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West Indies captain Darren Sammy has backed his batting line-up to come good in support of their star man, opener Chris Gayle

Arun Venugopal in Mumbai15-Mar-2016Chris Gayle. Destructive. Chris Gayle. Massive. Chris Gayle. Best T20 batsman. Right from the time West Indies arrived in India, Darren Sammy has summoned courage from these words, even using them as incantations to rouse confidence.Unlike some captains who prefer not to talk up their gun player – as much to not add to the pressure as not wanting to jinx him – Sammy has no problem harking back to Gayle every time. Wobbly middle-order? There’s Gayle to make up for it. Areas of concern? There are some… but then we have Gayle.Sammy is confident it won’t overwhelm Gayle. “There is never too much pressure on Chris.” Sammy is probably right. Evidence of that, if you need it, can be seen at West Indies’ practice. Gayle ambles to the nets, pats a few balls, misses some and in due course larrups successive deliveries into the vacant stands over deep midwicket. The routine plays out on loop for some time before Gayle has a seat in the shade.

‘We support Russell’ – Sammy

West Indies captain Darren Sammy has thrown his weight behind allrounder Andre Russell, who faces the possibility of a lengthy ban for committing an “anti-doping whereabouts violation”, according to the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission. Russell reportedly missed three tests in a 12-month period, which equates to a failed test under doping laws, and could face a possible two-year ban if found guilty.
“We always have setbacks. We thrive on things like that to use that as motivation to go out and play well,” Sammy said. “When we especially play well, no other team can match it. The vibes we bring, and we as a team have supported Russell. We are confident he will be taking part in the full tournament and having an impact like he has done in all the four tournaments he has played around the world.”
Russell, who can continue to play while his case is investigated, has been in good bowling form lately and finished as the highest wicket-taker in the Pakistan Super League.

As the sun begins to set he is messing with a media person from the ICC who is interviewing with him. Gayle has taken a liking for his interviewer’s fancy camera and is fiddling with it. It is the media guy’s turn to be asked a question: “Which team are you supporting?” When the answer isn’t West Indies Gayle mock threatens to take his camera away. All in a day’s work.Watching Gayle go about his thing it is hard to imagine a team beset with off-field worries. Equally hard is getting your head round the fact that here is a team preparing for its opening game in the World T20. Gayle’s statesmanlike presence – not that he lugs such baggage around – in a young, exuberant side hits home only when you notice the smattering of grey on his beard”Whichever dressing room Chris Gayle is in, because he such a destructive figure – there always seems to be pressure on him to perform,” Sammy said. “But Chris is just gearing up to do what Chris has done throughout his T20 career. That’s why he is the leading run-scorer in T20s and has, I think, 12 or 13 hundreds [16] and the next person has seven or six.”What is also hard to overlook, however, is how the batsmen that follow Gayle have fared. In West Indies’ warm-up game against India, the middle-order froze against the spinners after Gayle was dismissed for 20 off 11 balls. In their second warm-up game against Australia, they were spiralling downwards at 72 for 6 in a chase of 162 before Sammy manufactured a heist. The likes of Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin did better in their four practice matches in the UAE recently but there are question marks over how consistently they can notch up such performances, especially against spin in the middle stages.Sammy, though, vouches for his senior players, and feels Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali won’t be hard to counter on a surface more hospitable to seam bowling.”If you look at our middle, where you have potentially Marlon [Samuels], Bravo, Ramdin, [Andre] Russell at six. Bravo is one of the most experienced as he has been playing in these conditions,” he said. “Wankhede is a more seamer-friendly track; the games that have been played at the IPL tell you that.”You have Bravo, Russell, Sammy, Jason [Holder], Carlos Braithwaite… that’s a lot of power, so the key for us is each player accepting their own personal role in the team and be responsible and not leaving it for any one person.”Darren Sammy’s hitting rescued West Indies in their warm-up game with Australia•AFP

