Zaidi onslaught keeps quarters in sight for Essex

ScorecardA staggering innings by Ashar Zaidi that defied both Middlesex, and more pertinently a tired Lord’s pitch, carried Essex to a crucial victory to keep their hopes of a top four finish and a place in the quarter finals alive.Zaidi hit nine boundaries, four fours and five sixes, in just 24 balls–one fewer than Middlesex managed in their entire innings–transcending the conditions to score 59 not out and single-handedly propel Essex beyond their target of 127 in a 16-overs-a-side match.Zaidi, who has been a key player in Essex’s T20 campaign, scoring 357 runs at a strike-rate of 167 and bowling economical overs, scored 38 off the last 9 deliveries he faced to reduce an equation of 37 runs required off 18 balls to a victory with three balls remaining.The 18th and the 19th overs of the run-chase brought 14 and 20 runs respectively–the first and second most expensive overs of the match as Zaidi launched his assault. Zaidi combined raw power with intelligent sweeps to do what no other player in the match could do and find the boundary with regularity.Truth be told, Zaidi’s pyrotechnics aside this was a disappointing evening. In yet another week in which incessant debate about the structure of England’s domestic T20 tournament overshadowed the actual cricket, a frenetic finish to a tight match failed to mask the reminder that whatever the make-up of the competition if it is played on tired, tacky pitches it is unlikely to be much of a hit.Exactly a week ago for a televised match in front of a record crowd Lord’s got things so right. Seven days later, again for a televised match and in front of a near-capacity crowd, things were just a little underwhelming in a 16-over-a-side contests.Lord’s is uniquely positioned in that it hosts so much cricket that preparing consistently good pitches can be a challenge, but for the richest cricket club in the world it is a challenge that should be overcome.It is not that the cricket was not skilled – if anything playing on pitches such as this, where the ball doesn’t come onto the bat, where cross-batted shots aren’t rewarded and where edges don’t fly for six demands more of a player than truer pitches – but they are skills that you suspect a big mid-week T20 crowd, even at the Home of Cricket, find harder to appreciate.Essex, who won the toss, opted to field, possibly due to the forecast rain, which proceeded to fall shortly after the toss and delayed then shortened the match. Middlesex, having picked two spinners, said they were happy to bat first but in the end the clarity provided by a run-chase on a pitch such as this probably gave Essex the edge.It was perhaps revealing of qualities that should have caught the eye of England’s selectors that Dawid Malan was the only Middlesex player who could cope with a pitch that required more than clearing the front leg and swinging. If it wasn’t for him they may have struggled to make three figures.Essex deserve credit for bowling intelligently, especially in the Powerplay when they used the large boundary towards the Tavern Stand by bowling lines to suit and Middlesex, Malan aside, struggled to mount a response.For the twenty or so overs between the end of Middlesex’s Powerplay and Zaidi’s assault there was a similar and underwhelming theme. The pitch was slow, the bowlers bowled tight lines, cutters and slower balls as the batsmen swung too hard, too often and were rarely rewarded.The defeat for Middlesex prevents them a home quarter-final but if this pitch is anything to go by, then that should be a relief for everyone.

Eranga discharged from Dublin hospital

Shaminda Eranga has been discharged from hospital in Dublin after doctors found nothing unusual in the tests they had conducted on him, the Sri Lanka team management has said.Eranga had been taken to hospital when his heart-rate had spiked in the innings break of the second ODI against Ireland, and had been under observation for over 24 hours.Though his heartbeat had been recorded as high as 220 beats per minute, he had been in a stable condition since the initial incident, and has now been given the all-clear to fly home.The Sri Lanka side has already travelled to Nottingham for the first ODI against England, but Eranga is unlikely to join them, as he has been suspended by the ICC, who have deemed his action illegal. Eranga now faces the challenge of remedying his action before he can return to international cricket, though he is free to play domestic cricket.”Eranga will have to go back, work with the fast-bowling coaches, and come back strong,” captain Angelo Mathews said ahead of the first ODI. “We are very confident he will come through both – his condition as well as his action – so we are very supportive of him and the whole team are behind him.”Eranga has not been a fixture in Sri Lanka’s limited-overs sides over the past three years, but when fit, he has been in the frontline Test attack. He has 57 Test wickets at an average of 37.50, from 19 matches.

