The biggest Indian buy at the last auction, the pacer let expectations get the better of him. After going for big money again, he opens up on burdens and belief

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Dec-20185:43

Agarkar: Unadkat’s salary of 8.40cr doesn’t surprise me

Jaydev Unadkat was big headline news from the mega IPL auction in January this year, after Rajasthan Royals dished out INR 11.5 crore on him – the most spent on any Indian player at that auction. But Unadkat finished the IPL season with underwhelming numbers: 11 wickets in 15 matches with steep economy rate of 9.65. Unadkat had done well for India in the Nidahas Trophy, on the eve of the IPL. Post the IPL, he was out of the Indian team. By his own admission, he was weighed down by his own expectations. Now, though, he has another chance to set the record right, after Royals bought him back, once again making him headline news as the joint-biggest buy at this auction. What were his thoughts on the day? Here’s Unadkat:In January, INR 11.50 crore (USD 1.8 million approx). Now, INR 8.4 crore (USD 1.16 million approx). For the second time this year you have finished as a massive buy at the IPL auction. Were you expecting this again?
What I had in mind was not the number, of course, but I was sure that with the form I have been in in domestic cricket, teams would be keen on me. The fact that I am left-arm and an Indian fast bowler stood in my favour too. To be honest, I have not done that badly in the IPL over the past few years, except for the last 2-3 matches last season. I was right up there. This domestic season, I have been in good rhythm: did well in the Vijay Hazare Trophy [domestic one-dayers] where I got 16 wickets, did well in the Deodhar Trophy [domestic one-dayers featuring the best performing players]. In the Ranji Trophy [domestic first-class], I have taken over the captaincy at Saurashtra, and we had an outright win in our last match.You told us after becoming a millionaire last IPL auction that you were happy, you were flying. Are you flying again?
I am grounded. I wasn’t’ really flying that time as well. It was a mega auction [since all the teams had to largely rebuild]. There was more hype. Things are much calmer this time. I wanted myself to be composed. I just want keep enjoying my game. It is high time in my career where I don’t bother about the criticism. I am going to play cricket for next 10 years at least.ALSO READ: Curran and Unadkat are IPL millionaires, Hetmyer to RCB
Were you following the auction today?
Yes, with my Saurashtra team-mates [Saurashtra are in Mumbai for the next round of the Ranji Trophy]. Even last time, I was with the same group of players following the auction on the phone and I needed them to stick around for sure again. Arpit [ Vasavada], Snell [Patel], Dharmendra Jadeja are some of the guys and they obviously are my good-luck charm.Was your pulse racing as the bids soared?
I don’t feel that much of anxiety or the hype that was there last auction. Also last auction we were at the ground, there were a lot of media already at the ground minutes after the bidding happened. It is pretty quiet now, pretty calm at the moment. There is more calmness this time around.Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals started the bidding, before Chennai Super Kings joined in at the INR 5 crore mark. What did you think of the way the bidding went?
Super Kings were keen on me at the last auction, too. Their think tank really believes in me. Flem [coach Stephen Fleming] and Mahi [MS Dhoni] believe in me from my time with them at Rising Pune Supergiant. It matters if you have played with someone and you believe in them. Just because they did not have enough funds I believe they were being very shrewd with what they wanted at this auction. But I am really happy the belief in me from franchises is still there. And I am going to work the hardest – I am going to work my pants off and do well, become as good a cricketer as I can be from here. It has been emotional for sure, like always.Why emotional?
Just because of all the criticism that came last IPL season. I had a hard time coping with it. Not just because of the IPL performances, but because of that I was dropped from the Indian team as well, which was a bit surprising. That way it has been emotional. I want to be right up there.You have spoken of the pressure of expectations that came with the “most expensive” tag last IPL. Can you expand on those feelings?
That was a first for me. People talking about you as the highest-paid player and hence the expectations were a lot higher. And then I didn’t really do as well as I should have, as I could have, maybe. But I think I have passed that phase for sure.Did you get carried away?
Not really. The personality that I have, I won’t get carried away by the money or be less focused. It was just the expectations that I had for myself: I wanted to be the standout player in every game, I was asking too much from myself. That was the only burden I had. There was no burden from the franchise owners or the other people who mattered. I was just expecting of myself to be the best in every game that I played. That does not really happen in a T20 game, being a fast bowler. So I have been able to come out of that for sure, to understand that it does not matter what expectations off me are, it does not provide any extra advantage in any fashion. I am focused, determined, dedicated. This time I want to enjoy my game.BCCI

