Category Uncategorized

A century from Amandeep Khare laid the platform for India Under-19s to wrap up a four-run D/L win over Sri Lanka Under-19s at the Premadasa Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2015
ScorecardA century from Amandeep Khare laid the platform for India Under-19s to wrap up a four-run D/L win over Sri Lanka Under-19s at the Premadasa Stadium. Khare, who came in to bat after a 77-run opening stand between Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan, made 102 off 98 balls, with nine fours and a six. He added 107 with Washington, who was out for 77, and a further 82 with Virat Singh (30) to take India to 266 for 2 with 3.1 overs remaining. Sri Lanka struck back, taking five wickets and conceding only 18 runs off the last 19 balls of India’s innings to limit them to 284 for 7.Set a revised target of 255 in 47 overs, Sri Lanka began well, with Avishka Fernando (75, 89b, 4×4) adding 60 for the first wicket with Salindu Ushan and 94 with Charith Asalanka (74, 86b, 7×4) for the second wicket. When Fernando was run out in the 31st over, Sri Lanka needed 101 from 99 balls. Though Shammu Ashan (23), Wanidu Hasaranga (27) and Kamindu Mendis (15 not out) all made useful scores, they fell just short, ending on 250 for 5. Rahul Batham (2 for 32) and Zeeshan Ansari (1 for 32) played key roles in India’s defence, maintaining a combined economy rate of 3.96 across the 16 overs they bowled.

AB de Villiers has predicted a stream of South African success at major tournaments which he hopes will start next month at the Champions Trophy

Firdose Moonda30-May-2013AB de Villiers has predicted a stream of South African success at major tournaments, which he hopes will start next month. The ODI captain did not remember that his countrymen captured the inaugural Champions Trophy but is confident they can claim the last and many others after that.”We haven’t won an ICC trophy yet even though we are the No.1 Test team in the world but I’ve got a feeling there are a few to come in the next few years” he told Dutch radio NOS in Amsterdam, where the South African squad have set up camp. “We are just going to have to wait patiently. We are doing the small things right. The work ethic is there, the talent is there and the belief is there, so we’ve just got to go out there and give it our best shot.”De Villiers is the first member of the South Africa group to make public the team’s real expectations of the Champions Trophy, after Gary Kirsten played down their chances on their departure. As suspected, South Africa have every intention of discarding their chokers’ tag in England and are feeling the heat as the event gets closer.”There is always some pressure,” de Villiers said. “We are a very talented cricketing nation and we understand there are some responsibilities in performance. We would love to say we are just going to go and enjoy it but it’s more complicated than that. We’ve got to win some big games and we would love to win the trophy. I think we are preparing in the right way.”In an attempt to replicate the success on last year’s Test tour of England, when South Africa claimed the Test championship mace, Kirsten has taken the squad to Amsterdam. They met up with explorer Mike Horn and did a cycle and canoe tour of the city before getting down to the business of net sessions.Wet weather has not dampened South Africa’s plans. Despite 42mm of rain falling on Wednesday night, the groundstaff was able to dry the surface sufficiently for practice to get under way as planned at 10am on Thursday. That was the last training session before an ODI against the Netherlands tomorrow, the first of two warm-up matches before the tournament starts.The fixture against the Netherlands is a particularly important one because it will be the first time in 67 days that South Africa will take the field as a team. It will also be the first opportunity for nine of their squad to get game time after a break of almost two months.JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis (both because of injury), Rory Kleinveldt, Hashim Amla, Robin Peterson, Aaron Phangiso, Farhaan Behardien, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Colin Ingram have not played any cricket since the end of the South African season. The rest will be relied on to bring “match intensity,” Kirsten said. De Villiers, David Miller, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Ryan McLaren were in action at the IPL and while Alviro Petersen played in England.While much of the focus has been on the batsmen, and the middle order in particular, South Africa will also want their quicks to find their rhythm quickly. Both Kleinveldt and Peterson expect the tournament to be more of a bowler-headlined spectacle because of the time of year, the conditions and the opposition.”I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few low scoring games,” Kleinveldt said. “I watched the Test and saw Jimmy Anderson swinging it. There should be plenty for the bowlers.”And Peterson believes South Africa’s bowlers in particular will benefit. “Dale and Morne looked really impressive in the IPL.” he said. “With two new white balls and India and West Indies in our group, we can do well. Their batting line-ups tend to dominate more on subcontinental surfaces.”Steyn and Morkel may be rested for the Holland match so South Africa can ensure all parts of their machine are working as they should be before they head to England. But they also know they will not be able to get away with a below-par performance against a much lower-ranked team.They’ve done their homework on the Dutch. Netherlands batsman Stephan Myburgh is a former schoolmate of de Villiers’ and the brother of Johann Myburgh, who played for the Titans in South Africa before moving to New Zealand.”I know Stephan from the age of nine,” de Villiers said. “I am very happy for him that he got his chance to play international cricket, I am very proud of the fact that he did that because I know that was always a dream of his. He probably didn’t get his break in South Africa and he couldn’t find a way into the Titans.”He was quite young when he took a chance to come over here and saw opportunity to play international cricket and took it with both hands. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” he said. “Back home competition is quite tough and he just didn’t get his chance when he was young. You never know, if he stuck it out for a few more years… but he will be proud of the fact that he is playing international cricket and I am proud he has achieved that.”Coming up against a former countryman who has crossed borders is not new to South Africa and it has ensured they see familiar faces almost everywhere they go. That may be one of the reasons de Villiers said the squad “could not have asked for a better place to prepare before the big tournament.” Next week will be an opportunity for them to show whether the effort paid off.

