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Ross Taylor, New Zealand’s stand-in captain, has said that if technology cannot be conclusive it should just not be used, in reference to the case of low catches

Nagraj Gollapudi at the Wankhede Stadium18-Mar-2011Ross Taylor, New Zealand’s stand-in captain, has said that if technology cannot be conclusive it should just not be used. Taylor’s remarks came in the wake of the controversial return catch of Mahela Jayawardene during the Sri Lanka innings, which was pouched spectacularly by Nathan McCullum who threw himself to his right to hold the catch inches above the ground. But the third umpire ruled the decision against New Zealand.Jayawardene went for a premeditated push towards the leg side, but was surprised by a slower delivery from McCullum which arrived late. Having rushed into the shot, Jayawardene could only watch the ball loop towards the unmanned space at silly mid-on. But McCullum leaped from the spot where he had finished his follow-through as if he was standing on a diving board. Amazingly he managed to get the tips of the fingers of his outstretched right hand under the ball.Viewed from the press box, which is behind the bowler’s arm, the first reaction was that the catch was taken on the first bounce. But numerous close replays indicated McCullum had actually held one of the catches of the tournament. His reaction was nothing short of ecstatic: he picked himself up and stamped the ground with one foot and pirouetted delightedly. But Jayawardene had his doubts and asked Asad Rauf, one of the on-field umpires, to refer the decision to the TV umpire. Moments later, third umpire Amiesh Saheba gave Jayawardene the benefit of the doubt, much to the chagrin of McCullum. Along with his captain Ross Taylor, both men argued with the on-field umpire Rauf briefly before leaving with their heads shaking. Simon Doull, the former New Zealand fast bowler, was livid in the commentary box and was adamant about the authenticity of the catch.It was a critical moment in the match when Sri Lanka were struggling at 87 for 2 after 23.1 overs with Jayawardene on 26. “I haven’t seen the catch, I have seen it only live. I thought it was carried, but the third umpire obviously had other things,” Taylor said after the match. “When you generally think that you have taken the catch, it’s your natural instinct. It is disappointing.”Asked if he would prefer the batsman taking a fielder’s words in such a situation, Taylor said he would not rule that out. “It depends upon the person. You look at Jacques Kallis; he asks the fielders if they caught it cleanly and he trusts the words of the fielders. You put it up to the batsman to make the decision and at the end of the day you just hope the technology is right and if the technology is not right, well then don’t use it.”Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka’s captain and Jayawardene’s batting partner at the time of the incident, differed. According to Sangakkara, his team-mate had the right to ask for a referral. “I was completely blocked from behind. Mahela was very honest and he said he was not sure he caught it cleanly,” Sangakkara said. “Mahela is someone who walks when he nicks it and if he saw Nathan had taken a clean catch he wouldn’t have come around. He wasn’t very sure and the umpires weren’t sure because they were unsighted, so they checked with the technology and they went in favour of Mahela.”Sangakkara pointed out that during the New Zealand innings, Brendon McCullum had also waited for the third umpire’s ruling on a low catch held at slip by Jayawardene, though it is not certain whether that was simply done in retaliation. “That’s the way the game is played,” he said. “We had Brendon McCullum stand his ground when Mahela took that catch and they went upstairs and it was proved that it was a clean catch. So it can go either way.”

The New Zealand allrounder is determined to force his way back into the starting XI at the ICC World Twenty20

