The fixture was significant for the return of two fast bowlers – Deepak Chahar for Chennai Super Kings and Mohsin Khan for Lucknow Super Giants

Sreshth Shah03-May-20232:06

Tait: Badoni has the temperament to take on international bowlers

Match abandonedRain had the final say in Lucknow, where MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings had taken the upper hand against the Super Giants after 19.2 action-packed overs of the first innings. CSK spinners ran through the home team’s line-up, but 23-year-old Ayush Badoni scored a counter-attacking fifty before the game was called off at 6.56 pm local time.The game had started 15 minutes late due to an afternoon shower, and the surface ended up assisting spin big time. Moeen Ali dismissed Kyle Mayers for the second time in the season, and Maheesh Theekshana accounted for Manan Vohra and Krunal Pandya off successive deliveries in the sixth over. Moeen held on to a tough caught-and-bowled chance to remove Karan Sharma, but the best wicket was Ravindra Jadeja bowling Marcus Stoinis with one that pitched outside the right-hander’s leg stump and spun sharply to hit off, leaving the batter dumbfounded.At 44 for 5 in the 10th over, the Super Giants were sinking but Badoni and Nicholas Pooran steadied the innings. They added 59 for the sixth wicket, but Pooran’s contribution was only 14, with Badoni taking charge. He smashed two sixes off Theekshana and reached fifty with another six off Deepak Chahar in the 19th over to give the Super Giants a fighting chance.Rain forced the players off the field in the 20th over of the first innings and did not ease up enough for play to resume, leaving both Super Kings and Super Giants with one point each from the contest. Both teams are on 11 points after ten games.The fixture was also significant for the return of two fast bowlers. Chahar was fit again for CSK after missing six games because of a hamstring injury and returned figures of 0 for 41 in four overs. Mohsin Khan was named in the Super Giants XI for the first time this season, after spending almost the entire year since the previous IPL recovering from injury, but did not get the chance to bowl because of the bad weather.

Leicestershire stroll to target for only their second win of the season

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2023A maiden T20 century by Rishi Patel powered Leicestershire Foxes to an impressive six-wicket Vitality Blast victory over Durham at the Uptonsteel County Ground, Grace Road.The 24-year-old right-hand bat – dropped on 38 – struck 103 from 49 balls with 12 fours and four sixes as the Foxes cruised home with 14 balls to spare with comfortably their most emphatic performances of an otherwise dismal season to date, Lewis Hill hitting the winning runs to finish on an unbeaten 54 from 41 balls.It was Durham’s second defeat by Leicestershire in six days although the Foxes remain bottom of the North Group table, having lost their other six games.Aussie Ashton Turner’s unbeaten 60 from 38 balls lifted Durham’s total to a challenging 172 for 4 against a makeshift Foxes bowling attack from which key man Naveen ul-Haq was missing though injury. Ollie Robinson made 30 from 31 balls and Graham Clark 27 from just 14 in the powerplay but spinner Callum Parkinson (2 for 21) and teenage pace bowler Josh Hull (1 for 26) made sure that the visitors were never able to dominate.Asked to bat first, Durham posted 59 for 2 from the opening block of six, 35 of those runs coming in two overs after the visitors went hard against the two new faces in the Foxes attack, with Matt Salisbury and Tom Scriven drafted in for their county Blast debuts after injuries to Mikey Finan and Will Davis as well as Afghan international Naveen.Salisbury, who did not play in the Blast during his four years at Durham but made eight appearances for Essex in 2014, took a wicket with his fifth ball against his ex-team-mates when Alex Lees swung optimistically and was bowled, but took some punishment in his second over as Clark and Michael Jones plundered 17 runs, the pair having taken 18 off Scriven in the previous over, although Clark survived a difficult chance to point on four.Hull finished the powerplay well for the Foxes as Jones miscued to mid-on and when left-arm spinner Parkinson produced a fine, full delivery to trap Clark in the crease in the next over, Durham were 61 for 3. At halfway, with Colin Ackermann and Rehan Ahmed applying the squeeze, they were 80 for 3, advancing to 112 for 4 from 15 overs after Parkinson made another big breakthrough, bowling Robinson to register his 100th Blast wicket for the county.The Foxes would have been disappointed not to claim more wickets in the last five, which saw Turner and Bas de Leede swell the total by 62 runs, both clearing the ropes of Rehan’s legspin, but Hull, the 18-year-old left-arm quick of whom they have high hopes, produced an impressive final over costing just eight runs to finish with 1 for 26.Needing to score at 8.65 runs per over, the home side suffered an immediate setback, losing Nick Welch to the fifth ball of their reply as he missed an attempted sweep against left-arm spinner Liam Trevaskis, but recovered well, with Hill pulling and scooping profitably and Patel hitting powerfully down the ground, to be 69 for 1 from six, although the latter had an escape when Ben Raine dropped what should have been a straightforward chance at wide long-on.Back-to-back boundaries off Turner took Patel to a 21-ball half-century and two more off legspinner Nathan Sowter’s next over brought the target down to 70 with 70 balls remaining.And there was no holding the Foxes back on this occasion with Patel in destructive mood, needing just 24 more balls to reach his hundred, getting there his second six in three balls over wide long-on off Sowter, and although it all ended anticlimactically in the next over as an ill-advised decision to go for a second run to de Leede at midwicket off Wayne Parnell saw him run out.Nonetheless, the home side went into the final five overs needing just 21 to win and though Parnell dismissed Colin Ackermann, who chopped on, and Louis Kimber, caught behind, with consecutive balls, to induce a little anxiety in the home crowd, only 14 more were needed, Hill finishing the job by pulling Sowter for his third six before driving the same bowler through extra cover for four next ball.

