applauded in every return made. It greatly pleased me to see that Prior revelled in the humour of the situation and wore a broad grin. For some reason I had him down as rather a lout and I was glad to be proven wrong.In Western Australia much focus has centred upon Chris Gayle who has unfortunately been fairly underwhelming. I do hope he stays with the team for it is such a delight to have him regardless of his batting. I have just enjoyed trying to decipher his Twitter which is a wonderful haze of “LOL”, mention of Nandos, and other endearing adventures within Perth.The Western Australian player I would set down to watch is the youngster Tom Beaton. He did not bat today but I feel he has a future ahead of him. He first caught my eye as an aide in warm-up practices with the Australian team during the Test due to the hideous rat’s tail which is his unfortunate chosen coiffure. He impressed me with his brutally strong and accurate arm though and was promising in his debut Twenty20 against Tasmania.Shot of the day
It is hard to bypass Marsh’s majestic array of shots but I believe the honour for this in fact goes to Finch. Finch has a tendency to bludgeon in an unattractive manner, on brutal display in his impressive pair of games for Australia just recently. In fact when circumstance does not dictate it, he is a fine player of sophistication and gentility. This was on crystalline display for what was my shot of the match. During the seventh over Finch but merely feathered a wayward delivery from Gayle in a stunning late cut shot to the boundary. Amid the slaughter and truncheon of the format, here was divinity.Crowd meter
Tonight’s match was one of quality and beguiling interest. However the most prescient and enduring quality of the evening was its atmosphere. Perth turned out in large numbers to the first two home matches of the Big Bash but such support was clearly lacking tonight. The western grass embankment and Inverarity Stand, shaded from the discomfiting late afternoon sun, were crowded but the member’s was sparse and the eastern part of the ground was desolate. The official attendance was not announced but I doubt it was more than 7000, a far cry from the nearly filled ground earlier in the series. It certainly had its impact upon the match and lessened the spectacle and trumpery associated with the 20-over format. I must say though that this was a thoroughly good thing and drew the focus of the ground on to the cricket rather than some sort of dreary and extroverted theatre. It was a pleasant rather than exciting atmosphere with something of the air of a weary but glowing Sunday afternoon.While this was very agreeable to me I must admit that it gave way to some grave doubts on my behalf for the future of the series. As Twenty20 settles down and becomes cricket, there will be inevitable dullness which dwindle the masses. The fervour that accompanied the incorporation of international players two seasons back has begun to fade and it seems an endless wave of gimmicks are required to maintain interest. Attempting to garner greater interest for cricket is a worthy task but I fear that the series is perhaps unsustainable. Such is the only conclusion to be drawn from the eerie atmosphere of this evening at least.Entertainment
I struggle to grasp what sort of target audience is attempted for in the entertainment put on by the WACA. It seems to be lowest common denominator, something which is entirely unsuitable for the game. Mercifully their garish and embarrassing excuses for diversion were somewhat mollified for the early part of the evening in recognition of the underwhelming crowd. It seems that the cretins put in charge of proceedings cannot help themselves though and they began to make their presence felt as the game progressed.The chief object of hate is the muppet who has featured as emcee of the matches this season. This portly fool is successor to Ryan Campbell but lacks that gallant’s winning charm no matter how commercial it may have been. The heir instead roams the ground making a loud nuisance of himself, saying nothing of interest about cricket but everything else that might be obnoxious and lousy in booming tones over the loudspeaker. He is that sort of abject, loathsome object who makes a fool of himself in public spaces thinking himself a font of humour but in reality a mere extroverted and annoying lump.It is the music which is the most jarring aspect of the event though. Music was used initially in cricket to rally batsmen to their favourite tune or mark the change of bowler. It was perhaps coarse but acceptable and indeed revealed an interesting facet of cricketers. In Twenty20 music becomes a constant invasion, numbingly loud and divorced from its surroundings interrupting between every ball. The chief make-up of a cricket match is middle-aged men and their sons. In the case of Twenty20 families sometimes attend. One would think then that the music chosen would be of the inoffensive but comforting sort – the Beatles, Kinks, Troggs etc, perhaps some Motown, Michael Jackson and whatnot. The DJ is a bizarre tastemaker though weaving a hideous blend of that sort of weak and noisome hit found on beer-drinking anthem compilations along with completely inappropriate selections from the Eurodisco catalogue and the weaker kind of dance trash which fills the more desperate type of nightclub – David Guetta, Black Eyed Peas etc. It’s unnecessary, un-enjoyed, and should be reviewed.Overall
It was a pleasure to watch such a good match of cricket and have my faith in the format justified. I certainly feel the mark has been missed somewhat in the Big Bash but hope that measures will be taken to steer it back to optimistic waters. There is more that is good in the 20-over format than that which is annoying and Cricket Australia should draw upon these strengths for the future when the fads run dry.

