The three Delhi government nominees appointed to look into DDCA matters have proposed a selection committee to end the controversy around three different squads named by Delhi officials, and have also proposed and approved Ajay Jadeja’s name as the Ranji

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-20153:45

Chopra: Not the first time cricket takes a back seat in Delhi

The three nominees appointed by the government of Delhi last year to look into Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) matters have proposed a selection committee to end the controversy around three different squads named by Delhi officials, and have also proposed and approved Ajay Jadeja’s name as the coach of the Ranji Trophy team for 2015-16.In the last week Delhi cricket has been mired in controversy, with nobody to oversee the preliminary nets at Feroz Shah Kotla and nobody sure of who is to run the team. Virender Sehwag has already left Delhi for Haryana. Kotla has already given up South Africa’s practice Twenty20 match it was scheduled to host because it won’t be ready in time.In a letter sent to the DDCA executive board, the government nominees have asked all parties concerned to get around their problems and approve the selection committee named by them, which includes former India cricketer Rahul Sanghvi. If the committee is approved by the board, Vinay Lamba and Hari Gidwani will join Sanghvi on the committee. Sunil Dev will be the convenor with no voting powers, and the captain and the coach will be invitees to selection meetings.Captaincy has been a thorny issue with different factions in the DDCA preferring Unmukt Chand and Gautam Gambhir. While Chand is away playing for India A against Bangladesh A in Bangalore, Gambhir has attended only one of the first three days of preliminary nets.The first list, issued by DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan, included 45 players. The next list, released by Anil Jain, joint secretary (sports), named 53 players, included the 45 originally named. A third list, this one named by Ashok Sharma, a DDCA director, added three more names. One of the lists named Chand as captain, the other two didn’t have a captain. Two lists nominated Madan Lal as chief mentor, the third had Surinder Khanna.The first three days of the nets have been a shambles according to reports, with no one to co-ordinate what goes on. The pitches were wet, and it was said even basic facilities were missing. There weren’t enough cricket balls, the reported. Former Delhi medium-pacer Amit Bhandari, assistant coach last year, attended the camp on day two on DDCA’s request, but he too stayed away on the third day. Gambhir, being the senior-most member in the squad, and almost forced to supervise the nets on day one, has stayed away since.Chauhan has said Jadeja’s appointment is more or less final, but there is resistance to his nomination in certain quarters.

Rohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Stuart Binny have been released by the Indian team management, and will turn up for their respective Ranji Trophy sides in the round starting on November 7

Sidharth Monga05-Nov-2015The Indian team management have released Rohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Stuart Binny to play for their state sides in the next round of Ranji Trophy matches, beginning on November 7. KL Rahul and Ishant Sharma, who are also not part of India’s XI in the Mohali Test, will however continue to be with the team and will be joined by Mandeep Singh and Gurkeerat Singh Mann as Punjab, their state side, has no Ranji Trophy engagements at the moment.While Rohit and Bhuvneshwar will face up against each other at the Wankhede Stadium, Binny will join Karnataka in their home game against Odisha in Mysore. All the players will be given a day off for Diwali on November 11 following the conclusion of the Ranji Trophy round, before they link up with the national squad in Bangalore ahead of the second Test on November 14.This is a modern move by Indian standards. While teams the world over release players from the squad not playing the Test, fielding local players as substitutes, should the need arise, India have been dead set against the idea in recent years. This gives players actual match time in the middle, and benefits their Ranji teams at the same time.If Rohit, for example, dropped in a five-batsmen set-up, has to stake his claim for a spot in the next Test, he can now do so with runs for Mumbai against Uttar Pradesh, whose seam attack has been taking wickets. Bhuvneshwar’s addition will only further bolster their attack in their marquee Group B clash.One of the major reasons for being against this policy was that the team invests a lot in the fielding of the whole squad, and that they are not sure of the quality of the fielders the local association would provide.”In the past we have tried, but the problem is that you need a good fielder in the extra players who are playing,” MS Dhoni had said in 2013, when asked about the issue of adding players from the local association to give the reserves an opportunity to play for their state sides. “The other problem is that the association may say why you are releasing this player or not that player. I think most players want to play, but at the same time we’ll see what’s best for our team. We definitely want a fantastic fielder in the extras so that if some player is off the ground, we need that extraordinary fielder.”In this case, though, the team is lucky that Punjab are not playing a match in the next round of Ranji Trophy that starts on the third day of the ongoing Test. In addition, Gurkeerat was part of the ODI squad.This is not yet a policy, but the team is not averse to the idea of flying in substitutes from other state teams should they not be as lucky as this time during the next Test.

