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KKR handed Capitals a thrashing to make it three wins in three and go to the top of the table with a massive net run rate boost

Sidharth Monga03-Apr-20242:21

Moody: ‘Raghuvanshi’s hands, bat path similar to Gill’

Last Wednesday at the IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad set the record for the highest IPL score: 277. What should have been a once-in-a-decade effort was very nearly taken down by a marauding Kolkata Knight Riders batting unit tonight in Visakhapatnam. Sunil Narine plundered his personal best in T20s – 85 off 39 – almost home-grown Angkrish Raghuvanshi matched him with 54 off 27, and Andre Russell added the finishing touches with 41 off 19.A searing yorker from Ishant Sharma to get Russell in the last over prevented the record being broken, but the 272 KKR put up was more than enough to register a comfortable win – by 106 runs – and join Rajasthan Royals with three wins from three matches at the top of the table. In taking four wickets in the powerplay, two each for Vaibhav Arora and Mitchell Starc, KKR ticked another box in a season in which they have presented themselves as serious title contenders.Pant fined for slow over-rate again

Rishabh Pant, the Capitals captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate against KKR in their 106-run loss in Visakhapatnam. As it was Capitals’ second offence of the season – in just four matches – Pant was fined INR 24 lakh, while the rest of the members of the playing XII, were each fined either INR 6 lakh or 25% of their respective match fees, whichever is lower.

Narine, Raghuvanshi hammer CapitalsKhaleel Ahmed and Ishant Sharma set Capitals’ win in the previous match in Vizag with swing early on. Here, though, probably because of Narine’s presence, both of them started slightly short of a length. The one ball that Khaleel pitched up swung to beat Narine.It seems ridiculous now but Narine took six balls to get off the mark. Capitals had managed to keep Narine quiet, but had they missed the small window of swing to try to get him out? Another chance would arrive soon to a short-of-a-length delivery, but neither Ishant Sharma nor Rishabh Pant heard the edge. No appeal, no review.Narine and Phil Salt had got down to work by then, but Capitals could still have got Narine for 24 off 13 had they listened to Mitchell Marsh and reviewed. Then again, reviews were not the only thing they were getting wrong. They kept offering Narine room, when they went short they didn’t get it high enough, and the ball had stopped swinging by now.Sunil Narine smacked seven fours and as many sixes in his 39-ball innings•AFP/Getty Images

Anrich Nortje got rid of Salt in the fifth over, but Raghuvanshi, trained from the age of 11 by KKR’s own Abhishek Nayar, walked out and laced fours off the first two balls he faced. Mukesh Kumar is not express, but his injury has left DC with even less of a pace threat. Narine jumped on Rasikh Salam’s medium-pace in the last over of the powerplay, hitting him for three fours and a six to bring up his half-century in just 21 balls. Their 88 for 1 in the powerplay was the highest by any team so far at IPL 2024.The end of the powerplay brought DC relief only for one over, bowled by Sumit Kumar, but Narine ended any threats of variations in the attack by hitting two sixes off Axar Patel, who wouldn’t bowl again. Raghuvanshi matched him with a reverse-pull over short third for a six. Their 135 for 1 was the third-highest 10-over score in the IPL – all three have come this season.Wickets fail to slow KKR downEventually it was the short ball from Marsh that got the better of Narine, but it wasn’t just one short ball. He kept bowling short and wide outside off with changes of pace. Narine still ended with a boundary every two-and-a-half balls, and the wicket came too late anyway. The 13th over was the right point of entry for Russell, and he punished the samey attack. Capitals didn’t go back to spin despite right-hand batters at the wicket, and Nortje was the only one who presented the batters with an inbuilt challenge.Andre Russell and Rinku Singh smashed 32 runs off 11 balls for the fifth wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Russell was too good for the rest, and when Nortje started the 19th over with one fewer fielder on the fence because of a poor over-rate, Rinku Singh got stuck into him, taking 25 off the over.Ishant then produced a beauty that drew an applause from Russell himself and prevented Capitals from ending up on the wrong side of the record.Arora announces himselfOne of the two tall domestic fast bowlers in the KKR stable, Arora came on as the Impact Player and found inswing immediately. It wasn’t just swing, though. He mixed it up with accurate bouncers. Prithvi Shaw fell to the inswinger before Abhishek Porel top-edged a bouncer.Vaibhav Arora took 3 for 27 in KKR’s clinical win•BCCI

At the other end, Starc took care of his Australia team-mates, Marsh caught trying to square-drive and Warner playing on immediately after slogging him for a six. These were his first wickets this IPL after his eight overs in the first two matches had gone for 100 runs.At 33 for 4 in the fifth over, even batting for net run rate would need heavy hitting and risks. For a while Pant and Tristan Stubbs managed to score quickly. Pant was especially pleasing as he continues his return from a life-threatening accident, but their fifties were never going to be enough to deny KKR a third consecutive win – the first time they have started a season with three wins in three in their history.

