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Opener 63 not out as Durham lead by 185 runs going into final day

ECB Reporters Network05-Jun-2019Alex Lees scored a crucial unbeaten half-century to keep Durham ahead in the game against Derbyshire going into the final day of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash at Emirates Riverside.An innings of 79 from Matt Critchley pulled the visitors to within 25 runs of Durham’s total before they were bowled out for 268. Ben Raine and Gareth Harte claimed four wickets apiece to do the damage for the hosts.Derbyshire came roaring back into the contest as Ravi Rampaul and Luis Reece caused havoc using overcast conditions to their advantage, taking five wickets between them. Amid the chaos at the other end, Lees provided vital resistance for the home side, notching his second fifty of the game to guide his team into a 185-run lead at the close.Derbyshire began the day 112 runs behind the home side on 181 for 6, and they were soon under pressure losing Leus du Plooy for 17 when he was caught behind off Raine. Critchley held firm under pressure and was able to make his way to a half-century from 88 deliveries, reaching the milestone with a boundary.Harte returned to the Durham attack to remove Logan van Beek, claiming his fourth wicket of the innings. Despite losing Van Beek and Tony Palladino, Critchley frustrated Durham’s attempt to take complete control of the contest. He and Rampaul added valuable runs for the final wicket, bringing the the visitors to within 25 runs of the home side’s first-innings total before Chris Rushworth removed Rampaul for 12.Rampaul made immediate inroads into the Durham line-up as Michael Jones failed again at the top of the innings, edging to Alex Hughes second slip for only nine. Luis Reece put the pressure on the hosts, claiming the vital wicket of Cameron Bancroft, who was well caught low down by Hughes. However, Lees and Harte were able to stem the tide, building a solid partnership for the third wicket by being patient in their approach.The two put on a stand worth 52 before Harte chipped a simple chance to Critchley in the covers off Rampaul to fall for 26. Jack Burnham followed his team-mate back to the pavilion as Rampaul pulled off a brilliant return catch to dismiss the batsman for a duck.Lees almost continued the procession, but he was dropped at first slip by Wayne Madsen after edging a delivery from van Beek. Although Lees survived, the collapse was only briefly stymied as Liam Trevaskis was bowled by Reece to leave the home side in trouble at 86 for 5, with only a slender lead.The home side regrouped with Lees and Ned Eckersley, the former making his way to his second fifty of the match from 169 balls. They reached their fifty partnership and looked poised to take Durham to the close unbeaten. Derbyshire were presented with a run out chance to dismiss Lees, only for Tom Lace to throw wide of Harvey Hosein to spurn the opening, allowing the home side to end the day with a healthy lead and five wickets in hand.

Australia quick Billy Stanlake withdraws from county spell after scan detects minor injury

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-2019Billy Stanlake, the beanpole Australia fast bowler, has been ruled out of Derbyshire’s T20 Blast campaign through injury.Derbyshire had signed Stanlake as a replacement for Kane Richardson, who was called into Australia’s World Cup squad, but after a routine scan detected a minor issue, the 6ft 6in quick was made unavailable by Cricket Australia.The situation mirrors Stanlake’s aborted move to Yorkshire for the 2018 tournament, when he was withdrawn by CA in order to rest ahead of an Australia A series.Derbyshire’s head of cricket Dave Houghton said: “It’s disappointing, not just for us because I know having spoken to Billy himself he’s probably the most disappointed person.”It’s happened to him a couple of times where he’s had opportunities to come and play in England but has been pulled back by injury prevention, which is pretty much what has happened here.”It’s very sad for him because he really wanted to play here, and sad for us because we would have loved to have seen him play.”Houghton did not rule out signing a replacement for Stanlake for the Blast, but admitted that time was not on Derbyshire’s side.”The quality that we want is diminishing by the day, people are being snapped up and there are other tournaments around the world,” he said. “What I don’t want to do is go out and find a person just to pop in when we’ve probably got players of a similar standard here on our own staff.Stanlake, 24, has been dogged by injury problems throughout his short career. He has already sustained three stress fractures in his back, and was ruled out of the final stages of the 2018 IPL due to a fractured finger.In 2018, he was ruled out of two T20Is against India after spraining his ankle during a pre-match catching drill.Stanlake, who has featured in seven ODIs and 17 T20Is for Australia, played his first first-class matches in over three years in March, picking up six wickets for Queensland in the process.

