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Afghanistan’s No. 3 has flown under the radar but is now etched forever in their history

Mohammad Isam05-Sep-2019In Afghanistan’s captaincy drama this year, Rahmat Shah ended up leading the side in not a single Test match after being named captain of the format. That’s right. He was appointed to the role in their leadership reshuffle in April, and Rashid Khan replaced him in July. Going by what he achieved today in Chattogram, becoming Afghanistan’s first Test centurion, any regret over losing the phantom captaincy is clearly not affecting his game.Rahmat’s 163-ball innings was an example of how he can balance batting patiently and pouncing on bad balls. He dragged the side out of trouble in the early part of the second session, and then slowly built their total. After his dismissal in the final session, Asghar Afghan thwarted another batting collapse and seemingly took them to safety.At the end of the day, Rahmat said that his 102 helped him overcome the grief of falling on 98 in their last Test, against Ireland in Dehradun. He said that he had to adjust to the Bangladesh spinners’ lengths, which forced him to use his crease, apart from defending well off the front foot.”I was dreaming to become the first century-maker for Afghanistan,” Rahmat said. “When I got out for 98 against Ireland, I was really upset. Today I got the chance to score the hundred. It is a proud moment for me. I also got the first Test fifty for Afghanistan and now I am the first century-maker.”They were bowling well so it was my plan to play off the front foot. They had a good field set-up for me. I was forced to use the crease as well, as there wasn’t a lot of run-scoring opportunity. We know they are good spinners, especially Shakib Al Hasan. Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam. We have a mindset [to tackle] the fast bowlers, but they have spinners.”Rahmat said that the Afghans must use experience from the Intercontinental Cup to fill in for their lack of Test exposure. “We have played a lot of limited-overs cricket but we have also played a lot of [four-day first-class] matches in the Intercontinental Cup. We have won it twice. There’s not a big difference between four- and five-day cricket,” he said.Batsmen like Rahmat, Afghan and Hashmatullah Shahidi will slowly break the mould of the happy-go-lucky style of Afghan batting. With batting stability, their bowling attack will become more potent. Rahmat is a definite match-winner, and he has proven so for the last three years. Sixteen out of his 21 fifty-plus scores have come in Afghanistan’s wins in international cricket.His 98 and 76 played a big part during their maiden Test win against Ireland, while his 72 helped them to their first win against Sri Lanka last year in the Asia Cup. He struck fifties against West Indies in the World Cup qualifier last year too, as well as putting in big performances against Ireland and Zimbabwe in 2017.He made an unbeaten 108 in the fifth ODI against Ireland in Noida, having made 78 and 68 in the previous matches. Against Zimbabwe in the same year, Rahmat had scores of 114, 56 and 59.Yet, you don’t hear much about him. He isn’t a T20 regular like Rashid Khan or Mohammad Nabi, he isn’t a larger-than-life character like Mohammad Shahzad.But Rahmat has etched his name forever in Afghanistan cricket team’s history and, given how he bats so responsibly at No. 3, the milestone couldn’t have gone to a better candidate.

The visitors are 1-0 up, and will hope for contributions from younger members of their side such as Aiden Markram and Wiaan Muller

Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Jul-2018

Big Picture

Just how far this Sri Lanka top order has to go in ODIs could not have been made more clear in the first match on Sunday. Batting coach Thilan Samaraweera said his team had spoken about seeing out the likes of Kagiso Rabada in the first 10 overs, before taking more risks against the less experienced South Africa bowlers later in the innings, but the hosts nevertheless found themselves 36 for 5 in the ninth over, the game already virtually lost inside 40 minutes.Kusal Perera and Thisara Perera then struck up an encouraging partnership worth 92, but it never looked like the kind of stand that could alter the game’s outcome. This is exactly how so many Sri Lanka innings have played out over the past 18 months – the majority of the batsmen failing dramatically, while one or two others make half-decent contributions that serve only to make the loss less abject.South Africa will be glad to have tasted victory for the first time on the tour, but they know they are not exactly a world-beating ODI unit either. They have spoken about blooding young players in this series, and on Sunday, one of those players, left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, came good, taking 4 for 33 to wipe out the Sri Lanka lower order after the seamers had made those early breakthroughs. With regular spinner Imran Tahir rested for this series, Shamsi has a gold-plated chance to carve out a place for himself in the ODI XI.Others, such as Wiaan Mulder, Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi, also have opportunities to embed themselves in the side as the series goes on.