So you have clarity of mind of now?
Yes. It is about being in that mental space where you are not just enjoying your cricket but things outside, too. Life has been pretty good, pretty simple, the way I want it to be. It is about giving it all out there on the field and not really worrying about the criticism that happens.Who helped you through that phase when you were feeling down?
At times you feel alone, you need someone to give you words of motivation. I was in that situation after last IPL. I talked to my [elder sister], one of my friends, an Indian Police Service officer herself, to cope with the pressure. But my mother, Nayna, was really the person who eased the pressures. Me, my friends and other members of my family were worried about me not living up to expectations in the last IPL. But my mom was the least worried. She told me if Sachin [Tendulkar] can get out on zero so you, too, can get hit for some runs in some games.ALSO READ: Decoding the mystery: Who is Varun Chakravarthy?
The fact that franchises are spending big money on you suggests they have confidence in you. What are the strengths they are investing in?
The biggest strength I have is the ability to bowl in any situation in a T20 game: to bowl at death, to bowl initially with the new ball, mix it up [in the middle overs]. The versatility I have in my bowling suits this format. To me that [the franchises’ faith in me] was a confidence booster. I can get as much confidence as I want from the franchise believing in me and my ability. It is up to me how much I can keep enjoying my game. There was no one else but myself to blame for putting that pressure on myself [last time]. I am not going to do it this time. There has to be something in me that the franchise is having that belief again.You are back with Royals. Do you owe them anything?
Obviously, yes. Based on the talks when Rajasthan Royals released me, I was pretty sure they were going to bid for me again. The management wanted to get me back cheaper [compared to the January auction]. I owe them for that belief and confidence they have in me.

The last time Pakistan failed to win any game in a three-match T20I series was against England in the UAE in November 2015

The Preview by Danyal Rasool05-Feb-2019

Big Picture

There are few series that go off quite so perfectly as this one has for South Africa.A narrow victory in the second T20I – that ended with the hosts’ reserve bowlers holding their nerve to stave off the No.1 T20I side – guaranteed that trophies across all formats would remain in South Africa. The Test side bounced back superbly after a disappointing away loss to Sri Lanka, experimentation with the ODI team didn’t prevent a 3-2 series win in a World Cup year, and, as the icing on the cake, they even put their hard-to-beat T20I opponents to the sword.This game will do precisely nothing to alter the narrative of the tour. South Africa will be attracted by the possibility of bookending the tour with 3-0 clean sweeps even if, in truth, T20Is mean little this year – at least until after the World Cup is done. Lutho Sipamla enjoyed a magnificent opening match, while Chris Morris reintroduction to the side has seen him put in strong bowling performances, in particular at the back end. With further experimentation likely, this is as relaxed an environment in which to induct a new arrival.Pakistan’s fans have perhaps already moved their attention towards the upcoming PSL. This tour has little context left and both fans and players will be happy to leave its whiffs of controversy behind. It began – forever ago it seems – with the leak from the dressing room about Mickey Arthur’s anger at batsmen’s poor shot selection, and the last few days have seen a media circus surrounding Sarfaraz Ahmed’s ban and Pakistan’s medium-term captaincy.Shoaib Malik has hardly set the world alight in the four games so far, losing three on the bounce after an encouraging start in Johannesburg. The PCB has now announced Sarfaraz will be captain at the World Cup, presumably negating its own statement under a week ago that captains would be appointed on as series-by-series basis. But having lost everything – the Test series, the ODI series, the T20I series, as well as their unbeaten T20I series record – Pakistan have little more to lose. Should they play like it in Centurion, they might come away with a consolation win in what, on a personal note, could be Malik’s last ever match as Pakistan captain.

