The West Indies allrounder had recently won the CPL with Guyana Amazon Warriors

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2023Lucknow Super Giants have traded West Indies allrounder Romario Shepherd to Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2024 auction.Shepherd had played just one game for Super Giants in IPL 2023, when he didn’t bowl a single over and was dismissed for a duck, against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Lucknow.The ten IPL franchises were originally supposed to submit the list of players they are releasing and retaining on November 15, but it is understood that the deadline has been deferred to November 26, a week after the World Cup final in Ahmedabad.Related

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The IPL player auction will be held on December 19 in Dubai. It is the first time that the auction will be held overseas.Shepherd is a familiar name in the T20 franchise circuit. In September earlier this year, he won the CPL title with Guyana Amazon Warriors, his home franchise in the league. He was also one of Joburg Super Kings’ direct signings ahead of the inaugural SA20 auction.His primary role in white-ball cricket is to hit the deck with the ball and smash sixes lower down the order. He has played 31 T20Is so far and has a batting strike rate of 153.57 and a bowling economy rate of 10.38.

The department has stars such as Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Abrar Ahmed and Khurram Shehzad on its books

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-2023Departmental cricket returned to Pakistan after five seasons with the start of the President’s Trophy earlier this week, and the resumption has not gone without incident.Days before the tournament was supposed to start, Sui Southern Gas Pipelines (SSGC), one of the major department sides, pulled out, arguing that running a cricket team was not a top priority at the moment. SSGC had stars such as Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Abrar Ahmed and Khurram Shahzad on their books, though these players weren’t likely to be involved given they are playing international cricket.”As you know the SSGC is a public-sector utility company listed on the country’s stock exchange,” an SSCG spokesperson told , which broke the story. “So, with the inception of the winter season, the utility’s top priority is to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to its over three million customers. The management is focused on serving its customers while combating tough challenges in the backdrop of widening demand-and-supply gap.”That has left the tournament with seven sides, including traditional department giants such as SNGPL (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines), WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) and KRL (Khan Research Laboratories). The tournament was brought back into the calendar after the return to the PCB last year of Najam Sethi, who replace Ramiz Raja as chairman. Sethi headed an interim administration in which one of the main objectives was to bring back the PCB constitution from 2014, as well as bring departments back into the game.Departments such as PIA (Pakistan International Airlines, the state carrier) and HBL (Habib Bank) were an integral part of the domestic set-up for nearly 50 years, providing first-class cricketers with a regular, stable income and the prospect of an employed future post their playing days. In 2018 Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, became the country’s Prime Minister, and, as patron of the PCB, had domestic cricket substantially restructured along the lines he had been advocating for years: a Sheffield-Shield-style set-up with six province-based sides playing the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Department cricket, to some criticism, was disbanded with players – hitherto employed by them and earning regular salaries – affected the most. A number of first-class cricketers stopped playing the game because there were drastically fewer sides to play for.Sethi has since been replaced by Zaka Ashraf in another interim set-up that is due to run until February. Ashraf’s administration does not have the power to change the domestic set-up and has gone ahead with the President’s Trophy. But interest in participation in the tournament has been lukewarm, with a few departments who had traditionally fielded teams opting to not do so again.The tournament is also being played under new regulations that have not yet been announced publicly but limit the first innings of games to 80 overs. That stipulation is said to have been made to encourage more positive cricket though it has had its critics. Bazid Khan, the former Pakistan batter, called it “utter nonsense” and said it was “devaluing” the first-class game.

Shoaib Bashir is in contention to make his England debut in the second Test at Visakhapatnam on Friday

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2024Brendon McCullum has said that Shoaib Bashir is in contention to make his England debut in the second Test at Visakhapatnam on Friday, and has floated the possibility of fielding an all-spin attack at some stage in his side’s five-match series in India.Bashir linked up with the squad in Hyderabad on Sunday after a lengthy delay in the processing of his visa forced him to fly back to London from England’s training camp in Abu Dhabi, rather than straight to India. He has a sparse first-class record, with 10 wickets in six matches, but England’s management believe his attributes could suit Indian conditions.The touring party arrived in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday with doubts remaining over Jack Leach’s fitness ahead of the second Test, after a heavily bruised knee limited him to short spell in Hyderabad. But if Leach is passed fit and the pitch at the ACA-VDCA ground looks dry, it is not impossible that England could play all four of their spinners together.Related

