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KKR are at No. 3 on the points table, while RCB are bottom, and have lost their last five games in a row

Hemant Brar20-Apr-20244:10

Bishop: If Narine is available, he walks straight into the WI T20I team

Match details

Kolkata Knight Riders (2nd; W4, L2) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (10th; W1, L6)
Kolkata, 1530 IST (1000 GMT)

Big picture – Narine vs RCB

With five defeats in a row, and just two points from seven games, RCB are fighting for survival. They are at the bottom of the points table and a defeat against KKR on Sunday will push them to the brink of elimination.To avoid that, their batters will have to win the battle against KKR’s spinners, especially Sunil Narine.Related

• 'That door is now closed' – Sunil Narine rules out West Indies comeback for T20 World Cup

• Clash of misfiring top orders as Titans and Kings seek crucial points

• IPL 2024, a turbo-charged, batter-dominated season like no other

• Powell is trying to get Narine to play T20 World Cup

• 'Attacking batting and not defensive bowling will win this IPL'

Virat Kohli has been the torch-bearer of RCB’s batting for years, but in the last few years, spin has proven to be his kryptonite in T20s. Since the start of 2020, his strike rate against spin is 113.52. During the same period, he has struck at 145.79 against pace.However, Kohli seems to have addressed this issue somewhat and has scored at a much more respectable 130.09 against spin in IPL 2024. He even dominated Narine (21 off 12) when these two sides met earlier in the tournament. But it will not be easy at Eden Gardens, especially if the pitch is on the slower side. Kohli’s overall record against Narine is not great either: 162 runs off 157 balls with four dismissals.And it’s not just Kohli. Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik have also struggled to score freely against Narine. Du Plessis has a strike rate of 77.14 against him and Karthik 119.29. So far this season, Narine has seven wickets in six games at an excellent economy of 6.87.Narine has been just as exceptional with the bat. Back as opener, and despite the two-bouncer rule, he has scored 276 runs at a strike rate of 187.75. Previously, fast bowlers would get him out with the short ball. This time, too, he has not looked in control against the short ball at all times, but has managed to survive and has made oppositions pay. RCB have already got a taste of that in their previous meeting with KKR.Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli have their jobs cut out•BCCI

Form guide

Kolkata Knight Riders LWLWW
Royal Challengers Bengaluru LLLLL

Previous meeting

Earlier in the season, KKR thrashed RCB by seven wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Batting first, RCB posted 182 for 6 with Kohli scoring an unbeaten 83 off 59 balls. In response, Narine smashed 47 off 22 balls and Venkatesh Iyer 50 off 30 as KKR chased down the target in the 17th over.

Team news and impact player strategy

Kolkata Knight Riders
Given the RCB batters’ sub-par record against spin, there is a case to play a third spinner, Suyash Sharma, in place of Vaibhav Arora. One of Suyash and Ramandeep Singh could be the impact player, depending on whether KKR are batting first or bowling.Probable XII: 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Rinku Singh, 8 , 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Harshit Rana, 12 Royal Challengers Bengaluru
With Glenn Maxwell on a break, Will Jacks is likely to continue at No. 3. RCB may consider bringing in Mayank Dagar for Yash Dayal. Anuj Rawat and Dagar could be their impact pair.Probable XII: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Faf du Plessis (capt), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Saurav Chauhan, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Mahipal Lomror, 8 , 9 Vijaykumar Vyshak, 10 Reece Topley, 11 Lockie Ferguson, 12 Mitchell Starc has started to pick up wickets but is still KKR’s most expensive bowler this season•BCCI

In the spotlight – Mitchell Starc and Faf du Plessis

Mitchell Starc, the most expensive buy in IPL history, started the season poorly but has started to show signs of settling in. Overall, though, in six games, he has just five wickets and his economy of 10.54 is the poorest among KKR’s frontline bowlers. With no other experienced seamer in the squad, KKR will need Starc to turn his season around sooner rather than later.Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik is having a dream season. He has consistently provided RCB with strong finishes and is their third-highest run-scorer with a tally of 226 in six innings. Among those who have scored at least 200 runs this season, his strike rate of 205.45 is the highest. In fact, in four of his six innings, he has struck at more than 230. If he continues in the same manner, he could even find himself in India’s T20 World Cup squad, which he said will be “the greatest feeling” for him at this stage of his career.

