Category Uncategorized

Kuhn, Amla highlight productive day for SA

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The South Africans enjoyed a productive outing at New Road, with four batsmen registering half-centuries as England Lions managed just three wickets on another shortened day.

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jun-2017
ScorecardHeino Kuhn made 80 before retiring in his warm-up for a Test debut•Getty Images

The South Africans enjoyed a productive outing at New Road, with four batsmen registering half-centuries as England Lions managed just three wickets on another shortened day.Heino Kuhn, who is expected to make his Test debut at Lord’s next week, and Hashim Amla retired in sight of hundreds, while Temba Bavuma was unbeaten on 85 when an early close arrived due to bad light. Quinton de Kock added a brisk 51 as the South Africans scored 324 from the 77.3 overs possible.George Garton added a second wicket, after Kuhn’s retirement, when he dismissed JP Duminy for 25 and Liam Plunkett dismissed Theunis de Bruyn – the potential deputy for Faf du Plessis if South Africa’s captain does not make at back in time after the birth of his child.De Kock then added 82 in less than 20 overs with Bavuma during the afternoon before before falling to the back-up seam of hid former U-19s team-mate Keaton Jennings.Kuhn, who won a call-up after making an unbeaten 200 in a pink-ball game against Hampshire and then a century against the Lions for South Africa A, continued his good form by scoring 80 off 126 balls before retiring.Amla was similarly assured, with 91 from 148, while Bavuma batted for more than three hours, putting on an unbroken 68 with Chris Morris to give South Africa a satisfying day ahead of the four-Test series, which starts on Thursday.

Unfashionable leaders Lancashire refuse to be cowed

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Lancashire are unlikely leaders of Division One after promotion last season but in a stop-start season they refuse to be cowed

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge05-Jul-2016
ScorecardStuart Broad clubbed useful runs•Getty Images

A persistent breeze stiffened enough from time to time to ask less hardy spectators to consider putting on a jacket but at least it was a day that looked like summer. On the field, Stuart Broad worked up a sweat, eager to show his county the commitment that comes naturally to him in Test cricket. But an increasingly benign pitch was giving him very little back.Steven Mullaney, captain against his former county in the absence of Chris Read, was proactive, rotating the bowlers, frequently tweaking his fields, trying to make something happen. Broad ran willingly to where he was directed, chipping in too with suggestions on tactics to try. Deep into the last session, though, Lancashire’s openers had their sights on batting through to the close, determined that their concentration would not crack.They look like a side who believe in themselves. Promoted teams tend these days to find the step up a difficult one but Lancashire have established themselves among the front-runners. It would be a surprise if they are in first place at the end of the season but their players are not easily cowed.Tom Smith, a solid professional in the best traditions of county cricket, turned 30 now and with the wisdom and experience to go with it, locked horns again with Imran Tahir, as he had in the first innings. After a protracted battle, the legspinner had the last word then but this time Smith, so far, has the upper hand.At the other end, moreover, he had an ally who already looks equally at home playing the long game. Haseeb Hameed is not yet 20 in years but temperamentally seems much older, at least with bat in hand. The pair have been Lancashire’s best opening partnership so far this year, the first to put 100 or more on the board.In doing so, they have probably saved this game for Lancashire, who trailed by 198 on first innings, a scenario that looked unlikely after Nottinghamshire had lost half their wickets while still 35 runs behind.Steven Croft, as willing and versatile as he is, is not a wicketkeeper and it is a demanding position from which also to captain a side. Whether he could have done much differently, though, is a moot point, given that of all the things Mullaney tried later, none achieved a breakthrough.It has been a different match for Neil Wagner, who took 11 wickets when Lancashire beat Nottinghamshire handsomely at Old Trafford in May. His reward for 33.1 overs of toil this time was 3-107.”It was hard out there, on an unresponsive and flat wicket,” he said. “I thought we bowled well, we asked questions and we bowled better than we did yesterday, when we did not hit our lengths consistently and got hurt.”We thought if we could get a couple of quick wickets this morning we might be in with a shout but credit to Nottinghamshire they batted very well. Riki and Samit batted really well, as did Broady and the others who came in after. They never really gave us a chance.”But it was a great partnership between Haseeb and Tom and although there is a lot of work to do yet hopefully we are in a good position now to save the game.”Patel and Wessels could not be parted for more than an hour, adding 43 to an overnight lead of 27 before Patel, who had been watchful for the most part, feathered the thinnest of edges to Croft off Smith, who dismissed Wessels soon afterwards. Looking to accelerate the pursuit of bowling points, Wessels went after Smith and picked up his ninth boundary but was undone by the next delivery, which pushed him on to the back foot and took the edge, Liam Livingstone backpeddling from slip to take the catch.Wessels had to leave the field with a finger injury later in the day, handing the wicketkeeping gloves to Brendan Taylor for a period, but was able to resume after treatment.The end of one significant partnership, one that was worth 105 runs, merely introduced another. Broad, who has given good value to his county with the bat as well as the ball this season, combined with Brett Hutton to add another 79 for the eighth wicket, 31 of which came within the space of 18 deliveries, 24 from Broad’s bat, to clinch maximum batting points for Nottinghamshire with just one ball to spare.In an innings notable for unconverted starts – nine players made between 30 and 67 – neither Broad nor Hutton reached 50 but the lead kept stretching. Even Harry Gurney, a genuine number 11, made it into double figures, for only the eighth time in 95 first-class innings.The win that Nottinghamshire need rather more urgently than their opponents seems unlikely, however, unless Tahir can do something remarkable on the final day.