Former Pakistan captain’s lawyers set to appeal the sentence at the High Court

Danyal Rasool30-Jan-2024

Imran Khan has been in prison since August 2023•AFP/Getty Images

Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister, has been sentenced to ten years in prison by a special court in Pakistan. He stands accused of not returning a diplomatic document after he was removed from the office of Prime Minister in 2022. He has been in prison since August 2023 on a separate charge, and though that sentence was suspended, he was still not released.Imran was charged under the Official Secrets Act, a British era law, with a special court convened to hear his case, as well as that of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a senior figure in Imran’s political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Qureshi also received a ten-year sentence.The PTI’s official Twitter account issued a statement, calling the ruling “a sham trial and a complete mockery and disregard of law”.Imran has consistently alleged that the no-confidence vote to remove him from power was undertaken at the behest of the United States of America, and that the document in question contained proof of American diplomatic pressure to get rid of him. This allegation gained further momentum when the US news organisation published an article after purportedly gaining access to the classified document. The article said the US State Department threatened Pakistani isolation if Imran wasn’t removed, and that if he was indeed removed, “all would be forgiven”.In Pakistan, public discussion of that classified document, known as a cypher, has led to the possibility of being charged with a violation of the Official Secrets Act. The charges of both Imran and Qureshi have had to do with discussing the contents of the document in public.This latest flashpoint comes just nine days before Pakistan goes to the polls. Opinion polling in the lead-up to the elections has been non-existent, but the most recent independent polls have shown Imran to be the most popular politician in the country.When he was arrested by paramilitary security forces in May 2023, violent uprisings took place throughout the country that led to an internet blackout that lasted several days; tens of thousands of his political supporters were also arrested. The party that Imran had led to power in the 2018 elections has been barred from contesting these elections, with Imran personally banned from running for any political office for five years.Imran and Queshi’s lawyers said they would appeal this sentence in the High Court.

da bet7： There could be a huge summer on the cards for Michael Edwards and Arne Slot at Liverpool due to potential player movement in and out of Anfield.

da marjack bet： Firstly, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract at the end of this season, and it remains to be seen if any of them will put pen to paper on extensions on Merseyside.

Losing any of them would be a significant blow for Liverpool, as they are all regular starters, but Salah could be the biggest loss as he has scored 32 goals and provided 22 assists in all competitions this season.

Rather than finding a one-for-one replacement, which would be incredibly difficult to do, the Reds could sign players in several positions in hope that they all step up to make up for the goals and assists lost.

For example, Liverpool have been linked with a move to sign Atletico Madrid centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who they reportedly ‘appreciate’ and hold a long-term interest in.

Why Liverpool need to sign a player like Julian Alvarez

Salah has been Liverpool’s main source of goals from a right wing position and that has papered over the cracks in the front three, as Slot has had a problem in the centre-forward position this season.

Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez have both had attempts at being the main number nine for the Reds, but they have both failed to provide a reliable presence in front of goal. The former has scored five goals from 7.21 xG and the latter has scored five times from 5.28 xG in the Premier League.

These statistics show that Liverpool do not possess a ruthless number nine who can make the most of the chances that come their way in the box, which is why they need to go out and sign a player like Alvarez.

The former Manchester City man joined Atletico Madrid last summer to bolster Diego Simeone’s squad, and has proven to be a big hit in Spain with his performances at the top end of the pitch.

Julian Alvarez (24/25)

LaLiga

Champions League

Starts

22

10

xG

8.86

2.38

Goals

11

7

Minutes per goal

166

113

Big chances missed

5

1

Assists

2

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Alvarez has outperformed his xG in both LaLiga and the Champions League this term, which shows that he can be ruthless in front of goal.

In fact, the Argentina international has only missed 26 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Atletico and Man City combined since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Nunez, for comparison, has missed a staggering 81 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Liverpool in that time, having joined from Benfica in 2022, which illustrates the stark difference in quality between the two centre-forwards.

The Reds, though, are also interested in signing a defender who could be as important of a signing as Alvarez in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool have held talks to sign Premier League star

According to journalist Bence Bocsak, Liverpool “have held talks” with Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez over a potential move to Anfield next season.

The reporter claims that the club “like” the Hungary international but that a transfer to Merseyside is not advanced at this moment in time, with nothing beyond those initial talks.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Bocsak’s article for Anfield Watch expands on the news, adding that Liverpool wanted to sign Kerkez from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023, but the player decided to move to Bournemouth instead to play regular football.

The report reveals that Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City are also keeping tabs on the Hungarian dynamo, which suggests that there will be plenty of competition for his services this summer.

Michael Edwards, though, must push to sign the left-back, who is reportedly valued at £40m by the Cherries, because he could be as important of a signing as Alvarez.

Why Liverpool need to sign Milos Kerkez

Liverpool are reportedly in the market to sign a replacement for veteran left-back Andy Robertson this summer, and Kerkez would be a dream signing to take the Scottish star’s place.

The Scotland international has been a terrific servant for the Reds over the years, racking up 66 assists in 336 appearances in all competitions for the club, as a consistent creative threat down the left flank.

However, Robertson’s powers appear to be waning. The 31-year-old star has failed to register a single goal or assist in his 27 appearances in the Premier League this season, along with just one assist in his eight outings in the Champions League.

He is heading towards the latter stage of his career and has not been as influential as in previous seasons, as shown by his lack of production in the final third, and that is why a new long-term left-back option should be a priority this summer.

Kerkez, at the age of 21, is ten years younger than Robertson and could, therefore, be the new left-back for the club for the next decade, if all goes to plan, which is one of the reasons why he would be such an important addition this summer.

The Hungarian star’s performances in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season also suggest that he would come in as an immediate upgrade on the current Liverpool defender.

24/25 Premier League

Milos Kerkez

Andy Robertson

Appearances

29

27

Goals

2

0

Assists

5

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

2.0

Clearances per game

2.7

1.3

Dribbled past per game

0.4x

0.6x

Ground duel success rate

58%

51%

Aerial duel success rate

33%

27%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Kerkez has vastly outperformed Robertson with his play in and out of possession in the top-flight, as he has made a bigger impact at the top end of the pitch whilst being far more active and reliable defensively.