Greenway retires from international cricket

Lydia Greenway, the England batsman, has announced her retirement from international cricket. Greenway, who was 17 when she made her England debut in the first Women’s Ashes Test in Brisbane in 2003, played 14 Tests, 126 ODIs and 85 T20Is.Batting mostly in the middle order, Greenway scored 362 Test runs at an average of 15.73, 2554 ODI runs at 30.04, including a hundred and 12 fifties, and 1192 T20 runs at a strike rate of 96.12. She was also a brilliant fielder, known for pulling off spectacular catches in the deep.She was part of four Women’s Ashes-winning teams, playing a key role in clinching the multi-format 2013 edition with a match-winning 64-ball 80 in the second T20I at the Rose Bowl. She was also part of England’s title-winning squads at the Women’s World Cup and Women’s World T20 in 2009.Her retirement follows that of former captain Charlotte Edwards, meaning England have lost two of their most experienced players within a matter of weeks, as coach Mark Robinson continues to overhaul the side ahead of the 2017 World Cup. Sarah Taylor has also decided to take a break from the game. Like Edwards, Greenway will still take part in the inaugural Women’s Super League later this summer.”During recent discussions with Mark Robinson about his focus on developing new players against Pakistan this summer, it became clear that my involvement with the England team might be limited moving forwards,” Greenway said. “Whilst in the past I have been in a similar position and have fought for my place, I now feel that at this stage in my life, it’s time to take a step back and retire from international cricket with immediate effect, allowing the next generation of players to develop on the world stage.”I feel extremely privileged to have represented England for 13 years, and I am very proud of what I have personally achieved during this time. However, the success of the team and the people I have played with is what will make the memories so special. The double World Cup victories in 2009 was an amazing period for the team, and I will be right behind the girls as they pursue another World Cup win on home soil next year.”I’d like to thank the ECB for getting the women’s game to where it is now, all the coaches I have worked with, my team mates, and most importantly my family and friends for their unconditional support throughout my international career.”

Rizwan sacked, Shaheen Afridi named new Pakistan ODI captain

Mohammad Rizwan has been sacked as Pakistan ODI captain, with Shaheen Shah Afridi replacing him. The decision was announced by the PCB shortly after the first day of the ongoing Test match between Pakistan and South Africa in Rawalpindi, a Test both Rizwan, 33, and Afridi, 25, are currently playing.No reason was provided for replacing Rizwan; indeed, the wicketkeeper batter was not even mentioned in the official statement. The decision, according to the PCB, was taken after a meeting in Islamabad between the selection committee and the white-ball head coach Mike Hesson.Rizwan’s removal was all but inevitable when the PCB put out a statement over the weekend, pointedly declining to confirm him as ODI captain ahead of the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour. Instead, it said Hesson had asked PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to convene a meeting with the selection and advisory committee to appoint a new captain.ESPNcricinfo understands the desire to replace Rizwan was not specifically at the behest of the head coach, but enjoyed wider backing at the highest level of the PCB’s decision-making process.Afridi’s last foray into white-ball captaincy was an unhappy one, when he was tapped to lead the T20I team ahead of a series against New Zealand in January 2024. Pakistan ended up losing 4-1 before he was replaced in similar circumstances to Rizwan’s sacking right now, with chairman Naqvi pointedly declining to confirm he would continue in the role. Afridi was replaced by Babar Azam a week later.While Pakistan had different captains for all formats – a situation that will continue – Rizwan was until recently perceived to be the most secure of a group that includes Shan Masood and Salman Ali Agha. Since becoming captain of the ODI side last year, Rizwan is four runs short of the highest scorer for Pakistan, averaging just under 42. He led Pakistan to series wins in Australia and South Africa in 2024, though results this year have dipped, most notably with an ignominious first-round exit at a home Champions Trophy.Afridi pulls on the armband in good form in the format; he was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker last year in ODI cricket, and central to their away wins in South Africa and Australia. Since the start of the 2023 World Cup, no fast bowler from a Full Member nation has more wickets than his 45, which have come at more than two wickets a game.Afridi’s first assignment as ODI captain is the white-ball series against South Africa, which comprises three ODIs in Faisalabad next month.