Form guide

Sri Lanka LWWWL (completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa WLLWL

In the spotlight

Normally, South Africa tours of Sri Lanka mean runs for Hashim Amla. In ODIs, there is no other country he would prefer batting in, having hit two hundreds in his six innings on the island, with an average of 62. On this tour, though, Amla’s scores (across Tests and the first ODI) have read 15, 0, 19, 6, and 19. And while his prowess against spin has truly stood out on previous trips, spinners have dismissed him on each occasion this time, so far. He had also crossed fifty only once in six innings in the ODI series against India earlier this year. South Africa’s coaches are certain he will rebound, but at 35, a few more modest scores could get fans wondering whether this is merely a slump or a more permanent decline.AFP

The man to dismiss Amla in that first ODI was Akila Dananjaya whose new-and-improved googly (he has been working on pushing it faster through the air), fooled the batsman and rattled his stumps. Dananjaya is not always a penetrative bowler, but he is very rarely expensive, which on its own is a not insignificant virtue in this modest Sri Lanka attack. While Sri Lanka attempt to get the rest of their team in order, Dananjaya has done enough over the past eight months to suggest he is a player worth investing in. Even if he has the occasional bad game – though he really doesn’t have many of those – Sri Lanka might do well to play him in as many matches as possible leading up to the World Cup.

Team news

South Africa are likely to keep their XI from Sunday, which means Heinrich Klaasen will probably continue to sit out, while Mulder plays as an allrounder.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Aiden Markram, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Lungi NgidiSri Lanka will be without fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, who split a webbing on his left hand during fielding drills. Kasun Rajitha is most likely to play in his place. They may also think about handing left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya a debut, with Lakshan Sandakan the most likely to sit out if that happens.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 3 Upul Tharanga, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Shehan Jayasuriya, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Akila Dananjaya, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Lakshan Sandakan, 11 Kasun Rajitha

Pitch and conditions

Despite Sri Lanka’s collapse, there were no major demons in the Dambulla track on Sunday, and another good one-day pitch is expected. No rain is forecast for the day.

Stats and trivia

• In seven innings so far this year, Amla averages 24.71, with a strike rate of 80. His career average is 50.02, with a strike rate of 89.
• From 18 bowling innings, Akila Dananjaya has a career economy rate of 4.97. This is despite his having played in one of the weakest Sri Lanka ODI bowling attacks in the last 20 years.
• Sri Lanka have now lost nine ODIs in a row to South Africa – a losing streak that goes back to July 2014.

India’s pacers claimed yet another batting line-up after the batsmen laid the foundation for a 240-run victory at The Oval

The Report by Varun Shetty30-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Dinesh Karthik’s fluent 94 set up India’s massive win•IDI/Getty Images

