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South Africa’s Dean Elgar has voiced his displeasure with what he believed was a “result wicket” in Mohali

Sidharth Monga in Mohali05-Nov-20150:45

‘We knew India would prepare wickets like this’ – Elgar

After India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar had repeatedly defended the track in Mohali, Dean Elgar, the opening batsman who nearly doubled his career wicket tally with a four-wicket haul, was asked what he thought of the pitch.”Honestly?” he asked, and looked hesitantly at the South Africa media manager, without drawing any reaction from her whatsoever. Then he went on regardless: “I don’t think it’s a very good cricket wicket. It is my personal opinion. It is a result wicket, which is expected when you come here. But kudos to India, they are obviously going to prepare wickets like these against us, I’m sure. And we know coming here, it was going to be very different from what we are used to. So it’s not a very good cricket wicket, but it is a result wicket, which can go either way.”It was a dry pitch, something Sunil Gavaskar said at the pitch report he had “never seen before”. The middle part of the pitch was flat and low, and the good length scuffed up, offering slow but generous turn. It negated the South Africa fast bowlers, and brought it down to spin and reverse swing. India, not quite equal to the task, squandered the advantage of batting first and were bowled out on 201.”It is a very challenging wicket,” Bangar said. “I am not saying it is a good wicket or a bad wicket, but it is a very challenging wicket wherein run-making is not easy so I would say it looks 201 on the board, but it is actually worth far more than 201.”Bangar was asked that while the home advantage exists, what he thought of the pitch offering so much turn so early in the game. “When an Indian team goes overseas, you cannot say that the extent of seam movement, or the extent of movement in the air, there should be a fixed criteria,” Bangar said. “‘Okay if it swings this much or if it seams this much then only they are the ideal conditions. The extent of spin, seam or swing is something that cannot be fixed or measured. It is a challenge for all the batsmen. Equally taking wickets or scoring runs on such tracks is an art. Players will have to apply all their skills.”I don’t think it started to spin from the first over. In the first half it really played well. Most of the wickets, if you see, they were not really [because of spin]. The ball didn’t really turn that much. I think it is a mental skill and a mental challenge for the batsmen to score runs on such wickets.”Elgar disagreed with the notion that green tracks outside Asia posed a similar challenge. “Well I’m sure it has its flip side as well,” Elgar said. “I would think that generally when cricket is played on a green wicket, it lasts longer than it does on a spinning wicket. But yeah, I’m not really talking too much about this wicket. Mentioned what I wanted to mention and that’s it.”When asked to compare it with the tracks in Sri Lanka and what he tried to do on this pitch, Elgar said all he had to do in Mohali was land it in “half-decent” areas. “It [the pitch] is a lot different,” Elgar said. “It is like a day-four wicket now, the way I see it. So I batted on day one in Sri Lanka most days. So it is a lot different.”With regards to my bowling, I think a lot of times when the batters face me, they don’t want to go after me, and they become a little tentative. Fortunately the wicket had broken up quite a bit and there was quite a bit of rough. I just tried to land in a half-decent area. It worked out for me. I’m thankful that the batters were a little tentative against me, which is quite nice and worked in my favour and hopefully I can carry on.”The pitch has been a matter of much speculation leading up to the Test, not least because of India’s recent demands for tracks that turn from ball one. The Indian camp remained tight-lipped about how the pitch was likely to behave, or even whether they were satisfied with what Daljit Singh, the Mohali curator, had rolled out for them. There was a long conversation between the team leadership – Virat Kohli and the assistant coaches – and Daljit three days before the Test after which brushes made of intertwined coir rope were used to dust parts of the surface. A groundsman said this was being done to bring some sheen to the surface. It must also be kept in mind this surface has not been relaid for 23 years.Daljit is perhaps the only curator in the country who takes the reporters next to the pitch and explains to them the nature of the track and how it is expected to behave. This time, though, for some reason, he had that customary chat at the edge of the square, which meant nobody was allowed to see the pitch in the lead-up to the Test. Daljit was also uncharacteristically cagey about predicting the behaviour of the pitch.