Pitch and conditions

So far this season, Eden Gardens has hosted three games. In two of those, 200 was breached in all four innings. In the third, KKR chased down 162 against Lucknow Super Giants in the 16th over. But it needs to be seen whether it will be another run fest or KKR will dish out a slightly different surface. Given it’s an afternoon game, there will be a temptation to bat first on winning the toss.Dinesh Karthik has brought out his best finisher’s self this IPL•Associated Press

Stats that matter

• Kohli has dominated Starc in T20 cricket: 45 balls, 80 runs, no dismissal
• Karthik has taken Andre Russell for 43 runs off 21 balls without being dismissed
• Reece Topley has dismissed Phil Salt three times in 16 balls while giving away only 17 runs
• Till Friday, 32 batters have faced 100 or more balls this season. Among those, Shreyas Iyer’s strike rate of 122.80 is second lowest
• RCB have the poorest economy rate in the powerplay this season: 10.54. KKR are the second-poorest with 9.83

Quotes

“It’s not the most talented team that goes on to win the IPL. It’s the most courageous team, that’s willing to fight till the last drop of blood, will go on to win the IPL.”
“The belief is definitely there. If you don’t have belief, there is no point playing a tournament like the IPL. Every year there will be a couple of teams at this stage trying to find their feet and there have been so many instances when they have picked up and won the matches. We believe that if we can do something special and win a few matches, we could get that momentum – that interesting word that always happens in the IPL – and use that to our confidence.”

Whirlwind hundred against former team leaves Kent facing final-day fight to save game

ECB Reporters Network14-Apr-2024Essex 530 for 7 dec and 254 for 7 (Cox 116*) lead Kent 413 (Compton 165, Bell-Drummond 135, Critchley 5-105) by 374 runs Jordan Cox pulverised his former Kent team-mates with a whirlwind century as Essex piled on the runs towards a declaration in the Vitality County Championship at Chelmsford.Cox, 23, reached his first three-figure score for his new county with a mighty six over square leg, one of six sixes in an unbeaten 116 as Essex raced to 257 for 4 and a lead of 374 in 40 over in a lengthy evening session. The fast accumulation of runs was necessary with rain and high winds forecast for the final day.Earlier Ben Compton had weighed anchor for more than eight-and-a-half hours to help Kent avoid the follow-on by 33 runs. The obdurate left-hander was last man out for 165, his highest score for Kent, eked from 263 balls and spliced sparingly with 18 boundaries.That Essex were able to get so close to asking Kent to go straight back in was due to an inspired spell from legspinning allrounder Matt Critchley, following up his career-high 151 with 5 for 105, his best figures since moving from Derbyshire in 2022.Wickets had been scarce on day two, but things were soon back to normal. Daniel Bell-Drummond had added just a single to his overnight score when he was late on a straight one from Jamie Porter. He had been in the middle for 73 overs with Compton while putting on 224 for the second wicket.It was the breakthrough Essex needed after waiting so long. They had taken the new ball at the start of the day and it quickly accounted for Jack Leaning in Porter’s next over, lbw to one that jagged in, before Shane Snater removed Joe Denly’s leg stump to claim his 100th first-class wicket.It was then over to Critchley, who flipped from end to end, taking wickets at both. Harry Finch misdrove to a stooping mid-off to the first ball of a brief spell from the river end, Jaydn Denly lunged extravagantly to loop a ball from the opposite end into short leg’s hands and Wes Agar toppled forward to fall lbw as Critchley reverted to his original starting point.However, that only brought in Nathan Gilchrist who pulled Critchley and Simon Harmer for sixes as he contributed 33 towards the first fifty of a 88-run stand with the immovable Compton.Gilchrist was finally out for a career-high of 41 from 64 balls, having helped Kent avoid the follow-on, before edging Critchley behind where Michael Pepper grabbed the catch at the second attempt. Critchley’s fourth career five-wicket haul was confirmed when Matt Parkinson thick-edged to slip.Compton, 100 not out at start of play, watched the wickets tumble from the other end. He played one of the shots of the day when he rocked back and drove Harmer through the covers for four. But he was denied the honour of carrying his bat, bowled around his legs attempting to sweep Harmer.When Essex batted for a second time, Dean Elgar survived a chance to Agar’s third ball, dropped at the third attempt by a diving Finch. Elgar made Kent pay with 34 from 48 balls before Garrett trapped him lbw.Kent had broken through when Feroze Khushi watched in horror as an injudicious pull off Agar ended up in deep midwicket’s hands. Agar had a second wicket when Tom Westley played all around one and was lbw.Cox quickly found his range, twice reverse-sweeping Parkinson for boundaries and then slamming two fours through midwicket and a six over extra cover in a Parkinson over that cost 19. That wasn’t the end of the T20-style innings as sixes rained around Chelmsford. The ubiquitous Critchley hit 25 from 23 balls in a quickfire 87-run partnership with Cox before being bowled by Parkinson while Pepper helped add 91 for the unbroken fifth wicket.