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England used Mark Wood as their lone seamer in their turnaround 28-run victory in Hyderabad and he had limited impact across both innings, sending down 25 wicketless overs. And while James Anderson, Gus Atkinson and Ollie Robinson will come into the picture at some stage, McCullum raised the prospect of England going into a Test without a seam option.”Bash, he was obviously with us during our camp in Abu Dhabi and he really impressed with his skillset,” McCullum told SENZ radio. “He fitted in seamlessly within the group and he’s a guy who’s got an immense amount of enthusiasm, albeit at a young age and pretty limited in his first-class experience.”Like Tom Hartley, he was a guy who we looked at and we thought he’s got some skills which could assist us in these conditions. The visa situation, that’s just life, right? Sometimes that happens and everyone was doing everything that they could to try and resolve the situation. There’s just some red tape you’ve got to cut through at times.”When he arrived, the boys gave him a huge cheer and he got to witness something pretty special with the fellas bowling us to a Test win. He comes into calculations for the next Test match. If the wickets continue to spin as much as what we saw in the first Test as the series goes on, look, we won’t be afraid to play all spinners, or a balance of what we’ve got.”Tom Hartley picked up 7 for 62 in the second innings•Associated Press

McCullum also praised Ben Stokes’ handling of Hartley, who recovered from a Yashasvi Jaiswal mauling on the first evening, to take 7 for 62 on the fourth day. “He’s only played a handful of first-class games and was probably a bit of a punt, selection-wise,” McCullum said. “But we saw something in him that we thought would work over there and he’s a tough character.”The way that the skipper handled him was quite remarkable and he obviously brought us to a Test win… I thought that was a real sign of leadership. It was a clear message to not just Tom, but those that are around the squad, that when we talk about freedom, taking the game on and trying to come in and make a difference, you’re not going to be cast aside or taken off the crease from the first sign of danger.”I thought it was a magnificent decision by the skipper to do that. And I think it allowed Tom to feel like he belonged and he knew what his role was. It came up trumps in the end, but you’ve got to have a bit of a punt sometimes. And this one came off.”McCullum said that England had been “brave” in selecting Hartley, who had only taken 40 first-class wickets before making his Test debut in Hyderabad. “But let’s not forget – and I think this is quite a pertinent point – but Nathan Lyon, he’d only played a handful of first-class games and averaged 40-odd when he first got picked for Australia,” he said. And he’s gone on to have a fabulous career.”When you see guys you think are good enough, and who you think are going to suit the conditions, it’s sort of horses for courses. You’ve got to back your judgement… no-one ever foresees 7 for 60-odd on debut, or nine for the match, or 60-odd runs, a run-out and a catch. But sometimes, you’ve got to be a little bit brave with selections. If you like a character and you like their skillset and you think it can be suited to conditions, then it’s kind of an educated punt.”

Earlier, a handy knock from Pat Cummins kick-started Australia’s comeback

Tristan Lavalette23-Feb-2024Josh Hazlewood bowled superbly with the new ball before legspinner Adam Zampa returned to form as Australia tore through a shorthanded New Zealand batting order to wrap up the T20I series in Auckland.While their thrilling victory in the first game was highlighted by a magnificent chase, Australia’s disciplined bowling attack shone here with Hazlewood’s terrific opening spell setting the tone. Zampa then took over with four wickets as Australia clinched the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy with a thumping victory, with a match to spare.It was a stellar comeback for Australia, who were staring down the barrel at 138 for 7 after being sent in at Eden Park.New Zealand’s woes were compounded when wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway injured his left thumb early in the match and was not able to bat. An X-ray did clear him of a fracture, but he will be further reviewed.The series finale will be played at the same venue on Sunday.