After a promising start from Gloucestershire it all went the home side’s way

ECB Reporters Network25-Jun-2023Yorkshire young guns Finlay Bean and George Hill posted superb centuries – 114 and 101 respectively – to ensure their side dominated the opening day of the LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Gloucestershire at Headingley.Left-handed opener Bean faced 153 balls for his second century of the Division Two season – and the second of the 21-year-old’s fledgling career. It was the main contribution in Yorkshire’s 393 for 6 from 91 overs.He shared a stand of 57 with Dawid Malan for the third wicket during the morning and then 153 for the fourth either side of lunch with fellow up and comer George Hill, who then faced 180 balls and shared 111 for the fifth wicket with Jonny Tattersall.It was allrounder Hill’s first century of the summer, with Gloucestershire too loose with the Kookaburra ball having been asked to bowl in excellent batting conditions.Left-arm seamer Taylor stood out like a sore thumb amongst his colleagues with three for 43 from 17 overs, including Tattersall late on for 79. Five overs were lost to evening rain.Play was watched by Yorkshire’s new chair Harry Chathli and also their former County Championship title-winning coach Jason Gillespie, the Australian bowling legend who was triumphant with the county in 2014 and 2015.He is back in the UK for the Ashes and back at Headingley for the first time since leaving. Things have changed dramatically since Gillespie departed at the end of 2016, his side having just missed out on a third successive Championship title to Middlesex.Not only has there been upheaval off the field, results have fallen drastically on it as well, highlighted by this being a Division Two encounter.Only Adam Lyth and Matthew Fisher from the current side played four-day cricket during the Australian legend’s golden tenure.But the performances of two young players who were only playing county age-group during Gillespie’s tenure should serve as indication of future promise.Lyth’s opening partner Bean, 21, was playing for Yorkshire Under 14s during Gillespie’s last year in 2016 and Hill for the Under 15s.Bean has enjoyed an encouraging start to life in senior cricket having returned to the club last summer following a brief break to go and work as a mechanic.He earned a rookie contract on the back of a record-breaking 441 in the second team last year and made his first-team bow in August.He played a trio of Championship matches last September, but was a first choice starter at the beginning of April and scored 118 in the opening round defeat here against Leicestershire.Bean watched on from the non-striker’s end as three senior partners departed before lunch, including Lyth and captain Shan Masood within four balls to Taylor as the score slipped to 33 for 2 in the sixth over. Lyth edged to second slip trying to leave alone before Masood was trapped lbw for a three-ball duck.Bean shared 57 with another left-hander, Dawid Malan, who looked in good order for 28 before being caught behind down leg trying pull Ben Charlesworth’s seam – 90 for 3 in the 17th.But Gloucestershire’s good early work was eroded thanks to their inability to limit the fours, especially to the short boundary towards the East Stand side of this ground.Hill, 22, is more advanced in his development than Bean – a right-hander particularly strong against spin. Hill has been frustrated by his inability to build on starts over the last couple of seasons. But he did here. This was his best of four times beyond 50 in the Championship this season.Bean reached his century off 140 balls midway through the afternoon. But he only faced 13 more deliveries and fell caught at deep square-leg pulling at Zaman Akhter – 243 for 4 in the 53rd over.After tea, Hill moved into the nineties and took Yorkshire beyond 300 by helping Tattersall take 19 from the 72nd over against Gohar, including a slog-swept six over midwicket.He reached his century off 177 balls before falling caught behind off Ollie Price’s offspin. And when Taylor, now bowling with the new ball, had Tattersall caught at second slip, Yorkshire were 368 for 6 after 86 overs.

