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South African allrounder strikes 13 boundaries as The Blaze chase down 276 with 12 balls to spare

ECB Reporters Network08-May-2024South Africa all-rounder Nadine de Klerk struck a magnificent unbeaten 106 as The Blaze fought back to beat Western Storm by four wickets in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Trent Bridge.Chasing 276 for victory, the home side looked to be heading for a fifth defeat in six matches when they slipped to 137 for 6 following Natasha Wraith’s impressive career-best 73 in the Storm innings.But 24-year-old De Klerk turned things around in a superb unbroken 139-run partnership with 21-year-old wicketkeeper Ella Claridge (64 not out), whose half-century was her first in women’s regional cricket, as The Blaze won with 12 balls to spare.Earlier, wicketkeeper-batter Wraith had shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 93 with skipper Sophie Luff (37), who had earlier put on 66 for the second wicket with Fran Wilson (34) before useful lower-order runs from Chloe Skelton (29 not out) helped Storm made light of the absence of England duo Heather Knight and Danielle Gibson to total to 275 in 48.1 overs. Blaze captain Kirstie Gordon took 4 for 40 to lift her wickets tally to 11 for the campaign.England opener Tammy Beaumont, not selected for the forthcoming T20 series against Pakistan Women, hit 41, sharing an opening partnership of 52 with Teresa Graves (24), but The Blaze looked likely to suffer again in the absence of England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and Scotland internationals Kathryn and Sarah Bryce until De Klerk and Claridge’s heroics won the day.The Blaze had won the toss and Sophie Munro removed Alex Griffiths with the second ball of the match courtesy of an edge to solitary slip Beaumont, but Gordon had to wait until the 14th over to see her decision to bowl first rewarded again, bringing about the breakthrough with her own left-arm spin as Wilson’s sweep flew off a top-edge to short fine leg.Gordon followed up by bowling Smale to leave Storm 70 for 3, after which the Blaze skipper looked to apply the squeeze with spin at both ends.But Wraith and Luff countered by going on the offensive, adding another 50 in just 40 deliveries, Wraith hitting a maximum down the ground off Gordon before knocking leg-spinner Josie Groves out of the attack with three fours in four balls.The fourth-wicket pair plundered more runs against the off-spin of Lucy Higham before Groves, replacing England’s Sarah Glenn in the one change to the Blaze line-up, returned to have Luff caught at long-off thanks to an excellent catch on the run by Munro.Wraith continued unchecked, passing her previous best of 68 when she pulled left-armer Ballinger for her 11th four.She fell in the next over, caught behind off a top edge, and when Gordon then dismissed Katie Jones and Niamh Holland in the space of four deliveries, the home side looked to be wresting back control with Storm 207 for 7.Yet Skelton, who hammered the unfortunate Ballinger for five consecutive fours, led the way as the Storm tail wagged vigorously, the last three wickets adding 68 vital runs, punctuated by a second success each for De Klerk and Munro before Graves ended the innings with her only delivery.In reply, The Blaze were going well until the last over of the opening powerplay, when Smale struck with her first ball as Luff turned to spin for the first time. The left-armer induced the thinnest of tickles as Graves, who had played nicely for her 24, was caught behind on the leg side.From 52 without loss, Blaze stumbled badly. Smale picked up the crucial wicket of Beaumont, whose swing and miss ended with her middle stump out of the ground, before leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington removed Marie Kelly with the help of an excellent catch by Griffiths at gully and had Beth Gammon leg before.Gordon perished for 16, adjudged leg before trying to work Skelton’s off-spin through the on side, and Munro was bowled through the gate by seamer Griffiths.Storm were now well on top with Blaze 137 for 6, but there was no shifting De Klerk, who pounced on almost any delivery that was short or wide, completing her second half-century for the East Midlands side off 62 balls with six boundaries.Having lost five partners before that milestone, she at last found one to stick with her in Claridge, who grew in confidence, her fifth boundary, forcefully driven through the covers off Skelton, bringing up a century partnership for the seventh wicket in 17 overs, with 37 needed from the final six overs.De Klerk brought up her hundred from 112 balls with 12 fours before winning the match with a six, slog-swept off Griffiths.