UAE to host T20 tournament for retired players

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Former internationals such as Brian Lara will play in the Masters Champions League (MCL), a franchise T20 tournament for retired cricketers set to take place in the UAE in February 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2015Former internationals such as Brian Lara will play in the Masters Champions League (MCL), a franchise T20 tournament for retired cricketers set to take place in the UAE in February 2016.The tournament will be made up of six teams in its first year, with a total of 90 players taking part – 15 members per squad. The players must all have been former international cricketers who are now retired from all forms of the professional sport.The MCL has received a 10-year approval from the Emirates Cricket Board, and inaugural matches of the tournament will take place over two weeks in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.”Our ultimate vision is for the MCL to become the natural next step for all international players retiring from the professional game to extend their careers in a masters league,” MCL chairman Zafar Shah said.Adam Gilchrist, Brian Lara, Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja and Danny Morrison were present at the official launch of the tournament.

Watson return clouds Warner's future

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Shane Watson’s return to the Australian Test squad for Adelaide has ramped up pressure on David Warner to hold his spot at the top of the order

Daniel Brettig16-Nov-2012Shane Watson’s return to the Australian Test squad for Adelaide has ramped up pressure on David Warner to hold his spot at the top of the order, as the national selectors consider the possibility of pairing Rob Quiney with Ed Cowan.While Watson is still considered unlikely to return in time for the second Test against South Africa, it is far from certain that Quiney will be the man to drop out of the hosts’ XI to make room for the vice-captain and No. 3 batsman. Warner’s place in the team may hinge in his display in Adelaide, and another brief stay with the bat would be likely to have Quiney walking out to bat with Cowan in Perth.The national selector John Inverarity was unable to guarantee Warner’s place ahead of the Adelaide Test, in marked contrast to his supportive words for Cowan before the Brisbane Test squad was even announced. “We’ll make the decision closer to the time,” Inverarity said. “I mean we’re here at the WACA. Less than 12 months ago David played a wonderful innings here. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Australia Test squad

Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Ed Cowan, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Rob Quiney, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Quiney made only nine in his one innings in Brisbane, but impressed the selectors with his gully fielding, part-time medium pace and an unruffled, mature demeanour that fitted neatly into the Australian dressing room. His upright, powerful batting would make a neat balance with the more obdurate Cowan, while offering a little more restraint than Warner.Watson’s preferred place in the team remains as an allrounder. Inverarity explained that if Watson was not fit to bowl, he would more than likely also not be fit to run swiftly between the wickets or show the required level of agility in the field. This, as much as the team’s desire to have him bowling, will influence the selectors in their deliberations, which will likely reach a decision by Wednesday.”Yes he could [play as a batsman],” Inverarity said. “He’ll have to be fit to perform regarding running between the wickets, chasing in the field, diving. It’s unlikely – I’m not saying it’s not possible – but it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to build his workloads so that he’ll be able to bowl in the Test.”If you’ve got the continuum there, there’s only a small margin in which he’s fit to perform as a batsman but not able to bowl. We’re hoping he’ll be beyond that, he’ll be able to bowl. But he may not be able to. And if he’s not able to, there’s a fair chance he won’t be able to be fit to perform in terms of running between the wickets, chasing in the field, diving in the field. We’ll just wait and see.”Mitchell Starc’s chances of earning a place in the team for Adelaide have been enhanced by a four-wicket haul for New South Wales against Victoria at the SCG. Ben Hilfenhaus, the man considered most likely to make way for Starc, is working closely with the bowling coach Ali de Winter to try to eradicate the flaws picked up in his bowling action during the Gaba Test.”I thought the bowlers bowled much better the second day they bowled, and then on the final day I thought they all improved again,” Inverarity said. “So they’re running into some form and you need to get some bowling under your belt and I thought in particular Ben Hilfenhaus got better as the game went on, so we’ll just have to assess how they go and what sort of shape they’re in and make a decision a couple of days before the Test.”Inverarity indicated that whichever bowler was 12th man in Adelaide would then be a probable inclusion for the third Test in Perth, given that only three days separate the end of the second match with the start of the final one. Australia played four quicks and omitted the spinner Nathan Lyon for the Perth match against India last summer, and that possibility will depend on the preparation of the surface.”I think it’s very difficult to go Brisbane, Adelaide and then a break of just a couple of days and then to Perth for the same bowlers to do all of that,” Inverarity said. “It’s not unlikely that a different bowler will come in for that Test and you would recall that last time in Perth we played four fast bowlers and we’ll just have to wait and see what the wicket is like. The decision last year I think was the right decision and we’ll have to wait and see what happens this year.”

Cooper hundred earns Redbacks victory

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

A superbly-paced century from Tom Cooper delivered victory to South Australia in their first match of the domestic season as New South Wales were left to regret a sluggish finish to their innings

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2011
ScorecardTom Cooper was the star for South Australia•Getty Images

A superbly-paced century from Tom Cooper delivered victory to South Australia in their first match of the domestic season as New South Wales were left to regret a sluggish finish to their innings. Usman Khawaja made his second one-day hundred and Phillip Hughes posted 96 to give the Blues a dream start, but they needed more than their 3 for 261 to prevent the Redbacks succeeding in their chase.Cooper struck the winning runs with an over to spare, timing his dash to triple-figures perfectly, as the final drive past mid-on from the bowling of Trent Copeland brought up his century and the victory. It was his second hundred in one-day cricket for the Redbacks, and he had solid support in the end from Cameron Borgas, who ended up unbeaten on 30.Callum Ferguson made 53 at better than a run a ball, until he was caught at deep midwicket trying to smash Moises Henriques out of the ground, and the captain Michael Klinger set the chase off to a bright start with 75. Mitchell Starc began perfectly, with Daniel Harris lbw first ball to a beautiful inswinger, but the young New South Wales fast men struggled to contain South Australia.Josh Hazlewood, in his first match for his state since February 2010, following a long lay-off due to a stress fracture in his back, battled to find his rhythm. However, the real problem for the Blues was that the target should have been closer to 300 after Hughes and Khawaja put on 212 for the first wicket.Hughes started slowly and while he lifted his tempo later, he still finished at well below a run a ball, with 96 from 129 deliveries, while Khawaja’s 116 used up 137 balls. The Blues passed their 200 with nearly ten overs to go and ten wickets in hand, but some good bowling at the death from Gary Putland and Kane Richardson was crucial in preventing a blowout.Khawaja fell from the final ball of the innings, when he flicked Putland in the air to deep square leg, the second wicket for Putland. But while Khawaja was the star of the first half of the game, Cooper was Man of the Match for his match-winning effort.

