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“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.”

England’s three Tests against West Indies give team ‘head start’, says captain

George Dobell04-Aug-2020They may have a poor record at the start of a series, but Joe Root believes England have a “head start” before their first game against Pakistan.England have, infamously, lost the first Test in eight of their 10 most recent series (excluding the one-off match against Ireland), including the last five. And while they have gone on to win their last two series despite such setbacks, they know that they cannot afford to put themselves at such a disadvantage against a side they have not beaten, home or away, since 2010.The difference on this occasion is that, having just won a three-match series against West Indies, England should, in Root’s words, be “up to speed” with the pace and demands of Test cricket. Furthermore, two of those games – the two England won – against West Indies were played at the same Emirates Old Trafford where the first Test against Pakistan will take place, allowing England to familiarise themselves with the pitch. And, with England utilising the depth of their seam-bowling resources to ensure none of their fast bowlers were obliged to play in more than two matches, they should be both in rhythm but fresh enough to hit the ground running.”Having played some competitive Test cricket will serve us well,” Root said. “It will give us a bit of a head start.”Fortunately, we have three games under our belt coming into this. We played some really good cricket in the last two so the guys are up to speed. We are familiar with the rhythm of Test cricket too, so there is no excuse going into this week. Having good success on this ground in two Test matches will fill our group with a huge amount of confidence.”We are playing some very good cricket at the minute; as well as we have done for a while. We are used to playing in this environment, having had three games under our belt now, and feel we are starting to emulate our game-plan more consistently. The challenge for us will continue to keep trying to nail that as much as possible and becoming more consistent.”ALSO READ: England delay team announcement amid Stokes bowling doubtPakistan, by contrast, have not played a Test since February. They’d had one first-class game on the tour, but it was an intra-squad encounter which was curtailed by rain and did not see any batsman reach fifty. They also lost their previous Test in Manchester, in 2016, by 330 runs. Root, however, is aware of Pakistan’s fine overall record – they drew their last two series in England – and is adamant his side should not exhibit any complacency.”It’s really important we don’t take it for granted,” Root said. “We are very aware Pakistan are a talented team and very up for this series.”We are all very aware that, in previous series, we have not got off to the best starts and we have been one-nil down, so the focus this time is trying to get a win early on and trying to drive the series from there.”It always feels like hard work when you are behind in the series. We want to make sure we start well this time around. We are very aware of it.”England’s other advantage is the depth of their seam-bowling resources. In another era, the likes of Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson might well have been opening the bowling in Test cricket. Right now, however, neither can command a place in the squad and there will, at some stage in the series, be some more high-profile omissions.Jack Leach, Mark Wood and Stuart Broad walk to training•Getty Images

Continuing doubts over Ben Stokes’ ability to bowl may lead England to stick with the same four-man pace attack they utilised in the final Test against West Indies, although there may also be questions over the inclusion of the spinner Dom Bess ahead of the batsman Zak Crawley. Bess played ahead of Crawley in that game, but did not bowl a ball in either innings. Crawley’s omission also meant Root had to bat at No. 3 – a position he had made clear he would rather avoid, even though he scored a double-century from there against Pakistan in 2016 – and left Jos Buttler at No. 6 and Chris Woakes at No. 7.Either way, the only man whose inclusion Root would guarantee was Stuart Broad, who claimed 10 for 67 in the previous Test. But he did also suggest at least one of Jofra Archer or Mark Wood would play to ensure the England attack had a pace option.”Stuart will play tomorrow,” Root said. “Will a fast bowler be included? I think so. We want that balance of attack. It’s something we’ve looked at in the past. Long-term we’re looking at wanting that extra pace and variation. We feel around the world that gives us a lot better chance of taking 20 wickets consistently.”While Root acknowledged he faced a “really tough call” over the last bowling space, with Woakes, Archer, Anderson and Wood contesting two or three positions, he suggested it was an encouraging reflection of England’s overall depth.”It’s a really tough call,” Root said. “But if we’re going to become the No. 1 side in the world we’re going to have to have a battery of fast bowlers who can come in and perform. Especially if we are going to play back-to-back Test matches in the series.”It’s important we have options and can rotate if guys are sore or stiff. For the longevity of this team it’s important we look after our fast bowlers and make smart decisions at the right time, and we’ll get judged on results. It’s tough but good tough.”