Hazlewood stars early, Zampa bounces back

Australia were seemingly defending a sub-par total, but Hazlewood was on the money with trademark accurate line-and-length bowling. After being carted by Finn Allen for a six on his third delivery, Hazlewood exacted revenge when Allen unluckily played on.Hazlewood relished the surface’s bounce and zeroed in on a nervy New Zealand top order with his initial three-over burst capped by a maiden. Astonishingly he bowled 15 dots in his first 18 deliveries. It was an important hit-out for Hazlewood, who won’t be playing in the IPL due to the birth of his first child.Josh Hazlewood bowled 17 dot balls in his four overs•Getty Images

With Mitchell Starc rested, quick Nathan Ellis had his opportunity as he eyes a spot in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad. He bowled his usual array of offcutters mixed with piercing yorkers to finish with 2 for 16 from three overs.Zampa slammed the door shut on New Zealand with the wickets of Josh Clarkson and Adam Milne on successive deliveries. It was a relief for Zampa, who had been pummelled for 107 runs across his last two T20Is.Australia’s strong performance in the field was highlighted by returning wicketkeeper Matthew Wade sprinting towards fine leg and completing a fine diving catch to remove opener Will Young.

New Zealand struggle without Conway

Without opener Conway, who returned to form with a half-century in game one, New Zealand’s batting order was out of sync as they crashed in the powerplay.Skipper Mitchell Santner promoted himself to No. 3, but it backfired and their hopes rested on Clarkson and Glenn Phillips.Clarkson could not get going in his first T20I innings before being bowled by Zampa, who ripped apart New Zealand’s middle order, including Phillips for 42.

Smith fails to impress, Australia’s hard-hitting backfires

After being overlooked in the series opener, Steven Smith appears to not be in Australia’s first-choice XI for the T20 World Cup. But with their campaign to be played on slower and turning surfaces in the Caribbean, Smith will almost certainly make the squad.Pat Cummins pulls behind square during his 28 off 22 balls•AFP/Getty Images

With Australia trialling their line-up, Smith was given an opportunity at the top of the order while David Warner was rested.After not scoring off his first two deliveries against Milne bowling over 140kph, Smith decided to go for broke. He carved a cut over backward point then scooped a six over fine leg in an audacious manner reminiscent of the stroke he unfurled in the waning moments of the thrilling Gabba Test against West Indies.Smith’s most inventive stroke was a scoop to wide fine leg after shuffling well outside off stump. But he fell in the next over to a wicked inswinger from Lockie Ferguson on review to end his brief 11 off 7 balls.Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh then tried to smash almost every delivery to the boundary in a rapid half-century partnership. Australia were eyeing a huge total after clubbing 74 in the powerplay, but Head’s dismissal for 45 off 22 balls triggered a collapse of 6 for 53 amid a slew of miss-hits.Tim David, Australia’s hero at the death in the first game, came out at the halfway point and he was clearly not as comfortable coming to the crease earlier than expected.David made just 17 off 19 balls, but a handy late knock from Pat Cummins kick-started Australia’s comeback.

Boult cops early punishment, Ferguson and Sears restrict Australia

Experienced seamer Trent Boult returned to international cricket for the first time since last year’s ODI World Cup. But he has been playing plenty of T20 franchise cricket and hoped to provide New Zealand with a spark after their attack copped a pounding in the first game.Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne are all smiles after bowling Australia out for 174•AFP/Getty Images

Boult, however, had a torrid first over when he leaked 20 runs, including unluckily being hit for two sixes that flew off Head’s outside edge. Things didn’t improve much for Boult, who finished with 0 for 49 off four overs.But Boult played his part with tough catches at long-on to dismiss Marsh and Glenn Maxwell. New Zealand clawed back with Ferguson backing up his impressive performance in the first game to finish with 4 for 12 – the best T20I figures for a New Zealand bowler against Australia.He bowled mostly a tight length to restrict Australia’s power-hitters with his bowling effort marked by 13 dot balls.Ferguson was well supported by fellow speedster Ben Sears, who proved an inspired selection with 2 for 29 from four overs. He mixed his pace superbly with numerous slower deliveries frustrating Australia’s batters in the middle overs.