Nick Compton needs another 67 runs in what seems likely to be a maximum of two innings to become the first batsman since Graeme Hick 24 years ago to reach 1,000 first-class runs in English cricket before the end of May.

23-May-2012
ScorecardNick Compton probably has two innings in which to make 67 runs to become the first batsman for 24 years to reach 1,000 runs before the end of May•Getty Images

Nick Compton needs another 67 runs in what seems likely to be a maximum of two innings to become the first batsman since Graeme Hick 24 years ago to reach 1,000 first-class runs in English cricket before the end of May.Compton scored 64 in 121 balls for Somerset at Taunton before he pulled a short ball from Durham’s slow left-armer Ian Blackwell to Callum Thorp, who leapt to take the catch above his head at mid wicket.Peter Trego enjoyed a good day with ball and bat as Somerset ran up 357 for 8 on the second day of an evenly-balanced contest. He took his Championship wicket tally for the season to 26 by helping to clean up the Durham tail as they were bowled out for 384 from an overnight 353 for eight. Then he hit his first half-century of the season, sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 99 with 18-year-old Craig Overton, who hit 50 off 54 balls, before finishing unbeaten on 67.Blackwell (three for 74) and Jamie Harrison, who marked his Championship debut with three for 88, were the pick of the Durham attack. But, as on the first day, batting errors were chiefly responsible for the wickets that fell in more unbroken sunshine.Harrison (15) and Liam Plunkett (24) played positively at the start of the day before falling to Trego and Alfonso Thomas respectively as Durham added 31 to their total.Somerset suffered a poor start in reply as Harrison pinned Arul Suppiah lbw for four, but Alex Barrow and Compton were both unbeaten on 25 at lunch with the score 66 for one. Barrow nicked a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Phil Mustard off a rusty-looking Steve Harmison without adding to his score after the interval.But Hildreth came in to blaze three fours off his first four deliveries and looked in supreme form. He made 53 from 39 balls with 10 fours and a six when he missed an attempted pull off Harrison and losing his leg stump. By then Somerset were 138 for 3, with Compton well set.Jos Buttler gave his wicket away with a flashing cut off Blackwell before he had scored, Mustard taking a routine catch, and when Kieswetter fell lbw to Thorp for 42 Somerset were in trouble at 209 for 6.Overton showed no nerves in bludgeoning 10 fours in his maiden Championship half-century, sharing an entertaining stand with Trego which put their team back in the game. By the close Somerset were 27 runs behind, with Trego having reined himself back responsibly. He had faced 112 balls and hit six fours and a six.