As Australia’s cricketers lament the imminent demise of the WACA Ground as a major international venue, a paltry crowd for the second Test against New Zealand is expected to underline why this is so

Daniel Brettig at the WACA12-Nov-2015As Australia’s cricketers lament the imminent demise of the WACA Ground as a major international venue, a paltry crowd for the second Test against New Zealand is expected to underline why this is so.A gathering of around 10,000 spectators is in prospect for day one of the match, with attendances depreciating further from there. Searing temperatures will not help to sell the experience, and some of the ground’s temporary seating has not even been put in place for this week – raised concrete terraces next to the Prindiville Stand will radiate heat rather than noise.There are other factors apart from the unforgiving nature of the ground itself. Promotion of the Test series does not appear to have stuck in the minds of prospective ticket-buyers. Meanwhile the WACA’s odd tradition of not suspending local club cricket on the Saturday of the Test has continued in spite of a yearning by many a local player to attend Steven Smith’s first Perth match as captain.All this is viewed with considerable pain by the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Adam Voges, two players steeped in the story of the WACA Ground who have also enjoyed great personal success in the middle. Johnson’s increasingly world-weary visage was writ large across his thoughts about the looming move of most major fixtures to the Burswood Stadium, potentially as early as the next Ashes summer in 2017-18.”It’s sad, I think it is a great ground to play at,” Johnson said. “Most teams would say the same thing, it’s a great place to play cricket. It will be sad for it to go, there’s not much we can do as players about it except go out there and try to enjoy the games that we do have out there. It’s disappointing but at the same time there’s a new stadium that’s being built and that is going to hopefully bring more people to the games.”It’s a difficult one because it’s a ground that I have had success at, probably my most success at. I remember playing my first shield game here in the early 2000s playing against Joey Angel and Brad Williams and remembering how quick and bouncy it was then and the cracks and how that played, and you just aren’t going to get that anywhere else.”Everyone’s different, I do like that you get a bit of a breeze here with the openings, you’ve got the grassed area, but I think all sports around the world are played in bigger stadiums generally. That’s just the way it is. They are built for getting spectators in and watching us play and perform and I guess to try and excite the crowds. There’s two ways to look at it, but I prefer it like this.”Voges accepted that the WACA quirks loved by the players also contributed to the discomfort of the fans, from the motley assortment of seating arrangements to amenities like toilets, bars and food outlets – none of which are the sorts of issues immediately evident from the cloisters of the players’ dressing rooms and viewing area. He has also spoken to the WACA curator Matthew Page about the ground staff’s ambitions to find a way of preparing fast and bouncy drop-in pitches at the new stadium.”It’s exciting for Western Australia to have a brand new facility,” he said. “It just means that Test cricket here is – not coming to an end, but we’re not going to see as much Test cricket here at the WACA. A little part of me is saddened by that, but obviously it’s a very exciting future as well.”We play on a lot of drop-in wickets now and soon enough we’re going to be playing on another one. It is what it is. We understand that we need that in order for the future of the game to continue and that’s the most important thing. Pagey’s working his guts out to prepare a drop-in that has similar characteristics to the WACA. Whether that’s possible, we’ll wait and see,” Voges said.Page spoke unabashedly this week about trying to replicate “the olden days” at the ground, and it is in a fast and bouncy track that Australia’s players find most of their love for playing here. Value for shots but also value for bowlers, and value for the home side, too. “I really enjoy playing here at the WACA, we generally get a good crowd here and good support,” Smith said. “Hopefully they roll out this week and really back us up to get us over the line in this series.”As for the future move across the Swan River to Burswood, it will be up to the players of Smith’s generation and younger to adjust to whatever vagaries it throws up. For the likes of Johnson and Voges, the prospect of losing the WACA will hurt, but that of spectating at a swish new stadium sits rather better. “I see myself,” Voges said, “watching a bit of cricket there.”

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.

