All posts by csb10.top

Vidarbha slumped to their fifth-lowest score in Ranji Trophy history as Maharashtra bowled them out for 59 runs in Kolkata, on the back of Anupam Sanklecha’s career-best figures of 7 for 25.Shalabh Shrivastava top scored with 19, but with no other batsman reaching double figures. Sanklecha cleaned up the tail as they lost their last five wickets in the space of eight runs. In response, Maharashtra’s Naushad Shaikh scored his second-consecutive ton. He remained unbeaten on 111 with Ankit Bawne (75) as Maharashtra finished on 240 for 3, with the partnership worth 181.In Agartala, Prerak Mankad’s 137-ball 96 helped Saurashtra post 277 against Jharkhand. Asked to bat, Saurashtra fell from 11 for 0 to 38 for 4, before the captain Jaydev Shah (51) and Mankad put together 62 runs to take them to 100, following which Jaydev was bowled by Samar Quadri. Mankad reached his second fifty in his second first-class match before falling short of a maiden century when Ashish Kumar dismissed him four shy of triple figures. A 40-run last wicket partnership between Vandit Jivrajani and Kushang Patel took them to 277. Kumar and Shahbaz Nadeem were the pick of the Jharkhand bowlers picking up four and three wickets each, respectively. In the 9 overs Jharkhand batted, openers Anand Singh and Pratyush Singh scored 29 runs by stumps, trailing by 248.Three half-centuries from Karnataka’s batsmen powered them to 345 for 6 at stumps against Rajasthan in Vizianagaram. Choosing to bat, openers Ravikumar Samarth and KL Rahul scored 111 runs before Rahul, returning to first-class cricket to prove his match fitness ahead of the third England Test, was dismissed on 76 by left-arm pacer TM Ul-Haq. Mayank Agarwal, who has just one fifty-plus score this season, stitched together a 68-run stand with Stuart Binny. He made 81 and was dismissed with Karnataka on 283 for 5. The lower middle order then conjured up a fight to take them close to 350.Assam scored 224 for 5, on the back of a 131-run partnership for the fifth wicket, against Odisha in Hyderabad.After losing their first three wickets for 37 runs, Sibsankar Roy laboured to a 142-ball 37, before being dismissed after adding 60 runs for the fourth wicket. Kunal Saikia and Arun Karthik then batted till second-last over of the day, adding 131 before the latter was dismissed by Basant Mohanty on 62. Saikia finished not out on 88 – his highest first-class score – with Arup Das (0) as play ended on day 1. Mohanty and Suryakant Prasad finished with two wickets each for Odisha.

ScorecardRachel Priest and Amy Satterthwaite’s 139-run partnership studded New Zealand’s dominance as they took a 3-1 lead•Getty Images

South Africa Women’s ordeal of collapses continued into the fourth ODI against New Zealand Women as they were bowled out for 194 to lose by eight wickets in Paarl and trail the the seven-match series 3-1. Amy Satterthwaite led the charge for New Zealand by first taking three wickets and then scoring an unbeaten 81 in a partnership of 139 with opener Rachel Priest, who scored an attacking 86 off 67. New Zealand cruised to the target in 28.2 overs, leaving South Africa to win all three remaining matches to win the series.Asked to bat, South Africa were reduced to 13 for 2 in the third over, before Mignon du Preez (27) and Dinesha Devnarain (42) lifted them with a 51-run stand. Once Hannah Rowe broke that stand, South Africa suffered their first collapse, stuttering from 64 for 2 to 99 for 5. Captain Dane van Niekerk, who top-scored with 48, and Sune Luus (29) stitched together 66 for the seventh wicket, before the hosts collapsed again, losing their last four wickets for the addition of just two runs. They lost their last three batsmen for no runs, similar to the first ODI of the series when they lost five wickets without scoring a run.Satterthwaite finished with 3 for 33 after taking three of the last five wickets, while the other two were run-out. Rowe took two wickets and an in-form left-arm spinner Morna Nielsen, who opened the bowling, returned parsimonious figures of 1 for 20 in 10 overs.New Zealand made a change in their opening combination as Natalie Dodd opened with Priest but the move did not work as Dodd was bowled by Marizanne Kapp for 1 in the second over. Priest and Satterthwaite let loose after that to flatten South Africa. Priest scored her half-century off 36 balls and slammed 13 fours and a six before being caught off Ayabonga Khaka, but the visitors were going at nearly seven an over and had only 52 runs left. Satterthwaite, who struck her second unbeaten fifty, saw them through with 81 off 71 balls, studded with 10 fours and a six.The fifth ODI takes place at the same venue on Wednesday.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsTemba Bavuma made a century in his first ODI (file photo)•AFP

