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A fit-again Temba Bavuma will lead South Africa for the first time in T20Is, against a West Indies side stacked with superstars

Firdose Moonda25-Jun-2021

Big picture

Things should get more interesting from here. After two Tests of one-way traffic, expect a closer contest between West Indies and South Africa as the two teams step up preparations for T20 World Cup 2021.West Indies have stacked their squad with superstars as they prepare to rise from the tenth position on the T20I rankings to title contenders at the big event. South Africa cannot allow themselves to dream of the same label, given the heartbreak of the past and the mess they have found themselves in during the last 18 months, which may take the pressure off a team that often goes into major tournaments with expectation but return empty-handed.South Africa are still in the combination-finding phase, having played second-string T20I sides in their last two series while juggling between biosecure bubbles and Test series – one of which, against Australia, never happened. This is the first time since the England series in November last year that they have a first-choice group of players together and they would be keeping it that way for the next few tours. They head straight to Ireland from the Caribbean and then hope to play Sri Lanka before the T20 World Cup.West Indies also have a busy schedule ahead of the main event. Thet will host Australia, who albeit will not be at full strength, and Pakistan over the next two months. They would want to solidify their squad and develop some consistency as they have won only two out of their last seven T20I series, both against Sri Lanka.

Form guide

West Indies LLWLW (Last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
South Africa LLLWL

In the spotlight

Temba Bavuma is not the least experienced T20I player to captain South Africa. Apart from Graeme Smith who did on debut when the format was introduced, Hashim Amla did it in just his fourth match, and Faf du Plessis and Johan Botha in their fifth, but Bavuma might be the least expected one. He has largely been thought of as a long-form player, while his white-ball form and aggression have flown under the radar. This is his opportunity to change the narrative and establish himself as both opening batter and leader in the build-up to back-to-back T20 World Cups.For all his form in leagues around the world, Andre Russell is yet to score a T20I half-century. He is likely to earn his 50th T20I cap in this series, which is as good a time as any to make a statement with bat or ball. Russell hasn’t taken more than one wicket in a T20I since May 2018, though he has only played five games since that match. That said, this may just be his time to re-establish himself as a senior figure in the national side.Kyle Verreynne may find a spot in South Africa’s middle order against West Indies•AFP via Getty Images

Team news

West Indies have named a 13-man squad for the first two T20Is, welcoming back some of their big guns in Chris Gayle, Russell and Dwayne Bravo. Alongside Pollard, the quartet last played a T20I together six years ago. Evin Lewis was retained despite a poor series against Sri Lanka, but he could face competition from Andre Fletcher at the top of the order.West Indies (possible): 1 Lendl Simmons, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Kieron Pollard (capt), 5 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Jason Holder, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Fabian Allen, 10 Kevin Sinclair, 11 Fidel EdwardsBavuma has recovered from both a hip injury and a dislocated finger and will likely partner Quinton de Kock at the top, which could leave no room for Janneman Malan. du Plessis’ absence could create a spot for Kyle Verreynne, although Heinrich Klaasen is the incumbent. South Africa have a wealth of fast bowlers to choose from and may want to start with their strongest suit. That will include the Test attack of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje, and could have room for one other quick in Andile Phehlukwayo or Sisanda Magala, and two spinners in George Linde and Tabraiz Shamsi.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (capt), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Heinrich Klaasen, 5 David Miller, 6 George Linde, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo/Sisanda Magala 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi

Pitch and conditions

The National Cricket Stadium in Grenada has only hosted one T20I, in January last year. Over 400 runs were scored in that game when West Indies hosted Ireland. That run-fest did not look like an accident as an ODI between West Indies and England a year earlier featured over 800 runs.So expect big runs but only if the weather allows. It has been raining in Grenada in the lead-up to the match and showers have been forecast for the next week. The chance of rain on Saturday sits at 70%.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies and South Africa have played against each other in ten T20Is, with West Indies winning four and South Africa six. The last time they played was at the T20 World Cup in March 2016.
• Lewis needs 11 runs to reach 1000 in T20Is, and would be the sixth West Indies batter to reach that milestone.
• The last time Gayle, Bravo, Pollard and Russell, all featured in a T20I was in 2015 against South Africa when West Indies had chased down a then-record target of 232.

Quotes

“The Test series obviously went exceptionally well and one of the outcomes of that series is momentum, even if it is a different format. It’s only natural that we will carry that confidence into this series.”