Form guide

South Africa (completed matches, most recent first) WWWWW
Pakistan LLWWW

In the spotlight

Rassie van der Dussen and Reeza Hendricks weren’t front and centre in South Africa’s World Cup plans two weeks ago, but sensational form in the past fortnight has seen that change rapidly. With an average over 120 in the ODI series, van der Dussen put the failure of the first T20 quickly behind him with a 27-ball 45 that allowed South Africa to set up the platform from which David Miller struck the knockout blow. Hendricks enjoyed a prolific ODI series himself, and may perhaps have won the Man-of-the-Match award in the first T20I for his intelligently destructive 41-ball 74 but for David Miller’s masterclass in the field. With the ability to bat anywhere in the top six, Hendricks grows in importance with each game, and is a major reason Pakistan have been denied silverware in the coloured clothing on tour.Fakhar Zaman has endured a wretched tour, even by the generally miserable standards of the Pakistan team as a whole. He has scored 215 runs in 11 innings scoring just one half-century, and even that came after he was dropped very early on in Cape Town. While the Tests were always expected to be a challenge, his limited-overs struggles will cause real alarm to Pakistan in a World Cup year. The goodwill he continues to carry thanks to that match-winning hundred in the Champions Trophy final has arguably allowed him a far longer run than normal. But there’s no mistaking the pressure on him by now, with him looking out-of-sorts even in T20I cricket. With the PSL approaching, he needs to change his fortunes, and in South Africa he will have one last, no-strings-attached opportunity.Mohammad Amir winces and tugs at his left shoulder after taking a wicket•Peter Della Penna

Team news

South Africa had promised every squad member would get a game in the series, and Wiaan Mulder is the only one not to have played. His inclusion could be one of any number of changes as the hosts play around with their combinations.South Africa XI (likely) 1 Reeza Hendricks, 2 Gihahn Cloete (wk), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 David Miller (capt), 5 Jaaneman Malan, 6 Heinrich Klaasen, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Lutho Sipamla, 10 Beuran Hendricks, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiPakistan’s off-colour bowling continues to present a problem. It could open the door for Mohammad Amir to get another game, which would likeliest come at the expense of Usman Shinwari, who conceded 29 in the final over in Johannesburg. There are also doubts over Mohammad Hafeez’s fitness.Pakistan XI (likely) 1 Babar Azam, 2 Fakhar Zaman 3 Sahibzada Farhan, 4 Hussain Talat 5 Shoaib Malik (capt) 6 Asif Ali 7 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8 Faheem Ashraf 9 Imad Wasim/Shadb Khan, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Hasan Ali

Pitch and conditions

The series should close out with another high-scoring match on another dry pitch. This one is a day-night game, and unlike Johannesburg, weather is unlikely to play a part.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa’s joint-heaviest margin of defeat in T20Is came at Supersport Park in 2013. That game was also against Pakistan, where, chasing 196, the hosts were bowled out for 100.
• The last time Pakistan failed to win any game in a three-match T20I series was against England in the UAE in November 2015. Pakistan lost the first two games outright, before losing the third via a Super Over.

Final two matches, valued at $1 million each, were added to itinerary after tour had been signed off

George Dobell in St Lucia04-Mar-2019Cricket West Indies look set to take a substantial financial hit after Sky declined to pay for the two T20I games in St Kitts this weekend.The value of such games would usually be worth around US$1million each but, with neither match having been part of the package agreed when the broadcast deal was made several years ago, Sky are reluctant to pay anywhere near that amount. They argue they have already paid handsomely for the rest of the tour, which was originally scheduled to contain just one T20I, and have no intention of spending any more on it.The matches will still be broadcast in the UK. While CWI could refuse to allow Sky access to their pictures – the board are providing the cameras, the crew and the feed – they are not prepared to compromise their relationship with either their sponsors or the St Kitts government, who have invested in hosting the games. That means Sky could end up broadcasting the games for next to no cost.If that does happen, however, it is unlikely they will be exclusive. CWI would, in such circumstances, be able to live-broadcast the matches on YouTube, Twitter and through their own website. A compromise – where Sky pay somewhere between 10-20% of the anticipated value of the games – would seem likely.It still represents a painful blow for CWI. They are obliged to pay for the travel and hotel accommodation for both squads, as well as the match fees and other hosting costs. With the matches broadcast at close to peak time for Sky – they start at 8pm in the UK – they are aggrieved at the lack of value they are receiving. For a board with a turnover of around $40million, to lose up to $2million anticipated revenue is significant.West Indies captain Jason Holder during a net session•Getty Images

