Sharjeel ton powers Islamabad United to final

Sharjeel Khan scored the first hundred of the Pakistan Super League to charge Islamabad United to the final of the tournament, with a 50-run win against Peshawar Zalmi

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:30

‘Very special innings from Sharjeel’ – Mohammad Akram

Sharjeel Khan scored the first hundred of the Pakistan Super League as Islamabad United galloped into the final with a comprehensive 50-run win against Peshawar Zalmi. Sharjeel’s 50-ball hundred powered Islamabad to 176 for 3 before left-arm spinner Imran Khalid’s four-for made sure Peshawar were bowled out for 126 with two overs to spare.Put in to bat, Islamabad put together a 108-run opening stand in 13.1 overs, a majority of the runs coming off Sharjeel’s blade. Dwayne Smith, the other opener, struggled to get bat on ball during his stay of 37 balls to score 19 runs without a single boundary.In the ninth over, Sharjeel unleashed two sixes and a four against left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar. He followed that up with an attack on Shahid Afridi too in the next over to bring up his fifty. The most eventful over, though, was the 14th in which Shaun Tait dismissed Smith and Brad Haddin off consecutive deliveries, but Kamran Akmal dropped Khalid Latif to deprive Tait of a hat-trick. Sharjeel then struck the next two balls of the over for a four and six.He brought up his hundred, studded with 12 fours and eight sixes, in style with a straight six in the 16th over and helped Islamabad score 46 in the last five overs. He was run-out for 117 in the last over of the innings.Peshawar started slow in the Powerplay and were dented when Samuel Badree dismissed Dawid Malan in the fourth over. Kamran kept the score ticking till the 11th over before Khalid struck. Peshawar’s main source of resistance was opener Kamran Akmal, who made 45 from 32 balls. But with the next four batsmen scored only in single digits, the writing was on the wall.Khalid removed Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran in consecutive overs, and Brad Hodge and Darren Sammy in the same over – the 13th – to reduce Peshawar to 80 for 5. By then, the required run rate had shot up over 13 per over.Afridi provided his team with a few late strikes, but it was not enough. Khalid finished with 4 for 20 from his three overs and Andre Russell took three lower-order wickets, including Afridi’s, to end with 3 for 37.

The ultimate Manchester United season preview: Ignore Ronaldo – if Ten Hag gets this right he'll be the new king of Old Trafford

Have United finally found the right manager to catch Pep & Klopp?

It is the latest Manchester United reboot – and forgive us if you think you’ve heard this one before. It can feel like Groundhog Day at Old Trafford as an ever-fading force desperately tries to restore its former glories.

Now it is the turn of Erik ten Hag to revive United’s fortunes – and the Dutchman faces familiar challenges.

He inherited an unwieldy and imbalanced squad.

His star player wants out.

And he’s struggling to bring in the targets he sees as vital to turning this ship around.

So what will be different this time? The truth is, no-one knows.

In 18 months to two-years’ time, it could be another man in the United hot-seat, charged with the responsibility of guiding them back to the summit of English football.

But in Ten Hag they have gone with a man they believe can challenge Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. A manager who plays football the right way and is a proven winner with Ajax.

He will give them a defined way of playing to lift the crowds and bring the club into the modern era. Ultimately, they hope he is the man to bring the trophies back to Old Trafford.

It is a risk. He does not know English football. He is up against four titans of the game in Guardiola, Klopp, Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel.

Meanwhile, Arsenal continue to back Mikel Arteta with the money to restore their own fortunes.

United could have gone with the Premier League-proven Mauricio Pochettino – but were convinced Ten Hag was the man to end nine years of misery.

Only time will tell.

Getty ImagesSquad Goals

It is the eve of the start of United's season and they are still a long way from getting their summer business done.

That is a remarkable situation – but one that Ten Hag’s predecessors will know all too well.

United’s transfer strategy remains an issue, despite numerous reforms and a genuine confidence from the club’s hierarchy that they were months ahead of schedule back in June.

Regardless of what happens between now and the close of the window, they have jeopardised the start of a crucial campaign and left their manager short-handed.

Ten Hag wants Frenkie de Jong above all targets. He specifically wants the Netherlands international but the position of holding midfield is even more important, with the new manager believing a top-class addition in that area is fundamental to the football he wants to play.