Former Australia allrounder Watson also played a key role in Australia’s eventual trip

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2022Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said Australia’s pre-tour reconnaissance trip during West Indies’ visit in December was “the pivotal moment” that set the wheels in motion for Australia’s first visit of Pakistan since 1998. Calling the hesitation surrounding the visit to Pakistan “a fear or anxiety of the unknown”, Hockley said the security arrangements had given everyone great confidence.An hour out from the first ball, Hockley, Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Faisal Hasnain, ICC chairman Geoff Allardice and Australian Cricketers’ Association CEO Todd Greenberg held a joint press conference, reaffirming their support for Australia’s tour.Faisal Hasnain called it a “delight and a privilege” to welcome Australia, saying Hockley, Allardice and Greenberg being present demonstrated their support for the tour. “I, and the people of Pakistan also welcome Pat Cummins and the entire Australian squad to Pakistan,” he said. “And I thank them for their individual decisions to tour Pakistan. There are many, many people on both sides that have worked tirelessly, over many, many months to make this tour a reality. This tour also sends out a strong and positive message to the entire world. And I’m confident that when the Australian team returns home, they will leave with fond memories.”Greenberg admitted there had been concerns about touring Pakistan from the players a few months ago, but they had all been put to bed by Pakistan’s security arrangements. He named Shane Watson as a proponent of the tour, saying he had spoken to a number of players to assuage their concerns.”Watson provided great context, clarity and confidence for that tour and spoke to a number of the players. And we’ve had individual conversations with not just players, but their families, and we’ve taken them on a long journey with lots of information. The more information you can share the better informed they are, the better decisions they can make. Which is why that anxiety has turned to excitement because they are genuinely excited to be here. There’s a generation of Australian cricketers that have missed the opportunity to play Test cricket in Pakistan.”I spoke to Steve Waugh only a couple of days ago who, when he last played on this ground, scored a hundred. Now there’s a lot of Australian cricketers who have not had the opportunity since then, and our modern-day players you’ll see today now get that chance. Cameron Green wasn’t born the last time we played a Test match here that’s not lost on this playing group, the great privilege that it is to play Test cricket here in Pakistan.”Allardice paid tribute to both cricket boards for working out a way to make sure the series took place in Pakistan. “I’m looking forward to the contest between the two teams. I have seen over the last four or five years the efforts that the PCB and the various authorities in Pakistan have gone to bring cricket back to the fans in Pakistan. And this is yet another step in that journey. And well done to both PCB and to Cricket Australia for making this happen. I think when you think about the almost the generation of Australian players who haven’t had the opportunity to experience Test cricket in Pakistan, you know, I think the excitement among the players today is very, very telling.”

Lancashire’s third win of the season keeps them within reach of Division One leaders Surrey

ECB Reporters Network15-Jun-2022Lancashire 291 (Croft 90, Norwell 5-78) and 329 for 6 (Wells 175*, Jones 66) beat Warwickshire 292 and 327 for 9 dec (Davies 121, Brookes 55) by four wicketsLancashire strengthened their position among the LV=Insurance County Championship Division One leaders after a perfectly executed run chase led by Luke Wells’ unbeaten 175 brought them a four-wicket victory over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.The Red Rose, set a target of 329 in a day and four overs, reached 329 for 5 with 24 balls to spare.They were in jeopardy at 93 for 4 but Wells, who hit 22 fours and a six from 280 balls, batted beautifully alongside Rob Jones, who scored 66 off 138 balls, in a fifth-wicket stand of 162 in 45 overs.Lancashire’s third win of the season keeps them within reach of Division One leaders Surrey at the halfway point of the season. Reigning champions Warwickshire, meanwhile, with just one win from seven games, have it all to do to retain their title and sit too close to the opposite end of the table for comfort.Lancashire resumed on the final morning on five without loss, needing to make the highest total of the match to win. They added only another 14 before Olly Hannon-Dalby struck twice in an over. Keaton Jennings edged to third slip and, three balls later, Josh Bohannon fell lbw.When Steven Croft was lured into driving at a wideish ball from Henry Brookes and edged to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess, the Red Rose were 53 for 3.Dane Vilas’ frustrating match with the bat then continued. Given out caught when he appeared not to have hit the ball in the first innings, his second knock ended in different but equally exasperating fashion… run out backing up. A sweetly-timed straight drive from Wells was diverted on to the stumps at the non-striker’s end by Liam Norwell – rotten luck for the Lancashire captain, but credit to the big paceman for getting down quickly to parry the ball onto the stumps.That was the only wicket to fall in the afternoon session as Wells and Jones consolidated to take their side to 167 for 4 at tea, at which point, with 162 runs or six wickets needed from a minimum of 35 overs, all results remained possible.On a flattening pitch, Wells and Jones played with increasing freedom to take Lancashire into the last 20 overs needing 91. Jones fell in pursuit of his 11th four, well-caught at deep square leg by Alex Davies, but the wicket did not stem the run-flow as George Balderson (33 from 43 balls) helped Wells seal the victory with a measured partnership of 70 in 12 overs.

