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“When I started first-class cricket, I bowled a lot with my left arm. But later, it became about 60% right arm, and 40% left arm.”

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jun-2025″I don’t know which arm I’ve taken more wickets with,” says Tharindu Rathnayake of his wicket tally in domestic cricket. “I’ve never looked at it properly. I’ve bowled a lot with both my arms.”If this seems like bragging, Rathnayake continues to speak as if being able to bowl with either arm is a normal experience to which anyone could relate. It must seem natural to him, though – he has 337 first-class wickets, and 122 List A dismissals.”When I started first-class cricket, I bowled a lot with my left arm. But later, after a couple of years, it became about 60% right arm, and 40% left arm.”Related

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Right, so why, on day one of his debut Test, against Bangladesh in Galle, did Rathnayake bowl 15.5 overs of right-arm offbreaks before he tried his first ball of left-arm spin?”I just felt that the ball that turns into the batter is harder for them to face because this wicket is suited to the batters. When you bowl right-arm offspin against right-handed batters with the red ball, it’s not easy for them to play. When I bowl offspin, I also have more options with the fields I can set. With left-arm spin, because the wicket is not behaving as we want it to, they can put the ball into gaps, and they have more scoring options.”To what extent Rathnayake knows this unusual craft is not clear yet. Unlike Kamindu Mendis, the other ambidextrous spinner in the side, Rathnayake is primarily a bowler. In the match-ups age, though, being able to bowl with either arm could be a supremely useful skill. Rathnayake seems to be aware of that potential.”Before we come to the match, in our planning, we talked about what each batsman is better at facing, and which sides they hit to,” he said. “So I try to create plans around their weaknesses, and change which arm I’m bowling with according to that.”Though Rathnayake claimed two wickets – both left-handers caught at slip against his offbreaks – in his first session of Test cricket, he said the Galle pitch got better to bat on through the day.”There was a little moisture early on, but it dried out. There wasn’t much spin. I’m expecting it to stay good until day four.”

علق رونالد أراوخو مدافع برشلونة بعد الخسارة أمام ريال مدريد بهدفين لهدف واحد، في الكلاسيكو ضمن منافسات الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

وكان كيليان مبابي قد افتتح التسجيل لصالح ريال مدريد في الدقيقة 22، قبل أن يتعادل فيرمين لوبيز في الدقيقة 38 لصالح برشلونة.

وقبل نهاية الشوط الأول خطف جود بيلينجهام هدف الفوز لصالح ريال مدريد في الدقيقة 43، وشهدت المباراة العديد من الأحداث المتوترة وحصل بيدري على بطاقة حمراء.

وقال أراوخو في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “نشعر بالحزن لخسارتنا أمام غريمنا الأكبر، أمامنا بعض الأمور يجب إصلاحها”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. دي يونج منتقدًا لاعب ريال مدريد: يمكنك الاتصال بـ لامين يامال.. ولم أسمع شيئًا عن “السرقة”

وأضاف: “لكن لا يزال أمامنا الكثير لنلعب من أجله، لامين يامال؟ لن أتحدث عن لامين يامال اليوم”.

وواصل المدافع الأوروجواياني دفاعاً عن زميله الشاب: “لامين لاعب محترف رائع وأحد أفضل لاعبي العالم، إنه في سن الرشد ويعرف ما عليه فعله، لا يهمني، لا أعرف كيف استقبلوا الأمر”.

Ishan Kishan said he picked up the phone quite soon after being bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for INR 11.25 crore (USD 1.34 million approx.) at the IPL 2025 mega auction. He wanted to know what it would be like to play for the IPL’s most explosive batting side.”I straightaway called Abhishek [Sharma] and asked, ‘what are you guys expecting, do I have to come and hit each and every ball?’ He was like, ‘on point, yeah, that is your job, you come here and you hit each and every ball, you just enjoy in this team.’ And that is the best part.Related