A round-up of all the Group A Ranji Trophy matches from round eight on November 24, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Ashok Dinda’s best figures in Ranji Trophy helped Bengal climb to the top of the points table•PTI

Forty wickets fell in a little over a day and a half as Bengal beat Odisha by 133 runs in Kalyani to throw their hat into the qualifying race for the knockouts. Ashok Dinda ran riot by picking up 7 for 22 on a surface that was termed a “paddy field” by Rashmi Parida, the Odisha coach, as the visitors were bundled out for 37.Bengal, who made 142 in the first innings thanks largely to Abhimanyu Easwaran’s 88, were shot out for 135 in the second innings, with Basant Mohanty taking five wickets. Chasing 170, Odisha faced the danger of finishing with their lowest-ever score in the tournament’s history at 22 for 9. But such an ignominy was avoided thanks to the 15-run alliance between Jayanta Behera and Dhiraj Singh for the last wicket, which incidentally was the highest partnership for Odisha. Their previous lowest was 35 against Bihar in 1958-59.The win helped Bengal move to 25 points, which meant five teams were in with a chance of securing three quarter-final berths from the group.
ScorecardDefending champions Karnataka held the aces in their marquee clash in Hubli as Delhi were buried under an avalanche of runs. Karnataka, who resumed on 358 for 3, were bowled out for 542 a little after tea, with Manish Pandey (81) and R Vinay Kumar, the captain, (50) continuing the good work done by Robin Uthappa and Mayank Agarwal on the opening day.All the middle order batters – Karun Nair (39), CM Gautam (37) and Shreyas Gopal (29) – were guilty of frittering away starts as Delhi looked set to dismiss Karnataka inside 450. But Vinay’s defiance helped the hosts drive forward, even as the new ball pair of Navdeep Saini and Pradeep Sangwan impressed again by picking up three wickets apiece. S Aravind then broke a 47-run opening stand by sending back Unmukt Chand, but Gautam Gambhir (33) and Dhruv Shorey (4) ensured they would be no further casualties. As things stand, it looks like there is only one team with a realistic chance of pressing for full points from this fixture.
ScorecardAs many as eight batsmen got into double figures, with the highest being Ashok Menaria, who made 47, as Rajasthan finished with 279 to open up a 167-run lead over Haryana in their quest to avoid being the bottom scrappers of the group. The 71-run stand for the fifth wicket between Menaria and Siddharth Dobal (43) was the highest of the innings. That the lead was restricted to below 200 was largely due to the efforts of Mohit Sharma, who finished with 5 for 56, after Haryana were bowled out for 112 on the opening day.Their openers began well in the second dig to end the day at 62 without loss, thereby bringing the deficit down to 105 when stumps were drawn in Lahli.
ScorecardArun Karthik brought up his third century of the season as Assam overcame a top-order meltdown at the MCA Stadium in Pune. They were tottering at 18 for 3 after being sent in to bat on a green top, with Anupam Sanklecha and Samad Fallah doing the early damage. Karthik found able assistance from Gokul Sharma, the captain, who was unbeaten on 59. Their fifth-wicket stand of 130 went a long way in restoring parity for Assam, who are in the mix for a quarter-final berth after securing three wins in the tournament so far.

Hardus Viljoen, the Lions pacer, has been called in as cover for the injured Kyle Abbott ahead of the New Year’s Test in Cape Town