The half-centuries from Kamindu and Asalanka ended up as mere footnotes in the game as WI won with five balls to spare

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-Oct-2024West Indies 180 for 5 (King 63, Lewis 50, Pathirana 2-27) beat Sri Lanka 179 for 7 (Asalanka 59, Kamindu 51, Shepherd 2-39) by five wicketsBrandon King and Evin Lewis crashed 107 off 55 balls at the top of the order, to set West Indies beautifully on course to their target of 180, in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. Although the hosts’ middle-overs bowlers slowed West Indies’ progress, they were never in serious trouble.They had plenty of batting to see the chase through, and Sherfane Rutherford finished it off with a four off the first ball of the final over.Shamar Joseph was the most economical of West Indies’ bowlers, conceding only 27 from his four overs. Though King and Lewis later outshone them, Sri Lanka had two half-centurions too, in Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka, whose 82-run stand was the most substantial of the innings.

King, Lewis blast the powerplay

Lewis struck the first boundaries, launching Chamindu Wickramasinghe for a six and four at the end of the first over, but it was King who made the greatest impression while the fielding restrictions were in play. King’s standard move was to run at the bowlers and blast them down the ground. So good was his hand-eye coordination, that he did it twice against seamer Asitha Fernando in the second over, before taking aim at the spin of Maheesh Theekshana in the third over.By the end of the powerplay, King had eight fours (some of them edged, to be fair), and 39 runs off 20 balls. Lewis, who had blasted boundaries off Wickramasinghe almost exclusively, had 31 off 16 balls. And West Indies had 74 off the first six.They kept swinging, and by the end, Lewis made 50 off 28, and King 63 off 33. The requirement was fairly simple after their onslaught.Shamar Springer celebrates his maiden T20I wicket•AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala

WI quicks strike early

By contrast, Sri Lanka’s top order had failed to prosper on a helpful surface, thanks in part to sharp bowling from West Indies’ quicks. Romario Shepherd caught the edge of Pathum Nissanka’s bat three times, conceded fours behind the wicket and then had him caught by the keeper on the third occasion, to make West Indies’ first breakthrough. Kusal Perera was then bowled by Shamar Joseph early in the following over.When Kusal Mendis was also bowled by an excellent quicker delivery from Gudakesh Motie, leaving Sri Lanka at 58 for 3, it felt as if West Indies were about to carve open the game.

Kamindu may be good at cricket

But then perhaps it’s time to admit that Kamindu appears to know what he is doing on a cricket field. Having recently become the fastest batter since 1950 to 1000 Test runs, he produced 50 off 41 here in the shortest format, outdone in his team only by Asalanka who clubbed 59 off 35, Kamindu would also bowl two overs for 14, switching arms when necessary. He took the wicket of the opposition’s top scorer, King, with his left-arm spin, and collected figures of 1 for 14.

Invincibles choked by spin as Heather Knight oversees knockout victory at The Oval

ECB Reporters Network17-Aug-2024London Spirit secured a place in the Women’s Hundred final against Welsh Fire at Lord’s with an eight-wicket win over Oval Invincibles.A disciplined bowling performance followed by a Georgia Redmayne half-century took the side to their first final since the competition’s inception – and ensured that across both men’s and women’s competitions, all eight teams will have featured in the Hundred final.Spirit won the toss and elected to bowl. Winfield-Hill hit Danielle Gibson for three boundaries in the second set to take the Invincibles to 21 for 0 after 10 balls before Charlie Dean trapped Paige Scholfield lbw for 5.The introduction of Sarah Glenn saw the back of Winfield-Hill, the Invincibles skipper slapping a return catch back to make the score 37 for 2.At the halfway point of their innings, Invincibles had moved on to 54 for 2, the Spirit spinners bowling tightly, Dean, Glenn and Deepti Sharma with the combined figures of 2 for 25 from 30 balls.Gibson, who had previously dropped Alice Capsey twice, eventually removed her for 30 before Kapp fell to Glenn for a run-a-ball 26.Dean then combined twice with Gibson in the deep to dismiss Mady Villiers and Laura Harris to finish with figures of 3 for 24 – Gibson’s full-length heroics to snare Villiers one of the catches of the tournament.Gray returned for the final five, dismissing MacDonald-Gay first ball and having Smale stumped as the Invincibles closed their innings on 113 for 9.Chasing 114 to win, opening batter Redmayne made an unbeaten 53 from 47 balls and was well supported by captain Heather Knight who made a classy 36 not out.Spirit had reached 33 for 0 after the powerplay, Meg Lanning going well on 21 from 14, both she and Redmayne surviving tough chances to Villiers and Harris.Marizanne Kapp returned to the attack to have Lanning caught behind for 22 and Amanda-Jade Wellington had Cordelia Griffith stumped to leave the Spirit on 42 for 2 after 40 to bring Knight to the crease.From there on, Spirit cruised to their target, Redmayne and Knight sharing an unbroken stand of 74.Meerkat Match Hero, Redmayne, said: “It’s really special, we came into this game in really good spirits.”Oval have probably got the best of us in the games we’ve played against them previously. We knew if we did the simple things right that we’ve got the team to be able to win the game and get to a Lord’s final at home which is going to be incredible.”On her innings she said: “It’s nice knowing what kind of intent you’ve got to go in with. Sometimes when you’re facing some really good bowling upfront you can get caught up in that a bit, but it helps having kept for a hundred balls beforehand.”