Bangladesh, who face England in the Champions Trophy opener on June 1, collapsed spectacularly, falling to 22 for 6, before eventually getting bowled out for 84 in their chase of 325 against India in the warm-up game at The Oval. After allrounder Hardik Pandya had clattered an unbeaten 80 off 54 balls to propel India to 324, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar ripped through Bangladesh’s top half with the new ball. The seamers utilised the overcast conditions, and extracted sharp movement and bounce from a pitch that had hitherto appeared benign, taking three wickets each.The procession began when Soumya Sarkar slashed away from his body at an Umesh delivery that straightened in the corridor. Sarkar appeared confused when the Indian fielders went up for a caught-behind appeal, walking down the track to consult Imrul Kayes about a possible review, before quickly realising there weren’t be any available. Perhaps, it was an early sign of what was to come for Bangladesh, who would soon lose Kayes and Shakib Al Hasan to misguided hook shots.Sabbir Rahman had his stumps rattled by a full inswinger, while two vicious deliveries that climbed from a length took the outside edges of Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain. The chase had effectively ended with only 45 balls bowled. Mehedi Hasan, who had earlier bowled an economical spell (9-1-39-0), offered resistance with 24, but could not find enough support from the other end.India had lost the toss, but Virat Kohli was happy at being put in. Shakib stood-in as captain in the absence of Mashrafe Mortaza and Tamim Iqbal, who were both rested ahead of Thursday’s fixture against England. Bangladesh’s intention was to give their bowling line-up a lift after they had failed to defend 341 against Pakistan on Saturday.Rohit Sharma, who last played for his country in October 2016, opened alongside Shikhar Dhawan. He, however, lasted only three balls before dragging a short and wide ball from Rubel Hossain onto his stumps. At the other end, Mustafizur Rahman troubled Dhawan outside the off stump, before inducing a loose shot from Ajinkya Rahane – pushed down to No. 3 on Tuesday – and disturbing his stumps via the inside edge.Dinesh Karthik, streaky throughout his nine-ball duck in the previous warm-up game against New Zealand, started tentatively again before finding his timing. He strung together a 100-run stand for the third wicket with Dhawan. The stand, though, ended when the opener played one shot too many against left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam, hoicking him straight to midwicket after hitting 10 runs off the first three balls of the 23rd over.Karthik, dropped on 29, brought up his fifty in the 26th over, before shifting gears, getting his next 43 runs off only 26 balls. Karthik had to retire six short of a hundred, having staked his claim for a middle-order spot in India’s XI. Yuvraj Singh, who missed the previous warm-up match because of viral fever, did not bat in this game, but the lower-middle order fired.Kedar Jadhav, who did not play against New Zealand as well, made 31 off 38 balls at No. 5. Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja then dominated the last 15 overs. Hardik motored along positively, picking the gaps when he couldn’t find the boundaries, eventually showing his ability to finish the innings with four powerful sixes. Jadeja’s stay wasn’t as fluent. Apart from a release shot that flew over long-on, Jadeja struggled to rotate the strike and his 36-ball innings yielded only 32.

The BCB has made an appeal to the ICC to reconsider Taskin Ahmed’s suspension from bowling in international cricket

Mohammad Isam20-Mar-2016The BCB has made an appeal to the ICC to reconsider Taskin Ahmed’s suspension from bowling in international cricket. The communication was made personally by the BCB president Nazmul Hassan, who said that he spoke to the ICC chairman Shashank Manohar and chief executive Dave Richardson.While Hassan did not reveal what the BCB’s main argument was, he said they were not convinced with the ICC’s independent assessment report on Taskin’s bowling action.”We are not convinced about Taskin as of now. We don’t have any reason to be satisfied with the report,” he said. “And that’s disappointing, so we have appealed to the ICC. We have a few grounds and we have said these things according to logic. Only the ICC can withdraw the ICC’s decision, which is why I am talking to the ICC directly. It won’t be right to disclose what we presented as our logic. I can tell you that we have done everything possible.”Hassan said the BCB was trying to circumvent the normal procedure of appealing in a bid to quickly overturn the decision made on Taskin. The ICC had said on Saturday that “not all of Taskin’s deliveries were legal”.”The promptness with which we have taken the action is quite different to the way we responded to the others,” Hassan said. “I read the [ICC’s independent assessment] report today morning and instantly called the ICC CEO Dave Richardson and chairman Shashank Manohar, who said they will respond to us after talking to their legal team.”We are trying to do something outside the normal procedure where the player requests a reassessment, which we feel is a complex process. I don’t think we can do anything more that what we have done. I believe that the ICC will observe our points and give a logical reply.”Hassan also ruled out the possibility of taking the legal route against the ICC, which he feels will be too lengthy and would not give Bangladesh what they are looking for – a quick return for Taskin.”If we take the legal way, then we can forget Taskin playing in the World T20. I don’t think it will be solved any time in the future. It would be a lengthy procedure but as of now I am trying to avoid that way, and trying to see if something can be done immediately through a shortcut. It’s very difficult, but I have not left hope as yet. I feel that there is a slight possibility for Taskin to join us as soon as possible.”We have never heard or seen a decision getting immediately changed by the ICC but regarding Taskin even if that happens, I won’t be amazed. I am hopeful.”Though the ICC has never lifted a suspension on a bowler at such a short notice, they did lift a ban on Shoaib Akhtar within 11 days in 2000. Akhtar was banned on December 30, 1999, but 10 days later, he played for Pakistan in an ODI against Australia in Brisbane, arriving a few hours after the match had started, having been in Perth when the ICC had taken the decision.