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“I could actually see, and I could actually feel it before we played this game,” Kishan said after his 106 not out off 47 set up SRH’s win against Rajasthan Royals. “It’s not that I got a hundred and I’m talking about it. But yeah, when I got here, the message was very clear. ‘If the ball is there, just go for it, have your fun, have your moment’ and that’s how I think we’re going to play the tournament. Even if we are in a very good phase, we would do the same thing each and every time.”Kishan’s century off 45 balls was the third-fastest by a Sunrisers batter after Travis Head (41 balls) and David Warner (43). His partnerships with Travis Head (85 off 38 balls) and Nitish Reddy (72 off 29 balls) helped Sunrisers post 286, two short of being the all-time record for the highest total in the IPL, which would have broken Sunrisers’ own record. They now have four of the top-five highest scores in the league’s history.”Someone came in the middle with a water bottle and said we need to cross this total [their record of 287],” Kishan said. “I was like, I did not know if there was a target set or something, but yeah, when you don’t achieve the goal, it’s something like you want to do it again. We did not do it today, so it’s good to have that target goal for us coming back. Some days [when] we get a good start, batters are set, we will try and definitely get a record total.”Ishan Kishan slammed what was his first IPL hundred•BCCI

Kishan came into the IPL on the back of middling form in domestic cricket. His record in IPL 2024 wasn’t outstanding either – a solitary half-century in 14 innings for 320 runs. At Sunrisers, he was to play at No. 3, a slight deviation from his role as an opener at MI. Asked about the role change, Kishan said he got clarity from the captain and coach.”They keep it very simple, to be very honest,” Kishan said “Like Pat [Cummins], he keeps it very simple, he knows if the player likes to attack from the beginning, he just backs it up. It’s not like if you go in there and get out trying to hit, it adds up any pressure. That’s the best part for any youngster.”If you watched Aniket Verma playing his first game, at that moment he was not thinking about coming back not out. He just went for each and every ball, so that is the sort of confidence when you get from your support staff, or I would say captain, it makes a huge difference. And that is what something every player is looking up to, so I would say it helped us a lot.”Kishan’s roaring start at SRH comes after a tricky year for him. Last year at this time, just prior to the IPL, he had been stripped of his BCCI central contract for seemingly not prioritising domestic cricket. Asked how that affected him, Kishan said: “Whatever the situation was, I think I was never a person who was thinking about those bad moments. I was very much in the present, like what’s needed. Yeah, I need to perform, I need to do good for me, whatever I’ll do, it will help me end of the day. So I just planned to get all the negative thoughts out and just think about what’s ahead, like IPL was coming up.”So, yeah, I was just doing my hard work and, like I said to my loved ones, it was more about my family, the fans who were always there, the ones who are here supporting me today. Like I said, my brother was there. So it was just for them. Coming to SRH, playing in Hyderabad, the first game, setting up a good total for the team, so all together it was a very happy moment for me.”

Manchester United great Rio Ferdinand has put his cards on the table, ranking the Premier League’s top defenders in a no-nonsense knockout showdown, and his verdicts will spark plenty of debate. In a high-energy Q&A with GOAL, the former England skipper was asked to play “winner stays on” with some of the league’s biggest centre-back names.

Getty Images SportFerdinand plays winner-stays-on game

Right from the start, Ferdinand showed where his loyalties lie, immediately backing teenage sensation Lenny Yoro over Jarrad Branthwaite. From there, the United starlet held his ground against the likes of Marc Guehi and Levi Colwill. Ferdinand raved about the Frenchman’s potential, insisting Yoro has “the highest ceiling” of the bunch.

Despite the glowing praise, Yoro’s run came to an end when Josko Gvardiol was put in the mix. Ferdinand admitted the Croatian is further along right now, though he still believes Yoro could one day eclipse him. 

He said: "I think Leny Yoro has got a higher ceiling long term, but I think I'm going to go Gvardiol right now."

Once in play, the Manchester City man proved tough to dislodge. He beat out Nikola Milenkovic, Newcastle’s Sven Botman, Cristian Romero of Spurs, and even United’s own Lisandro Martinez.

AdvertisementVan Dijk still stands tallest

Eventually, Arsenal’s Gabriel was the one who brought Gvardiol’s streak to a halt. Ferdinand praised the Brazilian’s commanding presence and his strong recent form. When Gabriel was then stacked up against Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, the Arsenal defender still got the nod.