Scotland scored 277 and needed to prevent Netherlands from crossing it in 44 overs; de Leede ensured it didn’t happen

Hemant Brar06-Jul-2023Bas de Leede put in an all-round performance for the ages as Netherlands stunned Scotland to book their ticket to the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup in India. First, de Leede’s maiden five-wicket haul helped Netherlands restrict Scotland to 277 for 9. Netherlands needed to chase that down inside 44 overs to trump Scotland on net run-rate. Around the halfway mark, they looked all but out of the contest, before de Leede smashed 123 off 92 balls, his first ODI century, to power them over the line in 42.5 overs, with four wickets to spare.This will be Netherlands’ fifth appearance in the men’s ODI World Cup. They last featured in the 2011 edition. De Leede, meanwhile, became only the fourth player to score a hundred and take five wickets in a men’s ODI, reducing Brandon McMullen’s equally outstanding hundred for Scotland to a footnote.In the morning, Scott Edwards opted to bowl citing help for seamers in the first hour, and Logan van Beek duly sent Matthew Cross’ off stump cartwheeling in the opening over of the match. Christopher McBride and McMullen ensured Scotland didn’t lose another wicket in the first ten overs. While McBride struggled with timing, McMullen looked at ease. He used his feet well, often coming down the track to try to disrupt the Netherlands seamers’ lengths.McBride chipped in with two successive fours off left-arm spinner Clayton Floyd in the tenth over but fell to de Leede in the next when he pulled straight to short midwicket. De Leede picked up his second wicket when George Munsey gloved a pull that was caught down the leg side.That left Scotland 64 for 3 in the 15th over, but McMullen was looking more and more comfortable by now.Through a perfect alchemy of timing and power, he put up an exhibition of eye-catching strokes. In the 11th over, he timed offspinner Aryan Dutt over long-off for his first six. A few overs later, he went down the pitch to a short ball from de Leede and smashed it over mid-on. To bring up his fifty – off 63 balls – he lofted Ryan Klein over wide long-off for another six, and then chipped Floyd over extra cover for back-to-back fours.Brandon McMullen scored his second ODI century•ICC/Getty Images

McMullen reached his hundred off 106 balls, with a punched four through extra-cover off van Beek. He and Richie Berrington added 137 off 135 balls for the fourth wicket, and took the side past 200 in the 38th over. Scotland were eyeing a total in excess of 300, but the late strikes from Klein and de Leede reined them in. Klein first had McMullen caught behind and then left Michael Leask’s stumps in disarray to make it 207 for 5.Berrington held one end up and brought up his half-century but couldn’t provide the impetus. He was on 64 when de Leede uprooted his middle stump. Shortly afterwards, de Leede sent back Chris Greaves and Mark Watt off consecutive deliveries to complete his five-for. All that meant Scotland could score only 74 in the last 12 overs.Max O’Dowd and Vikramjit Singh gave Netherlands a steady start of 65 in 12.4 overs before Michael Leask trapped both lbw in successive overs. The loss of Wesley Barresi and Teja Nidamanuru in a short interval further dented Netherlands’ chances, leaving them needing 170 in 20 overs to qualify.De Leede was on 19 off 30 at that stage. He and Edwards revived the chase by hitting four fours in four balls, across the 25th and 26th overs. The pair added 55 in 44 balls before Edwards failed to connect with a sweep against Watt and was lbw.Even at this point, Scotland were the favourites; Netherlands needed 115 in 13.1 overs with half their side back in the pavilion. And when the next three overs produced just 12 runs, it became 102 required from ten overs.With Netherlands’ backs against the wall, de Leede went on an all-out attack. He started by hitting Watt for a six before picking up two fours off Safyaan Sharif a couple of overs later. Saqib Zulfiqar too found the occasional boundary to keep Netherlands abreast with the required rate.With 45 needed in four overs, it was even-stevens. That’s when de Leede went into overdrive, hitting four sixes in a space of ten balls that also included a maximum from Zulfiqar. One of those hits took de Leede to his hundred, off just 85 balls. By the team he was run out, Netherlands needed just two from 11 balls. They got them in singles.