His tenure is now scheduled to end in mid-2027, by when Ireland’s qualification status for the ODI World Cup will be known

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2024Heinrich Malan has agreed to a two-year contract extension as head coach of the Ireland men’s team. Malan, who had secured a three-year contract upon being appointed in January 2022, will now continue to hold onto the role until mid-2027.The decision comes with the aim of Malan helping Ireland qualify for the 2027 ODI World Cup, slated for October and November. The 14-team event will comprise hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, the top-eight ranked teams excluding the hosts, and four teams from the World Cup Qualifier in 2026, which means that Ireland’s qualification status will be known by the end of Malan’s tenure.Ireland were unable to qualify for the previous two ODI World Cups, which were ten-team events, but featured in both T20 World Cups and defeated eventual champions England in the group stage of the last edition. They claimed their first-ever Test victory by beating Afghanistan in February and now head over to the Caribbean for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which starts on June 1.Related

• Ireland's players get revised central contracts with pay raise

• Ireland already 'building towards 2027' as World Cup prep overshadows ODI series

Malan spoke about his role and the team’s ambitions ahead of Ireland’s departure. “I am delighted with the extension as it provides the squad and coaching staff a great deal more certainty as we build upon the foundations we have put in place over the last two years.”We are now a three-format squad and – despite our smaller talent pool to draw from compared to other Full Members – we have been gradually building a sustainable structure that ensures we can continue to compete and improve on all three fronts.”This work has borne fruit in two successful T20 World Cup qualifying campaigns and in our recent Test success. But we are all conscious that we’ve missed out on playing in the last two 50-over world cups, and qualification for the 2027 tournament will be one of the focus areas across the next three years.”Malan’s extension comes after Ireland’s players secured revised central contracts, including pay raises, after negotiation. Extending his contract was a “very straightforward decision,” according to Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director of Cricket Ireland.”Over the last 18 months or so, the team has improved significantly in the T20 format which was our weakest format,” Holdsworth said. “His research into what world-class looks like, and the data he has gathered around the T20 format globally, has led to the production of a blueprint for the Ireland Men’s team.”Malan will join forces with captain Paul Stirling – who took over from Andy Balbirnie, after Ireland failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup – and the duo’s first ICC event comes on the back of the team beating Pakistan for the first time in T20Is and winning a tri-series against Netherlands and Scotland.”With new leadership in white-ball cricket, the relationship between Heinrich and the two captains has been key,” Holdsworth said. “This goes from strength-to-strength, and we now have a key focus on strategic planning towards the 2027 Cricket World Cup in mind. I look forward to seeing what the next three years brings.”Ireland will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against India on June 5 in New York and are part of Group A, along with Canada, USA, India and Pakistan.Malan has had extensive coaching stints in New Zealand before being appointed as Ireland’s head coach two years ago. He is a former middle-order batter and medium-fast bowler, who played first-class cricket in South Africa from 2005 to 2009.