Hodge and Harwood crush Western Australia

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Brad Hodge produced a belligerent century and Shane Harwood delivered a stinging performance as Victoria demolished Western Australia at the WACA

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2010Victoria 4 for 319 (Hodge 134*, Finch 81) beat Western Australia 206 (M Marsh 44, Harwood 6-46) by 113 runs

ScorecardBrad Hodge started another season in style with an unbeaten 134•Getty Images

Brad Hodge produced a belligerent century and Shane Harwood delivered a stinging performance as Victoria demolished Western Australia at the WACA. Hodge smashed 134 off 125 balls to rush the visitors to 4 for 319 before the Warriors fell for 206 to suffer a 113-run defeat in their first match under Mickey Arthur, the former South Africa coach.In between the two stages of Hodge’s brutal innings, Harwood ruined the home side’s top order with four wickets on the way to a career-best 6 for 46 off 7.4 overs. The performance was particularly satisfying for Harwood, 36, as he was returning from major shoulder surgery that threatened his career.There were no problems over his pace or bounce as his sharp lifting deliveries ended the stays of Wes Robinson (2), Shaun Marsh (18), Liam Davis (33) and Adam Voges (32). The brutal five-over spell left the hosts at 4 for 88, 53 runs behind their opponents after 20 overs, and the game was almost over.Hodge, who resumed on 58, and Aaron Finch, who was 54, quickly made sure of the result as they took advantage of Western Australia’s wayward bowling. Finch fell for 81 off 75 balls – he peaked with three fours from a Brett Dorey over – but Hodge kept going and showed that he remains a master at the age of 35.In his first innings he hit the debutant Michael Beer for a straight six before slog-sweeping another next over from Aaron Heal. His century came with a glide to third man – he celebrated with a couple of push-ups – and after crunching Ashley Noffke (0 for 82) for fours through cover and midwicket, he then showed more muscle by clearing the sightscreen in the final over of the innings. Andrew McDonald also beat the rope twice in his unbeaten 30 off 20 balls.Western Australia required an almost impossible 232 from the final 25 overs, but Luke Pomersbach and Luke Ronchi gave it a go during a 46-run stand off 31 balls. However, Ronchi fell on 28 to a miscue to midwicket and next ball John Hastings (3 for 50) had his second when Pomersbach (16) found mid-off.Mitchell Marsh showed flashes of brilliance in his 44, including hitting Harwood for six to long-on, but he gave him his fifth wicket aiming another big shot. Next ball Harwood picked up his sixth, ending the match with the lbw of Beer. Peter Siddle played his first game in Australia after over-coming back stress fractures and showed decent pace in his 0 for 53 off nine overs.

England take series after Durban washout

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Rain forced the final one-day international at Durban to be abandoned and handed England their first limited-overs series victory in South Africa

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan04-Dec-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndrew Strauss gets his hands on the one-day series trophy after rain washed out the final match•Getty Images