Second time in Championship history a side has chased over 500 to win, after Middlesex beat Notts in 1925

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2023Surrey rewrote history with almost casual ease in the LV= Insurance County Championship on Wednesday, chasing down a target of 501 to beat Kent by five wickets at Canterbury.What threatened to be a pulsating final day instead turned into a one-sided procession as Dom Sibley and Ben Foakes batted mercilessly, eclipsing Surrey’s previous highest chase of 410, made at this venue in 2002, to finish on 501 for 5.Foakes made 124, while Sibley scored what’s believed to be the slowest ever century in the County Championship over the course of 511 minutes and 368 balls. He eventually finished on 140 from 415 balls, seeing Surry home with Jordan Clark after a magnificent feat of concentration and endurance.Three days of violent momentum swings, luck, individual brilliance and human error had left the match almost perfectly poised at the start of day four, with Kent needing seven wickets and Surrey 238 runs.It was the human factor that added the intrigue: without the dropped catches, the “poor” shots and the “bad” balls this would have been a torpid 700 v 700 bore draw. The final day, however, offered almost none of the drama of the previous three.Only once in the history of the Championship had a side chased over 500 to win: when Patsy Hendren hit an unbeaten 206 as Middlesex scored 502 to beat Notts by four wickets at Trent Bridge in 1925.The reigning champions did it with a determination that belied everything that had gone before. Needing under three an over, they homed in on the target like an armour-plated milk float: slow but bombproof.The morning session was almost ideal for Surrey. Foakes and Sibley saw off the new ball and scored predominantly in singles, at one point going ten overs without a boundary. Foakes survived an lbw appeal from Wes Agar but they were otherwise unthreatened.At lunch it was 335 for 3 and a Surrey win was looking as inevitable as an Arsenal title collapse. There was a fleeting moment of controversy when Kent were convinced Hamid Qadri had Foakes, on 73, caught behind, but it was an isolated outbreak of excitement during an almost catatonic afternoon.Sibley finally reached three figures when he drove Joey Evison for four, beating the previous record, understood to be Jason Gallian’s 453-minute ton for Lancashire against Derbyshire at Blackpool in 1994. He just beat his partner to the landmark: Foakes took two from Jack Leaning in the next over to bring up a relatively quickfire hundred from 198 deliveries.With the target now under a hundred, Surrey swapped the milk float for a Lamborghini. The 130th over went for 20 but Foakes then holed out to Joe Denly and was caught by Matt Quinn on the boundary, ending a partnership of 207.It was 452 for four at tea, by which time Kent’s members had long been delivered from the hell of hope and the smattering of Surrey fans by the Old Dover Road entrance were savouring every minute.Will Jacks was out for 19 caught by Agar off Arshdeep Singh but by then just 40 were needed. Clark sealed the win with a single off Denly and Surrey exited the field to a fully deserved ovation from home and away fans alike.

Phoebe Litchfield scores unbeaten 42 to see home side to victory in low-scorer

Ciara Fearn03-Aug-2023Northern Superchargers 112 for 3 (Litchfield 42*) beat Birmingham Phoenix 110 for 8 (Devine 46, Davidson-Richards 3-20) by seven wickets England allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards stole the show for Northern Superchargers as they beat Birmingham Phoenix by seven wickets to get their Hundred campaign off to the perfect start.Davidson-Richards took three wickets for just 11 runs from her 20 balls as well as taking two catches and claiming a brilliant run-out in an excellent team display from Superchargers, as they restricted Birmingham Phoenix to a total of 110 for 8 off their 100 balls.Australian Phoebe Litchfield top-scored for the home team with an unbeaten 42 as they eased their way to victory with 22 balls to spare with Marie Kelly also adding a valuable 24 at the top of the order.The visitors had got off to a flying start with New Zealand veteran Sophie Devine hitting England’s Kate Cross for two boundaries from her first set of five balls. But Superchargers quickly pulled things back with Cross claiming the wicket of Eve Jones for 10 before England wicketkeeper Amy Jones became Davidson-Richard’s first victim when she holed out to Leah Dobson on the square leg boundary for 13.Devine took centre stage throughout the Phoenix innings scoring an entertaining 46 runs off 36 balls before she was superbly run out by Davidson-Richards’ direct hit from mid-off. The Phoenix middle-order failed to offer any meaningful support to Devine with Erin Burns, Tess Flintoff and Emily Arlott all falling cheaply with Georgia Wareham’s caught-and-bowled dismissal of Burns a particular highlight.The hosts were brilliant in the field with Phoenix reliant on late-order runs from Abigail Freeborn and Issy Wong to get them up over the 100 mark, Wong hitting a mighty six into the crowd at one point before she became Linsey Smith’s one wicket.Kelly and Jemimah Rodrigues gave Superchargers an ideal start with a partnership of 23 for the first wicket. Rodrigues’ knock of 16 consisted of four boundaries before she was trapped in front by Wong.Kelly was bowled reverse sweeping by Katie Levick for 24 but Litchfield quickly took charge of the innings as she steered Superchargers home with an unbeaten 42 off 29 balls including seven fours. But this was Davidson-Richards’ day and she completed the win with a towering straight six off Hannah Baker to end an excellent showing by Superchargers.