Somerset wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter stated his case for an England one-day international recall with an accomplished hundred as the Cidermen defeated Notts Outlaws by 47 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-2011
Scorecard
Somerset wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter stated his case for an England one-day international recall with an accomplished hundred as the Cidermen defeated Notts Outlaws by 47 runs.
The 23-year-old hit eight fours and two sixes in a 111-ball innings before being caught at midwicket for 100.Kieswetter played second fiddle to Jos Buttler in their fifth-wicket stand of 104 as 20-year-old Buttler displayed astonishing power to blast an unbeaten 94 from just 56 balls, including two sixes and 13 fours. Needing 271 to win, Notts never threatened to reach their target, as Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis picked up 4 for 35 to help bowl out the hosts for 223.Notts got the game off to the perfect start after winning the toss and choosing to field as Luke Fletcher removed Somerset skipper Marcus Trescothick lbw for a duck with the third ball of the match. But that was about as good as the game got for the home side, who handed former
Somerset seamer Ben Phillips his debut after his move to Trent Bridge in the winter and saw the 36-year-old smashed for 66 off his seven overs.Kieswetter put on 100 for the second wicket with Peter Trego, who made 47 from 40 balls before he was bowled by Samit Patel in the 16th over, with Nick Compton and James Hildreth following in quick succession. That only brought the prodigiously talented Buttler to the crease and the
former England Under-19 international demonstrated formidably quick hands and feet as he hit boundaries all around the wicket.Notts captain Chris Read rotated his bowlers frequently in an attempt to disrupt the batting momentum but they missed one opportunity to remove Buttler on 54, when the batsman mistimed a drive to wide extra cover off left-arm spinner Patel only to see the chance dropped.The Outlaws needed their own young star Alex Hales to shine if they were to successfully chase their target but after the elegant right-hander hit five fours off the first four overs, he was late on a pull shot off Gemaal Hussain and was caught at mid-on for 23. And the pressure quickly mounted from there, with Patel driving Mendis to long-on to spark a run of three wickets in consecutive overs, with Neil Edwards and Read also sent back to the pavilion.Adam Voges and Steven Mullaney put on 70 for the fifth wicket but once they were out the game was effectively over, Mendis sealing the win with four overs left when Fletcher swept to deep midwicket.

Pakistan’s captain for the Asia Cup and the tour of England, has stepped up efforts to convince Mohammad Yousuf to come out of retirement

Cricinfo staff27-May-2010Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s captain for the Asia Cup and the tour of England, has stepped up efforts to convince Mohammad Yousuf to come out of retirement and bolster the side’s potentially tough Test assignment in England, where they face off against the hosts and Australia.”I’ve talked to Yousuf and I’ve also talked to a few elders, who can influence him to come out of retirement for the sake of Pakistan,” Afridi told the . “I am sure that he would listen to them and change his mind about retiring from international cricket. We will certainly need his services in England.”Yousuf announced his retirement from the game following the ban issued by the PCB after Pakistan’s unsuccessful tour of Australia. Of the seven punished players, he was the only one to not file a formal appeal against the punishments imposed. On Tuesday, Pakistan announced the 35-member list of probables for the two upcoming tours. Five of the punished players, including Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik who are currently serving bans that are due to be reviewed, were included in the long list, but Yousuf was not considered.The England tour begins in end-June, and Afridi is confident that there is enough time for Yousuf to prepare for the tour even if he is included in the eleventh hour. “Yousuf is a great batsman and I’m sure that even if he just plays in a couple of warm-up matches before the Test series, he will be ready for the tough assignment. He won’t need much time to get ready for the tour.”Yousuf confirmed that Afridi has been in discussions with him over a possible comeback. “Yes Afridi called me up and we spoke at length about the cricket scenario. I told him I took the decision to retire after seeking advice from my elders and I can only take back the retirement decision if my elders give me permission to do this,” Yousuf said.Since embracing Islam, Yousuf has sought out religious elders during his trips to Raiwind and on preaching missions. He is known to follow their advice before making important decisions.

