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If Sam Curran was the more exotic choice, England’s decision to pick Overton demonstrates a desire for a more reliable option as their third seamer

George Dobell in Manchester03-Sep-2019He probably isn’t the player the crowds will be looking forward to watching, he probably isn’t the bowler keeping Steve Smith awake at night and he probably isn’t likely to feature on the front cover of , but Craig Overton’s selection for this fourth Test makes some sense.Overton is, in many ways, an archetypal English seamer. He is not especially quick – 85mph may be his peak speed – and doesn’t gain the sharp movement of James Anderson. But he will hit a consistent line and length, he will gain more bounce than most, he bowls a decent bouncer and he will not wilt under pressure. He won’t let England down.With England keen to ensure their strike bowlers are not worked into the ground and concerned that Chris Woakes is a little jaded after a tumultuous few months, Overton has been called up to offer reliability and control. They are not the most glamorous of attributes but, in a team blessed with more flamboyance than consistency, more champagne than bread-and-butter, such skills have their place.ALSO READ: England replace Woakes with OvertonWhile his selection here may seem to come out of the blue, it doesn’t really. He was put on unofficial standby as a concussion substitute earlier in the series and, in the last month, is said to have recovered that bit of nip and bounce that suggests he is at his best. He has claimed 32 wickets at 21.34 this Championship season and while his brother, Jamie (who has claimed 26 at 18.88 this season), is notably sharper, he is also less reliable.Some, it seems, will never forgive Overton for an incident in 2015 when he was alleged to have abused – perhaps racially – Sussex’s Ashar Zaidi. And it is true there were aspects of the case – not least that the comments were reported by two exemplary witnesses, non-striking batsman Michael Yardy and one of the umpires, Alex Wharf – which remain concerning.Before rushing to condemn him, however, it is worth remembering he was found guilty of a Level One offence – using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting – and not a Level Two or Three offence – which would have encompassed racial abuse. In short, he wasn’t found to have committed the more serious charge. As a result, it doesn’t seem especially reasonable to continue to hold it against him.The England management have long admired his tough character. This was demonstrated early in his Test career when he not only top-scored in the first innings of his debut Test in Adelaide – he made 41 from No. 9 – but also bowled the most overs and took the most wickets in Australia’s first innings. His maiden wicket was Steve Smith.Perhaps more persuasively, he shrugged off a cracked rib – sustained when Pat Cummins struck him with a short ball – to bowl 41 overs in Australia’s first innings in the following Test in Perth. He was only forced to admit defeat when throwing himself into a diving boundary save. He heard a large crack as he landed – the little crack becoming something more substantial – and was ruled out for the rest of the series. Paul Farbrace used to say, were it up to him, he would include him in every England team.Overton will have the role of workhorse here. He may be expected to bowl long, tight spells and ensure Jofra Archer, in particular, can be used more sparingly. England hope that his extra height will extract a bit more bounce from a surface that isn’t expected to offer the same lateral movement as other tracks in this series. Indeed, in normal circumstances, it looks to be the sort of surface – a little cracked already and with little grass cover – on which two spinners might be played. But with Adil Rashid injured and Moeen Ali out of sorts, Jack Leach will be relied upon to carry that burden. At least one member of England’s coaching staff thought it an oddly hospitable pitch which offered no home advantage.Woakes can probably count himself unfortunate. Having suffered from a knee injury through the winter tours, he was obliged to play several games for Warwickshire in order to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup. He then played in the series against Pakistan, the whole World Cup and every Test so far this summer. And, while England insist he was fit for selection here, there were times at Leeds, at least, when the miles in the legs started to show. He will hate to miss out on this game, but the break may do him good.In the longer term, the England management are concerned at his effectiveness on flat surfaces, especially flat surfaces where there is no Duke’s ball available to him. They point out he could still play at The Oval in the unlikely event that the pitch is green but his captain’s use of him so far this series – lack of use, might be more accurate – does not augur especially well for him.Sam Curran, too, could be forgiven for wondering why he is with the squad. But while he clearly has talent with bat and ball, he is a bit slower and a bit shorter than Overton. The concern is his batting is not quite strong enough – he hasn’t scored a first-class century – to bat in the top six and his bowling not quite strong enough to be relied upon to ensure that Archer and co aren’t over-bowled. His best chance of a place may be at No. 7 instead of Jos Buttler.It is revealing that the only selection change has involved the bowlers. While there has been the odd day in recent years when England’s bowlers have struggled for penetration or consistency, this team’s primary problem remains their fragile batting. Shuffling that top-order seems unlikely to suddenly unearth a pair of aces. There are two of three batsmen in this side who really need to repay the faith shown in them.In the longer term, there seems to be a strong temptation to play Zak Crawley and Dominic Sibley in a top three that also includes Rory Burns. But for that, it seems, we will have to wait until they reach New Zealand. There is important business to be conducted first.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stars are considering going to court following the South African board’s decision to replace the originally planned T20 league