“Up to them to decide how they’re going to take their games forward,” says coach after India defeat

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-20243:15

Kirsten: ‘Pakistan made poor decisions at important phases’

Gary Kirsten has issued a stark warning to his players that they face being left behind by the modern game if they don’t improve, as the repercussions after two straight losses in the T20 World Cup 2024 begin.Pakistan lost to India in New York on Sunday in a tight game, failing to chase a target of 120. That, coupled with a shock Super Over loss to USA in their opening game in Dallas last week, means their chances of progressing to the Super Eight are already out of their own hands. For Kirsten, who began officially as Pakistan’s white-ball coach a week before the tournament began, the start could not have been any rockier.Related

• Chance for Canada to shut the door on Pakistan's stumbling World Cup campaign

• Bumrah spearheads India's defence of 119; Pakistan on brink of elimination

• Kirsten bemoans Pakistan's 'poor decision-making'

• Old debate, simple answer: Pakistan's batting just not very good

Asked after the loss to India whether the team had put themselves under too much pressure, Kirsten agreed.”You are pretty much spot-on,” he said. “These guys are all international players and they’re aware that when they’re not performing at their best that there’s going to be pressure put on them. That’s understandable, but a lot of these guys have played a lot of T20 cricket around the world over many, many years and it’s really up to them to decide how they’re going to take their games forward.”Kirsten didn’t take names, but Pakistan have retained a strong T20 core through the last three World Cup campaigns now. Seven of the XI that played in New York against India were part of the team that lost the semi-final to Australia in November 2021. Six from yesterday’s XI were in the side that lost to England in the final a year later at the MCG.The scrutiny will fall on the captain Babar Azam and his opening partner Mohammad Rizwan, each of whom have top-scored in the two games but with innings that divided opinion for their strike rate and notable lack of intent. Their approach has been consistent through the three campaigns and though Pakistan experimented with the opening partnership in the run-up to the event, Kirsten said there was “concern around how we can put our innings together and structure it”.Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf have also been part of both previous campaigns and though the bowling has mostly held up its end of the bargain – and came in for praise from Kirsten yesterday – the decline in Shadab’s legspin has hurt Pakistan.Kirsten acknowledged that he still needed time to take better stock of the situation but was clear that players needed to evolve as the format did.”As I said, I’ve only been here a handful of days. I’m having a look into the environment and looking at what the issues are. I look at these players, I’ve watched them play many, many years on TV and kind of getting to know them, they’re fantastic guys. They’re playing for their country, so they really are pumped. I mean, there’s a lot of very disappointed guys in the change room now.”I think for me the most important thing for every international player is that you continue growing and developing as a player, and understanding what the demands of international competition are. The game is changing pretty much every year. So, if you’re not up to it and you’re not improving, you’re going to get found out somewhere.”Former captain Wasim Akram, who was commentating on the game, went further and called for a clear-out from the current team. Though Akram did not take names, he said the nature of the defeat meant somebody had to “bell the cat now”.”Enough is enough. We need changes now. Bring in a new team, six to seven players and then back them through losses so they can develop as a team. It’s time for the PCB chairman to take a bold step. We keep hearing [of the team] that this guy isn’t talking to that guy, or that guy isn’t talking to him. This was the best New York pitch so far, it wasn’t that difficult. How difficult was it to chase 120?”After this performance I don’t think Pakistan deserve to go into the Super Eight.”1:47

Mumtaz: PCB needs to provide leadership skills to players

Shahid Afridi, another former captain, was also far from pleased with what he saw. “The Pakistan batting line-up simply isn’t clicking and what we saw was a weak display of power hitting,” Afridi wrote in his column for the ICC. “For several reasons, this game [against India] wasn’t about playing aggressively. But strategy and smart cricket were required to get the run chase over the line, and those qualities are exactly what Pakistan lacked.”I think now is the time for Gary Kirsten and Babar Azam to make some changes. I would like to see Salman Ali Agha [he is not part of the T20 World Cup squad] come into the side in place of Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed to come in for Shadab Khan.”Most of all, I believe Fakhar Zaman should be promoted to open the innings alongside Mohammad Rizwan, with Babar dropping down to number three.”There are some tough conversations and choices to come but we need to remember that there is still hope: Pakistan are not out of the tournament yet.”