Wingers find it harder to get past the Bournemouth star, as he makes more tackles and interceptions whilst being dribbled past less, and opposition defenders find it harder to deal with him, as he has scored more goals and provided more assists.

Therefore, Kerkez could come in as a big upgrade on Robertson at left-back this summer, which is why Liverpool must push hard to get a deal done for him this summer.

As important as Alvarez and the addition of his finishing quality would be for the Reds, signing a Premier League proven left-back with the potential to be a key player for the next decade is equally as important.

Related He earns more than Gakpo: Edwards must sell Liverpool's "pointless" star

The Liverpool chief must ruthlessly cash in on the forward who has been outperformed by Cody Gakpo.

Posts ByDan Emery Mar 19, 2025

Leading spinner named for T20Is and one-off Test match as coach Lewis monitors workloads

Andrew Miller10-Nov-20231:23

Jon Lewis optimistic about Sophie Ecclestone injury comeback

Sophie Ecclestone has been named in England’s Test and T20I squads for the tour of India in December, as she continues her return to cricket after dislocating her right shoulder during last summer’s Women’s Hundred.Ecclestone, England’s No. 1-ranked white-ball spinner, sustained the injury while warming up for Manchester Originals’ home fixture against Southern Brave at Old Trafford in August, and underwent surgery in September.She has since returned to bowling, and will step up her workloads during a training camp in Oman next week, ahead of England’s three T20Is in Mumbai between December 6 and 10, and their one-off four-day Test in Navi Mumbai from December 14-17.Jon Lewis, England’s head coach, welcomed the prospect of Ecclestone’s comeback – particularly after a notable home series loss against Sri Lanka in September had exposed a lack of experience among the team’s younger players – but warned that he would not be expecting too much too soon, as she learns to trust her body again after the injury.Related

English players could miss WBBL final for India trip

“She’s the No. 1 bowler in the world across both white-ball formats, she’s an obvious standout talent in women’s cricket,” Lewis said. “She’s a really good competitor, she loves winning. So she’s great to have around our side. For the girls to practice against a bowler like that, and for Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn to pick her brains, and Alice Capsey as well, will be invaluable.”She’s working her way back to fitness. We expect her to be fit to play. However, getting people back to fitness isn’t always a linear experience,” Lewis added. “So we’ll see how she progresses over the next three or four weeks. The medical people are telling me she will be [fit], but my experience tells me that’s not always straightforward. The thing that could be more tricky for her is hitting the ground when she fields.”Ecclestone’s fitness aside, the white-ball leg of England’s tour could be a key indicator of the team’s readiness for next winter’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, as well as an early taste of the conditions that could be prevalent at the next 50-over World Cup in India in 2025.”We haven’t toured India for a number of years,” Lewis said. “We have players who have experienced playing in the Women’s Premier League but many haven’t played international cricket there before. Playing in Indian conditions is great preparation for our next two World Cups in the subcontinent and will be an amazing learning opportunity for both the players and the staff. We respect the Indian team and are really looking forward to the challenge.”Bess Heath, Northern Superchargers’ powerful wicketkeeper-batter, has been named in both squads for the first time, having made a one-off maiden ODI appearance against Sri Lanka last summer, while Mahika Gaur, England’s 17-year-old left-arm seamer, has been picked for the T20Is only as she continues to settle into set-up having made her international bow for the UAE.”It’s an exciting squad,” Lewis said. “We’ve got three teenagers in there still. They’re getting slightly older, slightly more experienced, and there’s a lovely balance between youth and experience in the squad.”It’s a squad that reflects some players that came in against Sri Lanka and did nicely, but also the players that did really well to beat Australia 2-1 in the [white-ball] series in the summer as well.”England’s selectors have also named a 21-player A squad that will prepare in Oman from November 12-25, with a reduced 14-player squad to be named in due course to face India A in three T20Is.Notable inclusions in that set-up include Issy Wong, who endured a torrid home summer as she struggled with her run-up, and Tash Farrant, who is back in contention following surgery for a stress fracture of the lumbar spine in June. Gaur and Lauren Filer, who is in the Test squad following her impressive debut against Australia, have also been named in the training squad.T20I squad: Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Heather Knight (capt), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danielle Wyatt.Test squad: Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Heather Knight (capt), Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danielle WyattEngland A squad for Oman training camp: Hollie Armitage, Hannah Baker, Alice Davidson-Richards, Georgia Davis, Charlie Dean, Tash Farrant, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Kirstie Gordon, Liberty Heap, Freya Kemp, Emma Lamb, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Kalea Moore, Sophie Munro, Grace Potts, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Rhianna Southby, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong

رد داروين نونيز مهاجم ليفربول السابق على الرسالة العاطفية التي تلقاها من محمد صلاح بعد انتقاله للهلال السعودي نهاية الأسبوع الماضي.

وكان نونيز قد غادر ليفربول يوم السبت بعد التوصل لاتفاق مع النادي السعودي للتعاقد مع المهاجم الفائز بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

أقرأ أيضاً.. محمد صلاح يوجه رسالة إلى نونيز بعد انتقاله إلى الهلال السعودي

وانضم نونيز إلى قائمة اللاعبين الذين غادروا ليفربول خلال الصيف بعد رحيل لويس دياز وكاويمين كيليهير وجاريل كوانساه، وسجل اللاعب أول هدف له مع ناديه الجديد خلال الفوز بسداسية نظيفة ضد آراو النمساوي.

وحرص صلاح على التعبير عن امتنانه وتمنياته لزميله السابق نونيز في رسالة على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي حيث كتب: “أعتبر نفسي محظوظاً لوجودك كزميل وصديق”.