But when the conversation moved to Gabriel’s defensive partner, William Saliba, Ferdinand’s admiration was clear. “I prefer the type of player Saliba is,” he explained. “But I think they're both, they're the best partnership for me."

However, when Saliba was pitted against Virgil van Dijk, Ferdinand’s verdict was decisive. The Liverpool skipper came out on top without hesitation. “Van Dijk’s the best,” the United legend declared.

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AFPVan Dijk proving it on the pitch

The Dutch colossus has certainly been backing up that praise with performances. Just last week, Van Dijk sent Anfield into ecstasy with a dramatic last-minute winner against Atletico Madrid in a Champions League classic as Liverpool edged the Spaniards 3-2 in a pulsating tie that reminded everyone of Van Dijk’s big-game presence. Manager Arne Slot gave his captain a breather in midweek, resting him for the 2-1 EFL Cup win over Southampton. But there’s no doubt the Dutchman will be back in the thick of it when the Reds travel to Selhurst Park this Saturday to face Crystal Palace.

Fast-bowling allrounder Cherry-Ann Fraser and uncapped quick Jannillea Glasgow have earned call-ups to the 15-member West Indies squad for the six white-ball fixtures against Bangladesh at home. The series will begin with the first of three ODIs on January 19 and conclude with the last of three T20Is on January 30, with St Kitts hosting all the games.Fast bowler Shamilia Connell and middle-order batter Rashada Williams are the two absentees from West Indies’ last assignment, the tour of India. West Indies will continue to be without veteran allrounder Stafanie Taylor, who is still recovering from a knee injury, a CWI release said.Fraser has played a total of 12 ODIs, with her last appearance in the format in October 2023 against Australia. Her last international appearance, though, was against Sri Lanka in a T20I in Hambantota in June last year. Glasgow has played four T20Is, the last of them against Pakistan in Karachi in May 2024. Though she has been travelling with the West Indies ODI squad on and off since 2023, Glasgow hasn’t got an opportunity in the format yet.West Indies are currently ninth in the Women’s Championship table – the top-six teams qualify automatically for the ODI World Cup in India later this year. But, with 14 points from 21 matches at this stage, it’s impossible for West Indies to secure direct qualification even if they finish with a maximum of 20 points with a 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh, with New Zealand at sixth position with 21 points already. However, seventh-placed Bangladesh, with 19 points from 21 matches, have a chance of moving past New Zealand and securing a top-six finish.”Bangladesh’s visit comes at an ideal time in our preparation cycle,” West Indies head coach Shane Deitz said. “They’re a skilled unit that has shown impressive growth, and this series gives us an excellent opportunity to examine our squad depth and continue to implement our aggressive, flamboyant brand of West Indian cricket.”We have been focusing on specific areas of improvement in our training and touring, and these matches will help us gauge our progress. The conditions at Warner Park will challenge both teams and make for compelling cricket. I’m looking forward to seeing how some of our younger and less-experienced players respond to the test.”This will be the first-ever bilateral series between the two sides, as well as Bangladesh’s first bilateral tour of the Caribbean. The teams’ last ODI meeting was three years ago in the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, when West Indies won the game by four runs.Overall, the two teams have met five times in international cricket – four times in T20Is and once in an ODI – and West Indies are yet to suffer a defeat.However, West Indies will be aware that they are coming off two consecutive ODI series defeats, against India and Sri Lanka, and will be keen to end the six-match losing run when they take on Bangladesh.