Cricinfo staff24-Apr-2010Scott Styris, the New Zealand allrounder, is determined to force his way back into the starting XI at the ICC World Twenty20. Styris is not a guaranteed starter despite having been part of the squad for the previous two tournaments, as well as after a successful return to the ODI squad against Australia in March, during which he averaged 49.00 with the bat.”I didn’t make it for the home season, so at no stage have I thought I’m in the playing XI,” he told the . “I have to go out and put good performances on the board, otherwise I’ll find myself sitting watching these games, which is not what I want.”Styris had a successful domestic season, during which his all-round skills proved central in Auckland making the HRV Cup final. He was deemed surplus to New Zealand’s requirements for the home ODIs against Bangladesh, but turned heads with an unbeaten 49 off 34 balls in the first ODI against Australia in Napier. New Zealand lost the series but Styris contributed further scores of 46, 41, 8 and 55. In a side for the World Twenty20 which features rookies and players on the comeback trail from injury, Styris’ experience is highly valuable and he was focused on making a statement.”The selectors, over the last 12 to 18 months, have shown in their view I’m not in the Twenty20 side, so I’ve got to change that, whether I think I should be or not. It’s up to me to go out and try and change their opinion,” he said. “I’ve had a wee bit of a break and now it’s up to me to make sure I hit the ground running.”New Zealand open the tournament on April 30 with a fixture against last year’s finalists Sri Lanka.

England batter constructs unbeaten 197 off 230 balls as his side makes erratic, entertaining progress

ECB Reporters Network26-Apr-2024Nottinghamshire 367 for 8 (Duckett 197*, Haynes 74, Slater 65, Hannon-Dalby 4-58) vs WarwickshireA mature and composed century from Ben Duckett held Nottinghamshire’s batting together on the opening day of their Vitality Championship Division One match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.England batter Duckett constructed a superb unbeaten 197 off 230 balls as his side made erratic but highly entertaining progress to 367 for 8.It was a patchy display from Nottinghamshire as three batters – Duckett, Ben Slater (65) and Jack Haynes (74) – passed 60 but nobody else reached double figures against an attack led by the redoubtable Oliver Hannon-Dalby.With Liam Norwell and Chris Rushworth still injured, Warwickshire gave a debut to seamer Aamer Jamal who joined fellow Pakistan international Hasan Ali in the seam team. Jamal looked under-cooked on his way to 10-0-48-0 but Hannon-Dalby, on his 200th appearance for Warwickshire, carried the attack yet again with 19-3-58-4 – superb figures on a good batting pitch.The first two championship matches of the season at Edgbaston having yielded 2,496 runs, Nottinghamshire captain Haseeb Hameed did not hesitate to choose to bat, but he perished early and carelessly when he lifted Hannon-Dalby to cover in the seventh over. The Yorkshiremen should have had further immediate success when Slater edged to third slip before he had scored but Jake Bethell grassed a straightforward chance.It proved a costly reprieve as Duckett and Slater added 146 in 32 overs. Slater batted with increasing fluency, 52 of his 65 runs coming in fours, before Hannon-Dalby returned to unfurl a lovely away-cutter that took the edge through to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.That triggered the loss of three wickets for 15 runs as cricket’s enduring ability to bring people down to earth with a jolt spectacularly showed itself. Last week, Will Young and Joe Clarke shared 397 runs in a record partnership against Somerset at Taunton. This time they managed just five between them after falling to the first and last balls of a Will Rhodes over, both sweet outswingers which were nicked to Burgess.Duckett advanced to his 27th first-class century from 126 balls and found a solid partner in Haynes. The former Worcestershire player struck 11 fours in an attractive knock before the new ball brought another cluster of wickets. Hannon-Dalby produced a nifty in-ducker which trapped Haynes lbw and then Hasan Ali had Lyndon James caught behind and bowled Calvin Harrison who offered no shot.When Olly Stone, back in the team against his former team-mates in place of Brett Hutton (achilles injury) edged Hannon-Dalby to second slip, Nottinghamshire were eight wickets down and Duckett still needed nine for his double ton. The first four of those came from an audacious ramp over over the wicketkeeper’s head off Rhodes, but then bad light closed in to leave the England man poised on the threshold overnight.