Ollie Robinson completes ten-for but Middlesex stay in game after poor start

David Hopps at Hove19-Aug-2019A quorum of former cricket writers had descended upon Hove by pure happenstance on the second day and after much reminiscing about Great Stories We Have Known nobody had the faintest idea how to best write this piece. For much of the second half of the day nothing hugely newsworthy happened. Which, in a funny sort of way, was exactly what Middlesex needed as they sought a win to keep their promotion challenge alive from an all but hopeless position.When you are bowled out for 75 on the first day, and suffer a heavy first-innings deficit as a consequence, about the best you could hope for in Middlesex’s position was that the pitch quietened, the match became a backdrop for spectators’ idle chatter and the second-innings score mounted quietly without anybody really noticing.Sam Robson, a good player, slight yet judicious, and eminently capable of going about his work with barely a murmur, made an admirable attempt to maintain that mood until the close. He closed on 61 from 140 balls, a selective knock with 10 boundaries, but Middlesex, at 149 for 4, still trailed by 85.Middlesex’s first task as they faced a deficit of 234, if they were to get back into the match, was to subdue Ollie Robinson who had returned 8 for 34 – the best figures in the Championship this season – in the first innings. Robson did just that admirably, taking 26 from 42 balls from Robinson without much sign of risk. On this occasion, he met the medium pace of Tom Haines more cautiously, finding release only once in a drive down the ground.By the close, however, Robinson’s match tally had swollen to 10 wickets. Stevie Eskinazi was bowled through the gate in the first over and Paul Stirling, who made a third-ball nought, was to fall in identical fashion on a floodlit evening. Jared Warner, a Yorkshire loanee, had Nick Gubbins caught at second slip, although his most dangerous ball came late on when he had Robson leaping in self preservation.That left Dawid Malan, a prize wicket, an excellent first scalp for the debutant left-arm spinner, Elliot Hooper. Malan was unfortunate as his dead bat could not prevent the ball from running into the stumps. He has had a fine season for all that and one senses that in a parallel universe, with England clearly needing an uncompromising character in the middle order, he would be batting against Australia in the Ashes.If Middlesex’s descent to 74 all out was galling enough on the opening day, at least it owed much to the excellence of Robinson on a surface that seamed little and often. But their concession of that lead of 234 must have been more exasperating for their coach Stuart Law as they dragged themselves back into the match only to throw it all away in a careless half-hour before lunch.Sussex resumed at 128 for three with a lead of 53 and, although Luke Wells and Alex Carey both registered half-centuries in extending their fourth-wicket stand to 125 in 38 overs, the loss of four wickets for 11 runs in 37 balls thrust Middlesex back into the match.Toby Roland-Jones took three of them, running in long and languidly from the Cromwell Road End, a bowler with an approach so extensive that it might have a bus stop en route. He did not find the movement that Robinson had on the first day, but he finished with a creditable 5 for 70, removing Wells with a chip into the leg side, Carey to an on-drive that flew to second slip and David Wiese, caught at the wicket for nought. Ben Brown perished, too, for nought, cutting at Tim Murtagh.With Sussex’s lead 76, and three wickets to get, Middlesex were back in the match, only to cast aside their recovery in a dreadful half hour before lunch when Steven Finn and James Harris leaked 57 in six overs down the slope – and one of those was a Finn maiden.There were 13 boundaries in that spell and, as well as Robinson and Will Beer counter-attacked, many of them were gifts. As another half volley was dispatched to an invitingly short leg side boundary, the opening line of Amy Winehouse’s song, “Me & Mr Jones”, came to mind.Ever since he made a century on debut for Sussex, Robinson’s danger with the bat has been apparent and Beer, primarily a legspinner, has busied himself over much of the past decade as Sussex 2nd XI’s most reliable batsman. Nevertheless, as a soft period that exemplified why Middlesex why lie sixth when many expected them to be comfortably in the top three it took some beating.By the time Robinson tapped back a full toss from the legspinner Nathan Sowter immediately after lunch, Sussex were running free. Even at nine down, Middlesex were not free from self-inflicted wounds, this time quite literally as Beer slapped Sowter’s long hop to long off where Finn was struck in the face as the ball ran through his hands.At the time it summed matters up. It will take a lot more of Sam Robson, or someone else, to change that.