Rain forces early tea after India lose Gill

Shubman Gill has been the man all through this tour and once again he was able to tick off a record – most runs by an India captain in a Test series – but his poor luck with the toss continued. And just as he was helping get his team past that disadvantage he was run out for his first score past 20 and under 100 since arriving in England, meaning he had gotten a start and, against the odds, gave it away. Ten balls later, the rain came and swept everyone back into the dressing room. It was as untimely as a wicket could ever be, leaving India at 85 for 3.B Sai Sudharsan was the batter at the other end, and although he took a step forward, there was no way he was going to make it across for a single. Of all the ways to get out on a pitch with 8mm of grass and consistent sideways movement – both swing and seam. India were negotiating all that well for the most part. Gus Atkinson, returning to the fold after just a second XIs game to judge his fitness, was the single biggest threat from England. He took down Yashasvi Jaiswal in the fourth over and had a part to play in the Gill run-out as well – quick to spot the opportunity in his follow-through and nailing a direct hit at the keeper’s end.England went into the Oval Test with a vastly changed bowling attack, Chris Woakes the unlikely survivor despite playing all five matches. Ben Stokes was out with injury. Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse were rested and the replacements didn’t seem quite up for it. Josh Tongue gave away 11 runs in wides in his first over and Jamie Overton’s first three overs cost more than five runs apiece. Atkinson was keeping them in it, his first spell a wonderful example of how to keep it simple and reap the rewards on offer. He pitched the ball up, kept a tight line around off stump and walked away with figures of 6-1-7-1.India, though, were recovering from that. Sai Sudharsan was leaving the ball well – a marked improvement from the last Test where he was out for a duck leaving the ball to second slip – and seemed better equipped to handle balls aimed at his body as well. He is 28 off 84, having played some gorgeous drives down the ground. There were only six overs bowled in the middle session due to rain interruptions but that was still enough to cause a significant dent to India, whose hopes now lie with one batter who made his debut on this tour and another on the comeback trail which might not have a lot of trail left. Karun Nair, brought back in place of Shardul Thakur, was unbeaten on 0 off 8 at tea.

Veda Krishnamurthy retires from professional cricket

Batter Veda Krishnamurthy has called time on her professional career, five years after she last played for India, at the Women’s T20 World Cup final in Melbourne in 2020.Veda retires with 48 ODIs and 76 T20I caps, with the highlight being her role in India’s seminal run to the 2017 World Cup final, where they came within nine runs of a maiden world title. Her final on-field appearance came during WPL 2024, where she represented Gujarat Giants.”Cricket gave me more than just a career,” she wrote in a post on social media. “It gave me a sense of who I am. It taught me how to fight, how to fall and how to keep showing up. It’s now time to give back. Whatever the role, whatever the way, I’m here for the game. I truly believe my second innings will be just as meaningful.”A hard-hitting middle-order batter, Veda also captained Karnataka and Railways in the domestic circuit. In 2023, she led Karnataka to runners-up finish in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy for successive years in 2021-22 and 2022-23 – they went down to domestic powerhouse Railways by six runs in the title-clash in February 2023.

Veda finishes with 829 ODI runs in 49 innings, with eight half-centuries, starting with one on debut against England at Derby in 2012. Her most memorable knock, however, was the 45-ball 70 that helped India beat New Zealand and qualify for the semi-final of the 2017 ODI World Cup.In the same year, Veda joined a select list of Indian cricketers to have been picked in the WBBL when she represented Hobart Hurricanes in nine matches.In T20Is, Veda hit 875 runs in 63 innings with two half-centuries. All her four WPL games came belatedly in 2024, after she went unsold for the first edition.