Controversial dismissal of Timm van der Gugten leaves Glamorgan short in thrilling chase

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2023Warwickshire openers Rob Yates and Ed Barnard set the platform for their team to maintain their 100% record, though Glamorgan gave them a mighty scare before succumbing to defeat.Teenager Ben Kellaway struck 67 off 41 balls to take the Welsh County within site of victory, when a moment of huge controversy turned the game the way of the visitors in this Metro Bank Cup One Day game. Timm van der Gugten struck the ball towards the midwicket boundary where the catch was well taken by Ethan Brookes, the Glamorgan batter sent on his way despite TV evidence that Brookes just touched the boundary rope before releasing and regathering the ball.When Kellaway was the last man out, caught on the boundary off Barnard, they fell 24 runs short with 17 balls remaining. Half-centuries by Kiran Carlson, Sam Northeast and Billy Root were also in vain.Warwickshire’s imposing score was built on the foundations laid by the opening partnership of Yates and Barnard, which fell just one run short of a record opening partnership for Warwickshire in all List A cricket. Needless to say it was a record opening partnership against Glamorgan, with Barnard the more aggressive of the two early on though Yates caught him up and went past his partner.Their steady progress went up a gear when Glamorgan captain Carlson brought himself on as his first two overs were expensive. Carlson continued to ring the changes in his bowling attack as he searched for a breakthrough, but Barnard and Yates continued their serene progress taking advantage of the short Neath boundaries.Zain-ul-Hassan was the bowler who eventually made the breakthrough when Barnard was caught by van der Gugten for 79 off 88 balls. That sparked a bit of a mini collapse as Michael Burgess went for just 7 and then there was the big wicket of Yates for 102 off 114 balls, all in a three-over period for just seven runs.Will Rhodes was the common denominator as Warwickshire bounced back from that minor setback, but more of the aggression was coming from the other end. Brookes got 38 off 25, Hamza Shaikh 21 off 10, as Warwickshire plundered 129 from the final 14 overs. Rhodes was out just before the close for 44 off 45 balls.Teenager Kellaway continued his promising introduction to List A cricket with 3 for 56 off his seven overs, while Zain and Andy Gorvin both took two wickets.Glamorgan’s innings could not have got off to a much worse start with openers Thomas Bevan and Eddie Byrom both falling early to Oliver Hannon-Dalby as the opening bowler used his height to cause problems.That brought Carlson and Sam Northeast to the crease and their partnership was always likely to be central to Glamorgan’s hopes. Carlson showed his intent from the start, racing to his half-century off just 33 balls. Glamorgan’s hundred came up in the 15th over. When Carlson fell for 61 it came a little out of the blue as Craig Miles got some movement away and keeper Burgess dived to take the low catch.Northeast and Root made steady progress to 181 off 31 overs, but the return of 6ft 8in Hannon-Dalby saw the end of the former aiming over square leg as the extra bounce meant a top edge to fine leg. Root struck an assured 56, but the impetus was provided by Kellaway who launched a series of fours and sixes to put his team ahead of the run rate. He brought up an excellent half-century off 26 balls, with four sixes.Wicketkeeper Alex Horton looked good for a quickfire 14, and it took a world-class catch diving on the boundary by Brookes to dismiss him. Van der Gugten came and went to that controversial dismissal, but there was no doubt about Gorvin being clean bowled to give Hannan-Dalby his fourth wicket.

Tasmania fold for 179 after winning the toss as WA look to secure a home final for the second straight year