Sammy cited the Australia game as an example of West Indies becoming more efficient in finishing games. While Sammy ransacked an unbeaten 50 off 28 balls, Braithwaite blasted 33 off 14 and Russell 29 off 15 as they reached their target with a ball to spare. Sammy feels that a robust lower order has ensured his team remained unfazed by tall scores or dire situations. He may not admit to it but they have also covered for the batsmen higher up a little too often, maybe, for West Indies’ comfort.”Playing T20 all over, you gain experience,” Sammy said. “I am 32 years old and I have gained a lot of experience playing and being in the situation, especially batting at six or seven, most of the times you will get maximum eight overs unless the team really collapses.”So I have developed a formula for my game. I have watched [MS] Dhoni do it all the time, just take the game all the way down to the last over, give yourself the best chance. As a captain, that lower order of ours always makes me smile. Russell, the last three tournaments he has played, he has been MVP. You have the young and exciting Carlos, and myself. That game against Australia gave us more belief that from whatever position we are, the job could be done.”At the end of a long training session, though, there were other things to be worried about. Gayle and Bravo were curious to know if a full house would turn up at the Wankhede on Wednesday night. The West Indies are ready to put on a show.

Bowler glad to have repaid Warwickshire’s faith after injury-wrecked season

Vithushan Ehantharajah29-Sep-2022It says a lot about Liam Norwell’s drive that he hopes his 9 for 62, which dragged Warwickshire to safety with a five-run victory over Hampshire, will allow his team-mates and fans to forgive him for his absences this season.Norwell’s figures – the 12th best in first-class cricket for Warwickshire – saw a fourth-innings target of 133 defended on a remarkable final day of the 2022 County Championship season. It brought just a second win of the season for Warwickshire but one that lifted them above Yorkshire, who will play Division Two cricket next season after defeat to Gloucestershire on Wednesday opened the door for their relegation rivals.Warwickshire were spared the ignominy of going down as defending champions, a success Norwell was very much a part of, with 49 dismissals at an average of 18.26 in 2021. This season, however, back issues, a concussion sustained in the second match of the season against Essex and a right elbow injury restricted him to three Championships appearances coming into this last round. Such ailments are an occupational hazard for bowlers but Norwell seems to have taken them to heart.Related

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That he was even available to play here was a surprise to many. Following consultation with doctors, his prospects of playing again this summer were rated at “10%”. After getting through all eight games in the Royal London Cup, the club felt the best course of action was to sit out the remainder of the season to avoid pushing it too far.However, with the bowling stocks low, especially after Jayant Yadav and Mohammed Siraj returned to India, Norwell put himself forward to head coach Mark Robinson as a possible solution. And how. Even with little preparation and lacking full match fitness, he dug deep to bowl all but three of the 23.5 overs sent down from Edgbaston’s Pavilion End, and was relentless throughout.”I feel like I’ve let the lads and the management down quite a bit this year,” an exhausted Norwell said afterwards.”Personally, I’m as frustrated as anyone about how the season has gone. Back issues, concussion, tearing my elbow – I’m as frustrated as anyone. I believe, without trying to sound arrogant, if I played more this season, we wouldn’t be in this position… I just have that confidence in myself. And I hope I proved that today.”Of that, there can be no question. His performance, which began with 4 for 36 in the first innings, will go down as one of the most remarkable in the club’s history. Indeed England have closely monitored Norwell, as someone with both the frame and skills to challenge batters of the highest quality. This display simply confirmed what they saw in the former Gloucestershire man.Back in March, he was the first bowling reserve for the tour of West Indies, and was close to a full call-up as Mark Wood struggled with an elbow injury of his own in the first of the three Tests. Norwell, however, revealed he would not have taken the call, let alone the opportunity. A couple of weeks after he was told to wait on standby, his newborn contracted meningitis and nearly lost his life.Thankfully, his son – their second child – is healthy now. And after such a finish, the attention of selectors will be piqued once more. Test captain Ben Stokes was clearly impressed, championing the spell on social media. Norwell, however, feels his time has passed.”I’ll be honest, now I’m 30 and there are younger lads come in like [Matthew] Potts, I don’t think I have got a chance. But I will keep putting in performances and you never know.”After not wishing to be arrogant by rightly claiming greater availability would have prevented Warwickshire being involved in a dog fight at the end, dismissing his own England prospects is perhaps a dip too far into modesty. Understandably, his focus is on resting up, getting fitter over the winter and playing all of next season. But the skills on show, whether unerring accuracy or clever use of the knuckleball, were sure signs of a bowler with a strong command of his craft.The mindset, evidently, is already there. Not just coming back from injuries, or the character showcased in the two match-deciding spells but even at the tea break when he took himself to one side to maintain his focus. “I sat by myself, to be honest with you,” he said.”I felt quite emotional at tea and I wanted to make sure I was the man to drive us over the line. I got our physio to get me some food and I just sat in the table in front of the viewing area and just looked out onto the pitch. It’s what I did last year when we won the Championship, just to try and keep myself focused. I thought if it worked last year it might work this year. Luckily it did.”He did admit to one moment of weakness. Upon taking the wicket of Keith Barker, bowling the left-hander to make it 91 for 7, his left hamstring began cramping, causing more discomfort than the right elbow which was sore but manageable. At the end of the over – Norwell’s 14th – he asked his captain Will Rhodes if he could come off. The reply could not be misinterpreted.”I have to give Will credit. I tried to take myself off after the Keith Barker wicket. I was cramping. I won’t use the language he used but he basically said ‘you’re bowling until the end of the game’. Him and Dom Sibley just kept getting around me and they kept pumping me up and getting me going.”Along with encouragement from his team-mates, he had Warwickshire’s physio for company down at fine leg. At the start of his last over, defending just five, he produced a beauty to uproot James Fuller’s middle stump when the bowling allrounder looked set to win Hampshire the game. Four balls on, a full, inswinging delivery wrapped Mohammad Abbas on the pads to confirm the win and survival.”I just went a bit mad,” Norwell said of the final celebration. “All the emotions came out, I was nearly in tears. It means a lot to me – I feel like I’ve let everyone down this year by not playing.”Helping us stay up and put in that performance I hope is repaid the lads and supporters for not playing.” It is safe to say it has.