New Zealand have no qualms about playing Mohammad Amir in the T20 series that begins on Friday, bowling coach Dimitri Mascarenhas has said

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Jan-2016New Zealand have no qualms about playing Mohammad Amir in the T20 series that begins on Friday, bowling coach Dimitri Mascarenhas has said. The series marks Amir’s return to international cricket following a five-year ban for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.Amir has faced challenges in being accepted back into the Pakistan side, with ODI captain Azhar Ali even attempting to quit over Amir’s inclusion, before the Pakistan Cricket Board intervened. New Zealand, however, will focus on countering Amir’s cricketing skill rather than his past, Mascarenhas said.”We leave the decisions up to the administrators,” he said. “We know that Amir’s a very good bowler and he’s another guy we’re going to have to deal with. It’s pretty much as simple as that for us.”Amir had also faced a visa hurdle, as he had served three months in jail after being convicted of spot-fixing. He eventually received permission to enter New Zealand however, and arrived there on January 11.”He’s done his time and been cleared to play,” Mascarenhas said. “So we’ll just get on with it and play against him.”Following a 2-0 series victory over Sri Lanka, New Zealand’s batsmen will have to retune their approach to meet the challenge the likes of Amir will present, Mascarenhas said. Amir and Wahab Riaz – both left-arm quicks – are expected to play significant roles in the T20 and ODI series.”They’ll have a lot of left-arm bowlers so that will be a different challenge,” Mascarenhas said. “Sri Lanka played one left-armer on Sunday, but other than that they had all right-armers. Pakistan will have a few guys who are a little bit faster as well, which will be a different challenge for our batters.”New Zealand’s own attack will be without Tim Southee for the T20 series, but it has been bolstered by Grant Elliott, who took 4 for 22 in the second T20 against Sri Lanka, after having successfully defended 13 runs from the final over of the previous game. Mascarenhas suggested Elliott’s slower, cannier style of bowling may be of use during the World T20 in India.”If Grant gets it right, he’s got all the variations,” Mascarenhas said. “He’s not very fast, but he can bowl at the death as we saw. He just needs to adapt. He’s been around for a long time, and he knows his role. He probably should have got the man of the match award in the second match.”You don’t want Grant Elliott bowling the last over of the innings, but if he’s called upon to do that, hopefully he can do it.”With two batsmen having struck fifties off 17 balls or fewer at Eden Park, Mascarenhas said Martin Guptill and Colin Munro were helping fill the firepower void left by Brendon McCullum’s effective T20 retirement.”The challenge for us is that when Guppy does fail, it’s up to someone else to step up. It’s good to see Colin do it at international cricket. We know how destructive he can be domestically.”

Russell Domingo hit back criticism after South Africa’s 2-1 series defeat and said he hoped that a new batting coach would be brought in soon