Head coach Stead has, however, said that the “door is certainly not closed to” the duo with a “lot of international cricket ahead”

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2022Martin Guptill and Trent Boult have been left out of New Zealand’s T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming home series against India, which is scheduled to begin on November 18 in Wellington. Hard-hitting opener Finn Allen finds a spot in both squads, while fast bowler Adam Milne returns to the ODI squad having last played in the format in 2017.Head coach Gary Stead has, however, said that the “door is certainly not closed to” Boult and Guptill with “a lot of international cricket ahead”. Boult had opted out of the NZC central contract, although he recently stated his ambition of playing in next year’s ODI World Cup. Guptill was part of the recently concluded T20 World Cup in Australia, but he did not play a game with New Zealand opting for Devon Conway and Allen at the top of the order.Related

• Williamson wants 'exciting talent' Allen to gain more experience to continue 'upward trend'

• Hardik Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan to lead India in New Zealand

• Glenn Phillips: 'Sometimes my speed gets me in trouble'

• Dravid given break for New Zealand tour, Laxman to coach India

Allen has had a promising start to his career, having hit 564 runs in 23 T20Is, including two half-centuries and a century. In ODIs, he has accumulated 308 runs in eight matches.”The emergence and success of Finn at the top of the order in white-ball cricket means a guy of the class of Martin Guptill misses out – that’s just the nature of a high-performance sport,” Stead said in an NZC release.”With the 50-over World Cup less than a year away we’re keen to give Finn every opportunity to keep gaining ODI experience, especially against quality opposition such as India. The message to both those players is that there’s a lot of international cricket ahead and the door is certainly not closed to them.”When Trent opted out of his NZC contract in August, we indicated that priority would be given to those players with either central or domestic contracts, and that’s been the case here. We’re all aware of Trent’s world-class ability, but at this time – as we build towards more global events, we want to give opportunities and experiences to others.”Allrounder James Neesham will not be part of the third ODI in Christchurch as he prepares for his wedding, with Henry Nicholls replacing him for the match. According to the release, Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson were not considered for selection due to back injuries.With Boult being dropped from the squads, the pace department now has Tim Southee, Matt Henry (ODIs only), Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner and Milne.The tour begins with the T20I in Wellington before the teams move to Tauranga and Napier for the second and third T20Is on November 20 and 22. The ODI leg commences on November 25 in Auckland, with the second match in Hamilton on November 27 and the final in Christchurch on November 30.ODI squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Tom Latham (wk), Matt Henry. T20I squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.

In his farewell Test, Mahmudullah was named Player of the Match as Zimbabwe lost by 220 runs

Mohammad Isam11-Jul-2021Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 220 runs in the one-off Test in Harare, the visitors’ patience paying off after the hosts’ nightwatchman Donald Tiripano led a rearguard action with his 144-ball 52. Zimbabwe’s last three wickets took up 34.4 overs, but they had lost four wickets in 19 balls in the day’s first session.The win – Bangladesh’s fifth overseas victory overall – capped off a fine farewell for Player of the Match Mahmudullah, who announced his retirement from Tests on the third day of the game. At the start of play on Sunday, Bangladesh gave Mahmudullah a guard of honour, and captain Mominul Haque let him lead the team out onto the ground. After being a last-minute inclusion in the XI, Mahmudullah rescued Bangladesh with a first-innings 150 at No 8. He added 191 runs for the ninth wicket with Taskin Ahmed, who made a career-best 75.Related

• Mominul Haque admits Bangladesh 'got away' thanks to long batting line-up

• Donald Tiripano disappointed Zimbabwe let early advantage slip

• The strange silence on Mahmudullah's last day of Test cricket

• Mahmudullah makes shock decision to retire from Test cricket

The eventuality of the Test was decided when Mehidy Hasan Miraz removed Richard Ngarava to finish with match figures of 9 for 148, the best returns in an overseas Test by a Bangladeshi bowler. Taskin also took his career-best innings figures of 4 for 82 in Bangladesh’s second dig.The win – Bangladesh’s first one on foreign soil since 2017, having lost ten out of eleven of those matches – didn’t come easy for them on the final day. Dion Myers and Tiripano put up a resistance that lasted 17 overs, but the visitors bounced back with a four-wicket burst that signaled a swifter finish to the Test match.Tiripano found willing allies in Victor Nyauchi and Blessing Muzarabani, who had a hilarious duel with Taskin, giving back the little jig that the Bangladeshi had done on him on the second day. Nuyachi was caught at slip, fending a Taskin bouncer while Ebadot Hossain removed Tiripano for his only wicket in the match.Bangladesh could have finished matters much earlier had they held on to three chances. Myers was dropped by wicketkeeper Liton Das and first-slip Shakib off Miraz’s bowling, while Taskin grassed Tiripano off his own bowling. Shakib dropped a second chance when Muzarabani edged to him off Miraz.Miraz, however, eventually removed Myers and Timycen Maruma in the same over before Taskin took the wickets of Roy Kaia and Regis Chakabva as Zimbabwe’s middle-order collapsed.Bangladesh had staged a spirited fightback in the first innings, before Shakib and Miraz ensured a big lead with their combined nine-wicket haul. The visitors batted better in the second innings, with Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto struck hundreds.Brendan Taylor made 81 and 92 in a line-up that had none of their experienced batters. Takudzwanashe Kaitano, one of three debutants, made 87 in the first innings. The visitors would have a few things to work on, most notably their bowling against the Zimbabwean lower order that performed admirably.