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Dec-2015South Africa’s depleted pace attack has been supplied with further reinforcements after Hardus Viljoen was called up as cover for Kyle Abbott ahead of the Cape Town Test. Abbott suffered tightness in his left hamstring during South Africa’s heavy defeat to England in Durban.Dale Steyn is already a major doubt after suffering a shoulder injury while bowling in England’s second innings, which increased the workload for South Africa’s three-man pace attack. Abbott bowled 45.4 overs at Kingsmead, picking up two wickets, as South Africa lost by 241 runs.There is just a two-day gap before the start of the New Year’s Test, giving Abbott and Morne Morkel precious little recovery time. South Africa are also without Vernon Philander, after he tore ankle ligaments on the tour of India.”With a short turnaround between the first and second Tests, we’ve included Hardus in the squad as a precautionary measure to cover all our bases,” convener of selectors Linda Zondi said.South Africa’s captain, Hashim Amla, said that Steyn would undergo a fitness test on Friday, suggesting “there may be a necessary change there”. Kagiso Rabada is Steyn’s most likely replacement, although Chris Morris has also joined the squad along with Quinton de Kock.”The fact that he didn’t bowl in the second innings and with it being only a two-day turnaround… I hope he does play. But let’s leave it for Friday,” Amla said of Steyn.Uncapped Viljoen, who has 295 wickets from 73 first-class matches, has been in fine form for Lions, picking up 20 wickets in the first two rounds of matches in South Africa’s first-class competition. He was the second-leading wicket-taker last season but considered moving to New Zealand amid frustration about his lack of international recognition.

Dan Lawrence struck struck 174 off 150 balls, the second-highest score ever recorded in Under-19 World Cup history to lead England to a 299-run victory over Fiji in Chittagong

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong27-Jan-2016When he was dismissed in the final over, England opener Dan Lawrence did not know that his 174 was the second-highest in 11 years of Under-19 World Cups and only six runs short of the highest ever in Youth ODIs. He was simply delighted that it helped the England Under-19s thump Fiji Under-19s by 299 runs.”I couldn’t tell you what [the record] was,” Lawrence told ESPNcricinfo. “I am not sure if I have beaten it. I don’t know. If I woke up this morning and someone offered me that score, I would have said yes.”Lawrence and Jack Burnham put together the biggest partnership for any wicket in Youth ODIs. Their 303 broke a record that had stood for over a decade – New Zealand’s BJ Watling and Brad Wilson had put on 273 runs in February 2004 against Scotland.Lawrence said he and Burnham, who scored 148, mostly talked about tackling the first hour when conditions were tacky at the MA Aziz Stadium. England had lost Max Holden in the third over after opting to bat first, but from then on they dominated a Fiji team that was playing its first game at the world stage.”We talked a lot about getting through the first hour. It was a little bit tacky in the morning, and tougher to bat,” Lawrence said. “Once the ball gets older, a batter should be able to score big runs. We were talking about taking it as it comes, and get greedy and get a hundred to start off the tournament. Luckily we did.”Lawrence felt the Fiji bowlers were always behind the game without consistent breakthroughs, and it became easier for himself and Burnham to accelerate after the 30th over considering they had nine wickets in hand. England finished with 371 for 3 in 50 overs.”It was tough for Fiji because we got a good platform. We were one wicket down after 30 overs and as a batter you are always happy when that happens. You’ve got so many wickets in your hand that you can chance your arm. Luckily today we chanced our arm and it came off,” Lawrence said. “It was good. They weren’t bad at all. They just had a tough time of it because we had so many wickets in hand.”Lawrence, who became the third-youngest batsman to make a Championship century last year at 17 years and 290 days, said his experience with Essex has been invaluable and he can pass it on to those who don’t have access to such intimate knowledge of the game.”I think it has been a massive help to play in Essex, just working with people who have played a lot more cricket than I have. I took as much knowledge as I possibly can out of all the bigger guns in cricket. Then you come here and try to feed off the knowledge that I have learned from them to some of the other players who hasn’t had that type of experiences,” he said.England play West Indies next in the group stages at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Friday.

James Faulkner predicts more feats of run scoring and further sobering times for bowlers in the second ODI between Australia and India at the Gabba, even though playing conditions have actually eased in favour of the fielding sides since last year’s World