Seamer’s 4 for 16 closes out tense win over Originals, set up by Capsey-van Niekerk partnership

Matt Roller09-Aug-2023Ryana MacDonald-Gay gave Oval Invincibles, the two-time defending champions, their first win of the season, taking 4 for 16 to close out a tense five-run win over Manchester Originals on a balmy afternoon in South London.Originals needed 16 to win off 14 balls after Deandra Dottin hit the third six of her innings at The Kia Oval, taking her to 41 off 19. But she played out four consecutive dot balls to give Invincibles a cushion heading into the final 10.MacDonald-Gay, the 19-year-old seamer, backed her slower balls at the death and, after gathering Alice Capsey’s throw to run Fi Morris out, she had Dottin caught at short third and Kathryn Bryce mistiming to midwicket. That left 13 required off the final set of five balls, and Eva Gray closed out Invincibles’ win.The result was set up by Capsey and Dane van Niekerk, whose third-wicket partnership of 61 in 37 balls enabled Invincibles to post 128 for 7 – a much-improved showing on the 80 all out they managed in the first completed innings of their title defence in a three-wicket defeat to Welsh Fire on Sunday night.But it was MacDonald-Gay who clinched the points. She was an ever-present for Invincibles last season but was used sparingly with the ball in the latter half of the tournament and did not bowl in their last three games, including the final. This was the first time in her Hundred career she had bowled all of her permitted 20 deliveries.She struck with her third ball, hitting Laura Wolvaardt on the pad and having her lbw on review for 27, just as she was starting to move through the gears, and in her second set of five she had Ami Campbell caught at point, skying a slower ball to Marizanne Kapp.Dottin thumped her down the ground for four in her third set, but her last cost only three runs as she backed her variations to finish with the fourth-best bowling figures of the competition so far.”She’s been brilliant for us at South East Stars, coming in at the back end and bowling her slower balls,” Capsey said of her team-mate. “She bowls them brilliantly and that’s one of her strengths and one of the reasons she’s so valued in our team. Whenever she comes on, she impacts the game.”She was bowling at Deandra Dottin, one of the world’s best players. That shows her character, and what a great bowler she is. She really held her nerve and backed her strengths. That’s all you can ask for from a bowler. She kept us in the game.”Invincibles started slowly with the bat, with Mahika Gaur striking early. Gaur, the towering teenage left-arm seamer, bowled 15 of the first 20 balls and had Lauren Winfield-Hill lbw, with figures of 1 for 7 from her first three sets.Sophie Ecclestone had delayed her own entry before striking in her first set, having Suzie Bates stumped, and Capsey struggled for timing early on. She was dropped on 28 by Morris, then given out lbw one ball later only to successfully review the on-field decision.She largely played second fiddle to van Niekerk but powered Ecclestone back over her head for a straight six, and was stumped immediately after reaching a 40-ball half-century, her first in a competitive game since the end of May.Van Niekerk scored quickly against Originals’ spinners, who were held back until the end of the innings, crashing a six and a four off successive balls from Amanda-Jade Wellington as Invincibles eyed a late surge towards 140.Instead, they slid to 128 for 7 as van Niekerk’s dismissal – caught at long-on off Wellington – preceded a flurry of three run-outs in the final six balls. Much to Invincibles’ relief, the mini-collapse did not prove costly.

The visitors have key players, including Pat Cummins and Steven Smith, back from injury as they take on the Asia Cup champions

Andrew McGlashan21-Sep-20231:19

Are India World Cup-ready now?