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.

Dhananjaya de Silva has been dropped, while Wanindu Hasaranga’s availability will be subject to fitness

Madushka Balasuriya03-Jan-2024Avishka Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay and Akila Dananjaya have been recalled to Sri Lanka’s ODI squad for the three-match series against Zimbabwe. Kusal Mendis will lead the side, his first series since being appointed full-time ODI captain.Sri Lanka’s new selection committee, in their first assignment since being appointed, have made eight changes to the side that finished second-last at the ODI World Cup, with Wanindu Hasaranga, Pramod Madushan, Janith Liyanage, Nuwanidu Fernando and Sahan Arachchige also coming into the squad. Making way are Kusal Perera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha. There was also no room for Chamika Karunaratne, who had been named as a travelling reserve at the World Cup, and Angelo Mathews who had been drafted into the side midway through the tournament.Of those, de Silva’s exclusion was the one the selectors were compelled to address. De Silva has an average of 25.90 in 82 innings but it’s long been argued that he was being wasted lower down the order, with 43 of his 81 ODI innings having come at either six or seven – in efforts to shoe-horn him into the side. The selectors therefore felt his inclusion would only be warranted if a position opened up higher up the order.Related

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“We feel Dhananjaya de Silva can perform better in the top three, where he has time to bat longer,” chief selector Upul Tharanga said. “We’ve spoken to him about this as well and told him that even in club matches he should aim to bat in the top order. So if he is to make it back into the side it’ll be in the top three.”Hasaranga’s availability meanwhile is subject to fitness with the spin-bowling allrounder still recovering from hamstring surgery. He is expected to miss the first two ODIs at least. In his absence, Maheesh Theekshana will lead a spin-bowling unit that also includes Vandersay, Dananjaya and Dunith Wellalage.While Vandersay last played an ODI in January 2023, Dananjaya hasn’t turned out for Sri Lanka in any capacity since 2021. According to the selectors, both players’ inclusion in the side is a means of bolstering Sri Lanka’s spin-bowling stocks. Of the two, it is Dananjaya’s inclusion though that’s more curious.Dananjaya was an ever-present force in Sri Lanka’s attack, but following the remodelling of his bowling action he seemed to have lost some of his potency, which eventually led to his removal from the side. He has however been impressing in domestic cricket lately, but with spinners difficult to handle on Sri Lanka wickets, the selectors are hoping some international game-time will offer better insight into his current standing.”In the last couple of seasons Akila Dananjaya has been picking up wickets, and we also need a backup plan for the likes of Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga,” selector and former Sri Lanka spinner Ajantha Mendis said. “With the next ODI World Cup in 2027 we need to find a way to give players on the fringes more game time. In domestic cricket the opportunity just isn’t there to see him tested like he would be internationally.”In terms of the batting unit, Avishka’s inclusion adds some much-needed firepower to the line-up and it is likely he will slot in at the top of the order alongside Pathum Nissanka. The middle order too picks itself with Mendis heading a trio that includes Sadeera Samarawickrama and new vice captain Charith Asalanka. It is for the sixth and seventh positions though that spots will be up for grabs.Sri Lanka have long struggled for consistent power-hitting lower down the order. Dasun Shanaka was meant to resolve that issue, but his form has been lacking over the past year. In Arachchige, Nuwanidu and Liyanage Sri Lanka hope they have three players capable of filling that hole, with all three having impressed domestically and in the Lanka Premier League in recent years.Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka, the latter fresh off his 21 World Cup scalps, will head up the fast-bowling unit with Pramod Madushan in as back-up.Sri Lanka ODI squad: Kusal Mendis (capt.), Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan Arachchige, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Janith Liyanage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Wanindu Hasaranga (subject to fitness)

