India 393 and 70 for 1 lead Sri Lanka 306 by 157 runs
Angelo Mathews scored his sixth Test century and dominated a wicketless first session but Sri Lanka lost their way thereafter, losing their last seven wickets for 65 runs as India ran to a dominant position at the end of day three. Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne resisted the steady drip of pressure exerted by India's bowlers, adding 127 for the fourth wicket, but the rest of Sri Lanka's batting couldn't cope with it. Having secured a first-innings lead of 87, India extended it to 157 for the loss of just one wicket.
India lost KL Rahul in the first over of their second innings, bowled off the inside edge by a Dhammika Prasad inducker, before Vijay and Rahane saw them through to stumps. They did this without too many alarms, though Rangana Herath troubled both batsmen with his straighter one, having two strong lbw appeals turned down. Rod Tucker made the right decision each time, with one striking the inside edge and two seeming to be missing leg.
Just as they had done on day two, India's bowlers probed away with discipline on a pitch offering them just enough to keep asking questions, but Mathews and Thirimanne were more than equal to the task. In all, it was riveting Test cricket, with Mathews using his nous and Thirimanne showing impressive patience to strengthen Sri Lanka's position and leave them the happier of the two sides at lunch.
India seemed to be letting the initiative slide even further when, in the second over after lunch, Ishant Sharma went around the wicket to try and bombard Mathews with bouncers. He had long leg and deep square leg in place, but the deliveries he sent down were so lacking in venom that Mathews still managed to pull and glance him for three successive fours. Wisely, India shelved the short-ball tactic.
The round-the-wicket angle, however, brought Ishant reward in his next over, though it was Thirimanne who succumbed, nicking behind while trying to drive one that straightened from a fullish length. He looked displeased with the umpire's decision, but replays were inconclusive.
A short rain interruption followed, after which Ishant struck again to remove Dinesh Chandimal, who pressed forward and pushed away from his body at one that seamed away. During his spell, Ishant's use of the bouncer became less predictable and harder to play, and he struck Chandimal's helmet and Jehan Mubarak's glove while they ducked with their eyes off the ball.
Mathews moved to his hundred - his sixth in Tests - with the most audacious shot of his innings, reverse-sweeping R Ashwin against the turn, off a ball that straightened from middle stump, and finding the gap to the left of point. But he was gone three balls later, poking at a good-length ball outside off - a shot he may not have played had he not been batting on three figures - to give Stuart Binny his first Test wicket. The frenetic action continued in the next over, when Mishra bowled a legbreak laden with overspin and bounce to force Dhammika Prasad to pop a simple catch to slip.
Five overs into the post-tea session, Sri Lanka were all out. Mishra picked up two of the last three wickets, and bowled the ball of the day to ensnare Mubarak. The left-hander pressed forward to defend, not realising that late drift away from him had subtly changed the line of the ball; it pitched on off stump, rather than off and middle, and straightened past his outside edge to clip off stump. It had taken India only 22.1 overs to pick up the last seven wickets. Sri Lanka's situation had been utterly transformed from the calmness of the first session.
There was a sense of opportunism about the way Mathews batted, using the angles to create run-scoring opportunities, particularly through the leg side. In the sixth over of the morning, Mathews flicked Umesh Yadav square of midwicket, from an off-stump line, to pick up a boundary. The last ball of the over wasn't quite as full, and he delayed the moment when he closed the bat face to work it wide of mid-on for a single. First ball of the next over, he repeated the same shot against Ishant Sharma. Three fairly good balls, six runs scored.
But above all, the innings showcased Mathews' ability to make his game work for him. His technique isn't flawless - his front-foot stride isn't the longest, and his bottom hand often dominates - but while the odd ball leaves him looking uncomfortable, he finds ways to minimise any damage it may cause.
Late on day two, Umesh had opened him up three times with his outswinger. But he made sure he didn't edge any of them, refusing to follow the ball with his hands. It happened again when Umesh was re-introduced to the attack ten minutes before lunch on day three. Again, Mathews played with bat close to body, happy for the ball to beat his edge by a fair distance. In between, Amit Mishra frequently puzzled him with his flight and dip, but he adjusted and played the second line, with soft hands.
Thirimanne, usually easy on the eye but prone to errors, followed Mathews' example beautifully. There was an early period of discomfort against Ishant, who angled it across the left-hander from a tight, off-stump line and found bounce and occasional seam movement, but he grew increasingly solid as the day progressed.
Thirimanne was happy enough to defend ball after ball, and waited for the delivery he could cut: that shot brought him all three of his fours in a morning session that saw him advance his score by 29 runs, off 74 balls. In the process, he showed a glimpse of what he could offer Sri Lanka if he marries grit to his natural ability on a more frequent basis.
Saturday, 22 August 2015
5th Ashes Test Day 3 AUS 481, ENG 149 & 203/6
Stumps report: The late dismissal of Alastair Cook has left England on the brink of an innings defeat to Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test match at The Oval.
Cook had been resilient throughout the third day, but he failed to make it to the close after falling to the part-time spin of Steven Smith for 85 off 234 balls.
Earlier in the day, England had been bowled all out for 149 and after following on, and it wasn't long before they were in trouble in their second innings as Adam Lyth, Ian Bell and Joe Root all fell cheaply.
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes added 13 and 15 respectively, but Cook remained at the other end, registering his 44th Test fifty to keep his team's hopes of securing a draw alive.
Jos Buttler helped his captain put on 59 for the sixth wicket, but with 13 balls remaining in the day, Cook sent an inside edge to short leg to leave his side on 203-6, still 129 runs away from forcing Australia to bat again as they edge nearer a consolation victory.
Tea Report: England are struggling to avoid an innings defeat to Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test after reaching tea on day three on 123-3.
Resuming on 31-1, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell were aware that they needed a big session, but Bell survived just eight overs before he fell for 13 runs after being caught off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh.
Joe Root was the next man in, but he watched on as Cook struck three boundaries in an over to move towards his 44th half-century, which eventually came off 119 balls.
However, three balls later, Root departed for 11 after he failed to deal with a bouncer from Mitchell Johnson, which saw him top-edge the ball straight to Mitchell Starc to leave England on 99-3.
Jonny Bairstow joined Cook at the crease and contributed four boundaries to reach the end of the session on 20, with Cook on 54, but England still trail their rivals by 209 runs.
Lunch report: England continue to struggle during the fifth test of the Ashes, after being asked to follow on by Australia.
It took just 40 minutes for Australia to take the final two wickets of the first innings as Mark Wood went for 24 and Moeen Ali was caught for 30.
Australia continued their fine form into the second innings and Adam Lyth was caught by Michael Clarke for 10.
England then went five overs without scoring a run, and finished at lunch 301 runs behind their opponents on 31-1.
Cook had been resilient throughout the third day, but he failed to make it to the close after falling to the part-time spin of Steven Smith for 85 off 234 balls.
Earlier in the day, England had been bowled all out for 149 and after following on, and it wasn't long before they were in trouble in their second innings as Adam Lyth, Ian Bell and Joe Root all fell cheaply.
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes added 13 and 15 respectively, but Cook remained at the other end, registering his 44th Test fifty to keep his team's hopes of securing a draw alive.
Jos Buttler helped his captain put on 59 for the sixth wicket, but with 13 balls remaining in the day, Cook sent an inside edge to short leg to leave his side on 203-6, still 129 runs away from forcing Australia to bat again as they edge nearer a consolation victory.
Tea Report: England are struggling to avoid an innings defeat to Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test after reaching tea on day three on 123-3.
Resuming on 31-1, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell were aware that they needed a big session, but Bell survived just eight overs before he fell for 13 runs after being caught off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh.
Joe Root was the next man in, but he watched on as Cook struck three boundaries in an over to move towards his 44th half-century, which eventually came off 119 balls.
However, three balls later, Root departed for 11 after he failed to deal with a bouncer from Mitchell Johnson, which saw him top-edge the ball straight to Mitchell Starc to leave England on 99-3.
Jonny Bairstow joined Cook at the crease and contributed four boundaries to reach the end of the session on 20, with Cook on 54, but England still trail their rivals by 209 runs.
Lunch report: England continue to struggle during the fifth test of the Ashes, after being asked to follow on by Australia.
It took just 40 minutes for Australia to take the final two wickets of the first innings as Mark Wood went for 24 and Moeen Ali was caught for 30.
Australia continued their fine form into the second innings and Adam Lyth was caught by Michael Clarke for 10.
England then went five overs without scoring a run, and finished at lunch 301 runs behind their opponents on 31-1.
Friday, 21 August 2015
5th Ashes Test Day 2 AUS 481, ENG 107/8
AUS 481, ENG 107/8
Stumps report: England have been reduced to 107-8 at the close of play after bowling Australia out for 481 on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The hosts started the evening session on 30-1 following Alastair Cook's dismissal for 22 during the afternoon.
A batting collapse from England then saw the Aussies take firm control of the contest at stumps.
Adam Lyth was the first to go after tea when he was caught off the bowling of Peter Siddle for 19 to continue his poor form this series.
The loss of four wickets in seven overs soon after put England in serious trouble.
Siddle struck again to send Ian Bell back to the pavilion for 10 before Mitchell Starc claimed the wicket of Joe Root for a disappointing six.
England's world continued to fall apart when Jonny Bairstow (13) and Jos Buttler (one) fell victim to Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon respectively.
Things got worse for the home side towards the close of play as Ben Stokes (15) and Stuart Broad (duck) were both bowled by Mitchell Marsh. Moeen Ali and Mark Wood (both eight not out) will resume at the crease tomorrow.
Tea Report: England have bowled Australia out for 481 before reaching 30-1 at tea on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The tourists started the afternoon session on 376-7, with Steven Smith on 110.
Smith got himself to 143 when he was bowled by Steven Finn, while Mitchell Starc followed him back to the pavilion soon after following a valuable knock of 58. Starc's determined spell at the crease was ended lbw by Ben Stokes.
Peter Siddle was the final Aussie wicket to fall as Finn struck again to dismiss him for just one run.
Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth got England off to a solid start with the bat, but their partnership was ended just before the break when the captain was bowled by Nathan Lyon for 22.
Lunch Report: Australia have reached a commanding score of 376-7 at lunch on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
An unbeaten century from Steven Smith has seen the tourists frustrate England, who have struggled for inspiration with the ball during the morning session.
Adam Voges was the first Australian wicket to fall when he was bowled lbw by Ben Stokes for 76.
Mitchell Marsh was then dismissed five overs later for just three runs as Steven Finn struck for his 100th Test wicket.
However, Smith stole the limelight shortly after by reaching his 11th century at Test level for Australia.
Peter Nevill made 18 before he was caught by Jos Buttler off a Moeen Ali delivery, while Ali struck a couple of balls later to dismiss Mitchell Johnson for a duck as England mounted a fightback during the final over of the session.
Stumps report: England have been reduced to 107-8 at the close of play after bowling Australia out for 481 on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The hosts started the evening session on 30-1 following Alastair Cook's dismissal for 22 during the afternoon.
A batting collapse from England then saw the Aussies take firm control of the contest at stumps.
Adam Lyth was the first to go after tea when he was caught off the bowling of Peter Siddle for 19 to continue his poor form this series.
The loss of four wickets in seven overs soon after put England in serious trouble.
Siddle struck again to send Ian Bell back to the pavilion for 10 before Mitchell Starc claimed the wicket of Joe Root for a disappointing six.
England's world continued to fall apart when Jonny Bairstow (13) and Jos Buttler (one) fell victim to Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon respectively.
Things got worse for the home side towards the close of play as Ben Stokes (15) and Stuart Broad (duck) were both bowled by Mitchell Marsh. Moeen Ali and Mark Wood (both eight not out) will resume at the crease tomorrow.
Tea Report: England have bowled Australia out for 481 before reaching 30-1 at tea on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The tourists started the afternoon session on 376-7, with Steven Smith on 110.
Smith got himself to 143 when he was bowled by Steven Finn, while Mitchell Starc followed him back to the pavilion soon after following a valuable knock of 58. Starc's determined spell at the crease was ended lbw by Ben Stokes.
Peter Siddle was the final Aussie wicket to fall as Finn struck again to dismiss him for just one run.
Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth got England off to a solid start with the bat, but their partnership was ended just before the break when the captain was bowled by Nathan Lyon for 22.
Lunch Report: Australia have reached a commanding score of 376-7 at lunch on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
An unbeaten century from Steven Smith has seen the tourists frustrate England, who have struggled for inspiration with the ball during the morning session.
Adam Voges was the first Australian wicket to fall when he was bowled lbw by Ben Stokes for 76.
Mitchell Marsh was then dismissed five overs later for just three runs as Steven Finn struck for his 100th Test wicket.
However, Smith stole the limelight shortly after by reaching his 11th century at Test level for Australia.
Peter Nevill made 18 before he was caught by Jos Buttler off a Moeen Ali delivery, while Ali struck a couple of balls later to dismiss Mitchell Johnson for a duck as England mounted a fightback during the final over of the session.
2nd Test Day 2 SL V IND
Sri Lanka 140 for 3 trail India 393 by 253 runs
The second day of the P Sara Test was almost a coming-of-age day of Test cricket for Virat Kohli's India. They didn't score hundreds of runs, they didn't take tens of wickets, but they were persistent both with bat and the ball. When the runs didn't come easily, their last four wickets ground out 74 to deny Sri Lanka a clear advantage. When the wickets didn't come as readily as in the first Test, they refused to bowl loose balls or release the pressure, biding their time by just pegging away.
