ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2016

South Australia’s seam bowlers Joe Mennie and Daniel Worrall were rewarded for breakout seasons with the Redbacks at the SACA state awards night in Adelaide on Friday

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2016South Australia’s seam bowlers Joe Mennie and Daniel Worrall were rewarded for breakout seasons with the Redbacks at the SACA state awards night in Adelaide on Friday.Mennie took out the night’s major award, the Neil Dansie Medal as the outstanding SA player of the season, and also the venerable Lord Hampen Trophy as the best performed first-class player of the summer.A season haul of 51 wickets in the Sheffield Shield was a major reason for SA’s advance to their first final since 1996, even if they were unable to overcome Victoria over five days at Glenelg Oval.Worrall, meanwhile, was warded the Barry Jarman Most Improved Trophy, in recognition of a season in which he grew from a fringe member of the squad to a widely respected seam and swing merchant, as epitomised by a first innings haul of 6 for 96 in the Shield final. At 24, Worrall still has plenty more improvement left in him, and his brand of bowling may soon attract higher attention.Among other awards, Kane Richardson was named SA’s limited-overs player of the season, Adil Rashid and Sarah Taylor took out the Adelaide Strikers MVP awards, and Taylor also won the Andrea McCauley Trophy as the most outstanding WNCL/WBBL cricketer.In Sydney, New South Wales handed their major awards to Nic Maddinson and Ellyse Perry in a gala ceremony at the Hilton. Maddinson won the Steve Waugh Medal by the narrowest of margins ahead of Mitchell Starc, who played only one Sheffield Shield match for the summer but was unplayable during the early season Matador Cup limited-overs carnival.Maddinson was rewarded for an even spread of performances across the year, even if his Shield run-making was not at the level the national selectors had hoped for. Perry was a most deserving winner of the Belinda Clark Medal as the outstanding female cricketer in the state, having played a leading role for both the NSW Breakers and the Sydney Sixers in the WBBL.Speaking from India, where she is set to take part in the World Twenty20 final with the Southern Stars, Perry said she was extremely grateful for the honour. “This has been a fantastic season for cricket, especially women’s cricket this year with the start of the Women’s Big Bash League,” she said.”This was a huge moment for women’s cricket and to be part of that was an absolute honour and privilege. A huge thanks goes to Cricket NSW for their support of the women’s game. It is a great time to be playing cricket, and I am fortunate to be playing with such a great group of people.”In the BBL and WBBL player of the year awards, Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson shared the Thunder award in a season when the once derided side turned the tables and clinched the title. Stafanie Taylor clinched the women’s award ahead of Rene Farrell.For the Sixers, the opening batsman Michael Lumb squeezed ahead of Brad Haddin to claim the award after a season that disappointed the club’s players, coaches and management. Marizanne Kapp won the women’s award ahead of Perry.In Brisbane, the Queensland wicketkeeper and loyal servant Chris Hartley won his third consecutive Ian Healy Trophy as the Bulls’ most accomplished player for the season. Young batsman Matt Renshaw won Sheffield Shield player of the year, while Nathan Reardon was recognised for his Matador Cup efforts.Beth Mooney took out both women’s awards, as the best performed Queensland Fire cricketer and also the MVP for the Brisbane Heat in the WBBL. The night also featured tributes for the retiring James Hopes and Ryan Harris, who ended his career at the outset of last year’s Ashes tour.