The duo added an unbeaten 104 for the fourth wicket to stretch India’s lead to 260 after West Indies were bowled out for 222 in their first innings

The Report by Hemant Brar24-Aug-20192:33

I have to take risks to unsettle spinners – Rahul

Unbeaten half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane helped India take firm control of the first Test against West Indies in North Sound. By the end of the third day, India were 185 for 3, Kohli batting on 51 and Rahane on 53 with the overall lead swelling to 260. The two had joined hands just before tea and continued their association till stumps, adding 104 for the fourth wicket.Earlier in the day, West Indies were bowled out for 222, 75 behind India’s first-innings total of 297. India had to negotiate a tricky seven-over period before lunch but KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal ensured they went into the break without any damage.When the teams returned, West Indies surprisingly resumed with Roston Chase and Miguel Cummins. While Cummins had to walk off the field temporarily – after bowling just two overs – with some discomfort in his thigh, Chase didn’t disappoint his captain and trapped Agarwal lbw for 16 as the batsman tried to paddle-sweep a fuller delivery. It looked plumb in real time and perhaps that was the reason Rahul suggested not to review it. However, replays showed the ball would have gone on to miss the leg stump.Rahul looked tentative at the other end, even top-edging a pull off Jason Holder towards fine leg but luckily for him, the ball fell short of the fielder. Cheteshwar Pujara, though, used his feet against Chase right from the start and didn’t let the spinner dictate the terms. Rahul too grew in confidence and played a near-perfect straight drive against Shannon Gabriel before playing a late cut off Chase for another boundary.The duo had added 43 for the second wicket before Chase struck once more. Having hit him for a four the previous ball, Rahul tried to sweep the next one fine but missed it completely and was bowled for 38.In the next over, Kemar Roach castled Pujara with a delivery that seamed back after pitching on a length and sneaked in through the bat-pad gap to hit the top of the off stump. India 81 for 3.Kohli and Rahane took the side to tea and soon it started to look like the two were batting without any trouble. But then Roach returned for another burst and produced some more magical deliveries albeit without adding any wickets to his tally. He almost had Rahane when the batsman was on 17. While trying to flick a ball, Rahane closed the face of the bat a bit early but John Campbell spilled the chance in covers.ALSO READ: West Indies need better conversion rates from their batsmenIn his next two overs, Roach beat the outside edge of both Kohli and Rahane but didn’t have luck on his side.After Roach’s spell, Rahane smashed Gabriel for back-to-back fours, an on-the-up cover drive followed by a ferocious cut. With India’s lead already in excess of 200, West Indies brought spin from both ends in the form of Kraigg Brathwaite and Chase. But with Kohli and Rahane now set, the move only made run-scoring easier.Holder turned to Roach again before stumps and the bowler almost had Rahane for once more, this time trapping him in front of the stumps but umpire Rod Tucker’s finger didn’t move. West Indies chose not to review the decision but replays showed the ball would have crashed into the middle stump. Rahane, who was on 48 at that time, brought up his second fifty of the match in the next over. Kohli soon followed him and reached the landmark with a pulled four off Cummins, just his second boundary of the innings.The last ball of the day, a fuller one down the leg side by Gabriel, which Shai Hope could only partially stop and conceded two byes, told the story of the Test. India were aware enough to take advantage when West Indies lowered their guard, with the Test having slipped away from the hosts’ hands.In the morning, West Indies resumed from 189 for 8, their overnight batsmen Holder and Cummins frustrating India with a 41-run stand for the ninth wicket in which the latter’s contribution was 0.Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli take a moment•Associated Press