Daniel Brettig14-Jan-20161:49

Being aggressive and taking wickets is objective – Faulkner

James Faulkner predicts more feats of run scoring and further sobering times for bowlers in the second ODI between Australia and India at the Gabba, even though playing conditions have actually eased in favour of the fielding sides since last year’s World Cup.Batting Powerplays were abolished three months after Australia’s players lifted the trophy at the MCG last March, but a preponderance of flat pitches, spring-loaded bats and powerful hitters mean that scoring has been only subtly affected by the change.Faulkner pointed out that the Gabba shared the WACA’s tendencies for fast scoring in ODIs, and expected something similar to the series opener when Australia reeled in India’s 309 with something in reserve, on a surface affording less assistance to the bowlers than the hosts had expected.”Everyone was quite surprised by the way the wicket played in Perth, it was very flat and we saw a lot of runs scored. I think any time you see 300 scored and chased it’s definitely a flat wicket,” he said in Brisbane. “I’m expecting the same sort of scenario here as well, I haven’t seen a one-day wicket that hasn’t been flat here for a fair while, so it should have good pace, carry and be a good contest again.”In general it’s a tough gig bowling in Perth and here. Runs can be scored so fast due to the pace on the ball, change-ups don’t grip as much as other grounds like the MCG and Canberra that we’ll see later in the series. Everyone got hit the other day so I don’t think you can single out one or two bowlers.”Commenting on the removal of the Powerplay, Faulkner said the ability of the fielding side to post five boundary riders was a relief. He also felt it meant that batsmen were less likely to contrive their innings by playing within themselves before the chance to hit into unmanned expanses of the outfield caused them to switch to and overtly aggressive posture.”I did notice a change,” he said. “The big change was the overs leading into the old Powerplay where batters tended to milk it around and stay in and then use that as a launching pad. That was a dangerous time for any team batting, if you lost a wicket before that five-over period it could really halt your momentum.”Likewise if you didn’t lose a wicket you could really set up a big total. I like the new rules, it goes back to five in the last 10 and it’s still a massive challenge for the bowlers, but it’s a bit more normal instead of players milking it around before.”While admitting he was trying to “avoid” taking in too much of the Big Bash League while on Australian duty, Faulkner indicated that Australia’s players felt no more pressure to be entertainers than they usually are under their coach Darren Lehmann’s desire for attractive cricket.”Every time you go onto the ground you try to entertain, I don’t think you specifically go out there and think ‘I want to put on a show’, it’s more worrying about what you can do to contribute to the team,” Faulkner said. “The revolution in T20 cricket and how successful the Big Bash has been this season with the crowd numbers that have attended and also on TV, it’s only going to get bigger.”It’s an exciting time for cricket in general, you’re seeing a lot more high scores in the one-day format as well. That’s entertaining enough.”

Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been added to Sri Lanka’s squad as cover for Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was ruled out of the first T20 against India with a hand injury

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2016Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been added to Sri Lanka’s squad as cover for Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was ruled out of the first T20 against India with a hand injury. Dilshan did not travel with the team to India on Saturday. He will instead spend a few days recovering from injury at home, before joining the side mid-series. He is expected to be available for the second match, in Ranchi, on February 12.This injury is an aggravation of an old complaint for Dilshan, who sustained it while attempting a catch during the semi-final of the recently-concluded Super T20 Provincial Tournament. He did not play in the final, but the injury is not thought to be serious. He is scheduled to resume training in the nets on Monday.Dickwella earned his call-up via a good run in the Super T20 tournament, where he struck 189 runs in six innings, with a strike rate of 173. He has played four Tests and one ODI for Sri Lanka, but is uncapped in the shortest format. He will remain in the squad even after Dilshan rejoins it.Dilshan is the third high-profile player to be struck by injury ahead of the series. Lasith Malinga and Angelo Mathews had already been ruled out of all three T20s. The first match is set to be played in Pune, on Tuesday.

Having exited in the semi-final stage in three consecutive Women’s World T20 tournaments, West Indies will look to their batting and firebrand style of cricket to seal a place in their first final

The Preview by Shashank Kishore30-Mar-2016

Match facts

Thursday, March 31, 2016
Start time 1430 local (09:00 GMT)Earmarked to carry the legacy of Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin forward, Hayley Matthews is yet to score big runs in the tournament•ICC/Getty Images