If United miss out on De Jong now, it would be a major embarrassment – and also mean they have wasted crucial time trying to get the deal done.

If he does arrive – which they are still banking on – they can at least say they waited for the right man. Even still – it has taken too long.

Ten Hag also wants to strengthen in attack. Ajax are trying to price Antony out of a move but injury to Anthony Martial underlines just how light United are up front.

Cristiano Ronaldo also wants out, so the cutting edge is a pressing issue.

At least Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez have been added.

Elsewhere, Ten Hag’s plans to offload more than 10 players this summer is going slowly.

Even after the departures of Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard, Edinson Cavani, Dean Henderson, Alex Telles and Andreas Pereira, there are still a host of names who are surplus to requirements.

AdvertisementGettyHopes

On the one hand, Ten Hag is in the luxurious position of knowing things surely can’t be worse than last season. On the other, the competition for top four is arguably fiercer than ever, with United far from certain of a return to the Champions League.

That has to be the minimum requirement – but for a club that hasn’t won a trophy in five years, some silverware would be very welcome.

Crucially, United fans want to see the team heading in the right direction.

That doesn’t just mean the odd trophy or two, but without the football to match – as in the cases of Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. And it doesn’t mean a dose of nostalgia and a few memorable nights – as in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United need to see real, tangible progress on the pitch – and they need to see the type of football that suggests they can genuinely challenge Manchester City and Liverpool in the future.

That is what Ten Hag was brought in to do.

If he can lead them back into the top four with a brand of modern, attacking football, he will meet expectations in his first season.

If he can add a trophy as well, he will have United fans believing again.

Getty ImagesFears

The primary fear, put simply, is that this will be yet another false dawn.

Ten Hag says the right things. He has a record for attractive, exciting football that wins trophies.

There have been clear signs of what he is trying to do in just a few weeks at the club. But much bigger names than him have been swallowed up by Old Trafford.

United have tried just about everything.

David Moyes was Premier League-proven – but proved a spectacular failure.

Van Gaal had won the lot and managed the very biggest clubs in Barcelona and Bayern Munich – but his brand of football was a major turn-off.

Mourinho was the guaranteed winner. He won – but still didn’t last.

And Solskjaer was a return to United’s roots. He lifted spirits – but won nothing.

There are no guarantees Ten Hag will fare any better.

It is another step into the unknown for a club that is running out of ideas.

It is impossible not to fear the worst – but there is every reason to be optimistic.

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GettyThe Hero

It is a cliché – but Jadon Sancho looks like a new signing.

It was a bit of a false start for the winger in his first season, which saw him have to cope with the disruption of Solskjaer’s sacking and then the failed interim reign of Ralf Rangnick.

So it is little wonder he failed to produce the sort of show-stealing displays that were commonplace at Borussia Dortmund.

But he is the type of player to light up Old Trafford with his mazy runs, goals and assists.

Sancho was one of the most wanted talents in Europe when United landed him last year – and there have already been signs of him benefiting from a new manager in Ten Hag.

United fans are looking for a new hero – and he could be primed to take on that mantle.

If he does, he might just earn himself an England recall in time for the World Cup.

VIDEO: Malik Tillman's 'Bobby Valentino' haircut price admission sparks confusion as Thierry Henry, Micah Richards & Jamie Carragher grill USMNT star after PSV's Champions League draw with Borussia Dortmund

It was a big night on the field for Malik Tillman but it was his hair that was the main subject of debate in the CBS studios after the game.

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Tillman quizzed on 'Bobby V' hairstyleHaircut price confusion sparks studio laughterUSMNT star wins penalty to earn PSV drawGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Tillman won the penalty that earned PSV a valuable draw in their last 16 tie against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night. But pundits Micah Richards, Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry were keen to discuss the USMNT star's choice of hairstyle in their post-game interview, leading to a bizarre misunderstanding.

Richard's got the ball rolling, asking Tillman about the style he compared to R&B star Bobby Valentino. Quizzed about how much it costs to get a haircut in Eindhoven, the forward replied "Three euros fifty," which the panel took to mean €350.