At the end of the second day, India had taken three Sri Lanka wickets, led by 253, and knew the hosts will have to bat last on a surface where the odd ball began to behave alarmingly. What's more, Kohli's gut selection, Stuart Binny, who failed with the bat, did a useful job with the ball, holding one end up and returning figures of 11-3-24-0 while coming heartbreakingly close to taking a wicket.
It was a day of attritional Test cricket. The game moved largely slowly but never flatly. There was just enough help on the pitch to keep the bowlers from getting disheartened, and enough resolve from the batsmen to keep the persistent bowlers at bay. India, enjoying some luck when they batted in the first session, dug in harder and for longer than Sri Lanka to get their noses ahead. In between, India found time for a ceasefire of sorts to welcome Kumar Sangakkara, playing his last Test, to the crease with a guard of honour. Sangakkara was made to fight harder than he is used to for his 32 off 87 before he fell to R Ashwin for the third time in the series.
While Sri Lanka will be worried wondering how to replace Sangakkara, a man replacing an Indian legend found another small step in Test cricket. Wriddhiman Saha enjoyed the kind of luck Dinesh Chandimal did while taking the Galle Test away from India, but he was more sedate and old-fashioned in scoring his second half-century this series to keep Sri Lanka in the field for more than a session. Rangana Herath started the most frenetic spell of the day by taking out India's last two wickets within seven runs of each other. Umesh Yadav, who had bowled his last 304 legal deliveries for just one wicket and was making a comeback, bowled a perfect outswinger first ball to send back Dimuth Karunaratne but it was back to being hard work for both sides then on.
Just like it had been in the morning. On a hot day Dhammika Prasad and Angelo Mathews refused to offer any freebies. Ashwin fell early to a loose shot to Mathews during a spell when only two scoring shots were played in 28 minutes, and only one boundary hit in 57 balls. Saha and Amit Mishra enjoyed all the luck - ball hitting the off stump without removing the bail, ordinary pictures reprieving Saha, what seemed like a catch at the wicket not given, edges falling short of or flying over fielders - but batted with caution to add 46 for the eighth wicket. The last three wickets fell for 26, making it 74 added for four wickets in a little over a session.
It was an important effort for Saha, who is expected to be the leader of India's reshuffled Nos 6, 7 and 8 in the absence of a sixth specialist batsman. It used to be three out of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashwin, but Dhoni has now retired, and Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar don't enjoy Kohli's confidence as much as they did Dhoni's. Be that as it may, persisting with just five specialist batsmen has put Saha's batting under the microscope a bit, and he could have easily invited more scrutiny if he hadn't enjoyed good fortune.
Similar good fortune accompanied the diminutive Kaushal Silva to the wicket. After the early wicket, he periscoped Ishant Sharma to the fine-leg boundary when on 6, and when he edged Binny through, it turned out the bowler had overstepped. Sangakkara too survived a really tough chance at slip when an edge flew off his forceful shot to Ajinkya Rahane off the bowling of Ashwin. That was just before tea when both the batsmen, who added 74 for the second wicket, were tested thoroughly by spells from Ashwin and Binny that read 5-1-11-0 and 6-2-17-0.
Ashwin continued testing the batsmen after the break as Kohli gave him in-and-out fields to work with. The edge from Sangakkara duly arrived when he finally landed the ball in the perfect in-between spot, not a half-volley nor short enough to go back, and Rahane took a beauty at slip. Against Silva and Lahiru Thirimanne - now batting in a third different position in three innings this series - Kohli persisted with the in-and-out fields, keeping the catching men in should there be a false stroke but also denying them boundaries on a hot day.
If it was Ashwin and Yadav just after tea, Mishra and Binny continued to keep the pressure on. There was a spell of play when no boundary was hit in 113 balls. During that period, only 36 runs came, and Silva chose to sweep against the sharp turn of Mishra, and failed to reach the pitch of the ball, giving short fine leg an easy chance.
Binny and the two spinners had kept the two big fast bowlers fresh, and Kohli has said in the past he wants a big effort from his fast bowlers when he calls on them in the final session of a long hot day. Now was the time to see how Yadav and Ishant would respond. Yadav bowled beautifully, going past Mathews' bat repeatedly, but India couldn't get that one more wicket that would hand them the clear advantage. Possibly there was a lesson in there: India would need much more patience and persistence if they are to win Test matches.
The second day of the P Sara Test was almost a coming-of-age day of Test cricket for Virat Kohli's India. They didn't score hundreds of runs, they didn't take tens of wickets, but they were persistent both with bat and the ball. When the runs didn't come easily, their last four wickets ground out 74 to deny Sri Lanka a clear advantage. When the wickets didn't come as readily as in the first Test, they refused to bowl loose balls or release the pressure, biding their time by just pegging away.
At the end of the second day, India had taken three Sri Lanka wickets, led by 253, and knew the hosts will have to bat last on a surface where the odd ball began to behave alarmingly. What's more, Kohli's gut selection, Stuart Binny, who failed with the bat, did a useful job with the ball, holding one end up and returning figures of 11-3-24-0 while coming heartbreakingly close to taking a wicket.
It was a day of attritional Test cricket. The game moved largely slowly but never flatly. There was just enough help on the pitch to keep the bowlers from getting disheartened, and enough resolve from the batsmen to keep the persistent bowlers at bay. India, enjoying some luck when they batted in the first session, dug in harder and for longer than Sri Lanka to get their noses ahead. In between, India found time for a ceasefire of sorts to welcome Kumar Sangakkara, playing his last Test, to the crease with a guard of honour. Sangakkara was made to fight harder than he is used to for his 32 off 87 before he fell to R Ashwin for the third time in the series.
While Sri Lanka will be worried wondering how to replace Sangakkara, a man replacing an Indian legend found another small step in Test cricket. Wriddhiman Saha enjoyed the kind of luck Dinesh Chandimal did while taking the Galle Test away from India, but he was more sedate and old-fashioned in scoring his second half-century this series to keep Sri Lanka in the field for more than a session. Rangana Herath started the most frenetic spell of the day by taking out India's last two wickets within seven runs of each other. Umesh Yadav, who had bowled his last 304 legal deliveries for just one wicket and was making a comeback, bowled a perfect outswinger first ball to send back Dimuth Karunaratne but it was back to being hard work for both sides then on.
Just like it had been in the morning. On a hot day Dhammika Prasad and Angelo Mathews refused to offer any freebies. Ashwin fell early to a loose shot to Mathews during a spell when only two scoring shots were played in 28 minutes, and only one boundary hit in 57 balls. Saha and Amit Mishra enjoyed all the luck - ball hitting the off stump without removing the bail, ordinary pictures reprieving Saha, what seemed like a catch at the wicket not given, edges falling short of or flying over fielders - but batted with caution to add 46 for the eighth wicket. The last three wickets fell for 26, making it 74 added for four wickets in a little over a session.
It was an important effort for Saha, who is expected to be the leader of India's reshuffled Nos 6, 7 and 8 in the absence of a sixth specialist batsman. It used to be three out of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashwin, but Dhoni has now retired, and Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar don't enjoy Kohli's confidence as much as they did Dhoni's. Be that as it may, persisting with just five specialist batsmen has put Saha's batting under the microscope a bit, and he could have easily invited more scrutiny if he hadn't enjoyed good fortune.
Similar good fortune accompanied the diminutive Kaushal Silva to the wicket. After the early wicket, he periscoped Ishant Sharma to the fine-leg boundary when on 6, and when he edged Binny through, it turned out the bowler had overstepped. Sangakkara too survived a really tough chance at slip when an edge flew off his forceful shot to Ajinkya Rahane off the bowling of Ashwin. That was just before tea when both the batsmen, who added 74 for the second wicket, were tested thoroughly by spells from Ashwin and Binny that read 5-1-11-0 and 6-2-17-0.
Ashwin continued testing the batsmen after the break as Kohli gave him in-and-out fields to work with. The edge from Sangakkara duly arrived when he finally landed the ball in the perfect in-between spot, not a half-volley nor short enough to go back, and Rahane took a beauty at slip. Against Silva and Lahiru Thirimanne - now batting in a third different position in three innings this series - Kohli persisted with the in-and-out fields, keeping the catching men in should there be a false stroke but also denying them boundaries on a hot day.
If it was Ashwin and Yadav just after tea, Mishra and Binny continued to keep the pressure on. There was a spell of play when no boundary was hit in 113 balls. During that period, only 36 runs came, and Silva chose to sweep against the sharp turn of Mishra, and failed to reach the pitch of the ball, giving short fine leg an easy chance.
Binny and the two spinners had kept the two big fast bowlers fresh, and Kohli has said in the past he wants a big effort from his fast bowlers when he calls on them in the final session of a long hot day. Now was the time to see how Yadav and Ishant would respond. Yadav bowled beautifully, going past Mathews' bat repeatedly, but India couldn't get that one more wicket that would hand them the clear advantage. Possibly there was a lesson in there: India would need much more patience and persistence if they are to win Test matches.
Thursday, 20 August 2015
5th Ashes Test Day 1 AUS 287/3
AUS 287/3
Stumps report: Australia have taken control on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test to raise hopes of a consolation victory at The Oval.
Alastair Cook's decision to bowl first came as no surprise in the morning, but any hopes of dismissing the tourists cheaply were ended by a solid start to the innings from the two openers.
Chris Rogers departed for 43 when he edged Mark Wood to Cook at slip following an opening stand of 110 with David Warner, who was dismissed by Moeen Ali shortly before the tea break.
Michael Clarke was given a guard of honour by the England players in his final Test match, but another disappointing knock for the Australian skipper came to an end when edged Ben Stokes through to Jos Buttler.
However, the tourists survived a testing spell in the evening session to make it to the close of play on 287-3, with Steve Smith (78*) and Adam Voges (48*) unbeaten at the crease before bad light forced the players off.
Tea Report: Australia have been reduced to 184-2 at tea on day one of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The tourists negotiated the morning session without losing a wicket, but the departures of Chris Rogers and David Warner have seen England make the breakthrough.
Rogers was the first to go when he was caught by Alastair Cook off the bowling of Mark Wood for 43 in the 34th over.
Warner looked on course for his century as he continued to force the issue, only for the combination of Adam Lyth and Moeen Ali to dismiss him for 85.
Australia captain Michael Clarke, who is playing his last match in Test cricket, was then given a guard of honour by the England players as he made his way out to the middle.
The veteran reached 14 not out before the end of the session, with Steven Smith alongside him on 29.
Lunch report: Opening duo Chris Rogers and David Warner have helped Australia reach 82-0 at lunch on day one of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The tourists have looked steady with the bat so far, while England have struggled for inspiration with the ball.
The closest that England came to taking a wicket after winning the toss was when Rogers, who is playing his last Test, almost nicked a Ben Stokes delivery through to Jos Buttler.
Rogers finished the morning session on 27 not out, with Warner making his way to an unbeaten knock of 53.
Stumps report: Australia have taken control on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test to raise hopes of a consolation victory at The Oval.
Alastair Cook's decision to bowl first came as no surprise in the morning, but any hopes of dismissing the tourists cheaply were ended by a solid start to the innings from the two openers.
Chris Rogers departed for 43 when he edged Mark Wood to Cook at slip following an opening stand of 110 with David Warner, who was dismissed by Moeen Ali shortly before the tea break.
Michael Clarke was given a guard of honour by the England players in his final Test match, but another disappointing knock for the Australian skipper came to an end when edged Ben Stokes through to Jos Buttler.
However, the tourists survived a testing spell in the evening session to make it to the close of play on 287-3, with Steve Smith (78*) and Adam Voges (48*) unbeaten at the crease before bad light forced the players off.
Tea Report: Australia have been reduced to 184-2 at tea on day one of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The tourists negotiated the morning session without losing a wicket, but the departures of Chris Rogers and David Warner have seen England make the breakthrough.
Rogers was the first to go when he was caught by Alastair Cook off the bowling of Mark Wood for 43 in the 34th over.
Warner looked on course for his century as he continued to force the issue, only for the combination of Adam Lyth and Moeen Ali to dismiss him for 85.
Australia captain Michael Clarke, who is playing his last match in Test cricket, was then given a guard of honour by the England players as he made his way out to the middle.
The veteran reached 14 not out before the end of the session, with Steven Smith alongside him on 29.
Lunch report: Opening duo Chris Rogers and David Warner have helped Australia reach 82-0 at lunch on day one of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The tourists have looked steady with the bat so far, while England have struggled for inspiration with the ball.
The closest that England came to taking a wicket after winning the toss was when Rogers, who is playing his last Test, almost nicked a Ben Stokes delivery through to Jos Buttler.
Rogers finished the morning session on 27 not out, with Warner making his way to an unbeaten knock of 53.
2nd Test Day 1 SL V IND
India 319 for 6 v Sri Lanka
KL Rahul's second Test century was the centerpiece of a fluctuating opening day at the P Sara Oval, which saw India recover from a troubled start and move to a solid but never dominant position. Rahul and Virat Kohli, who came together after two early strikes from Dhammika Prasad, added 164 for the third wicket before Rohit Sharma built on the platform they erected and scored the third half-century of his stop-start Test career.