Shakib struck 70 off 44 balls in the tall chase but his was a lone effort

Mohammad Isam12-Oct-2022New Zealand joined Pakistan in the final of the tri-series by beating Bangladesh by 48 runs in Christchurch. After Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips made quickfire sixties, Adam Milne and Michael Bracewell made early inroads to bowl the hosts to a comprehensive victory. Though Bangladesh looked competitive with the bat, they could not sustain the momentum in pursuit of a target of more than 200.Milne’s three wickets broke the chase, with his pace making a difference. Bracewell and stand-in captain Tim Southee finished with two wickets apiece. Shakib Al Hasan struck 70 off 44 balls with eight fours and a six, but there was no support from the middle and lower order.New Zealand, on the other hand, had plenty of strong batting performances after getting sent in to bat.Conway builds on Allen’s start
Finn Allen started from where he left off against Pakistan in the previous game, going after Bangladesh’s bowlers from the first over. He struck Ebadot Hossain for two sixes in three balls in the third over and hit three boundaries to get New Zealand off to a strong start. But Shoriful Islam removed Allen in the fifth over, when Yasir Ali moved to his right at midwicket to catch the skier.Conway then converted his promising start into a big score. The left-hander dominated his 82-run stand with Martin Guptill for the second wicket, hitting five fours and three sixes in his 40-ball 64. Guptill also looked good towards the end of his 27-ball 34.Phillips shows off his big hits
New Zealand’s top three gave Phillips the perfect platform to take aim at Bangladesh in the last five overs. He struck Shakib for two sixes – both slog-swept – in the 16th over. Mohammad Saifuddin removed Conway and Mark Chapman in the space of four balls in the following over, but Phillips carried on, slamming Shoriful Islam and Saifuddin for consecutive sixes to reach a half-century off 19 balls. Phillips’ strike rate of 250 was the third highest by a New Zealand batter who has scored more than 60 runs in a T20I innings.Adam Milne took two wickets•Getty Images

Finally, a fast start
Bangladesh, despite using a third opening pair in as many games, had their best powerplay of the tri-series. After Milne cleaned up Najmul Hossain Shanto in the fourth over, Litton Das and Soumya Sarkar attacked the bowlers. But they couldn’t convert their starts, with Litton holing out in the sixth over and Soumya ramping one to third man in the 10th over. Bangladesh could not keep up with the required run-rate but for the first time on this tour they looked more comfortable as a batting unit.Shakib showed his fluency from the get-go, charging down the wicket on the first ball he faced to loft Bracewell over mid-on for a four. He got an extra life while he was batting on 11 and he made sure to take advantage of that, racing to a half-century off 33 balls. With wickets falling regularly at the other end and the asking rate climbing, there wasn’t much Shakib could do. He brought out the big shots against the quicks too, but he fell with Bangladesh needing 56 off 11 balls.Bracewell continues to impress
Milne bowled well on his comeback from a niggle, while Bracewell continued to impress after his frugal returns in the last two matches. After winning successive Player-of-the-Match awards in the previous matches, Bracewell took two wickets and also completed a difficult catch on the boundary. In the 12th of the Bangladesh innings, he bowled Afif Hossain and conceded just three runs. Later, he took a superb catch on the boundary line to dismiss Yasir Ali.