وأضاف: “لقد كنت دائماً حقيقياً جداً وقدمت لنا كثير من الطاقة الإيجابية أينما ذهبت، لقد أضحكتنا وأظهرت لنا عاطفتك في كل ما فعلته، سأفتقدك كثيراً وأتمنى لك كل التوفيق في ناديك الجديد”.

ورد مهاجم الهلال السعودي على محمد صلاح قائلاً: “أخي شكراً لك على كل شيء لقد كنت شخصاً رائعاً بالنسبة لي منذ انضمامي إلى ليفربول، سأفتقدك كثيراً”.

ويستعد ليفربول لمواجهة بورنموث مساء غد الجمعة في افتتاح الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

MatériaMais Notícias

da blaze casino： Destaque do Internacional ao longo da campanha no Campeonato Brasileiro, o atacante Pedro Henrique busca uma valorização no Beira-Rio.

– VEJA AS MOVIMENTAÇÕES DO MERCADO DA BOLA

Identificado com o clube, o jogador foi procurado por algumas equipes do país e aumentou o seu desejo de melhorar a situação contratual no Colorado.

No momento, Pedro Henrique tem acordo com o Inter até junho de 2024, o que deixa a diretoria mais ‘tranquila’ em relação a uma sondagem e chance de saída.

Por outro lado, Pedro Henrique e seu ‘staff’ buscam uma conversa durante a pré-temporada para que ele mude de status dentro do elenco.

Números

Desde a sua chegada ao Internacional, Pedro Henrique participou de 36 jogos, anotou oito gols e deu três assistências.

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This summer feels like it’s going to be a massive one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Thomas Frank has stepped into the spotlight following Ange Postecoglou’s sacking, and on top of having a good go in the Champions League, he’ll be tasked with overseeing a dramatic improvement in the team’s Premier League form.

The good news is that Daniel Levy and Co appear intent on properly backing the Danish coach, and have already made the impressive signing of Mohammed Kudus.

Moreover, the club seem determined to bring in Morgan Gibbs-White, although they’re also linked with another Premier League ace who’d have an even greater impact on the team.

Tottenham target Premier League goalscorer

It would be fair to say that when news first broke of Spurs’ pursuit to sign Gibbs-White, it was something of a surprise.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

After all, they had just signed Kudus, and fans aren’t used to the club going so big in the market.

However, despite supposedly activating his £60m release clause, the deal is currently at a standstill, with the Tricky Trees alleging foul play.

It does feel more like a matter of when and not if the Englishman joins the Lilywhites, but they’re also linked with another Premier League ace who could have an even bigger impact next season: Yoane Wissa.

Yes, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke on the latest episode of Football Insider’s Inside Track Podcast, Spurs are still very much interested in the Brentford star.

It could be a challenging deal to get done, though, as O’Rourke claims that should Bryan Mbuemo move to Manchester United, the Bees will look to block any bids for the prolific striker.

However, prior reports suggest that an offer of around £50m could tempt the West Londoners into selling, and with the player supposedly keen on a move to N17, that could be the magic number.

It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get done, but Wissa who is one “the best strikers in the Premier League” in the words of Sky Sports Lyall Thomas, would be well worth pursuing.

Why Wissa would have a bigger impact at Spurs than Gibbs-White

Now, the first thing to say is that both players would be incredible additions to this Spurs team.

However, we believe Wissa will have a bigger impact than Gibbs-White, at least next season, primarily due to the competition for places and their respective output.

As things stand, Frank already has two seriously talented attacking midfielders to choose from in his squad.

Dejan Kulusevski racked up ten goals and 11 assists in 50 appearances last season, and James Maddison was even more effective, racking up 12 goals and 11 assists in 45 games.

So, even though Gibbs-White would be making the team stronger, he might struggle to get ahead of the Englishman and Swede, especially as 17 goal involvements in 38 games isn’t quite as good a return.

In contrast, the only player likely to compete with the “unbelievable” Brentford star, as dubbed by former manager Thomas Frank, on a regular basis next season is Dominic Solanke, and when we compare their output, it’s the Congolese ace who emerges victorious.

For example, he racked up a tally of 20 goals and five assists in 39 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.56 games.

Appearances

39

45

Minutes

3079′

3393′

Goals

20

16

Assists

5

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.64

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

123.16′

141.37′

Solanke, on the other hand, scored 16 goals and provided eight assists in 45 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.87 games.

Ultimately, thanks to his significantly better level of output and the clearer path to regular game time, Wissa could well end up having a bigger impact at Spurs than Gibbs-White next season.

Gibbs-White will love him: Spurs huge admirers of £80m Premier League star

Tottenham Hotspur’s huge transfer window has shown no signs of slowing down in recent days.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 14, 2025

Coad claims three of six wickets to fall, handing hosts two of maximum 10 points needed to secure second place