Henry then weighed in to ask if the barber also cooked for him with a rate that high, only for Tillman to clarify that he meant €3.50, triggering a cacophony of laughter in the studio.

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Hair chat aside it was a big night for the 21-year-old who played the entire 90 minutes and was at the centre of the night's most controversial incident. Tillman was judged to have been fouled in the area by Mats Hummels for a penalty that allowed Luuk de Jong to level the game.

Hummels was irate, claiming to have made incidental contact with his opponent after winning the ball cleanly. VAR chose not to intervene leaving the German international fuming and immediately looking for his phone after the game to vent his frustration on social media.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MALIK TILLMAN?

The young American has plenty of time to treat himself to another bargain haircut before PSV travel to PEC Zwolle on Saturday looking to extend their already formidable lead at the top of the Eredivisie standings.

KKR old guard get solid back-ups

With a revamped pace attack and Sunil Narine, Kolkata Knight Riders seem to have their bowling sorted. Will the batting match up?

The Preview by Devashish Fuloria13-Apr-20145:38

Agarkar: Performance of Indian batsmen key for KKR

Probable first XI1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Robin Uthappa (wk), 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Chris Lynn/Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Piyush Chawla, 8 Vinay Kumar, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Morne Morkel/ Pat Cummins, 11 Umesh Yadav
Full squad2013 finishSeventhBig pictureA year after winning the trophy – in 2012, Kolkata Knight Riders had an abysmal dip in fortune with the same line-up. No wonder then that when it came to retaining players, they only held onto Gautam Gambhir, their captain, and Sunil Narine, their most valuable player. The auction was a chance to redesign the team, cure the known deficiencies, but like other teams who have tasted success in the past, Knight Riders too made sure they were not wiping the slate clean.

They threw in their right-to-match cards to pull in Yusuf Pathan and Jacques Kallis, two players on which they have heavily invested in the past, but more importantly covered a couple of important weaknesses; a middle order that lacked girth to take the weight of the top order and a mediocre pace-attack lacking survival skills on pitches. Only time will tell if the money was spent wisely but on paper, Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey do add much needed spunk to the batting order that relies heavily on the trio of Gambhir, Kallis and Yusuf.More remarkable however is the change in complexion of the team’s pace resources. While other teams made headlines during the auction for either the money they spent or the steal they made in a deal, Knight Riders efficiently beefed up their arsenal with Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav, Pat Cummins and Vinay Kumar.Knight Riders strength though remains in the variety of their spinners. Narine will have the support of a wily legspinner in Piyush Chawla, a smart left-armer in Shakib Al Hasan and a rare breed – a chinaman bowler in Kuldeep Yadav. Cricketing bases covered, they have also hired explorer Mike Horn to add steel to their approach. The only apparent weakness in this line-up seems to be the inconsistency within.Big playersIgnore his strike rate of 105.53, the value Jacques Kallis brings to Knight Riders is immense. He has been their second-highest run-scorer and also their second-highest wicket-taker. Along with Gambhir, Kallis is the load-bearing member. After scoring more than 400 runs in two consecutive seasons, Kallis’ form took a dip and it reflected in the team’s results. This time, though, he will be in fresh after having hardly taken to the field since his retirement and will be needed more for his batting than the bowling.

He was the star of the 2008 season, but Yusuf Pathan’s stocks have never really hit those pre-credit crunch era highs again. Gambhir, in the past three seasons, has been vocal in his support despite Yusuf managing a solitary half-century in 43 innings for Knight Riders. In contrast, he had four half-centuries in the opening season itself. But, Knight Riders continue to show faith and if the Yusuf’s form in the domestic matches leading up to the IPL is any indicator, that trust might not be misplaced.Bargain buyAt 1 crore or $166,000, Knight Riders managed to lay their hands on Pat Cummins, the young Australian fast bowler. Raw pace is a rare commodity in the IPL and usually attracts the buyers, but Cummins’ patchy fitness record may have worked in favour of Knight Riders. If he can hold his body together, he will ruffle some batsmen.AvailabilityNo availability issues at the momentOdds10/1 – least favoured among the eight teams.