Big Picture: Will Australia test out Short?

The World Cup is nearly here, but not quite. These two teams will meet to open their campaigns on October 8 in Chennai, but first there are three games in six days that, while useful for fine-tuning plans, and for a number of key Australia players returning to action, will also provide a challenge in ensuring against any further last-minute injury alarms.Australia have suffered a big one in recent days with Travis Head’s fractured hand likely to rule him out of the World Cup. India, meanwhile, have some concerns over Axar Patel who is not available for the first two matches of this series.India are coming off their Asia Cup success where they skittled Sri Lanka for 50 in the final and Australia arrive having seen a 2-0 series lead overturned by South Africa into a 3-2 defeat. In terms of performances, form of players and confidence, there is probably more riding on these three games for them rather than India.Related

• Rohit on resting Kuldeep: 'We don't want to expose him a lot'

• Audition time for Ashwin and Washington, much to prove for Iyer and Suryakumar

• Cummins: Australia can't afford to 'already be cooked' before starting World Cup

In the lead-up to the World Cup, Australia have not yet been able to have what could be considered a first-choice XI on the park. That combination has now been changed due to Head’s injury, but captain Pat Cummins, Steven Smith and Mitchell Starc are all back and Glenn Maxwell arrives on Friday. Smith will likely play all three matches and Cummins is also keen to. As far as Maxwell goes, there remains some uncertainty over how much condensed 50-over cricket he can get through.One intriguing name will be Matt Short, who has been called in for this series as Head’s replacement. As a destructive opener who can also bowl good offspin he is very much a like-for-like. It would be a meteoric rise should he make the final 15, but it can’t be ruled out.For India, the Asia Cup ticked a lot of boxes and they’ve taken the opportunity to give some of their big names a rest with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya sitting out the first two games of this series. The main interest is around R Ashwin and Washington Sundar, who will be vying to replace Axar should he be unavailable for more than two games.This will also be an opportunity for Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav to have some time in the middle. Iyer suffered a back spasm during the Asia Cup while Suryakumar played just once, making 26 off 34 balls in the defeat against Bangladesh.

Form guide

India WLWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Australia LLLWWMatthew Short will hope he gets an ODI debut soon•Associated Press

In the spotlight: Ashwin’s chance and Cummins’ return

R Ashwin has not played an ODI since January 2022 and when a replacement was needed a few days ago for the Asia Cup final it was Washington who made the dash over. Still, should Axar not make the World Cup squad, Ashwin’s experience could yet tilt the scales his way. He and Ravindra Jadeja have certainly given Australia some sleepless nights in Test cricket.Pat Cummins was appointed Australia’s ODI captain last November, but has so far captained them in just two matches. He is entering this series off the back of a wrist injury sustained in the final Ashes Test and will strengthen a pace attack that was put under pressure in South Africa. However, there is also an interesting selection debate that could occur around Cummins if – or when – Australia only want to field two frontline quicks.

Team news: Ashwin vs Washington and Smith’s return

All three spin-bowling allrounders could play in the absence of the rested Pandya. The selectors may also consider giving Mohammed Siraj a game off after his Asia Cup heroics. Ishan Kishan will have the chance to open alongside the in-form Shubman Gill.India (possible): 1 Ishan Kishan, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Mohammed Siraj/Shardul Thakur, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.This game could give the first indication of how Australia plan to fit together Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, although they may look to squeeze in Short. Without Head, Maxwell or Ashton Agar, Tanveer Sangha could come into the mix. Starc isn’t available for this game, which could open the door for Spencer Johnson to make his ODI debut after he picked up a hamstring injury in South Africa. Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis both left Johannesburg with injuries.Australia (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Alex Carey (wk), 6 Cameron Green, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Spencer Johnson/Tanveer Sangha, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.

Pitch and conditions

It’s early in the Indian season, but Cummins said he didn’t expect that to affect the surfaces much. Mohali hasn’t staged an ODI for four years, but has produced some high scores in the IPL. The forecast is for a hot, dry day.

Stats and trivia

• The last ODI played in Mohali featured these two teams back in 2019 when Australia chased down a record 359 thanks to Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja and Ashton Turner.
• Steven Smith needs 61 runs to reach 5000 in ODIs.
• The last time India faced Australia in ODIs, Suryakumar Yadav bagged three consecutive golden ducks.

Quotes

“We’ll try and strike the balance between getting plenty of game time into everyone but also [have] an eye to the World Cup in a couple of weeks.”