Key points from the government’s guidance as sport comes to terms with a ‘new normal’

George Dobell13-May-2020The return of international cricket came a step closer on Wednesday, as the UK government outlined its plans for a resumption of training as the nation comes to terms with its ‘new normal’. In the hope of both minimising the risk to players and support staff as well as attempting to minimise the pressure the return of elite sport could place on the wider community and the healthcare sector, in particular, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has, in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) and various sports governing bodies, issued protocols – “recommended minimum practice,” as they put it – that must be observed. Here ESPNcricinfo examines the main points in the document.The guidelines are split into two steps. As a first step, training will consist of “a return to a level of organised individual programme training in a defined performance facility while adhering to the government social distancing advice.” That means individuals will be expected to train either on their own or, more realistically, in the same net area or gym but while observing current social distancing.It is understood players will be expected to report to their nearest county ground – travel to training venues is permitted under this step – where they will meet (at a safe distance) one coach and one medic, equipped in full personal protective equipment (PPE).A progression to step two will only occur when Public Health England (PHE) decide it is safe to do so. At this stage, it is unwise to try and put a firm date on that, but it could well be the start of June.This step will be characterised by the allowance of ‘social clustering’ within the training environment where small groups of athletes and staff will be able to interact in much closer contact. In football this is understood to include tackling, so it is reasonable to conclude that, in cricket terms, it will include fielding in close formation – such as slip catching – and closer contact with the coaching team.ALSO READ: Reservations about playing during pandemic ‘won’t be held against you’ – ButtlerThe ECB (and any venues used as training centres) will be expected to appoint both an Accountable Officer and a Covid-19 medical officer who will take the lead in managing the sport’s adherence with government guidelines. The medical officer will also be expected to oversee the return to training of anyone who has either had or had symptoms of the virus.A risk assessment – and risk mitigation plan – must be completed before the resumption of first-step training. Among the issues to be included in this is ensuring all players and support staff are “formally appraised of the risks and all mitigating steps being taken” while “a clear position” must be defined on how those “deemed vulnerable” or in a household with vulnerable members, interacts with the training environment.Additionally, this assessment will have to outline how Covid-19 screening will take place before each entry to the training environment. This will include “a questionnaire and temperature check as a minimum.”Protocols on managing anyone who “becomes symptomatic at the venue” will also be required, as will the supply of full PPE for the relevant medical staff.And while the ECB will be expected to ensure an “appropriate level of medical staffing” and access to emergency assistance, they will also be expected to reduce the risk of burden to the National Health Service. These plans will also need to detail how equipment will be suitably disinfected.Joe Root heads out to bat in the nets•Getty Images