Ollie Robinson double-strike hastens Northants’ demise on third morning

ECB Reporters Network02-Jul-2024Sussex quick bowler Nathan McAndrew took five wickets, including two in three balls, to power his county to victory over Northamptonshire and cement their place at the top of the Vitality County Championship Division Two.Australian overseas signing McAndrew, who removed both openers on day two, finished with figures of 5 for 73 as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 220, Sussex winning by 63 runs.A short, fiery spell from overlooked England seamer Ollie Robinson did the early damage in gloomy, drizzly conditions. Robinson found plenty of bounce and carry to remove both not out Northamptonshire batters, Matthew Breetzke and Rob Keogh, inside the first 20 minutes of this third morning at Wantage Road. It was a spell which effectively dashed the hosts’ remaining hopes of chasing 284 to win.While Robinson went off with a niggle soon afterwards, Sussex kept the pressure on, removing the in-form Lewis McManus cheaply before a stubborn eighth wicket partnership of 50 in 14 overs between Justin Broad (45) and Ben Sanderson (24) kept Northamptonshire in the chase.But McAndrew, playing the second of two Championship matches this summer, then returned to take the last three wickets to earn his side their fifth win of the summer.Northamptonshire had started the day on 137 for 4 – still needing another 147 to pull off a first win of the season. But they soon lost South African T20 international Breetzke when he pulled out of a pull shot against Robinson, only for the ball to climb and take the edge through to keeper John Simpson.Robinson then got another pacy delivery to lift sharply with Keogh only able to edge through to Jack Carson at fourth slip before Sean Hunt accounted for McManus, caught behind, to leave Northamptonshire in trouble at 155 for 7, having lost three wickets for 11 in seven overs.Broad and Sanderson dug in to keep Northamptonshire’s hopes alive, running sharp ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but unafraid to put the bad balls away.Sanderson showed his batting credentials with a glorious on drive past the bowler for four to get off the mark against Hunt before clipping Fynn Hudson-Prentice off his legs through midwicket for another boundary.In neat symmetry, Broad, who drove Robinson straight down the ground for four to bring up Northamptonshire’s 150, reverse swept the left-arm spin of James Coles for another boundary to take the hosts past 200.The decision to reintroduce McAndrew into the attack proved inspired when, in his first over, he removed Sanderson, who chipped straight to Dan Hughes at mid-on. Then, two balls later, the bowler accounted for Raphy Weatherall with an unplayable inswinging yorker.Broad still showed belief though, taking the attack to McAndrew, ramping over the keeper for four, smashing over midwicket for six and carving the ball square for another boundary. The bowler ultimately had the last word though and when Broad attempted to swing him over fine leg, Coles took the catch in the deep.

Captain Tammy Beaumont’s unbeaten half-century secures nine-wicket win at Southern Brave

ECB Media14-Aug-2024Hayley Matthews continued her remarkable all-round form as Welsh Fire cruised to a commanding nine-wicket victory over bottom side Southern Brave at the Utilita Bowl. The margin of victory ultimately guaranteed the Fire top spot and progression to the Hundred’s final on Sunday at Lord’s.The Barbadian, opening the bowling, delivered figures of 4 for 14 with her offbreaks, before her unbeaten 35, in the slipstream of Tammy Beaumont’s 59 not out off 40 balls, helped the visitors knock off their target with 26 balls to spare.Fire’s win put them in a strong position, due to their superior net run rate, to finish in top spot and qualify automatically for their first Hundred final. Their progress was confirmed when Oval Invincibles failed to chase their 92-run target inside 58 balls against Trent Rockets later on Wednesday afternoon, which would have been enough to leapfrog the Fire on net run-rate.”I think we’ve been really good,” Matthews said. “When you look at our line-up, we’ve got a lot of experience, and we’ve played on that really well.”The bowlers have done a really good job at making sure we don’t have to chase too big of a total. I think it’s been a complete team performance and that’s where we’ve performed really well, everyone’s been chipping in and playing their role.”Tammy Beaumont’s half-century set up Welsh Fire’s win•ECB via Getty Images