In the final, Pakistan were outclassed with the bat, outsmarted with the ball and outdone in the field

Danyal Rasool11-Sep-20223:18

Maharoof: ‘These young lions will be treated like heroes’

A tournament that began for Sri Lanka with tumult at home and turbulence in the UAE has ended with them taking home the Asia Cup trophy. Pakistan were the side at the receiving end of this thumping, outclassed with the bat, outsmarted with the ball, outdone in the field, and out-thought in the captaincy department by an electric Sri Lankan performance which wrapped up a commanding 23-run win.Bhanuka Rajapaksa formed the backbone of the Sri Lankan innings, rescuing his side from 58 for 5 with an unbeaten 45-ball 71 that saw them post 170. It was followed by a spirited showing in the field as Sri Lanka outmatched Pakistan’s intensity, with Wanindu Hasaranga and Pramod Madushan taking seven wickets between them during a listless batting performance.It had begun so smoothly for Pakistan, with Naseem Shah’s opening-over wicket appearing to set the tone for Pakistan. Haris Rauf was in similarly breathtaking form, never more so than during an extraordinary sixth over where he threatened the stumps nearly every ball. By then, both Pathum Nissanka and Danushka Gunathilaka had been accounted for, and Dhananjaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka would soon follow.A revival led by Rajapaksa and Hasaranga helped Sri Lanka force themselves back into the game and a spirited finish ensured they’d post a competitive score. It was assisted by some ordinary ground fielding and catching by Pakistan; their best fielder, Shadab Khan, had a notoriously poor outing. Sri Lanka, by contrast, showed in the field how desperately they wanted this. Pakistan were stifled through the first half and then blown away in the second.The Sri Lanka players celebrate their victory•AFP/Getty Images

Babar Azam’s side never quite sure how to pace their innings, with an unrelenting Sri Lanka refusing to let them grind through the gears. In the end, it was a mismatch between a side that had brought their A-game and one that never quite found theirs. Long before it became official, it was evident Sri Lanka would win their sixth Asia Cup trophy, capping a sensational tournament by saving their best performance for last.Naseem Shah’s first over
Whatever gift Shaheen Afridi possessed that got batters out in his first over seems to have been bestowed on Naseem in his absence. In a mesmeric start where the 19-year old found high pace almost right from the off, Kusal Mendis was done in for a golden duck by a near unplayable delivery. It made a beeline for the stumps, at searing speed, and the hapless Mendis could do little about it. The inswinger went through the gap between bat and pad, and uprooted off stump after clipping the thigh. It was Pakistani fast bowling at its scintillating best.The umpire’s call
First, there was a slice of luck, and then the glorious skill. Off the fifth ball of his innings in Rauf’s scintillating sixth over, the bowler sent down a near unplayable leg-stump yorker at the in-form Rajapaksa. The batter played all around it, with the ball crunching into his foot. The umpire deemed it not out, only to have his decision upheld by the barest of margins, with Hawkeye deeming it to be umpire’s call on impact. To the naked eye, it looked out from just about every angle.With Pakistan on top, it was a colossal moment in the final, and Rajapaksa wouldn’t let it go to waste. What followed was an innings of high class, that saw through a period of consolidation while Hasaranga at the other end took on a more proactive role. Sri Lanka were slowly chipping away at Pakistan, and without taking too many risks, Rajapaksa had brought up a 35-ball half-century.2:25