Captain’s cool 64 not out sees Sunrisers home against Diamonds

ECB Reporters Network02-Jun-2024Grace Scrivens played a captain’s knock of 64 not out to power Sunrisers to a final-ball victory over Northern Diamonds in this Charlotte Edwards Cup clash at Wantage Road.Chasing just 124 to win on a slow surface, Sunrisers were behind the run rate from the start, losing six wickets along the way, leaving Scrivens to play a lone hand.She went into the final over, bowled by Erin Burns, needing 11 to win and took two boundaries off the first five deliveries, one a reverse sweep and the other a heave through backward square leg. It left Sunrisers needing two off the last ball to win which Scrivens cooly smashed down the ground for four.Diamonds skipper Hollie Armitage had struck 39 to give her team a platform in a second-wicket stand of 39 in 5.2 overs with former England opener Lauren Winfield-Hill (26).But the visitors found it increasingly difficult to accelerate on a slow pitch against some disciplined bowling and fielding from Sunrisers, they collapsed in the final 5.2 overs, losing six wickets for 34 to finish on 123 for 8. Mady Villiers and Australian overseas Nicola Hancock shared two wickets a piece.Armitage was also Diamond’s most successful bowler with three late wickets for 16.This was Diamond’s fifth straight defeat in five games in this tournament so far this season, while Sunrisers chalked up their second victory.Earlier, Winfield Hill took two fours off a wayward opening over from Villiers but Sunrisers almost made an early breakthrough when Leah Dobson top-edged to short third where Lissy Macleod put down an easy chance. But with Dobson becalmed, she tried to force the pace by coming down the pitch to Hancock and was bowled soon after.Winfield-Hill swung Eva Gray over midwicket for four, but Diamonds finished the powerplay on a disappointing 27 for 1.Incoming batter Armitage attempted to accelerate, sweeping Jo Gardner for four and dispatching Sophie Munro in the same area next over in a busy stand with Winfield-Hill.The former England opener’s downfall came when she made room to drive Jodi Grewcock and picked out Scrivens at mid-off.Burns (11) was next to go when she attempted to sweep Villiers and was caught by Flo Miller running in from deep midwicket with Diamonds 89 for 3 in the 15th over.Diamonds lost Armitage in the next over when she played on, attempting to ramp Hancock.With Diamonds’ innings stalling, Bess Heath forced the pace, slashing Hancock through cover for four and then top-edging a pull shot for six off the next delivery.Wickets continued to fall as Villiers and keeper Amara Carr combined to run out Sterre Kalis after the batter ended up as the same end as Heath. Emma Marlow then moved outside off stump to sweep Villiers and was caught behind square by MacLeod. In the final over, Gray bowled a brilliant inswinging yorker to bowl Katherine Fraser before Heath was run out by Carr off the final ball for 18.When Sunrisers batted, Scrivens pulled Rachel Slater over long-off for four and Jo Gardner also went the aerial route hitting the same bowler over long-on to the ropes, but Sunrisers’ pace was even more pedestrian than their opponents, reaching just 22 without loss at the end of the powerplay.The dangerous, in-form Gardner struck Grace Hall down the pitch for a huge six to try to regain the momentum, but the bowler made the crucial breakthrough when she had her caught at wide mid-off by Marlow with the score 41 for 1 at the end of the ninth over. Marlow then took a second catch as MacLeod fell to Fraser.With the required run rate escalating rapidly past nine an over, Villiers pulled Armitage hard to deep midwicket where Heath took a good juggling catch. Sunrisers lost a further wicket in the next over when Burns tossed one up, deceiving Cordelia Griffiths as she came down the pitch and was bowled.Scrivens pushed on striking the scoreboard as she hit Slater down the ground for six, before Grewcock ended the 15th over by sweeping for four.Armitage was on a hat-trick when Grewcock chipped her back for an easy caught and bowled with the score 99 for 5 in the 18th over before Hancock was bowled without scoring.Scrivens then smashed Katie Levick through the covers for four to set up an exciting final over.

Contributions from Nat Sciver-Brunt, Ecclestone and Knight not enough as England fall short

Valkerie Baynes24-Feb-2023South Africa staged their best performance of the tournament – with bat, ball and in the field – to upset England and secure a place in a World Cup final for the first time in any form of international cricket – men’s or women’s.Their victory was built on a 96-run opening stand between Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt as both racked up half-centuries for the second consecutive time in this tournament before Marizanne Kapp’s cameo of 27 from 13 balls took the hosts to 164 for 4. That left England needing their joint third-highest successful T20I run chase and joint-highest at a World Cup, matching their 2009 semi-final effort against Australia.Ayabonga Khaka and Shabnim Ismail then claimed seven wickets between them – and Brits took a Women’s T20I record-equalling four catches to put the task beyond England and set up a clash for the trophy with defending champions Australia on Sunday. All of this had seemed so far away a fortnight ago.The hosts had lost the opening match of the tournament to Sri Lanka by three runs at Newlands, setting back their campaign and were also beaten by Australia in Gqeberha. But they defeated Bangladesh in their final group game to squeeze into the knockout stages at the expense of New Zealand. Back in Cape Town on Friday, they held their nerve superbly to pull off a stunning victory before 7,507 fans.Heather Knight and England came so close•AFP/Getty Images