After Beaumont put the Brave in at the toss, Matthews dismissed the in-form Danni Wyatt, caught at deep midwicket, before Smriti Mandhana departed four balls later to the pace of Shabnim Ismail, to leave the Brave 15 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.And Brave were quickly four down when Jess Jonassen had Georgia Adams stumped, before Maia Bouchier fell to give Matthews her second after Phoebe Franklin held onto a superb diving catch in the deep.Wickets continued to fall. Freya Kemp got a feather to a Jonassen arm-ball, Naomi Dattani was bowled by a beauty from Matthews, and when Kalea Moore was stumped two balls later, the Brave were tottering on 47 for 7.Chloe Tryon singlehandedly rescued the innings with an aggressive 55 (38), dominating the latter stages with boundaries down the ground and through the cover region, adding 52 with keeper-bat, Rhianna Southby.Despite this mini-fightback, the result rarely looked in doubt after the Fire’s flying start, with 34 runs posted before the loss of Sophia Dunkley to the final ball of the powerplay.Beaumont was especially strong on anything loose, working the field with sweeps and cuts, while Matthews picked the gaps behind square as the former reached her half-century in just 31 balls. The pair put on 72 in 54 deliveries to ensure Fire roared into the latter stages of the competition.

The Sri Lanka pair is currently recovering from injuries

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Aug-2024The Sri Lanka pair of Wanindu Hasaranga and Nuwan Thushara will not be available to play for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in CPL 2024. Both players had suffered injuries during the recent white-ball series at home against India.Patriots have signed Tabraiz Shamsi and Anrich Nortje as replacements for Hasaranga and Thushara.While slinger Thushara was ruled out of the entire series with a finger injury, Hasaranga played all three T20Is and the first ODI before being sidelined with a hamstring injury.Related

• CPL 2024 FAQs: New team, new players, new intrigues

• South Africa call up Under-19 World Cup star Maphaka for West Indies T20Is

• Thushara out of India T20Is with broken finger

Nortje is yet to make his CPL debut but Shamsi is a familiar name at the league, having played 32 games, including 27 for Patriots. Shamsi has taken 33 wickets in those matches for Patriots at an economy rate of 7.06.Nortje and Shamsi will reunite with their South Africa team-mate Tristan Stubbs at Patriots. The side had finished last in CPL 2023, with just a solitary win in ten games.

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots squad for CPL 2024

Kyle Mayers, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rilee Rossouw, Evin Lewis, Sherfane Rutherford, Sikandar Raza, Anrich Nortje, Andre Fletcher, Tristan Stubbs, Dominic Drakes, Mikyle Louis, Odean Smith, Joshua da Silva, Veerasammy Permaul, Ryan John, Ashmead Nedd, Johann Layne

CWI has offered two-year contracts for the first time, even as senior bowler Kemar Roach is a notable absentee

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2024In an unprecedented move, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has awarded multi-year contracts to its top cricketers – both men and women – including men’s ODI captain Shai Hope, and women’s white-ball captain Hayley Matthews.It comes on the back of a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in January 2024 between CWI and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA). The contract period starts from October 1, 2024 for all players, and ends on September 30, 2025 for those on a one-year contract, but on September 30, 2026 for the multi-year awarded players.Overall, 15 men’s players have been offered contracts, with six of those earning two-year deals. Hope aside, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie and Jayden Seales were given multi-year contracts. Among the women, Stafanie Taylor and Shemaine Campbelle joined Matthews on the multi-year contracts list.Related

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“CWI has committed to maintaining open and honest dialogue with players, and being practical about the realities of the modern game,” Miles Bascombe, the board’s director of cricket, said in a statement. “The players have responded in kind, and the acceptance of multi-year contracts is an indication of clarity, confidence and commitment on both sides. I’d like to congratulate the entire contracted cohort on their performances in the last assessment period, and I look forward to them building on those in next one.”Senior fast bowler Kemar Roach, who is a notable absentee from the contracts list, is currently in discussions about a dual playing and mentor role as he prepares for the next stage of his career.Batter Kavem Hodge won his first central contract after having scored a vital first-innings 71 in West Indies’ first Test victory in Australia in 28 years, in Brisbane this January. Hodge then went on to score his maiden Test hundred, against England at Trent Bridge in July, earlier this year.Meanwhile, allrounder Roston Chase was the only other new entrant to the contracts list. He was among West Indies’ key players in their run to the Super Eight during the 2024 T20 World Cup. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, though, missed out on a West Indies central contract, and will take up a franchise retainer contract with Guyana Harpy Eagles.Among the women’s players, allrounder Ashmini Munisar received her maiden West Indies contract.