It’s not how Andrew Strauss would have wanted to lead England to a bit of history, but he’ll gladly take it after rain forced the final one-day international at Durban to be abandoned and handed the tourists their first limited-overs series victory in South Africa.There was never a realistic chance of any action at Kingsmead. Hopes were briefly raised when the covers were removed at around 2.30pm, but the forecast rain soon returned to blanket the city in the dank, grey atmosphere that has been in place for most of the past week.As well as their first one-day success in the country, England have also become just the second team to beat South Africa on home soil in a bilateral one-day series after Australia managed it twice. That is a notable achievement for Strauss and Andy Flower considering that a little over two months ago they were turned over 6-1 by Australia.”It’s a big step forward for the group,” Strauss said. “To be only the second team to win out here is an achievement to be proud of. The players had to buy into trying to play a slightly more attacking brand of cricket and at the same time to up our fielding and to be more consistent with the ball.”I think the guys have enjoyed having the shackles taken off them to a certain extent. A lot of our one-day cricket over the last few years has been played like men under a lot of pressure. A lot of the players were under pressure, playing for their places and because the results weren’t very good.”It’s encouraging to know we are going in the right direction but I’d be the last person to say we’re the finished article.”The turnaround began at the Champions Trophy and has continued over the last three weeks. Playing in South Africa suits England’s new brand of one-day cricket and their next challenge in that format be to adapt to different conditions in Bangladesh in February. They are unlikely to find pitches with pace and bounce at the World Cup in 2011 so the next phase of their development is to show they can combat spin attacks of sluggish, turning pitches.Even though only three matches were actually played, this series success can still go down as one of England’s finest one-day performances in recent times, on a par with beating Sri Lanka in their backyard in 2008. At Cape Town they showed they still have the capability to pull out a shocker, but to cancel out that 112-run defeat, both their victories were by convincing seven-wicket margins – a run-chase of 251 that would previously have been beyond them at Centurion, and a victory set up by James Anderson’s bowling at Port Elizabeth.England’s 4-0 victory against South Africa at home last year is often pulled out when talking about impressive performances, but that was against a visiting side that had achieved their main target of a Test series victory and were ready to go home. This time there were early points to be scored – that’s the advantage of holding the one-dayers first – and England have done more than enough to quieten the hosts who were quite happy to make some bombastic statements in the build-up. The hosts certainly haven’t lived up to the hype.”Our next one-day series is in India where the [2011] World Cup is going to be played,” Graeme Smith said. “Hopefully by then we will have a fully-fit squad and a squad which has developed from here.”There’s a break now and there will be a few new faces in our [Test] squad,” he added. “The last two years have been really terrific for us in Test cricket and we want to carry it on. England have an Ashes-winning squad so it bodes well for a good series.”Attention now turns to preparation for the Test campaign. England head to East London for two two-day matches against a South African Invitational XI, where they will be joined by the Test-squad members who have been with the Performance Squad in Pretoria. South Africa, meanwhile, will reconvene in Potchefstroom on December 11 for a three-day camp before heading to Johannesburg ahead of the opening Test at Centurion. The battle is just hotting up.

Ireland knock Pakistan out; Australia, Scotland, Bangladesh, England, USA, SA, Nigeria, New Zealand through to Super Six

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

It was the last day of matches for Group B, C and D with nine of the 12 Super Six spots confirmed

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2025Legspinner Anisa Akter Soba picked up 4 for 25 as Bangladesh beat Scotland by 17 runs in Bangi to become the second team after Australia to reach Super Six from Group D. Scotland also confirmed their spot after Australia beat Nepal later in the day.After being sent in, Bangladesh found themselves on 50 for 5 after ten overs. Afia Ashima and captain Sumaiya Akter then added 38 in 33 balls to give the innings some stability. Ashima fell for 21 but Sumaiya stayed unbeaten till the end, scoring 28 off 36 balls to take the side to 120 for 9.In response, Scotland were 19 for no loss in four overs before Soba bowled Emma Walsingham for 11. In the same over, Pippa Kelly was run-out. Wicketkeeper Pippa Sproul and captain Niamh Muir put the chase back on track by adding 50 in 60 balls, but after Muir fell for 22, none of the incoming batters could cross even 5.Sproul tried to keep Scotland in the contest with her 43 off 41. But Soba ended her resistance and then went on to take two more wickets as Scotland could manage only 103 for 8.New Zealand bowled out Samoa for 40•ICC/Getty Images