Big picture

West Indies have been the eternal bridesmaids at the Women’s World T20. Having failed to get past the semi-final stage in three previous attempts, they have a fourth chance at redemption when they take on Suzie Bates’ New Zealand, who are in rip-roaring form, having won all their group games with a touch of disdain.West Indies received a wake-up call in the one-wicket loss to England that left the team shattered. But the manner in which they put the loss behind them and knocked India Women out in a high-pressure game in Mohali showed the team’s character. When in form, they are one of the more watchable teams – their batsmen can make the ridiculously long boundaries look short, their athleticism has the typical Caribbean punch and they celebrate like no other team. These skills will be put to test against a side whose road to the final four has had little to do with luck or accident.New Zealand’s bowlers have adapted to the Indian conditions the best. A battery of spinners, led by Leigh Kasperek and Morna Nielsen, have weaved a web around batting units, giving a power-packed top order sub-par totals to gun down. West Indies, on the other hand, have had to make do with their plethora of medium-pacers, who have mastered the art of bowling cutters on pitches where the batsmen have had to force the pace.While both teams are high on entertainment value, there has been a conscious change in plans. Stafanie Taylor, the West Indies captain, and Deandra Dottin, who has the reputation of being one of the biggest hitters in the women’s game, have suddenly transformed themselves to play the role of anchors, allowing others to bat around them. New Zealand, meanwhile, have banked on the belligerence of their captain Suzie Bates to give them a flier at the start, while Sophie Devine mans the middle order. No total looks defendable on a Wankhede deck these days, however, and this could push both teams to go back to their firebrand approach. The semi-final could thus boil down to a contest between two top-heavy batting sides.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)


New Zealand: WWWWL
West Indies : WLWWL

In the spotlight

A three-run loss to Australia in the Women’s World Twenty20 final in 2010 was particularly gut-wrenching for Sophie Devine. Chasing a modest 107, Devine’s unbeaten 35-ball 38 after a top-order collapse gave New Zealand a shot at victory, only for the side to be pipped at the post. Six years on, Devine, who holds the record for the fastest fifty in women’s T20 cricket, has the opportunity to set things right and enhance New Zealand’s chances of the title win.Hayley Matthews has been earmarked as the one to carry forward the batting legacy from Taylor and Dottin. But T20I figures of 174 runs in 17 innings at an average of 10.87 are not a reflection of why she is rated highly by her captain. Barring a knock of 41 against Bangladesh Women, she is yet to set the tournament on fire. A substantial score in a crunch game could go someway in erasing doubts in her own abilities as West Indies look to seal a spot in the final for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Teams news

New Zealand have been unchanged for the last three games, but that has had more to do with the confidence within the group than conditions, considering they have played in Delhi, Mohali, Nagpur and Bangalore. Barring any injuries or an early morning sickness bug, they are likely to go in unchanged.New Zealand (probable): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Rachel Priest, 3 Sophie Devine, 4 Sara McGlashan, 5 Amy Satterthwaite, 6 Katey Martin, 7 Katie Perkins, 8 Leigh Kasperek, 9 Erin Bermingham, 10 Lea Tahuhu, 11 Morna NielsenKyshona Knight was summoned for the game against India, but failed in her only opportunity in the tournament. With the reserve batsmen also having failed, however, she may have another opportunity. Britney Cooper and Shemaine Campbelle could tussle for one spot, while there could also be a case for promoting the experienced Merissa Aguilleira a lot higher up the batting order.West Indies (probable) 1 Stafanie Taylor, 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Kyshona Knight, 4 Shaquana Quintyne, 5 Deandra Dottin, 6 Stacy-Ann King, 7 Shemaine Campbelle/Britney Cooper, 8 Merissa Aguilleira, 9 Shamilia Connell, 10 Afy Fletcher, 11 Anisa Mohammed

Pitch and conditions

Judging by the tracks on which the teams have played in the tournament so far, the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium could be a belter, considering there is the semi-final clash between India and West Indies later in the evening. The heat and humidity that can go neck-to-neck in these parts of the world at this time of year could test the fitness of the players. Dew is unlikely to be a factor, so the toss may not have a great influence on the outcome.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have an impressive head-to-head record against West Indies with nine wins in 13 matches between the two sides, including a tied match in which New Zealand aced the Super Over.
• Deandra Dottin has alone hit 71 out of the 149 recorded sixes for West Indies Women in T20Is, which further underlines her importance in the batting line-up.