Maharoof: ‘Probably the best I have seen Rajapaksa bat’

Most memorable of all though, was the way he took on Naseem at the end, a bowler who had begun so sensationally in the Powerplay. A flick of the wrists deposited him over backward square leg in his penultimate over, before a four and a six off the innings’ final two balls ensured Sri Lanka had all the momentum with them at the break.The Sri Lankan first over
There might never have been a game that saw such a contrast at the start of each bowling performance. While Naseem was unplayable to begin Pakistan’s work, Dilshan Madushanka was anything but. It wasn’t until the sixth ball that the innings even began with the left-arm seamer starting off with a no-ball and following it up with four wides, one of which went down to the boundary for an extra four. Pakistan had nine to their name without a legal ball being bowled and a free hit to follow. But Madushanka would come back smartly to allow just three more through the over, and Sri Lanka ensured it was a blip rather than a harbinger of what was to follow.The entire second innings
There was so much to enjoy about Sri Lanka in the field it’s almost impossible to pick out individual moments. Madushan’s two-in-two to remove Babar and Fakhar Zaman set the tone. It also helped that an off colour Mohammad Rizwan never really figured out how to manipulate his innings according to the needs of the target.Shanaka was especially canny about using his bowlers, perhaps in stark contrast to Pakistan who mysteriously opted not to have Mohammad Nawaz bowl out his quote. Throwing the ball to the offspinner de Silva just as the left-hander Nawaz came in to bat at No. 5 proved a masterstroke, with a couple of sensational dives in the field saving valuable runs off the first two balls, followed up by four dot balls that saw the asking rate balloon to 14.Sri Lanka caught like a side possessed, too, whereas the only montage you could make of Pakistan’s fielding would be about their sloppiness. In the end, there was a yawning chasm between the performances the two sides put in, with the result a fair reflection.

Former Scotland captain addresses findings ahead of New Zealand T20i

Sam Dalling27-Jul-2022Former Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer hopes the “shocking” findings of the Changing the Boundaries report published on Monday can be the catalyst for change in Scottish cricket.Carried out by consultancy firm Plan4Sport, the report cited 448 examples of institutional racism, with Cricket Scotland failing all but two of the 31 tests used to measure the scale of the issues.Last Sunday, ahead of the report’s publication, Cricket Scotland’s entire board resigned, in doing so offering an apology to those affected by institutional racism.Most notably that included the former Scotland internationals whose allegations had set the review in motion, Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh.Both were present at The Grange for the first match of Scotland’s series with New Zealand. Coetzer, who recently retired from T20I cricket but will continue to represent his country in one-day internationals, was speaking as part of the ICC’s live-stream coverage.”The report obviously showed some shocking findings,” he said. “Everyone processes things in their own way and everyone will have their own emotions around this. Everyone’s probably trying to take a chance to reflect and understand everything and learn as best we can.”But nobody should face racism and discrimination in the sport or any sport for that matter. And I know, being part of the playing group, we wholeheartedly hope that everyone can get through this, and I hope that things can move forward in a positive way.”More than 100 participants from across Scottish cricket were spoken to as part of Plan4Sport’s investigations. The report outlined 68 individual concerns that have been referred for further investigation. This includes 31 allegations of racism against 15 different people, two clubs and one regional association.It was also recommended that Cricket Scotland be placed under special measures by SportScotland until at least October 2023. An urgent review into Cricket Scotland’s governance was also proposed, while it was suggested that a minimum of 25% of new board members should be Black, South-East Asian, or other mixed or multiple ethnic groups.Coetzer, though, believes that the report should just be the starting point: “There’s a number of findings in there that need to be addressed and looked at so that’d be a good starting point,” he said.”But it’s also about trying to learn and trying to understand about this whole process and speak to each other to try and find out what would be best moving forward. It’s important that we can all work together and move in a more positive way and find positive changes in our sport. Hopefully, we can be a leading light for that in Scotland.”