Mathews backs SL to overcome pressure of decider

Ahead of the decider against South Africa, Angelo Mathews says Sri Lanka need “nothing out of the ordinary” to seal the series

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Jul-2014Formula and fight have been the cornerstones of Sri Lanka’s limited-overs cricket for some time. Sri Lanka have stuck with the same plan for so long now, fans could draw up a checklist of their tactical manoeuvres for a game of cricket bingo.There is often a fast start and an early wicket, when they bat. Then Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara join hands for a sometimes promising, often plentiful, stand. When Sri Lanka win, one of those two has usually crossed fifty. There is often then a middle-order failure, before someone – often Angelo Mathews – finishes the innings with several big blows. With the ball, Sachithra Senanayake bowls in the Powerplay, Lasith Malinga bowls length at the start and yorkers at the death, and Nuwan Kulasekara swings it in until the third seamer takes over.The extended success of this game plan has fostered an air of calm around the Sri Lanka side, win or lose. Before the second ODI, Mathews said he would not seriously reshuffle his batting order. Now ahead of the decider, he says Sri Lanka need “nothing out of the ordinary” to seal the series, even against the South Africa pace attack.”I think we don’t have to do anything special,” he said. “The way we handled their fast bowlers in the last two games was good. Their strength is pace but they have a couple of good spinners as well. In the last match, we played a good style of cricket, so we’ll hope to do that again and win this match.”Sri Lanka have also come back from difficult situations on many occasions this year, doing so most dramatically in a must-win World T20 match against New Zealand and in the recent Test at Headingley. Having to win games on the trot to earn a series victory is nothing new, Mathews said.”We’ve been in this situation more often than not – to lose the first game and be under pressure to perform in the second and third games. We’ve been there so many times and we’ve overcome those situations as well.”We normally do perform well under pressure. It’s just a matter of absorbing it. We’ve done pretty well in the past six months and I hope the team will continue to do so. Our batting clicked in the last match, even though no one got a hundred, I thought everyone contributed in their own way.”The wind at the Hambantota stadium often puts an uncommon spin on the cricket, with teams strategising not only on how to mitigate its effect, but also on how to use it to their advantage. Sri Lanka have often bowled inswing from one end and outswing fron another, with a similar plan for the spinners, depending on which way they turn the ball. With another windy day on the cards for Saturday, teams may tweak their game plans in light of the conditions.”The wind is quite strong, so you never really know how the wicket plays,” Mathews said. “It’s the first time we’re playing a day match here as well, and we have to adapt to that as cricketers. The pitch looks like it might play slow. No matter what the conditions are, we still have to play well.”

Edgbaston, Old Trafford get Ashes Tests

Warwickshire and Old Trafford are the big winners from the latest allocation of major matches with both counties allocated an Ashes Test in 2019.

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2014Warwickshire and Lancashire are the big winners from the latest allocation of major matches with both counties allocated an Ashes Test in 2019. Both grounds have also been recommended to host a World Cup semi-final.Edgbaston and Old Trafford have improved significantly in recent seasons following major investment, with Warwickshire’s work recognised at the Business of Cricket Awards recently.They and Lancashire and will now host Australia in five years’ time. The Oval and Headingley were already guaranteed Ashes Tests for 2019 under a long-term staging agreement.Of the six traditional Test grounds, Trent Bridge is the venue to miss out on an Ashes Test but will host Tests against South Africa in 2017 and India in 2018 and five World Cup matches. Twenty20 Finals Day will also return to Nottinghamshire in 2019.Lord’s, predictably, was given a large allocation of major matches, retaining their two Tests per season and also being recommended to the ICC as the venue for the 2019 World Cup final.London’s other ground, The Oval, will host the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017, the opening match of the 2019 World Cup and retains it’s Test against the major tourists each summer. Edgbaston and Cardiff were named as the other host venues for the Champions Trophy with the ECB keen to replicate the proven formula of 2013.But Hampshire were again left frustrated after being overlooked for an Ashes Test; Rod Bransgrove’s dream of bringing Australia to the south coast for a Test goes on. The Ageas Bowl was awarded another Test against India for 2017 – despite very poor crowds for the same fixture last season.Bristol, after a £10 million upgrade, was awarded an ODI in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and will also host a further four matches of the 2019 World Cup. In further good news for the Westcountry, Taunton will stage an international for the first time since 1999 when it hosts a T20 against South Africa in 2017 and will also stage three World Cup games.The announcement represents the largest number of games allocated at the same time by the ECB as they attempt to provide counties with the ability to form a more stable long-term financial plan.”The board commissioned international consulting firm Deloitte to examine very carefully the financial condition of all our major match venues,” Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, said. “A significant amount of work was carried out with the ECB executive and the first class counties to ensure that these awards are made on a new financial basis which involves the share of risk between the ECB and the grounds. It means that grounds are incentivised to sell out while providing the best possible spectator experience.’These awards have been made with the confidence that at the end of this period our venues will be in a much strengthened financial position which will be of real benefit to the game in England and Wales as it will significantly allow substantial debt repayments.”Major Match Allocation