ECB Reporters Network27-Sep-2024Yorkshire will be promoted to Division One of the Vitality County Championship if they draw their final round clash with Northamptonshire at Headingley after Ben Coad claimed three of six wickets to fall when play finally got underway after tea on day two.Coad’s 3 for 29 from 12 overs, including his 300th first-class wicket, left Northamptonshire in trouble at 117 for 6 from 40 overs, handing Yorkshire two of the maximum 10 points they require to secure second place behind Sussex.The start of play was delayed until 3.30pm following first day rain and a wet outfield on day two.Northamptonshire, with nothing to play for but holding onto fourth place in Division Two, were inserted. George Hill also struck twice with his seamers and Jordan Thompson once.Visiting debutant Krish Patel, aged 18, impressed with 26 and George Bartlett top-scored with an unbeaten 41.Yorkshire are aiming to hold off the challenge of third-placed Middlesex, who have seen the opening two days of their clash with leaders Sussex abandoned at Hove.Northamptonshire have handed first-class debuts to both Patel and on-loan Nottinghamshire spinner Fateh Singh, the latter signed only for this game.Patel was the first to make an impact, and impressively too during an eye-catching 41-ball innings with five fours.He came through the Surrey age-groups, played one Metro Bank One-Day Cup game for his home county last season and then signed a two-year rookie professional contract at Wantage Road at the end of last month.Patel came to the crease late in the third over after Coad had removed opener Gus Miller, caught at first slip by Hill.The diminutive right-hander was strong through the covers off both front foot and back. One square drive off England fringe Test fast bowler Matthew Fisher was particularly memorable.He shared 42 with the more doughty Luke Procter before edging Thompson’s seam to second slip as the visitors fell to 44 for 2 in the 15th over.Only 20 more runs had been added when Hill bowled Procter, for 25, with his fifth ball, securing Yorkshire’s first point of the fixture.Hill had been capped by Yorkshire as the rain fell on day one and was again presented with his cap before play started to give Yorkshire’s supporters a chance to acclaim their 23-year-old allrounder.He added a second wicket when James Sales was bowled for 17 shouldering arms as Northamptonshire fell to 79 for 4 in the 30th over.Conditions were ever-changing through a competitive evening; sun, cloud and even a bit of rain.When Coad struck again – for wicket number 300 – the floodlights were on, with Saif Zaib edging to Hill at first slip. Northamptonshire were 106 for 5 in the 37th over.He also had nightwatcher Singh caught at short mid-off in his next over, securing Yorkshire’s second bowling bonus point. That, added to eight points for the draw, would be enough for a Division One return for the first time since 2022.Coad, aged 30, is playing his 76th first-class match and his 301 wickets have come at a mighty impressive 19.42 apiece.Northamptonshire’s Bartlett hit nine fours in his 52 balls.For Yorkshire, while promotion was not decided in this short burst of a session, they moved themselves to within touching distance.

“Everyone thinks Sri Lanka has average players and are an average side, so if we lose, that’s no problem for us,” Athapaththu says

Firdose Moonda11-Feb-2023They did not play a match between March 2020 and January 2022. They had only won three of the 13 T20Is they had played against South Africa before Friday. Their World Cup record is poor and the FICA Women’s Employment Report said they had “no professional structures” in place. Despite all of that, Sri Lanka silenced the biggest home crowd South Africa’s women’s team has ever played in front of – 8402 – at Newlands with a stunning, though error-ridden, three-run win.It was the stuff of dreams for Chamari Athapaththu, who has carried the Sri Lankan team almost single-handedly over her 13-year career. She had scored her first T20I fifty against South Africa in 2016, and on the day, she scored another one to give the tournament a rousing start.Two days ahead of the match, she had told ESPNcricinfo that she wanted to hit the longest six of the tournament with a lofted off drive. She couldn’t do that, but struck five crisp cover drives, three powerful pulls, and one slog sweep in an innings she owned, but also one in which she passed a baton.Related

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Luus: 'Leadership a role I would like to grow into'

Van Niekerk in women's T20 World Cup commentary panel

Athapaththu: 'I have a big responsibility, but I love that pressure'

Van Niekerk left out of T20 WC squad, Luus to captain

Vishmi Gunaratne, just 17 years old, took 13 balls to score her first five runs but then lap swept Nonkululeko Mlaba and plundered three fours off Shabnim Ismail in a strong supporting role. In her, Athapaththu saw someone who could take cricket forward in a country without an extensive player pool.”No one expects Sri Lanka will win,” Athapaththu said. “Everyone thinks Sri Lanka has average players and are an average side so if we lose, that’s no problem for us. We don’t have any pressure. I told my players to play fearlessly and trust and back your skill.”Vishmi Gunaratne ‘a young superstar’ – Chamari AthapaththuShe said those words especially to Gunaratne, who Athapaththu described as a “young superstar with a bright future” – not many 17-year-olds take Ismail on and come out on top, after all.”I just told her to focus on the ball and don’t think about who is bowling. She knows Shabnim is the No. 1 bowler so the first boundary she hit, I said, ‘you hit that off the world’s No. 1 bowler and you can hit another boundary in this over’. She hit the second boundary and I said to her, ‘you are really good, better than the No. 1 bowler, so you can hit another boundary’.”She’s really young and she thinks when Shabnim is bowling, she’s No. 1. but I just want to relieve that pressure from her, that’s why I always talked to her.”Athapaththu also admitted she needed to improve on the field, though, in the end, it was Athapaththu, at long-on, who saved what could have been a boundary in the final over when Ismail hit the ball down the ground. Asked about it afterwards, she repeated what she had said a few days before: “I love pressure. We have only a few experienced players so I always try to lead from the front. We didn’t have any pressure in these conditions, especially with South Africa playing in their home conditions.”On the other hand, the expectation on South Africa was enormous. As the hosts that are considered genuine contenders for the semi-finals, they were not supposed to slip up here. Especially not 20 years to the day after West Indies humbled the South African men’s team in the 50-over World Cup at this same venue.Dane van Niekerk – South Africa’s missing link?In their defence, South Africa may have been eclipsed by the emotion of having their regular captain, Dane van Niekerk, who was left out of the squad after failing to meet the two-kilometre time trial requirement of 9:30, at the ground. The last time South Africa played a match at this venue, also against Sri Lanka, it was van Niekerk who took centre stage. She struck an unbeaten 71 off 55 balls to almost single-handedly give South Africa a stunning seven-wicket win. This time, her presence only served to remind them what they were missing, in runs, as a person, and maybe even in passion.Ayabonga Khaka can scarcely believe the result•ICC via Getty ImagesVan Niekerk met her wife, Marizanne Kapp, as the South Africans arrived at the ground and the pair shared a long embrace, which ended with Kapp sobbing. A few minutes later, van Niekerk was pulled away from her new role as a television commentator for “wife duties” to help Kapp mark her run-up at the Kelvin Grove End. Van Niekerk then sang the national anthem from the broadcast box, standing next to Mignon du Preez – who retired late last year and is also in the commentators’ panel – and wiped away tears of her own. When Mlaba finished the innings with a boundary that came too late, she slumped to her haunches and covered her eyes. Sune Luus, the current captain, spoke through puffy eyes and a shaking voice at the post-match presentation and was spared having to address the media afterwards.Instead, that task fell to Sinalo Jafta, who was run-out at a crucial stage in the penultimate over – with 13 runs needed off eight balls – and owned her mistake. “The pressure moment got to me,” she said.And this is not even a knockout game. The tournament has only just begun but South Africa are on the verge of a premature exit. Their next match against New Zealand, which was also going to be decisive in this group because of the presence of near-certain semi-finalists Australia, is a must-win. “We can’t run away from the fact that we are going to be in pressure situations,” Jafta said. “What we are focusing on most is just being present. This time, we were focused more on the outcome.”South Africa also can’t run away from their selection decisions, which has seen them send Lizelle Lee and du Preez into retirement (Lee because she could not meet the weight benchmark and du Preez because there are no T20I-only contracts and she wanted to retire from ODIs) and van Niekerk benched. The trio are among their most successful batters and as opening night concluded with a botched chase, South Africa may be wondering whether they have invented challenges they could have done without.