West Indies ODI and T20I squad

Hayley Matthews (capt), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Nerissa Crafton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Cherry Ann Fraser, Jannilea Glasgow

England 395 for 9 dec and 31 for 1 lead South Africa 281 (Wolvaardt 65, Kapp 57, Luus 56, Bell 4-49) by 145 runsLaura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus all scored half-centuries but none went on three figures as England took control of the one-off Test in Bloemfontein.Lauren Bell’s career-best 4 for 49, which included the first and second-last wickets of the innings, will steal the headlines but England’s seamers were collectively excellent and well deployed by captain Heather Knight. Lauren Filer operated in short, sharp bursts which allowed her to maintain good pace, debutant Ryana MacDonald-Gay made crucial breakthroughs with the old ball and Nat Sciver-Brunt was typically disciplined as South Africa failed to build on their decent starts.Wolvaardt and Annerie Dercksen put on 92 for the second wicket and Kapp and Luus a South African record 99-run stand for the fourth, but there were no other stands higher than 25. They lost 7 for 44 in 14.4 overs which undid the good work from the first day, when they took 7 for 118 in England’s innings and survived a tricky end-of-day batting period to resume with all ten wickets in hand.England got a breakthrough in the second over when Anneke Bosch played at a Bell delivery on fifth-stump and feathered an edge through to Amy Jones. That brought Dercksen to the crease, promoted to No. 3 after debuting at No. 8 against India earlier in the year, and she was peppered by short balls from Filer, bowling at good pace.The fourth hit her the side of the helmet as she took her eyes off the ball and tried to get out of its way. Dercksen smiled as she was checked for concussion and provided the perfect riposte when she drove Bell through the covers in the next over. When Filer offered that length she got the same response. Wolvaardt meted out similar treatment to bring up South Africa’s fifty in the 14th over.Ryana MacDonald-Gay appeals during her key old-ball spell•ECB/Getty Images

Nat Sciver-Brunt replaced Filer, whose first spell was seven overs long, and Dercksen could relax. She reeled off two strong bottom-handed drives but any level of comfort was short lived. Sciver-Brunt found her edge in the next over but it went wide of the slips and then Sophie Ecclestone took over.At the other end, 20-year old MacDonald-Gay got her first opportunity with the ball and started well, with good shape into the right-hander. She squared Dercksen up in her fifth over, which earned the batter a streaky boundary. Wolvaardt looked far more assured as she pulled MacDonald-Gay through square leg to bring up the partnership fifty and then took the first runs off Ecclestone when she whipped her through midwicket. She brought up her own fifty off 99 balls, her second successive fifty-plus Test score.With 15 minutes to go to the lunch interval, Filer was brought back for a short spell and continued to trouble Dercksen, who top-edged the third ball to fine leg on 33. Bell made good ground but shelled the chance. Three overs later, Filer found the same steep bounce and Dercksen tried to cut but top-edged again. Heather Knight, at second slip, jumped to take the catch and parried to Ecclestone, who held on the rebound. South Africa went to lunch on 113 for 2, having scored 96 runs in the morning session and 282 runs behind.Luus resumed with Wolvaardt post-lunch and started watchfully. It was only when MacDonald-Gay and Filer went short that Wolvaardt and Luus took them on and England rectified their lengths quickly to dry up runs. South Africa scored 25 runs in 50 balls in the second session before Wolvaardt was stuck on the crease and hit on the pads by Ecclestone, who successfully appealed for lbw.Marizanne Kapp batted through the middle session for South Africa•Gallo Images/Getty Images

Wolvaardt immediately indicated she had hit the ball but, with no DRS, could not review. This was the second incident in the match in which South Africa could have benefitted from a referral. On day one, Kapp was convinced she had Tammy Beaumont out lbw off the second ball of the match but was given not out. Umpire Kerrin Klaaste was the decision-maker on both occasions.Kapp had to put that aside when she joined Luus and took on the more aggressive role. She sent Bell through the covers and past point and flicked Ecclestone fine and Charlie Dean through midwicket and, as she found boundaries, Luus allowed herself to play with freedom too. They brought up the South African 200, took on the spinners and then Kapp also blunted Filer before tea to finish a successful session for the home side in which 112 runs came for the loss of only one wicket.Play resumed for the evening session with the floodlights blazing and storm clouds overhead. The atmosphere was ominous and it proved so for Kapp who was bowled by a stunning MacDonald-Gay delivery which held its line, beat the drive and hit the top of off stump. Five balls later, a lightning strike took the players off the field for a further 45 minutes with the new ball six overs away.Lauren Bell was on a hat-trick as South Africa collapsed•ECB/Getty Images