Grace Scrivens anchors chase with unbeaten 63 as Sunrisers start campaign with victory

ECB Reporters Network20-Apr-2024Jodi Grewcock and Nicola Hancock claimed three wickets apiece as Sunrisers launched their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaign with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Western Storm at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens.Seamer Hancock took 3 for 15 in 5.4 overs and teenager Grewcock bowled unchanged for 10 overs to return impressive figures of 3 for 28 with her legbreaks as Storm were dismissed for a wholly inadequate 114 in 30.4 overs.Offspinner Mady Villiers weighed in with 2 for 36, while Esmae MacGregor took a wicket and contributed a run out as Sunrisers produced a disciplined performance in the field after winning the toss. Only Nat Wraith offered meaningful resistance with the bat, top-scoring with 42 as Storm opened this campaign as they finished the last, by suffering heavy defeat.Sunrisers skipper Grace Scrivens then led by example, compiling a composed innings of 63 and sharing in a reassuring partnership of 59 with Cordelia Griffith for the second wicket as the visitors comfortably overhauled their target with 16.2 overs to spare.Victorious in their final four matches of last season, Sunrisers have picked up where they left off and will go into their next match against Thunder at Sale in confident mood. For their part, Storm have now been beaten in their last five outings in the 50-over competition and will need to find improvement ahead of their trip to play Northern Diamonds at Headingley on Wednesday.Put into bat, Storm were unable to recover from the loss of early wickets and were shot out inside 31 overs, only three batters managing double-figures in an innings which the home side will no doubt want to forget in a hurry.Hancock produced a probing new-ball spell to remove Alex Griffiths for 2, but fellow opener Sophia Smale responded in positive fashion, helping herself to three leg-side boundaries to advance her score to 16. Calamity then struck, Smale clipping Villiers behind point and setting off for a quick single, only to collide with partner Sophie Luff halfway down the track and be run out by MacGregor while getting back to her feet.That unfortunate mishap sparked a dramatic collapse which saw five wickets fall in just 8.1 overs as Storm subsided to 64 for 6, their top and middle-order batting undermined by spin. Luff played and missed at a delivery from Grewcock that nipped back and was adjudged lbw for 7, while Dani Gibson was also undone by the England Under-19 legspinner, playing back to a ball that struck her on the pad and departing for 3.Plying her offbreaks at the other end, Villiers trapped Katie Jones in the crease and then struck a telling blow, inducing former England international Fran Wilson to drive straight to Jo Gardner at mid-on. Wilson had made 18 and with her went Storm’s best chance of posting a competitive total.Fearing she might run out of partners before she was able to do anything to remedy a parlous situation, Wraith adopted a forthright approach and dominated stands of 24 and 26 with Niamh Holland and Amanda-Jade Wellington for the seventh and eighth wickets respectively. But Holland eventually offered a return catch to MacGregor and Wellington miscued a drive to extra cover as Grewcock continued to deploy clever variation in flight to strike again in her final over.Attempting to take matters into her own hands, Wraith plundered half a dozen boundaries in carrying the fight to the Sunrisers bowlers, her luck finally running out when she hoisted a ball from the returning Hancock to deep midwicket. Her combative innings of 42 spanned 52 balls and at least enabled embattled Storm to realise three figures.Hancock required just four deliveries to wrap-up the innings, having Chloe Skelton caught at the wicket, the seventh Storm player to perish either in single figures or without scoring.Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Storm’s bowlers did their utmost to build pressure and new overseas recruit Wellington provided a silver lining when gaining an lbw decision to remove Ariana Dowse with the score on 21 in the eighth over. Making a good first impression on her debut, the Australian international spinner finished with 1 for 24 from nine overs and discomfited the top-order batters sufficiently to suggest she is going to make a positive impact in Storm colours this season.But the implacable Scrivens overcame all attempts to unseat her, playing a captain’s innings to ensure her team reached their target without enduring any undue dramas. She found the perfect partner in Griffith, who adopted the role of chief support in an innings of 28 that spanned 48 balls and included a quartet of fours before she holed out to Holland in the deep off the bowling of Skelton.Unperturbed by that setback, Scrivens went to 50 via 65 balls with her ninth four, a fluent cover drive plundered at the expense of Griffiths. Perhaps fittingly given her performance with the ball earlier, Grewcock hit the winning runs as she finished unbeaten on 15.