USA’s top three all fired fifties to take the team to 230, and Canada could only muster 199 in reply

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2024USA’s top three batters – Steven Taylor, Andries Gous and the captain Monank Patel – all raised half-centuries, as the team made 230, paving the way for a comfortable 31-run win in Prairie View.USA, after being inserted, began strongly, as the openers Taylor and Monank added 104 in 8.3 overs. Taylor initially played the more aggressive foil, striking seven fours and three sixes during his 25-ball 54, before getting dismissed by Parveen Kumar. USA, however, did not slow down, as Gous and Monank both produced fifties for a second consecutive game. Monank blasted 10 fours and two sixes for his 68 off 35 balls, while Gous’ 35-ball 57 featured three fours and four sixes. The carnage did not stop there though, as Aaron Jones provided a late flourish, smashing four sixes during a 20-ball 34 to take the total past 200. Canada used seven different bowlers, and five of them went at 11 and above an over.Canada, in reply, lost their opener Srimantha Wijeyeratne for a first-ball duck, but Aaron Johnson and Pargat Singh led a recovery with a 95-run partnership. At 112 for 1 inside 11 overs, Canada had a glimmer of hope, but both Johnson (74) and Pargat (27) were dismissed in quick succession, giving USA the firm advantage. A few other batters made quick starts – including Harsh Thaker with an unbeaten 34 – but USA were never really threatened, as Canada eventually folded for 199.Seven different USA bowlers were among the wickets, with Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley van Schalkwyk and Harmeet Singh scalping two apiece.

Sri Lanka’s spinners were made to toil on day five, bowling 48.3 overs for the last four wickets

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Nov-2021Nkrumah Bonner defied Sri Lanka for 173 balls on day five, Joshua Da Silva joined him for a 100-run, 44.4-over stand, but although the sky was swimming with dark clouds, rain did not arrive until minutes after Sri Lanka claimed the last wicket to clinch victory in Galle.Having scythed through West Indies’ top order on the fourth evening, Sri Lanka’s spinners were made to toil on day five, bowling 48.3 overs for the last four wickets. Offspinner Ramesh Mendis had begun the day with four wickets to his name, but it was left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya who finished with a five-wicket haul – the third of his 11-Test career – claiming all but one of the wickets to fall on day five. Praveen Jayawickrama took the other one. Between them, Sri Lanka’s three frontline spinners took 18 wickets in the 187-run victory.

Joshua Da Silva on…

The 100-run partnership with Nkrumah Bonner which started with WI 18 for 6
We had to rebuild. We had to think about how we were going to get ourselves out of a bit of a collapse. We had to bat balls, and we knew we had to bat until the end of the day, because the next day we’d try our best to draw the game or win the game. The pitch was turning a lot and the straighter ball was sliding on a bit. It was a difficult new-ball wicket. But once the ball got a bit softer it was a bit easier to get on top of the bowlers.
What WI did wrong with the bat
We played a bit in front of the pads I think. Not always. In the second innings when Sri Lanka were on top we just needed to fight.
How WI can improve for the second Test
I just think we need to fight. We need to believe in ourselves. We need a bit of application. You have a lot more time than you think. You have five days.