WI men’s contracts

Two-year deals: Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie and Jayden Seales
One-year deals: Alick Athanaze, Kraigg Brathwaite, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Kavem Hodge, Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell

WI women’s contracts

Two-year deals: Shemaine Campbelle, Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor
One-year deals: Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Rashada Williams and Ashmini Munisar

Bad light ended play early, but hosts were 81 ahead, recovering despite an early burst from Kagiso Rabada

Mohammad Isam23-Oct-2024Bad light forced the third day’s play of the Dhaka Test to be called off at 4pm local time, an hour before the scheduled end of the day. Bangladesh fought back in the game and now lead by 81 runs, with South Africa still short of three wickets. The hosts ended the day on 283 for 7, thanks mainly to half-centuries from Mehidy Hasan Miraz and the debutant Jaker Ali.Play was stopped at 3.17pm after 17 minutes of play under floodlights at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. There was earlier a 78-minute stoppage due to rain from 1.42pm onwards. This is unseasonal rain in Bangladesh due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal, which is forecast to turn into a cyclone on Wednesday.Mehidy was Bangladesh’s saviour on the day with his fourth half-century this year, once again saving the team’s blushes from a difficult position. They were 112 for 6, from where Mehidy and Jaker added 138 runs for the seventh wicket. It is Bangladesh’s third century stand from the seventh wicket in their last five Tests.Mehidy struck nine fours and a six in his 171-ball stay on the third day, batting confidently enough to pass some of that confidence to Jaker, who had got only 2 in the first innings. But the day had started horribly for Bangladesh, who lost three wickets in the first 30 minutes of play, with a Test to save.Kagiso Rabada had removed both of Bangladesh’s overnight batters Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Mushfiqur Rahim by the fourth over of the day. Mahmudul edged a wide one, giving first slip an easy catch after making 40. Rabada then blew away Mushfiqur’s middle stump later in the over with a delivery that was similar to his dismissal of the same batter in the first innings; while Mushfiqur lost two stumps on the first day, this time it was the middle pole which came off.When Litton Das was caught behind off Keshav Maharaj shortly afterwards, Bangladesh slipped to 112 for 6, and were in danger of an innings defeat on the third day. Mehidy and Jaker then stepped in, battling through a tough first session, and helping Bangladesh go past South Africa’s 202-run first-innings lead.Jaker, who played second fiddle to Mehidy, struck the ball nicely through the covers. He pinched two fours through fine leg too, one of them getting him to a half-century. Jaker hammered Rabada with a confident pull shot too. He also took three fours off Rabada, twice through the off side and once through a pull.Mehidy, meanwhile, was mainly effective against Maharaj, hitting him for four boundaries through the covers – sometimes even lofted ones, but mostly along the ground. He generally handled spin well, as Bangladesh got within one run of South Africa’s lead at lunch.An hour into the second session, rain stopped play for 78 minutes. Before the rain break, Jaker reached had his maiden Test fifty. He fell lbw to Maharaj after getting beaten trying to turn the ball on the leg side. The umpire gave it out despite a casual appeal from the visitors, but replays showed it was the correct decision. Jaker struck seven fours in his 111-ball stay.

Bavuma was proactive and Verreynne stable to ensure Sri Lanka’s pacers, who were effective, could not skittle the hosts