Darren Lehmann appointed head coach of Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire have appointed former Australia coach Darren Lehmann to take charge at Wantage Road on a two-year contract.Lehmann, 54, succeeds John Sadler, who left his position as head coach in September after Northants were beaten in their Vitality Blast quarter-final. Northants were winless in the County Championship at the time, although rallied to finish fourth in Division Two.Lehmann, who had previously stepped back from some of his coaching work after suffering a heart attack in 2020, will join the club in February after working in a commentary role for ABC during the Australian summer.”Northamptonshire has a great history in our game and I am looking forward to meeting the players and learning about the club and its past and create our own history over the coming months and years,” Lehmann said.”The selling point for me is a group that wants to get better and follow their and the club’s dreams, create memories and play at the highest level possible. I will encourage this on and off the field, as well as open door policy. I’m sure we will have success and fun along the way.”Pre-season will search for the high skill levels that the group possess, and the assistant coaches will drive this until I can get there after our summer. We have excellent coaches who want nothing more than for the players to succeed on and off the field.”Lehmann played more than 100 times for Australia, later coaching them to success in the 2013-14 Ashes. He won the Big Bash League with Brisbane Heat in 2012-13, before returning to the team after his time with Australia, fulfilling the role as assistant coach for their 2023-24 title.He has a wealth of experience in England, having had a long and successful playing career with Yorkshire, later coaching the Headingley-based Northern Superchargers in the first season of the Hundred.Northamptonshire’s CEO, Ray Payne, said: “I am delighted we have been able to secure a new head coach with the history, reputation, skills and knowledge that Darren possesses. It is a real marker in the ground and demonstrates once again, the clubs desire to achieve to its highest level on the field.”From our first conversation with Darren it was clear to see his passion and excitement for the opportunity and his coaching philosophy is something that aligns well with the goals of the club.”With this appointment and David Ripley as head coach of Steelbacks Women, we believe we have strong leadership for both the men’s and women’s Northamptonshire teams and that will be the envy of others and well set for success.”I wish Darren all the best in the role and know he will have the support of the whole club and all of the supporters as we strive for promotion back to Division One of the County Championship and success in both white-ball competitions.”

Saini makes a stand for India B, but Rahul helps steer India A ahead

Until last week, Navdeep Saini hadn’t touched a red ball for over seven months. He was hoping to ease himself into the season with a steady diet of white-ball cricket courtesy of the Delhi Premier League (DPL). But when the Duleep Trophy call-up came, as a late replacement for Mohammed Siraj, he had to hit the ground running.Two days in, Saini has already had a bigger influence on the game than he may have imagined. A mix of stoic defence and the occasional free swing brought him an excellent half-century, his second in first-class cricket. He occupied the crease for 349 minutes, his longest vigil, during the course of a magnificent 205-run stand for the eighth wicket with Musheer Khan as India B recovered from 94 for 7 to post 321.Saini’s contribution was massive in helping Musheer build from an overnight 105 to a majestic 181. But that was one-half of his efforts on the second day’s play in Bengaluru. He later delivered a telling early spell with the new ball to send Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal back. India A then recovered to finish on 125 for 2 still trailing India B by 187 runs.KL Rahul and Riyan Parag added an unbroken 68-run stand for the third wicket for India A•PTI

Gill was out shouldering arms to an in-ducker that flattened his off stump for 25, reminiscent of his dismissal to Australia’s Scott Boland in last year’s World Test Championship final. Agarwal’s wicket for 36 was slightly lucky; made possible thanks to Rishabh Pant’s agility as he threw himself to his left to take a catch down the leg side to dismiss the opener who had tantalised the audience with a series of superb cover drives. Riyan Parag and KL Rahul, playing his first red-ball game since the Hyderabad Test against England in January 2024, then put together an unbroken 68-run partnership, allaying the early jitters.Related

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Rahul’s was largely an exercise in denial after being lucky twice. Still on zero, he could have been Saini’s third wicket when he nearly dragged a ball back on to the stumps while attempting a loose drive. Then, on 3, he was reprieved by Nitish Kumar Reddy at third slip after poking at an away-going delivery from Mukesh Kumar. Rahul scored his first runs off his 14th delivery and it wasn’t until the fag end of the day, when he unfurled a superb cut behind point off Reddy, that he finally seemed in his element.Rahul’s methods also had something to do with the appreciable movement Saini and left-arm seamer Yash Dayal were able to get. Either way, having been on the field for a better part of the game already, there couldn’t have been a bigger endorsement of the middle-order batter’s match fitness as he eyes a return to the Indian Test squad.Parag was a little more sprightly, even though he was occasionally troubled by the late movement on offer. He survived a close lbw shout early off Reddy when the ball curved away to hit him high on the back leg. Like Rahul, Parag is a stroke-maker but his willingness to show fight and deviate from his natural game was an encouraging sign.Musheer Khan finished with 181 for India B•PTI