England have been thrown into the Dubai microwave, temperatures set to high, and a couple of minutes later they are claiming they are ready for the Pakistan Test series. Joe Root’s skill and adaptability gives them hope

David Hopps10-Oct-2015England have been thrown into the Dubai microwave, temperatures set to high, and a couple of half-baked practice matches later they are claiming they are ready. On a day when the fast food culture again brought agonising about the worsening global obesity epidemic, nobody should be surprised that cricket tours have become the latest convenience food. England will be relieved to see a few high-calorific scoreboards against a Pakistan side yet to lose a Test series in their adopted home.Joe Root, England’s vice captain, dutifully accepted the invitation to say that England are well enough prepared. Since the Ashes, he has had a holiday, joined his ghostwriter to knock out a book on the Ashes, caught a plane and dashed off a fifty against Pakistan A. Serious match practice these days is largely for developmental tours. That phase completed, players are expected to adjust immediately.Are England ready for the three-Test series? It was a pressing question considering that the last time England played Pakistan in these parts their batting was so unworldly. “I think so,” Root said. “I got some good time out in the middle in these conditions. The nets are quite challenging surfaces as well, you’re still playing in the heat and getting used to that environment of hard work and fatigue. We’ve definitely learned a lot.”Surely, though, there are limits to how much international tour matches should be allowed to demean the game. Two expedient warm-up matches against Pakistan A, with batsmen coming and going much as they pleased, have been nothing more than glorified practice sessions, not fit for spectator consumption, undeserving of scorecards or analysis. They should not be presented as more than they are. Duncan Fletcher, who began all this a decade or so ago, has a lot to answer for.It must have been a trial for all concerned – a trial much like the one observed by Fielding Mellish in Woody Allen’s “I object, your honour! This trial is a travesty. It’s a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.”Joe Root feels the heat in Dubai•Getty Images

Root has proved himself not just an excellent cricketer, but an adaptable one, although his personal challenge is summed up by the fact that this will be his first Test in Asia since he made his Test debut three years ago in India, in Nagpur, when he was assured in making 73 while his team-mates struggled. He has never played in the UAE and he has never faced the Pakistan legspinner, Yasir Shah, whose even mention will stir memories of their last failure against Pakistan spin bowlers.”Only on that India tour have I played Test cricket in these sort of conditions so it’ll be completely different to anything I’ve come across previously. But it’s more making sure you’ve got your mind right and you have clear scoring options, solid defence and technique and you cover all the bases to give yourself the best chance.”As a batsman who rose to No 1 in the world Test rankings in the Ashes summer, displacing Steve Smith, then his rival vice captain, he again carries high expectations. Nobody plays spin better in this England party. Ian Bell once did. James Taylor is also skilful, although he is not sure of his place, requiring England to drop Jonny Bairstow or even, not that some would countenance it, by leaving out Jos Buttler.”It’d be nice if I could go on from the Ashes,” Root said. “I want to make some big contributions this series and I’m going to have to play extremely well to do that. As a team, to beat Pakistan here, it’s going to be a big effort, but we’ve proven over the last six months that we’re capable of doing things that maybe look a bit too much for us.”More spin, more left-arm seam, more heat, slower scoring rates: Root is ready for a change of mood. England’s oft-expressed desire to play enterprising cricket might have to be shelved for a while. “We’re not expecting to score at the rate we’d like to or have become accustomed to over the last six months,” he said, a point hammered home by Mahela Jayawardene, who is temporarily on hand to advise how to manipulate spin in such conditions. Root can be expected to cope better than some.”No-one’s won here against Pakistan, that’s be really pleasing for me to be part of a team who have come into these conditions and done what no other side has done before. And what would make it even more pleasing would be if I was one of the guys that made big runs. That’s going to be the same wherever I go.”

Comilla Victorians cruised to eight-wicket win after bowling the Barisal Bulls 89 in the first innings

Mohammad Isam at Mirpur25-Nov-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsNuwan Kulasekara’s 3 for 8 in three overs triggered Barisal Bulls’ slide to 89 all out•BCB