Meanwhile, the announcement of West Indies’ T20I squad for this series – which was revealed by ESPNcricinfo almost a week ago – was delayed after some board members resisted the decision to retain the ODI squad under Jason Holder as captain. While the logic of keeping the side together in the build-up to the World Cup was appreciated, there was a concern that preparation for the next T20 World Cup – which is to be held in Australia towards the end of next year – might be compromised as a consequence.There was also some concern that Holder might require more rest ahead of his commitments this summer. In addition to West Indies’ trip to Ireland in the build-up to the World Cup, he has also committed to a stint with Northamptonshire in county cricket.Equally, however, the delay in naming the squad might be reflective of the level of interference that selectors, coaches and officials in the Caribbean have from CWI board members.It also emerged that Andre Russell could miss the entire series with a recurrence of his long-standing knee problem. “He had some reaction to some treatment he had,” Richard Pybus, the team’s interim head coach, explained. It is understood that reaction came after Russell was given an injection into the knee and had been suffering unexpected swelling as a result.With opportunities running out for Russell to show his fitness and form, the setback could raise serious doubts over his likelihood of being in West Indies’ World Cup squad.

Jason Behrendorff hasn’t arrived in India yet, while Lasith Malinga and Adam Milne are already unavailable for the two-time champions

The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy23-Mar-20195:33

Yet to talk to SLC about Malinga’s unavailability – Jayawardene

Big Picture

After 11 seasons of disappointment, disillusionment, and discarding countless players who have gone on to become superstars in other teams, Delhi Daredevils have put their faith in the power of the makeover, and rebranded themselves – they are now Delhi Capitals. Give them some time if that name rolls a little awkwardly off your tongue right now, but they will not want to take too much time to get into gear on the field.Their opponents on Sunday, Mumbai Indians, are renowned for their slow starts, but Delhi have been no better. The two teams have the joint-worst win percentage (36.40) of all the current IPL teams in season-opening matches, having each won four out of 11 so far. Mumbai are known for rebounding spectacularly from sluggish starts, but they couldn’t quite manage it last season, finishing fifth on the points table. Delhi did even worse, ending up rock bottom with only five wins. Both teams, therefore, are looking for a fresh start.With the World Cup squad announcement deadline (April 23) exactly a month away, the players will also want to begin the IPL brightly, particularly those whose ODI spots aren’t entirely certain. Among India players, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, the latter mostly for fitness reasons, belong in that category, and a great start to the IPL could be just the push they need.

In the news

• Mumbai’s overseas pace stocks have taken a hit with a heel injury ruling Adam Milne out for the entire season and Lasith Malinga possibly missing their first six matches to play domestic 50-overs cricket and keep himself in contention for a World Cup place.
• They will be without another of their overseas fast-bowling options for this game, with Jason Behrendorff not having arrived in India yet.
• Chris Morris won’t be available for Delhi since he’s in South Africa’s squad for Sunday’s third T20I against Sri Lanka. Kagiso Rabada (Delhi) and Quinton de Kock (Mumbai), however, are in India and have trained with their respective teams.
• Rohit Sharma batted at Nos. 3 or 4 through most of a disappointing 2018 campaign with the bat. This year, however, he has promised he will open in “all the games”.
• Hardik Pandya is returning from a lower-back issue that kept him out of the ODIs and T20Is against Australia at home. Mumbai coach Mahela Jayawardene insisted on Saturday that Hardik was “200% fit”.