Firdose Moonda26-Jun-2018Cricket South Africa could be drawn into a messy legal battle, with a second T20 Global League (GLT20) franchise confirming it is considering legal action against CSA following the organisation’s decision to shelve the 20-over tournament and replace it with a league it will co-own with South African pay-television broadcaster SuperSport.The Nelson Mandela Bay Stars, owned by Dubai’s Channel Two and chaired by Ajay Sethi, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that unless CSA “sorts it out” by “either keeping all owners in the new league or paying us our future profits and damages”, the franchise will join the Durban Qalanders in weighing up court action.In a strong statement released on Tuesday, Sethi confirmed the Stars were “very happy” when CSA signed with SuperSport but then found it “shocking to hear that CSA had another agenda by putting owners out of the league”. The franchise called it “totally unethical”, and said “no federation will do that in any part of the world”.Though the Stars have accepted the refund of their USD 250,000 deposit, they insist this was their right because they had “made it very clear to CSA that if they don’t give a definite date for the new league, the deposit would be refunded”. However, the Stars insist that when the money was paid back to them, they sent communication to CSA, in which they said they believed they had retained their rights as owners. “CSA didn’t respond, that meant they had accepted our mail. Hence, by returning our refund, CSA cannot take our rights back as owners,” the Stars’ statement said.Sethi wants to see the original owners reinstated or paid out and believes cancellation of the GLT20 was caused by “personal agendas” and exacerbated by the departure of former CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat, who conceptualised the tournament and parted ways with the organisation late last September just weeks before the inaugural event was due to take place.”We feel that they terminated the CEO to manipulate the process, this is totally unethical and no federation will do that in any part of the world,” the statement read. “Agendas of these few individuals has made all reputed owners suffer the damages.”In communication last week, CSA confirmed it had refunded owners’ deposits, though the Durban Qalandars had refused to provide banking details or take their money back, and were in the process of negotiating an amount for reimbursement of expenses the owners’ incurred. A letter seen by ESPNcricinfo offered the Qalanders USD 180,000 in costs, but they were unhappy with the amount, and they are not the only one. South Africa’s newspaper reported that Hiren Bhanu of the Pretoria Mavericks totalled his expenses at between USD 400,000 and 500,000, and criticised the new deal between CSA and SuperSport as a “monopoly”. The Benoni Zalmi owners are also believed to be disgruntled with the way the cancellation of the GLT20 has panned out.The three IPL owners, Shah Rukh Khan of the Cape Town Knight Riders, the GMR Group, who owned the Jo’burg Giants, and Preity Zinta of the Stellenbosch Kings as well as Sushil Kumar, a Singapore-based businessman with Corporation City Sports, have yet to make any public comments, though a statement from Kumar is expected soon.Since announcing the launch of a new league earlier this month, CSA has yet to reveal the structure of the tournament and is understood to still be deciding on the number of teams and foreign players. The league is expected to take place in November and December this year.As CSA has indicated before, it could be willing to engage franchise owners again once details of the new tournament have been finalised.”CSA does not intend to debate the matter through the media and as per our last letter to the owners remain available to any party who wishes to engage in the current process of planning the tournament,” a board statement said. “CSA indicated from the off set that the key revenue streams must first be secured re broadcasting rights and potential sponsors before detail of the tournament can be finalised. Once that have taken place engagement with other stakeholders will be possible.”June 27, GMT 0745 The story was updated to include CSA’s response.