There was no low-scoring drama, neither any Al-Amin Hossain magic as Barisal Bulls succumbed to Comilla Victorians’ bowling class. Nuwan Kulasekara and Ashar Zaidi took three wickets each as Comilla picked up their second win, by eight wickets.Barisal’s 89 all out is now the lowest total batting first in the BPL. The previous was the 99 for 9 Duronto Rajshahi made against Chittagong Kings in 2013, a game which they ended up winning by two runs. There was no such luck for Barisal as only Kevon Cooper, Rony Talukdar and Sabbir Rahman reached double-figures.Kulasekara removed Shahriar Nafees and Brendan Taylor with his second and fourth deliveries, both edging to wicketkeeper Dhiman Ghosh, before the Barisal captain Mahmudullah had his stumps cleaned up by left-arm pacer Abu Hider. He also removed a swinging and slogging Talukdar soon after, and then it was Zaidi’s turn to use his double-paced left-arm spin to good effect.Off successive deliveries he removed Sabbir, to a brilliant catch by Dhiman taking the under-edge, and a rather generous Seekkuge Prasanna who slogged the first ball down long-on’s throat. Cooper, who top-scored with 22, added 20 runs for the eighth wicket with Taijul Islam. Kulasekara jagged one back at Cooper to take his third to go with Zaidi’s three.Comilla lost Imrul Kayes early, again, when he holed out to midwicket after miscuing a pull off Al-Amin in the fourth over.Mahmudul Hasan and Marlon Samuels then put together a 37-run stand avoiding a top-order collapse. Taijul dropped Mahmudul in the fifth over off his own bowling, and was eventually dismissed in the 13th over when his team required 30 to win. He made 31 off 43 balls with the help of four boundaries.Despite the loss of wickets, the contest remained a cruise for Comilla, rather than the choppy waters faced by Sylhet Superstars in the previous night.

Al-Amin Hossain is one of six players to be called back from the ‘A’ tour of Zimbabwe in order to prepare for the senior team’s limited-overs series next month

Mohammad Isam25-Oct-2015Bangladesh’s national selectors have asked Al-Amin Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Jubair Hossain to return from the A-team’s tour of Africa, in order to prepare for the senior team’s home series against Zimbabwe next month. Bangladesh A begin officially begin their tour of Zimbabwe on October 30.The five players who will replace the returning six from the Bangladesh A team are batsmen Tasamul Haque and Naeem Islam, wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan, and pace bowlers Dewan Sabbir and Mukhtar Ali.Should Al-Amin be picked in the ODI squad for the Zimbabwe series, it will mark a return for him to the national fold for the first time since the 2015 World Cup. Al-Amin was sent home from the World Cup due to disciplinary reasons, and was subsequently ignored for the three home series against Pakistan, India and South Africa.Al-Amin, Sabbir, Soumya, Liton, Rabbi and Jubair will all return to Bangladesh after the A-team’s second and last warm-up fixture in South Africa, on October 29. While Sabbir, Soumya, Liton and Jubair were in Bangladesh’s last ODI squad in July against South Africa, the selectors are considering Al-Amin and Rabbi to replace the injured Rubel Hossain, who is all but ruled out of the Zimbabwe series after suffering a calf muscle strain last month.It is, however, likely that Taskin Ahmed and limited-overs captain Mashrafe Mortaza will return for the Zimbabwe series after recovering from injuries. Taskin suffered a side strain in June during the India series, and had a relapse during the A-team’s tour of India in September.Mashrafe was also hospitalised earlier this month with dengue. While Mashrafe has taken time to recover from the illness, Bangladesh’s team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said that both he and Taskin were likely to be fit in time for the Zimbabwe series, with Mashrafe expected to start training from Monday.Shakib Al Hasan too is likely to be part of the ODI squad though he is currently in USA on paternity leave. Shakib was given leave till mid-November on the condition that he return on the wake of fresh international commitments.There are unlikely to be any other changes in the Bangladesh team as the selectors are inclined to continue with more or less the same squad that beat South Africa 2-1 in July.Bangladesh A squad for the tour of Zimbabwe: Shuvagata Hom (captain), Shadman Islam, Rony Talukdar, Dewan Sabbir, Tasamul Haque, Nurul Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mahmudul Hasan, Mohammad Mithun, Naeem Islam, Mohammed Shahid, Muktar Ali, Abu Jayed, Saqlain Sajib, Taijul Islam

Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph led the way in the final session on day one of the County Championship game against Gloucestershire in Bristol

ECB Reporters Network15-May-2016
ScorecardGraham Wagg picked up three wickets as Gloucestershire were dismissed cheaply•Getty Images

Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph led the way in the final session on day one of the County Championship game against Gloucestershire in Bristol, to leave the Welsh county in a position of relative strength.The former South Africa Test batsman survived the early loss of opening partner Mark Wallace to help Glamorgan to 82 for 1 at the close, in reply to Gloucestershire’s 262 all out. With Rudolph 33 not out and Will Bragg unbeaten on 45, the visitors looked well set to not only consolidate their work on Sunday, but push for a first victory of the new season.The day was not so rewarding for Gloucestershire who, batting first under a near cloudless sky, soon found themselves in trouble. Openers Chris Dent and Cameron Bancroft departed for 6 and 5 respectively, as Glamorgan left-armer Graham Wagg made early inroads.Graeme van Buuren, on his first start for the county since arriving last month, played one or two shots of real quality, but eventually flashed at one too many and was caught, at the second attempt, by Chris Cooke at third slip.By lunch, Wagg, Timm van der Gugten and Harry Podmore had left the hosts struggling on 98 for 5, with captain Gareth Roderick and Hamish Marshall departing too. Roderick was snapped up in the gully by Andrew Salter for 12 before Marshall was trapped lbw by the impressive Wagg.The innings required a steady hand and that, somewhat surprisingly, came from the former Millfield School batsman, George Hankins. The 19-year-old came to the crease at 69 for 4 and batted without fear. After losing sixth-wicket partner Kieran Noema-Barnett, who was run out for a single shortly after lunch, he added 42 for the seventh wicket with the rather fortuitous Jack Taylor.Taylor, who was dropped at first slip before scoring by Bragg, was given another chance off the very next ball when Cooke spilt a straightforward catch, off Podmore, at third slip. Thereafter, he struck 24 in quick time, before being trapped lbw by Michael Hogan.Hankins continued to dominate the bowling and duly reached his maiden first-class half-century off 55 balls. Six runs later, he was bowled by Van Der Gugten, having struck 10 boundaries in his 74-ball stay at the crease.Glamorgan would have been excused for thinking the hard work had been done, as Hankins left to a standing ovation. Unfortunately Craig Miles and David Payne had other ideas and without ever looking in trouble, the pair added 90 for the ninth wicket. Payne eventually perished, for 39, as did Yorkshire loanee Josh Shaw, for 1. Miles was unbeaten on 49 as Gloucestershire were finally bowled out in the 68th over.Glamorgan made a terrible start when Wallace gifted debutant Van Buuren a catch, off Miles, in the second over of the innings. But Bragg joined Rudolph at the crease and the left-handed pair provided an even keel in the 25 overs remaining.

A 106-ball 90 from Joyraz Sheik and a four-for from offspinner Mehedi Hasan gave Bangladesh U-19 a close 22-run win against South Africa in Durban

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2015
ScorecardJoyraz Sheik struck six fours and two sixes in his 90•WICB

A 106-ball 90 from Joyraz Sheik and a four-for from captain Mehedi Hasan gave Bangladesh Under-19s a close 22-run win against South Africa Under-19s in Durban. Chasing 267, South Africa needed 26 to win off the last two overs with three wickets remaining, but Mehedi’s double-strike in the 49th over, including the wicket of the set batsman Dayyaan Galiem, effectively closed out the game giving Bangladesh a 5-2 series victory.South Africa began their chase losing opener Matthew Breetzke in the first over and No. 3 batsman Rivaldo Moonsammy 22 runs later. However, Liam Smith’s 89 looked to bring the chase back on track and he shared in partnerships worth 47 and 56 for the third and fourth wickets. He was the fifth batsman to be dismissed, with the score at 159 in the 39th over with South Africa needing 108 in a little over 11 overs. South Africa lost a few more wickets before Galiem(65) with the help of Sean Whitehead (24) shared in a 52-run partnership for the eighth wicket to bring the equation down to 32 off the last three overs. Mohammad Saifuddin conceded just six off his penultimate over before Mehedi capitalised on that pressure with two wickets.Earlier, the Bangladesh openers – Saif Hassan (45) and Pinak Ghosh(31) – got off to a good start after choosing to bat. The pair added 63 before Ghosh was caught off the bowling of Wiaan Mulder. However, partnerships of 60 and 82 for the second and third wickets extended Bangladesh’s ascendancy. Joyraz played the anchor with his 90, which included six fours and two sixes. He started slowly but kicked on towards the end of the innings – scoring 37 runs in his last 17 balls. Brisk cameos from the middle order – with 95 runs coming off the last 10 overs – propelled Bangladesh to 266 for 6. South Africa’s stand-in captain Willem Ludick and Mulder picked up two wickets each.