Quotes

“Brendon is from Otago, and I’m from Otago, so he’s always been, over the years, willing to talk about cricket and his leadership style. We had drawn upon a little bit of inspiration from the way he got the guys to go out there and express themselves, and we’re trying to do that in this tournament. “
“I think Twitter and Facebook is actually blowing up. To know that both of us are in the semis, everybody is just behind us 100% and given us good feedback. It is going to be a mental thing tomorrow. Seventy-five percent of the game is actually played there and I think, on that day who is more calm and more composed (will win). If we try to do that, we definitely can pull this off.”

Amid the sort of bitterly cold weather in which even Captain Oates wouldn’t venture out, Yorkshire’s lower order demonstrated the type of grit that can make the difference between winners and losers in a Championship season

George Dobell at Edgbaston25-Apr-2016
ScorecardWarwickshire’s slip cordon feels the chill•Getty Images

Amid the sort of bitterly cold weather in which even Captain Oates wouldn’t venture out, Yorkshire’s lower order demonstrated the type of grit that can make the difference between winners and losers in a Championship season.Most cricketers can flourish in conditions when the sun is, figuratively or literally, on their backs. But it takes a certain sort of determination to succeed in discomfort, under pressure and despite interruptions and distractions.Yorkshire displayed such grit here. From a position of 209 for 6, their lower middle order has earned not just a chance of gaining full batting bonus points but, if the weather relents, the possibility of pushing for a win. And they did it on a day when the wind blew viciously cold, when play was split in what appeared to be dozens of short sessions and when anyone sensible would only have ventured out in thermals and supported by a team of huskies.While the contribution of Adil Rashid can be of little surprise – he has the class to have made it as a specialist batsman – the contribution of Steve Patterson was more unusual. Until today, he had scored only one first-class half-century – an innings of 53 against Sussex – in a first-class career that started in 2005 but now resumes in the morning requiring only six more runs to be the highest scorer of the innings.But it was the manner of Patterson’s runs that was most surprising. He is an admirable, reliable cricketer but both his career strike-rate – he had scored his runs at a rate of 35.93 runs per 100 balls before today – and his nickname, “Dead”, hint at a character that is usually solid and dependable more often than it is exhilarating and flamboyant.Here, though, he thrashed 11 fours as he feasted on Warwickshire’s frustration – there were a fair few long-hops bowled at him – and weariness. And while he looked less comfortable against the pace of Chris Woakes – described as “one of England’s quickest bowlers” by his coach, Dougie Brown – he still managed to time the ball sufficiently well that what appeared a decent yorker was speared to the point boundary before the man positioned barely 15 yards away could move.It might have been easy to presume this match – likely to be interrupted by more poor weather over the next couple of days – was heading nowhere. But who knows whether the Championship may, in five months time, be decided by a bonus point gained on a grim, April day in Birmingham? Patterson and Rashid, in particular, earned their side at least three more points that seemed likely at one stage.It would be easy to point out Warwickshire’s faults in the field. Really very easy. The innings contained overthrows, drops (Liam Plunkett was reprieved from the first delivery he faced – Tim Ambrose putting down the chance off Keith Barker – while Ryan Sidebottom was reprieved at slip by Varun Chopra off Chris Woakes on 2) and really quite a lot of wayward bowling. For much of Patterson’s innings, he was more at risk of frostbite or polar bear attack than a yorker.But this has been an awful stop-start game played in brief patches of uncomfortably cold and horribly windy conditions. It cannot have been easy to gain any rhythm on the pitch – it was miserable to watch from the stands – and it really wouldn’t be appropriate to put down a mug of hot coffee in the press box and criticise too harshly. It was not easy out there.”It was disgusting,” Brown, the Warwickshire director of cricket, agreed. “But you still have to have professional standards. We shelled a couple of catches, which is disappointing, but Yorkshire deserve a bit of credit for the way they batted. It’s quite a good wicket and the margin of error for bowlers is very small.”When play finally started – 49.3 more overs were lost on the day, making it 87.3 in total so far – Warwickshire appeared to have seized the initiative. Jack Leaning’s footless drive was punished with an outside edge, before Gary Ballance’s increasingly fluent innings was ended by a good one that left him from Barker. Had Plunkett been taken next ball, as he should have been, Yorkshire would have been 209 for 7.Instead Plunkett counter-attacked in a partnership of 43 with Rashid before Patterson helped add 91 for the eighth-wicket in 20 overs. With Rashid, getting well forward and driving neatly, forcing the bowlers to pitch shorter, the ball tended to sit up obligingly on what remains a decent pitch.Clarke and Woakes were the pick of the bowlers. Gaining in rhythm by the spell, Woakes had worked up a considerable pace by the end of the day and finally defeated Rashid with one that may have tailed in a little. With Mark Wood injured and Chris Jordan departing to the IPL, it seems Woakes may be competing with Jake Ball for the final spot in England’s Test squad. All three England selectors were at Edgbaston on the second day to see Woakes demonstrate his pace and his improved inswinger. They will know he is a better bowler than he showed during the Test in Centurion.Still, in a match containing 13 Test cricketers, it was arguably Patterson’s performance that caught the eye. On a day when nearly everyone else looked as if they would rather be somewhere else, he took advantage.

Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore will enter the last game of the group stages with a playoffs spot on the line. A win for either side will carry them through

The Preview by Nikhil Kalro21-May-2016

Match facts

Sunday, May 22, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

Entering the last match of the group stage, Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore hold their playoff fates in their hands. The key to qualification is simple. A win for either side will carry them through.With Daredevils’ net run rate (NRR) lower than the pack ahead of them, a loss would all but leave them out of the top four – in such a case, to qualify, they would need Knight Riders to have lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by a significant margin, and their own loss needs to be by a narrow enough margin to not fall below Mumbai Indians on NRR.On the other end of the NRR spectrum are Royal Challengers, whose chances of qualifying are high even if they lose, provided neither Kolkata Knight Riders nor rain wins at Eden Gardens. Resounding wins against Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab have resulted in their NRR soaring to +0.930.Not often does a batsman overshadow AB de Villiers, that too when he strikes at 172.54. But Virat Kohli has, and how. His record-breaking run has almost single-handedly helped Royal Challengers climb to the top half of the points table. Chris Gayle has struck form and Chris Jordan’s integration has bolstered their slog-overs bowling stocks.Karun Nair kept Daredevils’ hopes alive with a composed, unbeaten 83 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday. Nonetheless, Daredevils face what is effectively another must-win situation two days later, and against one of the form sides of the tournament. Daredevils have banked on their youngsters, who have stood up in the pressure moments. After their tight win against Sunrisers, captain Zaheer Khan admitted at the post-match presentation that their reliance on the youngsters may not always pay off, but “the season is about having young energy around”.

Form guide

Delhi Daredevils WLLWL (last five matches, most recent first)
Royal Challengers Bangalore WWWLW

In the spotlight

Quinton de Kock struck a match-winning century in a chase of 192 in the previous encounter between the two sides. He hasn’t been as consistent thereafter and has five single-digit scores in nine innings, including the previous two. Daredevils desperately need de Kock to fire.Contrary to de Kock, Chris Gayle has found form in the latter stages of the tournament. The Royal Challengers management backed Gayle when he was misfiring, and have reaped rewards. His 32-ball 73 against Kings XI featured four fours and eight sixes. However, the Raipur ground’s dimensions are large, and clearing the boundary won’t be as easy.

Team news

Chris Morris missed Daredevils’ previous game due to a niggle. Carlos Brathwaite, his replacement, performed with the ball. If Morris is fit, Nathan Coulter-Nile could make way. Pawan Negi also played, but wasn’t needed with bat or ball. Daredevils have tinkered with their XI throughout, but may not opt for too many changes this time around.Delhi Daredevils (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Rishabh Pant, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Sanju Samson, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Carlos Brathwaite, 7 Pawan Negi, 8 Nathan Coulter-Nile/Chris Morris, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Zaheer Khan (capt), 11 Jayant YadavRoyal Challengers may consider bringing in left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla for Varun Aaron or S AravindRoyal Challengers Bangalore (probable): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Virat Kohli (capt), 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Shane Watson, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Sachin Baby, 7 Stuart Binny, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 S Aravind/Varun Aaron, 10 Iqbal Abdulla, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Pitch and conditions

Daredevils chased 159 against Sunrisers off the last ball on Friday. Raipur’s long square boundaries will facilitate twos and threes. There was light rain on match eve, but the forecast suggests a dry night on Sunday.