Firdose Moonda in Centurion26-Jan-2016When you’re next in a book store, look out for . That is the title of a book Russell Domingo, South Africa’s coach, is threatening to write, presumably to shed light on some of the decisions made in South African cricket that have been questioned in the aftermath of back-to-back series losses.As expected when defeats are analysed, everything from selection to the make-up of the support staff will come under scrutiny and, with South Africa being shot out for their two lowest totals since readmission over the last two series, the absence of a batting coach has been glaring. But Domingo explained it was not for lack of trying.”Everybody thinks we have not been looking for a batting coach but we’ve been trying for the last year,” he said. “Every team’s got it. England have got one, Australia have got one, India have got one. We’ve offered the position to quite a few people and we offered the position whilst things were going well not whilst we’ve been bowled out for 80 and 90.”In the near future, South Africa hope one of the people they have offered the job to will take it. “We’ve been looking for somebody and we’ve got somebody in mind. We are waiting for him to commit to us. We’ve had a few people who said they were interested but they wouldn’t commit to it simply because traveling is not that fun when you are away from your family for a long time and when there is a lot of pressure and a lot of criticism you are faced with when things don’t go well. It’s probably easier to say it and write about it than to actually get down and do it.”Domingo did not reveal who the “somebody” was and was not asked whether former captain Graeme Smith could be the man, although that seems unlikely. Smith became the fourth batting consultant in Domingo’s tenure, after Gary Kirsten, Mike Hussey and Lance Klusener, when he was roped in for a net session ahead of the Newlands Test. Hashim Amla, captain at the time, thought Smith had signed on for the full series but his commentary commitments prevented him from doing that.So continued a drawn-out saga which started when Smith suggested there was unhappiness in the team camp in Durban, where the first Test was played, before being pulled into the tent. Once back out, following the Johannesburg Test, Smith said everybody should be questioned, including team management.One South Africa player, Dean Elgar, moved quickly to defend the back room, who he said deserved a lot of praise. AB de Villiers, who was criticised in the media by selector and commentator Ashwell Prince, remembered how when some former players were active, they said they would “never become like that” and take shots at the team.Against the waves of attack, the South Africa squad stood firm, which pleased Domingo even more than the consolation win in the final Test against England.”The main thing I take out of it was the way side responded to a lot of noise that has come from the public and the media,” he said. “When you have one or two bad series, everybody makes you sound like you are the worst players and the worst coaches in the world which is not necessarily the case.”That’s why when you do have one or two good series you are not necessarily the best side in the world and the best coaches in the world. You’ve got to keep a balance. Our players have maintained their composure really well through some tough times. To play the way they have played these last couple of days makes the coaching staff really proud because it has been a tough series.”The Centurion win may silence some of those sounds but even if it doesn’t, Domingo has learned to shut most of it out. “When you’re losing, there’s always going to be a lot of noise so you’ve just got to believe what you are doing as a team is good enough to withstand that,” he said. “Hopefully this performance will quieten that noise until something else comes up.”There may be another six months before that something else actually happens because that is the gap between Tests for South Africa. In that time, despite inactivity, South Africa hope to be able to find some of what they had before, which Domingo somewhat enviously pointed out England have now.”England are very fortunate that they have what South Africa had a year or two ago – four frontline seamers and a spinner,” Domingo said. “South Africa don’t have someone like Ben Stokes who scores hundreds and takes five-wicket hauls. Jacques Kallis used to do that. Their bowling all-round strength is a massive factor. Bowlers win you games and that has been the difference as far as I’m concerned – they have sustained the pressure a lot better than we did throughout the series.”Questions over the lack of a South African allrounder since Kallis have also swirled. Perhaps Domingo’s book will have some answers.

India soared to the final of the Under-19 World Cup, for the fifth time, after their dominant 97-run win against Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Mirpur

The Report by Mohammad Isam in Mirpur09-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAnmolpreet Singh’s measured 72 led India to 267, after a shaky start•Getty Images

India soared to the final of the Under-19 World Cup, for the fifth time, after their dominant 97-run win against Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Mirpur. India’s top order was tested by Sri Lanka’s pacers on a pitch with a tinge of green, but Anmolpreet Singh and Sarfaraz Khan added 96 together, and from thereon there was no stopping India, as they eventually sealed the victory with 44 balls to spare.This means that India now have a shot at winning the title for an unprecedented fourth time, as they await either hosts Bangladesh or West Indies who will clash in the second semi-final at the same venue, on February 11.Chasing 268, Sri Lanka were dealt an early blow when pacer Avesh Khan had Avishka Fernando leg-before in the first over. Kaveen Bandara, the other opener, was soon run-out, for four, after a mix-up between the wickets. In the tenth over, Mahipal Lomror moved smartly to his left from mid-on to catch Charith Asalanka’s top edge, reducing Sri Lanka to 42 for 3. This left Kamindu Mendis and Shammu Ashan with a lot to do amid scoreboard pressure.They batted slowly, sharing 49 in 13.5 overs, before Mendis was snapped up by Washington Sundar at short fine leg off the left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar. Lomror then injured his right ankle while trying to stop a drive, and limped off the field, three balls into his first over. He did not bowl further in the match.Ashan made 38 before India’s captain Ishan Kishan ran him out, with some sharp piece of fielding from midwicket. Vishad Randika and Wanidu Hasaranga exited in the space of three overs, as Sri Lanka fell to 149 for 7. Dagar then came back and wrapped up the tail, finishing with figures of 3 for 21.India ran into early trouble as well when seamers Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara removed Rishabh Pant and Kishan by the tenth over. Both openers struggled against pace and bounce, before edging away-going deliveries in a bid to break free. Both catches were taken by wicketkeeper Randika, though the first one was deemed clean only after several replays.Sarfaraz and Anmolpreet came together and rode out threatening spells from the pacers, especially Asitha. Sarfaraz and Anmolpreet found their bearings once Sri Lanka introduced their spinners. Sarfaraz struck four fours with cuts, slog sweeps and orthodox sweeps. He even sent Damitha Silva over long-off for a six. Sarfaraz was dismissed when he miscued Asitha to mid-on in the 31st over.Anmolpreet, who was reprieved on 32 at cover, cashed in, and reached his fifty off 69 balls with a wristy flick through midwicket. Anmolpreet then found good company from Sundar as India took the game away from Sri Lanka. They kept India ticking before Anmolpreet attempted a ramp and was given out caught behind, though replays suggested that it was deflected off the sleeve.Sundar, too, was caught by Randika, after hitting 43 off 45 balls, including three fours. Lomror and Dagar then produced cameos as India took 49 from the last five overs.