South African seamer will be available for the majority of the county season

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2024Derbyshire have signed Daryn Dupavillon, the South African seamer, as an overseas player for the majority of the 2024 season. Dupavillon effectively replaces Mohammad Amir, whose international recall will limit him to six appearances for the county in the T20 Blast.Dupavillon is expected to join Derbyshire in time for their County Championship fixture against Sussex, which starts on May 3, following his commitments with the Dolphins franchise in South African domestic cricket. The club say he will be available across formats until the penultimate Championship fixture of the season in mid-September.He joins Blair Tickner, the New Zealand international, as one of two overseas fast bowlers in the Derbyshire squad for the first three months of the season. Tickner will feature in the Championship and the first eight Blast group games, before Amir replaces him after the T20 World Cup.Amir blindsided Derbyshire last month when he reversed his international retirement, three-and-a-half years after his most recent appearance for Pakistan. He was initially due to play for Derbyshire as an overseas player but had been exploring the possibility of becoming a local player through his marriage.Related

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“We felt we needed one more fast bowler to be part of our attack, particularly in red-ball cricket, and Daryn is an experienced option who will bring real pace and skill into the fold,” Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket, said. “I’m delighted to welcome a player of Daryn’s quality, he is highly regarded in the South African game and has experience in international and franchise cricket. He will be a real asset for us in all forms of the game.”We have a very strong squad for the coming season, with Blair Tickner being here for the first half of the campaign, Daryn coming in from May and we’re keen to have Mohammad Amir for the second half of the Vitality Blast, after the T20 World Cup.”This will be Dupavillon’s first stint in county cricket. He said: “I’m really excited to be joining Derbyshire, I’m not sure there’s a cricketer around who would not want to work with a coach like Mickey Arthur, and the opportunity to play in England is one I want to make the most of.”Mickey has spoken to me about the ambition he has for the club and there’s some real quality in the squad, so I’m looking forward to getting started and helping to put some positive results on the board.”Derbyshire’s season had a false start last week, with a four-day wash-out at home to Gloucestershire. They will hope the weather allows them to get on the pitch in the second round of games from Friday, when they play Glamorgan in Cardiff.

Several leagues ran simultaneously at the start of 2024, and the ICC Champions Trophy is expected to further complicate the picture in February 2025

Matt Roller08-May-2024The Caribbean Premier League (CPL)’s chief executive has described overlaps between franchise leagues as “a nonsense”, and has called for regular meetings among their owners and administrators in an attempt to solve cricket’s global scheduling crisis. The CPL has overlapped with the Hundred in recent years but will avoid a clash this season after holding talks with the ECB earlier this year.And Pete Russell, one of CPL’s co-founders and the league’s CEO since 2021, believes that such collaboration should be commonplace to minimise the frequent clashes between the T20 leagues.”[The ECB] have a defined window that they have to play in, and it happened that we could move everything out to ensure that we didn’t clash [with the Hundred],” Russell told ESPNcricinfo. “It makes absolutely zero sense if you’ve got [Sunil] Narine and [Andre] Russell having to fly back the day before the final of the Hundred. That’s in no one’s interests, and certainly not the Hundred’s.Related

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“I hope that [collaboration] continues. It’s not rocket science; it’s what should happen with all leagues. It’s just a nonsense that we’ve got all this overlap when it just needs to be worked through. Scheduling is a challenge, I know, but it can’t be that you have two leagues going at each other at the same time. To my mind, it doesn’t make any sense.”There is a precedent for leagues negotiating to manage potential clashes as shown by the PSL and ILT20.Several different leagues ran simultaneously at the start of 2024. Australia’s BBL and New Zealand’s Super Smash finished in mid-January; South Africa’s SA20 and the UAE’s ILT20 started in January and ran into February; the Bangladesh Premier League started in January and finished in March; and the Pakistan Super League ran from mid-February to mid-March.The ICC Champions Trophy is expected to further complicate the picture when it returns in February 2025. The ILT20 is expected to confirm its dates for 2025 in the coming days following recent discussions with franchises, while the PCB has stated its intention to stage the PSL alongside the IPL in April-May 2025.There is broad support among players worldwide for global scheduling windows for franchise leagues and international cricket, thus minimising overlap between the two. The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) player survey will be published soon, and as confirmed to ESPNcricinfo by Tom Moffat, FICA’s CEO, will show that 84% of the 330 respondents support introducing windows.The MLC this year is set for a six-day clash with the Hundred•Sportzpics