Bonner and da Silva battled hard during their morning resistance, trying few run-scoring strokes, and generally displaying a level of concentration and application unseen from West Indies’ batters so far in the match. They had contrasting styles – Da Silva more comfortable on the front foot, and the more likely of the two to sweep, and rotate strike.They each had good fortune. On a treacherous track, there were edges that fell short of slip, aerial mis-hits that landed in space, deliveries that barely missed the stumps and the outside edge, and missed chances as well. da Silva could have been run out on 19 when the pair attempted a quick single, but the cover fielder’s throw missed the stumps. He could have been caught on 23 when he inside edged a big-spinning Mendis delivery, but Pathum Nissanka could not hold on to a tough chance at leg slip, diving to his right. Later, Nissanka would grass another tough chance at short leg, this time off Bonner. But so long as the rain held off, it seemed as if Sri Lanka would continue to create chances, so rapid was the turn off the surface.With Da Silva’s dismissal in the half-hour before lunch, West Indies’ chances of securing a draw dipped substantially. He had completed a fifty off 121 balls, but was squared up by a turning Embuldeniya delivery a few overs later, with the resultant edge held by Dhananjaya de Silva at slip.Rahkeem Cornwall then joined Bonner, and put in a shift that lasted 46 balls until he ran out of patience, toe-edging a catch to mid off when he attempted to heave Jayawickrama down the ground. Warrican, the No. 10, saw out 20 balls before he gave a bat-pad catch to silly mid off. Shannon Gabriel, whom Bonner was trying desperately to shield from the strike, was also squared up and caught at slip off Embuldeniya, after a six-ball stay. Bonner remained unbeaten on 68 off 220 balls.The victory was perhaps just reward for Sri Lanka, whose top order led by Dimuth Karunaratne had dominated in both innings, and whose spinners used helpful conditions well. They earn 12 World Test Championship points in their first match this cycle. West Indies also have 12 points, but have played three matches.

Visitors made light work of hefty Hampshire target to boost hopes of reaching knock-outs

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-Jul-2025 Lancashire 175 for 2 (Lamb 66*, Jones 42, Smale 42) beat Hampshire 173 for 5 (Kemp 63, Norgrove 54) by eight wicketsEmma Lamb made her highest Women’s Vitality Blast score to fire Lancashire Thunder to a third victory in a row and boost their chances of reaching the knockouts.England international Freya Kemp had whacked 63 and Abi Norgrove celebrated her maiden Hawks fifty as the hosts reached 174 for five, after a rocky start.But Lamb’s exemplary 66 not out, coming in partnerships of 65 with Eve Jones and 92 with Seren Smale, saw Lancashire home by eight wickets.Hawks and Thunder had gone into the match level on 21 points, with the visitors’ four points giving them a strong chance of leap-frogging Bears into third, and qualify for finals day.Thunder had the dream start at Falklands Cricket Club in Newbury.They won the toss and then had the Hawks 11 for three after the first four overs after Ellyse Perry had been unfortunately run out while backing up, Rhianna Southby had looped off her leading edge to mid-off and Georgia Adams pinged to midwicket.But as quickly as they gained advantage, Norgrove and Kemp quickly swung it in the other direction.In the following two overs, Kemp and Norgrove made the most of the fielding restrictions to pummel seven boundaries – which kicked off a flourishing partnership.Despite being just 20, Kemp has been an integral player for Utilita Bowl-based sides for a few years and earned 30 international caps, while England U19 captain Norgrove, 19, has an incredibly high ceiling but has mainly been used as an impact player at the death of innings this season.Both middled the ball and let the scorched Berkshire outfield do the hard work as the scoreboard rolled and rolled, despite Darcy Carter’s miserly four overs for 24.Kemp won the race to the half-century, but Norgrove was quicker – 38 vs 33 balls. The pair’s 116 was the highest fourth wicket stand in the Blast, as both also pinged a six.But they were both dismissed by Alana King, within three balls of each other but Naomi Dattani and Mary Taylor refused to let that stunt the hosts with 42 in the last 27 balls.Like Lancashire, Hampshire took the early impetus – with a Freya Davies maiden – before Lamb and Jones took control of the chase.The experienced openers used the conveyer belt nature of the outfield to whizz to 65 inside seven overs before Jones was caught at cover. 40 of Jones’ 42 had come in fours.Seren Smale simply continued where Jones had left off as Thunder bolted towards the winning target.Lamb reached her third fifty of the competition in 30 balls and even though Smale was caught and bowled for 42, Ailsa Lister joined in to win with six balls to spare.