Shane Watson’s mooted return to Hampshire will not happen in 2016, the Australian allrounder has confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. Watson held preliminary talks to join the county for the Natwest T20 Blast and Royal London Cup after his retirement from Test cricket following Australia’s 2015 Ashes defeat, but the move has not progressed further.Watson has been playing for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League and was on Monday called up to Australia’s T20 squad to face India, putting him in contention for a spot in the World T20 squad. He will play for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League and enter the IPL auction next month (he previously played for Rajasthan Royals, who are banned from this year’s competition), as well take part in the Caribbean Premier League in July.The timing of the CPL in July, combined with the length of the English competition – the Blast runs mainly on Friday nights from May 15 to August 15, before Finals Day a fortnight later – meant Watson felt unable to commit to a return to Hampshire, especially as he would automatically miss the competition’s first two weeks if picked up in the IPL auction, as expected, and his team made the finals. The Royal London Cup runs through June, July and August before a final in September.Watson previously played for Hampshire in 2004 and 2005, helping them to win the C&G Trophy in his second year at the club, and remains open to the possibility of playing again but believes the current format makes it too difficult this season.Hampshire have signed South African seamer Ryan McLaren as an overseas player across formats for 2016, although it is understood that he could yet become a Kolpak registration. Another target, Kyle Abbott, who played for the county in 2014, has joined Worcestershire, meaning they still have an overseas spot available in T20 cricket.

Central Districts comfortably defended the Ford Trophy after crushing Canterbury by 156 runs in the final in New Plymouth

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2016
ScorecardFile photo – George Worker smashed 12 fours and seven sixes in his 151-ball 159•Getty Images

Central Districts comfortably defended the Ford Trophy after crushing Canterbury by 156 runs in the final in New Plymouth. Central Districts piled on 405 for 6, equalling the highest List A score at Pukekura Park, on the back of a 159 from George Worker and Tom Bruce’s 23-ball 71 – the fastest fifty in New Zealand List A history – which included six fours and seven sixes. Jesse Ryder (62 off 50) and Will Young (51 off 32) also contributed with brisk fifties.Worker, who surpassed 3000 List A runs during the innings, forged stand of 80, 109, 92 and 63 for the first four wickets to decisively turn the match in Central Districts’ favour. However, Bruce helped put it beyond Canterbury by helping put on 61 off the last 20 balls.Captain Andrew Ellis picked up two wickets but went for 97 in his 10 overs. Ed Nuttall was the most economical of the bowlers with figures of 0 for 44 off his eight overs.Canterbury were never in the chase from the start after losing their openers within the first eight balls. Todd Astle (65) and Ellis combined to put on 121, but it was a task too far. Ellis went on to make his maiden List A century (101 off 76 balls), but Canterbury were bowled out for 249 in the 38th over. Bevan Small claimed three victims whereas Seth Rance, who finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 19 wickets, returned 2 for 17.

It is a hard world in which you do almost all that is asked of you only to find it is not quite enough. That, though, may be Somerset’s fate at some stage on Friday afternoon

Paul Edwards at Taunton22-Sep-2016
Scorecard1:34

A draw at Lord’s would give Somerset the title

It is a hard world in which you do almost all that is asked of you only to find it is not quite enough. That, though, may be Somerset’s fate at some stage on Friday afternoon.Chris Rogers and his players prepared for this game knowing that all they could do was beat Nottinghamshire and hope things went their way at Lord’s. That first task was completed at just before five o’clock when Imran Tahir skied Jack Leach ten yards behind the bowler and Peter Trego ran in to take the catch and complete the home side’s facile 325-run win.The margin of victory did no justice to Somerset’s superiority. They had won with a day and an hour to spare. For the first time this season they were top of the table. And yet their leadership may not last 24 hours.For the one point Somerset did not take from this game may determine their final fate. Their collapse late on the first day and their subsequent failure to collect five batting points meant if Yorkshire scored 350 runs inside 110 overs of their first innings and defeated Middlesex, Andrew Gale’s team would be champions. A Middlesex win was always going to take the title to Lord’s.So when the admirable Ryan Sidebottom clipped that boundary off Toby Roland-Jones the news spread rather quickly among Somerset’s supporters as they strolled on the County Ground’s outfield during the tea interval on what became the final afternoon of the season.And when Sidebottom and Jack Brooks took early wickets in Middlesex’s second innings their gloom deepened still more. As far as Somerset are concerned, of course, Sidebottom has form. It was he whose tough tail-end batting partly accounted for their being denied the Championship in 2010.Now, here he was again, admirable, accomplished and annoying. Exactly the opposite of most of Nottinghamshire’s cricketers in this game.Chris Rogers looks to his old mates

“My overriding feeling is one of immense pride in my team. We were favourites to go down at the start of the season and look where we are now.
“I’ll be texting a few of my old team-mates at Middlesex tonight, you can be sure of that. I know what is in their dressing room and I know they will fight all the way against Yorkshire.
“The title race is out of our hands, but neither side will role over at Lord’s so it’s going to be interesting.”