v West Indies
Tests Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord’s
ODIs: Bristol, Old Trafford, The Oval, Ageas Bowl, Trent Bridge
T20: Chester-le-Street

v South Africa
Tests: Lord’s, Old Trafford, The Oval, Trent Bridge
ODIs: Chester-le-Street, Headingley, Lord’s
T20: Cardiff, Ageas Bowl, Taunton

Champions Trophy
The Oval, Edgbaston, Cardiff

T20 Finals Day: Edgbaston

v Pakistan
Tests: Headingley, Lord’s

v Australia
ODIs: Cardiff, Chester-le-Street, Old Trafford, The Oval, Trent Bridge
T20: Edgbaston

v India
Tests: Edgbaston, Lord’s, The Oval, Ageas Bowl, Trent Bridge
ODIs: Bristol, Headingley, Lord’s, Old Trafford, Trent Bridge
T20: Cardiff

T20 Finals Day: Edgbaston

v Pakistan
ODIs: Bristol, Chester-le-Street, Headingley, The Oval, Ageas Bowl
T20: Cardiff

v Australia
Tests: Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord’s, Old Trafford, The Oval

World Cup

Final: Lord’s
Semi-finals: Edgbaston, Old Trafford
Opening match: The Oval
Other hosts: Durham, Headingley, Trent Bridge, Cardiff, Bristol, Ageas Bowl

England v Winners ICC Test Challenge – Lord’s

T20 Finals Day: Trent Bridge

Bowlers help Rocks clinch low-scorer

Round-up of the Pro50 Championship matches that took place on December 7, 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2013A combined bowling performance helped Southern Rocks defend a meagre 140 against Matabeleland Tuskers in the opening day of Zimbabwe’s domestic season, in Masvingo. The Tuskers failed to put on decent partnerships and were struggling at one stage at 70 for 5, dented by strikes by Tinashe Panyangara and Trevor Garwe. A 42-run stand for the sixth wicket between Tawanda Mupariwa and Bradley Staddon helped the Tuskers recover, but timely strikes by the offspinner Roy Kaia brought Rocks back into the game. There was no fight left in the Tuskers and they folded for 129. Rocks, after being put in to bat, started steadily, moving to 80 for 2 before they too collapsed. Richard Mutumbami resisted with 45 but he and the rest succumbed to the seam duo of Mupariwa and Christopher Mpofu, who shared seven wickets between them.In another low-scoring game, at the Harare Sports Club, Mashonaland Eagles chased 119 to beat Mid West Rhinos by three wickets. The Eagles were on track at 54 for 1 at the chase but lost their way when three wickets fell for 14 runs. Chamu Chibhabha held the chase together with a patient 43 off 110 balls before he was dismissed by Mkhululi Nyathi, with his side needing a further 21. Joylord Gumbie steered his side home with an unbeaten 25. After being put in to bat, the Rhinos never recovered properly from their top-order collapse. Most of the damage was done by the right-arm seamer Admire Manyumwa, who reduced the Rhinos to 37 for 6. Neville Madziva and Nyathi resisted to take the score past 100, but the Rhinos were bowled out with seven overs to spare.

Linked-away Ashley Fletcher could finally get his career going again with return to Sunderland

According to a recent report from The Northern Echo, Ashley Fletcher’s future remains far from certain heading into the rest of the January window. The 23-year-old currently plays his football at Championship outfit Middlesbrough and has done so since leaving West Ham back in 2017, but struggles for regular game time under Boro boss Tony Pulis this season has plunged his future on Teesside into doubt.