Tristan Lavalette02-Mar-2023Offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli claimed four wickets on the pace-friendly WACA surface as defending Sheffield Shield champions Western Australia continued their stranglehold over Tasmania after a dominant day one performance.Rocchiccioli equalled his best first-class figures of 4 for 31 to tear through Tasmania, who were bowled out for 179 after winning the toss.In reply, WA were 1 for 67 at stumps as they eye victory to secure a home final for the second straight year.Opener Cameron Bancroft, the leading Shield run-scorer this season, looked in superb touch before prodding offspinner Jarrod Freeman to short-leg on 28.With rain falling, a rarity in Perth this time of year, there was a 20-minute delay late in the final session but Sam Whiteman refocused on resumption alongside nightwatchman Rocchiccioli to complete WA’s strong opening day.With their hopes of qualifying for the final in the balance, Tasmania were desperate to make amends after copping a 383-run thrashing to WA at home last week.Skipper Jordan Silk elected to bowl in humid and overcast conditions. It seemed a risk on a green-tinged surface and with seam bowling dominating the bat in the matches at the ground earlier in the season.But in the first Shield match at the WACA in almost three months, the surface appeared benign with Tasmania openers Tim Ward and Caleb Jewell relatively untroubled in a 72-run partnership.They almost batted through the opening session until Jewell fell just before lunch for 40 after being brilliantly caught by Mitchell Marsh at slip off the bowling of Rocchiccioli.No.3 Jake Doran had a reprieve moments later when he was dropped by Bancroft at slip as Tasmania reached lunch at 1 for 80.Having bowled within themselves in the first session, WA’s attack was ignited by a stunning one-handed return catch low to the ground from quick Charlie Stobo to remove Ward for 44.It triggered a collapse for Tasmania, who lost 3 for 11 with Doran and Mac Wright falling to brilliant line and length bowling from Stobo and Matt Kelly.But Silk and Tim Paine steadied the ship with a fighting partnership to thwart a WA attack intent on opening up the lower order.Marsh, who impressed with his rotation of bowlers, pulled a masterstroke by reverting back to under-used Rocchiccioli just before tea. Once again, the offspinner snared a wicket before a break when he removed Silk for 18.As the threat of a thunderstorm loomed, Tasmania’s lower order were blown away after Paine holed out for 17. They lost their last six wickets for 30 to ensure Tasmania failed to reach 200 runs for the third straight innings against WA.Rocchiccioli finished with the spoils having retained his spot in the side as spinning allrounder Ashton Agar, who was sent home from Australia’s tour of India after being overlooked for selection, focuses on white-ball cricket.Agar is set to play in the 50-over Marsh Cup final between WA and South Australia on March 8 before returning to India for the ODI leg of the tour.Marsh, meanwhile, stepped up his preparation for the ODI series having recently returned from a three-month injury layoff. The allrounder will play as a specialist batter in his first Shield match in two years.Tasmania dropped wicketkeeper-batter Ben McDermott, a former Australia ODI and T20I player who has struggled this domestic season, while veteran seamer Peter Siddle was rested.

Kings XI’s defeat to CSK has improved the qualification chances of RCB and Capitals

S Rajesh01-Nov-2020Rajasthan Royals: Played 13, Points 12, NRR -0.377
The Rajasthan Royals’ need to beat the Kolkata Knight Riders to keep their hopes alive. The elimination of the Kings XI has only very marginally simplified their task, in that, if the Sunrisers beat the Mumbai Indians in their last game, then the Royals’ net run rate (NRR) should be above that of the loser of the Capitals-Royal Challengers match.If the Capitals lose by a run, chasing 160, the Royals need to win in around 13.5 overs (also chasing 160). If the Royal Challengers lose by a run, chasing 160, the Royals need to win in around 13.2 overs (also chasing 160).However, given the Royals’ poor NRR, their best bet for qualification will be if the Sunrisers lose their last match. Then, the Royals will progress to the playoffs without NRR coming into play, if they beat the Knight Riders.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Kolkata Knight Riders: Played 13, Points 12, NRR -0.467
The Knight Riders are in a similar situation as the Royals, their opponents on Sunday, except that their NRR is a bit poorer. Hence, the best-case scenario for them is exactly what applies to Royals: to hope that the Sunrisers lose their last game. Then, the Knight Riders will qualify as the fourth team if they beat the Royals.If the Sunrisers win their last game, then the Knight Riders will have to win by a big enough margin which lifts their NRR above that of the loser of the Capitals-Royal Challengers match. If the Capitals lose by a run, chasing 160, the Knight Riders need to win by 77 runs. If the Royal Challengers lose by a run, chasing 160, the Knight Riders need to win by 80 runs.Royal Challengers Bangalore: Played 13, Points 14, NRR -0.145
The Kings XI’s defeat has improved the qualification chances of the Royal Challengers, even if they lose to the Capitals on Monday. If they lose on Monday, they can qualify if their NRR stays above that of the winner of the Knight Riders’ game against the Royals. If the Sunrisers lose to the Mumbai Indians, then the Royal Challengers will be through without NRR coming into play, despite a defeat to the Capitals.They will want to beat the Capitals, though, as that will secure them second place on the points table.Delhi Capitals: Played 13, Points 14, NRR -0.159
Not only have the Capitals lost their last four matches, they have also lost three by huge margins, which has shaved off a whopping 0.933 from their NRR.The Capitals are now in a similar situation as the Royal Challengers, their opponents on Monday. If they win, they will finish second; if they lose, their survival will depend on the Sunrisers-Mumbai game, and the margin of the Knight Riders-Royals match.Sunrisers Hyderabad: Played 13, Points 12, NRR 0.555
The Sunrisers have made a late surge and have an excellent NRR, but their last game is against table-toppers Mumbai Indians. However, apart from the NRR, what might work in their favour is the fact that they will play Mumbai in Sharjah, the same venue where they beat the Royal Challengers so emphatically.The equation for the Sunrisers is the simplest: beat Mumbai, and they will be through regardless of other results; lose the match, and they will be out.