“Unless the game can come together to find a system in which the domestic leagues and international cricket can co-exist, we will end up with two separate calendars running in parallel,” Moffat told ESPNcricinfo.”That will split the player employment-market, given most of the leagues rely on the inclusion of international players to be successful commercially. We currently don’t think that’s the right thing for the whole sport given it – and most professional players’ employment – is still largely funded by international cricket.”While representatives of national governing bodies meet regularly at ICC level – most of whom control their own leagues – there is no specific forum for the owners and administrators of franchise leagues to discuss scheduling.”It’s the logical way to go – because we’re all maturing, and we’re all getting to a point where we are sustainable,” Russell said. “They are generally regarded now as being part of the domestic calendar, wherever they are played. I think it is a case of, ‘OK, let’s have that group of people and say how do you figure out the schedule to the benefit of everyone?'”I think it’s workable. Others might think it’s not, but I just think the conversations at least need to take place, just to make sure [there’s no clash].”Moffat said: “With the exception of CPL and a couple of others, the controlling stake in most of the major leagues is generally owned by the same national governing bodies who schedule international cricket. That means co-ordinating scheduling between the leagues and international cricket to avoid scheduling overlap is possible – if there is a will to come together and do that.”Russell used the recent release of Major League Cricket (MLC)’s 2024 fixture list – two months before the tournament starts – as evidence of a shortage of “joined-up thinking” among administrators. MLC begins on July 5, and is thus set for a six-day clash with the Hundred.”They’ve only just come out with their schedule,” he said. “Why does it take leagues so long to put a schedule together? We have all year to figure it out.”Russell also encouraged administrators to find a solution to the perverse incentives that emerged for players earlier this year.”It can’t be right: I saw the other day that where leagues were overlapping, a player who got knocked out before the semi-finals or finals could actually make more money by going to another league. That shouldn’t be a thing.”

Netherlands folded for 118 in their chase of 202 as SL’s varied attack proved too tough to handle

Madushka Balasuriya17-Jun-2024
Sri Lanka ended their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign in a resounding fashion with a dominant 83-run win over Netherlands in Gros Islet. It meant they ended on three points and third place in Group D behind South Africa and Bangladesh, who had confirmed their place in the Super Eight after beating Nepal in Kingstown.Sri Lanka’s victory set up by their batters and finished off clinically by the bowlers. Nuwan Thushara was the pick of the bunch with figures of 3 for 24, but each of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka and Matheesha Pathirana also got in on the act as Netherlands were knocked out and bowled out 118 in chase of 202.Charith Asalanka had led the way for Sri Lanka with a blistering 46 off 21, which itself followed solid efforts from Kusal Mendis (46 off 29) and Dhananjaya de Silva (34 off 26). Jet fuel was then poured on proceedings by Angelo Mathews (30 off 15) and Hasaranga (20 off six), as Sri Lanka became just the second team to breach 200 this tournament.Netherlands briefly flirted with an improbable chase when Michael Levitt was going strong in the powerplay, but once the first wicket fell the rest offered up little resistance as Sri Lanka’s varied attack proved too tough to handle.

Sri Lanka keep things ticking

Losing Pathum Nissanka second ball put paid to any notion that Sri Lanka might come out all guns blazing, but a steady rotation of strike in the powerplay mitigated the lack of early boundary striking – the powerplay saw four fours and a solitary six, but they managed to score 45 runs despite losing two wickets.By the end of the tenth over Sri Lanka’s boundary count remained in single digits, but the continued consistent running between the wickets ensured that they maintained a healthy run rate. Between overs seven and ten only two boundaries were struck, but Sri Lanka nevertheless found themselves at a healthy 74 for 2 at the halfway stage of their innings.A shift in gears was however necessary on a ground in which 181 was chased down just a day prior, and this occurred swiftly and suddenly in the 13th over, as Dhananjaya pounded Paul van Meekeren for three consecutive boundaries – using the strong cross breeze to great effect.Nuwan Thushara stepped up with the ball for Sri Lanka•ICC/Getty Images

