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Knight top-scored with 76 and shared in stands of 66 and 102 for the second and third wickets with Smriti Mandhana and Stafanie Taylor respectively

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2018
ScorecardWestern Storm captain Heather Knight led by example as the defending Kia Super League champions defeated Lancashire Thunder by 76 runs at Taunton to qualify for finals day.Knight top-scored with 76 and shared in stands of 66 and 102 for the second and third wickets with Smriti Mandhana and Stafanie Taylor respectively as the hosts posted an imposing 185 for 4 after being put in.Unable to recover from the loss of early wickets, Thunder subsided to 109 all out in 18.2 overs as Storm secured a fifth successive victory to move clear of Loughborough Lightning at the top of the table. Wales international Claire Nicholas proved the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 for 11 from three overs.Coming into this game as the competition’s leading run scorer with 338 at an average of 85, Mandhana carried on where she left off against Yorkshire Diamonds earlier in the week.Far from being fazed by the early departure of opening partner Rachel Priest, pinned lbw by Sophie Ecclestone in the first over, Mandhana seized the initiative by trading almost exclusively in boundaries during a Powerplay that yielded 51 runs.Off the mark with a cut four behind square, she plundered 14 runs from one Kate Cross over as she moved through the gears.Thunder deployed four spinners in an attempt to limit the scoring while the fielding restrictions were in place, but Mandhana was quite prepared to go the aerial route, harvesting seven fours and two sixes and dominating a stand of 66 in seven overs for the second wicket with Knight.Having hoisted Natalie Brown over long-on for the first six of the match, she repeated the feat at the expense of Alex Hartley in the eighth over, her 21st six of the tournament taking her to within one run of a half century.No doubt intent upon realising three figures against Thunder for the second time in the space of seven days, Mandhana surprisingly surrendered her wicket cheaply next ball, persuaded by Hartley to hole out to Amy Satterthwaite at deep midwicket.Charged with the task of building upon solid foundations, Knight and Taylor deployed deft placement and quick running between the wickets to advance the score to 86 for 2 at halfway.Knight smashed a short-pitched delivery from Cross to the midwicket boundary for six to raise the 50 partnership in the 15th over and went to a 36-ball half century with her fifth four shortly afterwards.Knight eventually slogged Cross to wide long-on in the penultimate over, but only after staging a hundred partnership with Taylor.Prepared to play second fiddle while her captain was at large, Taylor hit out at the death to raise 50 in the grand manner with a huge six over midwicket at the expense of Ecclestone, the West Indian international finishing unbeaten on 51 from 37 balls.Offspinner Nicholas clean bowled Evelyn Jones in the second over and then had the dangerous Satterthwaite smartly stumped by Priest off a wide delivery as Storm restricted their opponents to 37 for 2 in the Powerplay.Freya Davies adhered admirably to the tenets of line and length to build scoreboard pressure from the River End, and Knight took full advantage by removing Nicole Bolton lbw as Thunder lurched to 38 for 3 in the seventh over.When Indian batsman Hermanpreet Kaur was stumped by Priest off the bowling of Taylor for eight, the visitors were 43 for 4 in the eighth over and the game was effectively up.Taylor then accounted for Emma Lamb in returning impressive figures of 2 for 18 from three overs, while Nicholas returned to remove Eleanor Threlkeld, who at least summoned a degree of resistance in posting 33 at a run-a-ball.

The BCB has decided not to continue with Thilan Samaraweera as Bangladesh’s batting consultant

Mohammad Isam20-Jul-2017The BCB will not extend Thilan Samaraweera’s contract as Bangladesh’s batting consultant beyond the Champions Trophy, the board’s chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury has said. Samaraweera was appointed in September last year and was given an extension till the Champions Trophy this year, but the board decided not to continue with him any more.”We had a contract with him till the Champions Trophy, so now we have parted ways,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo.The BCB is already looking for a new batting consultant, and among the names being discussed is former Australian first-class cricketer and coach Mark O’Neill. They could also be looking for a new physio if the incumbent Thihan Chandramohan does not report back to duty soon. According to Chowdhury, Chandramohan met with an accident earlier this month, causing him to miss the start of the training camp on July 10.”We have been communicated that he (Thihan Chandramohan) was in an accident so it was impossible for him to join the training camp,” Chowdhury said. “He is in hospital so we will wait for the appropriate time for him to join. We will have to look for a new physio only when he informs us whether he is unable to join the team.”Chandramohan had joined the Bangladesh team during the Sri Lanka tour before his stint was extended till the Champions Trophy in June.