Immediate on-field issues aside, both teams will have Champions Trophy qualification and Delhi’s air quality on their minds

Madushka Balasuriya05-Nov-20233:48

Finch wants to see Shakib at No. 3

Big Picture: Problems to address for both teams

This may not be the must-win scenario either side would have envisioned towards the tail-end of this tournament, but the ICC’s confirmation that the top seven finishers (and hosts Pakistan) will gain qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy has given what would have been a largely inconsequential game some much needed purpose.Both sides’ troubles are well documented. Since their opening game win against Afghanistan, Bangladesh have lost six on the trot. Only England have a worse record, and Bangladesh have lost to them too. For a side that had won 24 of 39 ODIs since the start of 2021, this has been the most underwhelming of tournaments, especially in conditions that on the face of it looked like it might have suited them.The unsettling of a settled batting order could be pinpointed as one of the key reasons for this downturn in fortunes. They will be hoping to regain enough lost ground to overcome a Sri Lankan side that has its own set of issues.Related

• 'Asthmatic' Bangladesh players skip training on eve of Sri Lanka match due to air pollution in Delhi

Sri Lanka, for their part, have done what they’ve always done – at least in the recent past – mixing in brilliance with despair, jubilation with fatalism. Whichever way you splice it, this was an undercooked Sri Lanka side at least in terms of ODIs – one geared towards a T20-style and rediscovering its ODI bearings. It was also one seemingly caught up in muddled thinking.”I want them to be aggressive to be honest,’ stated head coach Chris Silverwood prior to their defeat to India, and after an oddly timid display against Afghanistan. “I want them to play their game and obviously do things their way but have a positive mindset.”All sound in theory, but words that were betrayed by the fact that their sole aggressive opening option – Kusal Perera – was dropped for both losses to Afghanistan and India, in favour of the conservative Dimuth Karunaratne. Whether they stick with that will almost certainly speak towards the approach they’re likely to take.And this is all without getting into the crux of the off-field issues, where the fallout from their campaign has seen a public back-and-forth between the country’s sports minister and Sri Lanka Cricket, while there have been questions posed of the impact of the coaching staff and whispers of a selection committee shake-up. Hardly ideal when trying to play fearless, aggressive cricket.Both teams will also have the Delhi air to deal with.

Recent form

Bangladesh – LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka – LLWWL

In the spotlight: Mushfiqur Rahim and Dilshan Madushanka

Mushfiqur Rahim started this tournament at No. 6, a position he had played in for the previous seven months, though not one he had occupied for the five years prior to that. But with just 171 runs at 28.50 across this tournament, he is now back at his favoured No. 4 slot. Of his 7577 ODI runs, 4372 have come at four, while his average in that role of 42.03 is a significant uptick from his career average of 36.78 and the 37.35 he was producing at six. This may have been largely a World Cup to forget for Mushfiqur but now back in a familiar role against familiar opposition, Bangladesh will be banking on him to help end their tournament on a high.Sri Lanka’s tournament might have been one largely to forget, but you don’t have to strain hard for the silver linings. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama are a couple of positives, but it’s Dilshan Madushanka that has firmly left his mark. In seven games, he’s picked up 18 wickets – the second best in the tournament so far – and gone wicketless just once, taking at least two in every other game including a maiden five-for against India – a game in which his impact trumped that of an attack that ransacked their opponents for just 55. His list of victims is already a veritable list of modern-day greats, and he’s still only 23.AFP/Getty Images

Team news: Kusal Perera back?

Bangladesh rejigged their batting order against Pakistan and it’s likely to stay the same.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Litton Das, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Towhid Hridoy , 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Shoriful Islam.Sri Lanka might opt to bring Perera back into the fold after Karunaratne failed to impress in his stead. Dushan Hemantha could also make way for Dunith Wellalage if Sri Lanka opt for more batting strength.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera/Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt, wk) 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Angelo Mathews 7 Dushan Hemantha 8 Maheesh Theekshana, 9 Kasun Rajitha, 10 Dushmantha Chameera 11 Dilshan Madushanka

Pitch and conditions

The top two highest scores at Kotla have come during this World Cup, and Sri Lanka will be keenly aware of the nature of this surface having leaked 428 runs against South Africa last month.The overall weather conditions in Delhi though have worsened since then, with both sides cancelling scheduled practice sessions over the past few days owing to poor air quality. Any call on the match perhaps not taking place will only be taken on the day of the game.