Ismail, Khaka the destroyers

Ismail bowled with pace and guile in the powerplay – including some aggressive bouncers, one of which was clocked at 128kph. She claimed two wickets in that time, although England had 55 runs on the board compared to South Africa’s 37 without loss. Sophia Dunkley first miscued to midwicket, where Brits took a simple catch but it was Brits’ absolute blinder from the same position to remove Alice Capsey for a second-ball duck that set the innings alight. Cramped by the short ball, Capsey steered the ball to the right of the fielder, who ran towards it and dived, clutching the ball just above the turf as her team-mates steamed in to congratulate her – none more so than Ismail, who leapt into Brits’ arms.Brits took another sharp catch to remove Danni Wyatt and give Khaka her first after Wyatt had been put down by Wolvaardt off Khaka’s bowling earlier in the innings. It looked like it would fall to Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s in-form batter, to rescue her side, particularly when Chloe Tryon missed a caught-and-bowled chance, but Brits came to the fore again with a catch at long-on off a Nadine de Klerk slower ball.Having also had Amy Jones caught by Anneke Bosch, two wickets in two balls from Khaka to remove Sophie Ecclestone and Katherine Sciver-Brunt in the 18th over left England needing 25 runs off the remaining two overs. Heather Knight’s six off Kapp helped make it 13 off the last, but then Ismail pegged back Knight’s leg stump with three balls remaining and 12 still needed. Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean managed just five between them before Glenn dropped to her haunches in anguish and the pair trudged off arm-in-arm as the South Africans celebrated wildly.

The Brits and Wolvaardt show: Part 2

After a sluggish start – South Africa scored just 14 off the first four overs after winning the toss – they started to raise the tempo led by Wolvaardt’s heave a long way over the fence at wide long-off. After the powerplay, they looked more in control as she and Brits followed up their unbroken stand worth 117 runs against Bangladesh with another key partnership.Tazmin Brits produced a second successive fifty in a must-win match for South Africa•Getty Images

Wolvaardt brought up her sixth T20I fifty with a four through cover off Ecclestone but fell three balls later to a leading edge gobbled up by Dean at cover. But that prompted Brits to flick the switch as she danced down the pitch twice in three balls to power Glenn over deep midwicket and long-on for two sixes. She brought up her half-century next ball with a four through the covers, helping herself to 17 runs off a pivotal 15th over. Brits eventually fell to a solid catch by Katherine but not before she had propelled her side towards a competitive total.

Ecclestone keeps England in it

England hadn’t helped themselves with a scrappy performance in the field, but Ecclestone’s two wickets in three balls – she snared the potentially explosive Tryon, caught attempting to pull but picking out Nat at deep midwicket for just 3 and de Klerk, bowled for a second-ball duck – momentarily derailed South Africa’s final push in the penultimate over.But then Kapp, the beneficiary of a misfield while on 2, cashed in first off a high full toss by Katherine in the final over which she pulled for a one-bounce four through deep backward square leg. Then she hammered back-to-back fours off the last two balls piercing the gap between cover and mid-off and high over deep midwicket to give the hosts the late lift they needed.

Ramiz says, “Faisal will be a perfect fit as he can utilise his vast experience and knowledge to help us achieve our commercial and financial objectives”

Umar Farooq13-Dec-2021Former ICC Chief Finance Officer Faisal Hasnain has been appointed the new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO for three years. He will be taking over next month to fill the position left vacant by Wasim Khan, who resigned four months before his contract ended.”I am delighted to confirm the appointment of Faisal Hasnain as the PCB’s Chief Executive and welcome him to Pakistan cricket family,” PCB chief Ramiz Raja said in a statement. “Faisal is a familiar figure in world cricket and is highly regarded, respected and trusted for his excellence in corporate governance, financial management and commercial acumen. With the plans I have for the PCB, Faisal will be a perfect fit as he can utilise his vast experience and knowledge to help us achieve our commercial and financial objectives of making Pakistan cricket bigger and stronger.”This is the first major appointment by Ramiz, who has seen off several big names since taking over as the PCB chairman. Other than Wasim, head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis were the first ones to leave after Ramiz’s formal appointment in September. The board’s commercial head Babar Hamid was also sacked recently. Another change in the PSL set-up is the impending departure of GM commercial Imran Ahmed Khan who has handed in his resignation and is due to move on in a fortnight.Sixty-two-year-old Hasnain’s credentials are based on 35 years spent in finance and sports administration roles, and his last job was with Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) as managing director until 2018. He had two stints with the ICC as CFO – 2002 to 2008 and 2010 to 2017. He has been actively involved in uplifting the ICC’s financial health and was part of the sales of the ICC commercial rights cycles 2007 to 2015 and 2016 to 2023. His role with Zimbabwe Cricket was broadly to mitigate the crisis in the board to bring them back on the map by refinancing their commercial debts and finding a node from the ICC on getting financial support.He managed to secure hosting rights for ZC for the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers, he helped upgrade and refurbish stadiums, and he helped bring back marquee players such as Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis and Solomon Mire. But the word was unable to fully claw its way out of a financial crisis that has haunted the country for the last decade-and-a-half. He resigned only a year later, citing the failure to qualify for the 2019 World Cup as the major factor.Born in Karachi, Hasnain is a UK-qualified Chartered Accountant and made his career largely in the UK and the Middle-East.”I feel honoured and privileged to have been awarded with this once in a lifetime opportunity to serve Pakistan cricket and thank the PCB Chairman and the Board of Governors for having the confidence in my capabilities,” he said. “I am fully committed to playing my part in delivering the PCB Chairman’s vision for Pakistan cricket, fulfilling the expectations and dreams of millions of passionate Pakistan cricket fans and strengthening the relationships with our existing commercial partners, the ICC and other Cricket Boards and developing new partnerships as we move forward.”These are highly exciting times in Pakistan cricket and I look forward to working very closely with my colleagues at the PCB so that we can collectively further enhance the image, reputation and profile of this great institution.”