Firdose Moonda05-Dec-2024Ryan Rickelton scored a first Test century in his eighth match and became the eighth batter for South Africa to bring up a hundred in 2024 on an evenly shared day at St George’s Park.After choosing to bat first in blustery conditions, South Africa teetered on 44 for 3 in the morning session but a 133-run fourth wicket stand between Rickelton and Temba Bavuma, who brought up his third successive score over fifty, saw them take control. They were rocked again at 186 for 5 but Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne put on 77 for the sixth-wicket to re-steady them. Sri Lanka came back with two late wickets in the day and will eye dismissing South Africa for under 300 and making the most of what are expected to be good batting conditions on day two.Sri Lanka, who wanted to bowl first on a surface with a significant grass covering and got their wish despite losing the toss, will feel fairly pleased with their performance, especially as their seamers asked plenty of questions. Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando found just enough movement upfront while Lahiru Kumara was used effectively in bursts and all three were threatening with the short ball. They were not helped by two chances being put down and a few others falling short. But on what is usually a good batting surface on the first day, they will be pleased with their efforts.Temba Bavuma notched up his third fifty-plus score in as many innings•AFP/Getty Images

South Africa’s decision not only to include an extra batter but to use Rickelton in his preferred position paid off. This was the first time he has batted in Tests at No. 3, a position where he has a domestic average of 60.68, and he showed his suitability to being higher up the order. Called on as early as the second over Rickelton batted for most of the day. He showed restraint upfront and then pounced on any width. He was dismissed with eight minutes left in the day’s play and would have been disappointed to have played at a Kumara ball outside off and edged to gully but that was after he had demonstrated some of South Africa’s batting depth after an early wobble.Asitha, who took the new ball after Vishwa, struck with his first ball when he had Tony de Zorzi given out lbw to an inswinging yorker for a duck. De Zorzi reviewed but both impact and wickets-projection were umpire’s calls and the decision stood. Then, Kumara became the fifth Sri Lankan seamer to reach 100 Test wickets when he bowled Aiden Markram, who tried to drive a delivery that nipped back into him to end what could have become a dangerous innings. Markram struck four fours in his 20 and was unafraid to throw his hands at anything wide. Four overs later, Tristan Stubbs, in his first Test at his home ground, reached for a wide Kumara delivery with hard hands and edged to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, who took a good catch moving to his right.That brought Bavuma, brimming with confidence from his Kingsmead ton, to join Rickelton. Bavuma flicked the fifth ball he faced off Prabath Jayasuriya behind square to bring up South Africa’s fifty. He played some deft strokes including steers between second and third slip and through point. He rode the bounce well and finished the morning session by hitting Jayasuriya over midwicket and out of the ground for six. South Africa got into gear immediately after lunch and took ten runs off the second over of the session. Bavuma was particularly assertive on the drive and in the area through point, where he hit the single that brought up his fifty. It came off 57 balls, his second fastest in Tests after the 52-ball fifty in the innings where he scored his maiden hundred.Asitha Fernando kept South Africa in check•AFP/Getty Images

Rickelton was more cautious and took 122 balls to reach fifty and never got ahead of himself even as things seemed easier against the spinners. As tea approached, Sri Lanka brought on Asitha for a short-ball burst and it worked. Bavuma tried to hook the last ball of Asitha’s 11th over and edged to Kusal.David Bedingham got to tea but was then determined to play as attackingly as possible. He swiped at the fifth ball he faced, from Asitha, and sent it up over the on-side. Three fielders were converging on it and Vishwa, from deep midwicket called for it and caught it momentarily but the chance slipped out of his hands. Two overs later, Bedingham went for it again, this time to a short ball that he top-edged to fine leg. Dinesh Chandimal was the only fielder out there and settled under the ball but it went straight through him. Bedingham’s luck ran out when he tried to take on Jayasuriya, advanced down the track, missed a slog and was bowled.Asitha almost had Verreynne gloving a short ball in the next over but he survived. Runs, however, dried up. South Africa scored 17 runs in 12 overs post tea and Rickelton added only four runs to his total before he broke the shackles by scything Kumara through point for four. Verreynne used the crease well to manufacture scoring opportunities and the pair ran well as the second new ball approached. Rickelton was in the 90s then and got to 98 with a cover drive before being given out lbw off Vishwa. He reviewed, reluctantly it seemed, and Ultra-Edge showed a spike. Two balls later, he hit the ball straight past Verreynne to bring up a 231-ball hundred to much applause.Sri Lanka took the second new ball as soon as it became available and were rewarded with Rickelton’s wicket. Marco Jansen smoked the first ball he faced through the covers for four but was bowled on the last ball of the day as Vishwa, who had toiled without success through the day, broke through his defences.