But once Mohammed Shami dismissed Holder for 39, Cummins went for a big heave against Ravindra Jadeja, only to be bowled for a 45-ball duck.West Indies’ hopes of getting close to India’s first-innings total of 297 rested on Holder who farmed the strike as much as possible. With two fours in Jasprit Bumrah’s second over of the day, Holder took West Indies past 200. In the pacer’s next over, Holder chipped him wide of mid-on for another boundary.At the other end, Cummins stuck to his brief of just hanging in there. It wasn’t that India didn’t have a chance to bowl more than a couple of balls at a time at him; Ishant got two successive overs at Cummins. While the seamer kept beating Cummins’ bat, he couldn’t fetch an edge.Kohli turned to Jadeja in search of the breakthrough. Jadeja too beat Cummins three times in five balls in his first over of the day but the batsman just focused on protecting his stumps.Holder and Cummins saw out the first hour of the day with India seemingly growing frustrated. When it finally looked like Cummins had edged one behind the stumps, off Mohammed Shami, the decision was overturned on review as replays showed the bat had hit the turf and not the ball.But Shami wasn’t to be denied for long. On the first ball of his next over, he got Holder to nick one behind and this time there was no doubt about the edge.

India’s vice-captain looks back on his county stint and the mindset change that helped him get back to form

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2019Ajinkya Rahane is a relieved man, having broken a sequence of 17 Tests without a Test hundred. On the tour of the Caribbean, Rahane made 81 and 102 in the first Test in Antigua to mark his return to form.

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This shut down all talk of his Test berth being under the scanner, something Virat Kohli firmly brushed aside prior to the series when he labelled Rahane as the “most sorted guy.”Between his 132 against Sri Lanka in August 2017 and the series in the West Indies in August, Rahane had averaged below nine other Indian batsmen who have played at least ten innings in that period.”The question of when I’m going to get that hundred is now over. I’m feeling relieved,” Rahane said at a press conference in Visakhapatnam ahead of the first Test against South Africa. “I believe that each and every match and series teaches you so much.”When I was first selected for the Indian team, I had to wait for almost two years and 17 Test matches before making my debut. And here again, had to wait for 17 Test matches to score a hundred.”Prior to the series, Rahane had a mixed county season with Hampshire, scoring 307 runs in 13 innings, stats that were fueled by one century – 119 – and one half-century.”When I was playing for Hampshire, I was thinking about my debut, how my mindset was positive and I was enjoying cricket,” Rahane said. :During these 17 Test matches [when] I was batting well but not getting hundreds, I was thinking about the century and it was going away from me.”So when I went in to bat in the West Indies, I told myself that I’m not going to think about the three-figure mark, and I’m going to enjoy batting. Batting according to the team’s demand was my priority. And yes, I batted when the team needed it, and that elusive hundred also came through.”

“We’ve got a couple of years now to find that maturity, to be nice and battle hardened and as ready as possible for that series”