England made one more incision with the old ball when MacDonald-Gay’s discipline paid off and she had Nadine de Klerk caught behind for a duck. South Africa were 237 for 5, eight runs short of the follow-on target of 245. Chloe Tryon took them past that with successive fours off MacDonald-Gay and England took the second new ball as soon as it became available.Filer took it and started with a familiar short-ball tactic but adjusted to a fuller length early on. The first ball of her second over moved off the seam, Luus swung and nicked off. Chloe Tryon hit four fours before she chipped Bell to Beaumont at mid-on in the softest of dismissals and the tail could not have been expected to do much more. Bell bowled Jafta and Mlaba in successive balls after the former didn’t move her feet and the latter backed away and Sciver-Brunt picked up a wicket when Ayanda Hlubi was given out lbw.Wolvaardt used five bowlers to deliver the 14 remaining overs. Kapp and Hlubi opened the bowling and beat the bat several times in the opening exchanges, starting the innings with three consecutive maidens. Hlubi then produced a beauty in her third over, which moved off the seam and took the outside edge as Bouchier became the second batter in women’s Test to score a century and a duck in the same game, after Jan Brittin. Beaumont and Knight saw out the day, growing England’s lead to 145.

The second day saw 15 wickets fall on a pitch aiding the quicks as Australia’s Test opening debate continued to rage

Alex Malcolm21-Oct-2024Australia’s next Test opener is yet to announce himself after Sam Konstas and Marcus Harris both missed out on an action-packed second day at the MCG where Steven Smith also fell cheaply as Fergus O’Neill and Mitchell Starc ran riot with the ball but Victoria claimed a significant lead over New South Wales.As two of Australia’s selectors, coach Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide, watched from the stands Konstas and Harris failed to elevate their case while Smith also fell for 3 for 29 balls as O’Neill, who is in the Australia A squad, bagged four wickets in a skillful display of seam bowling in friendly conditions. Starc then tore through Victoria’s top order late in the day with a blistering spell that claimed three scalps, including Harris caught down the leg side for the second time in the match.Related

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It came on a day where openers around the country struggled with Matt Renshaw (2) and Cameron Bancroft (8) also falling cheaply.After Victoria were bowled out for 272, all eyes were on the battle between Konstas and Australia’s back-up Test quick Scott Boland in the morning and the latter held sway, albeit with some help from umpire Sam Nogajski. Boland delivered 10 balls at Konstas who scarcely laid bat on him. The 19-year-old was nearly bowled first ball, hit on the inner thigh pad and got a thick inside edge on one that flew in the air past the diving short leg for his only two runs.Boland then nipped one back from a fuller length to hit Konstas below the knee roll and Nogajski adjudged him lbw. Replays suggested it may have been doing too much to hit leg stump.O’Neill and Will Sutherland then tightened the screws with some frugal bowling as the prodigious movement in the MCG surface never abated at any stage throughout the day.O’Neill was a little fortunate to claim Smith, who tickled a glance down the leg side to Sam Harper. But it was reward for outstanding control as Smith scored just three runs from 29 deliveries.Josh Philippe took a brilliant leg-side catch to remove Marcus Harris•Getty ImagesNic Maddinson had earlier nicked one trying to punch Sutherland forcefully off the back foot before O’Neill found the outside edge of Moises Henriques to leave NSW reeling at 28 for 4.Ollie Davies and Josh Philippe shared a steadying partnership and both looked comfortable at various stages driving impressively down the ground whenever a rare overpitched delivery was offered.But Davies got sucked into a short ball plan from Sutherland and holed out hooking to deep square for 37. Sean Abbott fell in exactly the same way two overs later to leave the Blues 83 for 6. Philippe tried to shepherd the tail with an unbeaten 45 and did get a contribution of 17 from Nathan Lyon but O’Neill and Todd Murphy cleaned up the last four to bowl NSW out for 136 and hand the home side a significant 136-run lead.Starc ensured that Victoria did not build on that advantage easily with a sparkling spell of fast bowling. Backing up after some excellent work on day one he tore through Victoria’s top order. The second ball of the innings was a vicious off-cutter that leapt at Ash Chandrasinghe and ricocheted off his back elbow onto the stumps. In the third over he pinned Campbell Kellaway lbw with a delivery that was full and too fast for the left-hander.Peter Handscomb fell edging Jackson Bird to second slip before Starc claimed Harris again in his fifth over of the spell. Just like the first innings, a quick rising delivery at the hip caused Harris to glance without control, it came off glove onto thigh pad and ballooned behind for Philippe to pouch at full stretch in the right glove.It left Harris with scores of 26 and 16 for the match and Victoria struggling at 32 for 4. But Harper and Tom Rogers steadied late in the day to help reclaim control for the home side extend the lead beyond 200.