Likely XIs

Mumbai Indians: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk)/Evin Lewis, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4, Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Krunal Pandya, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ben Cutting, 9 Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Mayank Markande, 11 Jasprit BumrahDelhi Capitals: 1 Colin Munro, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Shikhar Dhawan, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Colin Ingram, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Sandeep Lamichhane, 9 Kagiso Rabada/Trent Boult, 10 Avesh Khan/Amit Mishra, 11 Ishant SharmaRishabh Pant completes a stumping of Evin Lewis•BCCI

Strategy punt

• Kagiso Rabada or Trent Boult? A difficult question for Delhi to answer, but it becomes easier when you know who the main threat in the opposition’s top order is. In six meetings in T20 cricket, Rohit Sharma has faced 18 balls from Boult, scoring 24 runs off them while being dismissed three times. He’s done better against Rabada: 24 off 20 balls with one dismissal, and has performed better against right-arm pace (average 34.1, SR 145.8) than left-arm pace (average 21.8, SR 141.9) in T20s since the start of 2015.
• Prithvi Shaw is destructive against pace: he averages 44.3 and has a strike rate of 162.4 against the quicks in T20 cricket. Against spin, though, he only averages 13.6 while striking at 128.3. Mumbai don’t have too much depth in the spin department, but they could call upon Krunal Pandya or Mayank Markande for an over or two in the Powerplay against Shaw.

Stats that matter

• Mumbai and Delhi have met 22 times in the IPL, and have won 11 games each. Delhi won both their meetings last season, Jason Roy sealing a last-ball finish at Wankhede Stadium and legspinners Amit Mishra and Sandeep Lamichhane combining to knock Mumbai out of contention for the playoffs in Delhi.
• Rohit has only opened 19 times in his IPL career, and at the top of the order has achieved his best average (40.9) at any position, and his second-best strike rate (131.8).
• Sunday’s match will be Rohit’s 300th T20 appearance.
• Teams winning the toss chose to bowl in all nine matches at the Wankhede last season, but teams batting first didn’t do too badly, winning four times.
• If he plays, Ishant Sharma will play an IPL match for the first time since May 2017, when he featured for Rising Pune Supergiant against Kings XI Punjab.
• Jasprit Bumrah has an exceptional T20 record against Pant, having dismissed him three times in 17 balls across five meetings, while conceding only eight runs.

It will be the most capped T20 player’s first stint with the side, after turning out for Barbados Tridents and St Lucia Stars in the past

ESPNcricinfo staff08-May-2019Kieron Pollard will turn out for Trinbago Knight Riders, his “home side”, for the 2019 edition of the Caribbean Premier League.Pollard, one of West Indies’ premier short-format allrounders, has never played for the Trinidad and Tobago franchise in the CPL so far, neither in its earlier Red Steel avatar nor the revamped Knight Riders. He spent five seasons with Barbados Tridents and the last one with St Lucia Stars.This time, for the tournament running from September 4 to October 12, Pollard will be Knight Riders’ marquee player.”We are delighted to welcome Pollard back home and it’s great to continue our efforts to bring as many Trini boys home as possible,” Venky Mysore, the team director, said in a statement. “I can’t wait for the reaction of the fans when Pollard takes the field at our opening game on 4 September.”Pollard – who will turn 32 on May 12, the same day on which he will be in the mix for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2019 final – will be hoping to then return home and try to help Trinbago Knight Riders add to the three CPL titles they have won to date, in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Pollard has, however, tasted glory at the CPL in the past, having led Tridents to the title in 2014.He is the most experienced T20 player in the world, having played 474 matches so far – 59 of them internationals and the rest in leagues around the world – scoring 9,275 runs and taking 261 wickets.The remainder of the squad will be selected at the players’ draft, to be held on May 22.