Kings XI Punjab seamer Mohit Sharma, who won Man of the Match for his 2 for 24, credited the side’s spinners for applying a stranglehold in the middle of Knight Riders’ chase

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-20175:25

Bangar: Tewatia’s introduction turned the match

By the time legspinner Rahul Tewatia came on to bowl on Tuesday night, Kolkata Knight Riders had made their now-customary dash in the Powerplay to score 61 for 1 in a chase of 168. The seamers went for runs and, as is often the case, damage-control duties were assigned to Axar Patel, who bowled a tight seventh over. Tewatia was introduced with 104 runs needed in 13 overs. It was his first match in this year’s tournament, his previous appearance in the IPL having come in 2015.Tewatia began by conceding only four runs in his first over and did even better in the second. First, he tempted Gautam Gambhir into slogging a ball deep mid-wicket’s throat before snaring Robin Uthappa first ball courtesy Axar’s brilliance in the field. After Uthappa swatted a googly uppishly, Axar hared to his right from deep mid-wicket and flung himself to complete the catch.Knight Riders managed only two boundaries between the seventh and 14th overs, with Tewatia conceding one of those in his spell of 4-0-18-2. The seamers eventually got back their mojo and, led by Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma’s cold precision at the death, ensured Kings XI clinched the game by 14 runs to keep their playoff chances alive. Mohit, who was the Man of the Match for his returns of 2 for 24, credited the spinners, especially Tewatia, for establishing a stranglehold in the middle.”The way our spinners bowled in the middle. This was the first match of the season for Rahul Tewatia and he hasn’t played too many other IPL games, overall either. His spell was the turning point,” Mohit said after the match. Axar and Tewatia later revealed to their plan to bowl slower through the air and deprive the batsmen of runs.”During the strategic time-out we had a discussion about how the pitch was playing. So you [Axar] had told me that there was some turn on offer for slower deliveries,” Tewatia said. “To Gambhir, first I bowled some sliders, and then I planned to bowl full-pitched googly. If he went to hit it then there was a chance to get a wicket. You had said that the game can change if we get one wicket.”Axar said he realised that he had to change his pace as the quicker deliveries were skidding on to the bat well: “To Gambhir, he’s always ready to play the cut and I wasn’t giving him any room at the stumps. I think he got frustrated when he didn’t get any runs.”While Kings XI had a decent cushion of 37 runs to defend in the last three overs, the biggest obstacle in their path was Chris Lynn, who eventually finished with 84 off 52 balls. After Matt Henry dismissed Manish Pandey with a slower one off the first ball of the 18th over, Lynn was run-out next ball after attempting a risky second run. Kings XI wrested control of the match thereafter as Mohit and Sandeep conceded only 14 runs off the last two overs.”Dismissing Lynn at any point in the 20 overs is important. The way he bats in T20s, it’s like he’s playing proper baseball,” Mohit said. “He never misses out on a loose ball and whenever a bowler gets his wicket, it is important. After he fell the match turned in our favour because a new batsman can’t hit shots straightaway and needs some time. And there was no time in that situation.”Mohit said it wasn’t that the Kings XI bowlers had bowled badly in the Powerplay, but that Lynn and Sunil Narine had taken them on. “If you see, they played well from the start but that doesn’t mean that we didn’t bowl well or plan properly,” he said. “After the strategic time-out we regrouped to think how Knight Riders would bat with the field spread out and then the spinners came on and bowled well and began turning the match to our side.”The pitch was a bit on the slower side but under lights, it eased out a bit. It wasn’t as dry as expected, compared to the match against Delhi Daredevils, which was a 4pm start. [With] The early start, the pitch plays out completely differently. But it’s not just about the pitch. T20 is a dot-ball game for the bowling side. So we try to bowl as many dot balls to build pressure on the batsmen and try and get wickets.”