West Indies’ victorious cricketers have been reprimanded by the ICC for their actions and comments in the wake of their World T20 triumph in Kolkata earlier this month

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2016West Indies’ victorious cricketers have been reprimanded by the ICC for their actions and comments in the wake of their World T20 triumph in Kolkata earlier this month.The team, which secured an emotional four-wicket victory in the final against England, had come close to withdrawing from the tournament before a ball had been bowled, due to a long-running contract dispute with the WICB.In a speech on the podium in Kolkata, prior to accepting the trophy, West Indies’ captain Darren Sammy turned on the board in a highly politicised speech in which he thanked his team-mates, the team’s supporters and the heads of CARICOM – in particular Keith Mitchell, the Prime Minister of Grenada, who helped to broker a last-minute deal – but added that no one from the board had been in touch in spite of their team’s triumph.”People were wondering whether we would play this tournament,” Sammy said during the live TV broadcast. “We had a lot of issues, we felt disrespected by our board … I’m yet to hear from [them]. That is very disappointing.”Sammy’s stance was echoed by his team-mates, among them Dwayne Bravo, who went on to describe the WICB as the “most unprofessional” board in the world. The board president, Dave Cameron, Bravo added, was “immature”, “small-minded” and “arrogant”.However the ICC board, which met in Dubai on Sunday, reserved its congratulations for the WICB, whose teams completed an “unprecedented treble” in also securing the Women’s World T20 and the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh that took place in February.Instead, the ICC turned on the West Indies players, describing their comments as “inappropriate, disrespectful and [bringing] the event into disrepute”. Serious consideration, it added, had been given to levelling Code of Conduct charges against the players, which could have resulted in fines and/or bans.”The board considered the behaviour of some of the West Indies players in the immediate aftermath of the final, and unanimously agreed that certain comments and actions were inappropriate, disrespectful and brought the event into disrepute,” read an ICC press release.”This was not acceptable conduct at ICC events played out on a world stage in front of millions of people around the globe.”The board acknowledged an apology by the WICB but was disappointed to note that such behaviour had detracted from the success of what was otherwise a magnificent tournament and final.”Marlon Samuels, West Indies’ player of the final, was also singled out for tacit criticism by Shashank Manohar, the ICC chairman, after his ungracious remarks in the aftermath of victory, not least his disparaging comments about England’s Ben Stokes.”The sport of cricket is proud of its unique spirit and this involves being gracious in victory as well as defeat and respectful at all times to the game, one’s opponents, the sponsors and the fans,” Manohar said.The ICC also praised the BCCI for its staging of the event, in spite of numerous logistical issues including the relocation of India’s group-stage match with Pakistan and doubts as to whether Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla stadium would be cleared to host the first semi-final between England and New Zealand.”The Board also complemented the BCB [hosts of the Under-19 World Cup] and the BCCI for the successful staging of these events and also thanked its broadcasters, commercial partners, fans and media for their support in making these events a success from a fan engagement perspective.”

A round-up of all the games played on Tuesday in the Quadrangular Under-19 Series in Visakhapatnam