Daniel Brettig15-Nov-2019Australia’s Test selection for the Pakistan series was made not only with the summer of 2019-20 in mind, but also with Justin Langer’s ultimate goal at the end of his current road with a slowly maturing team: knock India off on home soil in 2022.If this sounds like a long way off, then it was even further away on the day Langer was unveiled as coach in May 2018. Nevertheless, it was one of the first things on his lips: “If I fast forward it, the Indian tour against India, the Test tour in three or four years’ time, to me that’s the ultimate. We will judge ourselves as a great cricket team if we beat India in India.”Eighteen months older and wiser, but with a sturdy record building, Langer has observed India’s recent home domination with the sense of a goal to reach. India have now won 11 home series in a row, and are tipped to make it 12 at the end of their ongoing series against Bangladesh.Langer is adamant that the growth he wants to see from Australia’s Test team will be given its truest measure by that particular challenge. A tight series defeat in 2017 provides reason for optimism, but Virat Kohli’s team has only grown in strength and stature since.”It reminds me of how hard it is, that’s for sure,” Langer told ESPNcricinfo of India’ intimidating home form. “It’s always been the case that it’s been hard to win in India. But that’s the expectation and we’ve got a couple of years now to find that maturity I’m talking about, to be nice and battle hardened and as ready as possible for that series.”By maturity, Langer means the consistency of the Australian side, whether in bad times or good. Since he took over, the team captained by Tim Paine has enjoyed some dizzying highs – the Dubai escape against Pakistan, a commanding win over India in Perth, a thrashing of Sri Lanka and the retention of the Ashes via outstanding displays in Birmingham and Manchester. But the vast majority of these have been followed by defeats, whether a wasted chance in Abu Dhabi, an abject display in Melbourne or a mentally and physically tired show at The Oval.”I think it was an indication of the maturity of our team,” Langer said. “I don’t mean maturity in age but coming together as a group, it takes great skill but it takes time, great mental toughness and endurance, to be able to back it up over and over again. On one hand, it is a really good thing we’ve got lots of growth for this Test team and this group of players, that’s the up side. When you’re going through it you’d love to see more of that consistency, but I look at it from a bigger picture point of view, it means we’ve got areas we can keep getting better in.”The tactics used in England borrowed heavily from the successful 2004 tour of India, where a great Australian side swallowed considerable ego and flair to win the series with a grinding form of cricket that wore the hosts down rather than blasting them out. In identifying and pushing the likes of Travis Head, Cameron Bancroft and – whenever Paine decides to step aside – Alex Carey, Langer and the selection chairman Trevor Hohns are clearly looking for the sort of durability capable of sustaining that approach.Will Pucovski pulls through square leg•Getty Images

“It’s such a balancing act because the expectation is the Australian cricket team performs well all the time,” Langer said of the search for team balance. “But it’s always nice, whether it’s now or in days gone by, to have a lot of senior players with a couple of young guys come in, that’s the perfect scenario. You don’t necessarily want all senior players, although it works out sometimes, and you don’t want all youngsters because that’s exciting but also lack of experience doesn’t always demand the results you’re looking for. You’ve got to get the balance right, whether it’s this summer or anytime I think.”The withdrawal of Will Pucovski does not mean that Langer or Hohns will forget about the 21-year-old batsman. On the contrary, Langer has already seen from Pucovski evidence of the sort of batting he thinks will be necessary not only to succeed in Test cricket in general, but in India in particular.”He just seemed to have so much time,” Langer said of Pucvoski’s batting in an early season Shield match against Western Australia at the WACA Ground. “Also his ability to… he batted a session for probably 20 runs I reckon. In the modern world we live in, people might see that as a negative, but I thought it was just brilliant. He absorbed great pressure for two hours and looked unflustered. He seems to have a really good temperament, if they bowl good balls he’s got a defensive answer for it; if they bowl anything loose he seems to be able to pounce on that. That’s a pretty good formula for a good young player.”We’ll only know through experience, but he’ll keep learning. All these young guys are on this incredible journey, which I’ve lived through and know how frustrating it can be, how daunting it can be. But they’ve all got their different struggles and Will’s an example of that. He’s had his struggles and what’s most impressive about him is through it all he seems to be able to consistently score runs and he also has a smile on his face and seems to get on with it. He’s an impressive young fella.”The incredible journey Langer speaks of has a logical crowning moment in his mind, and it isn’t necessarily at the MCG on Boxing Day or in a World Cup final. On the distant, punishing fields of India, he will hope that the project begun in the aftermath of the Newlands scandal will finally be accomplished.