Other factors to be included are measures to maintain “social distancing and appropriate hygiene measures” in the training environment, determining maximum capacity levels and how the area will be cleaned between uses.The ECB (and host venues) will also be expected to brief players (and support staff) thoroughly ahead of any return to training and then allow them to opt out without any consequences.The ECB are also expected to communicate any updates on protocols in a timely and clear manner. These support staff are understood to include drivers, caters, cleaners and security officers. Written consent will need to be provided to confirm that all involved have actively opted into involvement in the process.If a known or suspected case of Covid-19 should occur in the training environment, the individual in question will be placed in isolation. Anyone who has been in contact with them will also be expected to isolate in line with government advice. At present, that states that anyone displaying symptoms should isolate for at least seven days even if those symptoms do not reoccur or worsen and that, if you have been in close contact with someone displaying the symptoms, you should “stay home” for 14 days.Anyone deemed “clinically extremely vulnerable” should not engage in training – or any support activity – outside their own home. Nobody beyond the players and those staff deemed essential will be allowed to enter the training site.Meanwhile, venues utilised for training centres must not compromise any ongoing usage of their facility by the NHS (or other key workers) in an attempt to facilitate the resumption of training. The venues will require deep cleaning before the arrival of players or staff and before and after each session they are present and between sessions if more than one team is in attendance. All cleaning staff will require appropriate levels of training and PPE.A single liaison officer will need to be appointed by each venue, each day to ensure a single interaction point between teams and venues. Interaction should be kept to an essential level.

South African smashed 12 fours and eight sixes on his way to the highest individual score in the tournament as Karachi Kings stunned the table-toppers

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2019How the game unfolded
Chasing 187, Karachi Kings had lost two wickets with just four runs on the board before Colin Ingram’s record-smashing knock stunned Quetta Gladiators and took his side home with six wickets and eight balls in hand. The South African left-hander smashed 12 fours and eight sixes in his unbeaten 59-ball 127, surpassing Sharjeel Khan’s PSL record of 117. At the end of the mayhem, the Gladiators’ had lost their first game of the season after four wins on the trot.After being put in, Umar Akmal’s 37-ball 55 led the Gladiators’ charge for the most part. He was well supported by Rilee Rossouw and the two added 63 for the third wicket in just 6.5 overs. Umar eventually fell to Aamer Yamin on the third ball of the 19th over with 156 on the board, but some good late hitting from Anwar Ali took them to 186. It wasn’t enough in the end, with Ingram having a party.Turning points

• Gladiators were 119 for two at the end of 13 overs, with Umar and Rossouw having just brought up their 50-run stand. However, only nine runs came from the next three overs, with Aamer dismissing Rossouw for 44 in the 14th.
• Anwar Ali walked out in the 19th over of the Gladiators’ innings and found his range straightaway. He smashed three sixes off the first three deliveries he faced before hitting another off the last ball of the innings to finish on 27 not out off just six balls.
• At the end of the 12th over during the chase, the Kings were 91 for three with the required rate having climbed up to 12. But Ingram struck four sixes and three fours in the next two overs – bowled by Ghulam Mudassar and Mohammad Nawaz – to bring down the equation to 54 needed off 36 balls.

Star of the day
With no other batsman in his side crossing 20, Ingram was the undisputed hero of the Kings’ win. He came to the crease in the second over of the chase, with both Babar Azam and Colin Munro back in the dugout. The first ten balls he faced produced only nine runs but the next 21 brought 41. Nawaz was carted for three successive sixes in the 14th over, while one off Mudassar went out of the stadium. With nine needed off ten balls at the close, Ingram struck Anwar for a four and a six to take Kings to an improbable victory.The big miss
Babar and Munro are among the best T20 batsmen in the world. At least one of them needed to bat big for the Kings in what was a steep chase. However, Sohail Tanvir removed Babar on the first ball of the chase, while Nawaz accounted for Munro when the batsman has made just three. Thankfully for the Kings, Ingram had one of his best days in the middle.Where the teams stand
Despite the loss, the Gladiators remained at the top of the points table with eight points. But the Kings rose from the bottom of the table to the fifth spot courtesy their win, tied on points with Lahore Qalandars with both teams having two wins from five games.