Stats and trivia

• Dilshan Madushanka is five wickets away from equalling Chaminda Vaas and Muthiah Muralidaran – 23 – for the most wickets by a Sri Lankan in a World Cup. He currently is level with Lasith Malinga on 18.
• Of active players, Shakib Al Hasan has the fourth most runs in ODI World Cups with 1250, and the most of any Bangladesh player.
• Shakib’s 41 World Cup wickets is the second-most taken by a spinner. Muralidaran has the most with 68.

Quotes

“Our doctor has kept a close eye on players. Some of the players didn’t turn up for practice because they are asthmatic so they stayed in indoors. And even for practice, we’re very conscious. We train what we have to train, and they go back into the dressing room. They don’t spend time unless they’re bowling or batting.”

Hasan Mahmud, Hasan Murad and Shahadat Hossain Dipu have earned their first call-ups to the Bangladesh Test squad

Mohammad Isam18-Nov-2023Najmul Hossain Shanto has been named Bangladesh Test captain for the two-match series at home against New Zealand starting later this month. Shanto was elevated after Litton Das, who was captain for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Dhaka in June, was granted paternity leave for a month. Shakib Al Hasan, who Litton had replaced at the helm, is out with a fractured finger.”Litton has been granted leave for one month, he is not available for the two Tests. He wants to spend time with his new-born baby,” Jalal Yunus, chairman of the BCB’s cricket operations committee, said. “We had requested him to play at least the second Test match but he insisted on [being away for] the whole series. That’s why we granted him leave. As a result, Najmul Hossain Shanto will captain the side in these two Tests.”Shanto has played 23 Tests so far, and averages 29.83 with four centuries, but hasn’t led Bangladesh in the format prior to this. He has, however, captained them in three ODIs, including twice at the 2023 ODI World Cup when Shakib was out injured for the games against India and Australia.Related

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Shakib’s immediate future in international cricket – including as the ODI captain for the series in New Zealand next month – remains unclear. There is the finger injury, of course, plus there was the TV interview before the World Cup, where he had outlined his retirement plans. Yunus said that the BCB hasn’t heard directly about his plans to leave the captaincy after the World Cup.As for Tamim Iqbal, who missed the World Cup after a dramatic sequence of events, Yunus said that the BCB will meet the player on November 22. Tamim has been out of action since the ODI series against New Zealand at home in September.

Three uncapped players in 15-man Test squad

Hasan Murad, the 22-year-old left-arm spinner, has earned a first call-up to the Test squad, just two years after making his first-class debut. It’s been an impressive first-class career for him so far, though, with 121 wickets from just 25 matches.The other new faces have both played in other formats internationally: Hasan Mahmud, one of the brightest young fast bowlers in Bangladesh, has played 20 ODIs, including at the World Cup, and 17 T20Is, and has 44 wickets from 15 first-class games so far; top-order batter Shahadat Hossain Dipu has three T20I appearances to his name, and has a first-class batting average of 35.02 from 21 games.Bangladesh Test squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Naeem Hasan, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Hasan Murad

Changes in Bangladesh coaching staff

Corey Collymore and David Hemp have been appointed on a temporary basis as the national team’s fast-bowling and batting coach, respectively.Collymore, who will fill in the void created by Allan Donald’s departure after Bangladesh’s World Cup campaign, and Hemp are part of the BCB’s high-performance coaching set-up. As for Jamie Siddons, the batting coach till the World Cup, he is out of contract at the moment. Siddons could return to the position if his department, BCB’s Bangladesh Tigers, decides to renegotiate with him next year.Spin-bowling coach Rangana Herath and fielding coach Shane McDermott will continue in their capacities till the end of their contracts on November 30 and December 31, respectively. Chandika Hathurusinghe, meanwhile, will continue as head coach, though S Sriram, the technical consultant till the end of the World Cup, has left.