Tasmania maintained their late season surge by reducing New South Wales to 4 for 26 in reply to 242 after day one of the Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Jackson Bird cut through New South Wales’ top order after Tasmania were bowled out for 242•Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images

Tasmania maintained their late season surge by reducing New South Wales to 4 for 26 in reply to 242 after day one of the Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive Oval.Having beaten Victoria by an innings last round, Tasmania were again able to prosper with the ball after Beau Webster and Ben McDermott had allowed the hosts to scramble to a reasonable total on a lively surface, after New South Wales had elected to bowl first.Ben Dunk’s recent run of strong form did not continue as he was bowled by Doug Bollinger for a duck in the first over of the match, but Webster and McDermott were able to cobble together valuable runs with useful lower order help from Evan Gulbis.Left with 14 overs to bowl to the visitors before the close, Tasmania were led in their efforts by Jackson Bird, fresh from his effective displays for Australia in the New Zealand Test series. He pinned Daniel Hughes LBW with the fifth ball of the innings, before Hamish Kingston found a way past Ed Cowan.The exit of Cowan brought the nightwatchman Nathan Lyon to the crease, and after he edged Bird behind, Nic Maddinson also fell LBW to leave New South Wales teetering at stumps. Ben Rohrer and Kurtis Patterson will hope for better on day two.

Jimmy Adams evoked his own schooldays, spent at Twyford, near his home, and then at Sherborne, when contrasting Hampshire’s authority in the one day game with their poor standing in the County Championship.

Ivo Tennant06-Sep-2013Jimmy Adams evoked his own schooldays, spent at Twyford, near his home, and then at Sherborne, when contrasting Hampshire’s authority in the one day game with their poor standing in the County Championship.Hampshire, the most successful one-day side in the country, were ranked as strong favourites ahead of their Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-final against Glamorgan at the Ageas Bowl yet their Championship form has been woeful as they have slipped to third bottom of the Second Division following relegation last season.Adams, speaking after scoring 218 in the drawn match against Northamptonshire, recalled the passion he had for a certain sport or academic subject and how that would affect his own performance.”One-day cricket is like being at school in that one is pulled towards it,” Adams said. “If another format is a bit tougher, there is not the same love for it. I am keen to re-ignite a passion for four-day cricket. We have found a format for one-day cricket.”If the players turned up for the second day of a Championship match and were told this was being turned into a one-day match, it would be different. The financial rewards in the limited overs game do not come into it – that has not been a part of what Giles White, our coach, and I talk about.”I think one difference this season has been that our one-day side is very settled. We have a nice batch of very good young players and experienced older ones. They understand what is expected. On four-day pitches we struggle to bowl sides out, but eight years ago [when there was more lateral movement on the newly laid square] people would have been all over these pitches in their praise.As a batter, I am not complaining, but it has been tougher to bowl opponents out through the heavy roller taking the sap out. I have also heard the argument that drainage systems installed all over the country has made the pitches flatter, but am not sure about that.”Adams cited the fact that Dimitri Mascarenhas, who will play at the Ageas Bowl for the last time against Glamorgan before retiring at the end of the season, has played little four-day cricket of late. The same is true of James Tomlinson, another key one-day bowler.”Tommo has not played a great deal and will gain in experience in due course. We lack a spearhead bowler, someone who can get us 50-plus wickets in the Championship. We would love to have that, but these players are like gold dust.”The schooldays analogy was pertinent in that Adams was watched during his double century by Bob Stephenson, his coach when at Twyford School near Winchester and a member of the 1973 Championship winning side celebrating beyond the boundary. Stephenson regards him as the pick of the boys he tutored. What he might have spotted on Thursday was that his prodigy was moving around the crease less than on occasions this season when he has scored fewer runs.”I move around a lot while batting and some people told me I was doing less of this during this match,” Adams said. “I lost all my trigger movements seven years ago when I was having a really tough season.” He will be 33 at the end of this month, so can be said to have reached his peak, but will continue playing for as long as possible. “If only you had asked me that question two weeks ago when I couldn’t buy a run. But I have been lucky with injuries and still enjoy the fielding. I shall have to be booted out.”Whether or not Hampshire reach the YB40 final at Lord’s on September 21, one of Adams’s immediate tasks will be to assess how much cricket Michael Bates, who took six catches in Northamptonshire’s first innings and made 71, can be given in the future. “His wicketkeeping is as good as anyone’s in the country and I feel strongly that the club should stick with players who come through the system. Michael has not had the chances he would have liked, but then Adam Wheater has done very well. We have a decent record in promoting our own youngsters but professional sport is tough.”He himself is undecided whether to continue as captain for a third season next year. “There’s a part of it that I find great and days when one scores a double century make it a lot better, but other parts that are tough. I ride a rollercoaster about people’s futures and selections and trying to help them. I’ll think about it in the winter.”