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2013Australia Under-19s needed just 32.1 overs to chase down Zimbabwe Under-19s‘ 184, as a century from Jaron Morgan helped them secure an eight-wicket win in Visakhapatnam – their second victory in the Quadrangular Under-19 Series.Morgan smashed 11 fours and five sixes during his 92-ball 110, and added 107 for the second wicket with Damien Mortimer, who chipped in with 41, to see Australia through.Zimbabwe, electing to bat, had got off to a shaky start and were unable to negotiate the pace of Matthew Fotia and Guy Walker, who toppled the top order and left them struggling at 61 for 4 in the 15th over. The pair took five wickets between them and went for just 51 runs in their 15 overs.Wickets continued to fall in regular intervals, and with the exception of Ryan Burl who offered resistance by making 79 with 10 fours and four sixes, all the other Zimbabwe batsmen departed for cheap scores. No big partnerships materialised, and Australia took advantage, as offspinner Riley Ayre and medium-pacer Cameron Valente picked up two scalps each to bundle Zimbabwe out in 45 overs. The result left Zimbabwe without a win from their four games.Vijay Zol’s century went in vain as a lower-order collapse from India Under-19s handed South Africa Under-19s a ten-run win.At 215 for 4 after 43 overs, India were well on course to overhauling South Africa’s score of 257, but Zol’s dismissal off the first ball of the 44th over from Kagiso Rabada led to a flurry of wickets for South Africa, with the final five batsmen making just 27 runs between them. Rabada eventually finished with 3 for 45 from his 10 overs.Zol has been in good touch heading into the tournament, hitting back-to-back fifties against Sri Lanka U-19 in August, before smashing 110 for the A team against New Zealand A last month. He produced another compelling batting display on Tuesday, blasting 10 fours and two sixes during his 115-ball 103, and added vital stands of 67, 53 and 67 for the second, third and fourth wickets with Shubham Khajuria, Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Bhui. The four batsmen accounted for 196 of India’s 247 runs.The hosts needed 38 off the last five overs, but the South Africa bowlers held their own and the final two batsmen at the crease, Kuldeep Yadav and Atul Singh, were unable to take India over the line. Medium-pacers Justin Gill and Andile Phehlukwayo picked up two wickets each for the visitors.South Africa, put in to bat, were earlier propelled by a patient 65 from the opener Clyde Fortuin, who struck eight fours and put up an 83-run opening-wicket stand with Aiden Markram. India fought back with three quick wickets, but Yaseen Valli counterattacked with a 49-ball 64 that included six fours and two sixes, to take South Africa to a competitive total.

The nine-run victory gave England immediate impetus and left Australia, whose T20 ranking briefly fell below Ireland’s earlier this month, still searching for a solution

David Hopps in Colombo17-Sep-2012
ScorecardAlex Hales made 53 off 38 balls to set up England’s innings•Getty Images

England’s recent five-match ODI series against Australia was generally condemned as so inconsequential that it is quite possible to argue that this warm-up match between the Ashes rivals ahead of World Twenty20 had considerably more significance. It fell England’s way, by nine runs, an edgy win only for as long as Mike Hussey remained at the crease for Australia.Victory gave England, the defending champions, immediate impetus and left Australia, whose T20 ranking briefly fell below Ireland’s earlier this month, still searching for a solution.England’s top six did not include a single player who could be regarded as a regular in the Test side – Kevin Pietersen, who in different circumstances might have claimed that, is only in Sri Lanka for a commentary stint for ESPN Star Sports- but they skipped to 172 for 6 in their 20 overs with Alex Hales (52 off 38) and Luke Wright (35 off 29) both prominent.Hales, the chief beneficiary of Pietersen’s absence, is one of several young England players without much of a grounding on the subcontinent but his half-century took England to 110 for 3 with 34 balls left before becoming one of two victims for Brad Hogg, at 41 the oldest player in the tournament.He might have been run out on three, had David Warner hit direct from point and also offered two half-chances to the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, an edge off Dan Christian, and a tough stumping off Brad Hogg on 34.Shane Watson, Australia’s allrounder, saw enough in Hales’ performance to believe that England have a chance to mask Pietersen’s absence without too much damage. “Kevin Pietersen is an amazingly talented batsman,” he said. “In the last Twenty20 World Cup, he was one of the big reasons why England won it.”But England have a number of very exciting young guys coming in. Hales hit the ball very nicely, and is obviously going to be a big player for England at the top of the order, so it won’t have too much of a dent in the England side, because they’ll be able to make up for it pretty well.”That Australia got so close owed much to Hussey, who almost pulled off a game-changing over when he struck Danny Briggs, the Hampshire left-arm spinner on his first senior tour, for 6-6-6-4 off successive balls after Briggs’ first three overs had cost only 15. But Broad returned to have Hussey (71 off 51) lbw to leave Australia 32 short with 19 balls remaining and their challenge petered out.Broad’s intervention was something of a personal relief as his first over at Nondescripts CC in Colombo had included four wides. Shane Watson (37 off 26), Australia’s other main batting success, was bowled as he swept at Graeme Swann.Wright’s success at No. 3, to follow a fine domestic season for Sussex in limited-overs cricket, continued a resurgence that began in Australia’s Big Bash at the turn of the year. He is now over fears that a knee tendon injury might have put an end to his career.”There are other guys around the counties I know have been struggling heavily with that sort of injury and who have had similar treatment to me – and it’s just not worked,” he said. “My game is normally based on energy, running around, buzzing around. Suddenly for the first time, I couldn’t really do that and I felt like an old man – it probably threatened everything I play for. But I went off to Sweden for an operation, and luckily it’s been fine since then.”