In our second batch of report cards for 2021: India, Australia, England, Bangladesh, South Africa, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe

03-Jan-2022

India

by Sidharth Monga
India started 2021 by batting 131 overs in the fourth innings to save the SCG Test with half their side injured. In the next match they scored more than any side has ever done in the fourth innings at the Gabba and consigned Australia to their first loss in 32 years there. They ended the year by sending South Africa to only their third defeat in 27 Tests in Centurion. In between they bowled England out in 51.5 overs in a sensational fifth-day turnaround at Lord’s.A series win in Australia, on track for one in South Africa, and a 2-1 lead that ensures they can’t lose the incomplete one against England away. You won’t find many arguing with the claim that this was India’s greatest year in Test cricket. Some might bring up the lost World Test Championship final and, when discussing the other formats, their early T20 World Cup exit.That India don’t rule the world in limited-overs cricket despite running the best and most competitive T20 league in the world is an aberration that the new team management combination of Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma will look to address in coming years, but don’t use one final to knock the Test team down. Virat Kohli’s (and at times, Ajinkya Rahane’s) team does and will compete against more teams in more conditions than any other going around.High point
India were many kinds of special at Lord’s, The Oval and in Centurion, but how do you top winning a Test at the Gabba against an all-time great Australian attack with a total of four Test caps among your bowling attack? That it came in a series decider made it extra special.Low point

India were unlucky at the World Cup, losing tosses in two crucial matches in a tournament that significantly favoured sides winning the toss. It didn’t matter that they won their other three because they were unable to make it out of their group. Still, they have, for a while now, looked like a side that needs to take that extra step in limited-overs cricket.Results
Tests: P14 W8 L3 D3
ODIs: P6 W4 L2
T20Is: P16 W10 L6Pat Cummins found himself unexpectedly thrust into the captaincy weeks before the Ashes, and led Australia to a resounding win•AFP/Getty Images

Australia

by Andrew McGlashan
A year that at times saw the men’s team on the verge of disarray ended with a maiden T20 World Cup title and the Ashes retained in crushing fashion. Whether it’s the start of another golden era remains to be seen, but the last few months have gone better than many thought possible despite some big hurdles.In January 2021, Australia were upended thrillingly by India, their Gabba record blown to dust (it was back to business when England arrived) and cracks soon emerged, especially between head coach Justin Langer and the senior group of players. A Test tour of South Africa was called off due to Covid-19; that and an over-rate penalty meant they missed out on the World Test Championship final. The Test side did not play again until December.It meant a lot of time for things to fester, especially with losses in T20 mounting – though they did not have a full side together until the World Cup. There were series defeats against New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh which left low expectations heading into the tournament, although throughout it all the refrain was “Wait until the gang’s back together.”No one really believed it, especially when batters who largely played in the top order (Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade) were asked to become finishers and they went for a new No. 3 in Mitchell Marsh. It appeared their hopes would be shattered by a crushing loss to England, but in a manner that even Hannibal Smith from would have been proud of, they really did love it when a plan came together.Back home to prepare for the Ashes, there was more drama when Tim Paine resigned after the emergence of explicit text messages from three years ago, parachuting Pat Cummins into the role. He and Steven Smith were revealed as the new leadership duo while they were still in quarantine in Queensland.However, any thoughts that the Ashes campaign would be derailed were dispelled on the opening day (in fact, largely by the first ball from Mitchell Starc) and even Cummins’ close contact with Covid caused barely a ripple. But with tougher challenges to come overseas and the future of Langer still uncertain, 2022 promises to be eventful as well.High point
The T20 World Cup knockout against Pakistan. When Shadab Khan spun through the middle order in the semi-final it looked like it might be over, but Stoinis and Wade repaid the faith in their new roles with a thrilling partnership. In the final Marsh sealed a triumphant story as Australia’s men finally claimed their missing piece of limited-overs silverware.Low point
For the second time in three years, an Australia Test captain resigned in tears. No one came out of the Tim Paine texting saga unscathed, from those involved in the past to the current set-up, and though for a while Paine clung to the hope of playing the Ashes, he soon took time away to manage his mental health.Results
Tests: P5 W3 L1 D1
ODIs: P3 W2 L1
T20Is: P22 W10 L12That kind of year: Bangladesh lost all five of their games against Pakistan in 2021, and didn’t do much better against other sides•AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh

by Mohammad Isam
Bangladesh aren’t going to look back fondly at 2021. The biggest event of the year, the T20 World Cup, went disastrously for them. They couldn’t recover from their shock loss to Scotland and lost all five of their matches in the Super 12s. They seemed the weakest team in the main event.Bangladesh have now lost their last ten international games, including three T20Is and two Tests against Pakistan at home. The year ended with them losing the Dhaka Test despite two and a half days being rained out.Although Bangladesh started the year with a 3-0 win over West Indies in the ODI series, they squandered a strong position in the Chattogram Test against the same opponents, which culminated in Kyle Mayers hitting a fourth-innings double-century to take his side to an improbable win. In the match after, West Indies outspun Bangladesh in Dhaka.Series losses in three formats in New Zealand and Sri Lanka, were followed by wins against Sri Lanka (in a home ODI series) and Zimbabwe. Then came a 4-1 win against Australia and a 3-2 one against New Zealand in home T20I series, but they didn’t mean much in light of the debacle that followed in the World Cup.Rather than building on their success in the mid-2010s, Bangladesh are now a team in freefall, with an aimless cricket board and a brittle team management in charge.High point
It later became the butt of all jokes after Bangladesh’s poor T20 World Cup campaign and Australia winning the trophy, but the big win in August against Australia was Bangladesh’s zenith in 2021. They wanted to win with spin, negating the batters’ impact, and they did it.Low point
The poor showing in the T20 World Cup exposed several negative aspects of the game in the country. The fact that they are a one-track wonder – only comfortable playing on spinning pitches at home – is the biggest worry going into a busy 2022.Results
Tests: P7 W1 L5 D1
ODIs: P12 W8 L4
T20Is: P27 W11 L16Joe Root’s personal best year in Test cricket coincided with an abysmal one for England in the format•Getty Images

England

by Andrew Miller
The “How it started vs how it’s going” meme might have been conceived with England’s 2021 journey in mind – a year that began with a very genuine hope that the Test team had cracked it, but ended with them cracked across the MCG like a basket of rotten eggs, after quite possibly the most pitiful Ashes challenge of all time.Between the highs of England’s three consecutive Test wins in Sri Lanka and India in January and February, and the lows of a 12-day Ashes drubbing, lay a tale of mismanagement, misfortune and missed straight ones. And by the end of it, the verdict was unanimous: England’s Test cricket has never been at a lower ebb.The reason why this fact was not clear from the outset lay in the preposterous, gravity-defying form of Joe Root, a man whose 1708 runs at 61.00 ended up being the third-highest tally for a calendar year in Test history, and more than three times as many runs as Rory Burns (530), the team’s next highest contributor.Such was Root’s serenity that a modicum of support could have kept England competitive. But with the spectre of Covid hanging over a packed schedule – coupled with England’s desire to mount a serious challenge for more white-ball silverware at the T20 World Cup in November – England’s Test focus wavered fatally during an arduous tour of India in February and March, and that winning feeling was lost before it could become a habit.Dispiriting home campaigns followed against New Zealand and India, the two best teams in the world, and though the latter does not yet count as a series loss due to the Covid outbreak that scuppered the fifth Test, by that stage Root’s lack of batting support had been exacerbated by wider concerns about the depth of England’s playing pool.As if the batting wasn’t sufficiently concerning, Jofra Archer succumbed to the first of two bouts of elbow surgery – a grievous blow to England’s hopes in both the Ashes and the World Cup – before Ben Stokes, the team’s talisman, took an indefinite break to manage a badly healed finger injury that he at one stage feared might end his career.Stokes returned at the eleventh hour for Australia, a tour that had been shrouded in similar doubt due to the country’s stringent Covid protocols. But like the team as a whole, his campaign never got out of the blocks.At least the white-ball squad maintained its high standards – had the toss not been such a crucial factor at the World Cup, they might have fared better than their semi-final finish, while the scratch ODI side that beat Pakistan 3-0 in July, following a Covid outbreak in the main squad, provided probably the most uplifting performance of the year. It wasn’t a whole lot of good news to fall back on.High point
Root’s flawless double-century in the first Test in Chennai. It was his third massive, match-winning hundred in the space of three Tests and we were barely a month into 2021.Low point
The Boxing Day Test in its entirety. A surrender so unconditional that England even managed to smuggle their best day of the series into a two-and-a-bit-day debacle. Roll on the whitewash.Results
Tests: P15 W4 L9 D2
ODIs: P9 W6 L2 NR1
T20Is: P17 W11 L6South Africa won four of five games at the T20 World Cup, but lost out on making the knockouts on net run rate•Matthew Lewis/ICC/Getty Images