Underachievers in major global tournaments, Zimbabwe will need to overcome injuries and a host of changes in order to make their bid for the main draw

Firdose Moonda07-Mar-2016

Big picture

Zimbabwe, as Full Members of the ICC, feel they should be part of major global tournaments. Their performances, though, do not always allow them that privilege.Ranked 12th in ODIs, Zimbabwe have no chance of playing the 2017 Champions Trophy and perhaps not even the 2019 World Cup, which will feature only 10 teams. They are ranked even lower in T20Is, in 13th position, which is why they have to qualify for this event.Ahead of them are Afghanistan, Scotland and Hong Kong, and Zimbabwe will possibly have to beat two of them to make it to the main draw. Still, the ask for Zimbabwe is tough and though they may not want to admit it, they will have to punch above their weight just to earn the right to play with the big boys.That’s not to say Zimbabwe have not been preparing. They have spent time in the UAE, warming up against the likes of West Indies and Ireland. Most of their players have just come off a long run of T20 cricket in the domestic tournament at home and some have been playing in competitions like the PSL. Zimbabwe have done their homework, now it’s about passing the test.They already faced the first hurdle when three members of their initial squad were ruled out with injury at the training camp in the UAE. Newly-appointed vice-captain Graeme Cremer, Neville Madziva and Luke Jongwe were all sent home while Donald Tiripano, Chamu Chibhabha and Tawanda Mupariwa were added to the squad. Those changes will not only affect the balance of the XI, but could also impact the morale of the side. Despite these setbacks, their focus needs to be on staying positive because too often, they have been tripped up by their own minds. Dav Whatmore is well aware of that and his gentle, caring approach could be what Zimbabwe need to overcome years of under-performance in this format.Zimbabwe’s T20 record is dismal. They have won just 10 of 48 matches and only three at a World T20, two of those were in the qualifying round. If ever there was a time to change that and prove they belong, it’s now.

At the helm

Little more than a month ago, Zimbabwe’s opening batsman Hamilton Masakadza was appointed captain in all three formats. In a set-up where the leadership has often seemed a revolving door, it was the first time Masakadza had been given the job permanently, after 12 appearances as a stand-in captain. His promotion came just a few months after he was dropped from the national squad, which may be why it took him by surprise. “I have been waiting my turn for such a long time. I never thought it was going to come. I thought it had evaded me,” he said at the time.Masakadza’s calm demeanor and dedication to his craft will make him an excellent off-field leader. His form will make a him a sterling on-field captain. He gives Zimbabwe certainty at the top of the innings and his new quick-scoring style could set them up for strong totals.

Key stat

318 runs at 63.60.That’s Hamilton Masakadza’s T20 record in 2016. A week before the World T20, Masakadza led this year’s run charts despite playing fewer matches than his four closest competitors. He was surpassed by Rohit Sharma, who has played 11 matches and Virat Kohli, who has played eight, after the Asia Cup but that will not take away from what seems to be a timely maturing of Masakadza.With Graeme Cremer missing, Sean Williams’ ability with the ball could come to the fore•AFP/Getty Images

Leading men

With the captaincy duties no longer weighing Elton Chigumbura down, there is no better time for him to prove his potential. As Zimbabwe’s premier allrounder, Chigumbura will be key to his team’s success. Although he is lurching through a lean patch – Chigumbura has not been able to get to double figures in his last six T20Is, which include three ducks – Zimbabwe’s selectors, justifiably, have showed faith in his ability to come good under pressure. Chigumbura scored a match-winning half-century in the last World T20, against UAE, and his desperation to prove himself may pay off.Graeme Cremer would have been Zimbabwe’s main spinner but his injury-enforced absence means the responsibility has been given to Sean Williams. The left-arm spinner is not as attacking as Cremer, but has proven himself as a shrewd operator, with a stifling economy. Williams is also a nuggety middle-order batsman whose big-match temperament and love of a scrap is crucial to keeping Zimbabwe competitive.Makhaya Ntini, South Africa’s effervescent former bowler, who was appointed Zimbabwe’s bowling coach, has already been an inspiration by example. Part of Ntini’s charm is his self-belief and his dedication to fitness. Ntini has been running the Zimbabwe players ragged and some reports even suggest he has caused Tinashe Panyangara to drop a few kilograms. But beyond the exercise regimen, Ntini is there for technical advice and he would no doubt offer much to the likes of Panyangara, Tendai Chatara and Tawanda Mupariwa.