Bowler takes 1 for 6 off four overs as rain forces series opener to be abandoned

The Report by Danyal Rasool08-May-2019Pledging allegiance to England over his native sun-kissed Barbados may have had several advantages for Jofra Archer, but the weather would decidedly have gone into the “cons” column.On Wednesday, however, as a wet, stop-start day’s play drew to a close after just 19 overs had been bowled, Archer emerged as the man of the contest, conceding just six runs in a four-over spell of such ferocity that this incomplete, unsatisfying day of cricket may be the one that finally punches his ticket to the World Cup.The start was delayed by an hour and a quarter due to rain that never really went away, and Eoin Morgan’s decision to bowl first was the easiest one he will likely get all summer. Chris Woakes bowled the first ball of the match, but the action and excitement all lay at the Pavilion End with Archer steaming down against Imam-ul-Haq. Late movement with nearly every ball at pace often in excess of 90 mph repeatedly squared up Pakistan’s leading run-scorer of the past 18 months, and a wicket looked imminent.It arrived in Archer’s next over, with Fakhar Zaman getting an outside edge to the type of delivery Imam had – in hindsight, intelligently – been beaten by so regularly, and England began to take charge straight away. With Archer’s end tied up so mean-spiritedly, all Imam and Babar Azam could do was find the occasional release shot when Woakes bowled, but with the batting firepower at England’s disposal, a full game looked like it would only ever produce a result in favour of the hosts.That impression appeared vindicated even further when Babar fell victim to an uncharacteristically soft dismissal just as the pair had begun to get going, Liam Plunkett drawing the outside edge off the final ball of the 12th over. With Pakistan’s run rate well below four at this point, Morgan even had the cheek to bring in Joe Root as the first spin option.Shortly after, however, the heavens opened once more and the rain was accompanied by hailstones this time, and the ground staff were caught on their heels as the pitch took a peppering. That was, in effect, the end of all serious cricket for the day, even though the players did come on for another couple of overs half-an-hour later. By this time, the game had been reduced to 41 overs per side, but the idea that many overs would have been bowled comes across as mildly mirthful now.The only blot on an ideal 19 overs for England came off what ended up being the last ball of the contest when Adil Rashid beat Haris Sohail with a googly as the batsman charged down the wicket, only for wicketkeeper Jos Buttler to fluff the stumping that looked fairly routine. That was the cue for the rain clouds to gather once more.In the ensuing hours, the skies kept playing hide and seek with the sun, tormenting spectators and TV viewers with the fleeting prospect of more play. That was never to transpire, much to (one would imagine) Pakistan’s relief, who get a clean slate as the sides do battle all over again on Saturday.

All the live action, analyses and chatter from the India v New Zealand game

Varun Shetty13-Jun-2019

Usman Khawaja will go for a scan on a hamstring strain that was described as “not ideal” by his captain

George Dobell at Old Trafford06-Jul-2019Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh have been called up as cover to join the Australia squad after Usman Khawaja and Marcus Stoinis emerged as fitness doubts ahead of their World Cup semi-final against England*. Khawaja and Stoinis had sustained injuries during Australia’s defeat to South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday.Wade and Marsh were originally part of the Australia A squad that’s touring the UK and is scheduled to play a four-day game against Sussex starting Sunday. The two players left Brighton on Sunday morning for Birmingham, where Australia play the hosts on Thursday.Both Wade and Marsh come on the back of fine one-day form. While Wade scored centuries – 155 and 117 – before his 42 and 41 in Bristol last week, Marsh has been unbeaten all four times he has batted on the A tour so far, that includes a half-century when he also took 3 for 43 against Gloucestershire.On Saturday, Khawaja retired hurt on 6 with what was subsequently described as a “hamstring strain” by a team spokesperson and will undergo a scan on Sunday. His captain, Aaron Finch, admitted he was not especially optimistic about the outcome.”It doesn’t look ideal for Usman,” Finch said. “He’ll have a scan tomorrow and if we need a replacement – and I think we will – but until you get the definitive scan it’s hard to know. But it’s not looking great for him, in all honesty. He’s done a couple of hamstrings before and he said it feels a bit similar.”Usman Khawaja returned to the field but couldn’t do enough to guide Australia over the line•Getty Images