Garey Mathurin has been included in the West Indies Twenty20 squad against England in place of offspinner Ashley Nurse

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2011Windward Islands left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin has been included in the West Indies Twenty20 squad against England in place of offspinner Ashley Nurse, who did not meet the required fitness standard at a preparatory camp in Barbados.Mathurin, 27, has played 11 first-class games, picking up 40 wickets at 22.15 and 12 T20 games, collecting 10 wickets at 24.50 with an impressive economy rate of 5.56. He has best figures of 7 for 72 against the England Lions, followed by 5 for 86 against Leeward Islands the very next game this season.”I see this as an opportunity given to me to represent the people of the Caribbean and I’m looking to have a good tour,” Mathurin said. “I’m looking forward to fitting into the new environment and working with the coach and the other members of the team. I’m a confident person and a confident cricketer so I always keep a positive outlook.”In T20 cricket it’s all about looking to get runs as quickly as possible so the aim of the bowler is to keep the batsmen in check and restrict the scoring. My main asset is my ability to keep it tight and build pressure on the batsmen. I see this as my job in the team. Also, I know I have to contribute with the bat and I’m always looking to see what I can do to contribute to the team.”Mathurin is the third St Lucian to be picked in the West Indies national team, after Johnson Charles and Darren Sammy. “I have known Darren for a very long time, we played together at the Under-19 level and the senior level for St Lucia and Windwards and we talk a lot about the game, so it’s special for me that I get to play for West Indies with him as the captain.”West Indies play two Twenty20 internationals in England, on September 23 and 25, and have selected a young side, with many seniors unavailable due to their participation in the Champions League Twenty20.

Graeme Swann, the England offspinner, has jumped 15 places to a career-best third spot in the ICC one-day rankings after his successful series against Pakistan

Cricinfo staff23-Sep-2010Graeme Swann, the England offspinner, has jumped 15 places to a career-best third spot in the ICC one-day bowling rankings after his successful series against Pakistan in which he bagged 11 wickets. The other big gainer in the rankings was Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul, who climbed 18 places to the 23rd spot after topping the series bowling charts with 12 wickets in the five ODIs.There was also a further sign of Eoin Morgan’s increasing importance to England’s limited-overs sides as his match-winning 107 in the deciding ODI helped him become the highest-ranked England batsman at 14th. His captain, Andrew Strauss, who was Man of the Series after making a hundred and two half-centuries against Pakistan is one spot behind him, having gained 10 places.England’s hard-fought 3-2 victory in the one-day series has not affected their fifth place but they have lost one ranking point to be three behind India, Sri Lanka and South Africa, all of whom are tied on 112 points. Australia remain runaway leaders, maintaining a 17-point gap over their nearest challengers.Click here for full ranking lists.

Rawal, Mandhana and Harleen also chipped with fifties as India posted a record total and eventually won by 116 runs

Shashank Kishore12-Jan-2025India notched up a series win that never appeared to be in any doubt, but in batting out 50 overs for a second straight game in Rajkot, Ireland ticked off a few boxes as part of their preparations for the World Cup qualifiers.India stormed to their highest-ever ODI score, fuelled by Jemimah Rodrigues’ maiden ODI century, and then saw Ireland’s top order deny a young Indian pace attack. Christina Coulter Reilly brought up a maiden half-century in her fourth innings, while Laura Delany made a 36-ball 37 to frustrate India’s spinners. Ireland eventually surpassed the 238 for 7 they made two days ago, to take away plenty of batting positives.The crux of India’s win lay in how their own set of youngsters, outside of Smriti Mandhana, batted and put up runs on the board. Pratika Rawal hit a third half-century in five innings, but would’ve been disappointed at missing out on a century for a second-game running.Related