Rohit and Wriddhiman Saha put on 52 for the sixth wicket and took India past 300 before Angelo Mathews ended the partnership with what turned out to be the last ball of the day.
Rohit came in at No. 5 - with Ajinkya Rahane taking the No. 3 slot he vacated - and eased his way into form, taking plenty of singles against spread-out fields and hitting only four boundaries in his first 50 runs. The scoring opportunities arrived late in the day, when Sri Lanka took the second new ball as soon as it was due.
Prasad had already sent down 18 overs in the day, in five separate spells, and a sixth one proved too much of an ask. He sent down two long-hops in his first over, which Rohit duly pulled for a six and a four, and another short ball in his next over, which Rohit steered behind point for another boundary.
But just when he looked set to have a good night's rest and resume in sight of a hundred, Mathews dismissed him for the second time in two Tests in exactly the same manner, jagging one back off the seam to strike his front pad as he looked to play around it.
Noting at the toss that "whatever grass we saw two days ago has disappeared", Kohli chose to bat first. Mathews said he would have bowled anyway, expecting the pitch to stay true to its usual self and assist his seamers early on.
Mathews' hunch was proven right, as Prasad found seam movement to strike in the first over of the Test. Having swung two of the first three balls away from M Vijay - only gently, but perceptibly - he got the fourth to nip back in off the seam. Not quite fully forward to defend, Vijay's front pad was right in front of off stump when the ball struck it.
Next to go was Rahane. At his regular No. 5 slot, against an older ball, he may have gotten away with reaching away from his body to drive on the up. Against a new ball that curved away from him, he didn't; the thick edge carried nicely to third slip.
With Mathews taking the new ball from the other end and asking questions of the batsmen - he straightened one from wide of the crease to send one flying off Rahul's edge between gully and point - India were under a fair deal of pressure.
Dushmantha Chameera - in the team because of Nuwan Pradeep's hamstring injury - released some of it when he came on as first change, but only after creating a clear chance in his first over. Rahul went hard at a shortish ball outside off and sliced straight to gully, only for Jehan Mubarak to drop the waist-high chance.
Three fours came off Chameera's first two overs - all from half-volleys driven down the ground or flicked off the pads - and two more in his next two, including a controlled pull from Kohli off a waist-high short ball.
Rahul and Kohli grew increasingly comfortable as the ball lost shine and shape - the umpires called for a replacement after 10 overs - though the odd ball still seamed around, as Kohli discovered when Prasad jagged one back into him and struck him on the back thigh. The pitch too lost its early juice and flattened out into an inviting batting strip.
At lunch, Rahul was on 39 and Kohli on 48. Rahul overtook his captain with three fours in the first three overs of the post-lunch session, the best of them a drive off Prasad between short cover and mid-off. It was the result of a big forward stride and immaculate weight transfer, and it brought up his fifty.
Every now and then, Kohli lapsed into his old tendency of pushing at the ball away from his body, and one such hard-handed jab nearly cost him his wicket against Prasad, in the fifth over after lunch, the edge falling just short of first slip. This came in a phase when he was stuck on 50 for 11 balls: he also popped Prasad off inside edge and pad into the vacant short leg area in this time.
Having survived that stretch, Kohli grew dominant, clipping Chameera for two fours in an over and drilling Herath with immense bat-speed into a small gap between short extra cover and a deepish cover. With the batsmen growing increasingly dominant and the bowling increasingly ragged, Kohli and Rahul hit seven fours and a six from the 34th to 43rd overs.
Just when Sri Lanka seemed at a loss for ideas, Kohli fell against the run of play. Rahul had late-cut Kaushal to the third man boundary in the previous over, and Kohli tried to play a similar shot off Herath, when the ball wasn't quite short enough for it. Mathews anticipated at slip, dived across, and snaffled the ball one-handed.
The wicket re-energised Herath, who gave India a few nervous moments before tea with his changes of pace and trajectory. Rohit made the same mistake that got him out in the second innings of the Galle Test, coming forward to defend with his front leg a long way inside the line. The ball popped in the air, off the edge, but there was no silly point and Rohit escaped a second-baller.
Herath then nearly had Rahul, deceiving him in the air as he skipped down the pitch, and forcing him to push his hands at the ball as it dipped and turned away from him. The edge, however, didn't carry to slip.
Aside from that moment, Rahul's eagerness to dance out of his crease had served him well. All the Indian batsmen looked to do just that, against Herath, and Kohli, Rahul and Rohit hit him for a big six each.
Sri Lanka turned to the short ball after tea, with Chameera steaming in from around the stumps, and the tactic brought them Rahul's wicket. Rahul, who had reached his hundred five overs earlier, went for the hook, looking to fetch a shoulder-high ball from outside off stump, and could only spoon a simple catch to the keeper off the top edge.
Stuart Binny, who never looked comfortable at any point during his 40-ball stay, fell while trying to take on Herath as soon as he came back into the attack an hour into the final session. Looking to hit him inside-out, over the covers, Binny only managed to spoon him to long-off.
KL Rahul's second Test century was the centerpiece of a fluctuating opening day at the P Sara Oval, which saw India recover from a troubled start and move to a solid but never dominant position. Rahul and Virat Kohli, who came together after two early strikes from Dhammika Prasad, added 164 for the third wicket before Rohit Sharma built on the platform they erected and scored the third half-century of his stop-start Test career.
Rohit and Wriddhiman Saha put on 52 for the sixth wicket and took India past 300 before Angelo Mathews ended the partnership with what turned out to be the last ball of the day.
Rohit came in at No. 5 - with Ajinkya Rahane taking the No. 3 slot he vacated - and eased his way into form, taking plenty of singles against spread-out fields and hitting only four boundaries in his first 50 runs. The scoring opportunities arrived late in the day, when Sri Lanka took the second new ball as soon as it was due.
Prasad had already sent down 18 overs in the day, in five separate spells, and a sixth one proved too much of an ask. He sent down two long-hops in his first over, which Rohit duly pulled for a six and a four, and another short ball in his next over, which Rohit steered behind point for another boundary.
But just when he looked set to have a good night's rest and resume in sight of a hundred, Mathews dismissed him for the second time in two Tests in exactly the same manner, jagging one back off the seam to strike his front pad as he looked to play around it.
Noting at the toss that "whatever grass we saw two days ago has disappeared", Kohli chose to bat first. Mathews said he would have bowled anyway, expecting the pitch to stay true to its usual self and assist his seamers early on.
Mathews' hunch was proven right, as Prasad found seam movement to strike in the first over of the Test. Having swung two of the first three balls away from M Vijay - only gently, but perceptibly - he got the fourth to nip back in off the seam. Not quite fully forward to defend, Vijay's front pad was right in front of off stump when the ball struck it.
Next to go was Rahane. At his regular No. 5 slot, against an older ball, he may have gotten away with reaching away from his body to drive on the up. Against a new ball that curved away from him, he didn't; the thick edge carried nicely to third slip.
With Mathews taking the new ball from the other end and asking questions of the batsmen - he straightened one from wide of the crease to send one flying off Rahul's edge between gully and point - India were under a fair deal of pressure.
Dushmantha Chameera - in the team because of Nuwan Pradeep's hamstring injury - released some of it when he came on as first change, but only after creating a clear chance in his first over. Rahul went hard at a shortish ball outside off and sliced straight to gully, only for Jehan Mubarak to drop the waist-high chance.
Three fours came off Chameera's first two overs - all from half-volleys driven down the ground or flicked off the pads - and two more in his next two, including a controlled pull from Kohli off a waist-high short ball.
Rahul and Kohli grew increasingly comfortable as the ball lost shine and shape - the umpires called for a replacement after 10 overs - though the odd ball still seamed around, as Kohli discovered when Prasad jagged one back into him and struck him on the back thigh. The pitch too lost its early juice and flattened out into an inviting batting strip.
At lunch, Rahul was on 39 and Kohli on 48. Rahul overtook his captain with three fours in the first three overs of the post-lunch session, the best of them a drive off Prasad between short cover and mid-off. It was the result of a big forward stride and immaculate weight transfer, and it brought up his fifty.
Every now and then, Kohli lapsed into his old tendency of pushing at the ball away from his body, and one such hard-handed jab nearly cost him his wicket against Prasad, in the fifth over after lunch, the edge falling just short of first slip. This came in a phase when he was stuck on 50 for 11 balls: he also popped Prasad off inside edge and pad into the vacant short leg area in this time.
Having survived that stretch, Kohli grew dominant, clipping Chameera for two fours in an over and drilling Herath with immense bat-speed into a small gap between short extra cover and a deepish cover. With the batsmen growing increasingly dominant and the bowling increasingly ragged, Kohli and Rahul hit seven fours and a six from the 34th to 43rd overs.
Just when Sri Lanka seemed at a loss for ideas, Kohli fell against the run of play. Rahul had late-cut Kaushal to the third man boundary in the previous over, and Kohli tried to play a similar shot off Herath, when the ball wasn't quite short enough for it. Mathews anticipated at slip, dived across, and snaffled the ball one-handed.
The wicket re-energised Herath, who gave India a few nervous moments before tea with his changes of pace and trajectory. Rohit made the same mistake that got him out in the second innings of the Galle Test, coming forward to defend with his front leg a long way inside the line. The ball popped in the air, off the edge, but there was no silly point and Rohit escaped a second-baller.
Herath then nearly had Rahul, deceiving him in the air as he skipped down the pitch, and forcing him to push his hands at the ball as it dipped and turned away from him. The edge, however, didn't carry to slip.
Aside from that moment, Rahul's eagerness to dance out of his crease had served him well. All the Indian batsmen looked to do just that, against Herath, and Kohli, Rahul and Rohit hit him for a big six each.
Sri Lanka turned to the short ball after tea, with Chameera steaming in from around the stumps, and the tactic brought them Rahul's wicket. Rahul, who had reached his hundred five overs earlier, went for the hook, looking to fetch a shoulder-high ball from outside off stump, and could only spoon a simple catch to the keeper off the top edge.
Stuart Binny, who never looked comfortable at any point during his 40-ball stay, fell while trying to take on Herath as soon as he came back into the attack an hour into the final session. Looking to hit him inside-out, over the covers, Binny only managed to spoon him to long-off.
Wednesday, 19 August 2015
1st ODI SA V NZ
A century from Hashim Amla has helped guide South Africa to a 20-run victory over New Zealand in the first one-day international of their series at Centurion.
The Kiwis won the toss and elected to bowl and they manage to strike to remove Morne van Wyk when he was caught by Nathan McCullum off the bowling of Mitchell McClenaghan for 16.
However, Amla and Rilee Rossouw took the game to the New Zealand bowlers and quickly established a strong partnership at the crease.
Amla passed his half-century off 54 balls as he guided his side over the 100-run mark, while the duo soon reached their 100 partnership as Rossouw brought up his 50 off 81 deliveries.
Both players continued to find the boundary with regularity helping their side push past 200 runs, while Alma brought up his century – the 20th of his one-day international career – off 104 balls.
Rossouw looked to be on his way to joining him, but he fell for 89, as the partnership of 185 was broken by McClenaghan, while skipper AB de Villers departed cheaply.
Amla was then bowled by Adam Milne for 124 and the Proteas was forced to scrap to post a total over 300 as they reached 304-7 at the end of their 50 overs.
The Kiwis' reply got off to a bad start when Dale Steyn removed Luke Ronchi in the first over, but Tom Latham and Kane Williamson were able to build a solid foundation for the innings.
The duo guided their side over the 100-run mark at a rate of just under five runs an over as Latham reached 50 off 57 deliveries, but Williamson was to fall for 47.
Martin Guptill helped rebuild the partnership but as the Kiwis approached the 150-mark they lost three wickets in succession as Guptil, Latham and Grant Elliott all departed.
James Neesham and Colin Munro kept the chase alive with a partnership of 71, but it became desperate they were both out with time quickly running out for the tourists.
Milne and McClenaghan made a late effort, but the Kiwis were to fall 21 runs short of their target as South Africa held their nerve to seal the victory.
The Kiwis won the toss and elected to bowl and they manage to strike to remove Morne van Wyk when he was caught by Nathan McCullum off the bowling of Mitchell McClenaghan for 16.
However, Amla and Rilee Rossouw took the game to the New Zealand bowlers and quickly established a strong partnership at the crease.
Amla passed his half-century off 54 balls as he guided his side over the 100-run mark, while the duo soon reached their 100 partnership as Rossouw brought up his 50 off 81 deliveries.
Both players continued to find the boundary with regularity helping their side push past 200 runs, while Alma brought up his century – the 20th of his one-day international career – off 104 balls.
Rossouw looked to be on his way to joining him, but he fell for 89, as the partnership of 185 was broken by McClenaghan, while skipper AB de Villers departed cheaply.
Amla was then bowled by Adam Milne for 124 and the Proteas was forced to scrap to post a total over 300 as they reached 304-7 at the end of their 50 overs.
The Kiwis' reply got off to a bad start when Dale Steyn removed Luke Ronchi in the first over, but Tom Latham and Kane Williamson were able to build a solid foundation for the innings.
The duo guided their side over the 100-run mark at a rate of just under five runs an over as Latham reached 50 off 57 deliveries, but Williamson was to fall for 47.
Martin Guptill helped rebuild the partnership but as the Kiwis approached the 150-mark they lost three wickets in succession as Guptil, Latham and Grant Elliott all departed.