After defeats to South Africa and Nigeria, New Zealand secured a spot in the Super Six stage with a drubbing of Samoa in Kuching.In a rain-affected 17-over game, New Zealand were in trouble with the bat at 12 for 3. But Eve Wolland and Anika Todd added 55 for the fourth wicket to steady the ship.After Todd fell for a 19-ball 27, it was on Wolland to hold New Zealand’s innings together. She hit two fours and two sixes before she fell for 48 off 43 in the final over, helping New Zealand get to 107 for 9. For Samoa, seamer Olive Lefaga took three wickets and Verra Farane took two.The total proved to be more than enough, as New Zealand skittled Samoa out for just 40, with no batter reaching the double digits. Rishika Jaswal and Tash Wakelin claimed three wickets each while Sophie Court picked up two.Davina Perrin smashed 74 off 45 balls•ICC/Getty Images

Davina Perrin’s 45-ball 74 helped England beat USA in a top-of-the-table clash in Group B.Sent in, USA mustered 119 for 5 from their 20 overs, with captain Anika Kolan top-scoring with an unbeaten 46 off 42. Prisha Thanawala and Trudy Johnson struck twice each for England.England didn’t get off to the best of starts, with opener Erin Thomas out for a golden duck off the second ball of the chase. But, it was one-way traffic thereon with Perrin and Johnson putting on a 117-run stand that took them two runs short of the target. England captain Abi Norgrove had to just hit the winning run off the first ball she faced, with Johnson finishing unbeaten on 44.Both England and USA have qualified for the Super Six stage.Caoimhe Bray hits over off in her 34-ball 45 as Nepal wicketkeeper Alisha Yadav looks on•Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Caoimhe Bray led Australia‘s strong showing with the bat as they knocked out Nepal, paving Scotland’s way into the Super Six. She hit 45 off just 34 batting at No. 4 before cameos from Hasrat Gill (21-ball 30 not out) and Chloe Ainsworth (16 not out off just 9) helped Australia to 139 for 6.Nepal captain Puja Mahato picked up three wickets for 31 runs but her team could not pose a challenge with the bat. Mahato’s 18 off 42 balls was the most by a Nepal batter on the day, and the only one in double digits as they crawled to 56 for 8 in their 20 overs. All of Gill, Juliette Morton and Lily Bassingthwaighte returned two wickets apiece.Ireland celebrate after knocking out Pakistan•ICC/Getty Images

Over in Johor, a strong all-round show from Ireland helped them eke out a 13-run win in a rain-affected contest to knock Pakistan out of the competition. In a match reduced to nine overs per side, Alice Walsh’s attacking innings at the top set the tone for Ireland, who made 69 for 5 in their allotted overs. Walsh scored 31 off just 19 with five fours.Set a revised DLS target of 73 in nine overs, Pakistan struggled for rhythm and were kept to 59 for 7 with Ellie McGee picking up two wickets while Freya Sargent and Lara McBride returned one each. Pakistan’s innings also featured three run-outs, including that of captain Komal Khan.South Africa, led by Seshnie Naidu and wicketkeeper Karabo Meso, celebrate a Nigerian wicket•ICC/Getty Images

In Kuching, South Africa registered a comfortable win over first-time World-Cuppers Nigeria in another rain-hit contest. Asked to bat first, South Africa could only score 49 for 2 in their eight overs; their opening partnership was worth 41 off 43 balls. Captain Lucky Piety was the only wicket-taker for Nigeria, picking up two wickets in two balls.Nigeria could only manage 24 for 8 in their 66-run chase with none of the batters crossing Piety’s six. Legspinner Seshnie Naidu returned two wickets for one run in her single over while captain Kayla Reyneke also picked up two wickets in her two overs for South Africa. Wicketkeeper Karabo Meso also put up a show as she effected three dismissals.Thanks to their win over New Zealand earlier in the competition, though, Nigeria also ensured qualification for Super Six.