No prospect of a result after several sessions lost to rain, but 40-year-old ends season in style

ECB Reporters Network29-Sep-2024

Leicestershire’s rain-hit Vitality County Championship match against East Midlands neighbours Derbyshire ended in the tame draw that had been long anticipated as the curtain came down on the season at the Uptonsteel County Ground.What would otherwise have been a decidedly unmemorable final day was rescued by the veteran Derbyshire stalwart Wayne Madsen, whose sixth century in this fixture took his career tally of first-class runs against Leicestershire to 2,032 at an impressive average of 63.50.The 40-year-old hit 11 fours and a six in an unbeaten 105, although it was not a chanceless century. He was dropped at midwicket on 72, which would have left him tantalisingly on 1,999 against the Foxes.Skipper David Lloyd made 73 as Derbyshire posted 252 for three declared in their first innings in reply to Leicestershire’s 280 all out, in which Lloyd’s three for 43 was his side’s best performance with the ball. The first two days of the match had been lost to the weather.Nonetheless, it is a season Derbyshire will want to forget after finishing bottom of the Division Two table with just one win from 14 matches, while it did not reach the conclusion Leicestershire had been hoping for in August, when they were still contention for a promotion place.Three draws and two defeats in their last five matches put paid to that ambition and 2025 will be their 20th consecutive season in Division Two.Resuming at 264 for eight, Leicestershire added 16 runs before Zak Chappell uprooted debutant Alex Green’s middle stump to end their first innings, Pat Brown having had Sam Wood caught at first slip, both with the second new ball.Ben Cox, a possible contender to take over from Lewis Hill as captain next season, finished on 42 not out.Leicestershire had been bowled out in 87.1 overs. With a minimum 86 overs left in the match, some watching were hopeful that each team might forfeit an innings to leave Derbyshire a target of 265, which at least would have created a meaningful conclusion to the match, even if the prize at stake was no more than regional pride.But if there had been any discussions around manufacturing a finish, they clearly did not end in agreement. Derbyshire emerged from the pavilion to little apparent purpose other than to add such batting bonus points as they could to the three they picked up for bowling, although nothing can now alter the fact that they have finished bottom of the table for the 17th time in their history.Then again, after five defeats in six matches coming into this one, it could be argued that it is better to finish the season with a draw than another loss.As it happened, by lunch Derbyshire were well on the way to that objective at 79 for one from 18 overs, left-arm spinner Liam Trevaskis picking up the sole wicket to fall with his first delivery when Mitch Wagstaff edged to slip.Against a depleted Leicestershire attack, with no Josh Hull, Chris Wright, Scott Currie or Rehan Ahmed for a variety of reasons, runs came relatively easily at times.Green, 6ft 6ins and not 18 until February, bowled his first overs in first-class cricket but found there was little margin for error with length or line on an unresponsive pitch, although he troubled the batters at times.Lloyd, who has had a chastening first season as Derbyshire’s captain, completed his fourth half-century of the campaign, but after 11 fours he was denied the chance to register his first hundred since his triple century against Derbyshire for Glamorgan in 2022 when he slashed at a delivery from Ben Mike outside off stump and was caught at slip.Harry Came had been the second wicket to fall, edging to wicketkeeper Cox off Ben Green, one of six seamers deployed by the home side.Madsen’s stand with Brooke Guest added 132, the 40-year-old clearly in the mood to take advantage of the docile conditions on a bright, if cool afternoon, providing some entertainment for the pockets of keen spectators, reaching the 100-run milestone for the 39th time in his first-class career with an uppercut off Mike for his 11th four.