Burning question

How will Zimbabwe handle spin?Perhaps it’s the placid pitches in their own country that have made Zimbabwe so susceptible to anything with a bit of bite, but they will have to be prepared to deal with plenty of turn in India. Although the surfaces used for T20 cricket are not the raging turners of Tests, they will still challenge a team that has not travelled to India since the 2011 World Cup. Not only will Zimbabwe have to come to terms with how to play spin when batting, but also how to use it with the ball. At least, they can take heart from their drawn series in Bangladesh earlier this year and their reasonably good efforts in the UAE during the warm-ups.

World T20 history

Zimbabwe pulled off an epic victory against Australia in the 2007 World T20 but have failed to build on that achievement. In three tournaments since then – Zimbabwe pulled out of the 2009 edition which was hosted in England – they have not beaten a Full Member. They exited the 2010 and 2012 events without any success in the group stage and in 2014, did not even make it to the main draw. They were victorious over Netherlands and United Arab Emirates but it was not enough to see them through.

In their own words

“[Makhaya Ntini] brings a lot of energy and a lot of goodwill and good spirits, apart from his coaching. He’s one of those guys who likes to do whatever he asks of the guys, he likes to do it with them, so he’s also leading by example quite a bit.”

Worcestershire batsman Tom Kohler-Cadmore gave another demonstration of his potential with a superb unbeaten century

ECB Reporters Network04-May-2016
ScorecardTom Kohler-Cadmore’s century took Worcestershire away from a tricky situation•Getty Images

Worcestershire batsman Tom Kohler-Cadmore gave another demonstration of his potential with a superb unbeaten century in the drawn Specsavers County Championship clash with Division Two leaders Essex at New Road.Kohler-Cadmore completed his second century in the competition off 151 balls to help Worcestershire secure maximum batting points. He received staunch support from the lower order in ensuring a potentially tricky overnight situation never materialised.Worcestershire began the day on 226 for 5 – still needing 76 to avoid the follow on target of 302 and a second new ball due after eight overs play. But Kohler-Cadmore featured in three half-century partnerships with Ben Cox, Joe Leach and Matt Henry before skipper Daryl Mitchell declared on 411 for 8 – 40 adrift on first innings – early in the afternoon session.Essex then reached 95 for 2 by the early close with England Test captain Alastair Cook scoring an unbeaten 48 in his final Championship innings before the series against Sri Lanka to follow his first innings ton.Kohler-Cadmore, whose maiden Championship hundred was scored against Middlesex in the final game of last season, was unbeaten on 119 from 170 balls with two sixes and 17 fours.A draw was always favourite to be the likely outcome after the loss of 102 overs play on the opening two days to the weather. But Worcestershire still had work to do after the loss of five wickets for 43 runs during yesterday evening’s session.Cox had one slice of luck when he edged David Masters first delivery of the day to the boundary. But in general the Worcestershire keeper and Kohler-Cadmore were untroubled in adding 61 before the former on 24 drove Graham Napier straight to point.Kohler-Cadmore reeled off a series of impressive drives and found another willing ally in vice-captain Leach. Then in the final over before lunch he showed his hitting power with successive sixes over long-off against spinner Tom Westley.Leach was another willing ally in adding 70 in 14 overs before he edged the first ball after the interval from Jamie Porter to Alastair Cook at first slip.Kohler-Cadmore went to his hundred with a thick edge for four at Porter’s expense before he and the promoted Henry upped the run-rate to clinch their final batting point in the 109th over. Henry raced to 34 off 25 balls and his dismissal off Masters prompted the declaration.Essex opener Nick Browne fell cheaply for the second time in the game and then Moeen Ali enjoyed an elongated bowl in which he dismissed first innings century-maker Westley before the two teams shook hands.