Stats and trivia

• Royal Challengers were unbeaten against Daredevils for eight games before their seven-wicket loss earlier this season
• Seven different players have got Man-of-the-Match awards for Daredevils this season. No other team has more than five players

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League games that were played on May 30, 2016

Mohammad Isam30-May-2016Mashrafe Mortaza’s six-wicket haul set up Kalabagan Krira Chakra‘s 10-run win (D/L method) in a rain-affected match against Legends of Rupganj in Fatullah.After Kalabagan asked Rupganj to bat, it was Dewan Sabbir who did the early damage, removing Rupganj’s openers for single-digit scores. Despite decent knocks from Mohammad Mithun, Ishank Jaggi and Asif Ahmed in the middle order, Rupganj slumped to 87 for 5. A 78-run sixth-wicket stand between Asif Ahmed and Sajjadul Haque added substance to Rupganj’s innings, before the former fell to Sabbir, giving him his third wicket of the match. Mashrafe, who had been introduced as the third-change bowler, then cleaned up the tail taking the last four wickets.Mashrafe had earlier dismissed Mithun and Rupganj captain Mossharraf Hossain. He finished with figures of 6 for 42 in his 10 overs. This was his second 6-wicket haul in List-A cricket, the other one being 10 years ago, against Kenya in an ODI.Kalabagan had reached 127 for 4 in 35.4 overs when rain intervened to curtail proceedings. That was enough for them to secure a 10-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method. The win opened up a four-point lead between Kalabagan and Cricket Coaching School, who are second from the bottom on the points table. That gives Kalabagan some breathing space, with the two bottom-placed teams to be relegated to next season’s Dhaka First Division Cricket League.Victoria Sporting Club leapt from seventh to third position on the table with their 28-run win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in Mirpur.After opting to bat first, Victoria were bowled out for 247 in 49.4 overs. While six of their top seven got starts, only Mominul Haque got a half-century, scoring 50 off 51 balls, including six fours and a six. Batting at no. 3, he added 72 runs for the second wicket with Fazle Mahmud. Later, captain Nadif Chowdhury and Chaturanga de Silva added 80 runs for the sixth wicket. Nadif’s dismissal left Victoria 212 for 6. A nine-ball 24 from Mahbubul lifted the side to 247.Mahmudullah took 3 for 40, while Muktar Ali and left-arm spinner Abdur Rahman took two wickets each.In a similar fashion to Victoria’s batsmen, Dhanmondi’s top-order batsmen squandered starts, with each of the top four getting out between 20 and 50. Only Sohag Gazi, batting at no. 6, registered a half-century, with a knock of 59 off 64. Then it was Victoria pace bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi’s turn to get among the wickets. He took four of the last six wickets, as Dhanmondi were bowled out for 219 in the 49th over.Gazi Group Cricketers beat Brothers Union by 43 runs in a low-scoring encounter on a turning track at the BKSP-3 ground.In response to Gazi Group’s 167, Brothers were bowled out for just 124 runs in 40.1 overs. Gazi Group’s offspinner Mahedi Hasan picked up 4 for 16, while Gurkeerat Singh, Alok Kapali and Salehin Shad picked up two wickets apiece. Brothers captain Tushar Imran played the only knock of substance, with 41 off 81 balls.Tushar had earlier taken a four-wicket haul with his part-time offspin as Gazi Group were bowled out for 167. Opening the batting, Anamul Haque top-scored for Gazi Group, with 46 off 52, including three fours and four sixes. But, after a 70-run opening stand, Gazi Group slipped to 102 for 8. A few lusty blows from Mohammad Sharif, at no. 11, added some crucial runs to their final score.The win takes Gazi Group to 10 points, while Brothers remain on 8.