“If I bat in the top order, I will get more chances to score runs and more chances to face balls,” Shakib Al Hasan has said

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2012Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal have long been mainstays of Bangladesh’s batting, but Tamim has usually been in charge of providing the momentum at the top with Shakib finishing things from No. 5.In the T20s, though, with Shakib having been bumped up to No. 3, the pair will be in charge of providing a good start. While the move potentially gives two of Bangladesh’s best batsmen more time in the middle, the team will have plenty to worry about if they are both dismissed early. That, though, has happened only once in seven matches in the last three months – against Ireland.Shakib has so far batted at his new position in six T20Is and once during the unofficial matches in Port-of-Spain, and said on Friday that he’s comfortable in the new role. “If I bat in the top order, I will get more chances to score runs and more chances to face balls. I am looking forward to batting at No. 3,” he said in Colombo.Though his average is 17.71 in the seven innings batting at No. 3, he has just about done the job expected of him in several of those games – either by batting past the halfway stage to leave the team in a decent position or by staying till the end in chases.Shakib said one of the keys to Bangladesh’s success will be temperament. “There’ll be some tough situations but we know how to handle it,” he said. “The boys have been playing cricket constantly for a year so they’ll understand how to handle the pressure and if we can do this, we’ll win the matches.”Bangladesh have a mediocre record in World Twenty20s so far, but will be boosted by Tamim’s resurgence as a Twenty20 opener, which has come about after he began properly understanding what his role is. A good run of recent form has seen him make his three highest Twenty20 scores in his previous four innings.”I have been playing quite a few T20s recently, around 15-20 in the last month or so,” Tamim said. “I think I am in very good shape, I understand the game better than before. I hope I can carry it into the World T20 and perform well.”Earlier I was struggling to pace my innings. I used to attack from ball one. Now I think I am batting more cleverly – attacking as well as picking up the singles. That’s how you should bat in T20s.”Bangladesh step up their preparations with a practice match against Zimbabwe on Saturday and are expected to play their best XI leading up to their first match in the tournament proper against New Zealand on September 21.

Shoaib Akhtar, the retired Pakistan fast bowler, has pulled out of the Sri Lanka Premier League, a domestic Twenty20 tournament in July-August, because of personal reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jun-2011Shoaib Akhtar, the retired Pakistan fast bowler, has pulled out of the Sri Lanka Premier League, a domestic Twenty20 tournament in July-August, because of personal reasons.”My parents are old and I want to spend time with them,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I also don’t want to play or want to be on the ground anymore. I’m not even coming back for a job in cricket or anything, but if some youngster needs my help I’ll visit from time to time to help them but no more of this game.”I want to explore other parts of the world now. I played this game for 18 years and I don’t want to spend another 18 years in that scenario anymore. I am going to be involved in charity work from now on.”Shoaib had announced his retirement from international cricket during the 2011 World Cup and his career ended on the bench as he watched Pakistan lose the semi-final to India. He had been drafted in for the Twenty20 tournament hosted by Sri Lanka Cricket along with other international players such as Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Herschelle Gibbs, Daniel Vettori and Kevin O’Brien.The tournament is scheduled between July 19 and August 4.

India offspinner Harbhajan Singh feels players should have a say in which team they would like to represent going into the fourth season of the IPL