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After making 89 two days ago, Rawal exhibited outstanding offside stroke play against the seam bowlers in particular, during the course of a 156-run opening stand with Mandhana. Rawal was out lbw for 67 off the very next ball after Mandhana mistimed a pull off Orla Prendergast at midwicket for 73.India’s urgency in the powerplay wasn’t accompanied by blind slogging but pristine stroke play, even as Mandhana initially fiddle in what seemed like a role reversal from the series opener two days ago. That day, Mandhana charged off the blocks, playing her signature pulls, while Rawal buckled down.This fusion helped the pair put together their third opening stand of 100 or more in five innings, with Mandhana quickly overtaking Rawal. There seemed a sense of inevitability to two impending centuries, but lapses in concentration led to a double-strike.This brought Harleen and Rodrigues together as the pair took a while to play their strokes on the face of some really slow bowling. Harleen struggled for momentum early on, pottering to 5 off 21 deliveries; Rodrigues was a tad more industrious at the other end, attempting to move around the crease and thwart the seamers by playing the pulls and paddles.The pair took 75 deliveries to raise their half-century stand which Harleen raised with a superb, lofted hit over mid-off. Rodrigues didn’t want to be left too far behind as she hit Arlene Kelly for back-to-back fours, with overs 32-34 fetching India five boundaries. Harleen possibly played the shot of the day when she exhibited incredible control in whipping a full ball from fourth-stump to bisect the gap between deep midwicket and long-on.The Harleen Deol-Jemimah Rodrigues partnership took time to speed up•BCCI

Ireland let themselves down when they missed running out Rodrigues for 34 in the 35th over when Prendergast missed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end from mid-on. Rodrigues was let off a second time when keeper Coulter Reilly put down a tough chance off an attempted late cut off Canning.Harleen got to her fifty off 58, and accelerated towards her second hundred in four ODIs, before falling for 89. Rodrigues got her half-century a tad slower, off 62 deliveries, before she shifted gears sensationally in the last ten overs. The purity of her strokeplay stood out, with her signature lofted hit by moving legside of the ball making repeated appearances.Rodrigues took just 28 balls to move from a half-century to her maiden ODI ton, much to the applause of the entire team on the balcony, before she celebrated by mimicking playing a song on her guitar with her bat. India ended with 370 for 5, 102 off those coming in the last ten as Ireland walked back relieved that their morning toil was over.Christina Coulter Reilly scored her maiden ODI fifty•BCCI

Ireland were slow off the blocks and never equally went for the target. But Coulter Reilly overcame two blows on her helmet, both times missing a bumper from Sayali Satghare. She overcame the early jitters to exhibit a sense of fearlessness against spin, particularly enterprising off Priya Mishra, the legspinner, whom she swept into different arcs on the leg side.Delany, who came in at No. 4, showed urgency from get-go, hitting her second ball through the covers for a boundary, and was equally formidable when Deepti Sharma tried to lull her in flight after an early reprieve when the offspinner put down a tough return catch on 7.As it turned out, this passage – an 83-run fourth-wicket stand – was the only period where in India felt challenged by Ireland’s batters, even as the rest tried to get their eye in. Leah Paul, who struck a half-century in the previous game, made an unbeaten 22-ball 27, to add the finishing touches as Ireland surpassed the 238 for 7 they made two days ago.

Charlie Wakim and Caleb Jewell forged an impressive stand but Tasmania’s lower order fell away

AAP04-Oct-2023South Australia were in the mire against Tasmania despite paceman Jordan Buckingham taking a career-best seven-wicket haul on day two of their Sheffield Shield match.Tasmania, with Charlie Wakim scoring a polished 110, posted 381 all out in reply to SA’s first innings of 307 at Adelaide’s Karen Rolton Oval. However, SA’s top order crashed to 47 for 3 at stumps.Buckingham had seemingly rescued SA with 7 for 71 from 23.1 overs after Tasmania’s Wakim and opener Caleb Jewell (87) put the visitors in a position of power.Related