Kranti Goud picked up 3 for 20 to continue her rapid rise with India’s ODI side

Shashank Kishore05-Oct-20254:12

Goud, Deepti, Ghosh make it two from two for India

Kranti Goud, 22, was informed of her India debut at the R Premadasa Stadium in May 2025. She had largely been picked as an apprentice, with India waiting on two senior players – Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar, both injured and in rehab.It was an unremarkable debut, for figures of 5-0-22-0. But among the many things she did right was hitting Chamari Athapaththu, a ferocious puller of the cricket ball, on her ribs. That tiny moment, lost amid Smriti Mandhana’s century and Sneh Rana’s four-for, encouraged India’s selectors to take a punt on her for the England tour.When she picked up a six-for in Durham, hooping the ball and leaving England’s top order gasping en route to an impressive series victory, it was fairly evident Goud had sealed her World Cup spot, irrespective of whether the injured senior pacers returned. Renuka has, Vastrakar hasn’t, but Goud has made herself undroppable after just two outings.Related

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• Goud, Deepti seal another big win against Pakistan

• Bugs halt play between India and Pakistan in Colombo

A week after she opened the 2025 World Cup with 1 for 41 in India’s win over Sri Lanka, Goud stung Pakistan’s top order in a fiery new-ball spell. She finished with 3 for 20 in India’s 88-run win in Colombo, one that her neighbourhood watched on a giant LED screen they’d installed back in Ghuwara, a town in rural Madhya Pradesh.”The talk is about focusing on line and length only,” Goud said after winning the Player-of-the-Match award. “I haven’t thought of doing much extra. Variations like bouncer or slower balls, those depend on the situation. The coaches told me to pull my lengths back a little based on the conditions and surface, that’s what I did.”It wasn’t merely Goud listening to her coaches that did the trick. She also got the captain to give her the fields she wanted most times. In the 12th over, with the ball losing some of its shine, Harmanpreet Kaur pulled out Deepti Sharma from the slips, only for Goud to wheel her back to where she’d been.The result? Aliya Riyaz was defeated by late movement to get a healthy edge through to Deepti at second slip. A jubilant Goud immediately turned to her captain, who ran towards her to acknowledge her contribution.”The ball was swinging early on, I couldn’t understand what was happening,” Goud said with a chuckle when asked about her first spell. “One ball came in a long way. Then when the ball was old, Harman wanted to take the slip off, but I said, ‘no didi, let’s keep the slip for this over.'”I had that feeling from within that I could get a wicket, and I got it off the first ball. They found it tough to play our pacers. Because the ball was moving in and out, that’s why I had a lengthy first spell.”Goud bowled six unchanged overs with the new ball. The other small contribution she made to India’s win was her crucial lower-order runs with Richa Ghosh. Coming in with India 226 for 8, the ninth-wicket pair added 21 to haul India to 247.Goud’s contribution was 8 off 4 balls, including two fours: a cover drive off her first ball, against left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal, and then a boundary off Diana Baig when she got inside the line to help a short delivery past short fine leg.”Richa told me, if there’s a ball to be hit, go for it. But if you’re not able to, just give me a single,” Goud said. “Because only a few overs were left, we needed to score as many as we could. First ball itself was hittable, so I hit a four. Then she told me, play like this only. The second [boundary] was a short ball, so I went for it. Look forward to playing well like this.”Goud would perhaps acknowledge tougher tests await, but the stage on Sunday wasn’t to be scoffed at, even if India did come in with a 11-0 record over Pakistan in women’s ODIs. With the men’s Asia Cup having been played in an environment far from the bonhomie the teams have shown in the past, the focus was on the women’s game to see if some of the hostilities would spill over. It didn’t, even though the teams didn’t shake hands before or after the match.But the off-field noise was far from Goud’s mind. “I wasn’t thinking of India-Pakistan or other things,” she said. “My duty is to bowl, and I was doing just that.”