Luke Procter’s fifth half-century in as many first-class matches gave Lancashire the edge on a first day of many tales at Southport

Paul Edwards at Southport28-Aug-2013
ScorecardLuke Procter made his fifth half-century in as many Championship matches•Getty Images

The first day of this game suggested a variety of potentially intriguing individual stories. There was Brad Taylor, a 16-year-old offspinner who became the youngest player ever to represent Hampshire in the County Championship; there was Simon Kerrigan, who was returning to first-class domestic cricket perhaps seeking balm for his mauling by Shane Watson at The Oval; and there was Matt Coles, a loan signing who was making his Hampshire debut having announced that he is to leave Kent at the end of the season.In the event, a day’s cricket which resolutely defied simple analysis produced other tales, albeit that Coles’s hostile second spell offered some explanation why counties may consider adding the allrounder to their staff in the autumn. By the close Lancashire had made good progress on a wicket which currently offers few terrors for the batsmen. Luis Reece and Ashwell Prince both made polished half-centuries in the first half of the day and Luke Procter ended proceedings unbeaten on 65, his fifth Championship half-century in consecutive innings and a most diligent, hard-grafting effort against a Hampshire attack which applied itself well for all but an hour in the morning session.Lancashire go into the second day of this game on 296 for 8 after Hampshire, to their great credit, managed to bowl 97 overs in six hours, a marvellous example to other counties of simple efficiency.. If Glen Chapple’s team currently hold the advantage in this contest, it is not by much, for their total seems little more than par on a good wicket on a small ground with a fast outfield.Indeed, Lancashire coach Peter Moores may be a trifle disappointed given the apparent dominance his batsmen exercised just before lunch when Reece and Prince had added 120 for the second wicket in only 26 overs. But that was the high point of Lancastrian fortunes. Prince edged Sean Ervine to Adam Wheater and departed for 63 two overs before the break while the very promising Reece, having also reached his fifth successive half-century in the Championship, was lbw when he shuffled across his wicket and was lbw to James Tomlinson for exactly 50 in the second over after the restart.The afternoon’s cricket was in sharp contrast to the morning’s play. Just 74 runs were scored off 34 overs as the Lancashire middle order sought and failed to shake off the manacles placed upon them by Jimmy Adams’s bowlers. Steven Croft fell to Liam Dawson for a 52-ball 9 and Andrea Agathangelou could only fend Coles to third slip James Vince when he had laboured 99 minutes for 30.At tea Lancashire were 207 for 5 and Hampshire’s bowlers had restored parity. If the Red Rose shaded the evening’s play it was because they now have a decent score on the board and victory in this match would virtually guarantee a return to Division One.The highlight of the final session, perhaps, was the quartet of boundaries struck by Gareth Cross off Tomlinson after the visitors had taken the new ball. But the seamer responded by having Cross caught by Ervine in the slips a couple of overs later and finished with a creditable 3 for 56. It was that sort of day: as soon as the match followed one pattern, an event or two scribbled “nonsense” on one’s tentative conclusions. Procter’s diligence in facing 137 balls and hitting eight boundaries in his 65 not out was arguably the only consistent factor in the second half of proceedings.As for the players we thought might capture our attention, Kerrigan was the only one not to appear and Taylor bowled eight overs for 42 runs. Just as the Lancashire spinner discovered at The Oval last week, the Hampshire offspinner found out what it is like to make the step up to a new class of cricket. But Taylor sent down a fairly decent second spell and he will undoubtedly remember his first day in what, for him, is the big time.