James Neesham and Colin Munro kept the chase alive with a partnership of 71, but it became desperate they were both out with time quickly running out for the tourists.
Milne and McClenaghan made a late effort, but the Kiwis were to fall 21 runs short of their target as South Africa held their nerve to seal the victory.
Sunday, 16 August 2015
2nd T20 SA V NZ
New Zealand 177 for 7 beat South Africa 145 for 8 by 32 runs
South Africa have only once successfully chased a score of 170-plus in T20 cricket, and New Zealand made sure it stayed that way. Kane Williamson's line-up put right what they did wrong two days ago, and built on their start with the bat to allow for a flourishing finish. Their attack adapted and studded South Africa's scorecard with scalps to ensure the hosts were never quite in a chase of 178.
Unlike Durban, where the temperatures stay tropical even in the dry winter, the arid air in Centurion has an effect and both teams thought that would warrant the inclusion of two specialist spinners on a parched, cracked surface. Both teams opened with a spinner and neither got the desired result.
Aaron Phangiso's first ball was hammered wide of a diving AB de Villiers at cover, while Nathan McCullum's first over was boundary-less, but only because Williamson pulled off an exceptional stop and mid-off. Instead, it was a strip for seamers but only those willing to bend their backs. The short ball proved an effective weapon as Mitchell McClenaghan showed, but South Africa did not make as much use of it as they should have.
For the second match in succession, they went too full and New Zealand took advantage. The visitors scored 64 runs in the v which amounted to more than a third of their total. By contrast, South Africa only managed 26 runs down the ground and lost both Morne van Wyk and David Miller to the short ball, while only Farhaan Behardien, with a career-best 36, put up something of a fight.
Behardien was the only South African who had reason to celebrate - he also took his first T20 wicket when Martin Guptill holed out to a full toss - but by then New Zealand were already faring better than they had on Friday night.
Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott provided plenty that was pitched up, and Williamson and Guptill plundered runs over their heads. Their partnership was worth 50 when Williamson sliced Rabada to deep third man and when Guptill was dropped two overs later, New Zealand looked ready to replay their Kingsmead collapse.
But South Africa were unable to enforce the same squeeze. Guptill was on 38 when Miller put him down, and he added another 22 runs to his score, mostly by taking on the spinners. He brought up his sixth T20 fifty - the only one of the game - with a slog sweep off Eddie Leie and breached the boundary one more time before holing out to a full-toss offered by Behardien.
Grant Elliott followed Guptill in the following over when he was trapped on the front pad by a tossed up delivery from Phangiso, but still, New Zealand did not slow down. They scored 63 runs off the last seven overs as Neesham and Colin Munro brought out an array of strokes, with Munro taking 18 runs off Abbott's third over with clean strokes down the ground.
Rabada had Neesham and Munro dismissed in consecutive balls to find himself on a hat-trick for the second time in the series. Abbott did not enjoy the same fortune, though, and went wicketless for the third international match in a row.
South Africa were never able to get on a similar roll. Van Wyk was cramped for room on the pull and caught behind in the third over, and Hashim Amla was caught at point in the fourth which meant an unsteady start.
AB de Villiers, Rilee Rossouw, Farhaan Behardien and Miller all had the opportunity to put that right but none showed the patience required to do that. De Villiers departed cheaply, going for one big shot too many and Rossouw, who showed proficiency against both pace and spin, came out of his crease to pul; Ish Sodhi and found short midwicket which left Behardien and Miller to score 103 runs in the second half of the South African innings.
Scoreboard pressure increased when they found the boundary only four times in the five overs that followed and Behardien, although comfortable, through caution to the wind. He slog swept a Nathan McCullum full toss to deep mid-wicket to behind South Africa's slide. A wicket fell in each of the next three overs as the pressure told. New Zealand offered deliveries South Africa could not resist hitting and their fielding was sharp enough to take the resultant chances.
Behardien, David Wiese, Phangiso and Miller joined de Villiers, Rossouw, Amla and van Wyk in falling to big shots, but the lower-middle order's collapse was more dramatic. South Africa lost 4 for 19, stubbed out of the chase and were forced to share the series spoils.
South Africa have only once successfully chased a score of 170-plus in T20 cricket, and New Zealand made sure it stayed that way. Kane Williamson's line-up put right what they did wrong two days ago, and built on their start with the bat to allow for a flourishing finish. Their attack adapted and studded South Africa's scorecard with scalps to ensure the hosts were never quite in a chase of 178.
Unlike Durban, where the temperatures stay tropical even in the dry winter, the arid air in Centurion has an effect and both teams thought that would warrant the inclusion of two specialist spinners on a parched, cracked surface. Both teams opened with a spinner and neither got the desired result.
Aaron Phangiso's first ball was hammered wide of a diving AB de Villiers at cover, while Nathan McCullum's first over was boundary-less, but only because Williamson pulled off an exceptional stop and mid-off. Instead, it was a strip for seamers but only those willing to bend their backs. The short ball proved an effective weapon as Mitchell McClenaghan showed, but South Africa did not make as much use of it as they should have.
For the second match in succession, they went too full and New Zealand took advantage. The visitors scored 64 runs in the v which amounted to more than a third of their total. By contrast, South Africa only managed 26 runs down the ground and lost both Morne van Wyk and David Miller to the short ball, while only Farhaan Behardien, with a career-best 36, put up something of a fight.
Behardien was the only South African who had reason to celebrate - he also took his first T20 wicket when Martin Guptill holed out to a full toss - but by then New Zealand were already faring better than they had on Friday night.
Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott provided plenty that was pitched up, and Williamson and Guptill plundered runs over their heads. Their partnership was worth 50 when Williamson sliced Rabada to deep third man and when Guptill was dropped two overs later, New Zealand looked ready to replay their Kingsmead collapse.
But South Africa were unable to enforce the same squeeze. Guptill was on 38 when Miller put him down, and he added another 22 runs to his score, mostly by taking on the spinners. He brought up his sixth T20 fifty - the only one of the game - with a slog sweep off Eddie Leie and breached the boundary one more time before holing out to a full-toss offered by Behardien.
Grant Elliott followed Guptill in the following over when he was trapped on the front pad by a tossed up delivery from Phangiso, but still, New Zealand did not slow down. They scored 63 runs off the last seven overs as Neesham and Colin Munro brought out an array of strokes, with Munro taking 18 runs off Abbott's third over with clean strokes down the ground.
Rabada had Neesham and Munro dismissed in consecutive balls to find himself on a hat-trick for the second time in the series. Abbott did not enjoy the same fortune, though, and went wicketless for the third international match in a row.
South Africa were never able to get on a similar roll. Van Wyk was cramped for room on the pull and caught behind in the third over, and Hashim Amla was caught at point in the fourth which meant an unsteady start.
AB de Villiers, Rilee Rossouw, Farhaan Behardien and Miller all had the opportunity to put that right but none showed the patience required to do that. De Villiers departed cheaply, going for one big shot too many and Rossouw, who showed proficiency against both pace and spin, came out of his crease to pul; Ish Sodhi and found short midwicket which left Behardien and Miller to score 103 runs in the second half of the South African innings.
Scoreboard pressure increased when they found the boundary only four times in the five overs that followed and Behardien, although comfortable, through caution to the wind. He slog swept a Nathan McCullum full toss to deep mid-wicket to behind South Africa's slide. A wicket fell in each of the next three overs as the pressure told. New Zealand offered deliveries South Africa could not resist hitting and their fielding was sharp enough to take the resultant chances.
Behardien, David Wiese, Phangiso and Miller joined de Villiers, Rossouw, Amla and van Wyk in falling to big shots, but the lower-middle order's collapse was more dramatic. South Africa lost 4 for 19, stubbed out of the chase and were forced to share the series spoils.
Saturday, 15 August 2015
T20 Blast Quarter Finals Weds 12th Aug - Sat 15th Aug
Northants (166/3) bt Sussex (165/7) by 7 wickets
Northants Steelbacks booked their place at the NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day for a third time with a seven-wicket victory over Sussex Sharks this evening.
David Willey starred with the bat and the ball as Sussex failed to make their home advantage count.
The visitors, who won the toss and put the Sharks into bat, struck in the second over when Olly Stone caught the hosts' captain Luke Wright off the bowling of David Willey for zero.
Mahela Jayawardene steadied the ship with a commanding 50 from 30 balls on his return to the Sussex side, but fell to a spectacular diving catch from Josh Cobb two balls later.
That wicket turned the tie as the Sharks attack quickly unravelled as George Bailey was trapped lbw for just five and Craig Cachopa was bowled by Rory Kleinveldt for 13.
Chris Nash made 53 and Will Beer struck a quick 16 in a late rally as the Sharks posted 165-7.
However, the Steelbacks were rampant in their response as Willey, who had finished with bowling figures of 3-27, knocked 100 from 40 balls, including five sixes in a single over.
Willey was dismissed the following ball, but the damage had already been done, leaving Cobb and Alex Wakely to steer the Steelbacks over the line.
Birmingham Bears (189/5) bt Essex (165/6) by 24 runs
Birmingham Bears moved into the T20 Blast semi-finals with a 24-run victory over Essex Eagles at Edgbaston.
Victory ensured the defending champions will appear at their home ground on Finals Day on Saturday, 29 August.
Birmingham recovered from a slow start to post 189-5, with Laurie Evans (50) and Chris Woakes (48no) accelerating towards the end of the 20 overs.
Essex managed 165-6 in reply, Tom Westley top-scoring with 33 off 27 balls and Ravi Bopara hitting 32.
The Bears are just two wins away from retaining their domestic T20 crown, having won the title for the first time in 2014.
England captain Alastair Cook was left out by Essex, but fellow Ashes winner Ian Bell was selected by the hosts, though he could only make seven before falling to left-armer Reece Topley (2-36).
Evans was granted some luck on his way to a half-century, first caught off a Shaun Tait no-ball when on 14 then dropped by Essex skipper Ryan ten Doeschate at cover, while all-rounder Woakes gave Birmingham's innings some late impetus with some clean hitting.
Cameos by Jesse Ryder (26), Westley and Bopara kept Essex in touch as they chased 190 to win, but their chances of victory disappeared once Bopara was bowled by off-spinner Jeetan Patel.
Hampshire 196-4 (20 overs) bt Worcs 58-2 (8.1 overs) - BY 17 RUNS (D/L METHOD)
Hampshire reached T20 Finals Day for a sixth straight season as Worcestershire's quarter-final hopes disappeared in the gloom at New Road.
Chasing 197 to win, after James Vince's stunning century, the hosts were behind the clock on 58-2 in the ninth over when the game ended early.
Hampshire fielder Chris Wood was hit on the nose after misjudging a catch.
The umpires took the players off for bad light, eventually giving Hampshire the win on the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Even before Wood was injured trying to catch Ross Whiteley at deep extra cover, it had become apparent with light fading badly in already overcast conditions, the Worcestershire innings might not be completed.
Having earlier been invited to bat, Hampshire captain Vince led the visiting side's charge batting through the innings for an unbeaten 107.
The once-capped England one-day international hit three sixes and 13 fours in his 63-ball century.
He was well supported by Michael Carberry (43) in an opening stand of 86, while wicketkeeper Adam Wheater weighed in with 32.
Worcestershire's hopes depended largely on Moeen Ali, freed from England duty. But he departed quickly for 10, skying a catch to Wheater.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore (9) was then run out by a direct hit from Wood as the skies darkened.
It briefly looked as if the balance might turn in favour of the home side when Whiteley smacked spinner Liam Dawson for straight sixes off successive balls.
But when the left-hander went for the boundary again, Wood misjudged the catch and the ball ricocheted off his hand into his nose.
The game was finally called off to the groans of the home supporters, with Worcestershire well behind the Duckworth/Lewis par score of 75.
Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell:
"It was a good pitch and we thought 175 was par. It was still gettable but we knew the light might be a problem and we needed to get in front of the Duckworth/Lewis score.
"But we lost a couple of wickets and weren't able to do that.
"Batting out there wasn't too bad, but I guess in the field it's a bit more difficult. Maybe it was a tactical drop onto nose by Woody (Chris Wood).
"It's just one of those things. The umpires are there to make a decision. They're two experienced guys and I wouldn't question what they did."
Hampshire captain James Vince:
"We were going to bowl, more because of the weather that was around, but it was a good toss to lose.
"It was nice to finally get three figures, having fallen short with 99 earlier this season, but it was more important to win.
"It means a lot getting through to Finals Day again. It's a day you don't want to miss out on. Hopefully we can go one better and win it this year."
Kent 142 (20 overs) v Lancashire 142-6 (20 overs)
Lancashire qualify as a result of losing fewer wickets
Lancashire clinched the last T20 Blast Finals Day place by losing fewer wickets after the scores were tied in their quarter-final against Kent.
Requiring just six off the final over to win, Matt Coles had England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler and Steven Croft caught off consecutive balls.
James Faulkner drove the final ball for two, with three runs needed to win.
Kent were earlier bowled out for 142 and Lancashire claimed victory having lost only six wickets.
Northants Steelbacks booked their place at the NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day for a third time with a seven-wicket victory over Sussex Sharks this evening.
David Willey starred with the bat and the ball as Sussex failed to make their home advantage count.