Jake Fraser-McGurk's 29-ball ton breaks AB de Villiers' List A record

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

South Australia opener smashed 10 fours and 13 sixes to finish with 125 off 38 balls

Alex Malcolm08-Oct-2023South Australia batter Jake Fraser-McGurk broke AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest century in a List A game, plundering a 29-ball hundred against Tasmania at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide after the visitors had posted the highest total in Australian domestic one-day history of 435 earlier in the day.Opening the batting in South Australia’s run chase, Fraser-McGurk, 21, reached his century in the ninth over of the innings, going past de Villiers’ previous mark of 31 balls which he set against West Indies in an ODI at Johannesburg in 2015. He eventually holed out in the 12th over, finishing with 125 from 38 balls, with 10 fours and 13 sixes.”I went out there with some good intent, had my plans and process, and seemed like everything went my way,” he said. “I’ve made a few 30s playing in twos [2nd XI] and stuff, felt like I’ve been hitting them reasonably well but probably not that well so definitely surprised myself.”Asked if he’d ever played like that before, he joked: “Maybe a video game or something. Definitely not in real life, that’s for sure.”Tasmania captain Jordan Silk, whose own century ended up on the winning side, said: “It’s probably an innings I’ll never see maybe ever again. It was some of the cleanest ball-striking I’ve seen and sometimes you’ve just got to tip your cap to players like that that can do that. Whilst it was frustrating to watch it was also amazing to watch.”Fraser-McGurk only faced one of the first 12 balls of the chase, scoring just a single. But in the third over he unleashed a furious display of ball-striking. He took 32 off Sam Rainbird’s second over of the innings including four sixes and two fours.He raced to 50 off 18 balls to set a new mark for the fastest half-century in Australia’s one-day domestic competition, breaking Glenn Maxwell’s previous mark of 19 balls.He kept going. In the ninth over he smacked three consecutive sixes off Billy Stanlake to three different quadrants of the ground. He then struck a boundary and a single to bring up his century.In the 10th over, he smashed four consecutive fours and a six off left-arm orthodox Paddy Dooley before falling two overs later. It is Fraser-McGurk’s first century at domestic level having only once passed 50 in his previous 13 List A innings, and that came on debut for Victoria in 2019 as a 17-year-old. He has passed 50 just once in 16 first-class innings, which also came on debut in 2019, but has not done so in 24 T20 innings.His spectacular innings had put South Australia on course for a record chase but eventually they fell 37 runs short.

Spectators barred from Galle Fort ramparts in bid to keep away protesters

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Anti-government activists were also removed from the fort during the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Jul-2022Spectators have been barred completely from the ramparts of the Galle Fort, which overlooks the cricket stadium where the second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia is being played. This, after anti-government protesters had been forcibly removed from the area during the first Test between these teams.Police officers guarding access to the ramparts told ESPNcricinfo that even the ICC has asked for spectators be kept away. However, not only has the ICC never previously spoken against viewing matches from the fort, public spaces in Sri Lanka are also well beyond their jurisdiction.Last week, an army spokesman told that protesters had been removed in order to ensure batters were not distracted. Australia, who were batting that day, have since said that they had no qualms with public presence at the fort.Related

  • In a parallel universe, Sri Lanka offer a glimpse of happier times

  • Cricket cannot solve Sri Lanka's problems but it can be a distraction

Although several protesters had been removed from the fort on day two of the first Test of the series, a sign demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister had been seen for several hours on end in the evening session. The following day – day three of the Test – no spectators were seen on the ramparts, as police and army patrolled the area.As the ramparts are public property, crowds – sometimes swelling to hundreds, and very occasionally to even thousands – frequently watch cricket from there. This free vantage point is among the ground’s distinguishing features, with fans of touring teams also often setting up there to see the game.There have been widespread anti-government protests in Sri Lanka in recent months, some of which have come amid a deepening economic crisis in the country, which has left it desperately short of fuel, cooking gas and essential medicines, while the cost of living has also skyrocketed.SLC has essentially banned protests inside its grounds this series, preventing spectators from bringing anti-government placards and banners into its venues, although posters thanking Australia for touring were allowed.