Cricinfo staff09-Jul-2010India offspinner Harbhajan Singh feels players should have a say in which team they would like to represent going into the fourth season of the IPL. The player contracts signed so far were valid only for the first three years and there is speculation over whether teams will be allowed to retain players ahead of the upcoming season, which will also feature two new teams.”I believe in the Premier League, players have a choice to pick or reject offers to play for a certain team,” Harbhajan said. “If no player is allowed to continue with his team, (the whole team will break).”Harbhajan was concerned team loyalty and fan following would suffer if star players migrated from their current teams. “People associate me with Mumbai Indians. And I have some fan following being a Mumbai Indians player. If all players are going to be auctioned again, there won’t be any team loyalty. But then, big guys are going to set the rules of the new process.”The Pune coach Geoff Marsh is against player retention since it would represent a significant disadvantage to the new franchises. While Harbhajan’s loyalties lie firmly with Mumbai, he does not think playing for Pune would be very different. “I play for the Mumbai Indians. Like Pune, even Mumbai is in Maharashtra. So there is not much difference,” he said.Harbhajan paid tribute to retiring Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who tipped Harbhajan as the only bowler likely to challenge his Test wicket tally. “No one can touch Muralitharan’s record in Tests. It’s sweet of him to say that. But realistically, I’m nowhere near that. I have learnt so many things from him. We will surely miss him.”

India suffered a collapse of 6 for 31 which left them nine runs short in the end

Firdose Moonda13-Oct-2024India’s T20 World Cup semi-final hopes have been taken out of their hands after a nine-run defeat to Australia in their final group-stage match. India have lost two of their four matches and will have to wait on the result of New Zealand vs Pakistan tomorrow to find out if they will advance to the knockouts. Any margin of victory for New Zealand will eliminate India but a Pakistan victory will decide the semi-finalists on net run rate.Permutations aside, the tournament finally got the thriller it had been crying out for in an intense clash in front of an electric, sold-out Sharjah crowd of 14,946. They were treated to a high-octane affair with both sides acutely aware of what was at stake amid injury concerns. Australia were without captain, opening batter and wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy, who arrived on crutches after sustaining a foot injury against Pakistan, and Tayla Vlaeminck, who has been ruled out of the tournament.India also lost Asha Sobhana to a knee injury after the toss and needed Australia’s permission to replace her in the XI, which was given. Radha Yadav, who had appeared as a substitute fielder in previous games, was included in Asha’s place. Later, Renuka Singh left the field limping after bowling her four overs but came back to face the final ball of the match.Harmanpreet Kaur’s fifty was not enough to take India over the line•Getty Images

By then, India’s chances of victory were gone after their chase started brightly but was pinned back by wickets at crucial times. They were 47 for 3 in the seventh over before a 63-run stand between Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma put them back on track. A collapse of 6 for 31 left Harmanpreet the last batter standing and despite a second successive half-century, she could not take India over the line alone.Australia were uncharacteristically messy in the field, put down two chances and bowled four wides and a no-ball but had enough at their disposal to defend. Grace Harris, opening in Healy’s place, was their top-scorer with a 41-ball 40 and shared a 62-run stand with Tahlia McGrath, which steadied Australia after two early losses. Ellyse Perry’s 23-ball 32 gave them much-needed impetus at the end.

Wary Wareham doesn’t review

Australia were off to a slowish start with 17 runs from their first 16 balls when Renuka struck with a delivery that angled away from Beth Mooney. Australia’s senior opener reached for it and hit a low chance to Radha at backward point, where she dived forward to take a good catch. Georgia Wareham was pushed up to No. 3, where she has occasionally been used as a pinch hitter, and the first ball she faced thudded into the front pad as she missed her flick.Renuka was joined by every single one of her team-mates in appealing and umpire Sue Redfern eventually raised her finger as Wareham began walking off. Harris asked Wareham if she wanted to review but she decided against it, only to return to the dressing room and find out that ball tracking showed that the ball would go on to miss leg stump by some distance. Australia held Perry back and stand-in captain McGrath was in at No. 4, where she had to rebuild.

Middle-overs acceleration from McGrath and Harris

Harris and McGrath took Australia to 37 for 2 in the powerplay and launched into attack mode from the eighth over, when they both took on Pooja Vastrakar. McGrath hit her through cover for four and then Harris scooped her over fine leg in an over that cost ten runs and took Australia past fifty. Australia were 65 for 2 at the halfway stage of their innings and the Harris-McGrath stand grew to 62 off 54 balls and India were desperate to separate them.Tahlia McGrath led Australia’s recovery from No. 4•ICC/Getty Images

They reviewed an lbw appeal against McGrath off a Renuka full toss which was missing leg. McGrath was then dropped on 31 by Harmanpreet off Radha at cover. The India captain got both hands on the ball but it burst through. Harris hit the next ball in the air and Harmanpreet ran back to try and take an overhead catch but missed. It was third time lucky for India when McGrath charged Radha, missed and Richa Ghosh stumped her.