And a recent report from The Northern Echo suggests that the second tier outfit are happy to offload the young striker this month in a bid to raise funds, which should be of keen interest to Sunderland manager Jack Ross, as moving back to the Stadium of Light could be what Fletcher needs to finally get his stagnating career going.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the 23-year-old came up through the ranks at Premier League giants Manchester United but failed to make a senior appearance for the Red Devils, eventually leaving Old Trafford back in 2016 in a bid to progress with his professional career.

And while a loan spell at Barnsley, in what proved to be his final season at United, was fruitful, having netted nine times in 27 games for the Tykes, things simply haven’t worked out at all for the Englishman since then with a failed stint at West Ham, and indeed a failing stint at Middlesbrough.

And with just six Championship appearances for Pulis’ Boro so far this season, things don’t look like improving anytime soon for Fletcher at the North East club, but a move across the region to the Stadium of Light could be what he needs to finally move forward with his professional career.

Yes, Sunderland fans won’t forget the testing loan spell the 23-year-old had at their club in the second half of last season, as the youngster made the move to the Stadium of Light in a bid to aid the Black Cats with their Championship survival, only to bag twice in 16 league games for Chris Coleman’s men as they eventually lost their second tier status.

But with things very much looking up at Sunderland this time round under new boss Ross, what with the Black Cats third in League One heading into the second half of the campaign, he’d be going into a completely different environment to last term, and one that might just enable him to rebuild his confidence after a testing few years.

Ultimately, there is clearly a very adept striker in Fletcher given he bagged nine times for Barnsley in League One back in 2016, while his struggles in any league higher than that suggests that, for the time being, the third tier is very much his level.

And with the Black Cats eyeing up an immediate return to the Championship this season, having a player like Fletcher in their ranks could prove to be a huge asset to Ross as the campaign progresses – and with top-scorer Josh Maja reportedly (as per the BBC) on his way out of the club this month, a striker will likely be top of Ross’ priorities.

And they could do a lot worse than seek to lure £3.15 million-rated Fletcher (as per Transfermarkt) back to the Stadium of Light – yes, things didn’t go at all well last time round for the 23-year-old, but in a forward-thinking and upwardly-mobile Sunderland team, a move back to the North East giants could be exactly what he needs to get his career going again.

Significantly, it could also seriously aid the Black Cats in their quest to return to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Sunderland fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Rambukwella fined for flight incident

Sri Lanka A cricketer Ramith Rambukwella will be fined 50% of his tour fee after he caused mild panic on a flight by attempting to open the cabin door at 35,000 feet.

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2013Sri Lanka A cricketer Ramith Rambukwella will be fined 50% of his tour fee after he caused mild panic on a flight by attempting to open the cabin door at 35,000 feet. Sri Lanka Cricket’s executive committee has also asked the board chief to serve Rambukwella with a severe warning for his behaviour, an official release said.The incident had occurred on a flight from St. Lucia to Gatwick airport in London, as the team returned from the tour of the West Indies. Eyewitnesses quoted by the had said Rambukwella appeared to be intoxicated, and wrestled with the cabin door for up to two minutes. Rambukwella, the son of Sri Lanka’s mass media minister, said he had mistaken the cabin door for the lavatory, and suggested he had been half-asleep, which is what prompted the error.After the incident was reported in the media, an initial report was submitted by the A team manager Jayantha Seneviratne, before an inquiry was launched by SLC’s anti-corruption officer, though the incident is unrelated to his usual purview. Bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake is said to have been the primary witness, after several of Rambukwella’s team-mates were unwilling to testify.

First day washed out in chilly Mohali

The weather was expected to have a say in the Mohali semifinal and it did on the first day itself as rain wiped out play

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2014The weather was expected to have a say in the Mohali semifinal and it did on the first day itself as rain wiped out play. With temperatures barely rising to double-digits, it was a cold and gloomy day. The lack of sunshine meant that even when the drizzle let up, there was little chance of the outfield drying up quickly.The forecast for Sunday is brighter though, with no rain expected. However, heavy fog has been a problem over the past few days, and it could cause delays. In case, the first innings of the two teams isn’t completed after five days, there is an additional day available to ensure at least a first-innings result.

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