The wicketkeeper batsman, filling in for Tom Latham, capped off an eventful year by taking three superb catches to add to a sparkling half-century

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2017New Zealand’s 47-run win in the first T20I in Nelson was studded with stellar individual performances, but the standout moment was Glenn Phillips’ outstanding catch behind the stumps to dismiss Chris Gayle.Running back from his wicketkeeping position, Phillips had passed the 30-yard circle when he dived forward at full length to complete the take. “I didn’t know where it went to start with,” Phillips said after the game. “I just started running back and then hoped that the two guys either side weren’t going to run into me. I just put out the big mitt and hoped that it stuck, and it did.”It’s an interesting situation because none of us actually called for it. When the sky is a bit blue like that, sometimes you don’t have anything to gauge it on. But the ball has a shimmer around it, so you just sort of hope you catch it, and thankfully I did today.”Getty Images

That dismissal sent West Indies into freefall in their chase, and Phillips played a big role in it. He went on to take two more catches – including a diving take to his right to intercept a thick edge from Rovman Powell – and effected a stumping.Playing in just his fourth T20I, Phillips was filling in for the rested Tom Latham behind the stumps. With a sparkling show with the bat too – he made a 40-ball 55 that set New Zealand up for a strong total – Phillips may have given New Zealand’s selectors the option of playing Latham as a specialist batsman in the limited-over formats.The first sign of Phillips being considered for the 50-over format came earlier in the season, when he was picked in the New Zealand A squad for the tour of India. He finished the series as New Zealand A’s highest run-getter, including a top score of 140 not out. That earned him a berth in the T20 international squad for the three matches in India. “The desire would definitely be to go into that one-day format, and then, if the Test stuff ever happens one day, then I’d definitely relish the challenge,” he said.Phillips comes with the reputation of being a destroyer of attacks in domestic cricket. He was the leading run-scorer in the 2016-17 Super Smash, New Zealand’s domestic T20 tournament, where he made 369 runs in 10 innings at an average of 46.12 and strike-rate of 143.02 in his first season.On Saturday, he showed not just brutal hitting abilities, but also tactical nous as he consolidated to ensure West Indies didn’t dominate. Phillips said that there were areas of his game he had to still work on. “I wouldn’t say me playing slowly early on was intentional. It was just that I wasn’t able to hit a boundary. But my finding ones needs to improve, that is what I want to try and improve at in the nets.”We would have been under a lot more pressure [if not for that final over off which Kesrick Williams conceded 25]. That could have made it 160 and that would have been a bit of an under-par total. We were aiming for 170 after we went through the first six overs, and we thought if we got 170, then anything over that would be good. If we had only got 160, then they would have been in with a bigger sniff.”

Having shown patience against some tight bowling in the morning, Sri Lanka enjoyed a flat surface and a tiring bowling attack to gain firm hold of the Harare Test against Zimbabwe

The Report by Nikhil Kalro30-Oct-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsUpul Tharanga anchored Sri Lanka’s innings with an unbeaten 110•AFP