Temba Bavuma became the second South African to score a century on ODI debut and shared in a Willowmoore Park record opening stand of 159 with Quinton de Kock to set up a dominant performance in their one-off ODI against Ireland. An 87-run fifth wicket stand in 40 balls from JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien added to Ireland’s pain before they were blown away with the ball to lose by more than 200 runs.Ireland managed to better the 82 they scraped together against Pakistan in their last completed ODI but not by much. They collapsed against pace up front, displayed poor shot selection as the innings grew long and lost four wickets to the spin of Duminy, an unlikely hero with the ball. They will be disappointed with a showing that lacked energy in the field and at the crease.Not only did Ireland err too much in length by routinely dropping it short, but they also squandered chances and fumbled far too many times to properly challenge a side fielding three debutants in their XI. Bavuma, Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehlukwayo all gave solid accounts of their abilities, none more so than Bavuma who is being looked at as a possible future opener.

O’Brien doubtful for Australia

Niall O’Brien’s availability for Ireland’s ODI against Australia on Tuesday is in doubt after he sustained a head injury. O’Brien was forced to sit out the match against South Africa because he slipped and hit his head in the bathroom before the game. Ireland’s media manager told ESPNcricinfo that O’Brien would be monitored on Sunday night and Monday before a call is taken.

In this match, Bavuma stood in for Hashim Amla, who is awaiting the birth of his third child. It was only the third time Bavuma had opened in List A cricket and the early nerves showed in leaden footwork that could have led to an early demise. In the second over, Bavuma drove carelessly at a Peter Chase delivery and got a healthy edge to second slip but Kevin O’Brien could not hold on.De Kock shifted his weight more easily from front to back foot and Bavuma soon followed suit. The pair took advantage of Craig Young and Chase’s generous lengths and Bavuma had soon caught up to de Kock’s strike rate. Their half-centuries came within two overs of each other and Ireland looked out of ideas and then, out of luck.They dropped de Kock twice in two overs, first when a slender bottom edge went through Gary Wilson’s gloves and hit him in the chest and then when he pulled Young to deep midwicket but John Anderson spilled the chance and sent the ball over the boundary for four. De Kock was headed for three figures before O’Brien cramped him for room and forced an inside-edge on to leg stumpDespite the strong start, South Africa did not send in a pinch-hitter and Faf du Plessis was in at No. 3. Ireland took advantage of his cautious approach and created some pressure with three boundary-less overs before Bavuma, lacking control, top-edged Chase wide of the keeper.Bavuma quickly composed himself, played his next pull to perfection and worked patiently through the 90s before lofting a drive a deep cover to bring up his century, off 110 balls, and cap off a breakthrough year for him as an international cricketer. In January, Bavuma scored his maiden Test century against England at Newlands; less than 10 months later, he has a first ODI century. The only other South African to reach three figures on debut was Colin Ingram, in 2010.With the milestone out of the way, Bavuma looked to change gears but du Plessis remained stuck and saved Ireland from conceding 400, although Duminy and Behardien did their best to get close. Duminy survived an lbw appeal off Dockrell, which Ireland reviewed but replays showed he had managed a sliver of glove on the ball, and he was soon into his stride. He found the boundary through clever placement and excellent timing rather than flashy strokeplay, which he left to Behardien, who provided the impetus at the end. He scored 29 runs off eight balls, bringing up his fifty off just 21 balls, to take the South Africa total over 350.Ireland’s chase was over before it had properly begun when Porterfield was done for pace and trapped lbw by Kagiso Rabada off the second ball. The Ireland captain reviewed but the ball was pitching in line and clipping off stump. Rabada was also involved in the second dismissal, when Anderson swatted a pull to fine leg off Wayne Parnell.Pretorius got in on the action when he had Wilson caught behind off a top edge after rushing him with a short ball and at 41 for 3 in the 11th over it was only a matter of time for Ireland. Paul Stirling and O’Brien mounted some resistance but South Africa’s spinners, Aaron Phangiso and Duminy, accounted for six wickets between them. Duminy finished with a career-best 4 for 16 as Ireland lost their last seven wickets for 71 runs.

Fans in Bulawayo have been asked to join a peaceful protest during the second Test between Zimbabwe and New Zealand in Bulawayo as part of the #thisflag demonstrations that have been held throughout the country in recent weeks. The movement, started by Pastor Evans Mawarire, encourages Zimbabweans to take ownership of their flag, and by implication their country, through mass action.In a video posted on YouTube, Mawarire instructed supporters to stand at the start of the 36th over on day one – to coincide with the country’s 36th year of independence – and sing the national anthem in the hope of attracting global media attention to the cause.Mawarire’s statement references the protests by Henry Olonga and Andy Flower in 2003 and says it wants to honour them for starting that first protest. It calls on spectators to go to the ground on Saturday with their flags and, at the start of the 36th over, stand up and sing the national anthem. The 36 refers to the years since Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe came to power.Mawarire is currently in South Africa, where he has been since he was released on bail after being arrested for leading last month’s stay-aways. On July 6 and again on July 13 and 14, Zimbabweans did not go to work for peaceful protests. Following that, there have been several clashes between protestors and police as well as further demonstrations, mostly in Harare. Bulawayo, where both Tests against New Zealand are being played, has remained largely unaffected.Should the action go ahead, this will be another instance that cricket would be used to send a political message in Zimbabwe. The black armband protests by Olonga and Flower to mark what they called the death of democracy resulted in both men leaving the country and marked the end of their playing careers.Since then, Zimbabwean cricket itself has been fairly politicised with events such as the white-player walkout and moves to aggressively transform the national team, aligning it closer to the state. However, interest in cricket has waned as poor results and the economic downturn caused self-imposed exile from Test cricket and fewer fixtures than any other ICC Full Member. Still, cricket remains one of Zimbabweans’ few connections to the outside world and is being used for political aims again, even though coverage of the current series is scant.Television apart, the series has not received a high level of coverage within the local newspapers, often finding itself relegated below football, there are no traveling New Zealand writers and only two other journalists from outside Zimbabwe.Attendance could also be an issue. The first match saw a crowd of a few hundred throughout the game, of which a large percentage was school children being bussed in. With school holidays commencing on Friday, that is unlikely to be the case for the second Test. However, crowd numbers are likely to be bolstered by the weekend start and the fact that four of the five match days take place over a long weekend. Monday is Heroes’ Day and Tuesday National Armed Forces Day.A police presence is also expected at the second Test, as was the case in the first, with no indication of whether the numbers will be greater than before.

SL squad for Australia Tests

Angelo Mathews (capt), Dinesh Chandimal (vice-capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Nuwan Pradeep, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal

Fast bowlers Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando, and left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan have been flown in from Sri Lanka A’s tour of England to the national squad for the first Test against Australia.With so many frontline Test bowlers currently unavailable due to injury, Sri Lanka’s selectors have been forced to look to the next tier of players for replacements. The three bowlers – all of whom are uncapped – have been in form in recent months, either for the A team, or in domestic cricket.Also flown in from England is batsman Roshen Silva, whose consistency has long made him a Test prospect. Dhananjaya de Silva, who has made ODI and T20 international debuts, and had been in the national team’s Test squad to England, has also been named. There is no place, however, for allrounder Milinda Siriwardana, despite him having made an encouraging start to his Test career so far.At 18, Asitha Fernando is by a distance the youngest member of the squad, and has only played two first-class matches so far – both of them against Pakistan A, in England. He took eight wickets at an average of 23 in those matches, and had bowled Sri Lanka A to a tight victory in the first game, in Leicester, taking 5 for 33 in the final innings of that game. He was also a part of Sri Lanka’s side for the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year.Left-armer Vishwa Fernando, 24, had been in Sri Lanka’s Test squads to the UAE and Bangladesh in 2014, but had largely been overlooked since then. He now returns having taken a five-wicket haul in the first-class match against Durham in late June, before taking seven wickets across two games against Pakistan A.Sandakan, 25, took five wickets in a List A match against Derbyshire earlier this month, and has also been one of domestic cricket’s most consistent wicket-takers over the past three years. He was the most successful bowler in the 2015-16 Premier League Tournament, claiming 52 scalps at an average of 23.19 for Colombo Cricket Club. He had also topped the wicket-taking charts in 2014 – the same year he made it to a Sri Lanka one-day squad, though he did not play a game.Roshen Silva, 27, had also been impressive in the first-class tournament, hitting 678 runs at 56.5, but his selection has been spurred by his recent scores for Sri Lanka A. He recently hit a century and an unbeaten 43 in a first-class match against Durham, and followed it up with scores of 48, 17, 57 and 40 in the first-class games against Pakistan A.Siriwardana’s half century in the first-innings of the Australians’ practice match in Colombo was not enough to see him retain a place in the Test squad. He had been particularly impressive with the bat in New Zealand, and has taken 11 Test wickets at 23.36 – even winning the man-of-the-match award in his second Test – and yet has dropped out of favour with the selectors.Siriwardana’s absence, as well as the omissions of Lahiru Thirimanne and Dasun Shanaka, means one of Roshen Silva or Dhananjaya de Silva looks likely to debut in Pallekele. Elsewhere, the same top order that played in the Lord’s Test is likely to take the field again.Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal provide some leadership to the fast-bowling battery, in the absence of Dhammika Prasad, Dushmantha Chameera and the suspended Shaminda Eranga. Rangana Herath is likely to be the first-choice spinner, and Sandakan will have to edge offspinner Dilruwan Perera out of contention if he is to debut in Pallekele.With both Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera in the squad, and probably in the XI, Sri Lanka have to make a choice as to who will keep wickets.

File photo – Ish Sodhi finished with match figures of 6 for 52 as the New Zealanders put in a strong bowling performance•AFP

The New Zealanders allayed coach Mike Hesson’s fear that taking 20 wickets in Zimbabwean conditions would be tough as they bowled the A side out twice in two days to claim a resounding 259-run win in the three-day warm-up match. Not only did the New Zealanders’ attack manage to run through their opposition, but they also ensured they were not bowled out in either innings to sound a warning about the difficulties the hosts may face in the two-Tests series.After running through Zimbabwe A on the second day, the New Zealanders resumed their innings on 154 for 4 on the third morning. Captain Kane Williamson had his first outing with the side after joining them from a county stint and added 12 runs to his overnight score of 37 before retiring without reaching a milestone. Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell were give some time in the middle as the New Zealanders let their lower order face some bowling. After 11.5 overs of batting in the morning session they declared, setting Zimbabwe A an improbable 433 for victory.Zimbabwe A had a better start than in their first innings, in which they had slipped to 0 for 3, but they still had early stumbles. Nkosana Mpofu managed just 6 before becoming the first victim. Vusi Sibanda, who opened in place of his injured captain Tino Mawoyo, scored 37 but it was up to the Test middle order to resist for as long as possible. Sean Williams added to his first-innings fifty with 46, while Regis Chakabva contributed 48, but once they were dismissed Zimbabwe A fell away rapidly.Southee, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi and Neil Wagner all finished with two wickets each, and a member of New Zealand’s support staff was on the field to grab a catch, as only one of Zimbabwe A’s bottom six batsmen got into double figures.Zimbabwe A’s worries are not limited to their poor showing, but extend to personnel as well. Opening batsman Mawoyo had to retire hurt on the second day, having faced just four balls, after being hit on the hand by Southee. Mawoyo did not bat in the second innings, which could put his participation in the Tests in doubt. Sibanda, who was dropped from the Test squad, may be in line for an emergency recall.

As Stuart Broad prepares for his 16th Test match at Lord’s, starting against Sri Lanka on Thursday, he is asked to cast his mind back to his fifth. Over an extraordinary few days in 2010, Broad scored what remains his only Test century, putting on what remains a record stand for the eighth wicket in Tests (332 with Jonathan Trott); but it was the revelations about the activities of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir that left their indelible mark on the game.Amir, the youngest of the trio, was on Sunday named in Pakistan’s Test squad for their upcoming tour of England and is set to return to the scene of the crime – for which he served time in a young offenders institute – next month, although a decision on whether he will be granted a UK visa is still pending.Broad, however, does not harbour any ill will towards Amir, who is yet to play a Test match since completing a five-year ICC ban for spot-fixing. He is also still proud of his place on the honours board, next to a score of 169 – the second-highest tally by a No. 9 and, perhaps more importantly to Broad, eclipsing his dad’s Test best by seven runs.

Broad backing for Finn

Stuart Broad believes that Steven Finn can find his form on his home ground after an indifferent return to the Test side. Finn has taken four wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka, having recovered from an injury-affected winter, but Broad said the surfaces in the series so far, at Headingley and Chester-le-Street, had not catered to his strengths.
“I think he’s been searching for a bit of rhythm but Lord’s is his home ground, he should find rhythm – he traditionally bowls from the Pavilion End and bowls really well there,” Broad said. “He can use the slope to his advantage, not try and swing it or throw it up there, just do what he does, throw it into the pitch and use the natural variations of that. Questions marks have been over his bowling slightly because he’s not got loads of wickets but, for me and him – particularly him as a real hit-the-deck bowler – those wickets haven’t suited our style of bowling.”

“It’s certainly not devalued in my mind, I still scored those runs and am still on the honours board,” he said. “I think the result was devalued. We couldn’t celebrate – we didn’t celebrate – it was all a very strange time. But I don’t think any feelings will be dragged into this Test match from that Test match. I think only three or four players are playing in the England team now who were then, and Pakistan have had a huge change over.”I don’t think any ill feeling or negativity from the players will have carried through – the crowd might be a different story. We know that Lord’s is a passionate crowd and they all have their own minds.”Amir made his international comeback with Pakistan’s limited-overs teams at the start of this year and, despite some initial resistance among team-mates, he has made an encouraging start to his second coming. Azhar Ali, Pakistan’s ODI captain, said last week that “toughest phase is over” for Amir and Broad said he had no issues with his inclusion.”I think he’s served his time and the ICC have got their guidelines to what the punishments are for certain crimes and people have their opinion on that,” Broad said. “At the end of the day as an England team to win a Test series like that is a brilliant feeling and you want to play against the best possible team you can and for quality of bowler I don’t think there is much doubt that he is up there with anyone.”I’ve not played him for six years but in 2010 he was a constant threat and he was Man of the Series I think. It swung round corners for him.”While Broad no longer has pretensions to become the genuine allrounder that 2010 innings suggested he might, he has grown in stature as a bowler in the intervening period, recently becoming only the third England bowler to be ranked No. 1 in the world since the 1980s. His rise, following a haul of 6 for 17 in Johannesburg that set up England’s series win over South Africa, was swiftly followed by that of his team-mate James Anderson, who last week emulated Ian Botham, Steve Harmison and Broad in reaching the summit.Despite taking ten wickets at 18.90 in two Tests against Sri Lanka, Broad actually fell to third, behind India’s R Ashwin – who has not played a Test since December, prompting Broad to joke: “So I would have been better off carrying drinks at the IPL.” Not that the famously taciturn Anderson has been moved to an outpouring of emotion. “He hasn’t actually mentioned it. I texted him when the rankings came out saying ‘having a drink for you – congratulations’. I think he is chuffed but you know what Jimmy is like – he’s certainly not given it a smile yet.”Stuart Broad is currently ranked the No. 3 Test bowler in the world•Hardy’s

Broad is, however, already plotting how to regain the mantle and, alongside Joe Root’s presence at No. 2 on the ICC batting list, it seems a comment made by Trevor Bayliss at England’s training camp in Spain on taking over as head coach last summer has lodged in the team’s consciousness.”Getting to the No. 1 ranked team is the main aim but Trevor said to us in Spain when he took over ‘We aren’t going move forward as a team unless some of you players raise your games and get up those rankings – we aren’t going to be the best team in the world if you are sat at eight and you are sat at twelve.’ It’s quite an Australian way of saying it – it’s a sort-yourselves-out type thing.”We’ve put some performances in that have taken us up the rankings – as a team, we are lying fourth but I think we are a bit better than that. We are a really good team at the moment, we have a lot of bases covered.”That there is still room for improvement is something Broad quickly admits, too. First on the list will be rectifying England’s poor recent record of losing dead rubbers – even if the new Super Series concept has theoretically removed them – and securing a first whitewash in a series of three or more Tests since beating India 4-0 in 2011.”That is what all the talk will be about this week for sure,” he said. “I can’t even think about when an England last clean swept a series of three. Five years ago is a long time.”It is actually a bad habit we’ve got into. The performance against Australia at The Oval was awful, at Centurion we missed too many chances and fell away, so it is something we’re aware of and it is not good enough. With more focus on rising up the rankings then we can’t afford to make these mistakes.”Should England wrap up a 3-0 series win over Sri Lanka, it might be another moment of quiet satisfaction for Bayliss, who Broad said has “started to instill a bit more of his beliefs on the team”. The Australian is unlikely to be overflowing with praise, in any case. Asked if a “Well done” from Bayliss meant more, Broad replied: “I don’t think I even got one for my 8 for 15… I’m not sure I’m getting one.” The smile suggested he didn’t too much mind.Stuart Broad was speaking as a Hardys ambassador at 1853 Wine Shop in Weybridge. For exclusive wine offers, visit 1853wineclub.com.

BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said that coach Chandika Hathurusingha is set to be made a selector to keep track of emerging players in domestic cricket. Hathurusingha, who is currently on a “number of days” contract, would be needed to closely monitor domestic cricket.”I want coach to watch matches rather than sitting idle,” Hassan said. “He will have a role to play. Someone or the other must watch each domestic match so that we know about the emerging cricketers. I don’t want a situation where the coach doesn’t know anything about a new player.”Our contract with him is based on “number of days” but he is taking advantage of it. We got him whenever we wanted him, and it will happen in the future too.”On Monday, Hassan held discussions with the six-member technical committee on the proposals made by the working committee last week, including the expansion of the selection panel.Hassan said that it was unanimously agreed that the national coach should be part of the selection committee and that a fourth selector should be added to the panel. He also said the board wanted to add the manager and cricket operations committee chairman to the panel. The chairman of the cricket operations committee is likely to head the panel.”There may be one other selector included as well as the coach becoming a selector,” Hassan said. “The technical committee agreed that the coach should be in the selection committee since it was like that in the past.”I want to see our selectors go to Sylhet, Chittagong and Khulna to watch domestic matches. This is why I want four selectors instead of three.”Hassan explained that the cricket operations committee chairman would not be directly involved in selection. Instead, he would work as a witness to proceedings between the coach and selectors. Former Bangladesh captain Akram Khan is currently the cricket operations committee chairman.”The cricket operations committee’s chairman won’t be directly involved with selection but he will be present when the selectors sit with the coach to pick the squad,” Hassan said.”The recommendation to include the manager hasn’t come to me yet. But the selected squad has always come through the operations committee. The change now will be that before sending the final squad to me, the coach and selectors will be present when it is sent so that there’s no disagreement between them after sending the team. Sometimes changes have to be made so that these things don’t happen.”There had been instances of discord between the selection panel and team management in the last two years. In February 2014, the then captain Mushfiqur Rahim had criticised chief selector Faruque Ahmed for not consulting him before picking the Asia Cup squad.Bangladesh’s 2015 World Cup squad announcement was delayed by two hours because the board’s higher-ups wanted to “discuss” the make-up of the squad with the selection committee. Three days later, coach Chandika Hathurusingha said that he wanted a legspinner, Jubair Hossain, in the World Cup squad.After hearing the working committee’s recommendations, Faruque had said that he was reluctant to continue if the board approved the proposed expansion of the selection committee.Hassan, however, believed that that the new system would make the selection process smoother. He also acknowledged the contribution of the incumbent selectors – Faruque, Minhajul Abedin and Habibul Bashar.”If the selectors didn’t do their job properly, Bangladesh wouldn’t have performed so well,” Hassan said. “There’s a big contribution of the selection panel in Bangladesh’s recent success. This is a step taken towards doing this work in a smoother manner.”

Gloucestershire’s England Lions fast bowler Ajeet Singh Dale has agreed a move to Lancashire at the end of the season, signing a three-year contract, while fellow seamer Matt Milnes has opted for a return to Kent after three injury-hit seasons with Yorkshire.Singh Dale, 25, is regarded as one of the quickest bowlers on the county circuit and was subject to interest from several counties after entering the final summer of his contract with Gloucestershire, whom he joined from Hampshire in 2022. Across four seasons at Bristol, he took 81 first-class wickets at 38.24, as well as being picked for the Lions in 2024 and 2025.Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, described Singh Dale as an “exciting young fast bowler with genuine pace and a real hunger to keep on developing and improving his game” who would help add depth to the attack at Old Trafford.Singh Dale said: “I’m really excited to be joining Lancashire and can’t wait to get started with the club in November. Lancashire has an exceptionally strong squad, which can compete across all formats, and I’m looking forward to pushing myself in a new environment while contributing towards success for this great club.”I have heard great things about the set-up and facilities at Emirates Old Trafford and I’m confident it’s the right place for me to take the next step in my career with the Red Rose.”Matt Milnes claimed his maiden five-wicket haul for Yorkshire this week• Allan McKenzie/SWPIx.com

Milnes, 31, has opted to head back to Kent on a three-year deal in order to be closer to family, having failed to make the expected impact after signing for Yorkshire in 2022. He only managed five County Championship appearances across three seasons, due to a series of back problems, with his best figures coming in their most-recent match – victory over Sussex at Scarborough that lifted hopes of the club avoiding relegation.A member of the Kent team that won the 2021 T20 Blast, Milnes said he was “excited to come back to Kent and join this new project under Adam Hollioake”. In a successful first spell at Canterbury, he claimed 126 first-class wickets at 27.15, as well as 37 in T20.Simon Cook, Kent director of cricket, said: “We’re delighted that Milnesy has chosen to come back to Kent. He was an extremely big part of our bowling attack during our sustained periods of success in his first time here, and he is an extremely talented bowler in both red- and white-ball cricket.”As we plan for the future in our ethos of producing Kent talent, his experience will also be a great boost to us, too.”

Montgomery to join Derbyshire

Matthew Montgomery’s offspin has been successful in T20•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire batter Matthew Montgomery will make the switch to Derbyshire on a three-year contract. He will join the club initially on loan for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup (although will be ineligible to face Notts).Montgomery, who was born in South Africa but has a German passport, made his Notts debut in 2021 and scored the first of his two first-class hundreds the following summer. Although he has only played once in the County Championship this year, he became an integral part of the T20 side, topping the bowling averages with 15 wickets at 18.06.”Matt has chosen to join our project at Derbyshire and we’re delighted to welcome him to the club,” Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket, said. “He’s a batter with real ability in all formats, and he will get the opportunity to show what he can do. His bowling will also be a real asset for us in T20 cricket.”Montgomery said: “I’m excited to work with Mickey and join a group that is moving in the right direction. I look forward to taking this next step in my career and hope I can contribute to Derbyshire’s success across all formats.”