Fast bowler put international career on hold last year to sign for Northamptonshire

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2019Blessing Muzarabani will play domestic cricket in Zimbabwe as an overseas player this season, having put his international career on hold last year by signing a Kolpak deal with Northamptonshire to play in county cricket.Muzarabani, a tall, 23-year-old fast bowler, played 11 times in all formats for Northamptonshire this season, taking four wickets in his two County Championship games. He will play for Eagles in their Logan Cup curtain-raiser against Rhinos this week, which starts on December 12.There are various other player movements of note, with Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis joining the new Rangers side, which is otherwise dominated by young players and run by the Alistair Campbell high performance programme. Meanwhile, Richmond Mutumbami has joined Mountaineers, and Luke Jongwe has returned to Tuskers.The start of the domestic season was delayed, while ZC waited on funds from the ICC following its ban from membership.Each team will play eight Logan Cup games – two against each opponent – across the ten gameweeks, which run until February 16. All games will be played in Harare.

Squads

Eagles: Chomunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Regis Chakabva, Trevor Garwe, Tapiwa Mufudza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Tony Munyonga, Cephas Zhuwao, Keith Jaure, Faraz Akram, Patrick Mambo, Daniel Jakiel, Cuthbert Musoko, Kuda Munyede, Rugare Magarira, Tawanda Sithole, Kudzai Maunze, Tinashe NenhunziMountaineers: Tinotenda Mawoyo, Kevin Kasuza, Victor Nyauchi, Kudzi Sauramba, Donald Tiripano, Tendai Chatara, Timycen Maruma, Roy Kaia, Wellington Masakadza, Shingirai Masakadza, Innocent Kaia, John Masara, Frank Mazvita, Tinashe Chimbambo, William Mashinge, Vincent Masekesa, Dion Myers, Gary Chirimuuta, Joylord Gumbi, Tinashe Chiora, Definate Mawadzi, Tafadzwa Muzarawetu, Spencer Magodo, Trevor Mutsamba, Baxton Gopito, Brighton Chapungu, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Richmond MutumbamiRangers: Johnathan Campbell, Tinotenda Takodza, Brendan Taylor, Dylan Hondo, Brian Mudzinganyama, Alvin Chiradza, Daniel Zvidzai, Clive Imbayago, Clive Chitumba, Davis Murwendo, Kudakwashe Macheka, Manson Chikowero, Tanunurwa Makoni, Sydney Murombo, Kyle Jarvis, Charlton Tshuma, David BrentRhinos: Tafara Chingwara, Walter Matau, Nigel Mupurura, Trevor Gwandu, Remebrance Nyathi, Tashinga Musekiwa, Nyasha Mayavo, Tendai Chisoro, Bothwell Chapungu, Bright Njanji, Neville Madziva, Ronald Masocha, Jameson Chikowero, Carl Mumba, Tanyaradzwa Munyaradzi, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Trevor Chibvongodze, Nqobile Ndlovu, Wallace Mubaiwa, Prince Masvaure, Bright Matsiwe, Larvet Masunda, Muhammad Hussain Bhola, Brandon Mavuta, Ryan Burl, Josh Mawire, Peter Moor, Mkhululi Nyathi, Herbert Chikomba, Nyasha Dube, Tadana Masike, Kudzanai ChizuraTuskers: Brian Chari, Nkosana Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams, Charles Kunje, Cunningham Ncube, Shoun Handirisi, Aarsh Jha, Luke Jongwe, Ernest Masuku, Christopher Mpofu, Ainsley Ndlovu, Sheunopa Musekwa, Stephen Dzimbanhete, Talent Dzikiti, Jeffrey Muriyengwe, Sikandar Raza, Jayden Hawukose, Milton Shumba, Wesley Madhevere, Ryan Murray, Prince Kaunda, Arnold Shara, Bright Phiri, Mpokuhle Dube, John Nyumbu