Australia’s other concern is over Stoinis, who clutched his right side after throwing a ball in from the boundary and only bowled three overs. He then received treatment while batting and was run-out when it appeared he was unwilling – or unable – to stretch and dive when called through for a sharp run by his partner, David Warner.Stoinis had previously suffered an injury to his other side earlier in the tournament. He, too, will undergo scans on both sides on Sunday.”Marcus is just a bit sore in his side,” Finch said. “We’ll have to wait for the scans.”Australia have already lost Shaun Marsh in recent days. Marsh was hit by a delivery from Pat Cummins while batting in the nets and subsequently diagnosed with a broken arm. Peter Handscomb has joined the squad as his replacement.Watch on Hotstar (India only) – David Warner’s 122There was some silver lining in losing to South Africa. Had Australia won, they would have been obliged to play in the first semi-final on Tuesday. As it is, defeat means they have to play in the second semi-final on Thursday, giving their players slightly longer to recover.But it was something of a surprise when Khawaja returned to complete his innings after Australia lost their seventh wicket. Their pursuit seemed almost hopeless at that stage – they required 51 runs off 28 balls – and Khawaja ran the risk of exacerbating the injury. As it was, he added another 12 runs and was unable to pull off an unlikely victory.ALSO READ: Du Plessis leads South Africa to consolation victory“He didn’t aggravate it,” Finch said. “It didn’t work out the way we planned, but he put the team first, which is a great quality to have. He was more than happy to go back out.”The desperation Australia showed in the final moments of the match, however – not least in sending Khawaja back out to bat – and the disappointment they showed in defeat did suggest they would have rather played in the first semi-final. Not only would that have avoided the need to travel – the first semi-final is in Manchester, where Australia have been based for some time – but they would have faced New Zealand who would appear to be, according to the rankings at least, the weakest of the four teams left in the competition.As it is, Australia will face the No. 1-rated hosts at Edgbaston, where England have won their last 10 international games.*0855 GMT: The story was updated after an update from Cricket Australia

Keeper hits 38-ball 69 before Notts spinners stifle Birmingham run chase to secure crushing victory

Jon Culley02-Aug-2019Having blamed dropped catches for their first defeat of the season at Northampton last week, Birmingham Bears counted the cost of another mistake in the field as they allowed Nottinghamshire to build a total that they never threatened to overhaul.Liam Banks’s failure to take a routine chance at long-off allowed Tom Moores to underline what a dangerous batsman he is becoming in this format, advancing from 16 to 69 as the home side turned what was shaping up as a modest return for opting to bat first into something far more challenging.A crowd of just over 12,000 – the third of that size in four Vitality Blast matches at Trent Bridge so far – then watched a spin-heavy Nottinghamshire bowling attack impose such a crushing grip on Birmingham’s attempt to put some momentum into the chase that the cause looked lost a long way before the end.No one was more impressive than the tall offspinner Matthew Carter, only now becoming a regular part of Nottinghamshire’s T20 side, who took three wickets in his four overs at a cost of just 14 runs, conceding only one boundary and claiming the rare distinction of a wicket-maiden.Carter, into the action in the second over, bowled Ed Pollock with his fifth ball as the opener went to sweep. Only two runs came off the over and although it was the only wicket to fall in the Powerplay overs, after which Birmingham were still in the contest, a standard had been set for the senior spinners – the Pakistan left-armer Wasim Imad and Trent Bridge stalwart Samit Patel – to follow.At the halfway point, Birmingham still trailed by 112 runs and thereafter every batsman who tried to inject momentum into the chase quickly perished in act. Nottinghamshire’s fielding was exemplary, Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett and Luke Wood all taking fine boundary catches.Carter, 23, has had to work hard to claim a place in a Nottinghamshire team in which spin has not always been a major component, so for him it was an especially gratifying night.”It has been tough,” he said. “I had two games last season in which I felt I did pretty well and I have worked hard during the winter to get my T20 bowling into full swing and it is paying off, so I’m well pleased.”It was the best I have bowled in T20, especially against good players in front of a big crowd. I feel like I have a role in the team now and nine times out of 10 it seems to be paying off, so it gives me a lot of confidence going forward.”It was a good enough wicket but as a group I think the spinners all bowled really well on it, did not give them much to hit and the balls they did want to hit they ended up they got out to. As a unit I think we were brilliant tonight.”The Moores escape came in the 12th over, when Nottinghamshire themselves were struggling to put their foot to the floor after reaching halfway at 72 for 2.The wicketkeeper-batsman has shown himself more than once to be a dangerous opponent in this format, but he should have been comfortably caught at long-off when he sent the ball looping skywards off a Will Rhodes full toss in the last over of the Powerplay, only for Banks to let the ball slip through his grasp.Had it stuck, it might have been a different story, not least because Birmingham did dislodge Clarke, whose half-century sent out another signal of a return to form for the England Lions batsman after his recent troubled times, in the next over.The 20-year-old Banks, fielding at midwicket earlier, had misjudged the flight of a miscued pull by Alex Hales, letting another of the home side’s trump cards off the hook. That one was less costly, Hales falling in the same Henry Brookes over with only four runs added.Moores was not so kind. Three balls later, he crashed a wide half-volley from Rhodes over cover for the second of his six sixes and his destructive mood gathered momentum from there.At the height of his assault, he plundered 30 runs from nine deliveries, lofting Jeetan Patel for consecutive sixes over the midwicket boundary before taking 17 off Ashton Agar in a single over, including a four off the toe of the bat through the legs of wicketkeeper Ben Burgess.Using his feet well against the slow bowlers, he reached 50 from just 27 deliveries. His luck ran out on 69, two overs from the end of a Nottinghamshire innings that proved much more profitable had looked likely at one stage. His six sixes took his career tally to 50.”I struggled early on in the innings but Joe helped me through, he is so calm at the crease,” Clarke said. “I was just pleased to contribute to a win.”We gave to go to Old Trafford tomorrow, which will be a tough game, but we felt it was a complete performance tonight.”