There were less encouraging signs as well from India A, like the tactics employed by their captain. Having taken the new ball at the first available opportunity at the start of the 81st over, Gill spread his field out to both Musheer and the No. 9 batter Saini. This not only limited the bowlers’ ability to exert pressure, but it also helped India B push their total ever higher.After Musheer initially denied himself run-scoring opportunities in trying to farm the strike, he was encouraged by Saini’s ability to hold his own. The pair, however, got lucky when they were involved in a comical mix-up didn’t somehow result in a wicket. Both batters were stranded mid-pitch looking at each other in the fourth over of the day, the 83rd of the innings, after Musheer had pushed the ball to point. Khaleel Ahmed, who could’ve thrown at either end, eventually went for the striker’s and missed with Saini having long given up.As Musheer opened himself out to take all the available runs, Gill tried to unsettle him by placing a leg slip. Musheer responded by hooking Avesh Khan for six, and then followed it up with a superb pull in front of square for a boundary in the same over. Along the way, Musheer also made judicious use of DRS to overturn two decisions – one lbw and one caught behind.Musheer brought up his 150 off 326 balls when an overthrow allowed a second run with no one backing up. It summed up the state of play at the time, with India A running short of ideas. Soon after the landmark, Musheer launched Parag for a massive six over deep midwicket to signal a change in intentions.But a double-ton wasn’t to be as he fell in the second over after lunch, a ball after he had slog-swept Kuldeep Yadav onto the roof at deep midwicket. Two of Musheer’s three first-class hundreds are now 150-plus scores. This one, like the others, served to reiterate his maturity and hunger at 19.

Impact Player rule, increasing uncapped player retentions on IPL agenda

Whether to retain or discontinue the Impact Player rule, as well as possibly increasing the number of uncapped players on each IPL team’s retention list feature on the agenda of a meeting between the IPL and the ten franchises, to take place on Wednesday. The closed-door meeting will take place at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai with the franchises represented by members of their ownership teams.Other significant points up for discussion are: have the mega auction every five years instead of the existing three; reinstating the right-to-match (RTM) card option at auctions; the availability (or lack thereof) of overseas players; and a fix on the total number of retentions.All these points have been framed by the IPL after its chief operating officer, Hemang Amin, met various franchises over the past few months seeking feedback ahead of finalising next year’s mega auction.

Impact Player – abolish or retain?

There were eight 250-plus totals in IPL 2024 including the highest in the tournament’s history – 287, which Sunrisers Hyderabad plundered against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Pundits and team officials agreed the six-hitting spree, especially in the powerplay segment, was a consequence of the Impact Player rule, introduced in IPL 2023, which allowed teams to pick an extra specialist batter or bowler based on the game situation. Nine of the ten highest totals in IPL history have been recorded since the Impact Player rule was introduced.The original motive of this rule was to allow more Indian players, especially the uncapped ones, to get exposure. However, Rohit Sharma, India’s Test and ODI captain, said he was not a big fan of the rule because it would hold back the “development” of allrounders, a skillset that is not easily available in Indian T20 cricket. This view is also shared by a few franchises and one of them told ESPNcricinfo that it had informed the IPL it would be in favour of scrapping the rule.The question for the IPL, though, is whether the bigger totals are contributing to the overall enhancement of their product and whether the fans like it. Or not.13:31

Runorder: Is the mega auction good for the IPL?

Increase uncapped retentions

Ahead of the 2022 mega auction, the IPL allowed the eight original franchises to retain a maximum of two uncapped Indian players and the two new teams – Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants – could have one each. However, with these players putting in consistent performances, and with the franchises devoting a lot of resources to scout them and develop their game, a change may be coming.It is learned that the franchises have put forward some suggestions to Amin, one of which is to either create a special allowance within the main retention pool for uncapped talent or increase the number of RTM cards, with which a team can match the winning bid at the auction for a player they had on their rolls till the previous season and bring him back in.