And then drama

Harris went nine balls later when she pulled her WPL team-mate Deepti to Smriti Mandhana at short mid-on and India had their foot on the Australian middle order’s throat when Ashleigh Gardner’s leading edge found Radha at cover. After 15 overs, Australia were 101 for 5. Perry showed intent when she took 13 runs off Shreyanka Patil’s third over.India thought they had another important breakthrough when Deepti appealed for lbw after Phoebe Litchfield missed an attempted reverse sweep. Redfern gave it out on field and Litchfield was walking but Perry convinced her to review. The ball was pitching outside leg stump and even though Litchfield changed her stance, the third umpire Jacqueline Williams deemed that Litchfield did that only after the ball was delivered and asked Redfern to change her decision to not out. India initially protested the decision but soon calmed down. Litchfield was on 5 at the time, finished the innings unbeaten on 15, and hit a six off the last ball.

Shafali smashes it upfront but India lose two in the powerplay

India’s intent was evident off the bat of Shafali Verma, who had to wait until only the sixth ball she faced when she found the boundary with great force. She slogged Gardner over square leg for India’s first four, then sent Megan Schutt over her head for four more and finally went all the way, slamming Schutt over long-off. Shafali had soon raced to 20 off 12 balls but fell to Gardner for the fifth time in T20Is, trying to clear Annabel Sutherland at long-on.Shafali Verma found the fielder to the T after a blazing start•ICC/Getty Images

Australia sensed an opportunity to break through and when Sutherland rapped Jemimah Rodrigues on the pad. They reviewed the call after it was given not out only to find that the impact was outside the line. Their next review was successful, when Mandhana was beaten on the pull and hit on the back thigh off Sophie Molineux’s quick, skiddy first ball. Ball-tracking confirmed it was hitting the middle of middle stump and India ended their powerplay on 41 for 2.

Australia put the brakes on

Australia got even further ahead when Rodrigues pulled Schutt straight to Gardner at deep midwicket in the seventh over. It allowed them to apply the squeeze. Deepti gloved a sweep for four in the eighth over but then there were no boundaries for three overs, at the end of which Australia had confirmed their semi-final spot.Harmanpreet pulled Darcie Brown through deep square leg in the 11th over, which was her first boundary and off the 15th ball she faced. Another 20 balls went by before India found the boundary again, in the 14th over by which point the required run rate was above ten an over. India needed 62 runs off the last six overs.

Another half-century for Harmanpreet but it’s not enough

The India captain almost single-handedly kept her side in the hunt, especially when the boundaries dried up. At the end of the 14th over, she hit the four that reignited the chase and she went on to find gaps in the field that kept India in it. After Deepti sent Wareham over short fine for four, Harmanpreet bisected the gap between extra cover and mid-off.Deepti and Ghosh were dismissed in the space of three balls and Harmanpreet struck successive fours off Gardner to make sure India stayed in the contest. She brought up fifty off 44 balls but was at the non-striker’s end for most of the final over, from where watched four wickets fall and India’s chances fade away.

Ben Duckett and Harry Brook make first appearances following the Ashes

ECB Reporters Network03-Aug-2023Torrential rain brought an abrupt end to the Hundred match at Headingley between Northern Superchargers and Birmingham Phoenix with just 62 balls possible in Phoenix’s first innings. With puddles forming on the outfield the umpires were left with no choice but to call a halt to proceedings after a heavy shower engulfed Leeds.It was frustrating for the hosts who had got themselves into a decent position during the play that was possible with Reece Topley removing opener Jacob Bethell for 0 in his opening set of deliveries.That brought England star Ben Duckett to the middle and he introduced himself with a ramped shot for six before hitting an unbeaten 34 off 26 balls before the rain came.Spin also played its part with Matthew Short removing Dan Mousley and Shadab Khan in quick succession with England’s Adil Rashid claiming the wicket of Jamie Smith who was bowled for 13 with the visitors 84 for 5 at the close.England batter Harry Brook was also involved after making himself available for Superchargers’ opening fixture, following the conclusion of the Ashes on Monday.