BCB will also seek the opinion of the players for the tour comprising three T20Is and two Tests in January-February

Mohammad Isam14-Dec-2019BCB president Nazmul Hassan is hopeful that the Bangladesh team will get security clearance from the government to tour Pakistan next month for a series comprising three T20Is and two Tests. However, he also said that there remained a couple of more steps that needed to be taken before a final decision could be arrived at.Last week, BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury had said that the board was expecting a decision from the government imminently, but that time was running out. However, Hassan struck a more positive tone on Saturday.”We had written to the government about our security clearance for Pakistan,” Hassan said. “We had sent a women’s team and an Under-16 team previously. We don’t have the clearance for the senior men’s team yet. Security is paramount even if it is for an Under-12 side. It is going to be the same for everyone, which is why I believe that we are likely to get the security clearance.”Bangladeshi sides have toured Pakistan in the recent past, but the men’s team haven’t done so since 2008. Seven years ago they were close to deciding on a tour to Pakistan, only for the AHM Mustafa Kamal-led BCB to pull out shortly after the decision to tour was taken.Hassan has said that after the government announces their decision, it would be up to the BCB to speak to the players who could decide for themselves whether they were keen to tour or not. BCB director Akram Khan has already suggested splitting the tour so that the Tests could be played later.”The government had sent their security team, so once we get the clearance we can tell you our decision. After the security clearance, we also must ask the cricketers, whose opinion is important.”We also have to consider the board’s decision, but we are at the final stages of our decision. I think we will know about it in the next 4-5 days,” said Hassan.The tour comprises of three T20Is, scheduled to be held in Lahore on January 23, 25 and 27, and two Tests, which are slated to be held in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Pakistan bat out full 50 overs as England struggle to make dominance tell