The visitors, who won the toss and put the Sharks into bat, struck in the second over when Olly Stone caught the hosts' captain Luke Wright off the bowling of David Willey for zero.
Mahela Jayawardene steadied the ship with a commanding 50 from 30 balls on his return to the Sussex side, but fell to a spectacular diving catch from Josh Cobb two balls later.
That wicket turned the tie as the Sharks attack quickly unravelled as George Bailey was trapped lbw for just five and Craig Cachopa was bowled by Rory Kleinveldt for 13.
Chris Nash made 53 and Will Beer struck a quick 16 in a late rally as the Sharks posted 165-7.
However, the Steelbacks were rampant in their response as Willey, who had finished with bowling figures of 3-27, knocked 100 from 40 balls, including five sixes in a single over.
Willey was dismissed the following ball, but the damage had already been done, leaving Cobb and Alex Wakely to steer the Steelbacks over the line.
Birmingham Bears (189/5) bt Essex (165/6) by 24 runs
Birmingham Bears moved into the T20 Blast semi-finals with a 24-run victory over Essex Eagles at Edgbaston.
Victory ensured the defending champions will appear at their home ground on Finals Day on Saturday, 29 August.
Birmingham recovered from a slow start to post 189-5, with Laurie Evans (50) and Chris Woakes (48no) accelerating towards the end of the 20 overs.
Essex managed 165-6 in reply, Tom Westley top-scoring with 33 off 27 balls and Ravi Bopara hitting 32.
The Bears are just two wins away from retaining their domestic T20 crown, having won the title for the first time in 2014.
England captain Alastair Cook was left out by Essex, but fellow Ashes winner Ian Bell was selected by the hosts, though he could only make seven before falling to left-armer Reece Topley (2-36).
Evans was granted some luck on his way to a half-century, first caught off a Shaun Tait no-ball when on 14 then dropped by Essex skipper Ryan ten Doeschate at cover, while all-rounder Woakes gave Birmingham's innings some late impetus with some clean hitting.
Cameos by Jesse Ryder (26), Westley and Bopara kept Essex in touch as they chased 190 to win, but their chances of victory disappeared once Bopara was bowled by off-spinner Jeetan Patel.
Hampshire 196-4 (20 overs) bt Worcs 58-2 (8.1 overs) - BY 17 RUNS (D/L METHOD)
Hampshire reached T20 Finals Day for a sixth straight season as Worcestershire's quarter-final hopes disappeared in the gloom at New Road.
Chasing 197 to win, after James Vince's stunning century, the hosts were behind the clock on 58-2 in the ninth over when the game ended early.
Hampshire fielder Chris Wood was hit on the nose after misjudging a catch.
The umpires took the players off for bad light, eventually giving Hampshire the win on the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Even before Wood was injured trying to catch Ross Whiteley at deep extra cover, it had become apparent with light fading badly in already overcast conditions, the Worcestershire innings might not be completed.
Having earlier been invited to bat, Hampshire captain Vince led the visiting side's charge batting through the innings for an unbeaten 107.
The once-capped England one-day international hit three sixes and 13 fours in his 63-ball century.
He was well supported by Michael Carberry (43) in an opening stand of 86, while wicketkeeper Adam Wheater weighed in with 32.
Worcestershire's hopes depended largely on Moeen Ali, freed from England duty. But he departed quickly for 10, skying a catch to Wheater.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore (9) was then run out by a direct hit from Wood as the skies darkened.
It briefly looked as if the balance might turn in favour of the home side when Whiteley smacked spinner Liam Dawson for straight sixes off successive balls.
But when the left-hander went for the boundary again, Wood misjudged the catch and the ball ricocheted off his hand into his nose.
The game was finally called off to the groans of the home supporters, with Worcestershire well behind the Duckworth/Lewis par score of 75.
Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell:
"It was a good pitch and we thought 175 was par. It was still gettable but we knew the light might be a problem and we needed to get in front of the Duckworth/Lewis score.
"But we lost a couple of wickets and weren't able to do that.
"Batting out there wasn't too bad, but I guess in the field it's a bit more difficult. Maybe it was a tactical drop onto nose by Woody (Chris Wood).
"It's just one of those things. The umpires are there to make a decision. They're two experienced guys and I wouldn't question what they did."
Hampshire captain James Vince:
"We were going to bowl, more because of the weather that was around, but it was a good toss to lose.
"It was nice to finally get three figures, having fallen short with 99 earlier this season, but it was more important to win.
"It means a lot getting through to Finals Day again. It's a day you don't want to miss out on. Hopefully we can go one better and win it this year."
Kent 142 (20 overs) v Lancashire 142-6 (20 overs)
Lancashire qualify as a result of losing fewer wickets
Lancashire clinched the last T20 Blast Finals Day place by losing fewer wickets after the scores were tied in their quarter-final against Kent.
Requiring just six off the final over to win, Matt Coles had England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler and Steven Croft caught off consecutive balls.
James Faulkner drove the final ball for two, with three runs needed to win.
Kent were earlier bowled out for 142 and Lancashire claimed victory having lost only six wickets.
Draw for T20 Blast Finals Day (August 29th)
Northants Steelbacks v Birmingham Bears
Hampshire v Lancashire Lightning
Hampshire v Lancashire Lightning
1st Test Day 4 SL beat IND
Sri Lanka 183 and 367 beat India 375 and 112 by 63 runs
After having made 300 look like 150 against Pakistan recently, Sri Lanka were back to their ways of making targets of under-200 look like 350-plus by choking the life out of India's chase. Their bowlers had failed to build any pressure in the first innings, but on the fourth day, with the win a possibility, they hardly released it. India needed 153 to win with nine wickets in hand at the start of the day, Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal bowled them to a sensational win. Not counting the forfeiture of The Oval Test in 2006, this 192 was the eight-highest first-innings turned around into a Test win.
Dropped in the last match and lacking the bite in the first innings, Herath put more body into the ball, bowled hardly a bad ball in 21 overs, went past Bishan Bedi to become the third-most successful left-arm spinner in Test history, and registered the second-best figures in Galle. This was a return to what Sri Lanka do really well: runs to play with, in-and-out fields so they are both attacking and defending at the same time, and their spinners landing everything on a penny.
The Galle International Stadium is an open venue with few stands in a sparsely populated city, but India would have felt there was no air to breathe on the fourth day. A day earlier they were almost certain of a win, but a turnaround began their inexplicable resistance to DRS and an excellent counterattack by Dinesh Chandimal. If that turnaround was unexpected, on the final day it was predictable that Sri Lanka would make India work hard for every run on a turning pitch. Eventually India did not work hard enough, in terms of applying themselves technically, folding for their lowest total against Sri Lanka.
Working extremely hard was a 37-year-old portly spinner, fighting sore knees and a dodgy back, realising he needed to spin the ball harder to make a helpful pitch respond to him. And he did so emphatically. Having taken out KL Rahul on day three, Herath removed nightwatchman Ishant Sharma with the first ball he bowled in the morning. In an 18-over spell that followed, either side of lunch, he bowled just two half-volleys, one short ball and taking six wickets for just 35 runs. In the face of Herath's unerring accuracy, the India batsmen seemed to overplay the threat of the arm ball, either staying leg side of the ball or pushing out in front of the pad.
Herath still managed to produce a wicket each of four kinds: Ishant Sharma was out lbw although he might have been hit outside the line, Rohit Sharma was bowled staying beside the line of the ball, Wriddhiman Saha was stumped when beaten by one that dipped on him and ripped past him, Harbhajan Singh sensationally caught pad-bat, R Ashwin caught at mid-on in a desperate attempt to break the shackles, and finally Ajinkya Rahane through an edge to slip to end India's final resistance.
Credit was also due to Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep, who tested the overnight batsmen thoroughly. Ishant, the nightwatchman, was dropped at second slip in Pradeep's first over, but Pradeep's bigger impact was in beating the first-innings centurion Shikhar Dhawan outside off on three occasions with balls that held their line.
Dhawan, batting with a bruised hand, went to discipline over bravado. With Ishant as the other batsman, runs hardly came. Dhawan was exemplary in avoiding temptation, taking 36 balls to add to his overnight score of 13. Anything wide outside off Dhawan didn't go after, and the quicks didn't offer him anything on the pads. Dhawan was in a way the rock of the collapsing innings, but there could be a counter argument to playing yourself into a shell.
After Herath got rid of Ishant with his first ball of the day, Rohit didn't get to face a bowler other than Herath. It can be argued that had Dhawan been more urgent he could have possibly opened up the easier end for Rohit. That, though, is no excuse for having your front foot outside leg when playing a forward-defensive to a ball pitched middle and turning to off. Nor does it absolve Virat Kohli, still looking for a win as a captain, of a rookie mistake of playing an offbreak well in front of his body with hard hands. When he did that to the last ball of the first over bowled by Tharindu Kaushal, he offered Kaushal Silva a sharp catch at short leg, and gave the error-prone Kaushal just the start he needed.
At 45 for 4, the pressure became unbearable for India. Even though Ajinkya Rahane looked solid and India still needed only 122, Dhawan became edgy after all the hard work in the first hour. In the 20th over the day, he shaped up to reverse-sweep Kaushal, saw the ball was not there, looked for a regulation sweep, and in the end patted it back. The next ball he managed a leading edge on a leg-side half-volley to give Kaushal a sharp return catch. That is the risk you always run when you defend for so long without scoring many runs.
India's last recognised pair was in with 116 still required. And Herath was in no mood to offer easy runs. Even when Rahane got shots away, the trademark Sri Lankan in-and-out field meant he didn't get boundaries. And then Herath produced a gem for Saha, dragging him out with a flighted delivery, and getting it to turn and bounce alarmingly. Dinesh Chandimal, the man responsible for making India bat again, made a good rib-high collection and stumped Saha.
The best piece of fielding, though, was reserved for the last wicket of the first session, a wicket that betrayed India's muddled thinking. When Harbhajan was promoted ahead of Ashwin, you would have thought he would have been asked to pinch-hit and see if India could knock Sri Lanka off their rhythm. Harbhajan, though, failed to play a shot in anger and was caught superbly diving forward by Silva off a tame forward-defensive.
After lunch Ashwin tried to do what Harbhajan should have done, but fell to an unusually wide mid-on, another example of how it seems there are more than 11 fielders on the field when you are struggling. Rahane and Amit Mishra then added 21 in what was not only the highest but the most assured partnership of the innings. Herath finally got one on target to turn and take Rahane's edge, and with 74 runs still required it was only going to be a matter of time.
After having made 300 look like 150 against Pakistan recently, Sri Lanka were back to their ways of making targets of under-200 look like 350-plus by choking the life out of India's chase. Their bowlers had failed to build any pressure in the first innings, but on the fourth day, with the win a possibility, they hardly released it. India needed 153 to win with nine wickets in hand at the start of the day, Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal bowled them to a sensational win. Not counting the forfeiture of The Oval Test in 2006, this 192 was the eight-highest first-innings turned around into a Test win.
Dropped in the last match and lacking the bite in the first innings, Herath put more body into the ball, bowled hardly a bad ball in 21 overs, went past Bishan Bedi to become the third-most successful left-arm spinner in Test history, and registered the second-best figures in Galle. This was a return to what Sri Lanka do really well: runs to play with, in-and-out fields so they are both attacking and defending at the same time, and their spinners landing everything on a penny.
The Galle International Stadium is an open venue with few stands in a sparsely populated city, but India would have felt there was no air to breathe on the fourth day. A day earlier they were almost certain of a win, but a turnaround began their inexplicable resistance to DRS and an excellent counterattack by Dinesh Chandimal. If that turnaround was unexpected, on the final day it was predictable that Sri Lanka would make India work hard for every run on a turning pitch. Eventually India did not work hard enough, in terms of applying themselves technically, folding for their lowest total against Sri Lanka.
Working extremely hard was a 37-year-old portly spinner, fighting sore knees and a dodgy back, realising he needed to spin the ball harder to make a helpful pitch respond to him. And he did so emphatically. Having taken out KL Rahul on day three, Herath removed nightwatchman Ishant Sharma with the first ball he bowled in the morning. In an 18-over spell that followed, either side of lunch, he bowled just two half-volleys, one short ball and taking six wickets for just 35 runs. In the face of Herath's unerring accuracy, the India batsmen seemed to overplay the threat of the arm ball, either staying leg side of the ball or pushing out in front of the pad.
Herath still managed to produce a wicket each of four kinds: Ishant Sharma was out lbw although he might have been hit outside the line, Rohit Sharma was bowled staying beside the line of the ball, Wriddhiman Saha was stumped when beaten by one that dipped on him and ripped past him, Harbhajan Singh sensationally caught pad-bat, R Ashwin caught at mid-on in a desperate attempt to break the shackles, and finally Ajinkya Rahane through an edge to slip to end India's final resistance.
Credit was also due to Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep, who tested the overnight batsmen thoroughly. Ishant, the nightwatchman, was dropped at second slip in Pradeep's first over, but Pradeep's bigger impact was in beating the first-innings centurion Shikhar Dhawan outside off on three occasions with balls that held their line.
Dhawan, batting with a bruised hand, went to discipline over bravado. With Ishant as the other batsman, runs hardly came. Dhawan was exemplary in avoiding temptation, taking 36 balls to add to his overnight score of 13. Anything wide outside off Dhawan didn't go after, and the quicks didn't offer him anything on the pads. Dhawan was in a way the rock of the collapsing innings, but there could be a counter argument to playing yourself into a shell.