SL batters arrive…belatedly

Sri Lanka’s batting had been under heavy scrutiny coming into this game, particularly their middle order, which had been guilty of not showing enough intent and purpose. Here though they fired on all cylinders.From the 13th to the 20th over only one of those went without a six being scored, as Sri Lanka plundered 77 runs off the final five overs. Asalanka, Mathews and Hasaranga all had impressive showings, feasting on the Dutch bowlers’ inability to nail their lengths with most deliveries proving either too full or too short.The result was a score that was always likely to be a stretch too far against this Sri Lanka bowling attack.

Leave it to Levitt

He might have had only 12 T20Is to his name, but 20-year-old Michael Levitt had already made quite the impression, having made his debut earlier this year. Leading up to this game, in just 12 T20Is he had already racked up 368 runs at an average of 33.45 and strike rate of 150.20, including two fifties and a century.Regardless of opposition those are impressive numbers, and here against a challenging Sri Lankan attack, he (briefly) lived up to the hype. He took on both Thushara and Theekshana in his 23-ball 31, the highlight of which was a sumptuous back-foot lofted-cover drive off the latter for six.His inexperience showed when he charged and was stumped off Theekshana, but the future certainly does seem to be bright for the youngster.

SL bowlers take over

Levitt ‘s wicket towards the end of the powerplay followed Max O’Dowd’s an over prior. It meant two new batters were at the crease, but the required run-rate remained as steep as ever. What followed was a crash course in intent without execution.Vikramjit Singh fell pulling as Kamindu Mendis completed a very unique bobbling, juggling catch, while Sybrand Engelbrecht – having managed a sweet straight six off Hasaranga – would fall a short while later trying the same off Matheesha Pathirana Pathirana.A double-strike an over later from Hasaranga then suddenly left Netherlands reeling on 71 for 6. Scott Edwards hung around for a stubborn 31 off 24, but wickets kept falling around him as Netherlands were eventually bundled out in the 17th over.

The legspinner picked up 4 for 28 before Taylor anchored the chase with an unbeaten 28 off 26 balls

Madushka Balasuriya26-Jun-2024Stafanie Taylor scored an unbeaten 28 off 26 balls after Afy Fletcher’s four-for had kept Sri Lanka under check, as West Indies secured a six-wicket win in a rain-affected game in Hambantota to level the three-match T20I series 1-1. This was also West Indies’ first win of the tour.Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 99 in 15 overs, Taylor and captain Hayley Matthews provided the visitors with an ideal start of 44 runs in 6.5 overs, and in the process ensured West Indies were always ahead of the DLS-par score.After Matthews fell to a Sachini Nisansala arm ball, Taylor then ensured she was around to anchor the chase.In an 18-ball 24-run second-wicket partnership with Shemaine Campbelle, she took a backseat choosing to give strike to her more aggressive partner, who contributed 16 off 13. The subsequent dismissals of Campbelle, Qiana Joseph and Chedean Nation came about as a result of West Indies’ positive approach, but the required rate was always below run a ball.Aaliyah Alleyne then finished off any lingering hopes Sri Lanka might have harboured with a trio of boundaries off Kavisha Dilhari in the penultimate over of the innings.At no point though had West Indies let the game get out of hand. While Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu were going strong in their 44-run opening partnership, that had still come at a touch under run a ball. And once Fletcher spun one past Athapaththu to disturb her stumps, none of the other batters could up the scoring rate on a sluggish surface.Gunaratne hung around for a laboured 24 off 35, but was trapped lbw in the 14th over by a Fletcher googly. Earlier, the legspinner, who had utilised the strong cross breeze to good effect, snuck one under Imesha Dulani’s attempted sweep and then had Harshitha Samarawickrama top-edging on the way to figures of 4 for 23.Dilhari had briefly shown some promise of a late counterattack scoring 14 not out off just six balls that included two boundaries when rain brought the first innings to an abrupt end after 15.2 overs.