India Green qualified for the final of Duleep Trophy on the basis of a superior quotient despite Avesh’s 56-ball 64 from No. 10 denying them a first-innings lead

The Report by Hemant Brar in Alur01-Sep-2019
Points: India Red 3, India Green 1India Green qualified for the final of the Duleep Trophy 2019-20 on the basis of a superior quotient despite Avesh Khan’s 56-ball 64 from No. 10 denying them a first-innings lead against India Red on day four in Alur.India Green had to avoid a collapse in the second innings to make it to the final. Although they lost their openers – Faiz Fazal and Akshath Reddy – with just 24 on the board, Dhruv Shorey’s unbeaten 44 ensured they were always well ahead of India Blue’s quotient. With no result in sight, the captains shook hands at tea.The final, to be played between the same two teams, will start on September 4 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.India Red started the day on 404 for 9, still 36 in arrears. But Avesh’s maiden first-class half-century took them to 441, one run ahead of India Green’s first-innings total. Avesh, who struck two fours and seven sixes in his knock, added 73 for the tenth wicket with Sandeep Warrier, the latter contributing only 5.On the third evening, Avesh had come in with the side on 368 for 8 and saw Akshay Wakhare falling on the same score, with India Red trailing by 72 at that stage. But in one Dharmendrasinh Jadeja over, he smashed four sixes, three off them on successive balls, and took the side past 400. On Sunday morning, he hit two more sixes – both off Rahul Chahar – but the shot that brought the loudest cheer from the dressing room was a reverse hoick off Chahar that almost went for a six. With the legspinner targeting the rough from around the wicket, Avesh hit with the spin and found the deep-cover boundary to level the scores.In the 138th over of India Red’s innings, Priyam Garg was hit on the back of the neck while fielding at silly point. Garg found himself in the line of the ball while taking evasive action against a back foot punch by Avesh Khan. Garg’s helmet had a neck guard, which softened the impact.Garg was conscious but in pain and lay down near the pitch as the team physio applied an ice pack to the injured area. An ambulance was brought on to the field and, as a precautionary measure, he was taken to hospital where he cleared the first concussion test.