Australia are strong and settled as they aim to close out a memorable year with victory

Andrew McGlashan25-Dec-20233:33

Australia settled, Pakistan have more questions than answers

Big Picture: Pakistan search for inspiration

All we want for Christmas is a contest, right? Well, Pakistan will hope for a miracle. If they topple Australia at the MCG it would come close to that.After just about holding their own, to a degree, across the first three days in Perth, things unravelled quickly on the fourth, albeit the surface was tricky by the time Pakistan started their second innings.Related

• Pakistan are down, but Shakeel keeps faith in Boxing Day dream

• Sarfaraz vs Rizwan: Pakistan's self-inflicted conundrum

• One last chance for Smith and Labuschagne to turn around their lean 2023

• Back at MCG, Carey will look to end year of up-and-down fortunes on a high

So they came to Melbourne somewhat battered and bruised, but at least had a slightly longer gap to collect their thoughts. They have played two days of cricket – whether that time at Junction Oval will make any significant difference is debatable – and have also lost two players to injury and illness.Despite Pakistan’s second innings collapse last week, their biggest challenge appears taking 20 wickets with what looks a fairly threadbare attack. If the top order can build on the starts they got in the first innings in Perth they can at least have hope of building a total, although Australia’s attack is relentless.There is barely a flicker of concern around the home side, and even the talk around David Warner has diminished after his 164. Now it’s all about the farewell, rather than whether he deserves it.When Marnus Labuschagne averaging 35 for the year is perhaps an area of concern, or whether Alex Carey can recapture the batting touch that brought him a maiden century this time last year, things are tracking nicely. Things are so stable that the MCG crowd won’t even be able to cheer on Scott Boland.A final, and not hugely uplifting note for Pakistan: last time they played a Test at the MCG they made 443, only to see Australia rattle up 624 (Warner 144 off 143 balls) and win by an innings.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)
Australia WLDLW
Pakistan LWWLLCan Babar Azam lead the way for Pakistan?•AFP

In the spotlight: Marnus Labuschagne and Babar Azam

It’s been a lean year by Marnus Labuschagne‘s high standards with an average of 35. In Perth, he was lbw in the first innings having moved compactly to 16. He was given a working over in the second, including a painful blow on the hand, before top-edging a short ball. This time last year his Test average was 59.05 and now it’s 52.15. He will, no doubt, turn things around and Boxing Day at the MCG – a ground where he hasn’t had a huge amount of success – could be where it starts.At 181 for 3 in the first innings in Perth, Pakistan were making a good fist of it. Then Babar Azam edged Mitchell Marsh to Carey who clung on to the chance. Pakistan lost seven wickets for 90 and the game was done. There was nothing Babar could do about the wonderful delivery from Pat Cummins in the second innings, but Pakistan need him to find the groove that brought scores of 104 and 97 on the tour four years ago. “He’s still in his shell, not really playing his natural way,” Waqar Younis told ESPN’s show. “I know the bowlers are too good, it’s hard to get on top of them, but you have to find a way, good players do that.”

Team news: Australia unchanged…

Barring any late Christmas-dinner related injuries, Australia will be unchanged which means no place for hometown hero Boland who averages 13.80 at the MCG.Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh HazlewoodPakistan have named a squad of 12 and will make a final decision on the XI at the toss. Mohammad Rizwan replaces Sarfaraz Ahmed as wicketkeeper. Khurram Shahzad has been ruled out of the tour with a rib fracture and Faheem Ashraf has been dropped. That means two of Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza and Sajid Khan will play. Sajid appears likely to be included unless the pitch looks better for four quicks and Agha Salman.Pakistan 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Agha Salman, 8 Hasan Ali/Mir Hamza, 9 Sajid Khan, 10 Aamer Jamal, 11 Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pitch and conditions

The groundsman, Matt Page, has promised a well-grassed surface with pace and bounce – although the latter two factors may not reach Perth levels. Life has been tricky for batters at the MCG in recent seasons. But this pitch only has 6-7mm of grass compared to 10mm plus on previous Boxing Days and is less thatchy. The pitch has been under the covers since December 24 due to relentless rain on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The forecast is not ideal with a high chance of more showers on the first day more on the second, but an improvement after that. However, things can change quickly in Melbourne.

Stats and trivia

• Travis Head needs 42 runs to reach 3000 in Tests
• Steven Smith’s MCG average of 84.75 is second only to Don Bradman for those to have played at least 10 innings at the venue
• Saud Shakeel needs 73 runs to reach 1000 – he has currently batted 15 times, and the record for Pakistan to that landmark is 20 innings by Saeed Ahmed
• Since the start of the 2018-19 season, the MCG has the lowest Test batting average of Australia’s venues, other than Hobart which has hosted just one game.

Quotes

“It looks really good, fair bit of grass, probably a fair bit harder and not as green as last year, knowing it was potentially going to be under covers today and for a little bit tomorrow maybe, so we’ll see how it plays but it looks like a really good wicket.” “It was hard out there in Perth. But I still feel there were some positives that probably we didn’t do back when we were here in 2019. We don’t want to force people to play a certain way. But we’ve sort of outlined certain things that we want to do better.”