After Herath got rid of Ishant with his first ball of the day, Rohit didn't get to face a bowler other than Herath. It can be argued that had Dhawan been more urgent he could have possibly opened up the easier end for Rohit. That, though, is no excuse for having your front foot outside leg when playing a forward-defensive to a ball pitched middle and turning to off. Nor does it absolve Virat Kohli, still looking for a win as a captain, of a rookie mistake of playing an offbreak well in front of his body with hard hands. When he did that to the last ball of the first over bowled by Tharindu Kaushal, he offered Kaushal Silva a sharp catch at short leg, and gave the error-prone Kaushal just the start he needed.
At 45 for 4, the pressure became unbearable for India. Even though Ajinkya Rahane looked solid and India still needed only 122, Dhawan became edgy after all the hard work in the first hour. In the 20th over the day, he shaped up to reverse-sweep Kaushal, saw the ball was not there, looked for a regulation sweep, and in the end patted it back. The next ball he managed a leading edge on a leg-side half-volley to give Kaushal a sharp return catch. That is the risk you always run when you defend for so long without scoring many runs.
India's last recognised pair was in with 116 still required. And Herath was in no mood to offer easy runs. Even when Rahane got shots away, the trademark Sri Lankan in-and-out field meant he didn't get boundaries. And then Herath produced a gem for Saha, dragging him out with a flighted delivery, and getting it to turn and bounce alarmingly. Dinesh Chandimal, the man responsible for making India bat again, made a good rib-high collection and stumped Saha.
The best piece of fielding, though, was reserved for the last wicket of the first session, a wicket that betrayed India's muddled thinking. When Harbhajan was promoted ahead of Ashwin, you would have thought he would have been asked to pinch-hit and see if India could knock Sri Lanka off their rhythm. Harbhajan, though, failed to play a shot in anger and was caught superbly diving forward by Silva off a tame forward-defensive.
After lunch Ashwin tried to do what Harbhajan should have done, but fell to an unusually wide mid-on, another example of how it seems there are more than 11 fielders on the field when you are struggling. Rahane and Amit Mishra then added 21 in what was not only the highest but the most assured partnership of the innings. Herath finally got one on target to turn and take Rahane's edge, and with 74 runs still required it was only going to be a matter of time.
Friday, 14 August 2015
1st T20 SA V NZ
NZ 151/8
SA 152/4
SA win by 6 wickets
AB de Villiers did not do what he was supposed to - keep wicket and open the batting - because Faf du Plessis' knee injury meant he had to captain instead. In that role, he did exactly what he was supposed to when he put New Zealand in to bat, managed his bowlers well to haul them in and then set up a successful chase.
South Africa slowed New Zealand's speedy start, which saw them race to 63 without loss after seven overs, to ensure they only added another 88 runs in the remaining 13 overs. Even on an early season surface that did not seem to have the same pace, bounce and carry as a South African strip normally does, that was not enough. South Africa were barely troubled as de Villiers shared a second-wicket stand of 50 with Hashim Amla, who top-scored with 48 as South Africa claimed a comfortable win.
The home side seized the advantage thanks to Aaron Phangiso, who started the squeeze with an opening over that included the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand threatened to make it a one-man show before he was beaten by flight and stumped for a 21-ball 42.
Phangiso's breakthrough came after South Africa's seamers were off to a wayward start and allowed Martin Guptill and Williamson to settle. Kyle Abbott hoped to make use of early season conditions with the short ball but offered too much width, Kagiso Rabada veered down the leg side too often and Morne Morkel went too full. Williamson's driving and flicking was authoritative and New Zealand's foundation was laid.
But Phangiso rocked it when, after fluffing the opportunity to run out Williamson when Guptill sent him back earlier in the over, he drew the New Zealand captain forward and found him short of his ground.
Guptill had been accumulating steadily while Williamson attacked and tried to continue the aggressive approach with George Worker. David Wiese assisted by providing more room for Guptill and Worker struck the first six - in the 10th over - when he sent Phangiso over square leg and into the stands. With Morkel still struggling for rhythm, New Zealand could rebuild but then Guptill got a little too casual.
He was late in sliding his bat in at the striker's end after attempting a single off Wiese and Morne van Wyk reacted quickly to get the bails off. Colin Munro was caught by a diving AB de Villiers at mid-on off the next ball and South Africa had successfully clawed their way back. They could have seized the advantage when Worker pulled Phangiso to long leg in the next over but the ball went through Morkel's hands.
Phangiso only had to wait another over to have the last laugh. He trapped Worker lbw with a flat ball darted in on middle that struck the back pad as the batsman missed the slog sweep. By then New Zealand were well into their collapse after Grant Elliott had holed out the over before.
South Africa's see-saw evening in the field continued when Wiese dropped Tom Latham and then ran-out Luke Ronchi with a direct hit. New Zealand lost seven for 40 which included two wickets for Rabada in the final over to set South Africa a target they were happy to chase.
Van Wyk, making his comeback after being left out of the Bangladesh series, gave himself time to settle in before announcing himself off Mitchell McClenaghan. Van Wyk lofted the left-handed bowler over the covers, behind square and then into the off-side stands to start South Africa's acceleration. He was not able to continue it when he tried to take on Doug Bracewell in the same way but sliced him in the air where Worker juggled but hung on at backward point.
De Villiers picked up where van Wyk left off with a range of clean strokes: the one-handed cover drive, moving to a one-kneed loft over extra cover and the disdainful swat to cow corner. De Villiers was not his side's top-scorer but he was their game-changer because he put New Zealand's plans out with his combination of power hitting and precision placement.
When de Villiers holed out to deep midwicket just after halfway through South Africa's innings, they still needed 67 runs off 55 balls but there was never any doubt they would get there. Amla remained the anchor while Rilee Rossouw had some fun, sending Elliott over long-on, Adam Milne over long leg and McClenaghan over Ronchi's head. Rossouw's sprightly innings ensured South Africa won with 13 balls to spare and New Zealand were left wondering what it was they were supposed to do in the series opener.
SA 152/4
SA win by 6 wickets
AB de Villiers did not do what he was supposed to - keep wicket and open the batting - because Faf du Plessis' knee injury meant he had to captain instead. In that role, he did exactly what he was supposed to when he put New Zealand in to bat, managed his bowlers well to haul them in and then set up a successful chase.
South Africa slowed New Zealand's speedy start, which saw them race to 63 without loss after seven overs, to ensure they only added another 88 runs in the remaining 13 overs. Even on an early season surface that did not seem to have the same pace, bounce and carry as a South African strip normally does, that was not enough. South Africa were barely troubled as de Villiers shared a second-wicket stand of 50 with Hashim Amla, who top-scored with 48 as South Africa claimed a comfortable win.
The home side seized the advantage thanks to Aaron Phangiso, who started the squeeze with an opening over that included the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand threatened to make it a one-man show before he was beaten by flight and stumped for a 21-ball 42.
Phangiso's breakthrough came after South Africa's seamers were off to a wayward start and allowed Martin Guptill and Williamson to settle. Kyle Abbott hoped to make use of early season conditions with the short ball but offered too much width, Kagiso Rabada veered down the leg side too often and Morne Morkel went too full. Williamson's driving and flicking was authoritative and New Zealand's foundation was laid.
But Phangiso rocked it when, after fluffing the opportunity to run out Williamson when Guptill sent him back earlier in the over, he drew the New Zealand captain forward and found him short of his ground.
Guptill had been accumulating steadily while Williamson attacked and tried to continue the aggressive approach with George Worker. David Wiese assisted by providing more room for Guptill and Worker struck the first six - in the 10th over - when he sent Phangiso over square leg and into the stands. With Morkel still struggling for rhythm, New Zealand could rebuild but then Guptill got a little too casual.
He was late in sliding his bat in at the striker's end after attempting a single off Wiese and Morne van Wyk reacted quickly to get the bails off. Colin Munro was caught by a diving AB de Villiers at mid-on off the next ball and South Africa had successfully clawed their way back. They could have seized the advantage when Worker pulled Phangiso to long leg in the next over but the ball went through Morkel's hands.
Phangiso only had to wait another over to have the last laugh. He trapped Worker lbw with a flat ball darted in on middle that struck the back pad as the batsman missed the slog sweep. By then New Zealand were well into their collapse after Grant Elliott had holed out the over before.
South Africa's see-saw evening in the field continued when Wiese dropped Tom Latham and then ran-out Luke Ronchi with a direct hit. New Zealand lost seven for 40 which included two wickets for Rabada in the final over to set South Africa a target they were happy to chase.
Van Wyk, making his comeback after being left out of the Bangladesh series, gave himself time to settle in before announcing himself off Mitchell McClenaghan. Van Wyk lofted the left-handed bowler over the covers, behind square and then into the off-side stands to start South Africa's acceleration. He was not able to continue it when he tried to take on Doug Bracewell in the same way but sliced him in the air where Worker juggled but hung on at backward point.
De Villiers picked up where van Wyk left off with a range of clean strokes: the one-handed cover drive, moving to a one-kneed loft over extra cover and the disdainful swat to cow corner. De Villiers was not his side's top-scorer but he was their game-changer because he put New Zealand's plans out with his combination of power hitting and precision placement.
When de Villiers holed out to deep midwicket just after halfway through South Africa's innings, they still needed 67 runs off 55 balls but there was never any doubt they would get there. Amla remained the anchor while Rilee Rossouw had some fun, sending Elliott over long-on, Adam Milne over long leg and McClenaghan over Ronchi's head. Rossouw's sprightly innings ensured South Africa won with 13 balls to spare and New Zealand were left wondering what it was they were supposed to do in the series opener.
Women's Ashes Test Day 4
AUS 274/9d & 156/6d
ENG 168 & 101
AUS win by 161 runs & lead the Ashes 8pts to 2pts.
England need to win all three remaining games of the series to retain the Women's Ashes after Australia clinched the Test by 161 runs.
Starting the day on 90-4, Australia reached 156-6 before declaring for the second time in the match.
England were quickly reduced to 29-5, with Sarah Taylor out for a second consecutive duck.
Lydia Greenway and Georgia Elwiss stemmed the tide before England lost their last five wickets in 39 balls.
Australia seamer Ellyse Perry took career-best figures of six wickets for 32 runs, including removing Greenway and Laura Marsh with consecutive balls, as England collapsed from 80-6 to 101 all out.
It means Australia are now 8-2 up in the seven-match series, with three Twenty20 matches remaining that are each worth two points to the winner.
Ashes holders England can no longer win the series, but they could secure an unlikely draw by winning all three T20s.
ENG 168 & 101
AUS win by 161 runs & lead the Ashes 8pts to 2pts.
England need to win all three remaining games of the series to retain the Women's Ashes after Australia clinched the Test by 161 runs.
Starting the day on 90-4, Australia reached 156-6 before declaring for the second time in the match.
England were quickly reduced to 29-5, with Sarah Taylor out for a second consecutive duck.
Lydia Greenway and Georgia Elwiss stemmed the tide before England lost their last five wickets in 39 balls.
Australia seamer Ellyse Perry took career-best figures of six wickets for 32 runs, including removing Greenway and Laura Marsh with consecutive balls, as England collapsed from 80-6 to 101 all out.
It means Australia are now 8-2 up in the seven-match series, with three Twenty20 matches remaining that are each worth two points to the winner.
Ashes holders England can no longer win the series, but they could secure an unlikely draw by winning all three T20s.
1st Test Day 3 SL V IND
India 375 and 23 for 1 need another 153 to beat Sri Lanka 183 and 367
What began as a low-percentage humpty from Dinesh Chandimal ended as a high-quality counterattack of 162 not out off 169 balls to set India a tricky target of 176, nearly double the highest successful chase in Galle. He came in with Sri Lanka still 100 runs behind with only six wickets in hand, which soon became a deficit of 97 with five in hand. He scored 162 of the 275 runs that came while he was at the wicket. He did enjoy some good fortune, surviving early on through an umpiring mistake and then through inferior technology available for third-umpire decisions, but the second half of his innings, shepherding the tail, was special. He was helped along by 40s from Lahiru Thirimanne and Jehan Mubarak. India ended the day by losing KL Rahul, lbw playing back to a full ball from Rangana Herath.
India were rattled by him, and for large parts you couldn't tell how they were planning to get a wicket. R Ashwin, though, kept at it, and ended up with four wickets, his first 10-wicket haul outside India. Ajinkya Rahane at slip and gully helped him along, taking five in the innings to reach world-record eight catches in the match.
India will, or should, be forced to rethink their absolute stance against DRS. The two decisions that went against them with Chandimal and Thirimanne, both in single figures, did not involve any technology that the BCCI is suspicious of. They were clear edges missed by the umpires - who have been ordinary in this match - and would likely have been easily overturned without looking at any projections of the ball path.
This was minutes before lunch, just after Ashwin and Amit Mishra - the latter took three wickets - had broken a brisk and assured 87-run partnership between Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews. Chandimal came out playing his shots, and his first one was a top edge onto his helmet and through to backward short leg. Not given. If Ashwin was the aggrieved party here, Mishra was to be denied soon. A legbreak took the inside edge of Thirimanne onto his pad, and then into the hands of short leg only for Nigel Llong to join Bruce Oxenford in making mistakes in those frenetic minutes before lunch.