For a brief period on the second morning, Zimbabwe made run-scoring look strenuous. For the rest of the day, Sri Lanka’s batsmen enjoyed a placid Harare surface and a tiring bowling attack to pile on 537. Upul Tharanga, displaying admirable patience, reaped the most rewards on the second day to score to his second Test ton, an unbeaten 110.Tharanga milked the bowling for the majority of his innings, capitalising on anything short with cuts and dabs behind square on the off side. With legspinner Graeme Cremer blocking that option by bowling a fuller length, Tharanga chose to sweep, a lofted heave over midwicket bringing up his fifty. Once he was set, the drives came out and their timing was excellent.Tharanga was assisted by debutant Asela Gunaratne, who auditioned for a regular spot in the Test squad with 54 off 102 balls, compiled with a compact technique and an ability to manoeuvre the field. A tight channel just outside off didn’t work against him: he often opened the face to steer boundaries either side of gully.But, soon after becoming the 18th Sri Lankan batsman to score a fifty on his Test debut, Gunaratne misjudged the length of a short delivery from left-arm spinner Sean Williams. A leading edge off an attempted pull was taken at midwicket.Zimbabwe were sloppy in the field again: Peter Moor missed a stumping and dropped two more catches, in addition to his two spills on the first day. Tharanga was given a life when he checked a drive off Donald Tiripano, but Tino Mawoyo at cover could not hold on to a catch low to his left. It was a disheartening spell of play, especially considering how well Zimbabwe had bowled in the morning.Seamers Chris Mpofu and Mumba kept the ball well outside the off stump and asking overnight batsmen Tharanga and Dhananjaya de Silva to play away from their body if they wanted runs. The batsmen were content in seeing off their opening spell though and only occasionally wafted at the bowlers’ invitingly wide deliveries.In their recent Test series against New Zealand, Zimbabwe’s bowlers displayed competence in consistency but weren’t able to ‘bore’ batsmen for long enough. Newly-appointed coach Heath Streak may have already turned that around. Barring the sporadic overpitched delivery, the bowlers repeatedly hit the same lines and lengths which meant Zimbabwe conceded only 50 runs in the first 24 overs of the morning. And that led to De Silva, on 15 runs in 55 balls, to step out to Cremer. He failed to get to the pitch of the ball, went through with the stroke and ended up skewing a catch long-off.Zimbabwe had another good spell of play towards the end of the day. There were 23 overs to go for stumps but the batsmen – despite a massive deficit – were positive from the outset, shimmying down the track or sweeping hard even if they weren’t to the pitch of the ball, particularly against Rangana Herath. They finished the second day at 88 for 1, trailing by 449 runs.There wasn’t much turn for the spinners; most deliveries skidded on with the arm. One such delivery from Herath rapped opener Brian Chari on the pad in front of leg stump. Umpire Simon Fry raised the finger but it seemed the ball may have been sliding down with the angle. Sri Lanka could have added another wicket in the next over, with Suranga Lakmal inducing Hamilton Masakadza into an expansive drive. The resulting outside edge, though, was dropped by Dimuth Karunaratne at first slip. Masakadza, with 33 off 50 balls and Tino Mawoyo, with 41 off 74 balls and, took Zimbabwe to stumps.

Loughborough MCC University from England and Sri Lanka-based International College of Business and Technology stamped their credentials as strong title contenders as they crushed their opponents for the second-straight day at the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2015Loughborough MCC University from England and Sri Lanka-based International College of Business and Technology stamped their credentials as strong title contenders as they crushed their opponents for the second-straight day at the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy in Dehradun on Tuesday.ICBT was put in to bat by their opponents, Jinnah Degree College from Karachi – during their Group B encounter – and they lost opener Hasan Perera in the fourth over for just four.Nipuna Arachchige fell two-overs later, as the team from Pakistan looked to make more enroads. But A Perera and Sadeera Samarawickrama dropped anchor thereafter and began rebuilding the innings.The duo added 93 runs for the third wicket and that brought ICBT back in to the contest. JDC rued their all-spin strategy, as ICBT made the most of the placid surface and drove home the advantage.Perera top scored for ICBT with a 37-ball 54. They posted 150 in their 20 overs. Their bowlers didn’t let their batsmen’s efforts go in vein and picked up wickets regularly. JDC lost two wickets in the first-five overs for just 28.Shahzar Khan and Saeed Moutabar were the only JDC batsmen amongst the runs. Khan scored 20, while Moutabar added 23.A middle-order collapse ended JDC’s chances of making a comeback, as they lost five wickets for just 24 runs. They eventually crumbled for 108 in 18.1 overs.Loughborough MCC University added to European University of Bangladesh’s woes as they thrashed them by seven wickets in their Group A clash.
EUB were put in to bat first and their batsmen failed to find answers to LMCC’s new-ball attack. They lost two wickets in the first eight overs for just 29.Their middle order added 70 runs to their tally and that helped them post a respectable 118 in their 20 overs.LMCC lost opener Anish Patel in just the second over of their innings, but Irfan Karim and Nitish Kumar’s 91-run stand for the second wicket ended any hope of EUB finding their first win of the tournament.In the third match of the day, defending champions Assupol TUKS from South Africa thumped Dubai-based Heriot-Watt University by 109 runs to register their first win of the tournament.Murray Coetzee slammed the first ton of the tournament, which came off just 67 balls. Coetzee’s 160-run partnership with Gerald Pike, for the second wicket, helped TUKS post a massive 208 in their innings. HWU managed just 73 runs in reply.