Stats highlights from the fourth day of the Perth Test

S Rajesh and HR Gopalakrishna19-Jan-2008

Ricky Ponting made only 45, which is less than his average score in the fourth innings as captain © Getty Images
India’s 72-run win broke a sequence of 16 consecutive Test wins for Australia, dating back to the Boxing Day Test in 2005. It’s the second time India have played spoilsport to Australia’s 16-match winning spree – in Kolkata in 2001, they had beaten Steve Waugh’s team by 171 runs. This is the first Test win by a team from the subcontinent in Perth. The nine previous matches here – five for Pakistan, and two each for India and Sri Lanka – had all ended in Australian wins, almost all of them by convincing margins. It was also Australia’s first defeat in Perth since February 1997. The last time Australia lost at home was way back in December 2003, and India were the opponents then as well. Since that Adelaide Test, Australia had won 22 out of 25 home games before they ran into the inspired Indians in Perth. India’s win is their 30th overseas, 17 of which have come in this decade. It is also their 22nd outside the subcontinent, and their fifth in Australia. Australia’s total of 340 is their second-highest in the fourth innings in a match they have lost. Against England at Old Trafford in 1981, they scored 402 and yet lost by 103 runs. Australia’s fourth-innings score was also the highest total of the match, and yet they ended up on the losing side, making it only the 11th such instance, and the fourth since 2000. The last time a team made the highest score of the match in the fourth innings and lost was in June last year, when West Indies made 394 but lost by 60 runs against England at Old Trafford. Ricky Ponting managed only 45, which was a relative failure, considering how well he usually does in the fourth innings. He averages 58.85 in the last innings of a Test, but as a captain he has done even better, averaging 93.25, with three centuries and two fifties in 15 innings. Ponting was caught by Rahul Dravid off Ishant Sharma for the second time in the match. Only once previously has he been dismissed by the same bowler-fielder combination in both innings – he was caught by Romesh Kaluwitharana off Chaminda Vaas in Adelaide in 1996. Irfan Pathan was especially effective against the left-handers in this Test. He dismissed both Australian openers in the first and second innings. He averaged 14.75 against the left-handers; Stuart Clark was his only success versus right-hand batsmen, who averaged 56 against him. Andrew Symonds didn’t score too many this time, but when he reached 11 he became the 87th Australian batsman to get 1000 Test runs. Mitchell Johnson’s unbeaten 50 is easily his highest Test score, going past his previous best of 28 in the Sydney Test earlier this year. Thanks to the fact that he has remained unbeaten in three of his four innings, Johnson’s Test average is a Bradmanesque 99. The 73-run ninth-wicket stand between him and Stuart Clark is the highest for that wicket at home for Australia versus India. It was a game to forget for Michael Hussey: not only did he get his first Test duck, it was also the first time he lost a Test match.

Brutal innings of 98 and 74 from Lauren Winfield-Hill and Hollie Armitage led the Northern Diamonds to a record-breaking total of 218 for 3 in a landslide Charlotte Edwards Cup victory by 32 runs over Western Storm at Headingley.Never before in two years of regional cricket had a team posted more than the 186 for 1 Thunder scored against Sunrisers at Emirates Old Trafford in 2021, and the Diamonds sailed beyond that mark inside only 17 overs under the floodlights.They took advantage of a short boundary towards the Western Terrace side of the ground and a fast outfield, though captain Armitage hoisted five of her six sixes to the longer leg-side boundary in a 36-ball assault. Winfield-Hill batted with more poise, hitting 21 boundaries in 56 balls.The Storm, minus England captain Heather Knight – she was absent despite being named in the match-day squad, were spirited in response as they totalled 186 for 8. But no one could support opener Danielle Gibson’s 52 off 30 balls as debutant seamer Grace Hall, Lizzie Scott, Katie Levick and Abi Glen all struck twice.After inviting the Diamonds to bat in excellent batting conditions, the writing was on the wall for the Storm pretty quickly as Winfield-Hill took Lauren Filer’s seam for four fours in as many balls in the second over, moving the score to 21 without loss.That was the first of 13 double-figure overs, including eight in a row from the start of the 10th over and two of them over 20.Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast was the pick of the visiting bowlers as her seam returned 1 for 32 from four overs, with Armitage caught at deep midwicket late on.But the Storm, despite only conceding six extras, were unable to gain any control, and their ground fielding became increasingly ragged as the pressure increased.Winfield-Hill dominated a 58-run opening stand with Leah Dobson (25) before sharing 139 inside 12 overs for the second wicket with Armitage.Both Winfield-Hill, the beneficiary of a missed stumping chance on 49 as wicketkeeper Nat Wraith fumbled the ball, and Armitage posted their career-best scores in all T20 cricket.There is an argument to suggest that Armitage’s innings was the better of the two given Winfield-Hill was able to ride the wave after a good start in the powerplay. Armitage had to do all her work with the field set back.Unfortunately for the former, she fell agonisingly short of a maiden T20 century when holing out to deep midwicket off Chloe Skelton’s off-spin.In the opening six overs of the chase, Storm kept themselves up with the rate with 66 on the board, though new ball seamer Scott had struck twice to get rid of Wraith – well caught at deep midwicket by a diving Dobson – and Prendergast caught behind.That was always going to be the problem for Storm, keeping wickets in hand, and they weren’t able to do it despite the Diamonds not being at their best with the ball.Former England batter Fran Wilson was trapped lbw for 16 reverse sweeping at leg-spinner Levick’s fifth ball. Captain Sophie Luff skewed Levick to backward point shortly afterwards before the game-breaker came when Hall had Gibson brilliantly caught on the run by Chloe Tryon at long-on. At 121 for 5 after 13 overs, it was all but game over.Gibson had been strong through cover and midwicket to give her side a glimmer of hope. But it was extinguished with almost 100 runs still required.Alex Griffiths and Filer shared a consolatory 43 for the sixth wicket in entertaining fashion, with the former hitting two sixes in 31. But both fell to Glen and Hall in the closing overs.