Soon Chandimal drove Mishra into the boot of silly point. The ball lobbed up for a catch that India claimed. Replays suggested there was no touch with the ground but not conclusively so. Even though there was no puff of dust, the third umpire couldn't have been sure given the frame rate of the visuals provided to him.
Everything went right for Chandimal. It looked like an innings impossible to sustain. When he connected, he connected well, when he mis-hit, the ball somehow failed to find a fielder; when he was clearly out, the umpire didn't see the edge, and when he was out in all likelihood, lack of proper replays rescued him. He played a bit like Ravindra Jadeja at Lord's last year, a low-percentage innings during which all risks came off. Jadeja's half-century back then gave India a winning lead. Chandimal certainly gave Sri Lanka a chance.
After lunch, Chandimal and Thirimanne made full use of the reprieves. Chandimal might have had all the luck with him, but he should get the credit for attacking India off their rhythm. His sweeping, reverse-sweeping and switch-hitting distracted the spinners, and the quicks failed to string together good deliveries when attacked. There was a spell of 20 overs without a maiden when India kept going past the bat, but also were taken for easy runs. Whatever pressure would build would dissipate as Chandimal and Thirimanne broke through with some excellent shots. The slog sweep remained their favourite.
As Sri Lanka attacked, Kohli's worried demeanour suggested how tricky chasing on this pitch could be. He will be disappointed that none of his bowlers could maintain any control when attacked. Even with the ball reversing the quicks failed to string together tight overs. Harbhajan Singh remained unimpressive, bowling with little venom or patience. Ashwin, who remained persistent even when Mathews attacked, lost his line and length in face of an unconventional attack from Chandimal. Against Thirimanne, though, he kept the examination on, and made him his seventh left-hand victim in the match when he drew the edge for another excellent catch for Rahane at slip.
Mubarak, with an average of 17 after 11 Tests and on a pair, jumped out of the crease third ball, and hoisted Mishra for an emphatic six. Mubarak failed to get a maiden fifty, but played arguably the cleanest innings of the match, driving languidly, using the depth of the crease after front-foot shots, adding 82 with Chandimal to take the lead 110.
It was still quite comfortable for India with three tail-enders of modest batting credentials to follow, but Chandimal manipulated the strike expertly, taking 45 of the 83 balls bowled after the seventh wicket and scoring 52 of the 65 runs. He was not averse to taking a single off the fourth ball or later, but when he couldn't, he managed hit five boundaries off the last two balls of overs from Ashwin, Ishant and Varun Aaron. In the second half of the innings Chandimal looked assured, his risky start a distant memory.
Another distant memory was an easy win for India, which looked quite probable in the minutes before lunch. Facing the tricky target, having to play eight overs before stumps, India lost Rahul, but the nightwatchman Ishant Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan - allowed to open despite not taking the field because his hand injury was external - went to stumps unseparated. An interesting chase was set up for India's Independence Day.
Rahane had earlier taken a stunner diving to his left to send Sangakkara back. Sangakkara had been excellent at playing inside the line of sharp offbreaks in scoring 40 in his last innings at Galle, but with 20 minutes to go to lunch he was a little late in withdrawing his bat when he intended to leave a flat offbreak well outside off. Mishra then got a legbreak to kick at a forward defence from Mathews for a catch at silly point. The two looked unplayable during that spell, and might well have been in their hotel by tea but for India's inexplicable resistance to any form of DRS.
What began as a low-percentage humpty from Dinesh Chandimal ended as a high-quality counterattack of 162 not out off 169 balls to set India a tricky target of 176, nearly double the highest successful chase in Galle. He came in with Sri Lanka still 100 runs behind with only six wickets in hand, which soon became a deficit of 97 with five in hand. He scored 162 of the 275 runs that came while he was at the wicket. He did enjoy some good fortune, surviving early on through an umpiring mistake and then through inferior technology available for third-umpire decisions, but the second half of his innings, shepherding the tail, was special. He was helped along by 40s from Lahiru Thirimanne and Jehan Mubarak. India ended the day by losing KL Rahul, lbw playing back to a full ball from Rangana Herath.
India were rattled by him, and for large parts you couldn't tell how they were planning to get a wicket. R Ashwin, though, kept at it, and ended up with four wickets, his first 10-wicket haul outside India. Ajinkya Rahane at slip and gully helped him along, taking five in the innings to reach world-record eight catches in the match.
India will, or should, be forced to rethink their absolute stance against DRS. The two decisions that went against them with Chandimal and Thirimanne, both in single figures, did not involve any technology that the BCCI is suspicious of. They were clear edges missed by the umpires - who have been ordinary in this match - and would likely have been easily overturned without looking at any projections of the ball path.
This was minutes before lunch, just after Ashwin and Amit Mishra - the latter took three wickets - had broken a brisk and assured 87-run partnership between Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews. Chandimal came out playing his shots, and his first one was a top edge onto his helmet and through to backward short leg. Not given. If Ashwin was the aggrieved party here, Mishra was to be denied soon. A legbreak took the inside edge of Thirimanne onto his pad, and then into the hands of short leg only for Nigel Llong to join Bruce Oxenford in making mistakes in those frenetic minutes before lunch.
Soon Chandimal drove Mishra into the boot of silly point. The ball lobbed up for a catch that India claimed. Replays suggested there was no touch with the ground but not conclusively so. Even though there was no puff of dust, the third umpire couldn't have been sure given the frame rate of the visuals provided to him.
Everything went right for Chandimal. It looked like an innings impossible to sustain. When he connected, he connected well, when he mis-hit, the ball somehow failed to find a fielder; when he was clearly out, the umpire didn't see the edge, and when he was out in all likelihood, lack of proper replays rescued him. He played a bit like Ravindra Jadeja at Lord's last year, a low-percentage innings during which all risks came off. Jadeja's half-century back then gave India a winning lead. Chandimal certainly gave Sri Lanka a chance.
After lunch, Chandimal and Thirimanne made full use of the reprieves. Chandimal might have had all the luck with him, but he should get the credit for attacking India off their rhythm. His sweeping, reverse-sweeping and switch-hitting distracted the spinners, and the quicks failed to string together good deliveries when attacked. There was a spell of 20 overs without a maiden when India kept going past the bat, but also were taken for easy runs. Whatever pressure would build would dissipate as Chandimal and Thirimanne broke through with some excellent shots. The slog sweep remained their favourite.
As Sri Lanka attacked, Kohli's worried demeanour suggested how tricky chasing on this pitch could be. He will be disappointed that none of his bowlers could maintain any control when attacked. Even with the ball reversing the quicks failed to string together tight overs. Harbhajan Singh remained unimpressive, bowling with little venom or patience. Ashwin, who remained persistent even when Mathews attacked, lost his line and length in face of an unconventional attack from Chandimal. Against Thirimanne, though, he kept the examination on, and made him his seventh left-hand victim in the match when he drew the edge for another excellent catch for Rahane at slip.
Mubarak, with an average of 17 after 11 Tests and on a pair, jumped out of the crease third ball, and hoisted Mishra for an emphatic six. Mubarak failed to get a maiden fifty, but played arguably the cleanest innings of the match, driving languidly, using the depth of the crease after front-foot shots, adding 82 with Chandimal to take the lead 110.
It was still quite comfortable for India with three tail-enders of modest batting credentials to follow, but Chandimal manipulated the strike expertly, taking 45 of the 83 balls bowled after the seventh wicket and scoring 52 of the 65 runs. He was not averse to taking a single off the fourth ball or later, but when he couldn't, he managed hit five boundaries off the last two balls of overs from Ashwin, Ishant and Varun Aaron. In the second half of the innings Chandimal looked assured, his risky start a distant memory.
Another distant memory was an easy win for India, which looked quite probable in the minutes before lunch. Facing the tricky target, having to play eight overs before stumps, India lost Rahul, but the nightwatchman Ishant Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan - allowed to open despite not taking the field because his hand injury was external - went to stumps unseparated. An interesting chase was set up for India's Independence Day.
Rahane had earlier taken a stunner diving to his left to send Sangakkara back. Sangakkara had been excellent at playing inside the line of sharp offbreaks in scoring 40 in his last innings at Galle, but with 20 minutes to go to lunch he was a little late in withdrawing his bat when he intended to leave a flat offbreak well outside off. Mishra then got a legbreak to kick at a forward defence from Mathews for a catch at silly point. The two looked unplayable during that spell, and might well have been in their hotel by tea but for India's inexplicable resistance to any form of DRS.
Thursday, 13 August 2015
Women's Ashes Day 3 AUS 274/9d & 90/4, ENG 186
AUS 274/9d & 90/4, ENG 186 (Aus lead by 126 runs)
England face a fight to win the Ashes Test as Australia built a large lead on a rain-hit third day at Canterbury.
The tourists added 90 to the 106-run lead they had after bowling out the hosts for 168 in their first innings.
England's Katherine Brunt dismissed Elyse Villani and Meg Lanning for ducks before a four-hour rain delay.
Australia then fell to 51-4 but Jess Jonassen's 29 not out left her side on 90-4, 196 runs ahead, when another downpour ended play early.
Debutant Jonassen, who made 99 in the first innings, hit the first six of the match and three fours as she looked to take the game away from the hosts with only one day remaining.
England are trailing 4-2 in the multi-format Ashes series, with the winners of the Test earning four points.
If Charlotte Edwards's hosts do lose, they will need to win all three Twenty20 matches to retain the Ashes.
England face a fight to win the Ashes Test as Australia built a large lead on a rain-hit third day at Canterbury.
The tourists added 90 to the 106-run lead they had after bowling out the hosts for 168 in their first innings.
England's Katherine Brunt dismissed Elyse Villani and Meg Lanning for ducks before a four-hour rain delay.
Australia then fell to 51-4 but Jess Jonassen's 29 not out left her side on 90-4, 196 runs ahead, when another downpour ended play early.
Debutant Jonassen, who made 99 in the first innings, hit the first six of the match and three fours as she looked to take the game away from the hosts with only one day remaining.
England are trailing 4-2 in the multi-format Ashes series, with the winners of the Test earning four points.
If Charlotte Edwards's hosts do lose, they will need to win all three Twenty20 matches to retain the Ashes.
1st Test Day 2 SL V IND
Sri Lanka 183 and 5 for 2 trail India 375 by 187 runs
For the first time since the Wellington Test of February 2014, India got to bat with little pressure and could look forward to sessions of piling on runs. Back then they had bowled New Zealand out for 192, and took a lead of 246. Ten tough Tests later, having dismissed Sri Lanka for 183, India didn't quite bat Sri Lanka out of the game, taking a 192-run lead, which left Sri Lanka a narrow window, but in the four overs they had in the field the Indian spinners bowled out the openers to now threaten a three-day finish.
Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli scored centuries to give India the lead. For a change India were now against an attack missing the quality and the spirit of the ones that have tested them recently: Dhawan responded with his second century in two Tests, Kohli with his fourth century in his fourth Test as captain, and Wriddhiman Saha with a maiden fifty. Kohli was now on the brink of his first win as captain, and Saha as player.
None of these batsmen had ever played a Test in Sri Lanka, but they are good students of the game and will appreciate how much more difficult it used to be for teams travelling to Sri Lanka before this. Rangana Herath soldiered on accurately, but he missed the zip of the old, Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep produced moments of inspiration, and figures of 5 for 134 flattered Tharindu Kaushal. Twice India found themselves in tricky situations, but on both occasions they were let off by loose bowling and slack fielding. Kaushal was the biggest culprit, bowling a spate of full tosses, releasing any pressure built from the other end. His first 16 overs went for 84, his first maiden was his 31st over, and his wickets were either dubious lbws or tailenders.
India won't be complaining, though. Apart from the rained-out Test in Bangladesh, their last few assignments have been in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia, where they often had to fight their way out of trouble. Here they got loose deliveries readily, as they did on the first evening when they were down at 28 for 2. In the first session on the second day Sri Lanka never looked in the game. In all Dhawan and Kohli added 227, India's best third-wicket stand against Sri Lanka, but two questionable lbws against Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane - within nine balls of each other - still gave Sri Lanka a chance.
At this point India led by just 74 and were about to have their ploy of playing only five specialist batsmen tested. Wriddhiman Saha, in his first full series as a long-term wicketkeeper, was understandably edgy. Batsmen of the past in Sri Lanka expected Murali or Herath to give them a proper examination. Saha got three full juicy tosses in the first 10 balls he faced from Kaushal, and was away. Although wickets kept falling on a pitch that kept offering turn and bounce, Saha held the rest of the innings together to take the lead close to 200.
That was at least better than the first session for Sri Lanka. India were up against a deflated side, which began the day with a deep point in place. All they managed to do was make India wait, not work hard, for their runs. It took 50 minutes for them to hit the first of only seven boundaries in the morning session, Dhawan's hundred off 178 balls was his slowest in Tests, and Kohli scored only 17 off the first 56 balls he faced. Scoring picked up in the second hour with 99 coming off the first session, but the wickets later in the day meant India were back waiting for their runs.