Valkerie Baynes23-May-2024Alice Capsey set the foundations by finding her 50-over form with the bat before England’s spin twins, Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean, sealed a “scrappy” victory for the hosts in their opening ODI against Pakistan in Derby.Pakistan’s search for an ODI win over England continues after this, their 13th match, which England won by 37 runs with two more games to come, at Taunton on Sunday and Chelmsford on Wednesday.Capsey top-scored with 44, her ODI career-best, as England set a victory target of 244 for Pakistan, who had never scored more than 209 in the format against England, although they gave that a nudge, finishing on 206 for 9 as England failed to finish the game off when they had their opponents on the ropes.Capsey’s innings broke a run of six in ODIs where she had failed to pass 6 and followed scores of 5, 31 and 1 during the T20I series with Pakistan, which England swept 3-0.Pakistan were well in the contest through the first powerplay but struggled against the spin of Ecclestone and Dean – who claimed five wickets between them – in a win Heather Knight, England’s captain, described at the presentation as “scrappy”. Seamers Lauren Bell and Kate Cross finished with two wickets apiece.After being put in to bat, England had a number of moderate contributors, as they did through the first two T20Is, with Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver-Brunt making it into the 30s but failing to kick on. Capsey – the player of the match in Northampton with 31 and two wickets – threatened to do just that here after overturning an lbw decision off Dar when she was on 35. But she hung her head in disappointment after spooning a return catch to Nashra Sandhu with six overs of England’s innings left.Capsey faced 18 deliveries for her first boundary, picking the gap between extra cover and mid-off beautifully with a well-timed drive off Aliya Riaz and she followed that two balls later with a sumptuous drive for four.Capsey and Jones combined for a 67-run partnership after Knight fell for a laboured 29 from 49 deliveries, which included two chances, before Jones swept Dar and sent a top edge to Ayesha Zafar at square leg for 37.Openers Maia Bouchier and Beaumont had fallen lbw to Nashra and Umm-e-Hani respectively to leave England 61 for 2 in the 14th over.Knight was dropped on nought off Nashra when she skied one towards mid-on where Hani made a meal of the opportunity and Hani was again the culprit when Knight, on 18, struck Dar straight to midwicket only to see the chance spilled.It was Aliya who finally removed Knight, slashing at a wide delivery and producing a thick edge to Najiha Alvi behind the stumps. Sciver-Brunt fell in similar fashion, attempting to drive another wide one from Aliya but managing only to edge behind as England slipped to 118 for 4 just after the halfway point of their innings.Charlie Dean halted Pakistan’s recovery•PA Photos/Getty Images

After Capsey’s dismissal, the wickets fell steadily for an England side missing Danni Wyatt, who had scored a 48-ball 87 in the third and final T20I at Headingley but woke up feeling unwell on Thursday. Dean offered a neat cameo worth 20 before she was bowled, giving Dar her third wicket for the match, and Sarah Glenn remained unbeaten on 16 off 13 balls as England reached 243 for 9 in 50 their overs.In pursuit, Sidra Amin was dropped on 2 by wicketkeeper Jones off Bell but Jones made amends a while later by holding on as Sidra drove at a lovely Bell delivery which nipped away off the pitch outside off stump and brushed the outside edge on its way to the keeper without adding to her score.After 15 overs, Pakistan were 66 for 1 but, immediately after the drinks break, Ecclestone had Sadaf Shamas out chopping onto her stumps for 28.Muneeba Ali survived when Jones failed to hold an edge as the batter attempted a cut shot against Dean. But then Ecclestone pushed a gem through the gap between bat and pad to remove Ayesha Zafar in single figures and, although Muneeba reached 34, she fell driving at another excellent Bell delivery, full and jagging away to catch the edge for caught behind.Pakistan needed to score at around a run-a-ball going into the last 20 overs with four wickets down but when their captain, Dar, slog-swept Dean to Beaumont at deep midwicket it was the breakthrough England needed.Ecclestone claimed her third wicket in the next over when she pinned Fatima Sana on the front pad in line with leg stump as she strode forward and Dean then had Aliya out lbw as Pakistan lost three wickets for seven runs in the space of 15 balls.From there, the task proved too steep for Pakistan, despite Nashra and Najiha proving stubborn with an unbroken 28-run stand for the 10th wicket, underlining England’s inability to fully kill off the match. The hosts faced 157 dot balls compared to Pakistan’s 203, although England gifted them 40 extras, including 31 wides, and so they leave Derby with a good amount of work still to do.

The PCB chief said they are exploring alternative revenue streams with the broadcast deal set for renewal

Umar Farooq14-Apr-2020Pakistan is preparing to enter a new broadcasting landscape this year, planning a new deal for the first time in recent memory without a bilateral series against “unreliable” India – according to the PCB chairman – to sell. Though they have not played a full bilateral series against their neighbours since 2007-08, the value of each of their broadcast deals this century has included series with India.That deal is due to be renewed this year, and with a shrinking broadcast market to boot, the value of the PCB’s media rights from 2020 to 2023 is likely to be lesser than the last deal – worth USD 145 million when it was signed but it was hit by the cancellation of two series against India. However, the PCB’s senior management, including chairman Ehsan Mani, remains optimistic about finding new ways to create alternative avenues of revenue.”Definitely [not playing against India] is a loss but we are not thinking about it,” Mani said in a PCB podcast. “It’s like a pie in the sky… if it’s not happening that is fine, we have to live with it. We don’t need to survive on it. I am very clear about planning on the basis of the fact that we are not playing them. Because in the past they had promised twice, thrice that they will play but pulled out… so they are unreliable. We cannot rely on them for resuming against playing India anywhere in the foreseeable future. If it happens, let it be like in Asia Cup and ICC events. We are interested in cricket and we always kept sports and politics separately, unlike India, so it’s the same this time.”A bilateral series against India forms the financial cornerstone of every country’s broadcast rights, but over the last decade and more, with the additional hit of not being able to play at home, the PCB has managed to not only survive, but to a degree, thrive. Over the last five years, the PSL has also emerged as a critical commercial product, the current three-year broadcast deal for it worth USD 36 million. Additionally, the PCB also earns USD 15.65 million annually from the fee the six PSL franchises pay, and USD 25 million in annual sponsorships that run till 2021. Between 2015-23, the board is also set to earn approximately USD 115-120 million from ICC revenue.Not playing India has hit revenues – it is estimated the loss of two series in the last cycle cost the PCB as much as USD 80 million – and affected investments in domestic cricket and pathway systems. But it has not crippled the board.”We need to be innovative and creative on how we look at our next rights cycle,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan told ESPNcricinfo’s podcast last week. “India is not on the table so we’re going to have to look at other ways. But you know we’ve got good international markets, a huge diaspora in the UK, huge in the US and I think we really need to think differently about how we sell our rights.”We’ve been focusing without India for a while now. We won’t really know the impact in terms of the values that we can get until we get into the marketplace. But we’re looking at what we need to be doing differently rather than just going out in your conventional way in terms of selling your broadcast rights. So many different platforms, different players out there now. We’ve been planning very hard over the last 12 months. We started our contingency planning a while ago, looking at what the broadcast deal might look like, what we might lose on that and looking at what we need to do internally.”ALSO LISTEN: Podcast with Wasim KhanBilateral ties between the two countries were snapped after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 and other than a limited-overs series in 2012-13, they have only faced each other in multi-team tournaments. The PCB pushed for ties to resume before seeking compensation for those losses by going for arbitration but that backfired as the Pakistani board ended up paying almost USD 2 million in legal costs after losing the case.Pakistan’s current broadcasting deal ends with the Bangladesh series that was scheduled this year. They have no home series scheduled in the next seven months, though there is a fairly packed international calendar next year that includes tours by England and Australia. However, given the current global scenario that could well be subject to change.”Our most important commercial contract is the media rights of our bilateral series and it has expired recently,” Mani said. “Until 2023 we have England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa [touring], and all are good series. But it’s a big challenge today (due to the coronavirus pandemic) how we are going to market it and monetise it. For instance, broadcasters in England are suffering. In fact, the sports broadcast industry itself is undergoing tremendous economic pressure. They might not able to pay much this time so we have to think about alternatives.”We have a commercial contract with Pepsi ending next year after 19 years. They have been our major partner, so all stakeholders need to have some certainty to renew our deals. There is a cost impact after our commercial contracts expire, and we are assessing which sponsors are ready to come on board with us, not knowing what we can offer during this uncertain period. So there are challenges but we have to find an innovate way to deal with these things, like why not use digital platform to keep supporters engaged. We have to show some flexibility to meet their expectations and merge it with our aspiration.”

The difficulty of travelling at the moment was a key reason behind the pace bowler’s decision

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-20200:38

Matthew Hayden – RCB too reliant on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers

Kane Richardson hopes he gets another chance to appear in the IPL in the future but said he could not risk missing the birth of his first child following his withdrawal from the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad for this year’s tournament.The limitations around global travel amid the Covid-19 pandemic was one of the key factors in Richardson’s decision, knowing that it would be difficult to jump on a plane from the UAE to get home to Australia at short notice. He has been replaced at RCB by Australia team-mate Adam Zampa.He will return home after the limited-overs tour of England and undertake the mandatory two-week quarantine before heading back to South Australia.ALSO READ: Key to Australia’s T20I success: Spin twins, and return of David Warner, Steven Smith“It’s always difficult to withdraw from a competition like the IPL, it’s the pinnacle domestic competition in the world but when I really sat down and thought about it’s definitely the right one with all that’s going on in the world at the moment,” he said.”Just the challenge around getting home on time for something as unpredictable as the birth of a child, I couldn’t risk missing that. It’s disappointing to miss the IPL but hopefully there are opportunities ahead for that and don’t think I’d ever be able to live with missing the birth of my first kid.”We’ve had five months of but hopefully cricket will always be there. The main thing for me is to support my wife, as cricketers we are away for a lot of things but there comes a time when you prioritise your family over anything else and at the moment in the world a lot of people are doing that.”Over the next couple of weeks Richardson’s focus is a return to international cricket for the first time in five months. He has been an integral part of Australia’s T20I side, forming the pace attack alongside Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, as they have climbed to No. 1 in the world and hopes to retain that role.Kane Richardson is his delivery stride•Getty Images

“Coming off five months of doing nothing you don’t really know until you start, but if look back over the last 12 months I’ve feel I’ve done the job so it’s been a really nice period for the T20 team,” he said. “You never feel 100% comfortable behind those guys but hopefully my name is called on Friday night.”Given the enlarged nature of the squad for this tour inside a biosecure bubble, Richardson is one of a host of pace-bowling options available including the uncapped Riley Meredith and Daniel Sams.”Everyone brings a little bit of variety and their individual strengths, think that’s what you want in a bowling attack. I feel like we have all bases covered,” Richardson said.Most of Australia’s batsmen have enjoyed time in the middle over the four intersquad warm-up matches played at the Ageas Bowl and Richardson picked out Marnus Labuschagne’s 50-ball century as the standout performance although he will find it tough to break into the T20 side.”T20 probably hasn’t been his format so to get the opportunity in that last game he showed a few people what he could do and probably some surprise in the field with the shots he was playing, was almost batting like a mini AB de Villiers someone said. That’s a fair endorsement.”

Cobb, Gay, McManus contribute fifties as Warwickshire bowlers battle

ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-2022Rob Keogh’s first century since the season’s opening game led the run glut for Northamptonshire on day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Warwickshire at Wantage Road.The county’s longest-serving player struck 130 with 20 fours in a three-and-three-quarter-hour stay of elegant stroke play as the hosts reached 420 for 6. The right-hander shared a fifth-wicket stand of 161 with Josh Cobb (88) – all this after Emilio Gay had caressed his way to 70 in the morning session.For much of the day the defending champions’ bowling could be classed as wayward, skipper Will Rhodes the honourable exception with 2 for 44 from 20 frugal overs.Ricardo Vasconcelos, in his first game back from injury, didn’t cash in on his decision to bat first after winning the toss, making only 5 before driving loosely at one from Henry Brookes to be caught behind.South African international, Ryan Rickleton, parachuted in for two championship games to cover for Will Young, away on Test duty with New Zealand, was almost run out for nought before also falling cheaply to a brilliant left-handed catch by wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.Thereafter, the morning was dominated by Gay’s stylish innings. The young left-hander was beautifully still at the crease, compact in defence, playing the ball right in front of his eyes. From that base, Gay unfurled some sumptuous off and cover drives in reaching 50 from 62 balls. However, with a century in the offing, lunch beckoning and having just pulled Nathan McAndrew for successive fours, the former Bedford School scholar tried the shot a third time to a straighter bumper and only succeeded in finding the safe hands of Matt Lamb at fine leg. The way the youngster dragged himself off suggested he knew he’d missed an opportunity.When Luke Proctor fell lbw to the nagging accuracy of Rhodes, the hosts were 139 for 4. However, this brought together Keogh and Cobb, who feasted on some friendly offerings from the visitors for much of the afternoon.The two batters provided a great contrast of styles Keogh all timing and elegance as he peppered the mid-off and cover boundaries in racing to 50 at quicker than a run a ball with 11 fours. Cobb matched Keogh’s boundary count but took 25 balls more, mixing defence with brutal ball striking.Once passed 50 Cobb cut loose in what appeared to be a race to a hundred between the pair. However, on 88 the county’s one-day skipper pulled a rare long-hop from Rhodes which looked to be going for six until Craig Miles took a superb catch falling backwards just inside the rope at deep square.Keogh though found another batting ally in Lewis McManus and pushed on to complete a chanceless hundred soon after tea courtesy of an 18th four.The hosts had reached 372 for 5 by the time the second new ball was due and Oliver Hannon-Dalby made the shiny cherry count, ending Keogh’s vigil with one which bounced on him and took the edge, Dom Sibley taking the catch at slip.It was though their only reward as McManus became the fourth player to pass 50 shortly before the close.

The South Africa allrounder talks about his major takeaways from his IPL stint with CSK

Firdose Moonda06-Jun-20223:37

Pretorius: Playing in IPL was one of my bucket list items

Dwaine Pretorius has started to believe he can do anything on a cricket field, thanks to MS Dhoni. After a season with the Chennai Super Kings, and four stints with Dhoni at the crease, Pretorius has had first-hand experience of how to combine calm and confidence to pull off a successful chase.”The biggest thing I learnt from him is how calm he is at the crease and how much he tries to take pressure off himself and put it onto the bowler,” Pretorius said, from India, where South Africa will play India in five T20Is starting on Thursday. “He made me realise that at the death, the batter isn’t under more pressure, it’s actually the bowler that is under more pressure.”As a bowler, you can still lose the match if you have to defend 18 off the last three balls and as a batter you can win it. It was a fresh mindset. He doesn’t get too excited. He doesn’t get too down on himself. Anything is always possible and I love that about him. He is very optimistic. He believes he can do anything.”Pretorius and Dhoni’s most memorable partnership came on April 21, against Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium. Chasing 156, CSK needed 50 runs off 26 balls when Pretorius walked out to bat. He was greeted with a searing yorker from Jasprit Bumrah and went on to hit two fours off the next two times Bumrah tried the delivery. By the time Pretorius was dismissed, CSK needed 17 runs off five balls and Dhoni got them home, with a four off the final delivery.Related

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That match stood out for Pretorius as an example of how Dhoni can take matches deep, and even though Pretorius is not South Africa’s usual batting finisher, he’d be willing to do the job if needed. “I am going to try and bring that into my game: the calmness but also that self-belief that from any position, any game can be won.”But it wasn’t all celebratory at CSK this season. The franchise strung together their worst set of results in their IPL history and finished second from bottom on the points table, having gone into the tournament as defending champions. Despite the disappointing outcome, Pretorius said the mood in the camp did not dampen and they’ve chosen to take the long view as they rebuild following a mega-auction.Dwaine Pretorius fronted up to bowl at the death for Chennai Super Kings in his first IPL season•BCCI

“What was nice about the CSK franchise is that it is very experienced. We all understand that cricket doesn’t always go your way,” Pretorius said. “It’s very important to just take the positives out of a bad season and try and build for a stronger future. It’s all about building for the next year or three years and trying to make sure a bad season is not a complete loss.”He called the CSK environment, “performance based,” where players were “given a lot of responsibility to prepare like you want to, come up with the plans that you believe will work and making sure you execute your plans.”While Pretorius didn’t pick up anything particularly new that he could use in the international T20 game, he made a case for one of the innovations of the IPL – the strategic time-out – to become a more prominent part of fixtures.”I enjoy it quite a bit. I know it makes the game a bit longer but it just splits the game into three parts – the one before, the one in the middle and the one after. It gives each team a moment to assess their strategy and what’s the best way to go forward,” he said. “And it’s about getting the coach – that will always have an objective view from the outside’s opinion as well. It makes the game a bit more liquid and it breaks up momentum.”Primarily, Pretorius is batting for the time-out for the same reason he enjoyed watching Dhoni bat: because it gives anyone an opportunity to make a big play. “Even if you might be out of it for the first few overs, you can always come back into the game after the strategic time out. It just breaks the momentum of either the bowling or the batting team,” he said. “It makes it quite interesting.”