Cesc Fabregas sent a clear message to Tottenham after Nico Paz starred in Como's victory over Lazio in a Serie A clash on Sunday. It has been reported that Spurs are stepping up their efforts to sign the Argentine midfielder after missing out on top target Eberechi Eze to Arsenal.

• Fabregas sent out a message to Spurs
• Paz starred with a goal and an assist
• Spurs keen on signing Argentine playmaker

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Paz notched a brilliant assist and a world-class goal from an incredible free-kick in his side's comfortable 2-0 win over Lazio. The 20-year-old set up Anastasios Douvikas' opening goal with a sublime through ball shortly after the break, before doubling his team's tally in the 73rd minute with a beautifully struck free-kick. Paz found the back of the net with a left-footed, powerful shot from nearly 25 yards.

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• WHAT FABREGAS SAID

  After witnessing another superb performance from the youngster, Como boss Fabregas sent out a clear message to Paz's potential suitors, as he told reporters: "I’m very calm and relaxed, Nico is very happy here at Como. He’s a top, top player."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A fresh report from claims that after seeing their initial bid worth €40 million (£34.6m) rejected by Como, Spurs are now planning to come back with an improved €50m (£43m) offer. However, Como value the youngster at around €70m (£60.5m) and as of now, there has been no approval for a transfer from the attacking midfielder or the Serie A side. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

  Thomas Frank is desperate to add a new playmaker to his Tottenham side before the transfer window closes after missing out on primary target Eberechi Eze, who chose to join their arch-rivals Arsenal. The club will be back in action in the Premier League on August 30 as they take on Bournemouth.

نجح نادي الزمالك، في حسم صفقة جديدة من فريق سبورتنج، لتدعيم صفوف الفريق الأول لكرة السلة “رجال” في الموسم الجديد 2025-2026.

وأفاد مصدر لـ بطولات: “الزمالك أنهى الاتفاق مع سبورتنج لضم يوسف رفعت لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة السلة في صفقة تبادلية”.

وأشار إلى أن الزمالك تحمل 3.5 مليون جنيه قيمة صفقة رفعت، على أن ينضم لاعب الزمالك محمد أيمن إلى سبورتنج.

طالع | اتحاد السلة يعلن تفاصيل نظام الدوري الممتاز للموسم الجديد

وكان الزمالك، أعلن عن تعيين عصام عبد الحميد مديرًا فنيًا لفريق رجال كرة السلة، لقيادة الفريق خلال منافسات الموسم الجديد 2025-2026.

ومن المقرر أن ينطلق الموسم الجديد من دوري السلة، خلال منتصف شهر سبتمبر المقبل.

كشف الصحفي بشبكة “سكاي سبورتس”، فابريزيو رومانو، عن مستقبل جاك جريليش مع نادي مانشستر سيتي وحقيقة بقاء اللاعب من عدمه خلال الموسم المقبل.

جريليش ابتعد بشكل تام عن المشاركة مع مانشستر سيتي بشكل أساسي خلال الموسم الماضي، حيث انخفض مستوى اللاعب بشدة وبات بديلًا بالفعل.

طالع .. أوسكار بوب يقيم تعاقدات مانشستر سيتي الجديدة: لاعبون رائعون

وأكد رومانو عبر حسابه الرسمي في تويتر، أن جريليش أصبح على مقربة من الرحيل عن صفوف مانشستر سيتي خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الحالي.

وأضاف أن نادي إيفرتون في مفاوضات متقدمة للغاية مع مانشستر سيتي من أجل ضم جريليش، في حين يريد اللاعب كذلك حدوث تلك الخطوة ومنفتح على الذهاب إلى صفوف التوفيز هذا العام.

وأوضح أن صفقة انتقال جريليش إلى إيفرتون إذا حدثت، فسوف تكون على سبيل الإعارة حتى نهاية هذا الموسم.

الجدير بالذكر أن جريليش تم استبعاده من الجولة التحضيرية لـ مانشستر سيتي استعدادًا للموسم الجديد، حيث تعتبر فرص اللاعب في اللعب بشكل أساسي مع السيتيزن الموسم المقبل شبه مستحيلة بالفعل.

جريليش وقع مع مانشستر سيتي خلال صيف عام 2021 قادمًا من صفوف أستون فيلا مقابل 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني.