All posts by h716a5.icu

A ground as large as the MCG calls for a batting line-up to not just rely on their power hitting, according to Virat Kohli

Abhishek Purohit in Melbourne21-Feb-20151:36

‘Whenever I meet Dale, he gives me the biggest hug’ – Kohli

Sustained momentum, Virat Kohli said. He was talking about how it was crucial to bat at a high tempo throughout the innings at grounds such as the MCG where the large boundaries make it difficult for power-hitting to come off at the death. Sustained momentum worked for India against Pakistan. It worked for them against South Africa in the Champions Trophy, the last time the two sides met in a world event. It is what they will try to achieve against the same opponents in their second World Cup game on Sunday.”I think in Melbourne we have seen that sustained momentum throughout the innings has probably been the successful way,” Kohli said. “Teams that have tried to slug it out in the last 10 usually don’t end up pulling off that many runs, especially teams that are not familiar to these conditions, because there’s more bounce, the boundaries are bigger, so it’s not that easy to clear boundaries on a regular basis.”India lost five wickets for 27 against Pakistan in the last five overs in Adelaide. They were 185 for 4 in 35 overs against Australia at the MCG in the one-day tri-series a month ago. They managed 4 for 82 off the last 15 overs. No one apart from centurion Rohit Sharma could manage a six in the innings.What’s the watchword? Virat Kohli wants India’s batsmen to adapt to the larger size of the MCG boundaries•Getty Images’Best for me to bat at No. 3′ – Kohli

The search to find the best combination had India shuffling Virat Kohli down the order in the lead-up to the World Cup, but that ploy appears to have run its course.
“I’ve played enough number of games to try and experiment [with my] batting position for the team to be in the best combination possible,” he said, “But we figured out that it’s best for me to bat at No. 3 which I’ve done over the last few years, and we have got success because me or one of the top three batsmen has been able to bat through.
Kohli was used at No. 4 on three occasions during the recent one-day series with Australia and England and tallied only 15 runs, but he was quick to defend the move despite the results.
“We were trying to figure out the best combination for the team. People really need to have some patience with something that we try to do. We do a few experiments, and if they don’t pay off, it’s regarded as something which is going to be our downfall. We don’t think like that.
“Unless you try, you would never know if you’re right or wrong. You make mistakes and you have to learn from them, and that was one situation where we wanted to try things out, and we could not have done it at any time apart from the tri-series, and yeah, that was the main plan behind it.”

MS Dhoni made 19 off 31 deliveries at No. 6 and later said he had to be more watchful than usual in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja’s hitting ability down the order. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Jadeja is available now, but was out for 3 off 5 in the 49th over in the Pakistan game. He was second in the nets after Shikhar Dhawan on Friday at Junction Oval for a long batting stint. R Ashwin also struck some powerful punches, as India sought to get their lower-order in good batting shape.Dhoni has also said that teams are resorting to bowling back of a length in the tournament and challenging batsmen with the buffer of longer boundaries. In the lead-up to this game, India have practiced with a focus on that length.India were able to touch the 300-mark against Pakistan despite the late collapse because of the platform the top order had given them, although they looked good for 330 at one stage. Their opponents then started steadily, but crumbled under the pressure of a tall chase in an India-Pakistan match. There will be no such pressure on the South Africans. Not only does that make it important for India’s batsmen to finish better than they did against Pakistan, it also calls on the top order to set up the game again.Which is where the size of the MCG outfield factors in again. The square boundaries are especially long, unlike Adelaide Oval. India’s top-order batsmen love to play their cover drives and square cuts and back-foot punches. Those strokes come naturally to them and are used as reliable methods to collect runs, especially under fielding restrictions against the new balls. On other venues, once you clear the infield with decent timing, you do not have to bother running. Such strokes might bring only two, or three at best, at the MCG. Doing that against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander regularly will be still harder.Kohli was clear that the India batsmen would have to adapt on Sunday, drawing on their experience of having played at the MCG as recently as January. “You have to hit angles, you have to hit gaps, you have to run hard, and you have to place the ball more than power the ball over the boundary. It will be a calculated approach towards our batting, and we’ll have to make some changes according to how big the field is. All the guys have played on this ground, and I’m sure they are thinking about it.”

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group B matches played on January 8, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2015
ScorecardRajasthan pacers Pankaj Singh and Aniket Choudhary helped set-up a nine-wicket win for their side by bundling Punjab out for 247 on the final day in Jaipur. Their effort meant that Rajasthan were left to chase 89 to register their first Ranji Trophy victory over Punjab and hand the latter their first defeat of the season.Punjab began the day at 85 for 3 with the pair of Taruwar Kohli and Yuvraj Singh at the crease but both batsmen failed to bat on, contributing 36 and 35 respectively. The rest of the line-up tried stitching together a few partnerships but Pankaj and Choudhary kept chipping away to limit the side to 247. Both bowlers had similar figures – Pankaj took 4 for 57, while Choudhary finished with 4 for 52. Their second-innings returns took their match hauls to seven and eight wickets respectively.Pranay Sharma, whose 140 had helped set up Rajasthan’s challenging first-innings score, led the way, scoring 33 in his 67-run opening partnership with Vineet Saxena. Pranay fell with Rajasthan 22 runs away from a win and Saxena and Robin Bist took the side past the target.
ScorecardFile photo – Akshay Darekar finished with his third ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket•West Indies CricketLeft-arm spinner Akshay Darekar’s 7 for 72 steered Maharashtra to an innings-and-48-run win over Saurashtra on the final day in Rajkot. Darekar’s seven-for took his match haul to 10 for 161.Saurashtra began the day at 53 for 4, trailing Maharashtra by 193 runs after following-on and lost Vishal Joshi early on but Sheldon Jackson and Arpit Vasavada held off the Maharashtra bowlers with a 44-run partnership. Two quick wickets from Darekar, including that of Jackson, pushed Saurashtra to 113 for 7 but Vasavada resisted again, adding 83 for the eighth wicket with Kamlesh Makvana. Darekar hastened the end of the match, dismissing Vasavada for 76 and then picking up the last two wickets in his next over to bundle Saurashtra for 198.
ScorecardOdisha’s batsmen held on for a draw even as Vidarbha challenged with a declaration on the fourth day in Sambalpur.At the start of the day, Odisha declared on their overnight score of 137 for 9 and Vidarbha, led by Ganesh Satish’s second fifty of the match – a brisk, unbeaten 54 off 90 balls – declared their innings at 165 for 2 after 47 overs. Vidarbha openers Faiz Fazal and Aniruddha Chore also contributed with knocks of 37 and 36 respectively.Set a target of 269, Odisha had a shaky start with Girjia Rout dismissed with the score still on 0 in the third over. Govinda Podder and Nataraj Behera went on to add 15 runs over the next 14.2 overs at a rate of 1.04. Ravikumar Thakur and Fazal struck to leave Odisha at 23 for 3 and they battled their way out with a 34-run stand between Biplab Samantray and Arabind Singh. After the pair were dismissed, Abhilash Mallick’s unbeaten 32 kept Vidarbha at bay.
ScorecardNo play was possible on the fourth day of the game between Delhi and Haryana due to fog and bad light in Lahli and Delhi ended the match with three points after a first-innings lead of 144.

Both Kings XI and Royal Challengers are fresh off sparkling wins, but neither team will rest on their laurels as another defeat would push them to the brink of elimination

The Preview by Akshay Gopalakrishnan08-May-2016Match factsTuesday, May 9, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)4:05

Agarkar: Will be tough for Punjab to get past Bangalore

Big PictureWith a top four that would be the envy of any Twenty20 team in the world, how Royal Challengers Bangalore find themselves second from bottom of the points table is a question that the team management would be asking itself.Batting has been Royal Challengers’ stronger suit, and unlike the previous seasons, they haven’t relied on a few individuals. Virat Kohli has already struck two centuries this season and AB de Villiers has three half-centuries. Shane Watson has played some vital knocks, like the 13-ball 36 against Rising Pune Supergiants on Saturday. Sarfaraz Khan and Sachin Baby have caught the eye with scoops and reverse-scoops, while KL Rahul has been successful at the top with orthodox shots.Royal Challengers’ weak link has been the bowling. Thrice they have allowed teams to chase down totals in excess of 180. On an average, Royal Challengers have conceded 9.45 runs an over – the worst among all teams – and Watson, at 8.26, is the team’s most economical bowler.By contrast, Kings XI Punjab have thrived with the ball. Sandeep Sharma and Mohit Sharma have nailed inch-perfect yorkers in the end overs, playing key roles in each of Punjab’s three wins this season. That Mohit has added the offcutter to his back-of-the-hand legcutter augurs well for the hosts. Axar Patel’s quick fizzers and Marcus Stoinis’ slower balls add more variety to the attack. M Vijay, the captain, has multiplied the efficiency of the attack with smart field placements. He is also Kings XI’s highest run-getter this season with 229 runs in nine matches at an average and strike rate of 25.44 and 118.04, including two fifties.The form of David Miller and Glenn Maxwell, however, continues to be a cause for concern. The two have a combined tally of 310 runs in nine matches.Form guideKings XI Punjab WLWLL (last five matches, most recent first)
Royal Challengers Bangalore WLLLWIn the spotlightStoinis has proved a valuable addition to Kings XI. He has crunched 112 runs in four innings, striking at 130.23, to add to four wickets. Besides, he has shown the ability to hold his own in the slog overs with yorkers and cutters.Chris Jordan had an ordinary IPL debut, for Royal Challengers, giving away 43 runs for the wicket of Thisara Perera. Having come in as a replacement for the injured Mitchell Starc, he has big shoes to fill. Can Jordan match the Sharmas on Monday?Team newsKings XI may stick to the same team that toppled Delhi Daredevils.Kings XI Punjab (probable): 1 M Vijay (capt), 2 Marcus Stoinis, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 David Miller, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Gurkeerat Singh, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 KC CariappaRoyal Challengers have already paid the price for using an occasional wicketkeeper in Rahul. He has fluffed stumping chances and allowed the ball to sneak through. It was one such missed stumping, of Andre Russell, which might have cost Royal Challengers their match against Kolkata Knight Riders. Will they pass the keeping gloves to Kedar Jadhav? Rahul, though, has come good with the bat, which means that Sachin Baby may have to be left out to accommodate Jadhav. Royal Challengers also made the bold move of dropping Chris Gayle against Supergiants. Will they be tempted to give him another go? If Gayle makes the cut, Travis Head is likely to miss out.Royal Challengers Bangalore (probable): 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Chris Gayle/Travis Head, 3 KL Rahul, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Shane Watson, 6 Sachin Baby/Kedar Jadhav (wk), 7 Stuart Binny, 8 Parvez Rasool, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Varun Aaron, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalPitch and conditionsThe Mohali surface has helped the spinners this season. Teams have enjoyed chasing at the venue, although the last two matches have suggested otherwise. Cloud cover is expected, but there is no rain forecast.Stats and trivia Wriddhiman Saha’s 52 against Daredevils was his first fifty-plus score in the IPL after 19 innings. The last time he passed 50 was in the 2014 final, when he scored an unbeaten 115 against Knight Riders. Virat Kohli went past 500 runs for the season during the course of his unbeaten 108 against Supergiants. Kohli did so in his eighth innings, making it the fastest by any batsman in a season. The record previously belonged to Kohli’s team-mate, Chris Gayle, who took nine innings in 2011.Quotes”Sarfaraz Khan isn’t going to get more than 10-15 balls to play. You can’t afford to have too many in the field who aren’t up to the mark with their speed. You need guys who are fit, and can get to the ball quickly to save you 5-6 runs in the field. Sachin Baby is committed and works on those things. I’d be committed to anyone who gives me 120 per cent in the field.”

Alexi Lalas brutally criticised the USMNT after shock Nations League defeat to Trinidad and Tobago.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

USMNT went down 2-1 to Trinidad and TobagoLalas critiqued USMNT's performanceVoiced concerns about the team's depth WHAT HAPPENED?

The former USMNT player labelled the 2-1 loss as a concerning indicator of the team's overall quality. Despite advancing to the Nations League semifinals with a 4-2 aggregate win, Lalas questioned the team's depth beyond elite players, highlighting their vulnerability when key individuals are unavailable. He challenged the notion that the team is as formidable as perceived, leading to a broader conversation about realistic expectations for the upcoming 2026 World Cup and the Copa America.

AdvertisementWHAT LALAS SAID ABOUT THE USMNT

While speaking on his , he said: "We as an American soccer community leading up to 2026 may have to come to terms with this team, when all is said and done, might not be as good as we thought. I know that's a difficult thing to hear – it is a difficult thing to say given all of the talent we have, all of the pathways, all of the success and let's be honest, all the expectation we have for this group. Is that unfair? Or is that lowering expectations going to hurt this group going forward?"

Getty ImagesLALAS WANTS A REALITY CHECK

Star players Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams were absent in the recent defeat to Trinidad & Tobago. This prompted Lalas to raise concerns about the lack of depth of this team and insisted that there must be serious questions asked before the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup.

"I will say that all of the talk of the depth and all of the talk of all of this talent, I think we are finding out now on multiple occasions that once we get past those elite players, or as has happened in this window – some of those players aren't available, we become very mediocre very quickly," he said.

"Does it mean we can't beat great teams? Does it mean we can't have great moments? No.

"But this whole foundation has been built on winning a World Cup, on the premise that these players are so much better and there are so many more of them. 

"Not saying I yet believe this but it is a question that needs to be asked if our expectations are out of whack with what the reality is when it comes to this team. It's an important conversation to have leading up to next summer and 2026."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR USMNT?

The Copa America next summer will serve as a vital test for the USMNT, providing insights into the team's progress and capabilities against top-tier competition. Lalas's critique sparks a necessary conversation about the team's true potential and the expectations surrounding their performance in major tournaments.

Chelsea's Malo Gusto insists praise for his performance against Manchester City doesn't matter because he could play poorly in the Carabao Cup final.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Gusto plays down recent praiseDefender prioritising consistencyChelsea eyeing Carabao Cup victoryWHAT HAPPENED?

Gusto addressed the positive response to his marking job on Jeremy Doku in Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Manchester City, insisting that it matters little if he's not consistent. Indeed, the Blues are facing an even bigger game against Liverpool at Wembley to contest the first major trophy of the domestic season.

AdvertisementWHAT GUSTO SAID

In an interview with , Gusto said: "It's nice, but I don’t really care about [praise]; I just want to become a better person and better player. The game against Doku, people talk about it, but it's just one game. Maybe this weekend I could be sh*t and the game after, I could be better. I just have to stay focused, to keep (the) good things.

"I came to Chelsea because I wanted to play against great players. The last game [against City] was complicated, but it was good for me to learn, to get confidence [for the final]. It was good for me. I have good cardio, good legs. This is my football."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Gusto has been given the chance to start regularly this season because of Reece James' injury problems. The Chelsea skipper has only made nine appearances across all competitions this season because of two hamstring setbacks. He is still suffering from the second of those and hasn't played since early December.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Victory in Sunday's Carabao Cup final would suddenly change the whole complexion of Chelsea's season. The Blues haven't won a domestic trophy since the FA Cup in 2018 and, given that their league form has recently started to imppove anyway, it could further boost confidence for a strong end to the campaign. The Carabao Cup also offers entry into next season's Europa Conference League if qualification via the league is beyond them.