It is, of course, not quite settled yet. Somerset’s players and supporters will gather at the County Ground on the final day of the season, taking comfort from togetherness and praying beyond all cricketing logic that Yorkshire intransigence meets Middlesex cussedness to produce a glorious stalemate. Rarely, perhaps, can a group of sportsmen have gathered to watch a match burning with desire to see nothing happen and nobody win.It is a long shot but it is all that Somerset are left with. Well, maybe not quite. They are left with memories of a season which began at Chester-le-Street with swans on the Wear, spring barely a suggestion and their cricket in need of surgery. Yet five months later Somerset’s players were receiving a standing ovation from their supporters after this last game of the season.The poignancy of the autumn equinox was momentarily lost in the shared satisfaction of a campaign that will see Somerset finish no lower than second in the table. The ground staff were hugged and the spectators who had packed the stands saluted. Whatever happens tomorrow that counts for a great deal. This is not just a lovely ground; these are – the vast majority of them – lovely people.And at the end of it all Rogers confirmed that this would be his last game of professional cricket. At lunchtime spectators had risen to acclaim Rogers’ second century of the match and the 76th of his first-class career and now they will not see him score another run. But these wise, warm, appreciative folk were applauding more than Rogers’ hundreds.Somerset are losing more than an accomplished opener, albeit that their captain’s powers are not quite what they were. Rogers is quite a small man yet he is a giant. Somerset’s transformation from the uncertain, slapdash side that took the field at Chester-le-Street to the confident group of cricketers who outclassed Nottinghamshire has been mainly his work.That was clear in the way Somerset batted on the third day of this game and in their brilliant fielding during the afternoon.In the morning session Somerset scored 208 runs off 32 overs, thereby extending their 332-run overnight lead to a mammoth 540, a score which it seemed unlikely the current Nottinghamshire batting line-up might make in two innings. But declarations these days are based on the same principle that informs daytime TV adverts: you can never have too much insurance.Chris Rogers leads Somerset off for the final time•Getty Images

And at least the first two hours’ cricket saw Peter Trego and Rogers reach a thousand Championship runs for the seasons, achievements which were rather more than statistical flotsam. Trego has successfully brought a new discipline to his batting this season while Rogers become one of the many Australians who have made a noble contribution to Somerset cricket.That group includes great players like Sammy Woods, the Australian anglophile, who had the habit of burying bottles of ale on the route of his country walks in Somerset and digging them up when in need of refreshment; or Bill Alley who, so the late Peter Roebuck testified, would arrive at pre-season nets having worked the winter on his farm and drop his first delivery at April’s nets on a sixpence just outside off stump.Rogers’ achievement has been different. However Somerset’s season ends, much of the credit should go to this tough, approachable Sydneysider, who has addressed his team’s deficiencies and toughened his players up.Nottinghamshire were set 541 to win and never suggested they could get near their target. Only Billy Root’s 66 showed anything like the necessary application; the rest of Chris Read’s players were on a different highway. Perhaps it was the road to nowhere. Until Root batted well, the visitors’ performance in this game had recalled , Jack Nicholson’s follow up to . But there was nothing Messrs Libby and Ball could do to prevent their side being hammered on this last afternoon.Somerset’s players, by contrast, were purposeful and dynamic. Substitute fielder Max Waller’s direct hit ran out Libby for 26 and Trego’s sharp throw inflicted a similar fate on Tom Moores. When Roelof van der Merwe trapped Michael Lumb leg before with the second ball after tea, a three-day finish became probable. Jack Leach’s four wickets made it a reality. Root collected his half century and very soon afterwards his colleagues collected their kit and went home. There is a lot for the Trent Bridge hierarchy to ponder.Somerset’s players, by contrast, will turn up at the County Ground on the final day of the season ready to ride an emotional switchback. Who knows what awaits them and their recently-retired skipper, a true leader of men?