Nadine de Klerk, who is recovering from an Achilles’ injury, is also part of the Laura Wolvaardt-led side

Firdose Moonda03-Sep-2024South Africa have named 18-year-old uncapped legspinner Seshnie Naidu and 20-year-old seamer Ayanda Hlubi in an otherwise experienced 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup in the UAE. Both players were part of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup held in South Africa last year.The rest of the squad members, apart from wicketkeeper batter Mieke de Ridder, were part of the playing group that reached the final of the 2023 T20 World Cup. From those, Lara Goodall, Masabata Klaas and Delmi Tucker miss out, and Shabnim Ismail has since retired.Dillon du Preez will continue to coach the side in an interim capacity, after taking over Hilton Moreeng in June. South Africa have yet to appoint a permanent head coach.The squad will be captained by Laura Wolvaardt, and includes the experience of allrounder Marizanne Kapp, opener Tazmin Brits and seamer Ayabonga Khaka. Nadine de Klerk, who is currently recovering from an Achilles’ injury, is expected to be fully fit for the tournament. Having last played against India in July, South Africa will play three matches in Pakistan en route to the UAE.The inclusion of Naidu and Hlubi comes amid talk of a comeback by Ismail and former captain Dane van Niekerk, suggesting South Africa are looking forward. While Ismail retired after the 2023 T20 World Cup final, van Niekerk quit amid controversy after she failed to make the T20 World Cup squad over fitness concerns. Ismail continues to play in T20 leagues. Convener of selectors Clinton du Preez said there was “no conversation” around a comeback but van Niekerk has signed with Western Province for the upcoming season. She told ESPNcricinfo she has “no timeline” on a possible return to the national side, and du Preez reiterated that she would have to re-earn her place.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“The message is very clear,” du Preez said. “She has opted to come back and play provincial cricket and she has got to try and knock down the door, do whatever she does best, and then we will consider and see how it goes forward.”Du Preez called the current status of the squad as being in “transition”, and Naidu and Hlubi are among the first to benefit from that. Both play their cricket at the Durban-based Dolphins team, where Hlubi was among the top ten wicket-takers in 50-over cricket in Division One last summer. She also toured to Australia with the national team.”She’s got good attributes as a quick bowler,” du Preez said. “We followed her in the provincial competition, and definitely look at her excitement as a bowler, and going into a World Cup as a player that is not known to quite a few countries. We are looking at what she can bring towards and complement her bowling attack.”Naidu’s career is in its infancy but she has already played in a major continental tournament as well. She was part of the South African Emerging Women’s squad that competed at the Africa Games in Ghana earlier this year and has been identified as a future star.”Seshnie Naidu has shown significant growth as a bowler within our camps, and we see her as an X factor for the World Cup,” du Preez said. “She brings a unique element to our bowling attack, offering something different that could be pivotal.”Ayanda Hlubi made her South Africa debut last year•Getty Images

Nonkululeko Mlaba, another Dolphins player, who was once ranked second in the world in T20Is, will lead the spin attack. South Africa have several seam-bowling options, including Kapp, Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune and de Klerk. If there is a concern, it may be around batting depth with the squad overly reliant on Wolvaardt, Kapp and Brits especially as Sune Luus has struggled for form. Luus has not scored more than 19 in any of her six innings in T20Is this year and has been dismissed in single figures four times.Luus’ dip came after she led South Africa in their stunning run to last year’s T20 World Cup final and as a team, their performances have followed suit. Since that tournament, South Africa have only won five out of 18 T20Is and have lost series to Pakistan, Australia and Sri Lanka.At the upcoming World Cup, they will not play any of those teams in the group stage. They are in Group B and will open their campaign against West Indies in Dubai before playing England in Sharjah. They will then return to Dubai to play Scotland and Bangladesh.Like all the other teams at the tournament, South Africa have never played a T20I in Dubai but Luus and Khaka have some experience of Sharjah. They were in the squad that played against Pakistan in a T20I series in 2015.”The management group has consulted in depth in the past week around all the conditions and all the potential factors that could impact things,” du Preez said. “It’s going to be difficult to adapt. However, we feel that the squad that we have got will be able to complement us on the field of play.”

South Africa squad for Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon
Travelling Reserve: Miane Smit