It took Sri Lanka nine overs to draw a semblance of a chance from India, but when Kohli drove loosely the dying edge went through the vacant gully position. The veteran Herath then began to string together a set of decent overs. In the 12th over of the day, the 46th of the innings, he drew a bat-pad offering from Dhawan but it fell wide of short leg. In the next over, though, Pradeep released the pressure by offering a half-volley, which Dhawan drove for the first boundary of the day. Kaushal's introduction brought about a rise in the scoring rate. When he went for 12 in the 53rd over of the innings, India were in the lead
With captain Angelo Mathews off the field with fever, Sri Lanka were looking at long sessions in the field. As it happens with teams in such situations, the fielding began to drop: minutes before lunch Kohli stole a single when Dhawan hit a ball straight to Pradeep at short third man, and could be heard on the stump mic, saying, "So raha hai woh [He is sleeping]."
Mathews was back after lunch, Sri Lanka were more alert in the second session, although the same couldn't be said of the umpire Nigel Llong. Kaushal managed to finally get in a set of decent deliveries in, first beating Dhawan's outside edge twice, and then beating Kohli on the sweep. Llong's risen finger made this fifth of Kohli's 11 hundreds to end under 110, but the ball seemed headed down leg. In Kaushal's next over, an offbreak beat Rahane's inside edge, but it hit him in front of middle after having pitched well outside off. Another dubious lbw given, and Sri Lanka were now looking at India's weakness: Wriddhiman Saha in with India having gone from 255 for 2 to 257 for 4.
Then arrived Kaushal's full tosses although even one of them would have ended up with a wicket had Lahiru Thirimanne caught Dhawan at short cover. Dhawan had reached 122 by then, and even when he didn't get loose balls he batted superbly. The use of his feet to advance down the wicket against spin, even if only for singles or defensive shots, also provided him quite a few flat deliveries, which he nonchalantly dabbed behind square for runs.
Dhawan always looked at ease, and when he fell to the new ball, which was taken in the 87th over, playing Pradeep on, against the run of play. Wickets then fell regularly, three of them to Kaushal, who to his credit bowled better now, but runs kept coming too. The umpires intervened again, with Saha given out caught off the helmet, which only meant four testing overs for the Sri Lanka openers. How they would have loved to face their own bowlers.
Instead they got R Ashwin and Amit Mishra bowling accurately, turning the ball massively, and enjoying the natural variation from the pitch. In the first over, Ashwin made Dimuth Karunaratne his fifth left-hand victim of the match with a seam-up arm ball just after a big offbreak. Mishra removed Kaushal Silva with a wrong'un. You would expect better from Test openers.
For the first time since the Wellington Test of February 2014, India got to bat with little pressure and could look forward to sessions of piling on runs. Back then they had bowled New Zealand out for 192, and took a lead of 246. Ten tough Tests later, having dismissed Sri Lanka for 183, India didn't quite bat Sri Lanka out of the game, taking a 192-run lead, which left Sri Lanka a narrow window, but in the four overs they had in the field the Indian spinners bowled out the openers to now threaten a three-day finish.
Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli scored centuries to give India the lead. For a change India were now against an attack missing the quality and the spirit of the ones that have tested them recently: Dhawan responded with his second century in two Tests, Kohli with his fourth century in his fourth Test as captain, and Wriddhiman Saha with a maiden fifty. Kohli was now on the brink of his first win as captain, and Saha as player.
None of these batsmen had ever played a Test in Sri Lanka, but they are good students of the game and will appreciate how much more difficult it used to be for teams travelling to Sri Lanka before this. Rangana Herath soldiered on accurately, but he missed the zip of the old, Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep produced moments of inspiration, and figures of 5 for 134 flattered Tharindu Kaushal. Twice India found themselves in tricky situations, but on both occasions they were let off by loose bowling and slack fielding. Kaushal was the biggest culprit, bowling a spate of full tosses, releasing any pressure built from the other end. His first 16 overs went for 84, his first maiden was his 31st over, and his wickets were either dubious lbws or tailenders.
India won't be complaining, though. Apart from the rained-out Test in Bangladesh, their last few assignments have been in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia, where they often had to fight their way out of trouble. Here they got loose deliveries readily, as they did on the first evening when they were down at 28 for 2. In the first session on the second day Sri Lanka never looked in the game. In all Dhawan and Kohli added 227, India's best third-wicket stand against Sri Lanka, but two questionable lbws against Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane - within nine balls of each other - still gave Sri Lanka a chance.
At this point India led by just 74 and were about to have their ploy of playing only five specialist batsmen tested. Wriddhiman Saha, in his first full series as a long-term wicketkeeper, was understandably edgy. Batsmen of the past in Sri Lanka expected Murali or Herath to give them a proper examination. Saha got three full juicy tosses in the first 10 balls he faced from Kaushal, and was away. Although wickets kept falling on a pitch that kept offering turn and bounce, Saha held the rest of the innings together to take the lead close to 200.
That was at least better than the first session for Sri Lanka. India were up against a deflated side, which began the day with a deep point in place. All they managed to do was make India wait, not work hard, for their runs. It took 50 minutes for them to hit the first of only seven boundaries in the morning session, Dhawan's hundred off 178 balls was his slowest in Tests, and Kohli scored only 17 off the first 56 balls he faced. Scoring picked up in the second hour with 99 coming off the first session, but the wickets later in the day meant India were back waiting for their runs.
It took Sri Lanka nine overs to draw a semblance of a chance from India, but when Kohli drove loosely the dying edge went through the vacant gully position. The veteran Herath then began to string together a set of decent overs. In the 12th over of the day, the 46th of the innings, he drew a bat-pad offering from Dhawan but it fell wide of short leg. In the next over, though, Pradeep released the pressure by offering a half-volley, which Dhawan drove for the first boundary of the day. Kaushal's introduction brought about a rise in the scoring rate. When he went for 12 in the 53rd over of the innings, India were in the lead
With captain Angelo Mathews off the field with fever, Sri Lanka were looking at long sessions in the field. As it happens with teams in such situations, the fielding began to drop: minutes before lunch Kohli stole a single when Dhawan hit a ball straight to Pradeep at short third man, and could be heard on the stump mic, saying, "So raha hai woh [He is sleeping]."
Mathews was back after lunch, Sri Lanka were more alert in the second session, although the same couldn't be said of the umpire Nigel Llong. Kaushal managed to finally get in a set of decent deliveries in, first beating Dhawan's outside edge twice, and then beating Kohli on the sweep. Llong's risen finger made this fifth of Kohli's 11 hundreds to end under 110, but the ball seemed headed down leg. In Kaushal's next over, an offbreak beat Rahane's inside edge, but it hit him in front of middle after having pitched well outside off. Another dubious lbw given, and Sri Lanka were now looking at India's weakness: Wriddhiman Saha in with India having gone from 255 for 2 to 257 for 4.
Then arrived Kaushal's full tosses although even one of them would have ended up with a wicket had Lahiru Thirimanne caught Dhawan at short cover. Dhawan had reached 122 by then, and even when he didn't get loose balls he batted superbly. The use of his feet to advance down the wicket against spin, even if only for singles or defensive shots, also provided him quite a few flat deliveries, which he nonchalantly dabbed behind square for runs.
Dhawan always looked at ease, and when he fell to the new ball, which was taken in the 87th over, playing Pradeep on, against the run of play. Wickets then fell regularly, three of them to Kaushal, who to his credit bowled better now, but runs kept coming too. The umpires intervened again, with Saha given out caught off the helmet, which only meant four testing overs for the Sri Lanka openers. How they would have loved to face their own bowlers.
Instead they got R Ashwin and Amit Mishra bowling accurately, turning the ball massively, and enjoying the natural variation from the pitch. In the first over, Ashwin made Dimuth Karunaratne his fifth left-hand victim of the match with a seam-up arm ball just after a big offbreak. Mishra removed Kaushal Silva with a wrong'un. You would expect better from Test openers.
Wednesday, 12 August 2015
Women's Ashes Test Day 2 AUS 274/9d, ENG 168
AUS 274/9d, ENG 168
Australia seized control on the second day of the Women's Ashes Test as England crumbled to 168 all out in their first innings at Canterbury.
Megan Schutt took 4-26 and Ellyse Perry 3-38 as no England batter passed 40.
Earlier, debutant Jess Jonassen was dismissed on 99 as Australia reached 274-9 declared in their first innings.
A win in the four-day Test will put Australia, who lead by four points to two after the three-match ODI series, on the brink of regaining the Ashes.
England grind to a halt
Having lost four early wickets, England needed to rebuild but fear seemed to overtake the hosts as their innings almost ground to a complete halt.
The fifth-wicket partnership between Natalie Sciver and Lydia Greenway lasted 21 overs, in which time they scored just 32 runs, with half of those runs coming from boundaries.
It came in stark contrast to the sixth-wicket partnership on day one between Jonassen and Alyssa Healy - with Australia in similar trouble on 99-5 - that brought an impetus to their innings.
Ex-England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent on BBC Test Match Special
"After losing two early wickets, England dug in so much that they almost dug a grave. Whereas Jonassen played freely without fear, the England players will feel they weren't able to express themselves and got into a rut."
When Sciver fell lbw for 35 to the exciting Schutt it saw a collapse of three wickets for four runs in just 22 balls for England - with the fast bowler producing a spell of 4-4-0-2.
In all England played an astonishing 436 dot balls of the 513 deliveries the team faced, with Anya Shrubsole recording a 46-ball duck.
The one player to go against the grain was tail-ender Katherine Brunt, who made a belligerent 39 off 73 balls.
Jonassen falls agonisingly short
Having reached 95 not out overnight, all-rounder Jonassen was aiming to become the eighth Australian and 13th overall batter to reach a century on debut.
But after taking four singles the Queenslander fell lbw to Katherine Brunt, whose figures of 2-60 did not do justice to a number of superb bowling spells on Tuesday.
An overnight left calf strain for Kristen Beams hampered her abilities to run twos on a couple of occasions - potentially costing Jonassen a century.
With Australia having been looking to declare after passing 250, final batter Holly Ferling somewhat comically came out to face just a single ball before Meg Lanning called time on her side's first innings at 274-9.
Lanning excels in captaincy
Lanning may have been playing her first Test as captain but she proved why, at 21, she became the youngest player - man or woman - to lead Australia.
Despite the rain lessening the movement off the pitch, her rotation of the visitors' front-line bowlers and clever field placings kept England constantly on the back foot.
Perry was deployed from the Nackington Road End and the fierce all-rounder captured two wickets in two balls in her second over, having Lauren Winfield caught behind and trapping Sarah Taylor lbw for a golden duck.
With Australia on the attack Lanning took an exceptional catch at first slip to get rid of Heather Knight off Sarah Coyte before Schutt bowled Charlotte Edwards for 30 to leave England teetering on 61-4, a position from which they never really recovered.
Australia seized control on the second day of the Women's Ashes Test as England crumbled to 168 all out in their first innings at Canterbury.
Megan Schutt took 4-26 and Ellyse Perry 3-38 as no England batter passed 40.
Earlier, debutant Jess Jonassen was dismissed on 99 as Australia reached 274-9 declared in their first innings.
A win in the four-day Test will put Australia, who lead by four points to two after the three-match ODI series, on the brink of regaining the Ashes.
England grind to a halt
Having lost four early wickets, England needed to rebuild but fear seemed to overtake the hosts as their innings almost ground to a complete halt.
The fifth-wicket partnership between Natalie Sciver and Lydia Greenway lasted 21 overs, in which time they scored just 32 runs, with half of those runs coming from boundaries.
It came in stark contrast to the sixth-wicket partnership on day one between Jonassen and Alyssa Healy - with Australia in similar trouble on 99-5 - that brought an impetus to their innings.
Ex-England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent on BBC Test Match Special
"After losing two early wickets, England dug in so much that they almost dug a grave. Whereas Jonassen played freely without fear, the England players will feel they weren't able to express themselves and got into a rut."
When Sciver fell lbw for 35 to the exciting Schutt it saw a collapse of three wickets for four runs in just 22 balls for England - with the fast bowler producing a spell of 4-4-0-2.
In all England played an astonishing 436 dot balls of the 513 deliveries the team faced, with Anya Shrubsole recording a 46-ball duck.
The one player to go against the grain was tail-ender Katherine Brunt, who made a belligerent 39 off 73 balls.
Jonassen falls agonisingly short
Having reached 95 not out overnight, all-rounder Jonassen was aiming to become the eighth Australian and 13th overall batter to reach a century on debut.
But after taking four singles the Queenslander fell lbw to Katherine Brunt, whose figures of 2-60 did not do justice to a number of superb bowling spells on Tuesday.
An overnight left calf strain for Kristen Beams hampered her abilities to run twos on a couple of occasions - potentially costing Jonassen a century.
With Australia having been looking to declare after passing 250, final batter Holly Ferling somewhat comically came out to face just a single ball before Meg Lanning called time on her side's first innings at 274-9.
Lanning excels in captaincy
Lanning may have been playing her first Test as captain but she proved why, at 21, she became the youngest player - man or woman - to lead Australia.
Despite the rain lessening the movement off the pitch, her rotation of the visitors' front-line bowlers and clever field placings kept England constantly on the back foot.
Perry was deployed from the Nackington Road End and the fierce all-rounder captured two wickets in two balls in her second over, having Lauren Winfield caught behind and trapping Sarah Taylor lbw for a golden duck.
With Australia on the attack Lanning took an exceptional catch at first slip to get rid of Heather Knight off Sarah Coyte before Schutt bowled Charlotte Edwards for 30 to leave England teetering on 61-4, a position from which they never really recovered.
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