Ireland batsman dents own pride in matchwinning 82 from 37 balls

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2020Kevin O’Brien left himself a hefty bill for repairs in a hard-hitting onslaught for Leinster Lightning against North West Warriors in Dublin, after smashing his own car windscreen while hitting a six.In a match reduced to 12 overs a side due to rain interruptions, O’Brien’s bruising innings of 82 from 37 balls was more than enough to secure a 24-run DLS win.However, it later transpired that one of his eight sixes had sailed into the car park at Pembroke Cricket Club, and wrecked the rear window of his Toyota.Kevin O’Brien smashed his own windscreen while hitting a six•Cricket Ireland

It had been a typically belligerent onslaught from the 36-year-old O’Brien, whose greatest claim to fame was the 50-ball hundred against England at the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru, but who was also at the crease at the Ageas Bowl last month while Ireland once again chased down 329 to beat England.For Leinster, O’Brien struck his second ball for six and didn’t let up, despite the risk of his momentum being interrupted by a mid-innings rain break.Leinster finished with 124 for 4 from 12 overs, leaving the visiting Warriors a near-impossible task of chasing down the massive target in dull, damp conditions.They lost wickets early in the response, and apart from William Porterfield’s 50 from 30 balls, never looked like coming close.

Lasith Malinga sat out Galle’s game against Colombo, and is expected to fly out to join Mumbai Indians before returning for the one-day tournament final

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Apr-2019Dimuth Karunaratne was finally able to produce the kind of substantial ODI score Sri Lanka’s selectors were looking for, but it was offspinner Akila Dananjaya who impressed the most in the final round of group games in the Super Four Provincial Limited-Over Tournament, taking 5 for 53 for Colombo against a Galle side that had won both their previous matches.In addition to Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga also made half-centuries on the day. Neither of those players seem to be serious contenders for the World Cup squad, however.Akila had been Sri Lanka’s first-choice spinner last year, until he failed a biomechanics test and had his offbreak banned. When he remedied his action and returned to the fray, he looked a diminished bowler in the one-dayers against South Africa, taking only two wickets in four games.Angelo Mathews top-scored for Dambulla against Kandy•Sri Lanka Cricket

This showing against Galle, however, may persuade the selectors to pick him in their World Cup squad, perhaps alongside legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who is also having a good tournament. Akila’s wickets in this match were important ones – he dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana and Minodh Bhanuka, all of whom had been in decent form. Hasaranga was one of his victims as well.Karunaratne’s 86 off 74, meanwhile, propelled him to the top of the tournament run-scorers’ list after three matches, which is a strong suggestion to the selectors that he is ready to play ODI cricket again.His innings helped Kandy ease to a seven-wicket win over Dambulla, who had earlier been dismissed for 198 thanks in part to Thisara Perera’s 4 for 25. Karunaratne will have one more chance of strengthening his World Cup case when Kandy play Dambulla again on Wednesday.A notable absence from the Galle XI for this match was captain Lasith Malinga, who is expected to fly back to India in order to be available for Mumbai Indians’ match against Kings XI Punjab at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. He is, however, expected to catch another overnight flight back to Sri Lanka that same evening, in order to make it to Dambulla in time for the Galle v Colombo tournament final.