Anuj Dal blasted a brilliant century as Derbyshire took over as Group A leaders with a thrilling one-wicket Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory over Somerset at Taunton.The hosts posted 316 for 5 after losing the toss, skipper Sean Dickson lashing 86 off 64 balls, with 8 fours and 3 sixes. James Rew hit 88, Andy Umeed 58 and Josh Thomas 54 not out. Zak Chappell claimed 3 for 54.Derbyshire’s reply of 317 for nine centred on the middle order efforts of Dal, who struck a brilliant 115 off 75 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes, and David Lloyd (71). Seventeen-year-old Harry Moore saw them home with ten balls to spare, scoring 36 not out, while George Thomas returned 3 for 41, also a List A career-best.Moore had previously amassed just ten runs in three List A innings, but the youngster eclipsed that with five fours and a six in a match-winning 20-ball cameo.After Chappell and Sam Conners had removed George Thomas and Lewis Goldsworthy respectively in the opening four overs of the game, Rew and Umeed rode some early luck to compile their second three-figure stand in this season’s Metro Bank Cup, both reaching half-centuries in the 24th over, Umeed off 62 balls and Rew off 66.Umeed fell with the total on 141, caught at short cover off legspinner Mitch Wagstaff. Rew followed with 40 more runs added, pouched at fine leg top-edging a pull shot off Chappell, knowing that the foundation had been laid for a late assault.James Rew top-scored for the home side with 88•Getty Images

It came from Dickson and Josh Thomas as Somerset plundered 89 off the last seven overs, Dickson moving to a 51-ball half-century and then clearing the ropes off Conners twice and once off Harry Moore, whose ninth over went for 22.Dickson fell to Chappell, but Thomas continued the rampage, hoisting the last ball of the innings, a free hit off Conners, over long-off for six to reach a 41-ball fifty.Reece ensured a rapid start to the visitors’ reply, smashing 6 fours off the first two overs sent down by Charlie Cassell. Harry Came helped take the score to 60 before being pinned lbw by George Thomas off the final ball of the ten-over powerplay.Thomas picked up a second wicket when Brooke Guest, on 15, edged a catch behind. Then Lloyd called for a quick single after playing a ball from Thomas to cover and Reece, on 44, failed to beat Umeed’s fast throw to wicketkeeper Rew.Matt Lamb was bowled by Jack Leach looking to make room to force through the off-side and Derbyshire were suddenly 89 for 4. That became 90 for five when Samit Patel offered a return catch to Thomas, who flung out a left hand to grab the sharp chance.Lloyd and Dal gave Derbyshire hope with a sixth-wicket stand of 145, both reaching half-centuries in the 33rd over, Dal first off 36 balls and Lloyd off the next delivery from Leach, off 53. The next over saw their century partnership off 82 deliveries.Despite having two England spinners in Leach and Shoaib Bashir bowling in tandem for the first time, Somerset were unable to stem the flow of runs. It took the return of seamer Josh Davey to break the partnership when Lloyd reverse-swept a catch to short third-man. Chappell was caught at cover in the same over to make it 235 for 7.Wagstaff was run out by brilliant direct hit at the bowler’s end by Dickson before Dal reached a 69-ball hundred packed with explosive shots. He was bowled by Davey with 12 runs needed, but Moore held his nerve to clinch a precious win.

Another defeat would put Afghanistan on brink of elimination, while victory for Australia would set them up beautifully for a semi-final spot