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The pair featured in a 189-run stand, taking Tasmania to 211 for 1 when Wakim slashed to backward point and Daniel Drew reeled in a spectacular one-handed catch.Jewell followed 14 runs later, denied a century when, hooking a short Buckingham ball, the left-hander was caught at deep fine leg.Beau Webster and Matthew Wade steadied before Buckingham, the 23-year-old born in Bundoora, Victoria, returned to mop up the tail.In his 12th first-class game, the right-armer collected the final five wickets of the innings – the last six Tasmanians fell for only 67 runs.Charlie Wakim drives during his century•Getty Images

Buckingham’s command of line and length has already caught the eye of national hierarchy, playing two Australia A games and a Cricket Australia XI fixture.But his SA team-mates failed to ride the momentum he created, turning out another brittle batting display.The home side, who lost 4 for 19 in a first innings spell, collapsed to 10 for 3 in the eighth over.Tasmanian quick Lawrence Neil-Smith struck first, dismissing Henry Hunt before his new-ball partner Gabe Bell had Kelvin Smith caught at slip. Drew lasted just five balls, outed by a canny off-cutter which trapped the SA batter plumb lbw.

England captain hails “best white-ball cricketer in the world” after Dutch demolition

Matt Roller17-Jun-2022Eoin Morgan labelled Jos Buttler “the best white-ball cricketer in the world” after his innings of 162 not out off 70 balls led England to a record ODI and List A total against the Netherlands in Amstelveen, while Buttler suggested he was playing the best cricket of his career.Buttler hit seven fours and 14 sixes, a boundary every 3.33 balls, after England’s bright start saw him promoted to No. 4 and his partnerships of 184 off 90 balls with Dawid Malan and 91 not out off 32 with Liam Livingstone saw them fall two runs short of the first 500-plus score in 50-over history.Morgan, England’s white-ball captain, said Buttler was “in a world of his own, like he has been for the last year or two,” and said that his hitting made him “incredible” to watch. “It’s not something that we ever get sick of and it’s not something that we take for granted,” he said. “It is amazing cricket, and it’s the reason he is probably the best white-ball cricketer in the world at the moment.”Buttler came into this series after a short break with his family following a remarkable IPL season for Rajasthan Royals, in which he hit four hundreds and won the orange cap and the MVP award. He said he felt “in good touch” ahead of this three-match ODI series and that he had focused on “getting back to enjoying cricket” after a disappointing Ashes tour.”The IPL couldn’t have gone better for me,” he said. “I absolutely loved it, and that gives you a lot of confidence. Coming here I was feeling in good touch: I turned up with a lot of motivation and freshness which I think is really key.Related

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“Obviously any time you manage to play like that as a team is fantastic. I’ve said many times, this is the most fun environment I’ve ever played in, so it’s great to be back and it’s been great to be on a normal tour and being able not to worry about bubbles and that kind of thing.”Buttler’s promotion to No. 4, the role mastered by his idol AB de Villiers, was in keeping with a general theme of England pushing him up the order to capitalise on strong starts in recent years, but also hinted at their desire to give their most valuable asset the best opportunity to influence the game.”Over the years, when we’ve got off to good starts, I’ve sometimes been pushed up to No. 4 and today we got off to a fantastic start with [Phil] Salt and Malan,” he said. “We’re pretty flexible as a group and if that’s what they want to do on the day. I enjoy that middle-order role in one-day cricket so I’m very happy with the role I’ve got.”Buttler also laughed off the suggestion that there might be some disappointment at having fallen two runs short of the 500-mark as a team, but said that coming as close as they did highlighted England’s attacking intent.”We keep trying to push the boundaries, keep trying to take the game forward and take the game on. Everyone who played today, we really stuck to that. We’ll have to keep trying: it’s a tough thing to try and achieve, you have to play on a belting wicket and a small ground but the biggest thing, irrelevant of the score, is the mentality that we’re showing as a team and we keep trying to better that and be aggressive and brave when we play.””We don’t take days like this for granted at all,” Morgan added, asked about the prospect of reaching that 500 milestone as a team in the future. “We earned the right to give it a nudge. We’ve worked incredibly hard to earn days like today.”