Incremental performance pay

During discussions, the IPL is understood to have told the franchises about the need to incentivise players financially considering the teams were getting bigger money than before. One of the reasons behind the IPL’s proposal could be that it wants to better the salary of a player who was bought at his base price at the auction and was then retained at the same price even though his stature has grown since.The IPL is believed to have recommended paying players a match fee, but an immediate counter came from several franchises: what about the players who sit on the bench? Currently, as part of their contract, a player gets a discretionary fee from the franchise’s overall auction purse based on where the team finished the previous season. This number is set by the IPL. One of the suggestions given to the IPL is that instead of a match fee it would be better to finalise the amount to be put in the incentive pot, which the franchise could use at its discretion to reward their performers.Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc both went for over INR 20 crore at the last mini auction•KKR Knight Club

Overseas players

There are various proposals franchises have put forth concerning the overseas players. At least one franchise has told the IPL that there should be no restriction on the number of overseas players it can retain so long as it is within the retention cap. So, if the IPL allows five overall retentions, then the franchise said it should be able to fill all the slots with overseas players if they want.Franchises have also told the IPL that they believe overseas players have been exploiting mini auctions to get record sums of money. Some of these players, the franchises believe, have avoided mega auctions where the purse is evenly spread with various teams looking to build from the ground up and therefore be more mindful about how much money they spend on a single player. At mini auctions, since teams usually have a core already in place, they are able to go all guns blazing for that one player who will complete the make-up of the side. One suggestion on the table is whether the IPL should make it mandatory for overseas players to register for mega auctions.According to a franchise head, the IPL is also looking to impose a bidding cap at mini auctions. This will be based on the amount that a franchise will set aside for its No. 1 retention pick ahead of the mega auctions. Bidding at mini auctions cannot go past that number.For example, if INR 20 crore is what the IPL decides a franchise must pay its highest retained player before a mega auction, then at the mini auction the highest bid cannot exceed that. If there are teams still willing to bid more for that player, then, the franchises have suggested, the option of a silent tie-breaker should come into play.The silent tie-breaker was a method utilised in earlier IPL auctions. Devised in 2010, the tie-breaker was designed to be used in smaller auctions, where there is a smaller purse, to break a deadlock. In the IPL’s history, three players have been bought via the tie-breaker rule: Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians) and Shane Bond (Kolkata Knight Riders) in 2010, and Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings) in 2012.Those privy to Wednesday’s meeting point out that while all the recommendations and proposals are likely to be put forth at the meeting, there is no confirmation on whether IPL will announce its final decision on these matters right away.

BCB asks Afghanistan board to postpone next month's white-ball series

The BCB has requested its Afghanistan counterpart to postpone next month’s white-ball series in Greater Noida, and asked for the games to be played as soon as “the two boards find a window”, ESPNcricinfo has learnt.The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had proposed three ODIs and three T20Is in late July, sending the BCB match dates – between July 25 and August 6 – too. It was a revised schedule after the tour initially also included two Tests.The BCB felt that the weather in that part of India at that time wouldn’t be ideal for an international series. June to September is usually considered off-season in the subcontinent because of the monsoons. The BCB had earlier postponed the series keeping in mind the workload management of its players.Bangladesh’s next assignment is a two-Test series in Pakistan from mid-August, the schedule for which hasn’t been announced yet. Many of the Test players will get busy playing red-ball matches ahead of this series as part of the preparations. They will play three internal matches in Chattogram and Sylhet, followed by four four-day matches against Pakistan Shaheens in Darwin and later in Pakistan.Later, Bangladesh will also go to India to play two Tests and three T20Is from September 19 to October 12. It will be followed by two Tests at home against South Africa, followed by a full tour of the West Indies that includes two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is in November and December.That workload is the reason why the BCB was always reluctant for the two Tests against Afghanistan. They had also postponed one Test against Zimbabwe earlier this year, turning that tour into five T20Is in May. Bangladesh will complete their World Test Championship cycle by December 2024.

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