Allrounder will captain his side in the upcoming Big Bash season

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2019Glenn Maxwell will return from a six-week break from the professional game to lead the Melbourne Stars in their Big Bash campaign.Maxwell took a spell away from the game due to mental health reasons, after admitting to Australia coach Justin Langer that he was “not having that much fun at the moment” during the T20I series against Sri Lanka in October.ALSO READ: Maxwell has ‘set the right example’ for cricketers around the world – KohliHe missed the white-ball leg of Pakistan’s tour, but returned to play club cricket for Fitzroy-Doncaster three weeks ago and has joined up with the Stars’ pre-season camp ahead of their season opener against the Brisbane Heat on December 20.David Hussey, the Stars’ head coach, said he was delighted to have Maxwell in the camp.”We’re pleased to see Glenn in green and ready to lead our side with a big season ahead,” Hussey said. “He’s an incredible talent and a key part of our club but health and wellbeing comes first and it’s important that he’s been able to take some time away to focus on that.”We’re pretty excited with how our list looks and what we’re going to bring to the table. We were obviously very close last season and want to go that one step further. We’ve got a great bunch of guys and I can’t wait to see what this group can produce this summer.”Maxwell is also set to go under the hammer at next week’s IPL auction, and is expected to fetch a big-money bid.

Lack of partnerships hurt the Indians as they fall short by 29 runs

The Report by Vishal Dikshit24-Jan-2020George Worker’s 144-ball 135 helped New Zealand A pull level in the three-match one-day series in Christchurch, as India A struggled to put on substantial partnerships in the chase of 296 to go down by 29 runs.Worker didn’t get much company early on as the hosts were in trouble at 109 for 5 before the halfway mark, but support from Jimmy Neesham and Cole McConchie helped them put on a strong total. For India, the main contributions came from the middle order after they were reduced to 88 for 4, but those weren’t enough.Put in to bat, New Zealand lost wickets quickly as Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips edged to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and the scoreboard read 45 for 2 after 11 overs. Ishan Porel then struck twice in as many balls by nipping in sharp deliveries to knock over Tom Bruce’s off stump and trap Tom Blundell lbw for a duck. Mark Chapman chopped one on against Krunal Pandya and the hosts were struggling. Their troubles deepened further when Neesham retired hurt in the 31st over.Worker, however, found an ally in McConchie, who struck a quick 56 off 54 balls, and he brought up his 13th List A hundred along the way. Worker struck all his six sixes on the off side in the cover and long-off region but the bulk of his 12 fours came on the leg side. The two of them powered the score past 250 and Worker eventually fell trying to ramp Porel fine but handed a catch to Mohammad Siraj at third man. Neesham returned at that point and stayed unbeaten on 33 off 31. Porel finished with an impressive 3 for 50 with two maidens in his ten overs and Axar Patel ended with miserly figures of 10-0-33-1.Several India batsman got starts but failed to convert them after Prithvi Shaw fell early when he swung hard against Kyle Jamieson to lose his off stump. Ruturaj Gaikwad (17) handed a catch to cover with a leading edge off an innocuous delivery, Mayank Agarwal pulled a short ball to square leg and Suryakumar Yadav edged a short rising delivery to the wicketkeeper, leaving India on 88 for 4 in the 18th over.Kishan (44) and Vijay Shankar (41) stitched a stand of 58 to revive the chase but their partnership was broken when Kishan tapped a delivery to mid-off to steal a single that didn’t exist and fell short. Vijay fell soon too and Pandya struck a fighting 51 off 48 balls, but India needed 56 from the last five overs and with only three wickets in hand, they fell short.

The former South Africa batsman will link up with the team before their T20I series against Ireland in March

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2020Afghanistan’s coaching staff, helmed by Lance Klusener, has been bolstered by the appointment of HD Ackerman, the former South Africa Test batsman, cricket commentator and columnist.The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Ackerman, 46, would start work with the team on March 1, ahead of the national team’s three-T20I series in India against Ireland, which will be followed by a one-off Test. His contract will run till the end of 2020. Ackerman played four Test matches for South Africa, two against Pakistan and two against Sri Lanka, all at home in 1998, scoring one half-century in aggregating 161 runs at an average of 20.12. He had a much more fruitful time in first-class cricket, though, playing the 1993-94 season all the way to mid-2009, in which he scored 14,625 runs, including a triple-century, at an average of 43.65 in 220 outings. He also played 230 List A matches and 55 T20s.The T20I series against Ireland will be played in Greater Noida, near the Indian capital of New Delhi, on March 6, 8 and 10.