George Bailey does not think Australia are over-dependent on Shane Watson, after the allrounder weighed in with bat and ball in both group-stage victories

Abhishek Purohit in Colombo27-Sep-2012
George Bailey, the Australia captain, does not think his team is over-dependent on Shane Watson, after the allrounder weighed in with bat and ball in both group-stage victories. Watson made 51 off 30 balls and took 3 for 26 against Ireland, and followed that with an unbeaten 41 and 2 for 29 against West Indies.”I don’t know whether you can call it over-dependence on Watson just because he has performed well in both the games,” Bailey said. “He is a very good player, he is good with the ball and he is an outstanding batsman. He is one of the players that opposition teams fear when they run into him. At the moment, one of his strengths is his consistency, so he is dependable, but I am not sure if we are over-dependent on him.”Watson and David Warner, one of the most powerful opening combinations currently in limited-overs cricket, gave Australia solid starts in both games so far but Bailey said that did not mean the rest of the line-up was not capable. “Watson and Warner are able to provide us an urgent start. There is no doubt that they are key wickets because they can take the game away,” Bailey said. “I guess they are crucial, but we are not at a stage where the rest of us are just making up the numbers.”Bailey was asked whether Watson and Warner’s contributions meant the middle order was undercooked in terms of time spent in the middle. “The middle-order is very happy,” he said. “I know it’s a tough one now but you’ve just got to prepare and train well. It’s not that any of these guys haven’t played a lot. In fact, we have played a lot against the guys we are coming up against. Whenever you get the opportunity to perform, you make sure you are ready to go.”MS Dhoni, the India captain, was also asked about the Watson-Warner combine, and his side’s plans to control the duo. “They are one of the best because they have done consistently well,” Dhoni said. “Both of them play aggressive cricket and look to score as many runs as possible in the first six overs. Since we are looking to play with five bowlers there is a bit more variety up the sleeve, which can be used in the first six overs. So let’s see how they start.”Dhoni said most international sides had aggressive openers in Twenty20s, which helped in getting good starts against the new ball. “If you can put pressure on the opposition bowler, then more often than not they look to save themselves, so if you have a good start, you have an upper hand,” Dhoni said. “In the subcontinent also it is important, initially the ball comes on to the bat nicely, and from the eighth to the 12th over is the time when the game changes. We have seen that quite a few wickets slow down and stroke-play becomes a bit tough. It is important that the top four take advantage of the ball coming on to the bat.”

A half-century from South African-born all-rounder Kirk Wernars failed to
prevent Sussex from conceding a first innings lead of 25 on the second day of
their County Championship Division One match against Worcestershire at
Horsham

11-Aug-2011
Scorecard
A half-century from South African-born all-rounder Kirk Wernars failed to
prevent Sussex from conceding a first innings lead of 25 on the second day of
their County Championship Division One match against Worcestershire at
Horsham.The 20-year-old from Cape Town, who qualifies for county cricket because he has
a Dutch passport, made a composed 53 in only his third first-class game. Earlier, makeshift opener Joe Gatting made 71 but Sussex’s familiar failure to build a substantial score was evident again as they were bowled out for 265 – the eighth time in their last nine innings that they have made less than 300.Worcestershire went in again shortly before the close and reached 16 without
loss, a lead of 41 going into the third day. Earlier, Gatting and Ed Joyce posted 57 for the first wicket in a rain-affected morning session before Joyce was athletically caught by wicketkeeper Ben Scott chasing a ball angled down the leg side by Gareth Andrew.Alan Richardson bowled Luke Wells through the gate for a duck and the veteran
seamer then picked up Gatting, who had hit 11 fours from 77 balls faced, when he
adjusted his length and found the edge.Out-of-form skipper Mike Yardy paid the penalty for chasing width and Ben Brown
played on to Moeen Ali, who picked up three wickets for 43 runs from 17 overs of
probing off breaks. But from 152 for five Sussex were revived by a stand of 61 in 20 overs between Murray Goodwin and Wernars.Goodwin, inhibited perhaps by a hand injury he picked up in Monday’s Friends
Life t20 quarter-final, was dropped at second slip by Daryl Mitchell on 17. However, the Worcestershire captain made amends when he clung on to a sharp chance when Goodwin – on 48 – gave Saeed Ajmal the charge.Wayne Parnell offered compatriot Wernars decent support in a seventh-wicket
stand of 28 before he padded up to Moeen. However, Wernars completed his half-century off 110 balls and had moved onto 53 when he was needlessly run out. Monty Panesar drilled the ball straight to Alex Kervezee at mid-on and set off for a single and his partner was too slow in
responding as Kervezee produced an accurate return.Moeen picked up his third wicket when James Anyon edged to slip. With the light too bad for his quicker bowlers, Yardy opened with Panesar and off-spinner Wells but Worcestershire’s openers survived six overs at the end without alarm.