South Africa

by Firdose Moonda
With as much action on the field as off it, South Africa endured another difficult year with middling results, long gaps between play, and more administrative issues.Inconsistency is the word that sums up their performances, with a Test series win over an under-strength Sri Lanka and in West Indies but comprehensive defeats to Pakistan away and India in the Boxing Day Test, which may yet prove decisive in India winning a first series in South Africa.After dropping points against Ireland, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, South Africa remain in a precarious position on the World Cup Super League table and notched up their worst win-loss record in the format since 2004. The only area of their game that demonstrated some sort of progress was T20, where they reeled off seven consecutive T20I wins, including three series wins (over West Indies, Ireland and Sri Lanka), equalling a record set in 2009.They remain a squad in the rebuilding phase: they handed out three new Test caps, four new ODI caps and seven T20 caps as they sought to recover from big-name retirements. The last of those came when Faf du Plessis stepped away from Test cricket in February and was not selected in white-ball formats, while Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers announced their all-format retirements.Behind the scenes, a new, mostly independent board took office and their most notable action was their instruction to the national team to collectively take the knee and their following through with the Social Justice and Nation Building (SJN) hearings.High point
Against all expectation, and the backdrop of camp chaos when Quinton de Kock refused to take a knee at the T20 World Cup, South Africa won four matches in a row and put themselves on the brink of the knockouts. They missed out on net run-rate, which usually would not be cause for celebration, but this was a team that barely put a foot wrong after losing to Australia. Most importantly, there was no choking.Low point

There are many to choose from, both on and off the field, including Australia’s non-arrival for the four Test series in March-April, the tentative findings of the SJN committee, which necessitate another investigation into some of the biggest names in the game, and some heavy defeats. Questions about whether things had reached rock bottom were raised when South Africa lost an ODI to Ireland as widespread unrest rocked the country along with a brutal third wave of the pandemic.Results
Tests: P6 W3 L3
ODIs: P10 W3 L5 NR2
T20Is: P23 W15 L8It was a difficult year for Afghanistan off the field and the Taliban’s takeover could affect their future in 2022•ICC via Getty

Afghanistan

by Peter Della Penna
For much of their modern existence, cricket structures in Afghanistan thrived despite the turmoil in the country. The team’s nomadic existence – they have never played an international on home soil – was undesirable, but it insulated them from the daily chaos experienced by the rest of their countrymen.However, the politics of Afghanistan became firmly intertwined with that of the cricket team in the second half of 2021 following the complete withdrawal of the American military presence in the country after nearly 20 years. The Taliban’s ensuing swift return to power had a major impact on cricket affairs. Both the ACB board chairman and CEO were replaced. Rashid Khan resigned as T20I captain before he ever led the team onto the field, citing his dissatisfaction over selections for the T20 World Cup squad, which he said he was never consulted about. And the majority of the coaching staff, led by Lance Klusener, did not have their contracts extended beyond the end of 2021.An Afghanistan team that doesn’t even exist on paper became the biggest discussion point of all. The women’s squad, which was awarded Test and ODI status despite never having played an ICC-sanctioned match, became a lightning rod for debate when the new government regime made clear their opposition to women competing in sport. The policy then became used as a reason for Australia to cancel what would have been their first Test against the Afghanistan men’s team. By the end of the year, Afghanistan were in the news more for the cricket they didn’t play – which also included a cancelled ODI series against Pakistan – than the games they did.High point
Sweeping a three-match ODI series against Ireland in January in Abu Dhabi to claim maximum points in the ODI Super League.Low point
The cancellation of what would have been Afghanistan’s maiden Test down under, in the wake of political upheaval.Results
Tests: P2 W1 L1

ODIs: P3 W3

T20Is: P8 W5 L3Zimbabwe’s ten-wicket win over Afghanistan was only their 13th in the format since their debut nearly 30 years ago•Abu Dhabi Cricket

Zimbabwe

by Firdose Moonda
Despite the pandemic, Zimbabwe fulfilled all but one of their scheduled series on the FTP. They travelled to play against Afghanistan and Ireland, and hosted Pakistan and Bangladesh, but the results didn’t go their way.But of the 28 matches they played, they won just eight – and only one each in Tests and ODIs. A welcome change was their T20I form – they played more games in the format than in any other calendar year and achieved their best results, including their first bilateral T20I series win (featuring more than one match) – against Scotland in September.Zimbabwe did not feature in the T20 World Cup after missing the qualifying event due to the temporary suspension of their board, but their form bodes relatively well for their chances of advancing to the 2022 edition.Conversely, the likelihood of them achieving direct entry into the 2023 50-over World Cup is slim. They are at the bottom of the 13-team Super League table, with only two wins from their nine matches, and it is all but confirmed they will need to play in a qualifying event.The year also marked the end of an era as former captain and Zimbabwe’s senior-most player, Brendan Taylor, retired from international cricket. Test captain Sean Williams also said he was stepping away but appeared to be reconsidering. Several senior players are understood to be unhappy with coach Lalchand Rajput, and their future with the team hinges on whether he stays on or not.Zimbabwe’s biggest cricket headline was the eight-year banning of former captain, coach, and arguably their best known cricketer. Heath Streak admitted to breaching the ICC’s anti-corruption code and will play no part in the game until at least 2029.High point
The T20I series win over Scotland ended the year well for Zimbabwe but their crowning moment of an otherwise difficult 2021 came when they beat Afghanistan (though lacking Rashid Khan) by ten wickets in the first Test in Abu Dhabi. Zimbabwe bowled Afghanistan out for under 150 in both innings, Blessing Muzarabani took six wickets in the match, and Williams’ century set them up for the win.Low point
Losing the second Test against Afghanistan, after being forced to follow on, with Rashid taking 11 wickets in the match. Zimbabwe also went on to lose the T20I series 3-0.Results
Tests: P5 W1 L4

ODIs: P6 W1 L4 NR1

T20Is: P17 W6 L11Stats current as of December 30, 2021Read the other team report cards here. More in our look back at 2021