A round-up of matches from the Caribbean T20 on Wednesday, January 16, 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Trinidad and Tobago continued their impressive run in the Caribbean T20, picking up their fifth win in six matches. They beat Barbados comfortably, by five wickets, in St Lucia. For their second straight game, the bowlers bowled economically, with five out of six bowlers used conceding less than six an over. The spinners Samuel Badree and Sunil Narine kept Barbados in check and Rayam Emrit picked up two wickets with his medium-pace. Ashley Nurse was the top-scorer for Barbados, making an unbeaten 24 in 19, but it wasn’t enough, as his team only managed 101 for 6.T&T openers Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis lay a good foundation for the chase with a 45-run opening stand. However, T&T lost their next four wickets for just 32 runs before Denesh Ramdin and Kieron Pollard steadied the ship, and took their team to the brink of victory, which was achieved with 29 balls to spare. They retained their position at the top of the table.
Scorecard
In a game that may not be of much consequence as far as qualifying for the knockouts is concerned, Leeward Islands won their first game of the Caribbean T20, beating Combined Campuses and Colleges by four runs. Spinners Ryan Austin and Akeem Dewar bowled miserly, wicket-taking spells, to limit Leewards to 127. The pair shared six wickets, and had left the opposition tottering at 81 for 8 before a late recovery from Justin Athanaze and Gavin Tonge pushed the score to a competitive one.Leewards managed to make steady inroads during CCC’s chase and at 72 for 5 in the 15th over, the former had the edge. But Sunil Ambris put together 26 for the sixth wicket with Akeem Dewar, who added a further 23 with Jason Holder. Holder also brought the required rate in control, smacking 20 off 8 balls. But Holder was run out off the last ball of the penultimate over with seven needed to win, and there were no runs scored for the next three balls during which Dewar was also dismissed. CCC only managed two off the final three deliveries, and Leewards snuck home.

After a glut of one-sided snooze-fests, the IPL produced the kind of upset the Twenty20 format is made for, with the tenth-placed Kings XI Punjab producing a strong performance to trounce the table-toppers, Mumbai Indians

The Bulletin by Nitin Sundar10-May-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSachin Tendulkar’s dismissal was the beginning of a spectacular collapse•Associated PressAfter a glut of predictable snooze-fests, the IPL produced the kind of upset the Twenty20 format is made for, with Kings XI Punjab, placed tenth at the start of the game, producing a strong performance to trounce the table-toppers, Mumbai Indians. Punjab came out determined against Mumbai’s gun bowlers – Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh – and scrapped their way towards a solid base, before Munaf Patel’s five-for kept them to 163. In reply, Mumbai combusted in a rash of ridiculous shots to concede two points on a platter, keeping Punjab’s campaign alive.It was the kind of score Punjab would have taken at the toss, given how badly out of form their batting had been in recent games. It gave them the rare luxury of something to bowl at, and they responded with purpose and vigour. Aiden Blizzard produced three edgy boundaries in the first over from Praveen Kumar, but things went rapidly downhill from there for Mumbai’s batsmen. Sachin Tendulkar guided an innocuous delivery from Praveen straight to backward point in the third over, before Adam Gilchrist pulled off an alert stumping to send Rohit Sharma on his way. When Blizzard was adjudged out nicking a leg-side ball from Praveen in the fifth over, Mumbai had slumped to 27 for 3, and there was no middle-order counter-attack to put them back on track.Even a couple of dropped chances and a missed run-out did not spark a revival, and the exit of Andrew Symonds, Ambati Rayudu and T Suman in successive overs set up a happy evening for the Mohali faithfuls.Punjab’s defiance was captured earlier in the day, in the way Gilchrist fronted up to Lasith Malinga. The bowler of the tournament screamed in for the second over of Punjab’s innings, and delivered it full and wide of off stump. The out-of-form Gilchrist rolled back the years by moving across and slicing it through point. The next ball was hit even more fiercely, but it found the fielder. Buoyed by the confidence of having middled two balls, Gilchrist took guard outside the crease for the next delivery. It was a yorker, followed by a bouncer that clattered Gilchrist on the back of his helmet. He was stunned for a moment and floored for a minute, but he got a new helmet and carried on. Punjab were not going to flinch today.Paul Valthaty did his bit to kick-start the innings before perishing in Munaf’s first over, pulling him straight to deep midwicket. Gilchrist carried on though he was clearly not at his best, struggling to pick Harbhajan’s straighter ones, and to adapt to the drop in pace once Malinga exited the attack. Symonds let him off on one of those indiscretions, when Gilchrist drove Dhawal Kulkarni uppishly into the covers. Gilchrist celebrated by launching Rohit Sharma for a straight six, while Shaun Marsh checked in by creaming Kulkarni twice through the off side.Malinga returned and produced the breakthrough, hurling down another pacy bouncer which Gilchrist feathered behind. Marsh had found his range by then, and seamlessly took charge of the innings along with Dinesh Karthik. Blizzard made things easier for Punjab, dropping Karthik when he top-edged Kieron Pollard. Karthik capitalised by sweeping and reverse-sweeping Suman for successive fours in the 14th over, as Punjab coiled for the final assault. It was the cue for the Munaf show to begin.Marsh welcomed Munaf to the crease by crashing the first ball of his second spell through the covers, before imparting a violent thump to another half-tracker, to send it sailing along towards the deep midwicket fence. Pollard had his own ideas, though, running at full tilt, diving to his right and intercepting the ball with both hands, to pull off one of the best catches of the tournament. That sparked Mumbai’s best phase in the game, as Munaf used clever changes in length and pace to cut through the lower order. He dismissed David Hussey for a duck, before foxing Karthik and Ryan Harris into scooping catches into the outfield. Munaf’s efforts had restricted Punjab to just 39 off the last five overs, but Mumbai’s spectacular batting collapse meant it counted for nothing.

The rescheduling of the one-day international series against the West Indies from December to late January has resulted in a loss of US$125,000 to Sri Lanka Cricket

Sa'adi Thawfeeq28-Jan-2011The rescheduling of the one-day international series against the West Indies from December to late January has resulted in a loss of US$125,000 to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The series had to be postponed due to persistent bad weather across the island, and the number of matches was also curtailed from five to three.Ajith Jayasekera, the SLC acting CEO, stated that the board had incurred a loss of approximately US$25,000 on each of the five matches that was to be televised by their broadcast partner Ten Sports. “We couldn’t play the five matches and we didn’t get the fee per match,” Jayasekara said.”The three-match series which is due to begin on January 31 is not a planned tour according to the agreement signed with the television broadcasting company. We have obtained legal advice and they say it should be considered a separate tour. It is not in the tour program according to the contract.”Ten Sports had not planned for the postponement of the tour which occurred due to unforeseen circumstances and they were unable to meet those conditions. They also had no obligations for the current series.”In the absence of the regular broadcaster, the matches will be shown by Sri Lanka’s national television station Rupavahini but will not be broadcast to the international audience.The venues for the matches have also undergone changes with all three of them scheduled to be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The first match is to be played on January 31 followed by the second and third on February 3 and 6.Originally the matches were to be played at two World Cup venues, the first at Hambantota and the second and third at the R Premadasa Stadium. “At this point of time, there is no point in us being concerned about being unable to play at the World Cup venues,” Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka captain, said.”Our mental approach has to be regardless of getting experience on the wickets, there is a World Cup to be played, and played well. So our preparation is going to be the same. We are strong enough and we have the character to deal with whatever comes our way.”The series will be played in aid of the flood victims who lost their homes, belongings and loved ones during the recent floods in the country. Proceeds of all ticket sales will go to the flood victims, according to SLC.

Surrey moved to fourth in the Friends Life t20 South Group and inflicted an 11th defeat on basement side Middlesex after clinching a nine-run success at Lord’s

08-Jul-2011
Scorecard
Surrey moved to fourth in the Friends Life t20 South Group and inflicted an 11th defeat on basement side Middlesex after clinching a nine-run success at Lord’s.A St John’s Wood crowd of around 16,000 were left subdued for much of an encounter that Surrey edged from the moment their captain Rory Hamilton-Brown won the toss and went on to play a cameo role in his side’s impressive total of 182 for 3.Visiting openers Jason Roy and Steven Davies gave the Lions a roaring start by posting 92 for the first wicket, including 64 in their six powerplay overs. They were assisted by some slack Panthers fielding and wayward Middlesex bowling from all bar Steven Finn, whose four overs cost 26.Steven Cook sent down three wides and conceded 35 in his only three overs, while replacement Ryan McLaren leaked 19 from his opening over, including the first six of the night by Roy over long-on.Middlesex skipper Neil Dexter temporarily stemmed the flow of boundaries with his medium-pacers from the Pavilion End, but left-arm spinner Tom Smith proved expensive at the Nursery End as Roy plundered another straight six on his way to a 35-ball half-century.But two deliveries later Roy drilled the first ball of the night from off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple into the hands of Chris Rogers at wide long-off to make it 99 for one at the innings mid-point. Left-handed Davies lofted a cover drive to the ropes to post the second half-century of the match from 25 balls and with eight fours, only to fall to Dalrymple’s next delivery. Drawn down the pitch, he edged his drive to keeper John Simpson, who whipped off the bails for good measure.Simpson stumped Hamilton-Brown off Smith, but blotted his copy book by dropping Tom Maynard when on 17 as Finn returned to complete his tidy four-over allocation and keep Surrey below 200.Chasing at a rate of 9.15 an over, Middlesex were in trouble in the opening over when Paul Stirling saw Stuart Meaker hold a swirling, high chance on the run at long-on. Three balls later Scott Newman, aiming to pull a short one from Chris Tremlett, gloved one leg-side to the keeper Davies to make it 10 for two only seven deliveries into the home reply.Rogers went for 18 after playing inside a leg-cutter from left- armer Dirk Nannes that clipped off stump, but Dexter and Dalrymple salvaged home pride in a stand of 74. Even so Panthers’ asking rate continued to escalate and, with pressure mounting Dexter sallied down the pitch to be stumped by a yard against leg-spinner Chris Schofield and go for 49 off 36 balls.Dalrymple deposited a full one from Gareth Batty into the Grandstand for six and carved four through backward point in Meaker’s next over, only to lose Simpson when he splayed a Nannes full-toss to deep cover.Dalrymple miscued to mid-wicket to go for 48 off 35 balls then McLaren and Cook followed in successive balls to give Nannes his maiden five-wicket haul in t20 cricket and help Surrey to their sixth win of the campaign.

Even during his consecutive half-centuries for Ruhuna in the Champions League Twenty20, he has shown that he prefers playing orthodox shots better suited to the longer format

Abhishek Purohit in Hyderabad21-Sep-2011Dinesh Chandimal carries himself with the smile of a schoolboy. His batting does not have the regal touch of Kumar Sangakkara or the raw power of MS Dhoni. What he has displayed so far in his short career is the pluck of Romesh Kaluwitharana allied with the patience to build an innings, a skill that has brought him consecutive half-centuries in the Champions League Twenty20 qualifier.In both matches, he came in early at No. 3 following the fall of Sanath Jayasuriya – the past of Sri Lankan cricket – and provided a glimpse into its future. He batted like he keeps wicket, busily and intelligently. It took him seven balls to get off the mark today but not once did he betray any signs of desperation. And the way he scored his first runs was telling. Offspinner Jigar Naik had kept him quiet with a succession of quick deliveries fired in full. Off the last ball of the over, Chandimal coolly made some room and lofted Naik over extra cover for six.As he had done against Trinidad and Tobago, he played spin with assured hands and quick feet, lofting cleanly whenever the opportunity was there. In the subcontinent, where he will play most of his cricket, that usually proves to be a productive combination.Chandimal chose the right pace to target when he picked on Abdul Razzaq, pulling and flicking him for three of his six fours. The quicker Wayne White, however, troubled him as had T&T’s Ravi Rampaul, who had dismissed him when he top-edged a pull. There will be time for the 21-year old Chandimal to work on that aspect of his game.He has expressed his desire to take over from Prasanna Jayawardene for Sri Lanka in Test cricket. And that is why it was a touch pleasing to see that he struggled to time the cross-batted swipes at the death. It is clearly not something that comes naturally to him. He is much more comfortable batting the correct and orthodox way, even in the shortest format.He is safe behind the stumps and bustles with energy on the field. He cringes at dropped chances and has regular words of advice for his captain. A first-class average of 58.52 points at huge potential and it is inevitable that Chandimal will increasingly put more and more pressure on the much older Jayawardene for the Test keeper’s slot.Chandimal has been judged good enough to be played as a specialist batsman in ODIs with Sangakkara still having not given up keeping in the format. With Sri Lanka opting to ignore Thilan Samaraweera for the upcoming Tests against Pakistan, Chandimal’s Test cap might not be far away, whether with the larger gloves or without them.