Hong Kong allrounder Nizakat Khan’s bowling action has been cleared by the International Cricket Council, following remedial work after his action was found to be illegal in July 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2016Hong Kong allrounder Nizakat Khan’s bowling action has been cleared by the International Cricket Council, following remedial work after his action was found to be illegal in July 2015 during an ICC World Twenty20 Qualifying match against Nepal.Nizakat underwent a reassessment of his bowling action on December 6 at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, where his elbow extension for legspin deliveries was found to be within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC regulations. His offspin has not been cleared since he did not bowl it during the assessment.Before the ban, Nizakat had economy rates of 3.67 in ODIs and an impressive 5.30 in five T20Is. He has continued to play for Hong Kong since, averaging 35 in 10 ODIs as a top-order batsman.

Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin will join Australia’s coaching staff for the Chappell-Hadlee Series in New Zealand early next year, with batting coach Graeme Hick and bowling coach David Saker instead flying to India ahead of time to prepare for Australia’s four-Test tour.Australia play three ODIs in New Zealand from January 30 to February 5, and the first Test against India begins in Pune on February 23. Head coach Darren Lehmann will be with the one-day squad in New Zealand but Hick and Saker will be part of an advance party to India with their focus on the longer form of the game.Harris, who retired on the eve of the 2015 Ashes series, will serve as bowling coach, having previously performed that function during this year’s one-day tour of South Africa. Haddin, whose official retirement was announced in September last year, will serve as a fielding mentor during the New Zealand trip, having also coached during this winter’s Australia A series.”It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to have ex-players of the calibre of Brad and Ryan on board for this tour and continue their involvement in Australian cricket,” Lehmann said. “Both these guys have worked hard on their coaching since leaving the game and thoroughly deserve their opportunityHaddin said: “It is going to be great to be back in Australian colours again, albeit as part of the coaching group . I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Australia A in Townsville recently and am grateful that coaching has given me the opportunity to remain involved in cricket.Harris said: “South Africa was a great learning experience for me and it was fantastic to be back with the team again. Coaching is something I really enjoy and to be able to continue to be involved with the Australian team is something I can’t wait to be a part of again.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailThe first qualifier of the inaugural Pakistan Super League was a nail-biting affair and came down to the last ball, with Quetta Gladiators holding their nerve to clinch a one-run win and leave their opponents Peshawar Zalmi heartbroken. Victory for Quetta secured their berth in Tuesday’s final in Dubai, while Peshawar will have a chance to make amends for their close defeat in the third and last qualifier, against either Karachi Kings or Islamabad United.After 39 overs of entertaining cricket at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Peshawar were left needing eight runs from six balls; Quetta required three wickets. Darren Sammy, who had blown new life into Peshawar’s chase, had just been dismissed and the edge – albeit a slight one – was with Quetta.A dot off the first ball of the over, bowled by Aizaz Cheema, titled the contest further Quetta’s way. However, Wahab Riaz seemed to emerge an unlikely hero for Peshawar, slamming the second ball – a low full toss outside off – over cow corner for four. He then proceeded to take a single. Three needed off three, and it was anybody’s game.Cheema, though, drastically turned the fate of the match with his next two deliveries. First, Hasan Ali was out caught and bowled. Then, Wahab swung wildly in an attempt to finish the game, but ended up skying the ball straight to Ahmed Shehzad at point. Cheema was on a hat-trick, and Mohammad Asghar, the new man in, had the unenviable task of striking the last ball for at least three. Cheema did not get his hat-trick, but more importantly, Asghar was unable to put the bowler’s rising short ball away. Quetta, led by their mentor Viv Richards broke into wild celebrations, while the Peshawar players struggled to hide their disappointment.That the game had even gotten so close was courtesy Darren Sammy’s 38-run blast, which lifted Peshawar from a precarious position of 84 for 6 in the 15th over. Quetta, who had only 133 to defend with, were led by three-wicket hauls from both Grant Elliott (3 for 19) and Man of the Match Mohammad Nawaz (3 for 27). Nawaz accounted for the key scalps of Brad Hodge, Mohammad Hafeez and Sammy, before Cheema’s heroics at the end completed the memorable victory.Quetta had earlier made a horror start after being inserted, losing their opener Bismillah Khan off the second ball. Ahmed Shehzad fell soon after, but Kumar Sangakkara and Kevin Pietersen strung together a 79-run partnership to lead a recovery. Pietersen blasted 53 off 38 balls with five fours and two sixes, while Nawaz also pitched in with what eventually proved to be a very handy 20 runs. Wahab Riaz was the pick of Peshawar’s bowlers, taking 3 for 17 to bundle Quetta out for what at the time seemed like a below-par 133. Nawaz and Cheema, though, ensured that the total was enough, just.

Shakib Al Hasan became Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs when he dismissed Rahmat Shah during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Mirpur, overtaking Abdur Razzak’s current tally of 207

Mohammad Isam25-Sep-2016

Shakib Al Hasan became Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs when he dismissed Rahmat Shah during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Mirpur. He overtook Abdur Razzak, who is on 207 wickets.Shakib, who made his ODI debut in 2006, equalled Razzak’s tally in the eighth over when he had Shabir Noori lbw. The wicket of Rahmat was a vital breakthrough for Bangladesh, after he added 144 runs for the third wicket with Hashmatullah Shahidi. It made Shakib the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.”It feels good to be the highest wicket-taker. But it would have been good if I had scored the highest runs in all three formats too; everyone is doing so well that I am not getting chance to bat,” Shakib joked after the match. “It feels good but ultimately the focus is how much I can do for the team,” he added.Last year, Shakib became the second Bangladesh player after Razzak to take 200 ODI wickets, in the third ODI against South Africa. In the same match, Mashrafe also completed 200 wickets (now on 205).Shakib’s 100th ODI wicket came against Pakistan during the 2010 Asia Cup, when he dismissed Asad Shafiq. Apart from Shakib, Razzak and Mashrafe, Mohammad Rafique is the only other Bangladesh bowler to take 100-plus ODI wickets.

Imran Tahir has been fined 30% of his match fee and has been given two demerit points following a heated exchange with David Warner during the fifth ODI, the ICC said on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2016

South Africa legspinner Imran Tahir has been fined 30% of his match fee, apart from being given two demerit points, following a heated exchange with Australia batsman David Warner during the fifth ODI in Cape Town, the ICC said on Thursday. The hosts have also been fined for maintaining a slow over rate during the match.An ICC release said that Tahir had shown “a lack of respect” towards the on-field umpires by ignoring their requests to stop verbally engaging with Warner around the 38th over of Australia’s chase. Tahir was found to have violated Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with behaviour that is “contrary to the spirit of the game”.Two demerit points were also added to Tahir’s record, in keeping with Article 7.3 of the revised Code. If Tahir gets four or more demerit points within a two-year period, these points could be converted into at least two suspension points, which could end up in a ban from one or two matches. According to the ICC’s rules, two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first.South Africa captain Faf du Plessis was docked 20% of his match fee, while the other players were fined 10%, after they fell one over short of their target once time allowances were taken into consideration.If South Africa commit another over-rate offence within the next 12 months, with du Plessis as captain, it will be deemed as his second offence and he will face a suspension.Both du Plessis and Tahir pleaded guilty to the offences and accepted the sanctions imposed by match referee Chris Broad. The charges were laid by on-field umpires Shaun George and Joel Wilson, third umpire Nigel Llong and fourth official Adrian Holdstock.