“They set attacking fields which really helps me to score runs, so I take advantage of that”

Varun Shetty01-Dec-2020Shreyas Iyer sees Australia’s short-ball strategy against him as an opportunity to score runs. In the first two ODIs, Iyer has walked in against fast bowlers who have, on both occasions, bowled to him with a short leg and leg gully catching and a clear plan to bowl rising deliveries at his body. Both times, he has been dismissed – one off a steep bouncer and the second a slower one. But Iyer said this plan plays into his attack, even suggesting it was a bit of an honour that Australia were plotting against him.Shreyas Iyer is on his first consistent run with the Indian side after debuting in 2017•BCCI

“I definitely know that they’ve planned against me,” he said, “so I’m really happy. At least they’re coming up with a plan against me to get me out. I feel very overwhelmed and take it as a challenge because, you see, I thrive under pressure. And also, it really motivates to go against them. They set attacking fields which really helps me to score runs, so I take advantage of that and I see to it that I make the best use of it.”Iyer made 38 at just over run-a-ball in the second ODI, having come in during the ninth over with a plan that seemed to be centred on getting inside the line of the short bowling and hitting through the off side. Without being too convincing, he did get deeper into the innings and take on spinners Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell in the middle overs. This hadn’t been the case during the first ODI, when Iyer was caught awkwardly between two or three options off the second ball of his innings.”I knew the short ball was going to come so I was in two minds,” Iyer said of that dismissal. “I was thinking of pulling and at the same time I have the upper cut. I got stuck in between two shots and I couldn’t play the shot. So maybe that’s the reason I got stuck in one place; and the ball came and hit the middle of the bat even that time.”In the second match, I was just like – look at the ball and react. It’s very easy to do that, rather than think what the bowler is bowling. You can actually predict, once you are set, what the bowler is going to bowl, so I usually give myself time at the start and that’s what I applied in the second match and it really worked out well.”Iyer is on his first consistent run with the Indian side after debuting in 2017, and has impressed in the No. 4 role that was given to him after last year’s World Cup. Including his scores this series, Iyer has got a 50-plus score every two innings in his 20 ODIs so far, only nine of which have been played at home. As such, he said, this test of his technique was not something that would compel him to make too many tweaks mid-tour.”I feel that it’s just the mindset which you need to adjust,” he said. “[I’ve] been playing for so many years… obviously it’s my first time playing in Australia and on these wickets. We all know that the wickets are bouncy and the bowlers are only going to bowl to you in the body area and the short balls are going to come to you.ALSO READ: India’s one-dimensional batsmen hurting their five-bowler strategy“Rather than bending down too much, it’s really important that you stand upright and play the ball, so that it’s easy to pick the short ones as well. I’ve set my patterns right from the start. Every time I play, I give myself a bit of time, get set, and then take on the bowlers. And if they come up with that field, it’s really important that I get aggressive as well because with that [field set], it’s really easy to manipulate the field.”A more immediate factor contributing to the rustiness, Iyer said, were the conditions. Acclimatising to Australia, having come from the UAE, and then practicing on pitches that he called “completely different” from the ones in the two games so far, have all contributed to the challenge for batsmen. And for the bowlers too.”If you see the amount of workload they’ve gone through in the IPL – playing 14 games – and after that they’ve come here and stayed in quarantine – definitely it plays on your mind. And it plays with every individual in the team, it’s not just the bowlers,” he said. “We’re working on some routines and processes which haven’t gone well for us in the last few games. And I’m sure it’s just the transition phase from T20 to one-dayers – it’s really difficult, especially for the bowlers coming in and bowling ten overs on the trot.”And also fielding for 50 overs. So it’s not at all easy from their point of view. There are many more matches coming ahead and I’m sure they’ll come back really strong and with a positive frame of mind.”

He played 29 Tests, scoring 1202 runs and taking 75 wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-20233:12

‘He was an enigma’ – Deep Dasgupta recounts his memories of Salim Durani

Former India allrounder Salim Durani has died aged 88. He was living with his brother Jahangir Durani in Jamnagar, Gujarat, according to PTI.Durani had undergone a proximal femoral nail surgery after he broke his thigh bone in a fall in January this year.An aggressive left-handed batter and a left-arm spinner, Durani played 29 Tests, scoring 1202 runs and taking 75 wickets.He was best remembered for that magical spell that helped India to their first Test win in the West Indies in 1971, which is also remembered for Sunil Gavaskar’s Test debut. In the space of a few balls, Durani had dismissed Clive Lloyd and Garry Sobers – the latter for a duck – at a crucial time in the second innings in Port of Spain for India’s seven-wicket win. Durani conceded just 21 runs in the 17 overs he bowled.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Durani gave details of how he set up Sobers and Lloyd for those wicket. “They’re one of the finest cricket-playing countries in the world… but not on the ground. On the ground they’ll break your head. But after the game they used to take us to [their] home[s], and this and that,” he spoke about sporting West Indies.