Half-centuries from Rob Yates, Alex Davies and Jacob Bethell strengthened Warwickshire’s grip on the third day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.The visitors earned a first innings lead of 128 when bowling out Somerset for 284 from an overnight 208 for 6. Tom Abell fell for 61 and Craig Overton finished unbeaten on 35, while Oliver Hannon-Dalby added two victims to his second day efforts and ended with 6 for 56 from 18.2 overs.Yates and Davies then produced a century opening partnership and, despite a mid-innings stumble, Warwickshire were able to reach stumps on 284 for 8, 409 runs ahead, with Bethell contributing a sparkling 66. Overton claimed 4 for 57, but his side will have to bat to save the game on the final day.Somerset’s first task on a morning in which they offered free admission to more than 1300 children from 41 schools across the South West was to score the 55 runs needed to avoid the prospect of following on.Abell missed a swinging full toss in Michael Booth’s opening over and departed lbw without adding to his overnight score. And, while Kasey Aldridge struck a couple of delightful boundaries in moving to 14, he undid that good work by chasing a wide delivery from Booth and edging to Yates at second slip.Somerset needed a captain’s innings from Overton, who survived a confident lbw shout from Booth first ball. From then on, he batted with great assurance, hitting 6 fours, and together with James Rew, took Somerset to a batting point at 250 for 8.When Rew ran three off a ball from Ed Barnard, Warwickshire knew they would be batting next. The second new ball was taken at 279 for eight and with three runs added Rew, on 18, drove at a wide tempter from Hannon-Dalby, edging to first slip.Hannon-Dalby then bowled Migael Pretorius with a swinging yorker, the tall seamer somehow gleaning a six-wicket haul from the bland hybrid surface. Overton was left unbeaten, having faced only 36 balls.By lunch, Yates and Davies had added 25 to Warwickshire’s advantage against the new ball and the pattern continued in the afternoon session as the two openers coped comfortably with Somerset’s attack.Yates was first to fifty off 90 balls, with five fours and a six, soon followed by Davies, who had faced 87 deliveries and hit six fours. The stand had reached 106 when the ball after reaching his half-century Davies was bowled by Jack Leach getting into a defensive tangle.Somerset spirits were raised when Yates pulled a short ball from Overton and picked out Josh Davey at fine leg. Sam Hain joined Will Rhodes and the pair opted for caution in taking the score to 125 for 2 at tea, Hain having made 3 off 33 balls.The final session saw Rhodes explode into action, taking successive boundaries off an Aldridge over, which had already seen Hain hit a four, to bring up 150. But just as the innings was gaining momentum Rhodes, on 36, went to pull another Overton short ball and feathered a catch through to wicketkeeper Rew.With the lead just past 300, Dan Mousley advanced down the pitch to Overton and only succeeded in miscuing a catch to Tom Banton at mid-on to leave Warwickshire 175 for 4.Worse was to follow for the visitors as Hain played Leach to mid-on for a single and Ed Barnard was run out by Aldridge’s smart pick-up and direct hit at the wicketkeeper’s end. At 177 for 5, Somerset could consider themselves back in the game.But Hain dug in and Bethell was severe on anything short as they put together a half-century stand off 102 balls to steady the Warwickshire ship before Hain, on 43, ran out of patience and holed out to mid-on off Overton.Bethell reached a 71-ball fifty with his second six, pulled over mid-wicket off Overton and looked in great touch before falling leg-before to Leach with three overs remaining. Leach struck again when Chris Woakes chipped a catch to cover and fell for a duck.