Deivarayan Muthu22-Jun-20241:09

Maxwell: Hopefully a few mental scars from the double century

Match detailsAfghanistan vs Australia
Kingstown, 8.30pm local time
Big Picture: All eyes on Glenn MaxwellThe last time Australia faced Afghanistan, history was made. A cramping Glenn Maxwell was writhing in pain – he could barely walk, let alone run – but pulled off a miracle in Mumbai. They were struggling at 91 for 7 in pursuit of 293, but Maxwell’s epic double-hundred put Australia back on track for another world title and left Afghanistan on the brink of elimination.Maxwell then endured a difficult IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he even took a break. He started the T20 World Cup with a duck against Oman and then laboured to 28 off 25 balls against England. He was bowled cheaply by a ripper from Mark Watt in the chase against Scotland, but in the chase against Bangladesh, he showed signs of his best, though he faced only six balls in a rain-hit fixture. He swatted legspinner Rishad Hossain over long-on and crunched Mustafizur Rahman through the covers. Maxwell finished with 14 off six balls at a strike rate of 233.33. Australia will hope that Maxwell, the spin-hitter, can produce an even bigger impact against Rashid Khan and co. on a Kingstown pitch that has been conducive to spin.Related

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Though Maxwell is yet to hit full tilt, Australia’s middle order (between Nos. 4-7) has struck at 168.09, the best among all 20 teams in this T20 World Cup. In contrast, Afghanistan’s middle order has struck at less than 100 – the lowest among all Full-Member teams in this tournament. Adam Zampa and potentially Ashton Agar could make life even more difficult for the Afghanistan middle-order batters in Kingstown.This game will be played in the backdrop of some tension between the two boards. Cricket Australia has refused to play Afghanistan in bilateral series in the recent past because of political reasons. Australia’s decision to pull out of multiple bilateral series against Afghanistan has met fierce condemnation, including a threat from Rashid Khan to pull out of the BBL. Afghanistan’s players will be out to prove a point about their standing in the global game when they take Australia on in a third World Cup game in three years.Form guideAfghanistan LLWWW
Australia WWWWW1:44

Rashid Khan: Middle-order batting needs to improve

In the spotlight: Naveen-ul-Haq and Tim DavidNaveen-ul-Haq has taken some pasting in the Caribbean leg of the T20 World Cup, but he is Afghanistan’s best bet to counter Australia’s power-packed line-up at the death. He can bowl yorkers from a slingy action and has several slower variations, including the knuckle ball, tailor-made for the low bounce in St Vincent. Naveen has a chance to add to those variations by working with Dwayne Bravo at Afghanistan and Texas Super Kings in the upcoming MLC.Naveen, though, will have to be wary of Tim David, who has taken him for 50 off 38 balls in T20 cricket being dismissed. David also has a good head-to-head record against Rashid – 62 off 45 balls with just two dismissals – and has been working on his own spin bowling though Australia haven’t needed his secondary skill in the T20 World Cup proper. If David doesn’t get you, Marcus Stoinis will. If Stoinis doesn’t get you, Maxwell will.Team news: Will Australia bring back Agar?Hazratullah Zazai fell cheaply against India, but Afghanistan will likely give him another go.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Hazratullah Zazai, 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Naveen-ul-Haq, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiConsidering the slow, turning tracks in Kingstown and Afghanistan’s right-hand heavy line-up, Australia might bring back left-arm fingerspinner Agar, instead of one of the three frontline quicks, and pair him up with Zampa and Maxwell.Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Tim David, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Josh Hazlewood/Ashton Agar, 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditions: Spin to winSpinners have thrived in Kingstown, picking up 22 wickets at an economy rate of 5.64 in six innings this tournament. Expect more of the same when two of the world’s best T20 wristspinners Rashid and Zampa will be in action on Saturday night. Chances of rain are low on Saturday evening.Stats and trivia: Farooqi dominates powerplay Agar has dismissed Nabi twice in ten balls while conceding just four runs in T20 cricket. He is one wicket away from becoming the second Australia spinner, after Zampa, to 50 T20I wickets. Farooqi has bagged 15 wickets in this T20 World Cup at an economy rate of 5.45. Eight of those 15 wickets have come in the powerplay, the most by a bowler during this phase in the tournament. Travis Head, David and Stoinis have hit 129 sixes among them in T20 cricket this year.Quotes”I think there are a few players who are very early in their international careers and they will learn from it. And World Cup is always the biggest stage when you’re playing against the biggest team as well.”

“Yeah, it was nice to get out there and hit a couple, but I’ve said it pretty consistently. I felt pretty good throughout the whole tournament.”