A round-up of all DPL matches played on June 1, 2016

Mohammad Isam01-Jun-2016Ashok Menaria’s impressive all-round performance led Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club to the top of the DPL points table with a five-wicket win over Gazi Group Cricketers in Mirpur.Menaria’s unbeaten 61-ball 59 that included two fours and sixes steered Doleshwar’s chase of 214 after hostile opening spells from pacers Mohammad Sharif and Sajedul Islam had reduced them to 70 for 3 in the 24th over.Wicketkeeper Anamul Haque took a brilliant catch after opener Imtiaz Hossain top-edged a pull. Just as the ball was going over his head, Anamul leapt backwards and completed a one-handed catch to give Gazi Group an early breakthrough. Robiul Islam Robi and Raqibul Hasan added 42 runs in the next 11.4 overs before their wickets, in the space of five overs, tied Gazi Group down.Menaria lifted Doleshwar by first adding 64 runs for the fourth wicket with Nasir Hossain, who scored 40 off 56 balls, and then 70 runs for the fifth wicket with Rony Talukdar, who made 43 off 45 balls. Sharif and Sajedul’s efforts with the ball were undone by sloppy fielding. Gazi Group dropped as many as five catches, and both bowlers had to settle with one wicket each.Earlier, Gazi Group had slipped to 97 for 5 by the 33rd over, with both in-form openers Anamul and Shamsur Rahman falling cheaply. Elias Sunny’s 46 dragged his side past 150, after which a 51-run stand for the eighth wicket between Farhad Hossain and Sharif took them to 213 for 8. Menaria was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 29 in nine overs, including a maiden.Abahani Limited finally had their big players firing, in their five-wicket win over Prime Bank Cricket Club at the BKSP-3 ground. They are placed third in the points table, with 12 points from 10 matches.Yusuf Pathan, fresh off the IPL, slammed seven fours and two sixes in his 47-ball 60, but when he fell in the 28th over, Abahani still needed 89 to reach the 241-run target. Shakib Al Hasan was dismissed for 3 in the next over, but Mosaddek Hossain then anchored the chase with an unbeaten 64 off 49, his second successive half-century.Having been stuck in traffic at the Dhaka-Sarvar highway, Yusuf had arrived 41 minutes after scheduled start of play. But the opposition captain Shuvagata Hom and the match officials allowed him to take the field, despite being late.Mosaddek and Liton Das added an unbroken 87 runs for the sixth wicket as Abahani sealed the win with 33 balls to spare. Liton stayed unbeaten on 25 off 51 balls.Abahani captain Tamim Iqbal had laid the platform with 40 off 46 balls, before falling to Shuvagata in the 13th over. Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Yusuf then put on 94 runs for the third wicket to help Abahani eat into the target.Earlier, Prime Bank posted 240 for 9 in 50 overs with Nurul Hasan top-scoring with 46. Openers Mehedi Maruf (26) and Shanaj Ahmed (24) got starts, but they were dismissed in successive overs. Prime Bank were further pushed back when Sabbir Rahman and new Indian recruit Unmukt Chand exited for a duck and 2.Shakib led Abahani’s bowling surge with returns of 4 for 35, including the wickets of Sabbir, Chand and Mehedi. He was complemented by left-arm spinner Saqlain Sajib who claimed 3 for 37. Shuvagata and Taibur Rahman added 50 for the sixth wicket to help Prime Bank recover from 79 for 4. After both batsmen fell, No.10 Monir Hussain scored a brisk 25 to take his team to 240.Kalabagan Cricket Academy beat Cricket Coaching School by five wickets (D/L method) in a bottom-of-the-table tussle in Fatullah.Having opted to bat, CCS managed only 185 for 9 in 50 overs as no batsman passed 38. As many as five batsmen got starts but none got a substantial score. Captain Mahmudul Hasan led KCA’s superb bowling effort with returns of 3 for 37.Then it was the turn of Jatin Saxena to play a match-winning hand. The Indian batsman struck 87 off 95 balls, including seven fours and three sixes. Jatin was assisted by Mahmudul who made 46 off 84 balls. Rain interrupted KCA’s innings but they reached the revised target of 184 with 53 balls to spare.Left-arm spinners Nasum Ahmed and Saleh Ahmed Shawon took two wickets each for CCS.